"Den, are you sure?" Kane asked, concerned.
"Of course i'm sure. Drive!"
Kane put the truck into drive and sped out of the hotel parking lot. Going above the legal speed limit he got honked at by several cars that faded into the distance. Mera winced at every near miss.
"Why are you going so fast?" Mera yelled.
Tokizan put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye.
"Is it really wise to be distracting him at this particular moment?" He mumbled.
"... Sorry."
"Here, I can show you why." Tokizan said, "give me your hand."
When Mera's hand was in Tokizan's she felt a chill run up her spine. She couldn't explain how but she felt numerous auras that felt... wrong. Nothing at all like Deniel or Tokizan's presence. These felt... hungry and angry. It felt like all that anger was directed at her. No matter how fast Kane was speeding it did not seem to be closing the distance, the distance seemed to get smaller every second.
Suddenly, Deniel shouted loudly in what sounded like another language and lept onto Kane's lap and pulled the wheel hard to the right. Time seemed to slow down while simultaneously speeding up. Mera shrieked and covered her eyes. Over the sound of sound of her heart beating she heard a sound like a parachute opening and she felt Tokizan's arms wrap around her torso. To her horror, she no longer felt a seat belt across her chest.
"Trust me." Tokizan mumbled. Mera was just about to ask why, when the door opened and she felt herself go weightless. Too scared to scream, her muscles contracted, bracing herself for impact. What will happen when I die? Will the guys mourn me? Or will they be dead as well? Who am I kidding, Deniel and Tokizan will survive something as simple as a car wreck, right? Will Kane? I doubt Deniel would let him die while under his protection.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist and stopped her descent.
"Wha?"
"Thank you for trusting me," Tokizan drawled, "You looked resigned to death."
"How was I to know I was about to be pushed from a crashing truck!"
"I apologise, I would have left you in the truck but that would have killed you."
Mera looked back, the truck had landed. She shuddered. It was laying on its caved in hood, broken glass everywhere. Kane was going to blow a fuze of his own when he saw this.
"Kane and Den..."
"Are safe, I was the last one out. Deniel is heading in a different direction than us to try and confuse our pursuers. We will rendezvous at a prearranged meeting spot. This is also a great opportunity to narrow down who they're following. If more try and follow us, we'll know it is you they seek. There is also a chance they're just hunting Kane and Deniel. Those two have been a pain in their ass for a few years." Tokizan flew lower into a wooded area, Mera flinched when she looked at how close his wings were to hitting the trees.
"Why wouldn't they be looking for you?"
"They think I'm dead, Den helped fake my death to the demons."
"What if they knew you were alive?"
"Then it would be in my best interest to go back to Den's place. They would want me dead, I'm a traitor to them."
"How fun."
"Oh yeah, you have no idea. Traitor to my, admittedly evil, species. Scum to Den's."
They flew in silence for a long time. Just how long, Mera didn't know but it felt like eternity.
"Why did Den crash the truck?" She asked suddenly.
"I'm not quite sure, we didn't exactly sit and chat while it was happening. I'm sure he has a good reason or Kane will likely become very interested in how to destroy angels."
Mera laughed at that. An image of a pissed off Kane chasing Deniel with a large stick came to her mind.
They stopped a few minutes later in a clearing in the woods. Tokizan folded his wings against his back. Mera noticed them for the first time, she didn't think she had seen demon wings before. She didn't think they looked like the popular media's portrayal. Black feathers faded to maroon on long graceful appendages, Tokizan caught her gaze and she reddened.
"S-sorry, I've never seen wings before..."
"It's fine, it is a natural response."
"I thought a demon's wings would be all ugly and batty." Mera said, before biting the inside of her cheek. She instantly regretted speaking. Tokizan just laughed, however.
"Everyone's wings are different, Angels and demons actually don't have all that different wings. Demons have darker versions of the angel wings. It's part of the curse of the first angel that fell. As far as I know, i'm a mutant who doesn't share their temperament completely."
"...Do I get wings?" Mera asked.
"Den and I have been trying to figure that out. I think it is actually best if you practice outside. Would you like to try now?"
"S-sure!" She hadn't been expecting to try so soon.
"Ok. So I have no idea if we need to activate your demon blood to be able to do this."
"Oh, um. How do I do that?"
"There are a few ways, you- DUCK!"
"How would that-?" She started to ask, but Tokizan tackled her to the ground. She was about to protest when she heard an explosion, followed by a sickening cracking sound and a tree fell to the ground.
Tokizan swore vehemently. He rose to his feet, his wings had vanished into thin air.
"Mera, whatever happens next, stay alive. Don't worry about me."
"You idiot. I'm telling Deniel you said that."
"Shh! Don't speak their names. Trees have ears."
A cackle came from the tree line.
"You look well, brother. Death suits you." A gravely voice taunted.
"As it would suit you, Zaxoc." Tokizan growled.
"Your little 'vacation' has improved your confidence, brother."
"No brother of mine."
"You wound me greatly."
"You feel nothing."
"And you feel too much."
"Enough. Why do you pursue?"
"The halfling belongs to us. We claim her." Zaxoc says casually.
"Show yourself then, coward." Mera hissed. She was finding that she did not enjoy being called a halfling.
"Oh little halfling, if I did such a thing my dear brother would get violent. I expect he hasn't shown you his true colours. I wouldn't want to spoil your innocence."
"Toki?" She asked.
"He's playing mind games." Tokizan hissed. He made a sweeping gesture with both of his arms, "Show yourself!" He yelled.
A figure stepped into the clearing, loose white-washed jeans and a leather jacket complemented his overall punk look. Mera thought he looked like an older and meaner version of Tokizan. His black hair was cropped, whereas Tokizan's was almost shoulder length. His eyes were a stark contrast. Zaxoc had blood red eyes, to Tokizan's purple. Mera wondered for a brief moment why none of them had normal human coloured eyes. She stopped wondering when she noticed Zaxoc's backup. Six demons flanked him, three on either side.
He had been stalling. Waiting for backup. Mera felt faint. Their backup was travelling in the opposite direction.
"Mera, run. I'll hold them." Tokizan murmured to her.
"Are you stupid? They'll tear you to shreds."
"It's nothing more than what I deserve."
"Ok. I'm having Deniel have a talk with you. After this, I'm staging an intervention!"
"Mera, I'm serious. Run, if they get you it could mean the apocalypse!"
"Then we won't lose."
A bolt of fire connected with the ground inches from Tokizan's sandals. Tokizan returned it, singeing one of the demons' coats.
Suddenly, all six of the backup demons rushed at Mera and Tokizan. Mera pulled out the knife she had in her boot, she had had the fortune to remember to put it in her boot after the encounter with the ghost. Tokizan lunged at them, claws extended. Two got around him to get to Mera. She waved the knife at them, suddenly scared. They both attacked at the same time like they were skilled strategists. Mera felt teeth on her arm and she cried out in anger and lashed out with the knife. She felt like she was on fire, her heart was in her throat. The knife lodged itself in the demon's eye. Normally she would have felt queasy at the gore in front of her, but she threw back her head and laughed hysterically. She lashed out with her, now clawed, hands. Scratching the second demon across the face. She reached for his throat, catching his sleeve instead she lunged and bit it. Going for the jugular instinctively. She looked up from her kill to see fear in a pair of amber eyes. She reveled as the scent of fear and blood entered her nose. She struck out at the figure in blue. It jumped back, avoiding her claws. She glanced down at her hands, angry that the figure had evaded her. She suddenly felt something heavy on her back, something that she could control. She used them to race forward faster. She caught the figure in the side. It let out a satisfying gasp of pain and astonishment. She went for the leg next, wanting to incapacitate her prey. She got her mouth on the leg and bit. A pleasant taste filled her mouth, she wanted more. She continued biting. The figure let out a cry and she felt herself pulled away by strong arms. She fought tooth and nail, wanting to go back to the pleasant taste. She felt a blow to the back of her head and all went dark.
