After that short burst of joy at once again being connected to the known world, Freya slowly turned around the dark room to where she felt eyes peering into her back. At this action, she was also able to get a bearing into her surroundings for the first time. Freya noticed that the room seemed to be in shades of black and purple and gave a kind of gloomy, dark feel uncommon in most abodes in Lorian.

Did the weird book put me in a foreign country? Freya thought to herself before finally facing the only other occupant in the room.

The person in question was a young man. He was seated on a throne that was equally as dark as the rest of the room’s décor, but on closer inspection, Freya let out an internal curse.

Shit, he’s my type and I just acted like an idiot over a Magicore signal, Freya thought feeling her face heat up.

He had the type of tall and muscular frame that reminded Freya of a soldier or knight while still maintaining an air of dignity around him. Most of all, his swirling crimson eyes and inky black hair seemed to be dripping with a strong magical aura. She had always had a thing for powerful mages, even if the practice of modern magic always alluded her. Recalling the book’s words, Freya thought that maybe this was a blessing in disguise and a sign from the gods that things would turn out okay.

Of course, things never went as planned and instead of a cool and elegant greeting, Freya ended up waving nervously and saying, “Hey there.”

The young man cocked his head to the side and asked more than said, “Hello?”

After a seemingly endless awkward pause of the two of them staring each other down, the young man asked, “Who are you and how did you get here?”

Just as Freya was about to give out some sort of introduction or explanation, her stomach growled.

Blushing at this humiliation, Freya nervously said, “Sorry its just been a while since I’ve eaten.”

At this sound, the crimson eyed man let out a strange smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and stood up. Slowly walking to Freya with a grace she currently could not muster, the young man stood before her, his height towering Freya’s short stature.

Crap, he’s tall too, Freya inwardly thought recalling that every single one of her boyfriends and girlfriends had been tall too. The thought immediately reminded her that she wasn’t back home free to study and party to heart’s desire. Right now, she had to focus, not get distracted by someone’s looks, no matter how hot they were.

“Are you hungry,” the man asked.

Laughing nervously, Freya answered, “Yeah, I guess I am. Sorry about the intrusion.”

The man’s grin widened as he asked, “Then I have a question for you.”

“A question?”

Leaning down so that they were almost eye level, the man asked, “How do you feel about the consumption of human flesh?”

Taken aback, Freya took a pause before dumbly saying, “Come again?”

Leaning in closer, the man whispered into Freya’s ear, “I asked, how do you feel about the consumption of human flesh?”

Seeing that she did not hear wrongly, Freya’s mind suddenly switched to overdrive. Mentally sighing, Freya wondered why was it that every time she found someone attractive they either turned out to be a dick or completely crazy.

Outside, Freya put on a smile just as fake as the man’s grin and replied, “I don’t believe I am suited for such an exotic dish.”

Taken aback, the man returned to his full high and looked Freya down. While still keeping that strange grin, Freya noticed that his eyes gazed down on her stage smile with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

 Without changing his expression, the man said, “Oh, have you ever partaken of such a dish?”

Looking at him, Freya was again taken aback by both his handsome features, but also by the absolute ridiculousness of this conversation. Out of all the ways today could have turned out, these events were the last thing she could have possibly anticipated in any scenario.

Thinking carefully, Freya answered, “I am sorry to say I have not, nor do I have any inclination to try such a meal.”

Seeing the man’s mouth about to open up in most likely another strange response, Freya quickly added in, “What are your thoughts on the consumption of human flesh?”

Seeing the man’s grin spread wider and his flaming eyes take on a cold and hard edge, Freya realized that she had made a mistake in asking this question. This person may very well be insane, but he would be more difficult to deal with than the soldiers from this morning.

“In this world there is no finer cuisine. Once consuming the flesh of one who thinks and feels just as you and I do, their very essence becomes a part of you. As my teeth gnaw through the layers of muscle tissue, fat, and blood,” here his expression turned slightly gleeful as he continued, “All their life and magic becomes one with you. It is truly an indescribable and wonderful feeling which I could not possibly hope for you to understand.”

In this world, there was only one race who could absorb the life and magic of others through eating them.

“You’re a demon,” Freya whispered out loud before realizing how stupid she was to say something aloud.

Seeing his expression darken even more as the man-no, demon-nodded, Freya thought about running away, but quickly abandoned the thought. She was no knight or athlete. Her best bet was to use her mouth. Sure, she had made two mistakes, but there had to be a way to get out of this unscathed. If she could survive her family and her exes, she could survive a demon!

Seeing that Freya stayed where she was, the demon cocked his head to the side, his grin falling, as if someone had taken away his favorite toy.

At this action, Freya mentally cursed him out. This guy was just like her family and exes, thinking they could get away with bullying someone just because they didn’t have any magic or were weaker than them.

Contrary to what Freya expected him to say next, the demon muttered, “Odd, they normally start running or fighting by now.”

Freya, once again, was dumbfounded by the entire situation and could only lamely stare back at the demon.

Is he putting on some sort of show? Freya internally wondered.

At her lack of response, the demon shrugged and gave her a smile which made her knees weak. Blushing in response, Freya had to mentally remind herself that this wasn’t some hot boy at the club, but a man-eating demon, emphasis on the word “man-eating”.

Next, the demon held out his right hand and a magic circle, the symbols complex and abstract, appeared in the same scarlet color of the demon’s eyes in the air next to his hand. Without the demon even uttering a word, a large sword, black as shadow, appeared in his hand as the circle disappeared.

Remembering the situation at hand, Freya asked, “Have you eaten today?”

The demon took a step back, while gripping the sword in one hand, but at her question he responded, “There was this mage from the Empire who came in this morning blabbering some nonsense about good and evil.” The demon’s expression took on a look of momentary ecstasy before he continued, “He was a little dull, but his magic was absolutely exquisite.”

“Then if you have already eaten, can I go?” Freya inquired, not sure if this would work.

Looking back at her, the man tossed the sword up in the air before grabbing it with an expert hand and pointing it at her. He then gave a cocky grin as he said, “I could always use a meal for later.”

Finally accepting the danger of the situation at hand, Freya’s brain lost all reason as she quickly thought of what to say to avoid death.

As he moved to thrust the onyx blade towards her neck, Freya shut her eyes tightly and quickly screamed, “The second law of thermodynamics states that it is only with the addition of energy that the transfer of heat energy is possible from a body with cool temperature to a different body with warmer temperature.”

Stopping the blade an inch from Freya’s neck, so close that she was scared to even breathe, the demon looked at her in outright confusion as he asked, “Did you just recite Quantum Magical Theory to me?”

Feeling her chance, Freya slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the cold metal near her neck as she continued, “It is a well-known fact that magic is the highest and most strongest form of energy in this world and that those of high magical talent and power suffer and die early from having too much magical energy flowing in and around them.”

His eyes began to take on the same dumbfounded expression whenever Freya talked about her research with anyone other than her professors and fellow students as he pressed the blade into her neck, not enough to break skin, but enough to pose a very real threat.

“You know, it is generally not recommended to state the weaknesses of those holding a blade to your neck. Is there a point to this lesson or should I just end this farse now?” the demon inquired.

Still eyeing the blade, Freya silently thought, Psycho equals psycho answer

Seeing the impatience in his eyes, Freya then quickly responded, “It is also a well known fact that those born unto the Lorian royal family are born emitting a seemingly endless supply of cold energy, able to slowly bring the bodies of high mages and high demons into equilibrium.”

“Interesting, I have heard of the effects of the Lorian royals, but why are you bringing that up now,” the demon asked.

“Because I am a member of that family,” Freya all but yelled as she stretched her neck backward while reaching her hand for the small bit of visible skin on his wrist from underneath the long sleeved dress shirt he was wearing.

Immediately the demon’s eyes widened, and his lips parted in a small “o” shape at the effect the small action had on him. Then, almost abruptly, his face spread into a wide satisfied grin, different yet just as breathtaking as his earlier sinister grin.

“Today is your lucky day,” said the demon while keeping that same grin. At his words, a red magic circle like the earlier one appeared, and the sword disappeared.

In relief, Freya released his wrist and reached to rub her neck as the demon continued, “Royal of Lorian, let us make a deal.”