Despite the cold air around him, Jason felt a fierce sweat building on the back of his neck. If he wasn’t tied to the chair Jason would have taken a few steps back away from the trembling demon girl near the door. She was angry. That much was clear. What terrified Jason to his core is the thought that her anger was coming from a similar place as Courtney’s had. He suspected Remi might be more affected by his ability than she had initially let on, but he hadn’t really expected her to spiral so quickly.

“I can’t do this anymore, Jason.” Remi spoke with a haunted tone. “I just can’t.”

Head still lowered, the demon girl began to slowly approach him. Jason pulled against the cuffs around his wrists until they bled. He had to get away. She’s just like the rest of them. If Jason’s head had been clearer he would have noticed the mournful tears in her eyes much sooner. It wasn’t until Remi stood directly next to him that Jason realized she wasn’t angry.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked cautiously. 

“I…” Remi struggled to speak for a moment but lifted her eyes with fierce determination.

“I like you!” She shouted.

Oh no. Jason grimaced. Was I right? Is she really going to go crazy?

Remi continued to stare Jason down, but the longer they held each other’s gaze the redder her face grew.

“Stop!” Remi spun away and covered her face with both of her hands.

“Stop what?” Jason asked, still wary of where the demon girl was taking this conversation.

“Staring at me.” Remi’s red eye shot him a dirty look from the edge of her hand.

“You’re not serious?” Jason sputtered. “You were the one staring at me!”

Remi turned around, still blushing furiously, and stomped a foot on the cement floor.

“That’s because you didn’t respond!” She pouted.

Jason’s mouth popped open. “What?”

Her hands fell to her behind her back and she twisted back and forth like an embarrassed schoolgirl.

“You’re… You’re supposed to say if you like me back.” Remi whispered. “Right? That’s the human custom for this isn’t it?”

“Oh.” Jason sighed. “So is that why you won’t let me out of this chair? You want to keep me prisoner and have me all to yourself too?”

“Well… no.” Remi’s face fell.

Jason frowned. “No?”

“I want you… to choose me to have you all to myself.” Remi’s eyes darted between Jason and the floor. “And I want you to have… me all to yourself.”

“You want us to be…a normal couple?” Jason felt his own face redden. “You’re not going crazy and want to kill everyone around me?”

Remi snorted and the corners of her lips turned upwards. “Yeah I guess that’s kind of a surprise for you given your situation.”

The demon girl turned and began walking slowly around the steel table. “Demons are creatures of lust, hatred, deceit, and all manner of evil. We are supposed to trick, exploit, and use mortals in order to have them give up their souls for empty words and false promises. We’re not…”

She paused. “I’m not supposed to have feelings… like this.”

“Feelings like what?” Jason prompted.

“When I’m around you…” Remi hugged her arms around her exposed stomach and held herself tightly. “I feel warm and pleasant. I don’t want to lie to you. When you look at me, it makes me shiver. I like it. I want you to want to look at me. I get embarrassed when you make fun of me, but it also makes me happy that we can joke with each other.”

“This is the first time I’ve ever actually liked someone. Maybe even loved them.” She paused directly across the table, a sad expression slowly on her face. “My boss’ gift to you, it drives girls around you to become possessive, lustful, and filled with hate. It’s a twisted kind of irony that it would have the opposite effect on someone like me.”

She leaned forward, placing both of her hands on the table, and fixated her serious gaze on Jason.

“Be honest with me, Jason, please.” She spoke with assurity but her hands trembled with fear. “Could you really like someone like me?”

Jason’s thoughts sifted through the memories he shared with the worried demon girl in front of him. It came as a surprise to him that it didn’t take long to get his answer.

“I could.” Jason nodded, sure of his response.

Yes, he was attracted to her physically. That crop top and short short combo was killer from day one. Her red skin was odd at first but had really grown on him as time went on. Even the thin tail that flickered behind her had its allure. But above all of that, Jason had grown accustomed to who Remi was as a person. Teasing her had been fun and served as a fantastic, harmless outlet while he was dealing with the craziness that was his life now. Though her pranks may have gotten him into trouble multiple times over the past few days, she had always tried her best to help him out. Jason owed her his life.

Remi’s eyes went wider than Jason had ever seen them. She ducked below the table and out of sight. Jason chuckled.

“I don’t understand Remi.” Jason shook his head. “If that’s what you really want, why don’t you let me out?”

There was silence for several seconds before Remi’s quiet voice responded.

“Because it could never work.” She said sadly. “Demon’s aren’t meant to feel love. We’re not meant to help people without asking for anything in return. Every time I do something to help you, it gets harder for me. I'm torn between my feelings and desire to help you and my purpose in being here. It’s agonizing. I want to stay with you, but without making a deal I will be slowly driven to madness. But If I do make a deal with you, my purpose is fulfilled and I will be forced back to Hell.”

“Oh.” The news hit Jason harder than he expected. “But what if part of the deal we made was you remaining here?”

Remi laughed gently. Her head popped up from the other side of the table and she laid it sideways to look at Jason with a mixture of joy and sadness.

“You have no idea how much that means to me.” Remi sighed and a single tear formed in the corner of her eye. “But that’s not possible. I don’t have the power to force myself to stay.”

She stood and stretched. “Which is why I might as well get this over with.”

A determined glint entered her red and black eyes. She walked around the table and crouched down next to Jason.

“What are you doing?” Jason demanded.

Remi smiled. “We’re going to make a deal. I’ll get you out of here and you’ll use that research on your computer to find a meeting place where you can speak to my boss. I didn’t want to say anything before since I selfishly wanted to stay, but what you’re looking for is in that information.”

“Your boss.” Jason perked up. “That’s it! Remi, don’t you see? We can go to your boss and get him to let you stay here. You don’t have the authority but I’m willing to bet that he does.”

Remi’s smile faltered. “Don’t do that Jason. Don’t say such irresponsible things. It was hard enough to convince myself to finally go through with this.”

“Well I’m not ready to give up on you.” Jason affirmed.

Remi laughed. “And how will you get out of here without my help? We’re in a mob boss’ basement. Even if I can get the willpower to get you out of those cuffs, what are you going to do about the dozens of armed guards that are all over the place?”

Jason grit his teeth. “I don’t know.”

“So…” Remi placed her hand on Jason’s arm.

“I-”

Just then, a rumble shook the entire building above them.

“What was that?” Jason asked as dust fell from the ceiling.

Remi shook her head. “I’m not sure. I’ll go find out.”

She hopped over to the door and flung it open. Jason was almost positive it had been locked when Courtney left, but Remi didn’t seem hampered in the slightest.

“So this doesn’t count as helping me?” Jason tilted his head towards the door.

Remi paused in the doorway and smirked.

“I’m just sating my own curiosity.” She innocently batted her eyes.

There must have been a guard stationed just outside of the door. It had only been open for a second or two but a large ugly brute stuck his head in and scowled at Jason. Remi expertly stepped around the man and disappeared around the corner.

“That shake knocked the door open.” Jason lifted his still cuffed hands to prove his own innocence. “Do you know what it was?”

The man didn’t answer as he slammed the door closed.

********

Hey, sorry for the break in the action, author JTNestman here. If you're reading this on a site other than scribblehub my work has been shamelessly stolen. I've never had anyone ask me to repost my writing, nor have I given permission as such. I realize that it will probably happen more than once and wont stop just because I said something since this is the internet, but as a reader I'd hate to be giving my praises or criticisms to someone who has not actually authored the work.

Anyway, something to think about.

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“You wanted to see me.” Courtney’s arms were already crossed as she entered her father’s study.

Xander Tiggs stood with his back to Courtney. He was tall, easily a foot taller than Courtney was herself. Broad shoulders, thick neck, bald head, and scarred hands made him look like a thug, but Courtney knew full well her intelligence came from her father’s side. Xander ran one of the most successful crime syndicates in the country. The ‘family business’, as he referred to it, mostly came from importing and exporting illegal materials in and out of the country. Xander was a shark when it came to business deals. He was quick, precise, and ruthless. Courtney knew there was little in life that ever rattled her father. So to see him in his usual suit with a loose tie and bags under his eyes came as quite a surprise.

“You want to explain what this is about?” Xander continued to inspect a number of papers on his desk.

Courtney tilted her head. “Is there a problem?”

Xander’s hands paused and rubbed his temples.

“Is this your rebellious phase? Are you trying to tell me something?” Xander looked at his daughter for the first time. “You’ve been so quiet for so long that I was almost relieved when I heard you put a hit out on a classmate. Sure it made my life a little busier, but hey, I thought if it helped you get through some tough times I’d let it slide.”

Xander ran a hand over his head. “That was my mistake. I gave you too much latitude and now I’m paying the price for it.”

“Are you going to get to the point or am I going to have to listen to you prattle on for another hour?” Courtney snarled.

Xander’s eyes narrowed. “Three of our men, dead. A civilian’s house, shot to pieces. Your classmate, kidnapped and chained down in our basement. Do you have any idea how much work this is going to take to get rid of? It doesn’t matter how many city council members we have in the palm of our hand or how many cops look the other way when we operate. None of that matters if we blow up an entire city block.”

Xander was full on shouting now. “The media is on this like sharks to blood. They’re calling attention to other ‘incidents’ that we could normally sweep under the rug. Our family is in danger from your actions and I deserve to know why!”

Courtney didn’t flinch. “I love him.”

Xander froze.

“You love him?” He repeated dumbly.

Courtney smiled and nodded.

Xander began laughing. “And what? He’s going to love you back for keeping him locked in the basement? He’s going to resent you until he dies. Which will be sooner rather than later if I have a say in the matter.”

Courtney stepped forward and clenched her hands to her sides. “You. Will. Not. Touch. Him.”

“He’s mine. His life is mine to decide.” She could feel her eyes burning.

Xander wasn’t phased but did get a sad look in his eyes. 

“What happened to you princess?” He asked, using her old nickname. “This isn’t like you at all.”

Was this not like me? Courtney mused.

A loud bang sounded outside and the entire building rumbled with an unknown impact. The glass in her father’s study blew inwards as a shockwave struck the street facing side of the building. Xander was quick to push his daughter behind him as glass flew all around them. As the debris settled, the pair turned to the window to see a fire just outside of their compound gates. From the ruined wall and cratered street, it looked like something had detonated right at the front entrance.

“Go to the panic room.” Xander roughly forced Courtney out of the broken study and into the hallway.

Courtney could hear shouts and footsteps of guards running towards the front of the house. Xander shoved Courtney towards her room before sprinting towards the commotion himself. Courtney waited until her father was out of sight before running towards the staircase that led back downstairs.

Somebody is here for him. Courtney had no evidence to back up her thought but she knew it to be true.

Someone was here to take Jason away from her.

I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Courtney assured herself.