"I... I won't tell you anything!" I growled, struggling against the shadowy snakes constricting my body. But the more I fought, the tighter their grip became.
"You're stubborn. I like that," the demon said, her lips curling into a wicked grin. "But everything has a breaking point, human. Even you."
"Just let go of me!" I thrashed, but the shadow snakes slithered up and coiled over my mouth, silencing me.
Without another word, the female demon turned and walked away, her shadows dragging me behind her. I don't know if it was exhaustion or the suffocating air of the demon realm, but eventually, I blacked out.
When I woke up, I was lying on a couch. My eyes darted around the room, taking in my surroundings. To be honest, it wasn't what I expected from a demon's lair. No walls of bones, no eerie torches flickering with cursed flames. Instead, the place was... cozy with normal-looking furniture inside. Or at least that's what l thought until I realized the couch I was on had spider-like legs that twitched.
Like any sane human, I jumped up, screaming.
"You don't know how to wake up quietly, human, do you?" A frustrated voice came from the next room.
I turned just in time to see the demon milf walking toward me.
Of course, I stepped back, scanning for anything I could use as a weapon.
"You look like a lost kitten," she smirked.
"I feel like one," I muttered, finally grabbing what looked like a kitchen knife and pointing it at her. "Stay back."
I inched toward the door in reverse, keeping the knife raised. She simply crossed her arms, watching me with amusement.
No way in hell was I going to be her next meal.
I reached the door and creaked it open—then froze when l heard a deep, guttural growl rumbling behind me.
Slowly, I turned my head and my heart stopped when I saw massive black fangs. A beast that looked like a dog—except twice the size of a normal one.
"Arghhh!" I yelped, stumbling back into the house and slamming the door shut.
The demon burst into laughter. "I didn't know humans were afraid of puppies."
My brow twitched. "Puppies?"
"Yeah. That's a puppy. And it loves human meat."
Oh, great. What the hell did I get myself into?
"If you or your 'puppy' so much as scratch me, I swear, you'll regret it," I warned.
She chuckled. "You're a cocky little thing, aren't you?"
Turning away, she headed toward what I assumed was the kitchen. "But that mouth of yours isn't going to save you, kiddo. If I was serious, you'd already be bones on my floor."
I shrugged. "Then why aren't I?"
She scoffed, returning with a bowl in hand. "Because I'm bored, not hungry. Besides, you don't smell like food. You smell like an idiot with a death wish."
I leaned against the door. "That so?"
"Yeah." Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "Name's Rose. Now tell me why you really came to the demon realm before I change my mind about making you lunch."
I exhaled. There was no way around it. "I'm Asher Reynolds. I came to save a human Priestess. The Demon Lord took her from our world."
Rose fell silent, then let out a slow, bitter exhale.
"You really are an idiot," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "Picking a fight with the Demon Lord? That bastard..."
She placed the bowl on the table, her nails digging into the wood. For the first time, her cocky expression twisted into something else.
Pure Hatred.
"So, you hate him too," I noted.
Her gaze snapped back to me, and that smirk returned but there was a new edge to it now. Something dangerous.
"Tch. Don't get the wrong idea, boy. Your little 'save the princess' quest doesn't mean shit to me. But..." Her eyes flicked over me.
Then she moved.
Fast.
One moment, she was by the table. The next, her claws were slashing toward my throat.
I barely dodged, rolling to the floor as her nails shredded through the door where my neck had been. Scrambling to my feet, my heart pounded, but I forced a grin.
"Oh? So we're fighting now?"
She cracked her knuckles. "No. I'm testing your resolve. If you're too weak, I'll kill you myself. Saves me the trouble of watching you die later."
I wiped a drop of blood from my cheek where she grazed me with her nails. "Heh. At least let me grope your boobs before I die."
She rolled her eyes. "Idiot." Then she sat down. "But you're lucky, you know."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How's that?"
She exhaled. "The Demon Lord won't kill your little Priestess right away. I assume he needs her for the Bloodveil Sundering ritual. It breaks the barrier between our realms. Given how power-hungry that bastard is, he's probably planning to conquer your world, too. But to complete the ritual, he needs a Holy Maiden—your Priestess—as a sacrifice on the Crimson Full Moon."
I tensed. "When is it? This Crimson Full Moon?"
"Three weeks." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her fist. "Until then, she's safe."
"I'll rescue her tomorrow. I don't care if she's safe for three weeks. I need to get her back to my world so that l could attend my one-week field trip with my friends."
More like to make a move at my hot Milf teacher.
"You'll make it, don't worry. Time here moves slower than in the human world."
I fell silent, considering my next move, when she spoke again.
"Let me guess—you're thinking of charging into the Demon Lord's castle straight from the front gate, fists swinging?"
"That's the plan."
She snorted. "Idiot."
"Yeah, yeah. You got a better idea?"
She studied me for a long moment, then said, "I sense something inside you, Asher. A raw power. You have no trace of mana in your body....Yet, you use magic."
I frowned. "So?"
She sighed. "If you want to take on the Demon Lord, you'll need more than just that cocky attitude of yours."
"Really now?"
"Listen, kid. I hate that bastard too. And if you really have the potential that I think you do, then I say we join forces. You and me."
I raised an eyebrow. "You want to work together?"
"I want to kill him," she corrected. "And you're my best chance at that."
I leaned back, processing her words. The woman had tried to kill me hours ago, and now she wanted to team up? She must've really hated the Demon Lord.
"And what's in it for you?" I asked.
"Revenge."
"Sounds like you got a history with this demon Lord. Anyway, alright. Sounds good. Anything to save the Priestess."
She stood up, sighing. "But at your current level of power, you won't last a minute against his army. I mean, you're just a weak human after all. I'll have to train you."
A smirk tugged at her lips. "And don't think it's gonna be easy."
I grinned back. "As long as l get the chance to touch you during training, I'd endure it."
Tbc