They called us monsters part 13

Chapter 13: Gifts of the capital

Ketsu kept walking between the citizens of the capital, keeping in mind the possibility of the hunter trying to follow her. The demon had been more than impressed and intrigued by the male who claimed to have slaughtered the demon team plotting to rule Tereen. Ketsu had noticed those guys a while back and purposively ignored them after they tried to recruit her. They ended up discovering the difference in their abilities and backed off. Nero paced beside her, his indifference expression showed faint curiosity.

‘’Do you know this man?’’, he questioned and the demon smirked to herself, bringing her attention to the streets ahead. They had just arrived in the capital and had to find a room for the night, as the meeting with the councilor’s healers was the following day.

‘’Are you getting jealous Nero?’’, Ketsu teased and received a chuckle from the young one. She laughed at herself, memories of the nights they spent together resurfacing in her mind, flooding her body with lust as well as guilt. ‘’I just met him randomly at Tereen. If what he claims is true he is a very capable hunter.’’

‘’Are you scared of him?’’, the male added and Ketsu gave him a side glare, her brows lifted up. A cunning smile had crept on his lips, making him seem more charming than he was. The female hated the fact that this boy stirred her up the way her fist loves did, back when she was young.

‘’I will protect you Miss Ketsu.’’

The demon felt a blush rise to her face despite herself and she cursed under her breath, turning away to hide herself. She barely heard his snicker as they approached an inn, looking to get a common room for the both of them. What they had was nothing but carnal desire, but it mixed with mutual respect for each other’s skill and wit.

When the time came for Nero to approach one of the tallest buildings in the citadel and the king’s councilors’ residence, Ketsu advised that she remained in town and shop for the things Elise had asked from the capital. Nero, though, had a different opinion, insisting that Ketsu should join him in his mission. Thus they were now pacing through the very luxurious and people packed hallways of the councilors’ quarters. The demon was a usually fearless woman, but the mere amount of people, priests, rich knights and councilors, who stared at them made her feel uneasy.

‘’We knew you had a student, doctor, but we had never expected you to bring him along.’’, the bald healer in robes who guided them both finally spoke, after he received them from the guarded entrance. Ketsu and Nero exchanged a thought filled glance, and as if sharing the same mind, they both nodded to each other discreetly. The female demon perked up and wore a casual smile.

‘’An opportunity for this young man to see the capital, don’t you think? I couldn’t miss the chance.’’, she spoke with a smile, her eyes scanning the hallways, seemingly interested in the peculiar gold and silver tapestry and varied decorations, but she was actually counting guards and observing how many open windows were there.

‘’Undoubtedly. Yet I wonder who was left to keep your clinic back in Rekis? Or did you perhaps close it?’’, the bald man asked once more, prying too much for Ketsu’s liking. Nero narrowed his eyes at the back of his head for a split second, as they turned from the hallway, approaching one of the rooms to the left, the wooden door guarded by a single, heavily armed male. 

‘’Doctor Elise has various assistants besides me. The clinic is up and running, even in our absence.’’ Nero hastily explained, keeping an indifferent expression as always and the demon couldn’t help but wonder why he chose to lie to such a degree, from going along the misunderstanding that Ketsu was Elise, to claiming that the clinic was occupied by a number of people. The healer lifted his brows and a small smirk appeared on his wrinkly face, before it was replaced by a seemingly genuine smile.

‘’How responsive of you, doctor. I have never visited your clinic, neither have any of my colleagues, but hopefully our lead was correct and you can help our dear councilor.’’, he spoke, staring at Ketsu. The woman faked a smile as well, as they both approached the now opening door.

‘’I am sure that even my assistant can handle this ailment. We have had a great variety of illnesses cured in our clinic, being established in a port merchant town and all.’’, the demon brushed off his concerning words and set the field for Nero to be the one to first check up on the customer, thus providing the cure. Ketsu had studied medicine throughout these years, being friends with doctors helped her a great deal, yet she had rarely put it into practice, whereas Nero had cured humans almost every day from the moment Elise taught him how too.

‘’I admire your confidence.’’

The healer made his last comment to them as he led them through a large room, a bed with a luxurious canopy and a cross at the top was positioned beside the largest window of the room. The more the female looked around, the more it became obvious that it was the personal room of the councilor. Three maids and another male middle-aged assistant roamed about the room, cleaning the large bookcases and various decorations, preparing tea, scribbling down on various pieces of paper. They all ignored the two newcomer’s existence. As the bald healer approached the figure on the bed, a middle aged man with grey hair and a rough expression, Nero walked up as well.

‘’Sir Gunferth, the doctor is here with her assistant.’’, the bald male announce and made a short bow with his head. The councilor’s brown eyes landed harshly on Ketsu’s and the demon could tell that this man had clearly been a soldier who climbed up the hierarchy through obedience and blood. It excited her. She paced near him, trying not to look down on him and made a short bow, signaling Nero to mimic her action.

‘’I appreciate you coming here, doctor Elise. I have heard some… rumors.’’, he began and his rough voice matched the frown of his eyes. His comment should have been a compliment, but it somehow felt like a threat.

‘’That will be all.’’, the councilor spoke and motioned the bald man to exit. As soon as he walked out of the door, two more young looking assistants entered, carrying packs of paperwork. Ketsu observed the people in the room. Apart from the councilor and the maids who carried on with their tasks in a corner, there were three males, all of them with swords at their sides.

‘’Doctor. My healers have tried everything.’’, Gunferth uttered and attracted her attention. Obsidian eyes fell on his own brown ones and she approached him further as he sat up.

‘’My assistant will perform the examination.’’, she explained with an indifferent expression and the councilor frowned.

‘’I am paying for your services, doctor Elise.’’

‘’I am aware.’’, she smiled, ‘’My services are tied to the entirety of the clinic. My assistant is capable of healing you.’’ The human did not seem at all satisfied and his eyes darted to the back, where the men stood. Ketsu narrowed her eyes, as the air felt somehow heavier.

‘’Please remove your shirt.’’, Nero ordered and hovered over the councilor, already in his doctor mode, as the demon like to call it. The elder male removed the white linen shirt to reveal a well built, despite the age body, covered in old battle scars. Nero touched him around specific organs and made him cough a few times, his indifferent face unmoving. Yet the demon was more focused on the councilor and the way sweat had built up on his forehead. Ketsu frowned and went to take another step, but immediately stopped, her eyes widening in surprise.

Pain shot from her stomach and she glanced down to see a blade peeking out of it, the burning sensation of a wound forcing her demonic abilities to rise. Her red eyes glared at the councilor and she ducked near the ground, to avoid a blade that was definitely coming for her head. She saw the elder male grab Nero with his one hand and a dagger beneath the sheets, forcing the young man’s face against the blade. Nero frowned and resisted, immediately grabbing the councilor’s wrist and twisting it, making the blade fall from his hand. Ketsu turned around to face the three males who approached her with drawn swords, fear and fury coloring their young faces. This trap was set for Elise, in order to get rid of her. Her mind screamed of the possibilities. Perhaps someone had snitched her weird experiments and methodology and the church wished to end her and her work. Nero and she had to get back to Rekis as fast as possible.

But first, she will have a little meal. The demon smirked, making the males glance at each other in fear.

‘’Kill her you idiots! Call more guar…’’, the loud orders of the councilor where interrupted abruptly when a cracking noise was heard. Ketsu knew it the moment she saw the eyes of the young turn to terror, that Nero had killed him with a twist of the neck. She hated to admit it, but his abilities made her all hot and bothered. One maid run to the door but was met with Nero’s presence as he stood in front of it. He faced Ketsu with an infuriated glare as he leaned against the door.

‘’I guess your lunch is served, miss Ketsu.’’

The demon scanned the room with her eyes one last time and the moment one of the males charged at her with a yell of bravery, her red lips pulled on a smile and she did what came natural to her. One, two, three, the males fell on the ground, gauging wounds gushing blood out of their dying bodies. Her crimson hungry eyes fell on the women, who cried in a corner, avoiding to even look at her. She felt bad for them, but it was obvious that they weren’t going to attack her and three hearts were enough to revitalize her after healing that wound in her stomach.

‘’Those fuckers wanted to kill Elise.’’, Nero spoke through his teeth and it was the first time Ketsu sensed such immense raw fury from him. His ocean eyes glared at the demon with determination. ‘’We must escape the capital at once and return to Rekis. I fear what this whole thing means.’’

Ketsu took a bite from one of the hearts, crimson blood running down her chin as she did, the only sound was the muffled crying of the maids. She ate hungrily and fast, devouring two hearts, when a knock on the door interrupted the third part of her meal. A frown altered her features and Nero backed against the door to keep it from falling from the constant banging. The demon could think of no other solution but to flee from the window. She could handle it, thanks to her demonic and well fed powers, but Nero was still just human. She picked up one of the swords and Nero’s eyes narrowed, as he witnessed her lifting her sleeve and cutting a section across her arm. The sword fell on the flood with a clang and she walked up to him hastily, as he applied force on the door, the yells from the guards on the other side escalating the situation further.

‘’Drink.’’, she ordered him and he took an audible inhale of air before nodding and leaning against her lifted arm, placing his lips on the open wound as it began closing. He sucked her blood hesitantly at first, but Ketsu could feel the air out of his nostrils as he deepened his assault on her arm, drinking more and more. His eyes closed as if the noise behind them wasn’t there and for a few seconds Ketsu felt violated by this human. Her eye twitched when a moan escaped him.

‘’That’s enough…’’, the demon mumbled, suddenly getting hungry again, as if her power began diminishing. The human did not budge. ‘’I said it’s enough Nero!’’, she yelled at him and pulled her arm from his own, taking a step back as well. The young male opened his eyes, crimson color covering his irises. His mouth remained agape, the demon’s blood staining his lips. Nero looked hungry, out of touch with himself. Suddenly he blinked and glanced at the closing wound on the woman in front of him.

‘’I… I’m sorry…’’, he mumbled and Ketsu frowned and gritted her teeth.

‘’We have to go! Now that you have demon blood in you, you can keep up with me.’’, she yelled at him and turned around. ‘’Let’s move.’’