Saved By The Omega

Chapter 5

Freya

Shock hits me hard and fast as I stare up at the red demon towering above me. Is this my familiar? How? Why did he get chosen as my partner?

Nothing could have prepared me for this outcome. As I gaze up at the demon’s massive figure, panic sets in, and my heart races. There is no way I can ask him for help. He is just too…big, scary…terrifying…is there any way I can trade him for another less scary partner?

I continue to take him in, bewildered by his inhuman appearance. He isn’t ugly, and his face is human, but his ears are pointy, his skin is red, and he has wings. Not to mention a tail and enormous black horns protruding from his skull, which only adds to his intimidating presence.

The worst part is that he seems amused by my fear and c***s his head to the side. “Are you giving me the silent treatment?”

I’m unable to answer him, too shocked by his height when he approaches me. The clothing he wears is a pair of black pants to cover his lower half, leaving his muscular upper body exposed to my curious eyes. But to meet his eyes, I have to crane my neck because my head doesn’t even reach up to his freaking navel. This guy is a monster.

His amusement fades into a look of curiosity as he scrutinizes my face. “You seem...disturbed,” he comments, his voice deep and eerily serene, in stark contrast to his demonic appearance. “Aren’t you pleased with me?”

His question pierces the silent air, and I swallow thickly, grappling for words. An ominous smile plays on his lips as he leans down, his face inches away from mine now. His eyes are a burning crimson, and they gleam with a predatory delight.

“I asked a question,” he reminds me and places a finger underneath my chin to lift it. “Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“Pleased?” I manage to choke out, my voice barely a whisper. “You... you’re a demon.”

His hulking form noticeably shifts at my words, but he doesn’t react in anger like I expect him to. Instead, there’s a hint of hurt in his eyes that tugs at my heartstrings. “Yes, I am,” he admits with no hint of shame or resentment. “But I didn’t ask to be your familiar any more than you asked for me.”

I stare at him, surprised at his calm acceptance of the situation. Before he continues talking, I can see something in his eyes that seems almost human.

“You’re also a child, and who the hell wants their master to be a child?” He retorts, a hint of derision creeping into his voice. His eyes meet mine, a spark of challenge gleaming within their fiery depths.

I puff out my chest, taken aback by his audacity. I may be young, but that doesn’t mean I am incapable. “I’m not a child,” I retort, “I’m eighteen.”

He snots. “Which translates to still being a child.”

His words infuriate me. I’m about to retort, but he beats me to it. “Regardless of our preferences, I’m leaving.”

Even though I was scared of him earlier and still am, his words frighten me more than his presence ever could. He is my familiar—he can’t just freaking leave me!

“Wh-where are you going?” I demand.

“Somewhere far away from you.”

“Why?!” I snap. “I just summoned you, and it’s late.”

“Exactly, so I need to find a place to sleep.”

“You’re sleeping with me!”

Those words shock him. At first, he stares at me in disbelief, but then his lips form a wicked smile. “And how are you going to fit a ten-foot-tall demon in your room?”

My cheeks burn hot and bright. The demon is right. It will be a struggle to fit my new familiar through the dorm room, but my apartment isn’t small—he could definitely fit in there. I just have to make sure no one sees him on the way in. The last thing I want is for people to see a red giant in the middle of the night and scream their hearts out.

“My apartment can handle your size,” I say, rubbing my temples with an air of exasperation, “We just have to be quick and quiet.”

He c***s an eyebrow, looking intrigued by my concession. “Oh?” he challenges, crossing his arms over his chest. “You think you can manage that?”

My mouth thins into a grim line. He’s testing my patience now, but I refuse to allow him to ruffle me. Instead, I nod firmly. “We will manage. Now, come.”

The demon snorts at my assertive tone, and when he doesn’t follow me, I turn around. The demon gazes down at me, his amusement returning when he realizes I can’t force him to follow me. Well, that’s what he thinks.

Even though the demon frightens me, I walk behind his hulking form and swallow thickly at his massive muscles. I doubt I could make him move by force, yet I still lift my arms to push the small of his back. “Move!”

It feels like trying to push against a centuries-old oak tree, sturdy and rooted deeply into the ground. He doesn’t move an inch, but he tilts his head back, peering down at me with an arched eyebrow.

“Did you just...try to push me?” he asks, sounding more amused than offended.

I pull my hands away quickly as if burned, a hot blush seeping into my cheeks. It’s humiliating to realize how ineffective my attempt was, and it’s even worse because I failed in front of him.

I take a deep breath, clenching my fists at my sides. “I said move,” I repeat, doing my best to keep my voice steady and strong.

The amusement in his eyes flickers out for a moment, replaced by something I can’t quite read. Then, it returns twofold, glittering like hot embers in the night sky. But instead of teasing me further or arguing back, he nods slowly.

“I heard you the first time,” he states simply, then turns back around without another word.

As he walks past me on his way toward the school grounds, every instinct screams at me to run — to get as far away from this demonic being as possible. Yet those same instincts are also telling me not to let him go, that he is far too crucial to lose now.

“What level is your apartment?” the demon casually asks, causing me to look up in surprise.

“How do you know there are levels?”

He shrugs. “Just a guess…”

“It’s a good guess,” I mutter. “And I’m just a level one.”

A gasp leaves his lips. “That means you don’t even have a heater inside of your room!”

“Does that matter? Your big body is practically radiating heat.”

“That’s because I’m a fire and darkness demon.”

“Oh,” I had no idea they were different types. “And what is your name?”

“As if I would tell you that…”

“Is that so?” I narrow my eyes and try something I haven’t tried before. “As your new master, I order you to tell me your name.”

He visibly winces as if my words physically hurt him. I can see him straining not to open his mouth, but in the end, he fails and gives up. “Beelzebub.”

My eyebrows shoot into my hairline. “Beelzebub?” I echo, feeling the name roll off my tongue. It’s a powerful name, one that held deep-rooted fear and respect within the realm of demons.

A smirk tugs at his lips, a spark of pride gleaming in his eyes as he stares down at me. “Scared now?” His deep voice is full of amusement and challenge.

“I’m not scared.” My voice sounds weaker than I’d planned it to be, but I hold my ground, maintaining eye contact with him. He’s testing me again, trying to see if I’ll back down now that I know who he really is.

The heavy silence that settles between us is only broken when Beelzebub snorts in disbelief as if he cannot believe my audacity or my stubbornness.

But then something in his expression changes. It starts at the corners of his eyes, a softening that extends to relax his entire face, the harshness melting away. His gaze on me becomes less challenging, less amused, more…curious?

“For a level one, you’ve got some guts,” Beelzebub finally concedes. There’s something akin to respect in his tone that wasn’t there before.

I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly but can’t help the small smile that curls up one corner of my mouth. “Well, you’re in luck because you’re stuck with me now,” I point out playfully.

His laughter booms out, startling both of us. It’s deep and hearty and transforms his whole demeanor until he no longer looks like an intimidating demon but rather human.

“Says who?” He counters after he’s done laughing, though there’s warmth lurking behind his eyes as they meet mine.

“Says me,” I assertively state once again, causing another round of laughter from him.

This time, though, I find myself smiling along with him. Maybe having a ten-foot-tall demon for a familiar wouldn’t be so bad after all.

With newfound determination, I stride forward, trying not to flinch when I feel the heat radiating off Beelzebub’s body. It’s warm and comforting, like a bonfire on a cold winter night.

“Well, come on then, Beelzebub,” I say, turning to look up at him. “We better get inside before it gets too late.”

He grimaces. “I really don’t want to sleep inside of your apartment.”

“Why not?”

“It’s weird.”

I blink up at him. “Why is it weird?”

“Uh, have you forgotten that I’m a man?”

I pause and really take him in them, absorb him.

His broad shoulders seem to stretch forever, and his muscular chest is complemented by rock-hard abs. His long legs, covered in sleek, dark material, seem to go on forever. His rugged features are illuminated in the twilight, his hair black as obsidian, and his eyes burning like hot coals. Yes, indeed, he was a man. No ordinary man, but a man nonetheless—a very…attractive one at that.

“What's your point?” I stutter out, forcing myself to break our intense eye contact.

“Isn’t it...indecent? For a man and woman to live together?”

I blink at him again, taken aback by the question. “Indecent? You’re a demon. Since when do demons care about decency?”

He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “It’s not about decency. Just...never mind.”

Something like disappointment flashes across his face before he quickly masks it with indifference. The sight of it tugs something inside me that I don’t quite understand.

“We have rules here, too,” I say gently, breaking the awkward silence between us. Sleeping quarters are separate.”

He stares at me in astonishment for a moment before allowing a grin to creep onto his face once more. “Well then,” he drawls out, “it seems like you’ve got it all figured out.”

I match his grin with my own, feeling the tension from earlier slowly ebbing away. “Come on,” I insist once more, making my way towards the apartment building’s entrance.

Beelzebub hesitates for a brief moment before following after me, his large steps easily catching up with mine. But once we enter my apartment and I look at my tiny bed, I realize I have nowhere for my demon to sleep.

A chuckle coming from Beelzebub startles me. “Looks like we will be sharing the same bed tonight because I refuse to sleep on the floor like a dog.”