Me and the Devil

A Brute

Don’t be upset. You have no reason to be upset. He is an emperor, of course he would have plenty of lovers. I sighed softly and shook my head. It’s alright just keep your distance from now on, you are going to be put on trial soon enough. Don’t form attachments.

I tapped the orb and it turned off. I didn’t want to hear or see anymore. But I heard a slam on the outside of the door and a blood curdling scream. I rushed over to the door and opened it slowly. What stood before didn’t seem possible, but it was like an eldritch like creature. The being had Corvus’s mask but it was perfect again larger with the red streaks almost like horns wrapping around it. His hands weren’t the ivory color, they were large and were onyx color, no longer flesh they looked like bones. They held a giant scythe against the man he was arguing with necks. Corvus was no longer in a suit but large black robes with chains hanging off of it, he looked like darkness incarnate.

“Please…” the woman begged on the floor of Corvus feet.

I could feel the rage pouring out of him, but it didn’t feel they way John’s did when he was angry with me. I didn’t want him to regret this when he was done being angry, and I didn’t want his public image to be faced with anything because of me.

I inched over to him. “Corvus…” I whispered softly reaching out to touch him.

“Don’t!” A deep voice called from behind me. “In this form no one is able to touch him.”

No, that didn’t seem right. “Corvus,” I called to him again. He turned to me a foreboding growl let out of him even to shake the building. I place my hand against his chest, I wasn’t sure why I thought this would help. He c****d his head watching me through the mask, I could see the glow of his ice now a piercing red. Corvus reached out his long fingers brushing against my cheek, I could feel how sharp they were, but they didn’t pierce my flesh well to be more accurate it was like I was being sliced open but almost not.

This being, he seemed like a giant puppy waiting for a command as he looked at me. “Can we please go to our room? I want to bathe and eat,” I tried to sound resolute. He let out a breath and pulled me into his arms before we slipped into the shadows. I could hear the man behind me yell my name before we had fully vanished.

As we appeared in the penthouse the being let me go and watched me carefully. It seemingly wanted to examine if I was okay. “You didn’t hurt me,” I assured him.

He nodded, and swiftly moved around. “Corvus…” I began.

A shriek came out of the creature. “Okay… What would you like me to call you?” I asked gently, looking at him.

“Arius,” he spoke calmly.

“Arius,” I nodded. “Okay, are you connected to Corvus?”

“Yes, we are one and the same,” he walked over into the bathroom. I followed him in, he struggled to start the bath growling as his long finger fingers unable to grasp the small knobs.

I walked over and turned them on, “it’s okay.” I assured him.

He sighed softly and reach up to my face, “You are so much like her.”

“Who?” I questioned.

But his figure dissipated and Corvus appeared as if tar slipped off of him. He stumbled and fell into my arms. His body was burning up. “Corvus!” I gasped and helped him into the water turning it as cold as I could.

“Hey… Hey come on,” I begged as I cleaned off the sludge. “No, you don’t get to give me that kindness and then take it away.” I gritted my teeth seeing his lifeless body. The water around un boiling away from the heat coming off of him. I didn’t have time to question why I wasn’t getting hurt all I cared about was that he was okay.

“My star…” He coughed, reaching up and touching my cheek gently. “Please don’t cry.”

Cry? I’m crying? I couldn’t even begin to understand why I needed to make sure he was okay, why I felt so devastated at the thought of losing him. “You scared me…”

“Arius… I know he can be a lot,” he began. “Did he hurt you!?”

“No! I thought… I thought I was going to lose you,” I held on to him still cleaning to tar off of him not able to look at his face.

“My star,” Corvus turned my face towards his. “So long as you will me to live, I will.”

“Arius! You put her down you brute!” The man’s voice from before came in yelling. He busted through the bathroom doors. “I swear if you hurt a single hair on her head, I will kill you myself!”

“Oz, relax,” Corvus ordered, he swiftly turned our bodies away. I realized why the dress was basically clear in the water at the point. I covered my chest and sank in the water wanting to hide.

“You’re back your majesty,” Oz gasped before composing himself. “I will, meet you both in the drawing room once this is finished.”

The doors closed and I relaxed in the water. “How are you feeling?” I looked up at him still worried about his fever. “Come here my star,” he chuckled and pulled me loosely into his arms. I laid my head against his chest and heard his strong heart. That eased my anxiety and I relaxed against him.

I wondered if my attachment was more that an infatuation due to him being the first kind person to me in years. It felt both unnatural and natural at the same time. I couldn’t put my finger on why, or maybe I didn’t want to. All I knew is that I wanted to stay by his side.

“Let’s finish so we can eat and speak with Oz,” he kissed the top of my head.