Cursed Demon's Love

Because he can't see you crying

"It's your birthday?" I shook my head, leaning closer to him. My hand was resting over his shoulder, to support myself. My lips brushed against his left ear as I whispered my secret in his ear. I didn't knew what made him stiff; my touch or my words.

"It was my birthday. It ended an hour ago." I took a step back, leaning over the table to support my weight. His forest green eyes darkened. I should have been intimidated, scared even. But I wasn't.

I pulled my palm out to him as I swayed to the music. Neron looked at me impassively. His eyes gave no hint of his emotions. They were cold as ice, ready to melt me in a moment. The fire in his eyes had consumed a large part of his pupils now. He was blazing, burning while I stood their high on alcohol. Even with the heels I couldn't match his height. He was tall, brooding and immensely attractive. 

"Dance with me?" His eyes hardened on my request. The golden freckles in his eyes had almost disappeared. The enchanting green had darkened. His eyes never wavered from me. He was observing me, reading me. I didn't care for a fact that he was a demon, just a protector. Disappointment hit me when he didn't slip his hand in mine. I slowly retracted my hand back to my side. Sadness overpowering my features but in the mid way he grasped my fist in his warm hand. He tugged me closer to him. The sudden action had me gasped as I landed flush against his chest. 

A strong smell of soil and rain hit me. I inhaled greedily as he held me firmly by my shoulder. His lips were so close to my right ear that I shuddered at our propinquity. All other sounds were suddenly blocked out, all I could hear was him. I never felt so touched before. What the hell was happening? 

"We need to get out of here. Cops are going to crash anytime soon." I jerked my face up to look in his eyes. He was serious. A frown replaced my lips while I pushed myself away from him. My eyes wandered to look for Jenna, who was dancing in the crowd. 

"But Jenna-"

"Her boyfriend is on his way. Now, come on." With that he started dragging me towards the exit. 

As soon as the cold wind hit me, I felt my bubble of euphoria breaking. I was not happy anymore. I couldn't walk straight with the amount of alcohol in my system. I looked up slightly to see my protector walking towards his car. His jaw was locked in annoyance. It must be annoying to leave your work to help a woman, who mean nothing to you. I felt bile rising my throat when I jerked away from him and bent down to my knees and started to puke. I felt a warm pair of arms engulfing my waist before I was forcibly stood up. The front of my dress was ruined with my own retch. I scrunched my nose and I looked down at my dress in embarrassment. 

"Here." Neron said handing me a bottle of water. I drank the water before throwing the empty bottle into the bin. He reached the back of his car and he handed me some tissue papers. I wiped my dress, throwing him a grateful look.

"Thank you." He nodded his head though his eyes spoke the tales of irritation and fury.

"Come, I'll drop you to your dorm." I shook my head, leaning against his car. I didn't want to go back to the dorm. I'll overthink, I'll again dwell on my past. I will most probably act out of regret and anger. I didn't wanted to be alone. Jenna want to spend time with Justin and I don't want to be the third wheel. I left burning in my eyes though I was too stubborn to cry out loud. 

"I'm lost." 

"I know the address, I'll drop you." He ushered opening the passenger door for me. I shook my head as I held his forearm. 

"I'm lost." I repeated again. Something in my eyes or in my tone made him sigh. Tiredness washed over me, making me yawn. I had nowhere to go, I felt lost. Suddenly a memory of me sleeping under his wings elicited a smile on my face. I felt home. 

"We can't spend the night on the road." He tutted. I shook my head and a giggle escaped my mouth. The irony of my childhood hit me hard. 

"You can't, Neron, but I can." And I've spent half of my life on road. I refrained myself from saying any further. Fire sparked in his eyes as he leaned closer to me. The sudden whim in him had me dumbfounded. Why was he angry?  

He pulled me closer to him before opening the passenger door for me. After I sat, forcefully, he turned the heater on. His chiseled face was glowing under the moonlight. I swallowed the weird feeling that clenched my chest. I couldn't help the next word that slipped from my mouth.

"You're beautiful." His lips parted in shock. His forest green eyes shun brightly and the golden freckles returned back. The fire flared and again diminished. I giggled lightly at his astonished face. Was he not complimented before? I'm sure Hell had females that must crush over him. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He shook his head and the light in his eyes suddenly went dim, making me frown. 

"I know." With that he started to drive. I looked out of the window to find him driving in the other part of the city.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked leaning against the seat. He grunted when a bike suddenly appeared. A look of amusement crossed over my face when he let out curses in different language. But knowing him, I knew they were bad words.

"My place." 

"Hell?" He glowered at me as he parked the car in the driveway. 

I looked astonished at the house in front of me. It wasn't huge but big enough for him. The cream paint on the house looked fresh, the house must have been painted recently. He opened the door without using any key. He didn't even lock the house on the first place. I rose my eyebrows as he kicked of his shoes and sprawled over the sofa. The interior was classy. Leather sofa along with the wooden table and chairs. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating his dark house. I stood uncomfortably near the shoe cabinet. He didn't even tell me to be home. 

"I haven't put you on a timeout, Bella. Come here." He beckoned me. My heart sped up at my name—my nick name. I didn't like it when other referred me anything other than Isabella. But with him it felt intimate. Personal, even. And this was the first time he called me by my name. My heart flipped painfully as I walked closer to him.

"Is-Isabella. You may call me Isabella." He squinted his eyes as he snapped his finger, commanding me to follow him before he stood up from the sofa and started to walk upstairs. 

I had almost sobered up as I could walk without any supervision. He opened the door, revealing a bedroom—his bedroom. The room was dark, with the walls painted black. There were no pictures, nothing on them. A lamp was kept beside his bed, the only source of light in the room. I had to concentrate enough due to the dim light and the alcohol still in me. He snapped open his closet before throwing me a grey t-shirt and a pair of shorts. I caught it before it could have hit me. He then turned towards me and rose one of his sculpted brow when I kept staring at him.

"The bathroom is on the left. Towel is kept in the second cabinet along with new toothbrushes and toothpaste. Help yourself and then head downstairs, straight." I didn't miss the warning in his last word. I swallowed before nodding and heading towards the bathroom. 

I washed my hair with the shampoo kept over the counter. His soap smelled like him, strong. The t-shirt reached just below my mid-thigh. There were no hair drier so I tried to dry it with the towel instead. Walking in front of him in nothing but a t-shirt seemed too awkward for me. My inner self mocked at how many times I walked naked in front of guys. But Neron was different. We never had a relationship, not even an one time fling. I sighed as I pushed open his closet before grabbing a hoodie that seemed little big than the t-shirt, I was wearing. After changing into the hoodie, I walked downstairs. 

Neron was in the kitchen. He was still in his white shirt and dark jeans. His dark hair disheveled; I felt myself breathing hard at the beautiful mess in front of him. He turned to look at me. One of his brow raised as he saw his hoodie. He shook his head as he placed a plate over the island. I couldn't see it since he covered the plate with a large bowl. He strolled towards me before grabbing the hem of my hoodie and dragged me towards the island. 

"I know your birthday ended like.... two hours ago. But still—" He trailed off at his sudden loss of words. My breath hitched when he revealed a stack of pancakes. A small matchstick was stabbed inside the top most pancake, like that of a birthday candle. 

I looked at up to to thank him but my words got caught up in my throat. The fire in his eyes were flaring to an extent where his green almost vanished. It should have been scary to see fire blazing in his eyes but he looked too bewitching. Nothing shone so brightly before. Nobody ever made a birthday cake for me for the longest years. Though it wasn't a cake but something at least to celebrate. I didn't knew tears made their way out until I felt his thumb wiping my tears. His eyes blazed dangerously yet enchantingly before he twirled my loose wet strand with his index finger before tugging on it. He cupped my cheeks with both of his palms.

"Don't cry," He said, gulping when another tear escaped. He sighed, wiping it gently and then he leaned a litter closer. "I don't like seeing you cry."

I nodded my head, smiling at him. His touch felt lost when he retracted his hands back and pointed towards the pancakes.

"Come on." He said lighting the stick. 

"Wait," I cried out before smiling sheepishly when he looked at me bewildered. "Let me make a wish." He rolled his eyes when I smiled cheekily. I closed my eyes but couldn't think of a wish. 

First time, someone asks me to blow candle—okay, matchstick, and I don't know what to wish for. My family loving me back? My mother getting better? My sister getting a better life? Or something for me? But then again, it was Neron who made this happen. My eyes snapped open to meet his cold green eyes. He rose his brow when a sad smile graced my lips. I closed my eyes again before making a wish. 

I wish for Neron's happiness. 

With that I blew the matchstick. I grabbed the knife and fork before cutting a piece of the blueberry pancake and raising it towards him. He shook his head, like usual, but I furrowed my eyebrows and jutted my bottom lip out.

"Come on, it's my birthday." He rolled his eyes before he wrapped his light pink lips across the fork, taking the content in his mouth. First time, he ate something from me and a big smile formed on my lips. 

I took another piece and shoved it in my mouth. To say, Neron was a good chef would be an understatement. And here, I am, I'd even burn the water. I licked my lips before I took the plate in my hand and sat on the chair before shoving the whole plate in my mouth. My taste buds moaned in delight and my eyes closed as I appreciated his culinary skills. Jesus! Who cooks so appetizing! I felt my hunger flaring with every bite. 

"Thank you. You don't know what you did...... I mean, I am very grateful of you." His eyes watched me intently and I squirmed under his scrutinizing gaze. Why did he had to be so intimidating and calculative? I cleared my throat as I placed the plate in the sink before sitting on the couch, opposite to his giant sofa, where he was practically lying. A noticed two bars of Kit-Kat placed on the couch and I smiled before I unwrapped one of the the bar and asked him but he denied. I rolled my eyes before I munched on it.

"You should sleep now. You have college tomorrow." He said as his placed his arm over his eyes. But I wasn't tired and didn't wanted to sleep. 

"I can function a day without sleep. Plus, I'm not tired." He peeked through his arm before he sighed and leaned back again. 

"Just sleep." He ordered. 

"No. Let's play a game." He hit his head on the back of the sofa, dramatically, before he let out another gruff answer. 

"No."

"But it's my birthday." 

"Technically, it's not." I rolled my eyes before hitting him with the pillow kept at the edge of the sofa. His eyes widened in shock before he narrowed them dangerously.

"Consider it as my birthday gift." 

"I don't gift humans." 

"But I love gifts." He grunted in annoyance before he sat and looked at me expectantly. 

"Fine! What do you want to play?" I beamed at his defeat before I placed the pillow amid us and sat in front of him. 

"Arm wrestling." He snorted, looking at me coldly. 

"You'd be a sore loser." 

"I know. Come on." 

I wrapped my hand across his. He looked at me with bored expression when I tried to push his hand down. He wasn't even displaying his strength yet I couldn't budge him. After using both of my hand and then my body, I still couldn't budge him. And then in a swift, he had the back of my palm against the sofa; defeating me. 

"Told you. Now, go and sleep." I rolled my eyes at his domineering tone. He seemed...... different. Less cold, less intimidating than usual. As if his cold charade was breaking down.

"No. Let's play something else." He narrowed his eyes before a sigh escaped from his mouth. 

"Fine." 

"Okay. Let's play twenty questions." 

"Now, what the f**k is that?" I cringed at his snappy tone but he seemed unfazed by it.

"We get to ask each other questions we want to know about. And I basically know nothing about you." His eyes suddenly darkened. His jaw clenched and nostrils flared. The temperature suddenly dropped by a few degrees. 

"No." 

"What? Why?" He glared at me in annoyance. 

"Because, I said so."

"Come on, it's my birthday." He looked at me exasperated. He opened his mouth to curse me out but closed it with a grunt. The fire blazed again but he spoke nothing.

"So, is that a yes?"

"You're the most infuriating human I ever met on the earth!"

"Why, thank you." I grinned in response.

"Damn! Fine! But don't expect me to answer every question of yours."

"Okay, okay! But you can't skip every question. At least try to answer most of them."

He grunted in response.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Really?" I rolled my eyes, my eyes glaring daggers at him. 

"Fine, tell me the real reason you saved me." He scowled at me, his muscles flexing when he folded his arms behind his head. 

"Blue." I grinned, waving my hand, telling him to ask me a question. He suddenly went serious, leaning closer to me. 

"Why were you crying?" My breath hitched at his question. Suddenly playing the game didn't feel so good.

His intense gaze darkened, looking at me with peculiar gentleness. 

"I'll answer one of your personal questions honestly if you tell me why you were crying." My eyes lit up and I grinned, nodding my head. 

"My family, they didn't wish me and they never celebrated my birthday. So—so when you made th—that pancakes, it felt good. Like someone actually ca—cares."

He looked at me impassively, nodding. His hand reached out, rubbing my shoulder and I smiled at him, shaking my head. 

"It's okay," He looked at me unsure but I just rolled my eyes. "Now tell me, why do you always bring chocolates for me?" 

A look of mischief flashed for a moment before it again turned cold. He leaned back, looking at me mockingly. Something in his eyes told me I wasn't going to like his answer.

"You speak a lot. But when you eat, you're quiet. So to keep you quiet, I bring you chocolates."