Demira's Ruby

Story for now. Prequel and sequel soon to come. Enjoy! (hope it's not too cliche...)

Howl… The last of his cry echoes off into the distant horizon. On the roof, the wind is much stronger, which was a comforting feeling for me. He stands before me, deep sapphire eyes avoiding mine and traces of the transformation still on his face. The wind ruffles his long silver-blue hair. His unbuttoned white shirt ripples around his muscled body. I can almost feel the heat from his body even though I am a good fifteen feet from him.

“Demira,” he says finally. His eyes are sad as they meet mine. “I never told you before, but,” he pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing, “I am a wolf demon or, in other words, a werewolf.”

……………………………………

Buzz! My hand automatically went to my jeans pocket as my phone vibrated. Flipping it open, I opened the text message. First thing I noticed was that it came from an unknown number. As I scanned through it, I was surprised to see it in proper English. It annoyed me to no end when my friends texted me saying things such as “wts up? Wanna go 2 c ponyo w/ us @ 3? Tbs (text back soon)” It really wasn’t that hard to type a few extra letters.

The text read, “I’ve been watching you lately. I know what you are. If you don’t want the Demon Hunters after you, meet me back where you are right now after school.”

At first, I was stunned. Who knew my secret? I’ve been able to keep it hidden for three years and told no one. All except my parents who were in China. Pa and Ma were both raven demons, though they prefer human form better. Sis told me once that Ma was once high-born in the Demonic realms, but she and Pa, a lower raven, eloped and escaped to the human realms. I never really believed her until the Mark came into effect. Since I was Marked and she wasn’t, even though we were twins, she left and I haven’t heard from her since.

Buzz! The phone vibrated again. It was from the same number. This time, it said, “You’d better fly up when it’s time. I’ll lock the door.”

Stuffing the phone back into my pocket, I was determined to meet this mysterious stranger. By then, the lunch bell rang and hurried to my next class. Then I remembered it was English and groaned. Everything they taught was so easy. I wished that my power could include the manipulation of time. Sitting beside the window was incredibly tempting to stare off into space and just think or forget...

“Ms. Demira!”

“Richard Wright.” Haven’t I told him that I can think and listen at the same time?

He fought for something to say, but, instead, gave up. “Yes, Ms. Demira,” he said, sliding his glasses further up his hooked nose. “And so, Richard Wright wrote…”

Again, I desperately wished for the power to manipulate time.

And, inevitably, school was finally over. I waved good-bye to my friends and, when they were out of sight, I released some of my control. The pain between my shoulder blades was somewhat comforting. Flapping my midnight wings a little, I pushed off the grass and, a blast of wind after, I was soaring the air above the school. I wasn’t sure whether it was my imagination or not, but I thought I saw a wisp of mahogany hair disappear a tree.

“How long are you going to stay up there, raven?”

The sound of a laughing voice surprised me enough to drop a few feet. Somehow I had already suspected that my mysterious “stalker” was male. I retracted my wings and landed lightly upon the stony top.

I finally faced him. A good ten feet away, he leaned against the bars that surrounded the open top. He seemed to be watching something just beside me. Long silver-blue hair fell against his fine features. A grin was upon thin lips and a glint of a fang shone in the late afternoon sun. His shirt was unbuttoned and his tie was hung loosely around his neck. Finally his eyes met mine. They were a deep sapphire and there was something wild lingering in its deep depths. The sheer blueness of it made me aware of my own ruby eyes. I tried to look away, but some unknown charisma drew mine back again.

Something in me stirred. Something in me that was in the raven side of me. I felt something pulse within me. I also felt like I met him before. I thought hard. You would think I would remember such blue eyes. But the memory evaded me.

“Hey, raven.” His voice cut in.

“What do you want from me?”

            “Well, rave—”

“Stop calling me that.” I cut in, annoyed.

 He chuckled lightly. “Sorry.” His expression became serious and almost business-like though his eyes still danced. “You can cast magic, right? Don’t worry,” he added, prompted by the expression that I couldn’t hide, “I mean you no harm. In fact, I want to make a deal with you.” When I didn’t say any thing, he continued. “I’m interested in your style of raven magic and I am willing to teach you things I have learned in my previous studies.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “How do I know that I can trust you?” I asked cautiously.

“Because,” he said, “we are the same.” He held out his hand, fingers slightly curled. His deep blue eyes started to glow until…crack! A white-blue fire ball appeared above his palm, dancing and crackling merrily.

“I’m a fire element,” he said. As he spoke, he flicked his wrist expertly and the fire was extinguished. “Knowing you are a raven, are you a wind element?”

“No,” I paused a moment. Was it really safe to tell him? I thought. Glancing up at him, he suddenly seemed formidable, especially after his small display of power. “Blood-earth,” I finally murmured bitterly.

He winced slightly. He ran long fingers through his hair. “Wow, those are quite rare, even among ravens. Incredibly powerful, but require a malicious price.”

“Blood…” I whispered, feeling the stab of shame. “An evil and shameful power...”

He shook his head. “There is nothing you can do about it.” Immediately I felt a wave of gratitude towards him. I was still wary of him, but I felt my body relax despite myself. He had a warm aura. Plus, he accepted this with more grace than some of my friends, some demon and some human. For those who thought about going to the Demon Hunters to reveal me to them, were eliminated by my childhood friend Dunkan. He would catch them on their way and erase their memories faster than they can say “What?” Snakes demons were good at mind manipulation.

“So, here is my proposal,” his voice brought me out of my thoughts. “I can teach you all that I’ve learned over the years and also provide you blood.”

I stared at him. “There must be something you want in return,” I said incredulously.

He smiled wickedly. “Just for your company. You seem nice so I want to get to know you. Rarely does a vampire-type raven come into the human realms. I benefit by seeing your powers. So, do we have a deal?”

“There must be something else,” I couldn’t believe this. It seemed too good to be true.

He looked thoughtful for moment, as if choosing his words carefully. “That basically sums it up. Well, do I have your word as a raven demon?” He held out a hand. I knew it flickered with some of his power to seal the pact.

I thought it over. He benefits by learning my magic and spending time with me. I benefit by getting his blood and finding limits of my untouched powers. How much better can this get?

I grasped his hand. “You have my word.” I released some of my magic. Thick veins of blue and red magic mingled together and constricted our hands together. The combined magic pulsed though my body. His hand trembled. One final throb then it was over.

He let go, massaging his wrist a little. “Great! Please take care of me, Demira,” he grinned. “Oh yeah, one more thing…” he leaned forward before I could stop him. Something soft touched my lips. It was incredibly warm. Then I realized it was his lips against mine. I was stunned. Unable to move or say anything.

Then they were gone. “Daily payment,” he smiled. “And you can’t break your promise. I’ve heard a raven’s promise can’t be broken as easily as others.”

After some desperate searching, I found my voice. “You complete jerk!” I screamed as he walked away. “That was my first kiss! Give it back, you b*****d!”

He just smiled and climbed onto the bars that surrounded the roof.

“And I don’t even know your name!” I burst out before I could stop myself.

“Sulriku,” he said. He waved back before leaping over the bars. I glanced down and there was no sign of him. What kind of demon is he? I thought. Is he a cat demon? Or a raven, too? No, the way he talked and acted towards me was enough proof otherwise. Then the feeling of where his lips were only seconds ago brought me out of my thoughts. I touched my lips lightly. A blush warmed my face. What is this feeling?

The next day, we met on the roof again. The practice was light and he was impressed with what I could do on my own. When I became tired, he sat down and took me into his arms, despite my protests. Then, with a brave look on his face, he told me to drink his blood. For the first time, I noticed his hands that touched me shook. I wanted to ask, but decided against it. I kneeled over one of his legs and gently unbuttoned his shirt without another word. I could feel the heat of his body rising. So this is how warm a mammal can be, I thought. My instincts began to take over as the overwhelming scent of his bare throat washed away all senses.

Running my hands against that neck, I licked his skin and tried to find the right spot. The entire time, he kept his arms around my waist. They began to tremble a little more with each passing moment. His eyes were closed and his heart thumped heavily against my body.

What an idiot, I thought sadly, still searching. He trusts me so much, leaving his guard down like that…If only he knew what I could really do to him…

Then I found it. Lengthening my fangs, I bit deeply. He gasped and I let go quickly.

“Did I hurt you?” I asked worriedly.

He just smiled and apologized, telling me to continue. Gentler this time, I sank my teeth into his throat. I could feel him shaking and wondered why he would subject himself to this torture. Over the years, I came to hate the taste of blood, but it was battle against my body that craved it. I don’t know how long I drank. I drank like I’ve never drunk before. I just couldn’t bring myself to stop.

When I finally retracted the fangs, I looked up at him. He was quaking and his breaths were gasps. Feeling sorry for him, I reached up and kissed his cheek. It left a faint blood mark in the shape of my lips.

“Thank you, Sulriku, for putting up with me,” I whispered.

His dark sapphire eyes opened. “Don’t worry about it, Demira,” he said. His voice was faint.

Then I noticed the mess I had made on his neck, scarlet against the pale of his skin. Without thinking, I started licked it clean, hoping to wipe away the traces of my sin. By then his shaking began to subside. Lifting my chin, he gently wiped the blood from my lips and he kissed me again. Unlike the first day, this one was much gentler and was much warmer.

“Hey Sulriku?” I asked him later. He was healing his wound. He glanced up at me. “What kind of demon are you?”

His eyes danced mischievously. “I’m not telling. I know you will hate me because of it.” When I began to protest, he shook his head. “Wait awhile. When I have nothing to teach, I will show you. Until then…” He kissed me on the forehead and bid good-bye.

As I watched him walk away, for the first time, I began to miss someone and couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.

            And, just like that, the days passed like minutes. After school, I would spend a few hours with him. We practiced, talked, and laughed. He was strict in training, but rewarded me. Somehow, he knew my favorite foods so he brought it at the end. I suspected my best friend, Amaya, to be the cause of this. It was always hard to be unhappy around him. That smile was enough to brighten the darkest of my days. My friends liked him and his friends liked me. Both sides encouraged our deepening friendship, especially the demonic ones. Chakor, Sulriku’s best friend, spent a lot of time with me as well.

Chakor reminded me very much of Sulriku. While he had short straight mahogany hair and had a more serious nature, they both loved to laugh and joke. It wasn’t surprising the two had been best friends since forever. Often, I would stand near them and not know a word they spoke. And they both radiated an unconscious charisma that attracted people of both genders, though it was particularly effective on females of all races.

            Chakor always teased me of the mystery of Sulriku’s race. I often racked my brains on the topic. He was always smiling. Maybe he was a hyena. No, hyena-types were dark-skinned. His muscles weren’t as protruded as Chakor’s but it was no less powerful. Maybe he was a fox. These thoughts swirled around me often. When I found I wouldn’t get anything out of him or his friends, I just gave up and left it up to imagination. It didn’t seem significant anymore. As long as I could be with him, that’s all that mattered.

Over time, I found myself falling for his shining charm. In early spring, I noticed that the kisses were no longer unbearable and gross. His kisses were gentle and warm, filled with love. And I found myself kissing him back. Even his blood began to taste sweet and I no longer needed to worry about hurting others. As my feelings grew for him, I also became increasingly aware of his shaking. It was like he was controlling himself, holding himself back.

He became my world; I wished he would never run out of things to teach me. I found that that time came too quickly. When it came, I was not ready.

Today, flying up to the roof, I was surprised to see him un-smiling. I reached up and touched his cheek, eyes searching and fearing the worst. Taking my hand, he said quietly, “I cannot teach you anything else. As promised,” his hand tightened around mine. “I will show you my true form.”

When his hand slid from mine, I felt like he was leaving and the Sulriku I came to love was going to disappear. I reached to catch that hand again, but it was in vain. He was out of my reach. He unbuttoned the sleeves, dark sapphire eyes downcast. As his arms fell to his side, he briefly closed his eyes and, with a painfully slow motion, met my eyes. A tear slid from one deep blue eye.

“Demira, I’m sorry.” Flames engulfed his body. I knew he didn’t feel the biting flame. Before my eyes, he began to morph. His long hair grew to consume his body. The bangs fell forward onto a lengthening muzzle. Fangs glistened in the blue flame. His back widened and arched forward while his nails grew to sharp claws. A bushy tail grew from his tailbone. One final flash…Sulriku disappeared. Before me, was a large white-blue wolf with deep sapphire eyes.

Raven against wolf…A werewolf…the vampire’s eternal enemy… 

            Sulriku was my eternal enemy…

……………………………………

His eyes shine just as sadly as his wolf form. My heart throbs darkly.

And here I am now, watching him. My body shakes a little.

He comes close to me. Run, my body cries, run away… But I do not listen.

Reaching up and taking a strand of my red-black hair, he runs his fingers through it, an unreadable expression on his face. I just gaze back, eyes traveling over his every feature, trying to find a sign for his silence.

Finally he speaks again. “Don’t you understand, Demira? I am a werewolf and you are a vampire. Why aren’t you running away? The only thing that humans understand about our kind is that wolf and raven demons cannot be together. I’ve fought against my natural instincts for so long. Don’t you feel anything? Why aren’t you running away?”

I close my eyes briefly. Run…run…every cell of my being tells me that this danger. When did I start to ignore my fears? When did I stop listening to what my body tells me?

I meet his eyes. “Why? I’ve asked myself that many times. Yes, I am scared of you and what you are. And yes everything that is me tells me to run.” I reach up and grip that hand. I can see his hand beginning to shake. “All except my heart. Because I love you, Sulriku.”

“You knew?”

“For a long time. But by then you had captured me.” I kiss his hand. I feel the warmth that I came to love. His unique scent mixed in with wildness and forest.

“What about the powers you could gain? Especially the ones that you could gain if the wolf demon is the one you love? You must’ve known about them. Are you willing to give—?”

I put my finger on his lips to silence him. “Loving you is far better than having a thousand new powers, Sulriku. And,” I wink, “don’t tempt me.”

His eyes soften. Throwing his strong arms around me, he buries his nose into my neck, breath hot against my cold skin. I grip him for all I’m worth.

“God, I love you too, Demira,” he murmurs huskily into my ear, sending tingles though every cell of my being.

His hand reaches under my chin, tilting my head towards him. As he closes his eyes, I lean in and whisper mischievous into his ear, “A raven must fly. How long can you keep me caged?” Before he can figure out what I said, I wriggle out of his surprised hold. Shaking his head, he chases after me, laughter echoing across the open top.

Finally, his strong arms catch my waist. I suddenly find myself against his broad chest, gazing up at smiling face and feeling his heart beat under my hands. We are both gasping and laughing. As our breaths slow, we gaze into each others eyes and, naturally, we come together. I don’t know why, but this kiss is much sweeter than the others. And I notice the encircling arms around my waist stops shaking.

 

Author's Note

Any suggestions?

Reviews

[Star Wolf]

Wow! This is really impressive, I really enjoyed reading your story!

[Tina Kline]

A wonderful wonderful story! This could easily be something longer but it was a fantastic story just as it is too.

[Lucia]

PONYO!!! hahah....to the actual review. Om my WOW! That was awesome! Really really! A great beginning that captured my attention, and easy to read, yet written with eloquence. I just HAD to keep reading...it was just so interesting. Very emotional with good flow. I also like how the ending tied everything together so well and definitely didn't leave me hanging. It's really nice to read stories like this. I guess if I had to say something i didn't like, that would be...I was a little confused when you mentioned something about elements? (I probably just didn't read carefully enough) But you really did an awesome job. Hwaiting! =]

[musical-waltz]

wow :)