As the final rays of light left the sky, Ari woke up with a start. He was in a soft bed littered with pillows and a large blanket filled with feathers. His eyes looked around the darkening room, but he could not make out much. The smell of perfume was thick in the air having much of a calming effect on him. His heartbeat steadied and his eyelids grew heavier. He tried to bring his arm to his side, but as he tried he noticed it was tied to the bedpost with a thick rope.

Panic shot through him. However, it subsided as quick as it came. His head felt as if was filled with fog and nothing was coming to his mind, but sleep. Some candles were lit around the room giving him some visual of the place, but it was faint.

"You are awake at last. I thought you would sleep all through the summer," he heard the strange accent go through his ear. He could not place where it was, but he knew it was near.

As it came into the light more, Ari pressed his back against the bedpost. He saw as it wiped away blood from his bottom lip. Its shirt was loose on him, silky almost, showing faint outlines of its chest. It took a couple more steps closer causing his breath to lodge in his throat. A pair of molten honeyed eyes looked at him, assessing him. Goosebumps pricked at his skin.

"Do not look so frightened. It is unbecoming of you."

It licked its lips and pressed a knee onto the bed.

"Where am I?"

"Does it matter where? You are here and you are alive."

It cupped his face eyeing him again.

"One of your wounds became infected. I laced some water with a sleeping aid before I cleaned it up."

"Thank you, but I should not be here. I must--"

"What is it that you are trying so hard to get back to? I have no reason to help you. I have no reason to let you go either."

"...I..." Ari mumbled, "I do not know... " His eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Ari's mind was hazy. Everything was distant and confusing, somehow. He did not feel like himself.

He saw as the demon eyed his tied arm before looking to him again.

"Promise me you will not try and do anything rash. You will not try to run or escape. Once you do, I will untie you and you can walk around."

Ari nodded without hesitation. It was the room that was making him feel the way he had been feeling. He needed fresh air and maybe some time away from the demon as well. He did not like the gazes it was giving him. The words Freir uttered to him was echoing in the back of his mind. It could not be trusted.

"I promise."

As soon as he said it, the demon did as he said he would do and cut him loose with a sharp dagger. He eyed it with some awe at the sheer amount of skill he had seen. It was a simple cut but the prowess in which he had done it echoed decades of training and discipline.

Ari rose with shaky legs. Still, he decided to take a step forward. Just as he was about to fall, the demon caught him with its arm and steadied him.

"Easy now, little human. Small steps. "

"Where am I?" Ari asked again while leaning on the wall for support. As soon as he found his balance, he walked without it. The dizzy feeling still lingered, however.

"The same town as before. I could not move you in the state you were in."

Ari walked down the quiet hall hearing its footsteps not far behind him. He looked around for windows or any people but it was empty. With the lack of anyone around it made the inn look bigger in comparison to its actual size. The noise from the wind blowing rattled the shutters sounded out through the hall. He stopped for a moment, able to hear both his breathing and its as well.

"I would let you go outside. However, it is going to rain soon."

"I do not care."

"I do not expect for you to. Humans have that way about them." His voice grew closer. "Never caring."

Ari continued down the hall to the stairs going down instead of up. He looked around and saw nothing but empty chairs and tables. There were a few candles lit, but nothing more. The floorboards creaked under pressure. The sound grew louder as it followed him down.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Ari spun around and asked. "I cannot stay here. I cannot be your food. You seem to have enjoyed someone else's blood much more. You do not need mine." Words rushed from Ari's voice tired of this. He was anxious to leave.

"I am doing nothing to you but presenting you with another opportunity and knowledge. I am giving you the chance to live a life full of knowing instead of ignorance and darkness."

He took Ari by the arm and tugged him into the den area. A mop of blond hair decorated a chaise. As he turned his head, Ari knew him to be the one who nearly strangled the life from him, Cyrus. His green eyes peered into his for a moment before they fell onto the demon accompanying him. Cyrus turned his head back into the chair revealing two puncture wounds on his neck and more littering his shoulder and collarbone. His shirt draped down a little more but he made no attempt at fixing it.

Ari swallowed dryly.

"Cyrus," the demon called out causing Cyrus to look towards it and rise lowering his eyes. "Leave us for a moment."

Cyrus gave a nod and left out without a word.

"Have a seat, Ari."

Ari ignored him and walked towards a large window covered with red silk.

"If you do not, you may ruin my surprise."

Ari let go of the silk, looking at the demon with morbid curiosity. He was alone. Freir had left him behind. He had told him to, but it did not make the bitter emotion go away.

A fire was lit causing flames to dance around the room in the forms of shadows and faint pictures. As it lit up its eyes, Ari felt like there was a real fire churning in its eyes. Its heated glares and gazes made him feel as if it was boring a hole through his back. He sat away from it still unsure of this.

"Basalda is today, Ari. You cannot go out and play your game of demons and swords."

"You condescend me."

"Am I supposed to applaud you?"

Ari closed his eyes and looked away from it.

"Without your friend here, you are quite different."

He looked at it again.

It leaned its head onto the arm of a chair looking at Ari all the while.

"Much livelier, less formal," it smiled. "Makes me want to eat you."

The demon had a ravenous appetite for blood. After drinking some from Cyrus, it was still hungry for more. Ari held onto the side of his neck not wanting to think of the pain it had caused by doing so.

"My name."

Ari looked at him.

"Would you like to know it?"

His lips parted as he noticed the glint in its eyes. In truth, the demon fascinated him. He was intrigued by it but also very cautious and wary. All that he knew was learned by the Khaeo. All of his relationships were tied to the Khaeo. He knew of no other outside the order besides the demon.

"... I would," Ari mumbled.

"Then tell me, what are your deepest desires left unfulfilled and do not lie."

"Only demons lie," Ari hissed causing it to laugh.

"Little Ari, you will soon come to realize there is not much that separates a demon from a human. Like blood, lies pour out when truths are shattered. Everyone is capable of telling lies."

Ari watched as it rose its head rising for a moment before walking over to him. It sat beside him but far enough so he did not feel so uncomfortable.

"I have none."

"None?"

"None," Ari repeated.

"Not the soft flesh of a woman or wines from the richest orchards. Nothing like wealth or power?"

He shook his head. He was taught to think as a collective not as an individual. Those thoughts never once passed his mind. He had no time for it.

"Ari." It pursed its lips. "What do you want from this life?"

"You asked your question. Answer mine."

"Auovin."

Ari tilted his head at the strangeness of it.

"Go on. Try it on your tongue. Once you say it, you will not ever forget it."

"Auo... Auovin." The name slipped off his tongue as if he had said it a thousand times. It felt unfamiliar. It confused him. The ages of time could be felt on his tongue, it seemed.

"Yes, that is my name," it grinned coming closer to him.

"I shall have you experience every pleasure this life has to offer you, Ari. The price of it is small in comparison."

"I do not care for--"

"You do not care for what you do not know. It is understandable but I shall have you know of it. Immersed in it. Ravaged by it," its accent bled through his voice again.

Ari blinked slowly lips parting in anticipation, heartbeat rampant. He was tempting him with the unknown making him question things better left unanswered, and wanting things he never wished to have. He was a demon hunter nothing more and nothing less. The demon made him feel differently of it, somehow. As if he was not so small and so insignificant. He balled his hands into fists at the thought.

"You are not what you think you are," Auovin whispered as he pressed his lips onto his neck. He could feel its fangs sinking into his skin. It was softer this time, but the pain still shot through him as if it was the first time.

It was telling him lies, he knew. Curiosity was a bewitching thing. He could not help it.

They sank deeper as it pushed him against the plush cushion of the chaise. He bit down on the inside of his cheeks until he could taste his own blood. Tears pricked his eyes. He knew no amount of pushing would tear Auovin away from him. It would only incite it to rip more into him.

Ari closed his eyes muscling down the pain. His body shook and writhed against him. Just as Ari thought it would never let go, he felt it move away from him. He watched as his blood dripped down the corners of its mouth. Soon more of it oozed from the punctures in his neck sinking into his shirt. Ari pressed a shaky hand against it.

It ran a thumb across its lips not bothering to look at him. He had gotten what he wanted from him and now, in this moment, his usefulness had expired. It was no different from anyone else.

It was a lie, a living lie. A living contradiction of what he wanted and he thought himself to be. It had nothing to offer him but the vulgarness of the world.

"You will want mine."

Ari's eyes narrowed as he looked at it. It was always dressed in black and had its black hair tied back away from its face.

"Soon enough," it finished. "And when that day comes, your entire understanding of the world will crumble."

It looked at him.

"Some lies are better than others. Some lies are better than the truth."

"I do not care."

"You do not care?" it laughed. "Not even if it will devour your very soul?"

Ari shook his head not frightened by its words or gazes. Already he was falling prey to its fangs and temptations. He was left behind and he was alone. What did it matter anymore?

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