Date With a Devil

HAZEL

I have loads of money from my previous life – ~before~I was a missing person, so that certainly comes in handy.

I’m staying in Requiem City. I’m not leaving until I get to the bottom of my husband’s murder.

I use my credit card to book myself into a hotel room of my own, in a 5 star safe haven, far from the Casino, far from the Skeleton Quarter.

That afternoon I buy new clothes. I buy new makeup. Everything I need to be a normal person again, living outside my scarred head.

Despite the problems I was having figuring out Devorex, especially after his behavior in his hotel room… I was confident I could outwit him.

I had my turning point when Zayda freed me of the hex, which had been driving me slowly mad.

My senses were completely clear and my mind no longer felt the fog of blood magic.

My clear intuition said to go slow – why? Because the monster would come to me. I wouldn’t have to chase.

If he wanted me dead or otherwise, he’d hunt me down, and when I found a way to get evidence of him killing Nick – only when I had that definitive proof, would I kill him.

But for now, it was a waiting game.

Beatrice holds the next dancing lesson in a completely different studio in town, later at night.

This one is a bit more fancy with strip poles to practice with. Below the dance studio are a line of popular restaurants, bars and clubs overlooking the river. It’s close to my hotel as well.

Thankfully, Madeline, Thea and I are too busy having fun this lesson to worry about the events earlier in the day. So there is no unnecessary chit-chat.

“You’re learning to adapt your moves, balancing your weight with the support of the pole, which allows for greater movement,” Beatrice compliments the progress in Thea and Madeline especially, who are finishing up their routine.

I mastered it quickly, so I was more the second teacher in the class.

Both girls are determined to focus and learn, and Madeline especially wins my respect in this regard.

I hadn’t thought too highly of her in our first lesson, but although she had a turbulent personality, she was determined and headstrong.

Maddie was fiery and alive – the opposite of dull. I enjoyed seeing that energy in her, it made me feel a bit more energetic myself.

I was naturally more cool and calm about my anger, wielding it as a weapon only at the right time.

My husband was still dead, no matter how angry I got. And he would never get another chance to tell his story.

I had to do it for him, so I had to keep my head on straight. It was my duty as a wife to uncover his last moments, to put him to rest, to avenge him.

But in the meantime, I would keep myself fit – and keep myself connected.

“That’ll wrap us up,” Beatrice turns off the music, while she checks the time on her phone, “I got to go, I have a date after this!”

“I hope you get laid!” Thea blurts out.

“Shut up,” Madeline laughs, “Oh my god, you’re so vulgar sometimes –”

“Thank you?” Beatrice laughs awkwardly as she gathers her things. She puts on her sweater, packs her bag and farewells us quickly.

Thea is next to head off, texting her boyfriend I presume – by the way she’s biting her bottom lip as she hurries out.

Maddie lingers behind noticeably, while I’m braiding my long silver hair that I took out while swinging around the pole, for more dramatic effect.

“…I don’t suppose you have a date as well?” I ask her casually, since I see Maddie shuffling toward me.

“Oh yeah, Hael and Loch are taking me to dinner after this,” Madeline says quickly.

“You know the I buy you food, you open your legs afterward, kind of arrangement.” She must be joking, but I can’t tell by how dry she sounds. “I actually wanted to ask you a few questions.”

“Shoot,” I give her permission and a warm smile. Feeling kind of bad how dismissive I was of her the first night.

I spin around to face her and lean against the mirror, crossing my arms over my chest and trying to appear open to discussion.

“It’s about Devorex,” Madeline begins.

“…oh,” I try to stay positive, “What about him?”

“Did he really kill your husband?” Madeline whispers.

“I don’t have any evidence,” ~yet~. I answer her vaguely.

“My mates, they seem quite threatened by him. Do you think he’s evil?” she asks, point blank.

“I have no idea,” I speak awkwardly, “Where are you going with this line of questioning, exactly?”

“Devorex wants to train me to fight – or at least, he offered to train me, and I want to know what you think about that,” Madeline asks it like she’s asking permission.

“Sweetheart,” I hope I don’t sound too condescending, “Don’t take his offer.”

“So he ~is~ dangerous –”

“I said I don’t know.”

“Why does no one actually know what he’s about? What he wants?” Madeline sighs, “No one understands him. ~I want to understand him~,” she mutters to herself.

“I’m fixated – sorry. I’m just curious what his real intentions are. He’s obsessed with you, by the way,” she starts to wander toward the exit and the stairs.

“Anyway, see you around. Call if you need anything. I’m glad you showed up to dance. Everyone thought you might have left the city.”

I debate saying nothing, but I can’t keep it all in.

“Devorex is my problem, Madeline,” as I tell her this, she looks back at me, and stops walking away.

“Leave him to me. He’s mine. Okay?” Maddie turns back to me, narrowing her eyes.

“What?” I ask.

“Oh,” Maddie whispers, seemingly just to herself, “…oh… ~that’s~what it is…” She spins around to walk away again, ignoring my questioning gaze.

“~What?~” I call out again, needing to know what she’s thinking.

“You’re ~both~ obsessed with each other. You two must want to fuck each other bad!” Maddie yells out without looking back, as if it’s ‘obvious,’ before slamming the door to the stairs on the way out.

She skips away as if it’s no big deal that she just said that. Now I’m left alone in the dance room, with my mouth open and my heart skipping a beat in embarrassment.

I… ~no~… I did not want to fuck the man who claimed to have my husband’s head.T hat would be true insanity, hex or no hex.

I think about what I’ll do now. Return to my hotel. Have a shower. Get something to eat. Sleep.

But I’m not very sleepy.

Although I am very hungry.

And everyone had a date… and I was alone.

Hmm.

I tentatively reach into my pocket and I take out my phone, glancing at my contacts.

I look at Rex’s number.

Um… ~no, Hazel… don’t… do it.~ I try to reason with myself. I hated him. I despised him. I wanted to kill him. I… also needed to get the evidence from Rex directly.

I couldn’t do that away from him. I had to be near him. I had to interrogate him further. I had to catch him off guard. I ~had~ to…Fuck, okay, I’ll just do it.

I text him.

Hazel

Want to go out for dinner with me tonight?

I wait for his reply, already blushing when it sends through to his phone. What if he doesn’t even see it until much later, or does see it and never responds?

Worse, what if he mocks me for asking?

I already regret sending the text.

My phone lights up, and his name comes through.

Devorex is calling me.

He’s keen.

I answer it before I chicken out, almost slipping the phone through my fingers as they fumble to put it up to my ear. “H-Hello?”

“A date?” his voice grinds, it’s so deep I almost don’t understand him.

“Everyone I know has someone to go to dinner with, it seems,” I answer honestly. “I don’t have any company. I thought I should ask, since you like the company so much.”

“I’m busy right now.”

“Oh.”

“Hazel,” Devorex says my name more gently, “How does the next hour sound?”

It’s already late. It’s 9pm.

A 10pm dinner date?

Sounds ridiculous.

“Sounds good,” I answer, monotone.

“Pick the place and text me the details, I’m training right now,” Devorex hangs up.

Stunned he said yes, and that I said yes, and that I reached out, and that that conversation was relatively normal… I start to research restaurants that are open all night.

I find an Italian place by the river, expensive, fancy, they should have something for two, right? I call up and manage to sneak in a booking before they close.

I text Devorex the information.

He never texts back.

Worried and a little nervous, I decide to quickly take a taxi back to the hotel. I’d freshen up. So I wasn’t sweaty and smelly. I’d put on a new dress. I’d touch up my makeup.

Satisfied I can do all that within the hour, I hurry back.

****

~10.30pm~

Devorex and I arrive together, both on time, and we both take a seat at the table prepared for us, in an awkward corner, the last available seats in a packed and popular restaurant by the river.

The customers are loud – and the music is also loud, drowning out the smaller voices.

For the love of God, I have no idea how, but when Rex sits, and I sit opposite him, we descend into a comfortable silence.

The date has barely started, but we’re already reading the menu, both clearly ferociously hungry.

We both order.

He chooses a large pizza, I choose some pasta, we both agree to share some wine. It’s like we’ve done it a million times before.

The waitress takes our orders and hurries off, as the restaurant closes at 11pm, and already many minutes have passed. We wouldn’t be here long.

Devorex eats the bread, dipping it in the olive oil. He’s clearly come out of training, because his knuckles are bruised and cut a little, but he’s managed to dress up.

I take a sip of the wine, watching his jaw move as he chews and swallows.

“I’m assuming you are excited to eat out with a huge fan,” I start, humorously. Since he was adamant I broke into his hotel for a ‘signature.’

“I’m used to being alone,” Devorex still grinds his answers, normal enough, his eyes flick over me, but he’s relaxed and not trying to intimidate me, which I appreciate.

“I’m primarily alone,” I answer back, “For obvious reasons.”

Another silence ensues, and it’s another comfortable period. What the fuck. I still find it disconcerting how comfortable it is between us.

Devorex leans back in his chair, almost too big for it, but managing to get comfortable, his legs spread, one hand on the table cloth, his other hand around the wine glass as he drinks from it slowly.

“Did you bring a sword for me this time?” Devorex asks me, his tone deep and quiet – curious but more so humorous like me.

I don’t even answer that, so his lips curl up a bit as he almost smiles, and then he asks more seriously, “I’m not paying for your shit.”

Oh.

I didn’t expect that.

“I never expected you to pay,” I lie and shrug nonchalantly, “So get off your high horse. How was training?”

“Better than expected,” Devorex just stares at me, and it’s so decisive. What the hell is he thinking?

“Are you always so domineering?” I ask, not an insult. “Your eyes. You just take control. You must win fights just with your eyes. And I’ve never seen eyes the color of rubies.”

I refuse to say the ~color of blood.~

“Well, yes. I take control in all areas of my life. Work and sex.

“Outside of training for fights, I occasionally train Subs… you know, bitches who like to be enslaved,” Devorex answers honestly, his brow twitching up and down as he says it, curious of my reaction.

“They’re willing for it – so don’t get your panties all twisted.”

“I wasn’t,” I laugh out loud, not shocked by anything in that realm, and I might sound a little haughty, but I can’t help it. “Of course ~you~ have that lifestyle…”

“That’s how I like my bitches,” Devorex murmurs, seriously, “I take in the broken girls. I train them. They’re all lonely. But not with me.”

“Is that why you thought I was lonely?” I ask, daring to bring up our interactions while I was hexed.

“How do you know what I’m thinking, butterfly?” Devorex completely avoids it, teasing me by giving nothing away.

“Do you train Submissives to fight, too?” I ask, thinking of Madeline.

“No. I train them to be my kittens, they purr for me,” Devorex looks right through me, his eyes half closing.

“…Endless supply of pussy, though… it can be exhausting – what do I choose? Who do I choose? Sometimes it’s easier to be alone.”

“You choose the best,” I answer, raising my glass, holding his eye steady, “Let’s cheer for the best pussy.”

Devorex clinks his glass to mine, appreciating my maturity about the subject.

“To my favorites, when they scratch, make me bleed a little – the little devils,” Devorex murmurs it so seriously, without any tonal difference, without emotion other than his seriousness.

We were very alike in some regards.

We both drink, and then we both comfortably stare at each other again.

The food finally comes out.

Another silence ensues. This time for us to eat.

We both eat slowly, enjoying every mouthful. We stare at each other and the food. Admiring both.

Not too long later, the date is coming to an end and the restaurant is closing in 5 minutes.

It felt like it all happened in a few seconds, I hardly felt the time go by. I don’t suppose it’s because I was having fun? I wasn’t meant to be, but I guess there was no harm in enjoying the moment.

“So…” I check my phone, “…I guess that’s it,” I say bluntly, looking anywhere other than at Rex as I try to find closure for the brief date.

He’s just staring straight at me while I look down at my phone and tap to open random apps.

“Hazel,” Rex drawls my name in such a personal way that I immediately shut my phone screen and look back up at him, my soft gray eyes are expectant, “Would you like to stay the night with me?”

What a fancy way to ask do you want to fuck now?

I try to keep in a small smirk as I flick my eyes down to his hand, on his almost empty wine glass.

If I say no, I go back to my hotel alone.

If I say yes – I’m a step closer to solving this crime.

And maybe… just maybe… some part of me… hoped the absolute belief he murdered Nick was dead wrong.

That maybe Rex was just a mysterious bad guy, a serious melancholy fighter, with no bad past at all – who was safe to date. With no evil intentions. And the hex was just… well… What was the hex about?

~Death to he, who took my she. She will now come back to me.~

What the fuck did that mean? I refused to believe it was what Zayda had said it was. That we were… ‘mates’ or something.

I didn’t even believe in that type of thing. It was too limited. To be bound to one person. Like a ‘soul’ mate. It was all bullshit.

But why hex me?

And why – at least I think he did – kill Nick?

So. Many. Unanswered. Questions.

I didn’t want to leave Devorex.

So I have to make my decision now.

I finally look Rex up and down slowly, as my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth with my answer.

And then I let it out, when I finally found the courage.

“Yes,” it leaves my mouth, travels through the air, hits his ears – and can never be undone.

Devorex suddenly fights back a very handsome smile. He had very white teeth, always clean, like he was always picking his teeth with bones.

“We’re closing very soon,” a waitress comes over with the bill, “I hope you don’t mind me dropping this here…”

Rex takes it from her, puts in his card, and hands it back. He pays for it all. Even though he said he wouldn’t. I guess that was a joke before too.

As she goes to pay, Rex takes a final sip of his wine, and casually watches me, still leaning back in his chair, still very relaxed, very normal… very convincing.

“Do you have a smoke I can have outside?” I ask, scared.

“Are you nervous?” Rex asks, direct, slow blinking at me.

I nod, “…a little,” Devorex says nothing in return to that. He just takes out a packet of cigarettes from his jacket and passes one over the candle in the middle, lighting it with the flame.

“You can’t light one inside,” I whisper.

Devorex shrugs and gives me the cigarette anyway. I quickly take it and smoke it quickly, before hiding it under the table, as the waitress comes back, I blow smoke toward the wall, over my shoulder.

The waitress returns his card, smiles and walks off.

I get away with it, no smoke is detected – for now.

Devorex stands up, getting ready to leave.

I quickly stand as well, hiding the smoke behind my back.

He seems to think it’s cute that I’m hiding it.

“Let’s get out of here,” I want to leave before I’m told off.

Rex holds out a hand, and I reach for it with my open hand, but he shakes his head.

“The cigarette,” he corrects me, and I quickly shake my own head, silly me, of course, I hold it out to him. Rex quickly takes the smoke from me, putting it in his mouth as he turns to walk out first.

They all see him, the manager, the waiters – the waitresses.

No one says a word about his behavior.

I follow him out from behind, feeling shy about it.

So ~concerned~.Over a fucking ~smoke~.I had to get my priorities straight.

I was going with him, back to his hotel, where all his shit was stored.

I had missed it today. But I wouldn’t miss it tonight. I was returning with him – to do what he thought we were gonna do.

But my sights were clear.

I was going to look. I ~wasn’t~ going to fuck. I gulp as I think that, still walking behind him, assessing the beast, looking him up and down, imagining what it would be like if I did… if ~we~ did…

Now I bite my lip.

Maybe… ~I could fuck him.~ After all.

Sex was a weapon too.