The silver haired woman dragged her cigarette deeply as she wandered around the street of Itaewon, even after midnight, throngs of people wandered the street of this gritty expat-friendly neighborhood. Understandable, since the area certainly has one of the liveliest and dynamic nightlife with choc a block full of bars, clubs, restaurants and shops selling everything from tailored suits, jewelry, souvenirs to Korean pottery.

Taking one last deep drag, she threw the cigarette to the ground and put out the ember using her low heel boots before entering a club.

Scanning the mildly full place, she noticed the tastefully modern design and the stage on the back center of the room. Opting to sit on the single stool rather than the big plush sofas that scattered around the room, she walked over to the bar and ordered a triple bourbon on the rocks.

Downing her drink in one gulp as soon as she got her hand on the glass, she raised her forefinger to the bartender for another round.

Lighting up another cigarette – she murmured her thanks to the bartender after he topped up her glass and stared at her drink, playing idly with the cigarette on her hand – lost in thought.

Bored.... the boredom had been nagging at her since forever, but it almost reach a point where she just simply exist – nothing really excites her anymore – she chuckled to herself, maybe its time to go back to hell that she called home.

She looked up to the stage when a soulful voice permeated the room, replacing the EDM background music, finding that the empty stage already filled with 5 ladies wearing black mesh top with a very short black leather pants, singing and dancing to an upbeat kind of jazzy tune and zeroed in on one beautiful woman.

Her eyes traveled slowly from the fair skin of the singer’s smooth calves to an equally smooth thigh revealed by the short pants, to the slender waist, to the long wavy light auburn hair. The woman bent and rolled her hips to the music, a slow seductive smile on her lips, captivating the audience with her graceful move and yet it was her velvety voice that captivated Byul until she cannot tear her gaze from the stage.

She watched on as the group performed 3 more songs, all equally up beat with another set of provocatively y moves, until they bowed to the audiences and exited the stage.

Only minutes later, one of the singers emerged from behind the curtained situated beside the stage and sashayed down to the large table on the corner of the room – quickly sitting down beside an older man – smiling and drinking alongside other men and women surrounding them. Byul looked at the smiling face of the young woman and wondered just how old she is. She didn’t look like she is old enough to drink and yet.

One by one, the other members emerged and like the first one also walked straight to the large table. Finally, the one woman that captivated her the entire night emerged.

Her cascading long hair were pull into a high ponytail, her previous red lipstick changed into a more subdued coral blush color, giving her a more youthful look. As predicted, she joined the other girls, receiving a glass of liquor even before she sat down.

It was a familiar portrait for a place like this.

Looking around the place – knowing that whoever runs it would be near enough to keep an eye on things – Byul wondered whether she should ask the running fee for an . It’s been a while since she took a lover and the singer caught her interest enough, maybe it could be the answer for her boredom. Doubtful, but there was no harm in trying. 

Byul glanced at her wrist watch, 1 AM. Still early enough, might as well enjoy a few more round of drinks.

She tensed up when she felt it – the presence of light that clashed with her own darkness – feigning ignorance, she sipped her drink with nonchalant when the source of such power took a seat beside her.

“Whatever you’re planning, demon, I wouldn’t let it happen.”

Her voice was light and bright and Byul smirked as she turned around to face the angel sitting next to her.

A sculptured eyebrow rose when her eyes landed on the lithe young woman. Her light blond hair cascaded down to her waist, a stark contrast with the black crop top, black leather mini skirt, and the black calf leather boots that she wore. A leather choker adorned her slender neck and Byul smirked widened.

 A rocker chic angel. Interesting.

Tendril of darkness emerged and swirled around Byul’s body – unseen by mortal eyes – its power at the light that shone from the angel’s body.

“What makes you think that I have some malicious plan? I’m just enjoying my drink, that’s all.”

The angel snorted – a telltale of smile formed on her lightly gloss lips accompanied with a small dimple on her right cheek, “It’s in your nature to corrupt human, is it not?”

Byul nodded her accent and sipped her drink again, “Which legion are you?”

She smirked when the blonde winced, a sheen of sweat formed on her forehead as Byul’s tendril of darkness surrounded her aura of light. Byul’s eyes flashed red and the angel gasped.

Wheein could feel the heat of hell’s eternal flame at her boots as the ground of the bar turned into a blazing fire, screeching sounds of the eternally condemned ringing on her ears.

“You...”

“Which legion are you, fledgling?” Byul repeated her question and the force of her power sent chill down the angel’s spine.

“Zuriel’s...” the angel bit her lips and looked at the demon beside her carefully.

She knew that she-devil was not an ordinary demon. Unlike the one that roamed free amongst human in this particular month, she was in a humanoid form, a feat that only high ranking demon could attain. Wheein thought that the she-devil probably one of the Archdemon’s lieutenant. But no... She was stronger. Much stronger.  

“Ah... the Archangel of wisdom and divine beauty.” Byul reached out her hand and caressed the angel’s smooth cheek, smirking when the young blond flinched and back away from her fingers.

“Tell me, fledgling, how do you usually banish demon? By smiling at them?”

Byul laughed when she saw the offended look on the beautiful face, “Is Zuriel’s still using that flaming sword of his?” turning back her attention to the half-filled tumbler on her hand, the silver haired demon took a generous sip.

The angel narrowed her eyes, “What are you?”

“A demon. Isn’t that what you called me before?” the smirk that she gave the angel was condescending, mocking her ignorance. 

“You opened up the gate of hell... which...” the angel wet her suddenly dry lips, “which one are you? Which layer of hell did you command?”

Byul smiled, eyes flashing red as she looked at the beautiful angel in front of her, “None. I, who without a terrain of my own, sworn to wander the plain of the living. A demon. At your service.”

Wheein closed her eyes when she heard the phrase came out from the demon’s lips. No. Not a demon. An Archdemon. The one that cast away her position in the ninth layer of hell for unknown reason. The Tenth Lord of Hell.

***

The Angel’s legion has a code. Rules handed down through passages of time. Made Eons ago. Before Adam and Eve. Before everything. Right after the first of the Fallen was condemned to rule the Underwold. The Morning Star and his legion.

It was a pact made by the Son of Light and the Son of Darkness. A month. One month in every year where the Gate of Hell will open wide and let its bastard spawn roamed the human world – leading human into sin, feeding from their inherited darkness that only need simple urging to bloom.

In the same month, the angels would grace the earth – blending in with the human – to be a guiding light, a voice of reason.

That was the code.

Watch and Guide.

No interference.

Because human was given the free will to choose. It would be within their power and their choice alone whether they succumbed into temptation.

“Who’s your charge? This place reeks with sin, I cannot imagine that there’s anyone here that’s worth salvation.”

Wheein narrowed her eyes and looked affronted by what the Archdemon just suggested, “Every soul deserves salvation. No one is unsalvageable.”

Chuckling lightly, Byul finished off her drink and shook her head, “Ah... the idealism of the light, it hasn’t been that long since they deploy you, hasn’t it? You still believe in the goodness of human like a little angeling fresh out of academy.”

Turning around until they were eyes to eyes, Byul smirked as burnish amber glinted in her eyes – and the angel found herself unable to look away – once again the screaming of the tortured soul rang through her ears, forcing goose bumps to appear on her body. It was mesmerizing – how the archdemon’s eyes became the window to the underworld.

“Human is and would always be a fickle being, my dear angeling. They were susceptible to temptation because they are weak. They have sinner heart and they are easily drawn by the darkness within them, lured by the sin of the flesh. So answer me this, if angels could fall from grace, what makes you think that the human could do any better?”

Wheein closed her eyes and shuddered as the spell that Archdemon weaved around her dissipated. The screaming died away as the Archdemon’s eyes turned back into its usual onyx color.

Of course, the Archdemon that was sitting beside her was once one of her kind. An angel. A fallen one. But an angel nonetheless. 

“But they deserve a chance! Each time, they would stand in a cross road and each time, we will stand by them so they would make the right choice.”

Byul laughed a little. It’s been a while since she saw a righteous indignation with such determination. She saw too many angels succumbed to temptation themselves. Pride was one of the main reason. Wrath coming in second and of course... lust. Oh, how many of them had fallen because they ironically fell in love with human – and stupidly given up their Angel’s grace just to be with the lesser being.

“And why would they deserve a chance?”

Wheein in a breath and leveled her gaze into the dark eyes of the demon, “Because I believe in the inherited goodness in mankind. Because I believe that even the vilest human knows mercy and kindness.... and love....”

Uncoiling herself from her seat, Byul took the two steps necessary to make her stood in front of the still seating angel. Leaning down slightly - her breath caressed the puff of hair around Wheein’s ear – she whispered, “Love kills.”

Straightening up, she gave the paling angel a smirk and was about ready to leave when the singer that caught her eyes earlier that evening sauntered over to the bar and wrapped her arms around the still rooted angel.

“Babe, what are you doing here? I told you not to come here every night, I could go home by myself, you know.”

Byul tilted her head slightly, fascinated by the interaction in front of her. Human, they always tend to say one thing and meant something else. The light that shone from the singer’s eyes was proof enough that she was happy to see the angel and…. Byul nearly laughed when she smelled it, the pheromone that came off from the human’s body, the sickening glow that radiated off of her. The human was in love with the angel in her arms.

Wheein didn’t like the way the Archdemon looking at her charge. There was a slight interest in it and it bothered the angel.

Interesting…. Her smirk widened when she saw the warning glare that the angel gave her as their eyes met again. So this human is her charge.  

Wheein broke their eyes contact and smiled up to the slender woman beside her instead, her hand touching the arms that still wrapped around her and caressed it softly, “It’s not good for a young girl like you to walk home alone at near dawn.”

The singer scoffed at her words, yet the hug that she gave the angel tightened, “Do I have to remind you that you are younger than me? And besides, this is not a good place to hang out for a young girl like you, I would feel responsible if someone bothered you.”

“I…” Wheein was about to retort when the vision came – Jin standing in a dark alley, bloody baseball bat on his hand, barely breathing body lying on the ground – Wheein gasped, standing up quickly and out of Yongsun’s grasp in an instant, only her subconscious reminding her that she was in plain view of humans that prevented her to just dematerialize immediately.

“Babe? What’s wrong?” Yongsun looked at her with worry in her eyes and Wheein found herself wracking her brain for excuses.

“I... Uh....” Wheein was tongue-tied. It was against her nature to lie. Talking in riddles that were beyond human’s comprehension, yes. Diluting the truth, sometimes. But never outright lie.

“She forgot that she promised to meet up with a friend, don’t worry, I could take her there.” The Archdemon’s voice was deep and enchanting, pulling the other two women’s attention toward her and Wheein shuddered at what she saw.

Power exuded from the Archdemon like a caress on her skin, she was still reeling from the sudden impact that hit her like a physical blow when she chanced a look at the human beside her.

Yongsun’s eyes were glassy and opened slightly, the human was stunned. Unsurprising really. The Archdemon was painfully beautiful. The exquisiteness of her features. The captivating dark eyes – it was as if a painter used the purest of ebony to color it and used crushed diamonds to brush her irises. Her nearly waist long hair shone like the purest of silver and looked so soft, it created an urge to it. She was perfection came to live. And the Archdemon knew. She knew how striking she looked and the shocking effect of her visual to a mere mortal.

“Yes... Of course. You two should go right away.”

Mind control.

Wheein jerked, wondering how in the world that she could end up in the Archdemon’s arm in just a blink of an eyes. Her hand burned an imprint on the side of the angel’s waist.

*Nod, little angeling. You have another charge to worry about rather than my small manipulative mind control which I only used to help you*

It stung Wheein that she was right, she needed to play along no matter how much she deplore the tactic that the Archdemon used.

“Yes...” she hated the fact that her voice wavered, but she quickly covered it with a smile on her face, “Yes, she would send me, so don’t worry okay, Unnie?”

She leaned toward Yongsun and gave her a small peck on her cheek – a small relief ran through her body when she saw that the disoriented look had disappeared from Yongsun’s eyes – replaced by the usual warm chocolate that she knew by heart.

“Call me after?” Yongsun’s voice was soft with worry, her hand lingered on Wheein’s forearm, as if she didn’t want to let Wheein go just yet.

Wheein nodded. After giving Yongsun another dimpled smile, she quickly walked out from the club. Her heart heavy with the thought of her other charge. Please dont let me be too late. Please.

Her feet gained momentum as she rounded the corner to a deserted alley, the sound of wings flapping followed soon and second later she disappeared into the darkness.

***

“Jin!” Wheein shouted, face flushed as she ran the small distance into the alley, eyes rounded when she saw a whimpering young man already in a fetal position, cowering on the dirty concrete floor, hands up protecting his head from further blow.

Jin stopped kicking the young man and turned toward the angel. The wild look that he gave Wheein sent chill down the angel’s spine. Wheein almost growled when she saw the dark mirage perched itself on Jin’s shoulder. Shrouding him in darkness.

Wrath. The blood thirsty demon.

Great.... just great....

No wonder Jin went berserk. So full of unstoppable rage and violence.

Think, Wheein.... Think. Wrath is a sullen creature, their face always contorted in anger, only when a human fall under their influence will they start changing, something akin of a smile and....

Wheein winced when she saw the wide grin on the gargoyle’s face, Jin was nearly completely under its influence.

“What are you doing here?” his voice was nearly unrecognizable – glacial, dripped with venom and hatred – driven by the demon on his side.

Wheein could see the satisfied gleam of the demon’s grin and she glared – unwilling to give up her charge to it.

She took one tentative step forward, hand reaching out toward the young man – it glows slightly – yet faded as she took a breath to control her emotion.

Wrath’s direct opposition is patience and mercy.... Okay, Wheein, you got this. You got this.

“Jin, you need to stop. You will kill him.” The steel bat was still laying a couple of meters away from them – and it was still free from any spec of blood – she was not too late. She could do it.

“He mugged my mother and put her in the hospital! The police didn’t do ! What do you expect me to do Wheein??? Just let the bastard get away with it!!!???”

Wheein groaned internally – hatred and the desire to seek revenge – no wonder the demon chose him.

The tendril of darkness s around his body – embracing him and she could see it seeping inside his body, lacing his bloodstream with hatred and blinded his conscience.

No...  No....

“Jin, listen to me. Please.... You found him and you already beat him. He’s not longer a threat. Just do the right thing, report him to the police. Let the police do the rest. You already avenge your mother and she’s still recuperating in the hospital. How would she feel if she found out that you kill a man? If you got arrested and go to jail, who would take care of her?”

“Nobody knows.”

“What?”

The smirk that he gave her was pure evil and Wheein could almost taste defeat in her tongue.

“No one is around, there’s no CCTV around this area as well, I won’t leave behind any evidence.”

He tilted his head. His usually handsome face grew ugly with malice as he stared at the angel.

 “You’re the only one who witnesses this. You wouldn’t tell, right Wheeinie? You’re my friend, right?”

He took a step forward and Wheein stood her ground. Jin would never hurt her. Never.

“Yes... Yes Jin, I’m your friend.” Her voice was soft as she smiled at Jin and the young man stopped on his track. He looked unsure for a second – as if caught in an inner turmoil.

“I’m your friend.... and that’s why I know that you are a good person.”

She bit her lips and took a step forward, her hand reached out to touch his chest – right where his heart beat lay.

Looking up through her lashes, Wheein gave him another smile, “You are a good person, so let the hate go, Jin. Let it go....”

Wheein could see it, the battle of his conscience with the evil influence that plaque his soul.

“Jin... “ She whispered his name and Jin looked at her with a torn expression. Wheein grasped his hands and interlaced their fingers together, smiling when she felt no hesitancy.

The hands that touched him glow again slightly and the darkness slowly recoiled off him. Wheein smiled up to him, “Let it go, Jin... show him mercy...”

The grip on her fingers tightened as Jin finally looked at her with such pure un-adultered love.

A hand closed over her wrist suddenly and pulled at her until her back was flushed against a solid form. The power that she suddenly felt surrounding her was unmistakable. She recognized it. She just left its presence mere minutes ago. The demon that possessed Jin also recognized it. It slithered off Jin, cowering in the presence of this omnipotent being.

e gnats’yel – Be Gone

The ancient language hit the demon like a whip – with a painful shriek it flew away – and with it, the dark claw that has Jin’s soul in its grip was gone.

“Go home, human. Tonight never happened.”

Jin blinked. His body was no longer his as he slowly walked away without giving Wheein even a single glance.

Wheein wrenched away from Byul’s hold and turned around to glare at the Archdemon, “What are you doing!?”

“It’s quite obvious, isn’t it? I was helping you.”

“I don’t need your help! I was doing fine!”

The Archdemon went still – yet it didn’t hinder the power that seemed to grow around her by the second – Wheein squirmed under her glare, yet she refused to back down, glaring at the Archdemon with a glare of her own.

Byul’s voice was silky smooth, her tone even, but when she heard the words, Wheein almost felt like her chest was being pinned down by a blade.

 “You’re leaking grace.”

“I....” Wheein bit her lips, it was almost too much to see the distaste in the Archdemon’s eyes.

“Is that how the Sanctum works nowadays? Releasing angels to lure the humans back toward goodness by making them fall in love?”

“No! Of course not... I...”

“So that’s just you? That’s just how you operate? The singer in the club, she was so head over heel in love with you and the little action that you just did? Leaking your grace to the....”

“I DID NOT DO IT ON PURPOSE!”

The Archdemon looked at the angel with a slight disbelief before she burst into laughter and Wheein wanted nothing more than to stab her in her black heart.

“How low can the Sanctum go? Graduating angel that has no control over her own grace?”

Arrogance laced her words and she took steps toward the angel until their upper bodies almost touch and forced Wheein to tilt her head up to look at her in the eyes.

“Angels are dying breed, we don’t spawn like demon.”

“Is that your excuse, angeling? Not enough angel? So you admitted it yourself that you don’t have enough control over your power just yet?”

The Archdemon held her gaze, her eyes twinkled like the stars – part amuse, part mocking – and Wheein found herself unable to looked away.

“The first thing that the Sanctum drilled upon its cadet was the code. No interference in any kind. Guidance. That’s the key. You can’t even control yourself. You knew that human has no guard against an angel’s grace. You exposed them to the grace of God that was bestowed upon you. One look at you, angeling.... they would feel as if the sun was shining upon them, they would be filled with happiness beyond anything that their kind knew, they would worship the ground that you walked on, they would love you – utterly, unconditionally. They would have no free will because they would do anything and everything just to make you happy.”

The Archdemon’s words were full of taunt. Daring her to respond.

“STOP IT!”

“Self control was the foundation of an angel.” Her hand slipped into Wheein’s waist and pulled the angel close, “Answer me, Wheein.... did you feel a power trip stripping them of their own free will? Making them love you above anything else?”

“NO!

“Then control yourself! You are lucky that I was here to interfere.”

 “I would not call it luck.”

“Oh no? You are using your power to sway the human, the demon knew that. It was about to seize control again when I stepped in. Do you even know what wrath could do to a human? It would drive the human insane, urging him to hurt you. What would you do then? Would you defend yourself? Using your power against the human?”

 “I....“

What should an angel do in that kind of situation? The Sanctum never taught them that. She didn’t know what to do. She really didn’t know. 

“But the demon, it ran away... it let go of Jin, it must’ve known that they already lost control and...and... ”

“It went away because I told it too.”

“So it would be back? It would try to get a hold on Jin again?” Fear gripped her. Suddenly she felt like she was drowning in ice cold water.

Byul shook her head, “No. It would think that I already claimed the human and it won’t dare to approach what’s already been claimed by an Archdemon.”

“You claimed him!?” Wheein narrowed her eyes in disgust.

Byul laughed, “Of course not, why would I want to do that? I have no use of him.”

“But you just said....”

Confusion written plainly on the angel’s face and Byul chuckled. Cute.

“I said they think I claimed the human.”

“Why?”

The archdemon leaned forward, her nose brushing softly against the angel’s, “I was helping you, little angel.”

Wheein gritted her teeth, trying to push the Archdemon away, “A demon never offered help.”

Byul smirked, “I never said it was free.”

The archdemon’s lips claimed the angel’s then.

Kissing her in earnest.

Locking her in an embrace that burns.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Authors Note

Annyeong! How are you guys doing? So uhmmm... this would be my first attempt in writing something that didnt only include Wheebyul pairing, but other pairings as well. Dont ask me why, I dont know myself. It's going to be a small ficlet and not a long chaptered one. Hopefully you guys will enjoy reading it :) As always critics and comments are welcome :) 

Talk to you guys soon!!!