Lilith twirled in her dress and motioned for the boys to follow her to the front of her home. She had a surprise for the boys, though she counted it as more of a treat for her herself than for the boys at all. She threw out her arms to present the carriage that was waiting for them in front of her home and smiled widely, “Tada!”

Seunghyun grinned at Lilith’s excitement. He eyed the carriage and noticed the intricate designs on the doors and the horses looked majestic as well. Seunghyun almost double take when he looked at the horses. They were black with a shiny coat, but their mane grew with intricate swirls of fire as well as their hooves were aflame, “Wow, I see you’re one for theatrics.”

“Well you should have known this,” Lilith flipped her hair and waited for one of her daughters to open the door for them. Two of her daughters were wearing identical dresses, they were a lot plainer than Lilith’s and shorter as well, but matched Lilith in color, “Thank you,” she curtsied before stepping in the carriage and quickly beckoned for Seunghyun and Jiyong to join her.

Seunghyun sat opposite the two, he didn’t want to risk anything by sitting next to Jiyong. it was a bumpy ride and he had already hurt him enough the first time he had touched Jiyong. He threw a smile at Jiyong who smiled back nervously then turned to look out the window. He wanted to at least be next to Jiyong, but he would settle with being in front of him. It was a little hard to hold his gaze though, as he felt the longing in his chest.

He wondered if it would always be this way, never wanting to be apart, but never being able to get too close. Would it always hurt just a little bit? Yet thinking about never seeing each other hurt even more, and Seunghyun had to remind himself that leaving Jiyong would be a greater loss. It was the only thing that helped him bear the pain.

Seunghyun was at least glad that one of them, that be Lilith, was happy. She seemed quite excited for the party even though they were supposed to be there for business in the first place.

Lilith had almost forgotten to address something before they had gotten to the party, “Boys, now when we get there it might be a little overwhelming.”

“How overwhelming?” Seunghyun asked a little warily, he was already expecting demons, what else did he have to watch out for?

“The humans there come to let loose and have a little fun. It’s a party where there are no inhibitions, so, as I said, it might be a bit overwhelming.”

Jiyong knew what that meant, he would be surrounded by a bunch of people dancing and swaying in the night and could possibly be plucked from the crowd to join in on their activities. He groaned, he thought these types of parties were quite atrocious.

It wasn’t long before they arrived, and once Seunghyun stepped out he was immediately awed. Everyone was dressed fancily with extraordinary masks hiding their faces. He had almost thought they came over dressed, but he guessed not when saw everyone else. Seunghyun still thought he looked good. It was just he had never seen so many fancy dresses in one place.

“Oh stop gawking, you’re such a farmer boy,” Lilith whispered for her two daughters who had acted as coachmen for the carriage to wait for them outside. She tsked when they started to whine in protest and then motioned for Seunghyun and Jiyong to follow her, “Come along, we have a party to attend.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes, “She is way too excited for this.”

“Ah let her have her fun for now,” Seunghyun was so intrigued with everything that was going on that when they were let in he almost Jiyong in the crowd. Everything was so extravagant he wanted to take it in slowly. He had immediately wandered in the crowd as he watched people dance and laugh. There were others that seemed to be sensual embraces in the darkest corners of the room that was dimly lit by candles.

He pressed himself against a wall and watched the crowd, seemingly forgetting what he was actually there for.

Jiyong looked around frantically having noticed that he had lost Seunghyun in the crowd. He grimaced when he noticed people shamelessly kissing in the background and people smoking opium in groups. He looked around in a hurry, letting Lilith do whatever she wanted to do before finding Seunghyun in the crowd.

He ran a hand through his hair, he was getting frustrated from the crowd and needed to find Seunghyun soon. He looked around and couldn’t figure out what was going with all these people. They seemed so out of it, but then Jiyong assumed they were all on something. Jiyong felt lucky that no one seemed to be paying attention to him, but once he realized why he immediately became angry.

Jiyong watched as Seunghyun practically had a crowd around him. People were touching him, marveling him, and Jiyong was not happy about it. He hated seeing others able to touch him and he couldn’t even pull Seunghyun and make them back off. Jiyong sighed, he was ready to push all of them away but the way they were acting was strange.

He narrowed his eyes and watched as the people marveled over Seunghyun, maybe they could sense him. Some were at his feet, others were toying with his hair.

Seunghyun didn’t know how it happened. One second he was alone in the crowd and the next second he was surrounded by people crooning over him. People were whispering to him wondering what his name was. How’d he get here, and why he was intoxicating. Seunghyun was starting to feel really uncomfortable.

A woman brushed her hand up his arm and whispered in his ear, “Who are you?”

Her eyes were red and Seunghyun wasn’t sure that he wanted to tell her, but he said it anyway, “It’s Seunghyun.”

She laughed and ran her hand through his hair, “Are you here to save us Seunghyun?” she asked with an obnoxious smile on her face as she swayed sloppily. It was obvious she was high along with everyone else in the crowd.

Seunghyun wondered if she saw something in him, if everyone else did as well, “Maybe,” he whispered, that reminded him, he was supposed to be doing something.

“We can see your wings,” she sang as she laughed quietly, “We’re used to demons, but you’re an angel,” she touched Seunghyun softly before leaning into him, “I can see your glow.”

Seunghyun in a deep breath, he wondered who these people were. What they wanted, and how they could see something that he couldn’t see himself, “I don’t have wings,” Seunghyun said ignorantly. It was the only thing he could say because these people were clouding his thoughts.

Jiyong couldn’t take it anymore, he couldn’t watch them drape themselves around Seunghyun while he just stood there. He stalked toward the crowd and was stopped by a man who looked liked he had more than enough of his share of alcohol, “Move,” Jiyong didn’t have the patience for any distractions.

The man smirked then took Jiyong by the arm. He wagged his finger and tried to steer Jiyong away from Seunghyun, “Demons can’t touch the holy,” he cooed.

That struck a chord in Jiyong and hesitated just a little bit before deflating. How could someone hurt him so bad yet know so little about him, “No, he’s,” Jiyong stopped and turned to look over his shoulder at Seunghyun. Was Seunghyun so much better than him that he was just a filthy demon? Jiyong gulped and almost reached out to him. Those people saw something in Seunghyun that they didn’t see in Jiyong, that they could never see in him.

Jiyong felt like he was just a felt a filthy demon, just like all the others, but Seunghyun, he was something more. There was a pause before he looked at the man guiding him away from Seunghyun, and he yanked his wrist from his grip, “That man you speak of, he isn’t any of yours. He isn’t your savior, but he is my Seunghyun,” Jiyong felt that he may be a demon, but he wasn’t going to let any of the humans in this room touch him with their filthy hands. If he couldn’t, they definitely could not.

He walked over to the people and moved each person out of the way one by one, “Move, shoo,” Jiyong cursed he couldn’t exactly pull Seunghyun out of the crowd. He seemed enthralled by the people around them and that irritated him. He pushed the last girl before impulsively grabbing Seunghyun by the arm and dragging him away from the pouty party goers.

Seunghyun shook his head, clearing the fog that seemed to settle in his senses and freaked, pulling his arm away from Jiyong, “Jiyong!” he yelled, “Be careful.”

Jiyong folded his arms over his chest and gave Seunghyun a look, “I know what I’m doing.”

“Why are you giving me that look,” Seunghyun watched as Jiyong’s eyes flitted from one side of the room to the other as the small frown on his face grew, “Are you, are you jealous?”

“We’re supposed to be looking for demons,” Jiyong calmed himself then took a deep breath, “Let’s just find Lilith and do what we came here to do.”

“Did someone say my name?” Lilith tapped Jiyong’s shoulder and smiled widely as she held up her mask, “While you two were doing who knows what, there’s a secret meeting going on in the back,” She looked at Jiyong, “Why is your hand all red?”

“No reason, let’s go.”

She was amused as she watched Jiyong walk, “Oh Jiyong, it’s this way,” she pointed to the opposite direction and watched as he sulked and walked the other way. She giggled to herself and looked at Seunghyun pointedly, “Trouble in paradise?”

Seunghyun rubbed the back of his neck, “He’s just a little jealous.”

“Oh, you should get him chocolates. It’s a human delicacy that I enjoy a lot.”

“I’ll take note of that,” Seunghyun started walking after Jiyong and took a deep breath. He didn’t know how he was supposed to approach Jiyong. Was he supposed to apologize? Seunghyun was unsure how relationships worked. He gasped, were they in a relationship? They hadn’t discussed it. Seunghyun tapped his chin, on the other hand he had promised Jiyong forever and that equated a committed relationship, “Jiyong?”

Jiyong was about to open the door that let to whatever meeting was being held when Seunghyun called his name, “What?” Jiyong said a little testily as he turned toward Seunghyun.

Seunghyun gave Lilith a look to which she huffed and gave them some space, “Are you mad at me?”

“No, no I’m not,” Jiyong stared guiltily at his hands, “It’s just I didn’t like the way they were touching you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Jiyong took a deep breath and pointed his finger at Seunghyun, “Just don’t let them touch you again.”

Seunghyun pressed a hand on his chest at the tone in Jiyong’s voice. Then he smirked because Jiyong looked quite hot when he was flustered and angry, “I have another question.”

Jiyong huffed and ran a hand through his hair as he looked at Seunghyun, “What is it?”

“Would you like to be my official boyfriend?”

“You ask me this before we’re about to possibly kill some demons?”

Seunghyun chuckled, “I didn’t hear a no.”

Jiyong looked away from Seunghyun as he tried to hide his smile, “Maybe, I’ll think about it.”

“Is that a smile I see?” Seunghyun walked over to Jiyong and tried to make eye contact as Jiyong turned away from him.

“No, shut up.”

“You wanna be my boyfriend?” he teased.

Jiyong covered his mouth to hide his smile, “Yes, Seunghyun,” he let out an exasperated sigh before looking over Seunghyun’s shoulder, “Where’s Lilith?”

“Changing the subject?’

“You changed it first, there are demons behind this door remember?”

“Fine, fine,” he turned around and looked for Lilith who was hiding rather conspicuously behind a pillar, “She’s so nosy,” Seunghyun whispered under his breath as he motioned for Lilith to join them.

“Done?” Lilith asked as she opened the door that looked like it was going to be led to a cellar. She didn’t wait for either of them to answer as she descended the stairs.

Seunghyun just shrugged and went after her and Jiyong then closed the door behind him. He didn’t know what he was going to see when he got to the bottom. He noticed a pale glow, he wondered if it was a ritual light. As they walked down the stairs Seunghyun just realized that it was just candles and lanterns lighting the room. They stopped before fully entering while peeping around the corner.

He suppressed a gasp when he noticed that there were many humans surrounded by demons. The humans were stating their wishes to the demons, they were all high and disorderly. Seunghyun cringed, he guessed they were all going to sell their souls. He tapped Lilith’s shoulder and whispered quietly, “What are we going to do?’

Lilith shrugged, she herself just wanted to go in there and start fighting, but she supposed Jiyong didn’t want to do that and she didn’t want to hear his mouth. Lilith sighed, Jiyong liked to nag.

Jiyong rolled his shoulders back, he was losing patience, “How about we just go in and force answers out of them.”

“Oh, I didn’t think you’d say that,” Lilith beamed and immediately stepped into the light, “Hello boys,” she cooed at the demons congregated around the humans. She paused, “And girls,” her eyes narrowed as she stared at the woman clad in a black dress that flowed around her and carrying a scythe.

Seunghyun looked around Lilith at the woman, “Is that death?”

Jiyong scoffed, “I wish, you know death doesn’t actually carry around a scythe it’s quite primitive. No, that’s Lady Midday, she decapitates farmers.”

“Lilith, your presence encompasses me with an unabridged feeling of consternation,” she turned her nose to Lilith, “I see you haven’t lost your knack for tactlessness. Your dress is abysmal.”

Lilith clenched her fists and glared at the woman, “Of course you would say something like that when all you wear is that ugly black dress.”

Jiyong clapped his hands together and stepped between Lilith and Lady Midday, “Ladies, I’d hate to break up whatever rivalry you both have, but we have work to do. You see I don’t like what I’m looking at right now,” he motioned to the humans who were now looking at him, well, looking passed him, “Don’t you think it’s a little despicable to be taking the soul of humans who aren’t even sober? I thought demons had some sense of dignity.”

Lady Midday stood proud as she stared Jiyong down, “I know you, you’re the demon who is self-loathing. What is a demon that is neither demon at all? Why are you trying to stop us when you should be joining us? These humans aren’t anything except play things. We are superior to them, even the imps.”

The few imps in the room smiled until they realized that it was a backhanded compliment.

Seunghyun wondered if they were going to just stand there all day.

“I say we kill her,” Lilith spoke abruptly.

Jiyong held up a hand, “Now we don’t have to kill anyone if they cooperate.”

Lady narrowed her eyes and ignored Jiyong, “You let vermin in, who is he?” she pointed to Seunghyun and started walking towards him, “I can see the filth radiating off him,” she sneered, “He’s been blessed,” she gave him a confused look, “He’s been more than blessed, he’s a vessel.”

Jiyong turned toward Seunghyun, “A vessel?” he whispered quietly as he looked at Seunghyun, “Who?”

Lady Midday smirked, “You’re a young demon, of course you wouldn’t know,” she looked Lilith up and down, “And you should be ashamed of yourself, you’re one of the oldest demons there are and you can’t tell the difference between someone who is blessed and a vessel?”

Lilith rolled her eyes, “Same difference, whatever. I don’t pay attention to the heavenly doctrine,” she waved her hand dismissively, “Some demons just can’t let it go though, not going to say any names.”

“Or maybe you just aren’t educated enough you imbecile,” she stared Seunghyun down as she stepped closer to him, “What are you?”

Jiyong grabbed her arm, “What the hell do you think you’re doing. I wouldn’t take another step closer if I were you.”

“Jiyong,” Seunghyun warned, “She can’t touch me,” Seunghyun cleared the distance between them, “What do you know?” he asked her curiously, it seemed she knew a lot more than anyone else. Seunghyun had thought that Phenex was knowledgeable, but Seunghyun had a feeling that Phenex had been holding out on him in the first place.

Lady Midday yanked her arm out of Jiyong’s grip and gave Seunghyun a dignified look that spoke a thousand words. She felt she had spoken too much. Seunghyun was on the other side and he wasn’t even demon to begin with. If she gave him information that was useful they could use it against her, and she was smart enough to know that. So instead she turned and walked away from the two and looked at her glorified lackeys, “Kill them,” she spoke swiftly as she wielded her scythe and stood in the background.

Jiyong growled angrily, he had been too nice to this woman and now she thought that they were just going to stand there and die. He wrung his hands, she had another thing coming.

There were about four demons that Jiyong knew would be a challenge and several imps in the room. He looked at Seunghyun and Lilith. Lilith looked bored and Seunghyun confused along with a bit unsure. Jiyong had wished they had taught him something about fighting, they would have to do that later.

Lilith wasn’t a fighter, she usually had people fight for her because she didn’t like getting her hands dirty. She took a deep breath, she was too old for this but she would help because she was bored. Not because she truly cared about the humans, not because she didn’t want evil spreading, but simply because she was bored, and thought of only evil in the world would be boring. How could she have fun with man if every one of them would want to indulge in the sins of the world. There was fun in corrupting and Lilith couldn’t stand being bored.

She set her eyes on Lady Midday, the woman irritated Lilith in the sense that she was simply useless in the world, but she had an air of importance around her that Lilith knew was fake.

“Don’t step any closer my dear,” Lady Midday waved her scythe as a warning, “You’re not much of a fighter, I wouldn’t want you to break a nail.”

Lilith frowned and looked at Seunghyun who was comically swiping at imps that had surrounded him, then at Jiyong who was calmly circling a demon that seemed ready to pounce in a second. They were busy and Lilith sighed, she practically ripped her dress off her which left her in her slip. She needed to be able to move and the dress; that she quite liked, was just too constricting, “Why does everyone think I’m so dainty?” she asked in an exasperated breath.

She grimaced and almost crouched over as she got ready the scuffle. Lilith hadn’t done this in a long time and it hurt like hell. She was sprouting her wings, they practically ripped through her skin. They were black and leathery, something Lilith didn’t like as it was one of her uglier aspects about her. She rolled her shoulders back and gave Lady Midday a teasing look.

“I can tell you're serious about this,” Lady Midday mused as her gripped tightened around her scythe, “You won’t win,” she narrowed her eyes and took a swing at Lilith, ready for their fight to begin.

Seunghyun groaned and finally smacked an imp that was blowing raspberries at him and gasped when the imp had burst in flames from his mere touch. He grimaced as the imp flew around the room on fire and screaming its head off. Seunghyun looked at his hands, were they that dangerous?

The other imps backed away from Seunghyun. They were now too afraid to get close to him, especially if he was going to be setting them on fire.

Seunghyun grinned at the fear in their eyes, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about those annoying pests. He turned to Jiyong who was of course faring well and Lilith who was steadily blocking Lady Midday’s attacks with her wings. Seunghyun took a double take, Lilith had wings? That surprised Seunghyun, he wondered whatever else he didn’t know about Lilith.

“Seunghyun!”

Seunghyun jumped and snapped out his thoughts. He turned toward Jiyong and gasped, stopping in his tracks before shaking his head and closing his eyes and throwing a punch at the offending demon that had Jiyong pinned on the floor.

Jiyong was grateful that Seunghyun was able to come to his rescue, except he had a little qualm about it, “Did you just close your eyes?”

Seunghyun rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “Uh, yes.”

Jiyong wanted to kiss him, Seunghyun just made him smile, “You’re so cute, and look at the bruise. You can really pack a punch, but next time please don’t close your eyes,” Jiyong smiled warmly before grabbing the same demon by the throat and sighing heavily, “Really, I hate killing you all. Though I do remember advocating for nonviolence, so I have to say it is your fault.”

The demon grasped at Jiyong’s hand uselessly. It was too prideful to beg for his life but too frightened to do so as well. Jiyong was kind, but he was also ruthless.

Seunghyun looked between Jiyong and the demon, “Can you make it quick? I want to focus on Lady Midday.”

Jiyong nodded his head and pushed the demon up against the wall before taking the demons head in his hands and snapping his neck. He jumped back, grimacing as the body fell and a wisp of light escaped through the demons opened mouth, “I didn’t actually kill him. The demon inside the body was sent back to hell.”

Seunghyun frowned, “Does that mean that there was a still a person there?”

“Yes, but it’s better this way. The human’s soul would have gone crazy by now.”

“Oh,” Seunghyun didn’t know how to feel about that.

Lilith stretched her wings, blocking another attack from Lady Midday. She tried blocking again and faltered in her step, and gasped when she almost got her head chopped off by Midday’s scythe. She had just stepped back enough for the scythe to glide past her neck leaving a cut that immediately started bleeding. It was a thin line that oozed onto Lilith’s slip, and that made her quite angry. She wouldn’t be able to get the stain out.

She lunged forward and grabbed Midday’s scythe and the wrestled over it. It was like that for what seemed like ever before Seunghyun took it upon himself to step in. He dived toward Lady Midday rather clumsily and tackled her to the ground. Giving Lilith the advantage and the opportunity to grab the scythe that was now sprawled on the floor.

Lady Midday screamed in horror, her skin was burning from Seunghyun’s touch and Lilith now had her scythe. She tried to wriggle free but Seunghyun had a strong hold on her. She could feel her skin heating up and it was unbearable pain. She almost wished she was a weak demon so she could just burst into flames and die there, “Get off!” she yelled at Seunghyun, and to her surprise he did, but he kept his hands tight around her wrists.

Jiyong was poised to high five Seunghyun, but then thought better of it and instead focused his attention on Lilith, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, a little cut isn’t going to kill me,” it was already healing as they stood there and Lilith still had a lot of unfinished business. She walked over to Lady Midday and grabbed her by the hair, almost yanking it out of the roots, “So here’s what’s going to happen, you’re going to tell us what you know so I don’t have to shove your own scythe down your throat. Okay?”

She spat in Lilith’s face for her answer and scoffed, “I don’t take orders from .”

Lilith wiped her face unceremoniously and was about ready to kill the woman with her own weapon if Jiyong didn’t stop her, “You’re lucky he’s here, or you would be dead.”

Seunghyun sighed and took Midday’s face in his hands and made her look at him, “What do you know?” he knew that it would only be a matter of time before Lady Midday gave up being stubborn. He could see the pain in her eyes, and as much as he knew that she wasn’t a good woman it made Seunghyun rather uncomfortable seeing that he could cause so much pain.

“Fine!” she yelled as she pushed Seunghyun away from her. She could feel her skin practically peeling off the longer he held onto her, and it was excruciating, “What do you want to know,” she was powerless without her scythe and knew when she needed to give it up or else she would surely die.

Seunghyun took a deep breath, “Let’s start with me, what do you know?”

Jiyong’s chest swelled as he looked at Seunghyun taking charge, “That’s my boyfriend,” he whispered quietly to himself as Seunghyun began interrogating Lady Midday.