It was another hot day. The sun was beaming down on the wide meadow and winding country paths, determined to make this summer a smoldering one. The area was quiet, deserted. Except for one.

Maya sat in the tall waving grass, completely relaxed and taking in her surroundings. Her wings were spread out, swaying over the grass and flowers, making it bend back and forth with every lazy wingstroke.

Her red feathers glimmered in the sunlight. The new small golden edge to them stayed, even when her wings clouded to another color. She let her fingers run through them in habit, but her hand stilled. She lifted her head with a sharp gaze around. Something moved towards her with such incredible speed the grass parted underneath it. Maya shot up in the air. Away from the fire that scorched the grass and stretched out to reach her.

“It was about time you showed up, Luhan.”

The air shimmered and the Demon came into view.

“I was beginning to think you’d given up.”

He smiled darkly.

“I’m not giving up my favorite little toy that easily.”

She warded off another fire attack.

“I see the Angel has healed you.”

His voice was laced with disgust. Maya shrugged.

“I was knocked out at the time.”

“How was he, Maya? Did he heal that broken little heart of yours too? Did he say all the right things you needed to hear?”

It was astounding how much venom a Demon could put in his words, all the while keeping that sweet innocent tone to his voice. But Maya was a Demon too. She wasn’t impressed.

“So what’s your trick this time, Luhan? You decided to show up alone, so you must be very confident in it.”

He grinned his sharp teeth bare.

“Oh, Maya. I’m sure he told you he loves you and cares for you…”

He made a face as if speaking the words left a bad aftertaste.

“But he’s an Angel, you know. They can’t help themselves.”

This time he was the one who had to duck for a fireball.

“Hurry it up, Luhan. I’m getting bored.”

“He left you before because he was an Angel,” Luhan continued undisturbed. “He’ll do it again.”

She met his evil grin with a steady stare.

“He won’t.”

To her wonderment she actually believed that. Seriously, what had that Angel done to her? She felt her body tingle pleasantly as she remembered.

“He will,” Luhan smiled contently.

“I won’t.”

Suho suddenly fell from the sky to where Maya was hovering in the air. With a few strong wingstrokes he was by her side. His silver wings gleamed powerfully, beautifully edged with now a metallic gray rim.

“Are you sure of that, Angel?”

Luhan didn’t seem surprised by the sudden appearance. He’d been counting on it. His eyes glittered with malicious intent.

“Guess who I found…” he teased in glee.

Suho frowned at the odd confidence.

“It took me a little while, but I truly wanted you all to relive all those beautiful memories so I tracked her down.”

“You found Nadia.”

Maya’s voice was quiet, but calm. Suho looked shocked.

“I did,” Luhan smirked in obvious delight. “I left her with a few friends of ours.”

“Impossible.”

Suho’s wings fluttered in anger.

“Nadia’s protected. She’s safe.”

“No,” Maya answered, still quiet and calm. “Luhan would be able to find her.”

“How?”

Luhan’s wings sparked with vibrant reds and shimmers of black.

“I can track any amount of angelic or demonic energy. How do you think I found you two so easily?”

He made a little dramatic bow, enjoying the show thoroughly.

“And that’s how I found sweet innocent Nadia too. Still human, poor girl. But we can remedy that.”

“Don’t you dare…”

Luhan blinked in surprise.

“Is that a temper I hear, Angel?”

Suho pulled his sword with an angry swipe. It was new for him to feel angry, but he’d been experiencing a lot of new things lately. Maya put his hand on his arm to calm him down. Which he did instantly. Their wings shimmered gold and gray from the touch.

“He’s going to tell you where she is,” Maya spoke seriously.

Luhan grinned.

“I am,” he nodded. “I don’t know if she’ll be alive by the time you get there, but you can certainly try.”

“Where is she?”

“We decided to give her a bit of refreshing air in this hot weather.”

Maya hissed in impatience. Luhan only enjoyed it more.

“Mount Everest.”

Suho shot up into the air, disappearing from sight faster than you could blink.

Luhan turned to Maya slowly. His eyes glittered like a predator finding its prey. His wings blackened ominously.

“Finally alone…”

Maya wrapped herself in her wings against his vicious attack. She was trapped inside a sea of fire.

“An Angel won’t stay with a Demon, Maya,” Luhan yelled at her. “No matter how much you pine for him.”

Maya gritted her teeth inside her feathered cocoon. The heat was searing hot.

“He chose the human. He chose Nadia over you.”

Maya broke free, shooting out of the flames with rapid movements. Luhan lifted his arms, creating fire between them.

“He betrayed you again. How much do you love him now, huh?”

She spread her wings with a powerful gesture. The gold in her wings intensified. It grew blindingly bright, covering every inch of her feathers. Luhan hissed at the sudden brightness.

“I think that speaks for itself, no?”

His eyes widened hearing the soft voice behind him. He hadn’t even felt the air move from the strong wings. He gasped in horror when a long sword pierced through his body.

“I’m never leaving Maya again.”

Luhan jerked violently when the sword was pulled out again. The fire between his arms died out.

“There are other Angels besides me, they can take care of Nadia's safety.”

Suho watched Luhan fall to the ground in a lifeless heap. He landed next to him and watched Maya do the same. They stayed silent for a while, letting the grass sway around them, taking in the burning sunlight. Maya looked at Suho putting away his sword.

“What will you do if it’s an Angel that comes after us next time?” she asked quietly.

Suho hummed in thought.

“They’ll understand.”

He reached for her and gently pulled her against him. She curled into him like a cat.

“It may take a while, but if I explain it to them, they’ll give in eventually. They’re far easier to handle than Demons.”

Maya snorted in disbelief.

“Easier to handle? I know at least one who is as stubborn as a mule.”

She pinched his side accusingly. He chuckled. Suho tilted his head and looked at her. He smiled with a small twinkle in his eyes.

“That was quite the love confession you showed back there.”

Maya’s mouth fell open. She spluttered furiously.

“Love confession?! I never said anything!”

“You didn’t have to.”

He touched her wings, letting them spark gold. His own wings instantly responded with their own metallic grey. He smirked at her knowingly. Maya hooked her claws into his chest and he hissed quietly.

“Don’t get so cocky, Suho. You still have to make sure I don’t change my mind.”

His mouth instantly found hers, kissing her breathless.

“I’ll make sure of that,” he whispered.

“Oh, shut up.”

She yanked him close. Their kiss heated up that hot summer day even more.