Manny didn't come back that night which worried the others. In the morning they debated on weather or not to go look for him because today they were going to expose Tzekel. T.J's grandfather decided that he and Frida would look for Manny while T.J and Andrea took care of Tzekel. T.J objected at first thinking he was too old and too blind but he insisted that he could still fight. As the old man and young girl walked looked for Manny, he couldn't help but sense Frida's fear and concern.
"He didn't mean to hurt you." He said.
"Excuse me?" She said.
"The half spirit. He didn't mean to hurt you when he attacked last night."
"How...How do you know about that?"
"My dear I'm blind but I'm not deaf and I know rape when I hear it. But also know regret and fear when I hear it in someone's voice."
"Sorry you had to hear that. Did we wake you?"
"No but T.J and his girlfriend trying to kill him did. Did he hurt you real bad? Any cuts or bruises?"
"No he stopped before it could really get bad. I don't understand why he did that. It's not like him."
"He couldn't help himself." The old man said. "He's half spirit and the spirits are like animals, they act on instinct and feeling alone without a second thought especially predators. When spirits feel emotions such as lust or anger it clouds their thoughts and sometimes they just black out while their body acts on it's own. He didn't want to force himself on to you but his spirit half took control of him and made his body do it."
"Why?"
"He must've felt attracted to you and in the world of animals when a male feels attracted to the female their first instinct is to mate with them immediately."
"So when spirits like a girl do they just rape them?"
"Some but most of them resist their urges because unlike animals spirits have morals but it's awfully hard for them to do so. Your friend is half human so it's easier for him to resist those feelings than it is for full spirits but that doesn't mean it's not hard to resist or that sometimes he can loose control."
"So what do I just stay away from him?"
"Well that depends on how well he can control his spiritual half."
"So it's a 50/50? Great!"
"I know it's hard."
"Not really, he's lost control before."
"No I mean loving him."
"Whaaaaat." She said faking ignorance. "What are you talking about?"
"Sweetie as I said before I'm not deaf, I have excellent hearing and I've raised a teenage girl so I know a woman in love when I hear one."
"Is that obvious?"
"To a young man probably not but to an old man who's had a daughter yes and I know that your relationship with him is a difficult one."
"Okay for the record we have no relationship. He rejected me when I told him how I feel."
"And yet you still stay with him."
"Well he's still my friend."
"Yes but most friends wouldn't go after someone who almost blindly raped them so weather he returns your feelings or not you still love him and he seems to care for you very much. He reminds me of Arturo."
"You mean Manny's ancestor? You knew him?"
"No but my people told many legends about him. One of which was about his relationship with the angel Catarina. He and a band of demons had abducted her as as part of a sick plan that would destroy the earth. During her time as their hostage he was assigned to protect her and make sure that she didn't escape. While the other demons hated her for being an angel he was the only one who was kind to her and treated her well. In time she fell in love with him and he returned her feelings but while she quickly accepted them he tried to deny them because she was supposedly the enemy. He tried to hate her, he even thought about abusing her or raping her to make his feelings go away but found himself unable to hurt her because he loved her too much."
"That's so sweet."
"Yes and while they got along their relationship was never an easy. His loyalties were to Satan while hers were to God and that made it very hard for them to love each other, sometimes she thought about leaving him and sometimes he thought about hurting her but in the end neither one of them could bring themselves to do it. She never abandoned him while he protected her with his life."
"Were they ever married?"
"I was told that they talked about it but it never happened."
"Why?"
"It happened on the night of the blood moon in one of the most horrifying battles none to man. When Catarina refused to do the terrible deed the demons wanted her to do they tried to kill her but Arturo turned on his own kind and protected her, they fought and he lost his horns in the process. A demon cannot live without his horns so he would have to die but Catarina refused to let her lover spend eternity in hell so much like our savior Christ she sacrificed her immortal life to give him a chance at redemption. She made a deal with death, that she would die in Arturo's place and he would continue to live on earth and try to redeem himself. He was heartbroken by her death but he made sure her sacrifice was not in vain, he redeemed himself and became the very first spirit."
"That sounds so sad. Do you think it's true?"
"Yep but most people don't believe that a demon is capable of love or redemption."
"Well it is hard to believe."
"Yes it's hard but not impossible. Point is Manny seems to behave a lot like his ancestor did. He struggles with his morals and his feelings. A part of him craves to be dark like demons and that desire is fueled by his intense anger and hatred toward those who have hurt him but another part of him fears the darkness and that is fueled by the love he feels toward his family and friends and the guilt he feels when he's hurt them. Despite his tough and arrogant manner he's terrified of hurting people."
"How do you know that?"
"Well it's only a theory based off of what T.J has told me about him and it seems to me that you're the person he cares for the most in this world."
"I don't know about that."
"Well I haven't known him long I'm only telling you what I think based on the words of my grandson who probably isn't the most honest man in the world so I could be wrong."
"Trust me you are. He and I bicker a lot, in fact I think I'm the one he bickers with the most."
"Well if two people who are close with each other always got along that would just be creepy."
"I know but we fight all the time but we probably wouldn't so much if he wasn't so arrogant."
"Yes and maybe if you weren't so stubborn."
"Hey! It's not my fault!"
"I'm only guessing on what my grandson tells me. If I my theory proves correct the reason you two fight so much is because he considers himself too superior to listen to reason and is in great denial of his feelings so he reacts in anger or violence while you refuse to admit defeat and accept that you're wrong which only makes things more complicated and difficult."
"Huh?"
"To put it blankly you fight because sometimes he's an arrogant son of a bitch and you're a stubborn pain in the ass. Pardon my language."
"That's not true! Well I admit he can be that but I'm not stubborn or a pain!"
"Maybe, maybe not but you stubbornly refuse to admit that you play a part in those fights."
"I do not!"
"Well it does take two to make an argument."
"Okay but-"
"Shh!" He shushed her. "Listen...I hear someone panting."
He was right, she heard something panting or rather someone. Following the panting she saw Manny on his knees, clutching his head. He was taking deep breaths while panting hard like it was hard for him to breathe. She slowly and carefully approached from behind him. Nothing happened unti lshe accidentally stepped on a stick, he turned around at the noise and when he saw her he backed away in horror.
"Easy Manny. Calm down." She said.
"Don't come near me." He warned. "Go away! Before I lose control!"
"Don't freak out Manny, if you do then you'll really lose it. It's okay you're not going to hurt me."
"How do you know?"
"Because you never have. Granted you've always come close but you never did. Look I know why you attacked me earlier and I know it wasn't your fault. So there's no need to stay away."
His eyes were turning back to green and his fangs were bared. Frida could feel the seal starting to break along with his hormones and lust. The urge to take her and use her to satisfy his desires were coming back to him. His instincts were demanding that he grab Frida, hold her down, and force himself into her right now but his will was begging him to resist. Begging him not to hurt him. The two voices he heard in his mind were driving him insane. It was like all he could hear was non stop screaming. Frida was scared but she trusted Manny, so gathering up her courage she continued walking to him and then she hugged his waist. He froze and tried to break away from her. He didn't want to touch her because he didn't want to hurt her but his lust was now screaming louder than they ever had before, he felt himself grab her body and hold it in a tight grip. She gasped but didn't scream or panic.
"I trust you Manny." She said. "I know that you would never hurt me no matter what."
She heard him gasp and she felt his grip loosen. His eyes became brown again, his fangs disappeared, and the seal remained in tact.
"Manny are you alright?" She asked him.
"I think so."
"Do you feel like...You know?"
"No I think I've got them under control again."
"Thank heaven." She sighed burying her face into his neck but she felt him gently push her off of him. "what's wrong?"
"Nothing it's just that I promised that I would never touch you again, at least not when I don't have to."
"Well you don't have to do that, you can control your feelings."
"Frida I can't afford to be attracted to you because attractions lead to love and I can't love."
"Oh...Right...I forgot."
"It's nothing personal I just-"
"I know. Come on we better go help Andrea and T.J."
She then walked away from him.
"My you have a funny way of showing gratitude." T.J's grandfather said.
"Where did you come from?"
"I was helping her look for you and may I say you really have no idea how lucky you are."
"What are you talking about?"
"That girl would follow you to hell you know and if given the choice she would die for you."
"Well I wouldn't let her do either."
"I see so you push her away because you're afraid of hurting yourself or her."
"Shut up! You don't know me, you don't know anything."
"You're right, I only know what my grandson has told me but is it safe to assume that she means a lot to you? So much so that you will yourself to defy your instincts just to keep her safe."
"Something like that." Manny said. "Anyway where's T.J and Andrea?"
"They're probably at Tzekel's temple. We better hurry."
