Bella knocked on her landlord's door. She fidgeted with a pair of dastardly high heels that Alice insisted was work attire. Now, she was living across the city. The flowers, tea and chocolates were the least Bella she could do to say thank you for him letting her skip many months of payment. She knew that he wasn't particularly rich himself. She wouldn't be able to sleep at night without acknowledging the sacrifices that happened on her behalf. From someone who was a complete stranger, no less.
"Ah, Bella! She told me you would come!" His eyes creased in happiness at the sight of her. Bella smiled, not knowing what he meant. He was getting older, and the voices inside his head were no longer a secret to anyone that spoke with him.
"Well, tell her I have made it safely," Bella shoved her gifts in his direction and he took them. He did not invite her in as he usually did.
"Yes, yes, of course. She knew that you would arrive safely. She told me that she watches over you, so nothing can happen to you, no matter how much you worry about her boys."
The shoes started to pinch less as the words registered in Bella's brain.
"Her boys? Is that what you said?"
"Why yes," the old man said, as though Bella was the crazy one. "They are her boys."
"Who is she? Who talks to you?" Bella placed an arm between the door and the frame. The smile disappeared from the old man's face. In his face was the sincere clarity of a man who did not struggle with any of his senses.
"She asked me not to tell you," he whispered. "Lilith never spares her disciples, that is the reason for her mercy. Never come see me again. Our business is finished."
Bella yelped as the man slammed the door, barely taking her forearm out of it in time. The shivers ran amok up and down her spine, her legs barely balancing on the lack of platform her shoes afforded. Who was Lilith? Who were "her boys"?
"Great," Bella said to herself. "I have found the boys. How charming. Wonder when they will invite me for a cold one, the boys. Always wanted friends but got the boys."
It was no use ruminating on these kinds of things, it was time to go to work.
"You know, I've never understood why humans like coffee. It's so bitter, and acidic."
Bella held the fabric on the dress tight, carefully pining it down on Alice's markings. They were preparing for a fashion show that was due in a week. To any employee's horror, Alice swore by making fashion pieces that were completely last minute. According to her, the right inspiration was something to wait for. By Bella's calculations, the inspiration always struck two weeks before the models' feet hit the floor.
"Your disguise is showing," Bella said. "Talk like that a little more and I might be convinced that you aren't from Earth."
Alice laughed; a laugh that made Bella momentarily forget everything. Although slightly annoying, the strange sensation was pleasurable, like feeling sunlight on your skin for the first time, or the sensation of falling asleep in cold weather while being wrapped in warm blankets.
"Anyways, I was thinking of finally trying coffee tonight," she said as she fluffed a dangerously unfluffy skirt. It fluffed up like magic under her touch.
"You have subjected me to all this coffee slander without even trying it yourself?" Bella launched a piece of cotton at her, watching with satisfaction as it hit her in the cheek.
"I have experienced it enough through other people."
"Mhm, other people that don't like coffee. Biases much?"
"Alright stop teasing me, I will try some tonight."
"Did someone say coffee?" A loud, booming voice spoke from behind all of the forms they were working on. "Because I like coffee, just like humans do."
Bella jumped up to see an enormous muscular man standing in the doorway. She rushed over to close the shop door on the customer. He was so large that Bella didn't think he understood that the door wouldn't close on his buns as he awkwardly tried to dodge the door.. The buns were too big.
"Sorry, sir, we are closed."
"There is no need for sir anything here. Also, your sign says open and the lights are on. Did I misinterpret something?"
The sign indeed had been flipped over, Bella knew for certain that she was not the one who had flipped it over. Leave it to Alice to not tell Bella the shop was still open.
"Ah yes, I left it open just in case a special client came along. But it seems they have cancelled by not showing up today. They ordered this beautiful shimmery red bodycon dress. Right in your size too, Bells."
Alice had taken to that nickname after Bella mentioned offhand to a customer. Her heart hurt every time it was said, but she was happy that the word was back in her life again. It was her father's nickname for her when she was a tiny child.
"Well, I am sorry to bother you, but I would love to go to the coffee shop down the street with you two, you look like a lot of fun," said the man of big buns.
Bella was strangely unoffended by the way he said those words. He sounded like a child trying to make friends. Alice was already throwing on a jacket and grabbing Bella's arm.
"Alice, we're going to be super behind. Like, the mockups are due tomorrow!"
"Oh, stop worrying, I always pull it off." Alice flashed her pearly whites.
"There's always a first time that you don't," Bella huffed, but she was already outside running after Alice and Emmett. However, Alice was not listening. She was hanging off of every word Emmett said. Bella cringed internally as she watched Alice all throw herself under Emmett's step, like a cat trying to get his attention.
The coffee shop was dimly lit, and filled with the remnants of the day's capitalistic turmoil. There were men in suits hunched over laptops, and students sipping colorful drinks. In perfect harmony with its customers with the tired people was the décor, dark and alluring. Bella felt like she had stepped into a bar, not a coffee shop. There was a sleek black island kitchen in the middle which everyone huddled around.
"So, Bella, how long have you been working at Alice's fine establishment," Emmett asked when finally sat down. .
"A couple months. How about you? What do you do?"
"I...uh... I work with computers. I like to hear people clacking at keyboards." This statement earned him strange looks from both Bella and Alice. He only shrugged at that response, and refused to explain himself.
A strange and awkward silence enthused. Emmett looked completely lost. For Alice, looking at Emmett was entertainment enough.
Luckily, from there, the evening was less awkward. Bella sat and watched Alice and Emmett flirt with each other. However, Alice made sure that Bella felt included, always knowing when to include the third wheel on topics that weren't exploratory of each other's interests.
It wasn't ideal, but it was pleasant enough. Alice's social skills were surprisingly competent compared to her knowledge of basic "human" things. It explained why her business was the most coveted amongst the very rich people. Alice could spin silk and make it feel like it was the only thing one had ever desired their whole existence.
Some clients had even been buried in Alice's pieces.
"Alice, I have had a wonderful time, but I think it's time for me to go home and get some sleep. We are doing an early day tomorrow, right?" Bella slid on her jacket. She was leaving no matter what Alice said.
"Yes'm," Alice nodded. "Goodnight, sweet Bells."
"Goodnight, sweet Alice."
Emmett grabbed Bella's hand. "Thank you for such a wonderful night. It was a pleasure to meet you."
Why were people in her life suddenly so formal? She just nodded awkwardly back at Emmett. As she was walking out, she caught a glance of the woman sitting in a corner booth. She was wearing a red dress, form fitting and curvy. She had the most beautiful curls and red lipstick, and honey colored eyes that seemed to glow. Bella flushed in embarrassment as the woman smiled.
Yes. Staring was rude. Move on, Bella. But pretty..girl…
It was only when the winter air hit her face that Bella realized she was holding a paper with Emmett's phone number. What a dog.
I shed my feminine form. The dress was replaced by neat yet casual clothing. I did not want Bella seeing me, and the whole night she didn't look over to the very corner of the coffee shop. Her gaze was as sweet as honey when it finally did land on me. She had been staring at her cup all night, putting up with my minion's incessant flirting with her little business-shop friend. All I could see was the flames of Hell when Emmett touched her hand in parting. I watched him look deep into her eyes and say an earnest farewell. However, his phone number was duly tossed into a nearby trash bin as she left.
Rationally, I knew that there was much to be learned by the hellspawn, but one thing he would learn very quickly was that while he could watch her - he could not touch her. In Hell, humans were worth nothing.
I joined Emmett at the table after Alice left. His face turned from smug satisfaction to fear. I wanted to wring his neck for his final interaction with Bella. She was mine.
I could be fair in my judgement.
"What were your intentions with her?" I smiled and kept my tone cordial. The panic in his face was clear, the misjudgment of the situation prominent on my face.
"I...thought...I could have a way to contact her?"
"When did I say that interaction was the point of the situation?"
"Never, Sir. Never."
"I said keep tabs. I can feel your desire for her, and I want you to kill it as quickly as possible."
"Sir, why? She's just a human girl."
Just a human girl. He was a demon- humans were nothing but pleasure of the flesh to them. He would understand now that Bella was much more than a whore to throw over the shoulder.
"If you touch or feel for her in the way you just did, you will wish the dogs ate you. Do you understand? I will rip you to pieces and send ruin upon your realm."
He gulped, then nodded.
"Fulfill the contract and nothing more."
The Boys and their human beans 3
Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you are well.