Of Love Daemons and a French man

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Katie "Mia" Aulsa's Part
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"My name or my race?" the daemon asked with humor, now getting the reaction he craved.

"Either or both," Mia replied carefully, still looking the daemon carefully.

"Now, that would be telling, wouldn't it? I have nothing to say that can mean anything to you. I received your wish, how carefully you worded it, Mistress, and one would guess you mean business. Could not one of your 'strong men' do as a consort this festive season?"

"Oh, you can't get the best of me, Daemon! I'm not going to be pulled into a trap to let you vent a little pent up rage."

"Do I look like a specter from Arabian Nights, Madam? I am no genie, in case I have to remind you. Your Grandfather was right to warn you off me but I assure you he is rolling in his grave. Sadly his noble attempt to rally the 'strong men' in the household to rescue you from my evil grasp has failed. You are safely within my clutches now," he stated with a humorless smile on his face, "are you afraid?"

"Of you," Mia said, "never. For once in my life I'm willing to take a risk and I'll take it on Gravelam and... you."

"Your first risk on a daemon? Oh, have you made one hell of a mistake... this is going to be very, very, very fun!"

With that Mia woke up with a start, there was no mist, no smell of incense and no daemon. She yawned, looked at the clock and decided to get up. After that dream there was no point in going back to sleep. After examining the dream a moment in bed she decided it was probably from her overactive imagination or her Grandfather with a little scare to ward her off the Daemon Box. Getting up she decided to take a shower then go down stairs and get started on breakfast. Sage always got up earlier than everyone else and for once she was up in time to make him breakfast. She smiled at the thought of being alone with Sage and played it out like a scene from a historical romance novel. Laughing at herself she decided to get out of bed and start her day, she could always nap in the afternoon when the Ronins worked out.

The phone rang.

It scared Mia half to death; she had never had a phone call at 3:00 in the morning before. She picked up the phone, hoping it didn't wake any of the Ronins. "Hello, Koji Residence, now what do you want this early in the morning!"

"Mia? Thank god, I thought I'd get your Grandfather and he'd skin me alive."

"My Grandfather is dead," she said tight lipped, "now how is this?"

The person on the other end broke down into sobs, "Mia, it's Gravelam De`Vernon."

"Gravelam, what is the matter?"

"Mia... oh Mia... Mom and Dad are getting a divorce. Dad is leaving Mom and marring his mistress of ten years and two children."

"Excuse me, come again."

"You heard me... everything is so nasty here. Mom and Dad fighting, things breaking and lawyers arguing about rights to the money, house and even visiting rights to by brothers and sisters."

"Gravelam, I am so sorry."

"I'm the one that is sorry. I didn't know who else to turn to, you have always been there when I needed you and I need you. My Aunts and Uncles have each taken one of my little siblings but there is no place for me to go. I cannot stay in the house.... it's not a home it's a war zone. Mia, I need your help. I need a place to stay until it's all over."

"You want to stay here? I have a house full of people right now. They have stayed with me since Grandfather's death, he promised them a place as he tutored them. I have taken his place as their tutor, he wanted it that way."

"Sure, sure, I won't get in the way and I promise that any room you can give me would be better than here. Just to be with you and feel at ease again is worth living on the street!"

"Well when can you jump on a plane and get here," Mia said, oddly excited at the prospect of seeing her friend again but sad at the circumstances.

"Does... now sound good?"

"Now!"

"I'm sorry; as soon as I got my siblings situated I jumped on a plane and came to Japan without realizing what I was doing. I am in Tokyo Airport and I can get a room for the night if that would be better. I know I've put you in a spot Mia, and I'm sorry. I need you, I really need you."

"All right, all right, I'll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?"

"I'll be by the British Air... line... thing."

"Okay, just sit tight and get your luggage."

"I only brought one piece and I have it now."

"I should be there in hour and a half. Stay calm, I'm coming, I swear."

"You are the best, Mia, I have missed your kind gentleness."

"I have missed you too, Gravelam, see you soon," she said as she hung up.

Mia threw on clothes, tied her hair back in a ponytail, grabbed her purse and took off down the stairs, running into Sage at the bottom, literally. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Sage!" Mia exclaimed, embarrassed at the scene, "I'm sorry but I've got to go."

"This time of night! Something to do with that phone call?"

"A friend of mine is in trouble. He is at the airport and I have to pick him up. He came all the way from France to see me..."

"And not bother to tell you?"

"It's an emergency, he is a nervous wreck and he needs me."

"I'm not letting you run off like this in the middle of the night by yourself! I'll go with you."

"No, you stay here and let the guys know what is going on. Also do you think Cye and Kento would mind rooming together."

"Let me guess you need a room cleared out for your friend."

"Unless you want him to sleep in mine..."

"No! I mean... no, of course not. I'll go right up, wake Cye and Kento up to explain the situation and they can be moved and back asleep before we get back."

"Sage, really, you going is not necessary."

"I want to go. I don't like the idea of you alone at this time of night, not when I can go with you to make sure you are safe."

"It's not like I'm entering the Dynasty, Sage, it's only the airport with plenty of nice people called 'Security', I'll be fine."

"Give me five minutes..."

"He is exhausted, probably starved and in major need of a bath and a change of clothes. He has been running around France before going to the airport and that flight is a very long one.'

"Five minutes is all I ask."

"No! Sorry, Sage, your 'five minutes' always turns into half an hour to an hour. Remember the trip to the lake, going out to dinner, and to the movies. When you and the guys are involved we are always very late! I'm sorry I can't leave him at a strange airport alone, in his mental and physical condition any more than I have to."

Sage looked dumbfounded a moment, shocked by what Mia said, pangs of guilt coursed through Mia but she refused to give into them completely. "Sage, I'm sorry, but I have to get going."

Mia took off and didn't look back.

Gravelam stood waiting where he promised, though it wasn't hard to find him. He was 6'1" with long titan red hair; his mother is Irish, braided in loose braids. He wore black leather pants and a dark purple polo shirt. He looked like he had been through a war, his normal light skin was milk white, and he looked like a ghost. His usually brilliant, passionate sea blue eyes looked completely soulless. Mia's heart broke to see him in such a state. "Gravelam!"

"Mia!" His eyes lit up as he ran over and hugged her tightly, letting her go he blushed and admitted, "I know, I probably need a bath, sorry. I'm so damn happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you to," she smiled, "I'm sorry I'm late, one of the guys woke up and demanded to go with me, afraid to let me out at this time of night."

"Well your safe with me," Gravelam smiled, "these boys sound a tad over protective, Mia."

"A tad, yes, now lets get you back home, ah? There sound be a room already for you and the state of the bathroom I cannot even guess so you'll have to use mine."

"A bath, a bath, my kingdom for a bath!" he exclaimed, misquoting Shakespeare's Richard III on purpose. Mia laughed, "I'm sure you'll like the guys."

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, Mia, even not then I swear to be polite and kind to them for your sake," he put his arm around Mia and picked up his bag, "shall we be off?"