No one's POV :
A week passed by and the bond of the four friends become even stronger. Yet our heroine did not tell them about her secret, she had full trust in them, but also had a fear of demons hiding behind the faces of the student council.
Angelica's POV:
It was a cold early morning and I was walking to school. The streets were nearly empty. The environment around me was so peaceful, but I was feeling nervous. It wasn't a mistake I went to school this early, I had a suspicion about some students, that they might be working or more likely being controlled by the student council. If they took their souls it isn't possible to save them but I will at least know who to look out for. There is a small group of students who always go to school in the early morning. I was standing before the entrance to the school. The demons were already inside.
„Sanctus transibis sacra linea, " I pulled out the bottle of holy water and sprinkled some on the doorstep while repeating it.
Then I went inside and hid. Still, I made sure to have a clear view of the entrance. After a while, I saw a few figures coming close to school. They were getting closer and closer to the entrance. They tried to get inside but it always stopped them. I knew it. They tried over and over again.
„Inrita, "
I whispered after I remembered their faces, this broke the incantation and let them in.
I stayed hidden until I was sure that they couldn't see me. I felt cold wet something on my leg, I looked down and saw a little brown pomeranian liking my leg. I crouched down to him and patted him.
„What are you doing here, little one? Are you lost?" I asked and I was still patting him.
He wiggled his tail and happily barked. I looked at his nametag.
„Roen, such a lovely name. It suits you, " I smiled and petted him some more.
After a while, I heard steps coming close so I hid again and I was just hoping that Roen wouldn't do anything. He just calmly walked away. It was one of the students from earlier and he pinned some kind of paper on the board and left. I slowly walked up to the board and checked out the paper. I froze in shock. The student council is summoning Ritsuka, this can't be good. I need to warn her, somehow. But I promised to come to the art club. Maybe she will come there too.
I started to walk, paying attention only to my thoughts. I ended up in front of the art club. I opened the door of the class still a bit stunned after reading that. I was even more stunned after I saw Shiki sitting on the stool painting something without his shirt.
„I-I'm sorry, I will come later, " I stuttered.
„No need, I don't mind company, " he smiled so kindly.
I hoped for a different answer. I went inside and closed the door behind me. I settled up some things and I started to draw. I felt his stare, he watched my every movement. I grew a bit anxious. What if he knows?
„I just remembered, can I give you the application form for the singing competition? You know, not to bother the whole council with one form, " I smiled kindly and I slowly pulled out a piece of paper from my bag, hoping to at least cut the tension a bit.
„Of course, you'll get the details later, " he took the paper from me and smiled.
„Thank you, " I replied and went back to drawing.
„Can I ask you a question?" I spoke after a while of silence.
„Of course, ask whatever you want, " he replied. He is being too generous and kind.
„What did Ritsuka do that you had to summon her?" I asked him seriously.
„I'm afraid that I can't tell you that. But I can assure you that it's the only assumption that we will confirm or deny with miss Tachibana, " he answered formally. Too formally for him, it was a bit funny, he wasn't the type to be formal.
„I understand, " I said shortly and went back to drawing.
It took about 20 minutes to finish. I cleaned after myself and went out of the room.
„Angelica-chan!" said the voice behind me.
Oh no, it's him again. I turned to face him, it was a young student with brown, messy hair and brown eyes.
„So did you decide?" he asked.
„I already told you, I am not interested, " I answered.
Poor boy, I don't blame him for liking me. Just like with demons, once we are in human form, we just have natural beauty. He isn't the first who asked me out, but most of them give up after two rejections, he just keeps asking.
„Oh come on! Just try it, I will be worth your while, " he grabbed my arm.
My reflexes kicked in and I twisted his arm to free myself. It is quite a painful maneuver but it always works, at least on humans.
„You little - That hurt!"
He shouted and raised his arm to slap me, but before he could even do that his expression went from angry to terrified and he slowly put his hand down and he was looking somewhere behind me. I didn't have to look back to know the reason.
„O-Oh S-Shiki I-I didn't k-know she was w-with you, " he stuttered.
„I think we should have a little chat, " said Shiki.
His voice was deep, ominous, and dark. The boy was absolutely terrified. It sent shivers down my spine, it was the same tone he used then... I knew that if I let them alone, it would be the end of the road for the boy.
„No, I think he already learned his lesson, I will be okay with just an apology, "
I imminently turned to him with a pleading expression, his expression resembled that of the stone-cold killer.
„You are too kind and forgiving, but if that is what you want then I 'm okay with it too, " he said and smiled kindly, his expression becoming normal again.
„Yes, of course, I am very sorry for my behavior. I won't bother you anymore, " the boy quickly said.
After that Shiki disappeared without a single word.
„Thank you so much for convincing him not to have 'the chat'. I was absolutely sure he would get me expelled, " he let out a sigh of relief.
Yeah, no you would be dead if I didn't stop him.
„No problem, just small advice. Next time no really means no, some of us get really offensive whenever someone does something we don't like, and maybe try to not get this angry that quickly and you should be fine. Now if you excuse me..." I said kindly and left.
I went to the entrance hall, now it was full of students, buzz, and whispers. I was just on time since at the same time in came Azuna and Ritsuka. I ran up to them.
„You were here soon. "
„Ritsuka- Wait, where is Lindo?"
„He had to get something, somewhere out of the town so he will be back tomorrow, " Ritsuka said.
I wanted to tell her about the summoning but something caught my attention.
„Were you wearing the pendant yesterday?"
„Yes, but I usually wear it under my clothes. "
„Ah I see, it's so pretty, " I said and touched it, something very familiar was in it.
I made three little circles around it with my finger, then I draw my hand back. This should protect her.
„ Ritsuka, did you do something against the school rules?"
„No, why?"
„Because the student council is summoning you. "
„What? B-But I didn't do anything!" she said and ran up to the board. We went there too.
„This can't be, I never broke a single rule in my life! "
„Hey, you will be okay, I spoke to Shiki, he didn't tell me what is it but he did tell me that this is only an assumption. But you should go, the sooner you will get there, the sooner you be out. "
„You are probably right, " said Ritsuka and ran off.
„Did you really trust what he said?"
„Not a single word. But she will be safe, the pendant is protecting her isn't it?"
„How did you know?"
„Well, what do you say about the sleepover? I can explain everything then and you can explain some things to me too. "
„Sounds fair, " Azuna replied.
„You can go to class, I will be waiting for her outside of the library, " I said softly.
„Then see you in class, " she walked off.
I was anxiously waiting outside until the door slowly opened.
„How did it go?"
„They were ganging up on me even tho I was innocent. They are such jerks! "
„But nothing happened, you don't have to go back there?"
„Trust me I am never going back. But anyway we should go to class, " Ritsuka said, I nodded and we went to class.
The hours were running so slowly. I was a bit jumpy, something just didn't sit with me. I felt that something bad will happen and I was anxious, anxious about Azuna's reaction after I tell her the truth.
„Hey, Angelica, do you even pay attention to me?" Ritsuka waved her hand in front of my face.
„Oh I'm sorry, what did you say?" I snapped back to reality.
„You are dozing off pretty often you know. I was asking what will you be doing this afternoon and Azuna said you and she will have a sleepover, so I was asking you if that's right. "
„ It's true. "
„ If that's the case, you two are pretty mean you know, I will have to run errands meanwhile you two will be having fun. It's not fair, " Ritsuka said with puffy cheeks.
„Sorry, " I laughed. Both of them soon joined in.
„Okay, that is enough, enjoy it you two, " said Ritsuka before running off.
We went to Azuna's house. I immediately noticed the holy water on her doorstep. She let me inside and we sat in her living room.
„So let me get some things straight. You and Lindo are exorcists. And Ritsuka isn't and she has absolutely no idea what's going on in the school. "
„Yes you are right, " Azuna answered. I looked around the room. This isn't spacious enough.
„Do you have something sharp around here?" I asked.
„Yes, " she pulled out a dagger and carefully gave it to me.
It is definitely cleansed in holy water. I took it from her and made a little cut with it on my finger. She freaked out at my action but stopped dead in her tracks right after she saw my blood. Instead of crimson red liquid, out of my cut came pearl-colored liquid.
„Y-You are an angel?!"
„Archangel, to be exact, " I said with a shy smile. She actually seemed excited about that fact.
„Which one? And what purpose brings you here?" her eyes were sparkling.
„I guess that this will tell which one..." I summoned my sword and insight of that, she was speechless.
„And as for the purpose, it was supposed to be a vacation. My ticket to get far from all that responsibility, demons, and attention. And yet, here I am slowly being dragged into another misadventure with demonic forces, " I sighed.
„So that is why you did know immediately what they were? "
„That's correct, now my turn. Why Ritsuka doesn't know about anything? And where is Lindo? " I asked.
„Ritsuka is the guardian of the blood gem. We are keeping her in dark because if she herself will not know about it, no one will get such information from her. Also, we don't want her to go through any mental problems. And Lindo is out of town because he is getting some things to protect her. "
„I see, well I will be helping you out with that. After all, it's in my best interest to keep the gem from falling into the wrong hands. One last question from me, is Lindo even human?"
„No, he isn't. He is a dhampir. "
„Dhampir, really? That actually explains that weird scent. "
„Anyway, how does it look up there?"
„Well, it's actually indescribable, in that sense human mind can't comprehend it until it sees it. So describing it is pretty much useless. "
„Oh I see, and how about the demon world?"
„I actually don't know, I thankfully never been there. "
„Hey, are you...scared of the student council?"
„To be honest, I am. They are powerful, very powerful. And I am still a bit weakened from coming here. "
„What does that mean?"
„If they discover what am I, they will do anything that is in their power to make me fall...Imagine you are a demon that was defeated and oppressed. I imagine that one of the best things would be that you can make the one responsible, suffer the same fate. "
„Yes, that actually makes a lot of sense. So from now on, we will protect you too, " she said with determination and I giggled.
„Hey that isn't a laughing matter, I am serious. "
„Yeah, yeah, I get it. "
„Do you know what kind of demons they are?" she asked me.
I faced away with a pained expression. I knew about one of them but I haven't the courage to talk about it. It has been centuries and I am still not able to speak about it.
„I get it, let's change the subject, " she said and I nodded.
It was almost night. We have been talking for hours when suddenly Azuna's phone rang.
„Yes?...Oh hi Ritsuka, what's up?...What?...Are you serious?... That is quite scary, get here asap...Do you want us to get you?... Okay see you, "
„What is it?"
„She said, someone, broken into her house, absolutely wreak it and took her mother and when she returned with police everything was fixed. "
„Vampires. I will go for her."
„Are you sure?" she asked me and I nodded.
The night was cold, but that didn't bother me at all. What did bother me was the nervousness I felt. What if they got to her first. My string of thoughts was suddenly cut by a scent, a dreadful scent. I jolted to the place where was it coming from, but before I could reach it another scent hit me like a truck. Vampires AND demons in one place. Are you kidding me?
When I got to them only Ritsuka and Rem were there.
„Ritsuka are you okay?"
„Yes, thankfully Rem saved me."
„We should go, Azuna will be worried."
„I can get you there -"
„There is no need for that. We can manage, " I shoot him down coldly.
„Angelica! You shouldn't be this cold. He helped me. "
„I am sorry, I am still a bit worried. Excuse my tone. " it was disgusting to say something like this to a demon.
„But you are right, we should go, " Ritsuka said.
„See you tomorrow, Rem!" we started walking back to Azuna's house.
We reunited with Azuna and started talking. The atmosphere was peaceful and pleasant but there was a bit of uneasiness in my heart. Something sinister was happening behind the scenes. I am fearing that this is only the beginning.
All right second chapter is out and I hope you like it.
