Sorry about not updating so fast, I had a huge writer's block and my sister is home from the Army for two weeks. I'm at the halfway mark for more reviews than my most reviewed story in the Zoids section! Even weirder: you guys like Roy as an ass! Well, can't expect Riza to fall in love at first sight. So, without further adieu, the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, otherwise I would have Ed and Al go back to their home world, Ed would get together with Winry and Al would have a cat shrine!

Demon's Embrace

Chapter Three: His Reasons

The color in Riza's face left when her captor spoke that last word. He can't be serious! What happened to 'I don't do that to women' he spoke of earlier?! She thought. Roy saw the words written all over her face and went slightly red in the face. "I told you, I don't have my way with women by force." He replied. "Do you really take me as an animal?"

"Do I have to respond?" came her snide remark. "And why can't I get up and beat you senseless?"

Roy chuckled at the thought, his eyes not leaving hers. "The spell I used to knock you out also has a side effect: the person inflicted with it can't move for a night. In other words, you're stuck here tonight."

Riza looked at the demon with a stony face. "Oh joy, being molested by a demon leader is what I always wanted." She rolled her eyes. "You know I can make that happen." Roy answered, the strange gleam of what Riza saw was a bit of lust in his eyes. She gasped slightly when she felt the bottom of her shirt lifted away from her skin and replaced with one of Roy's warm hands caressing around her navel. "What else can I offer for you to save that boy's life? After all, attacking the leader of this country is punishable by death."

Riza's mind began to panic, thinking of all the things those demon guards would do to Edward. He's suffered enough…why is this man, no DEMON, wanting to cause more of it? And for what?!

"And if I give myself to you, you won't execute him, am I right?" she asked, eyeing Roy. "Of course, no harm will come to the boy as long as you're with me. Perfectly understandable, right?" he replied, his hand slowly snaking its way up her back. Riza bit her lower lip, trying not to make any noises from the demon's groping hand. She gasped slightly when Roy felt the back of her bra and smirked at her. "I can go all night until you give me an answer…you do want to protect him, don't you?"

The glare he received said it all: Riza did want to protect the boy with every fiber in her body, him and Al both. They're like my little brothers…they would do the same for me. Except Edward, he would fight until he couldn't anymore. She left her thoughts when she felt her bra snap. "Oops."

"Yeah right." Riza sneered at the culprit. Roy shrugged and slowly removed his hand from Riza's back and shirt much to the woman's relief. "I told you I don't go that far and I always keep my word."

The blonde said nothing but closed her eyes. "Maybe if I do this, I'll be in my own bed and this would be a bad dream." She spoke out loud. Roy smirked and sat straight up, pulling Riza with him and decided to pinch her arm. "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"Not dreaming." Replied the demon. Riza still carried the stony face and refused to look at the demon before her which was getting more annoying to said demon. Gods, human women are such pains! Roy thought then poked Riza right between the eyes. "Will you open your eyes and look at me if I explain myself?"

"No but go ahead."

Roy didn't know if he should throw her down and have his way with her, smack her or just explain what he wanted.

Naturally, he went with the third choice.

"Have you heard of a demon's 'binding contract'?"

Riza scowled. "Not much, only that demons use it to make pacts to keep enemies off of them." She answered.

"That's what it was but the contract I'm suggesting is this: I won't let any demonic harm come to the kid, but if you give up your freedom and stay here. I guess you can call it 'Equal Exchange'."

That caused Riza to open her eyes and say one thing: "You do have only one thing on the brain."

Normally, Roy would've fallen over and gloat because of that kind of remark but instead kept his cool composure. "I assure you, it's not what you're thinking." He said, his eyes losing the lusty gaze but replaced with a more serious look. "Something is going to happen soon, I have this feeling I can't shake off. Someone wants me dead."

"Good luck with that now drop me off at my place and I'll forget this happened." Riza spoke, not wanting to hear any tall tales. Personally, she didn't care if Roy died or not. All she wanted was her family to find peace among the mist of war.

Stubborn human! Why do I always have to deal with the stubborn ones? Roy thought. "You're good with a gun from what I saw earlier, hence why I'm telling you this."

"You have guards, use them for your game." Riza rolled her eyes.

"It's no game; someone wants me out." Roy stared at the golden haired beauty in front of him. "I'm asking a complete stranger to help me with this rather than any of my guard for other reasons."

Riza only sighed. "You want the person responsible to not know about this, am I right?" she asked, her tone not changing one bit.

"They wouldn't expect a human woman to be one of my guards, right? Of course, you'll have to be undercover as…" Roy tried to think of the right words to say, there was no way he wanted to tell her the exact words.

"As your slave?" Riza quirked an eyebrow.

"Blunt and to the point." The Fuhrer answered. "No one but us will know what's really going on and I want to keep it that way. That's why I suggested the binding contract, once you agree, you can't get out of it until the Binder says the contract is forfilled."

"Screw that, I'm not posing as your toy!" Riza protested.

"Hopefully none of that will happen. Just…" Roy bowed his head. "I'm not used to asking a human for help…but I have no one to turn to. Would you please-" he was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Lord Fuhrer!" came a servant's voice.

Roy mentally cursed himself as he pushed Riza on her back and covered her slightly. "Don't say a word."

All he got was a roll of the eyes as he got off of the bed and walked over to the door, opening it slightly.

"My Lord," the servant bowed. "This letter came for you sir." She held a small brown envelope in her hands engraved with two snakes intertwining with each other around a large oak tree for the seal. Roy's face was void of all emotion but simply replied "Thank you." before closing the door. His face crinkled with disgust as he rolled his eyes and carelessly threw the letter into the roaring fireplace. No one expected the fire to turn bright green and spit out flaming ghosts with stringing hair and ghastly looking skin that looked like it was gonna fall off.

"What the hell?!" Riza saw this but Roy stayed calm. "Don't worry, I'll handle this." He told her before pressing his palms together and muttering in a strange language. The ghosts huddled around Roy, trying to get a strike in but the demon finished his chanting and pressed his palms on the floor, creating several icicles to trap said ghosts. The demon remained emotionless as he gave a swift kick to each, breaking them as well as the ghost creatures. "Does that explain it all to you? Now will you help me?"

Riza glared at the leader but still spoke. "I'll do this request only if you give both Edward Elric AND Alphonse Elric the same protection."

"Done." Roy answered. "I'll give you a week to prepare everything and to tell them. Come back on the night of the full moon, that's when the Binding must occur."

Riza only nodded in agreement before he spoke again. "One last thing: tell me your name. I highly doubt you want to be called 'human' or 'slave' all the time."

The human woman thought this to be highly unusual but still answered. "Riza Hawkeye." She stated then closed her eyes. " If I can't move until morning, I'm going to sleep."

"You know that is MY bed, right?"

"Then stay on your side of it."

END CHAPTER THREE