Only Demon's Know How to Pick Friends

My fingers curl, instincts pushing me to bend my knees. 

Was it thumbs out? Or in? My mind whirls in so many different directions. As soon as he nears, I throw a fist out. I make slight contact with his arm as he moves out of the way. My fist collapses on impact, and my fingers splay out with an immediate soreness. I shake it off and barely drop in time to miss his throw. 

"Are you sure you want to be doing this?" I question, exhaustion beginning to needle its way through my joints. 

"Don't back off now!" My friend yells back. He points to the demon in the room. "He's watching!" I don't glance over. I was more than aware I was being watched. I could feel the creature's eyes on us. They bore their way through me, like the look of a longtime lover. 

I nod vigorously. He comes for me again. I don't have time to dodge, and the hit flows across my skin with ripple effects. The pain tears through my chest, down my torso, and tinges a path to my throat. I cough, then, trying to stay on my feet. 

Before I can gain any advantage, he uses the momentum and shoves me forward. I quickly end up sprawled on the floor. I look up as he grabs for the knife. It wasn't menacing looking, but knowing it was a demon's blade elicited a shiver from me. That knife had taken lives. Its home was Hell, and you could feel the flames emanating from the blackened tool. 

I gave it my best. It should be convincing enough. 

My friend leans over, not making eye contact. I watch as he glances behind him at the waiting demon. He had found the summoning book in his things and immediately ran to me. After three years of friendship, he entrusted me with his innermost desires. He didn’t have to convince me to go through with the ritual. I was on board the second he showed me the ancient tome. 

He slices into my arm. I hear a sharp inhale as he drags his fingers over my wound. He sighs before standing, making his way to the demon. 

"First blood," he says. I look over finally. The demon lets out a low chuckle. His burgundy frame was only covered by torn leathers. I could make out the muscles throughout his limbs, contracting and tightening. Each movement caught my eye. Stop looking! I close my eyes, trying to come to terms with my loss and what this means for my friend. 

I kept telling him just to suck it up. Now look at us. I told him that making a deal with a devil never goes your way. But what do I know? Apparently, nothing.  

My eyes open to catch the demon watching me. My friend glances between us, a look of terror passing over his features. He looks back to the demon, offering my blood on his fingers a little higher. 

"Please accept this as payment, demon. I only have one request for you," my friend stutters out. I can see his knees wobbling from here. “You’re business is now with me. You can’t hurt her.” Oh? Is he actually trying to protect me? That’s pretty honorable. 

"What would you have me do?" The demon's voice was deep and sensual. I rose a little, still watching him watch me. I can't look away. 

"I'd like you-" my friend cuts off, his eyes going wide. He looks over to me and back to the demon. "I command you to kill my stepfather. I won't take any more of his…just do it!" He yells, his entire body alive with power. 

"I've changed my terms," the demon states, a muscle in his neck flexing. His skin is so smooth. I just want to run my hands… 

"Wh-What!? No! You can't!" I break away from the trance finally, looking at my friend yelling. He's gone ghost pale, his body obviously at its limit as his knees buckle. 

"I'll take your friend as payment." 

My friend doesn't flinch or waver. He looks at the floor for a singular moment before turning back. 

"That's fine. Just kill my stepfather!" 

His body is almost entirely turned away from me. So, that's what I was to him. I always knew how to pick the worst friends. 

"Done. You may go now." The demon's lip curls as he begins to walk toward me. 

"Y-You won't hurt him, right?" My friend blubbers out.

Before the demon could reply, I heave myself up, with irritation fueling me. 

"What would you care? You just sold me like some goat! Don't worry about me. Just go," I wave my hand as my friend turns, running from the building. Well, there goes the past three years of my life. 

"Did I not tell you?" The demon spits out. 

"Oh, shut it. How about we start testing your friends next time, huh?" I grind out. 

He shakes his head at me as he leans over, his forehead settling against mine. 

"You really pick the worst friends. It's been four hundred years, and nobody has ever passed the test."

"Give me another hundred years. I'll find one decent human," I reply. 

"Do you think it's perhaps just you?"

"Excuse me!? You want to run that idea by me again?" I shove him away, staring my demon down with a glare. 

"Just a musing," he surrenders immediately with a small wave and lowered brow. I shake my head at him, stretching my limbs. He watches every movement with visible interest. 

"I believe we need to visit a grandmaster later. I've forgotten nearly everything I know. I was too busy trying to remember techniques to participate in my little duel."

"You cannot possibly call that a duel?" 

"Well, whatever it was, it's been centuries. Take me, oh great demon!" The corners of his lips twitch as he takes in my animated stance. 

"Anything for you," my demon bows mockingly. I smile as he takes my hand, using his other to open a portal to the world I've made my home. 

His world. 

Our world.