Strays: A Romantic Fantasy Adventure

Sakura said she would.

But she couldn’t ignore the voices.

The whispers.

All swirling, fighting against each other.

Slipping into her ears and fueling her rage.

Why is he here?

He doesn’t belong.

How dare he show up here.

Disgusting.

Scum.

Vile.

It’s Raziel’s nephew.

It’s Celeste’s child.

The Fallen One.

Hundred Headhunter.

She breathed deeply, slowly exhaling.

What a relief it would be to do what came to her so naturally. To bash the skulls of the angels around her into the stone below, over and over, one after the other. To watch their blood spill, listen to their bones break, gain pleasure from their cries of agony. She had done it before, plenty of times. Enjoyed every moment of it.

After all, she wasn’t beholden to The Kingdom and their god and all their laws. Not like all these angels, and even Ren, to a certain extent, were. She could do as she pleased and there was nothing that they could do about it. Though, there had been plenty of those who had tried. Those who ignored their superiors’ warnings to steer clear of the fox woman who wielded an angel’s weapon, to ignore her and leave her be, that attempting to teach her a lesson for her previous transgressions was a fool’s errand.

But they believed they were in God’s favor.

Only to find out that on the land, not even God could save them from the demon’s unmerciful judgment.

Ren had told her to behave, to be a good, little fox girl for Zero’s sake. But he would forgive her if she just happened to go back on her word a little. He never could stay mad at her for long. This time would be no different.

It would be fine.

But when she looked up at the angel, all of her anger dissipated.

She felt like a child harshly scolded by a stranger.

Shameful.

Nervous.

Scared.

But her fear wasn’t for herself.

It never was.

It was for him.

The darkness in his eyes had returned.

Crept out of its hiding place and settled itself comfortably in the forefront of his mind.

Ominous.

Hollow.

Predatory.

It made her chest tighten, crushing her lungs, breaking her heart.

The man had spent his entire life listening to the barbs and ridiculing and concernment from those who had their suspicions of him, always letting it go into one ear and out the other. But that was easier to do in a small village that had witnessed him grow from an infant to a child to almost a man, and other than a couple of occasions that could be waved off as justifiable or a case of boys being boys, he had always been polite, helpful, and respectful, more so than other boys in the village. It didn’t take much to set most of the villagers’ minds at ease, and those who weren't could be avoided or ignored.

But here, in a city filled with angels, each one raised on tales of what is holy and what is sin, there was no escaping the looks, the indignities thrown out by each and every one of them. They didn’t even have to say what was on their minds. It was thick in the air, like a fog.

How the dark-haired angel with raven wings should have never been allowed to survive.

It sapped the yearning for violence from the very core of the woman, exposing the anguish that lived beneath it. A similar pain that she knew that the man carried around within him as well.

It tore her apart to see, but she knew how to control it. To set it at ease. To bring him back.

He was a man who was very easy to please, after all.

Sakura didn’t say a word, just took his hand in hers, fingers lacing through his.

“Don’t do that.” Ren’s lips barely moved, his voice low and harsh, his hand limp. “Just move back.”

The woman sidled up next to him, holding on tighter to his hand as her other one hooked around his elbow, her hip bumping against the side of his thigh with each step. She looked up at him, her eyes and smile luring, challenging him. “And what are you gonna do if I don’t? Make me stop? Go ahead, I’d like to see you try.”

The angel gazed down at the demon, the darkness dispersing and being filled with longing, his hand closing over hers. “You know you’re making things much more difficult than they need to be,” he warned lightly. “It’s easier if they think I’m here alone.”

“It’s easier if each and every one of them goes and fucks off.” Sakura squeezed closer to him, pressing her chest into his arm as a pout puckered her lips. “I’m hungry. Buy me lots of chocolate? Please?”

He raised a brow, very much liking the direction this was going. “What will you do for me?”

“Something nice,” she purred, the hand that had been around his elbow now running along his jaw. She glanced back at the girl leading the slouched over boy along, and determined their distance was unacceptable. “You two come closer. I don’t care what Ren says, I don’t want to chance you getting separated in this nasty place.” She gave them an approving smile as they drew closer, like a mother hen pleased with the proximity of her darling chicks, before dragging the man along in search of a candy shop.

When she found her target, the demon grabbed and dug into the angel’s bag, retrieving a gold coin and bounded off into the shop. She came out a short time later, stuffing a brightly covered sack into her bag. She went to the man, grabbing his collar, and pulled him down to her level. “This is a chocolate,” her voice a whisper, emeralds spilling into ocean depths, as her fingers pressed against his lips, pushing the small round treat past them. “It’s really good.”

Ren stared at her, unable to break away, hardly able to taste the candy on his tongue as his breath caught in his throat.

This fucking woman.

She was a monster.

And he had to have more.

Sakura fondled his neck and cheeks with her fingers. “Now I need you listen to me. We’re going to go get a room...”

“Two rooms,” he interjected softly.

“One room.”

“Three.”

The vixen pulled back, scowling and smacked his forehead. “One! Now stop with your words and listen!” She resumed her sweet tone and gentle caresses. “We’re getting one room and dropping off our things. Then we’ll go get supper. After that, we’ll go to the docks…”

The man was surprised at the last part, falling out of her spell. “The docks? Why the…” He took another smack.

“I said listen!” Sakura’s hands coaxed his face closer, making it so there was nothing but her. “You’re going to watch me and only me. No one else. Me. Do you understand?”

Ren understood very well.

And he understood how fruitless it would more than likely be to try and take what he wanted in that moment. How many times had this woman lured him in only for it to be a bait and switch, leaving him in a state of vexation, and forcing him to revise his strategy as soon as he was able to regain his footing after she pulled the rug out from under him?

Definitely more times than he would ever admit to himself.

But whether or not he knew better, it was impossible to resist the magnetism of her eyes, that dazzling and loving gaze, inviting him closer. Urging him to take that chance.

He’d be a fool not to try.

“Fuck,” he growled, attempting to close the short distance and claim his prize.

“Wonderful!” The woman spun on her heels before he could be triumphant, very pleased with her successful seduction as he stumbled behind her. “Come now. Follow along. Don’t get lost.” She strutted ahead, her hips swaying side to side, her tail swishing with the dramatic rhythm, as the angel followed, his attention transfixed on the hypnotizing movement.

Ivy and Zero followed closely behind the helpless man, glancing at each other, silently agreeing that the pair ahead of them were very strange indeed, and it was best to stay out of it.

Sakura passed by several inns, not giving a single one so much as a sideways glance. They all reeked of angels, and she had no interest in making things harder for their unwelcomed group. She led them further into the city where the buildings transitioned from regal and pristine to more timeworn and neglected establishments, places avoided by the angels who favored the more splendid pleasures and luxuries in life.

The fox found one that she approved of, one very familiar to her, and entered while the group followed behind her. She held her hand out to Ren and he dropped some coins into her palm. “Stay,” she commanded, beginning to enjoy bossing the man around. She paid for the room and walked by her companions, snapping her fingers. “Come.”

They went to the room, and she unlocked the door, entering and bounding to one of the beds, unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer. The demon threw herself onto it while pulling the colorful sack from her bag. Snatching a chocolate from within, she rushed to unwrap it and shoved the treat into her mouth. It exploded on her taste buds, and she fell back, kicking her legs out in exhilaration as she squealed at the sweet flavor. How she loved chocolate more than any other food, would eat it every day if given the opportunity, but it was so expensive and only obtainable in Golden City. What a shame it had been that she could only indulge on the delicacies on rare occasions and in such small portions.

But now Ren, and by extension she, had plenty of coin to buy all the chocolate her heart desired. She gobbled down another one before tossing a few to Zero and offering the loaded bag to an astonished Ivy who had been quick to curl up next to the woman and accept the treasure provided with glee.

Ren sat on the edge of the opposite bed, crouched over, his head in his hands, feeling the weight of devastation finally crushing down on him after the high of temptation had faded.

What had he just done?

Zero had asked if he would be alright coming here. The boy had offered him an out, more than likely seeing the writing on the wall that the man had refused to acknowledge.

The angel had been overly confident in himself. And why shouldn’t he have been? He had walked these streets plenty of times over the years. Dealt with everything as it came. Heard the voices. Their words. Witnessed the wide-eyed stares and glowering of disgusted blue in his direction.

It had always been so simple.

Get in.

Get out.

He had always been just fine.

He could fall back into a place of apathy, guard his senses.

He could control himself.

He was now realizing that nothing good would come from any of this.

Ren glanced up through spread fingers at the woman across from him as she lay there with the girl, feeding each other morsels of sweetness while they giggled, gabbed, and squirmed with delight. The two lost in their own shared world and oblivious to everything else around them.

The man closed his eyes tightly, trying to clear his mind, get a hold of himself.

The heavens may consider him evil.

Fear his potential.

But that woman was truly a monster.

An unsuspecting force to be reckoned with.

She held all the power.

The control.

And he was completely weak and obedient to her influence.

A slave to her every whim.

Ren slowly pushed all the oxygen from his lungs, a smile creeping up against his palms.

She was everything.

And he would have it all.