The Devil And His Rose

James sat on the floor, his head resting against the wall, breaths shallow and uneven.

After a moment, he pressed his palms into the ground, pushing himself upright. His legs felt unsteady, but he straightened, drawing in a deep breath.

With one last glance around, he walked out of the room.

The moment James stepped out of the room and was about to search for the doctor, he froze. The elf was rushing towards him, flanked by two pale, fanged figures. Vampires?

James scoffed under his breath, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.

Did they really think they'd be able to fight the creature he was just with? If that man had wanted him dead, these vampires—and the doctor—would be nothing more than a pile of ash.

But then again, nobody knew he never summoned a demon. And he wasn't about to let anyone find out. Not even his wife.

"Ah, Mr. Rivera," the doctor called, stopping in his tracks when he saw James. His expression shifted from worry to relief.

"You can leave," he said, gesturing to the vampires who lingered at his side.

The vampires exchanged glances, brows furrowing, but wordlessly turned and left.

"Did you give up on me already, doctor?" James' voice was sharp, his gaze unwavering. The elf flinched, color rising in his cheeks.

"It's just that you've been in that room for too long, and I thought—" The elf trailed off, eyes flicking nervously to the ground.

Typical elves, always too kind for their own good. One day, it would get them extinct.

James didn't break eye contact, his face hard. He let the silence hang for a moment longer than necessary, watching the elf squirm.

The elf cleared his throat, visibly shaken. "Here's the blood you asked for." His hand shook slightly as he extended the container, the blood inside swirling like something alive.

James didn't miss the doctor's gaze flicking to it, his expression flickering with unease.

As soon as the doctor touched the bottle, his entire body stiffened, a tremor running through his fingers.

The air around him seemed to hum with energy, a pulse of power that nearly sent the bottle flying from his hands.

James' eyes widened. His heart skipped a beat as the elf fought to keep hold. "Be careful!" James barked, stepping forward instinctively, his tone sharp.

"I-I'm sorry!" The elf stammered, his face flushed with sweat. His grip tightened on the bottle, but the power still seemed to drain from it, like something was pulling at his very life force.

The doctor swayed slightly, his breath coming in short bursts.

"Are you okay?" James asked, his voice less cold now, but the concern was clear in his eyes.

"Y-yes, I'm fine." The elf wiped his brow, offering a strained smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

He shifted his grip on the bottle, clearly still shaken by what had just happened. The force coming from the blood wasn't something he'd ever felt before.

"Mr. Rivera…" The elf hesitated, but his curiosity got the better of him. "If you don't mind me asking… what kind of demon did you encounter?"

His hand tightened on the glass, but not enough to crack it. His gaze darted to the blood, trying to make sense of what he was holding.

"Pishachas? Succubi? Fiends?" The doctor pressed, his voice low, cautious. He knew demons existed, even lived among them. But none of them radiated this kind of power. Not even a rogue demon.

James stared at the elf, an unreadable expression on his face. He could feel the elf's tension, but he didn't answer right away. His mind was already drifting.

The elf continued to wonder if this was even demon blood—or something else entirely. But he quickly dismissed the thought.

The spellbook in the room had been for summoning demons. That had to be what this was.

"Actually…" James finally spoke, breaking the elf's thoughts. His voice was flat, casual even. "All I know is that it was a demon with horns and a tail."

The elf blinked, his eyes narrowing in confusion. Was he being serious? How many demons had horns and a tail? Countless.

But the elf bit back his questions, sensing that digging any deeper would only make things more strange.

He cleared his throat, swallowing the unease that settled in his chest. "I'll get to work then."

After the elf finally managed to steady himself, he took a step back, his eyes still fixed on the swirling blood in his hands.

He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing the situation, then gave a quick nod, his shoulders stiff.

"I'll make sure this is used right away." the elf said, his voice still shaky but trying to sound composed. He turned on his heel and began walking away, his footsteps soft on the floor.

James watched him leave, his expression unreadable. The elf didn't look back, but James could feel the tension in the air as the doctor made his way down the hallway.

The faint sound of his footsteps echoed, growing fainter until they were gone entirely, leaving James alone in the quiet.

Hours dragged on in the waiting room. James couldn't sit still, pacing the floor as the silence pressed down on him.

His mind raced, but every time he tried to focus, it was like his thoughts scattered. His wife, the child—he needed to know.

Finally, the door to the delivery room opened. The elf doctor stepped out, a rare smile on his face. James stopped, his breath catching as the doctor spoke.

"Mr. Rivera, it's a girl."

James gave a small nod, already knowing, but hearing it again made it real. His chest lightened. "Is she…?"

The doctor nodded. "Both are fine. She's resting now. You can see them."

James didn't need another word. He followed the doctor down the hall, his heart thumping in his chest.

They stopped at the door, the doctor giving one last reassuring look. "She's in there."

James pushed the door open. The room was quiet, soft light casting a gentle glow. His wife lay on the bed, exhausted but peaceful, the baby wrapped in blankets in her arms.

For a moment, James just stood there, absorbing the sight. His heart swelled as he stepped forward, reaching out to gently touch the edge of the bed.

His eyes lingered on them—his wife, his daughter—his family.