**** Chapter Five: DEMON IN BLACK

**** Chapter Six: NOT A CHANCE PUMPKIN

I answered all his questions like a robot. What did Azure look like? He wanted to make sure I was talking about the same person he was asking about. How did I get here? It wasn’t possible for a common Earthling to travel across the veils of universe into the Realm. Why did Azure give me the pearl? What did he say when he –

“Stop!” I cut in. “My head is spinning from all your queries. What are you, the FBI? If you know the guy, why not just ask him?”

“Where is that pearl he gave you?” He glared at me.

I handed him the necklace. He looked at the cuboid and frowned.

“This isn’t the Pearl.” He closed it in his fist. Smoke rose from his closed fist and when he opened it, a luminous blue mound of ash lay in his palm. Amidst that ash was a glistening red pearl, the size of a big cherry.

“Very ingenious.” He raised an eyebrow.

“How did you do that?” I stared. “What was that smoke? And this ash is sparkly!”

“I don’t understand.” He frowned. “Why would Azure send you here? You’re of no use to me.”

Why, the nerve of that jerk! If only the pearl wasn’t useful for just one night, I could’ve gone home long ago!

“Ask him, not me.” I frowned. “And while you’re at it, have him send me home where I am of use to everyone!”

“Not a chance, pumpkin.” He smiled roguishly. “I’m not sending you anywhere.”

I opened my mouth to remind him that I was of no use to him but he had already focused his attention elsewhere. He raised a hand and tapped the wall behind him three times with his knuckles. A huge wave surged within that wall. It came crashing into the room and vomited a blue manlike figure after which it receded back into the wall.

The blue figure moved. It was a man indeed; all naked except for a brownish loincloth tied expertly from his waist to the middle of his thighs. He hunched over on all fours while he tried to get up, coughing and gagging and dripping wet.

“Aoife, I trust you two have met?” Demon spoke to me though his fierce gaze was fixed on the newcomer.

“Azure?” I whispered. “He’s blue! He’s really truly all blue!” So it wasn’t body paint after all.

Azure was up on his feet by now and was wiping off water from his face, gasping to catch his breath.

“Can’t you summon me the traditional way?” He glared at Demon. “I hate your ocean, Dee. With all due respect.”

“With all due respect, Noble Phromaz,” Demon said curtly. “Any particular reason why there’s an Earth-girl in my castle?”

Azure looked at me and smiled kindly. "She is a sight for sore eyes, isn’t she?"

“Yes, that’s as far as it goes anyway.” Demon looked at me briefly – just to make my blood boil of course – and then back at Azure. “Who is she?”

“Uhm – you see,” Azure scratched his head. “I – uh – I saw Arela, Aoibheann rather, pursuing this girl so I just thought it would be best to bring her here – y’know –” he paused to clear his throat. “Get ahead of the enemy even when – you really don't know what the enemy is up to.”

“Smart!” Demon gave Azure a chilling smile. “But you must have some idea why the Ducimus were pursuing her? And without her knowledge too, I presume?”

“Er – yeah, that part is a bit hazy – I mean I don't know why they’re after her.”

“You told her I couldn’t be informed of her coming because I wouldn’t understand.” This time, Demon growled, his eyes glowing like soft flames. “What wouldn’t I understand, Azure? Who is she? Tell me!”

“Okay, I’ll say it.” Azure raised both hands, palm out. “But remember you can’t kill me, I’m immortal so please don't, don’t try.” He took a deep breath. “She is – this girl right here, this Aoife – is a – Sy – lehnfff.” His voice trailed off, blurring the last words.

“Excuse me?” Demon frowned.

Azure gulped and said quickly in one breath, “Aoifeisasyhlain!” “Slowly!” Demon commanded.

This time Azure drew in a huge breath, squared his shoulders and said slowly,

“Aoife. Is. A. Syhlain.”

For a second Demon was stunned. “WHAT?” he barked. “How do you know?” “There’s a – there’s a red crescent on her thigh.” Azure pointed to my thigh.

Something in my brain gripped my heart fiercely and told me to get up and run. I couldn’t run but I stood up instantly as Demon charged towards me. Before I could react, he grabbed my leg and ripped my snug leather pants right above my right thigh. There, shining like a red ruby was my crescent!

"You bastard!" I swung a hand to slap him but he gripped it absently and stared at the mark.

“This could be a tattoo.” He spoke through clenched teeth.

“It’s not a tattoo!” I yelled at him. “It’s my birthmark!”

“Oh, really?” He gave me a vicious look and then, quick as a flash, grabbed my neck and kissed me full on the mouth.

My crescent burned hot as fire and pain shot through my body as if I was being stabbed with shards of glass. By the time he let go I was near unconscious with pain and lack of air. He dumped me back on the aquatic floor and curiously looked at my birthmark that was now red as blood and glowing like fire.

“This can’t be.” His hands flew to his head. “You pulled my hair!”

“You bloody bastard!” I screamed as warm tears welled up in my eyes. “Your bloody blue man told me to! If I’d known better I would’ve ripped your entire head off instead of just a strand of hair!”

Demon’s mouth fell open slightly. He turned to Azure. “You did what?”

“Now Dee,” Azure said, slowly edging away from his Master. “You know I wouldn’t do anything wrong. Don’t give me that look, Dee. I’m immortal, you cannot kill me!”

“You told her to do this!” Demon growled at him. “Kha’in!”

“I can explain!”

”Not in the mood!” Demon snapped his fingers.

Azure shrieked as the water floor beneath him broke and a huge white shark lunged for him. Azure jumped in air to escape the mighty jaws and, in an incredible moment, transformed into a bird.

I jumped up and stared at him with my mouth open like a tent flap.

“Aren’t shape shifters entertaining?” Demon watched Azure hover above the shark’s snapping jaws with a wicked glint in his eyes.

Azure, now a small blue colored bird, was flapping all over the place to escape the giant shark. There was little space for him to fly as he couldn’t break through the watery walls. Just then, another shark lunged through from the side and swallowed the poor bird.

I turned to Demon. “What are you doing? Let him go!”

“Shut up!” He barked. “You’ve no idea about the mess you’ve created!” “Then deal with me!” I cried.

Demon looked away from me without answering and walked over to the shark that had swallowed Azure. The beast wasn’t swimming anymore. It was half way above water in a vertical position – like a dolphin standing on its tail fin. It was completely motionless, seemingly dead. Demon kneeled beside the shark’s belly and knocked. It sounded as if he was tapping on glass.

“How’s it going in there?” he asked.

Nobody spoke. But I saw someone rub the inside of the belly, like you would a smoky window in winter, and draw an unhappy face – two circles for the eyes and an inverted smile.

“Serves you right,” Demon said.

This time Azure rubbed off most of the smoky inside of the shark’s belly so that we could see him now.

“The stench is killing me!” He cried. His voice seemed to be coming from a cave, like a distant echo.

“But you’re immortal, you cannot die.” Demon mocked him.

“That’s what worries me!” Azure pinched his nose with a thumb and forefinger.

“You better start explaining yourself Phromaz before I think of something else to throw you into.” Demon’s voice was cold.

“I swear Dee I did see Aoibheann following Aoife. For three days! It was only a matter of time before she got to her and we would’ve been in a huge mess!” “Then you should’ve killed her,” Demon suggested calmly.

“Who? Aoibheann?”

“No, I meant Aoife but that doesn’t sound bad either.” Demon looked at me thoughtfully. “You should’ve killed them both.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You want to kill me?”

“Not anymore.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It won’t serve any purpose.”

“It wouldn’t have served any purpose before.” Azure echoed from inside the fish.

“She’s more useful to us alive than dead.”

“You don't get to make that decision!” Demon banged his fist against the shark’s belly. The impact sent Azure tumbling, inside the shark.

But he was a hard cookie, that Azure. As soon as he steadied, he was back with his don't-give-up attitude. He rubbed his head and frowned. “May I remind you, Demon King, that as your minister I do have authority to decide on your behalf. Aoife is our savior.”

“Your savior just ruined my life!” Demon fumed.

“Glad to hear it, although what it means I don't know!” I said.

“It means you ruined my life.” He looked at me briefly and then glared at Azure.

“And you put her up to it!”

“And it’s great!” Azure jumped up and down in jubilation. “Now she’s bound to help you. Now you train her and unleash her on Arela’s armies!”

“Excuse me?” I didn't like the sound of that.

“Why did you do it, Azure?” Demon’s tone was suddenly soft but firm. He didn't look happy at all.

“You know why.” Azure sighed. “I just wanted to help.”

Demon shook his head and stood up. His face was grim and his eyes burned a sinister shade of teal. If dark anger could be personified, it’d be him.

“Bad call, Phromaz,” he said. “Enjoy prison!”

Then with a snap of his fingers, the stationary shark came back to life and dived into the depths of the ocean below with Azure still trapped in its now-opaque belly.