“Who’s just a friend?”
Speaking of the Devil.
“No one,” I answered, straightening up upon hearing his voice.
I whirled around to find Eclipse standing at the doorway of the kitchen. He was leaning against the door and he looked as breathtaking as ever.
“What are you guys doing in here?” His strong aura saturated the room as soon as he walked into the kitchen. He casually placed his hands on Sony’s shoulders when he came to a stop behind him.
“Baking a cake!” Sony answered, staring up at Eclipse with respect coloring his eyes.
“Baking a cake?” Eclipse laughed, his eyes meeting mine. “Why?” He jutted his chin towards the stacks of red velvet cupcakes on the kitchen counter. “We bought so many cupcakes.”
I wanted to tell him, “Because the girls were staring at you like you’re their future hubby. In an effort to protect them, I had to get them away from you.” I vetoed the temptation since it was inappropriate for the G-rated audience around us.
Eclipse took a quick glance at the girls, all of who were staring at him with bashful adulation. A grin of knowledge surfaced on his handsome face. I surmised that even though I hadn’t said anything, he must have already figured out that my motive for baking a cake was to get his susceptible young fangirls away from him. Even though he was amused with my actions, he said no more on the matter.
“The boys and I are done playing. We want to watch a movie,” he told them, his voice soft and proper. He gazed at them as an older brother would to his baby sisters. “I think I already know Sony’s answer, but did you girls want to join us up there as well?”
The girls bobbed their heads enthusiastically. “Yeah!”
He laughed, lifting his hands from Sony’s shoulders. He swept past the girls and I to approach the kitchen counter behind us. He grabbed the plastic container holding the cupcakes and lowered it down for them. “Okay then. Grab a cupcake and go make your movie selection. Teacup and I will be up with you in a second.”
I scowled at him, furious that he had the audacity to use that horrendous nickname with the kids around. As a response, he simply smiled at me as the little ones grabbed their cupcakes and took off, scurrying up the stairs with an excited OinkOink fast at their heels.
Not wanting to be left alone with Eclipse, as I was sure the kids would spy on us if we were alone for too long, I made a run for the stairs as well. On the way out, instead of grabbing one of the cupcakes Eclipse was offering, I grabbed an apple in its place. I hadn’t forgotten about my double-calorie intake hex that Eclipse had so cruelly placed on me. I had barely taken a step when the fruit disappeared from my grasp and was replaced with a mouthwatering red velvet cupcake instead.
“As much as I encourage the eating of forbidden fruits, red velvet cupcakes are always the exception,” Eclipse said faintly, the sexy lilt in his voice causing my tummy to perform elated somersaults.
He was proper when in the company of the little girls, but when alone with me, he was raw and untamed. Alluring heat naturally rolled off his body and settled around mine. In that instant, the kitchen felt too inadequate to hold both our presence. White-hot heat fluttered over my body just from him towering behind me, but when he leaned in close to my ear, all I could feel was the eruption of volcanic lava.
“And for the record,” he whispered, his enticing lips brushing against my ear, “I will never be your friend. I am and will always be something more to you.”
“Yes,” I conceded breathlessly, somehow managing to hold onto my bearings, despite the fact that a single drop of blood was beginning to slide down my nose. I inhaled deeply to keep the treacherous drop from revealing itself to Eclipse. He was already effortlessly irresistible. I didn’t need to encourage his flirtatious behavior by letting him see that his mere proximity was turning me on. With my rationale returning to me, I appraised him with narrowed eyes and said, “Yes, you will never be my friend. You’re a Demon. That’s the only thing you will ever be to me.”
A faint grin curved his lips. Before he could reply with a retort of his own, the kids’ chipmunk voices and OinkOink’s high-pitched barking started to vibrate from the upstairs living room. They were announcing that they had made their movie selection and were getting ready to watch it. Without giving Eclipse the opportunity to say anything else to me (and desperate to get away from him so that my nosebleed wouldn’t worsen), I ran away from him and climbed up the stairs. I could hear Eclipse’s soft chuckle as he followed after me. He was clearly amused with the sight of me running away like a scared little mouse.
The kids cheered in excitement after we walked into the living room. They took it upon themselves to play the movie, turn off the lights, and usher us towards the floor. After we took our seats on the carpet, the kids gathered all around us.
Surprise, surprise. The three little girls, after my dramatic assurance that Eclipse wasn’t my boyfriend, were snuggled up close to Eclipse, while Woo and Timmi sat on either side of me, and Sony laid on his tummy in front of the TV. Sony simultaneously drew on the new sketchbook I had bought for him while watching the scary movie. Resting on Sony’s back was OinkOink, who was enjoying the show with us.
In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween season, the kids chose to watch a scary movie. It was so cute because I could see the little girls shiver in fear while moving closer and closer to Eclipse. Similarly, Woo, Timmi, Sony, and OinkOink were slowly making their way over to me every time the scary parts came on.
I smiled to myself.
With the couch as our backrest, the large black comforter over our legs, and the kids and OinkOink gathered around us, I had to admit that this scene was incredibly heartwarming. Though I couldn’t enjoy their misery because they were elated to be in this moment with us, I couldn’t help but share their happiness. Everything felt extremely nice. It was all so peaceful and perfect that I must’ve drifted off to sleep because it was the sound of soft giggling that roused me from my accidental slumber.
“See! I told you he’s her boyfriend!”
“It’s true! It’s true! Look at how he’s holding her!”
“They’re so cute!”
“Shh! Shh! They’re waking up!”
Just as I opened my eyes, I heard sounds of little midget feet scrambling away. I was still trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes when I glanced at the TV screen and registered that the credits were rolling. Oh gosh. Did I really sleep for that long? I laughed to myself. And that was such a nice sleep too . . .
Curious as to why I was so comfortable, I snuggled closer to the pillow while I attempted to regain my senses. My heart abruptly went still when I heard a satisfied sigh coming from my “comfortable pillow.”
My eyes bloomed into full-blown paranoia.
Slowly and hesitantly, I gazed at my “pillow.” Much to my own shock, I discovered that I was sleeping on Eclipse’s chest. My body was tucked under his arm in an embrace.
“Oh God!” I uttered, pulling myself away in haste.
This was why I had such a nice sleep? Because I was in Eclipse’s arms?!
Anxiety laced my veins while my face turned beet red. I took a swipe at my nose to make sure no trickle of blood was coming out. As luck would have it, I must’ve already been passed out when I somehow found myself tucked under the sexy one’s embrace, thereby meaning that I was spared from an embarrassing nosebleed.
Upon seeing me move further away from him, a knowing smirk slid across Eclipse’s sleepy face. He opened his languid eyes and shook his head in disappointment.
“Didn’t I tell you rugrats to not wake up Teacup?” he asked to no one in particular.
“Sowwie!” came the little chipmunk voices from behind the couch, making me jump from fright. I thought they were out of the room. I had no idea they were all hiding behind the couch, watching us with guilty expressions on their faces.
I rose up on my feet.
“Why didn’t you guys wake me up?” I asked, staring at them with
a hardened expression.
“Eclipse said, ‘Teacup doesn’t get much sleep, so you guys can’t wake her up, okay?’” Woo answered apprehensively, his chubby face gazing up at me. He was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt that made his round cheeks appear pinker than usual. “So we listened and we didn’t wake you.”
There was a pause from the kids before Timmi, who wore a green polo shirt and white shorts, enlarged his eyes. Worry teemed in his gaze when he took in the seriousness of my voice. “We’re sorry for waking you up! Are you mad at us?”
“No!” I hastily assured them, softening my expression once I saw how scared they looked. “No, of course not!” I took a moment to glare at Eclipse, who was hiding a smile as he began to innocently fold the blanket. He was behaving as though he wasn’t the mastermind behind all of this. “Anyway,” I went on, still reeling from the fact that I was unknowingly cuddling with the Demon of Lust. “It’s time for Eclipse and I to go. It’s also time for all of you to go to bed.”
“Aw!” the little ones groaned. They shook their heads in defiance. They didn’t want their fun day with us to end just yet. “No!” they screamed before Lulu scooped OinkOink into her arms and kissed the back of his head. She didn’t want the oversized ball of fluff to leave her. “We don’t want to sleep. We don’t want you two to leave!”
“You guys listen to Teacup,” Eclipse interjected with an unyielding voice. As soon as he said this, the children relented with their disobedience. They didn’t look happy with us ending their fun day, but they were compliant due to his stern words. Eclipse smiled gently at them as a means to butter them up for his next visit. “Now go wash up, change into your pajamas, and go to bed. If you listen tonight—and if you’re good this week—I promise I’ll buy all of you more toys the next time I come to visit.”
“Yay!” the kids cheered. They sped towards us and hugged us goodbye. It was only when I saw their sneaky smiles did it occur to me that the kids were cunning little monsters. They tricked us into believing that they were upset so that we’d promise them gifts in an effort to cheer them up.
I laughed to myself while I ruffled their heads. I loved kids, but I loved clever kids even more. You couldn’t get a cuter and craftier bunch than the ones at Sanctuary.
“You kids pretended to be sad so we’d spoil you?” I asked with mock surprise, giggling while playfully pinching their cheeks.
Eclipse joined in the fun and pretended to be scandalized. “Really? That was all an act? I really thought you were sad that we were leaving!”
They giggled adorably at our accusations.
“We are sad!” they assured. As they feigned offended expressions on their cute faces, Eclipse and I bobbed our heads, allowing them to think that they had outsmarted us.
After a fifteen minute round of goodbyes with the kids, Eclipse and I went downstairs to bid goodbye to their mothers and the rest of the volunteers who had just gotten out of their workshops. Night had fallen and everyone at Sanctuary was ready to call it a night.
“Thank you so much for watching the kids again,” Mrs. Lee, Sony’s mom, thanked me as we stood by the door. She was wearing a long flower dress with her hair up in a tight bun. She always had the warmest eyes and the kindest expression on her face. Out of all the mothers who sought Sanctuary for salvation, she was definitely one of the ones I felt closest to, simply because she was such a genuinely kindhearted individual. She smiled gratefully at me before turning to Eclipse. “And thank you so much for helping as well. It was so nice to meet you, Eclipse.”
Eclipse respectfully inclined his head at her. “It was my pleasure to help, Mrs. Lee.”
“Have a great week,” I said as we opened the door. My face grew brighter when I recalled the wonderful news Sony shared with me earlier in the day. “And congratulations on the new job at that finance office, Mrs. Lee! You have to promise to have a big house-warming party when you save up enough money for that apartment of yours!”
Mrs. Lee smiled graciously and nodded her concurrence. “Thank you, Grace! Let’s hope I do well.”
“You will,” I assured her as Eclipse said the same.
I was proud of Mrs. Lee for getting the coveted office job at one of the finance offices in town. After hearing from Sony how exhausted she was from working the graveyard shifts at a laundromat in Seoul, I was relieved that she could finally quit that job once she started this new one in a few weeks. Though her bright future did not bode well for the misery I would’ve enjoyed from her, it warmed my dark heart nonetheless because I had come to like her and Sony, along with the rest of the people at Sanctuary. I truly wanted the best for them.
After giving her a big hug, I screamed out one last goodbye to the rest of Sanctuary. “Good night, everyone!”
An orchestra of voices bid their goodbyes to me. In this cacophony of noise, we also heard high-pitched voices coming from the children. They were all standing atop the stairs with their pajamas on and big smiles on their faces.
“Bye Eclipse!” they screamed, waving excitedly as Eclipse and I stepped out the door. We gave them one last wave as OinkOink barked affectionately from my handbag. “Bye OinkOink!” The door was closing behind us when I suddenly heard, “Bye Teacup!”
I frowned as the door slammed shut and their giggling voices haunted my eardrums. What the hell? Even the baby midgets, all of whom were smaller than me, were calling me “Teacup” as well? How inappropriate was this?
I glared at the ringleader behind this ridiculous nickname, silently blaming him for opening up this can of worms. Now that the kids were calling me Teacup as well, I knew that I would never get rid of it.
Eclipse offered me an innocent grin and shrugged. He jumped off the stairs of the porch and began to walk, looking back to smile at me as we trekked through the cold night.
With a yawning OinkOink tucked safely in my bag, we began to walk on the road, making sure to veer off to the far side of the dirt path so that no car would hit us. It was just a precaution because the road was dead silent, wet from rain that had fallen earlier. The only disturbance came from the sound of our soft footfalls.
“How was I today?” Eclipse asked after a long stretch of silence.
I feigned disinterest by staring up at the crescent moon that was partially shrouded by rainclouds. Although I was deeply impressed with Eclipse’s perfect behavior, I didn’t want to admit to him that I was proud. “You were good. I guess.”
His pleased expression told me that despite my unenthusiastic words, he knew that he had made a good impression on me today. As a reward to himself for a hard day’s work, he whipped out a cigarette, produced a match from thin air, and allowed the flames to kiss the cigarette butt. The crimson light on the cigarette illumed, the fibers turning to ash as Eclipse took his first inhalation after a long day of parting with it. It was apparent that he had missed indulging in this vice.
“How was it being a benevolent Demon for the day?” I inquired after the familiar string of smoke swam away from his lips. He seemed to have had an enjoyable day with the kids. I was excited to hear from the horse’s mouth that he had a positive experience.
“It made my skin crawl, but there are worse things I could be doing.”
I gaped, absolutely stunned by his blunt and uncaring words. This was the last answer I expected. “You didn’t enjoy it?”
“It’s not exactly in my blood to do good things, Gracie,” he answered carelessly, taking another inhale of his cigarette. The smoke filtered around his lips as he sighed in content. “I feed off misery and pain. Though the shelter had a good amount of it from the adults, the little ones weren’t exactly bitter-betties.”
“They really liked you,” I told him, deeply troubled by his answer.
“They are entertaining,” he stated briskly, evidently untouched by his interaction with them.
“You really don’t care about them?” I couldn’t help but ask, staring at him with critical eyes. I felt disappointed in him. “We spent hours with them
and they pretty much fell in love with you. They made you laugh, they held your hand, they played games with you, they look up to you like you’re their savior, and you feel absolutely nothing for them?”
“I am not their savior,” he told me, his features hardening once he saw where I was taking this conversation. He could taste the judgment resonating from my voice, and he did not appreciate it. If anything, he was offended by it. “I am far from their savior. Religious fanatics would even go as far as saying that I’m their demise. And to be honest with you, I wouldn’t fight that label.” He smirked, studying my scrutinizing eyes before harshly saying, “Why do you care so much, Gracie? It’s already established that I’m a Demon. Did you think spending time with the little tykes that I couldn’t care less about would make me more human?” His smile metamorphosed into a mocking one. “Were you under the naïve belief that you could change a Demon for the better—that you could actually make me more human?”
I froze, taken aback by the way he posed his question. I cleared my throat uncomfortably, not wanting to admit that any of this was accurate. I was extremely embarrassed that I actually believed that I might have been a good influence on the Demon. “You’re somewhat nice to me so I assumed that you’d also be nice to other people.”
“I was nice to them,” he retorted, his aggravated voice stirring OinkOink from his sleep. His little head poked out of my bag. Soft whimpering emitted from his small body. It was clear that he could sense the tension circling around us.
“I mean genuinely nice,” I countered, my voice just as hard as we continued up the road.
Eclipse smirked dryly and shook his head at me. He took a moment to smoke his cigarette as though to calm himself. The action seemed to do more harm than good. Something about the way I spoke to him pissed him off royally. He looked determined to release his fury on me.
“Do you know why I never bothered to come up here to claim any souls?”