Nathanial stood by my dresser, rummaging through my things like he was on some sort of divine treasure hunt. His golden glow might've been angelic, but right now, all it did was highlight how out of place he looked.

"Nathanial," I said slowly, trying to keep my voice calm, "what are you doing?"

"I'm familiarizing myself with your human... artifacts," he said, pulling open my underwear drawer with an almost childlike curiosity.

Artifacts. Artifacts. This wasn't a museum; it was my bedroom!

"Oh my god, stop!" I shouted, rushing across the room to shove the drawer closed, but not before he plucked out a piece of black lace.

"What's this?" he asked, holding up one of my thongs like it was a scroll containing the secrets of the universe.

I froze, the mortification crashing over me in waves. "That's... that's underwear. My underwear. Put it down!"

He tilted his head, his fingers running over the fabric with the kind of reverence I wished he'd reserved for, oh, I don't know, not my underwear. "The material is... intriguing. It's very soft. Is it ceremonial attire?"

"Ceremonial—?!" My voice cracked. "No! It's not ceremonial! It's just—oh, for the love of—PUT IT BACK!"

He looked genuinely puzzled but carefully placed it back in the drawer. "It doesn't seem particularly functional," he added, as if I'd asked for a critique.

I shoved him aside, yanking the drawer shut, my face burning hotter than the sun. "What part of 'stop going through my stuff' do you not understand?"

"I didn't mean to offend you," he said, blinking like a confused puppy. "I'm simply trying to understand human customs. Some of your possessions are... perplexing."

"Oh, I'll give you perplexing—" I started, but then he reached into another drawer.

My heart stopped as he pulled out something bright pink and cylindrical. My stomach dropped into my shoes.

"What's this?" he asked, turning it over in his hands.

My soul left my body.

"Nathanial," I said slowly, panic bubbling in my chest. "Put that down. Right now."

He frowned, his fingers brushing over the button. "There's a mechanism here. Does it—"

"No!" I lunged forward to stop him, but of course, he pressed the button.

The vibrator came to life with a low, distinct buzz that filled the room. Nathanial jumped, staring at it like it had just insulted his celestial heritage. "It vibrates!" he exclaimed, his tone caught somewhere between fascination and alarm.

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. "Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!"

He looked at me, bewildered. "What is its purpose?"

"It's none of your business! Just—"

The door swung open, and there stood Aiden.

He froze, taking in the scene: Nathanial holding a vibrating vibrator, me looking like I'd been caught committing a felony.

"What the hell," Aiden said, his voice deadly calm.

Nathanial, oblivious to the tension, turned to Aiden and held up the vibrator like a proud child. "This device—"

"PUT THAT DOWN!" Aiden thundered, his face turning an impressive shade of red.

Nathanial obeyed, switching it off and placing it carefully on the dresser. "I didn't mean to cause offense," he said, as calm as ever.

Aiden stared at me, his jaw tight. "Why is there a random guy in your room holding—that?"

"It's not what it looks like!" I shouted, throwing my hands up. "He's... curious, okay? And he doesn't understand boundaries!"

Aiden looked between me and Nathanial, his disbelief clear. "You let this guy rifle through your drawers?!"

"I didn't let him! He's an angel—uh, I mean, he's a nosy idiot who doesn't listen!"

"I was merely trying to understand," Nathanial interjected, his tone almost defensive.

"Understand what?" Aiden snapped. "How to be a creep?"

I buried my face in my hands. "Oh my god, just leave Aiden, I'm dealing with it." As the door slammed behind Aiden, I let out a groan that sounded somewhere between frustration and sheer humiliation. Nathanial, on the other hand, stood there looking... perplexed, as if he genuinely couldn't fathom what had just happened.

"Well," he began, breaking the silence, "that was... tense."

I lifted my head off the bed just enough to glare at him. "Tense? Tense? That was a train wreck, Nathanial!"

He tilted his head slightly, his wings twitching faintly, though still invisible to human eyes. "Your brother seems... highly strung. Is that normal for siblings?"

I stared at him, my jaw dropping. "Nathanial, he walked in to find a random guy holding a vibrator. What part of that situation doesn't scream 'highly strung' to you?"

Nathanial furrowed his brows, crossing his arms in thought. "I don't understand. Why would that... object cause such a reaction? Is it dangerous? It did emit a strange sound."

I sat up, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to my chest like it could shield me from the sheer awkwardness of this conversation. "It's not dangerous, Nathanial. It's... it's a personal thing, okay? Something that people don't just go around waving in the air like a glow stick at a rave."

"Personal." He repeated the word slowly, as if trying to dissect it. "Ah. Like underwear?"

I groaned, flopping back onto the bed and pulling the pillow over my face. "Yes, like underwear. Exactly like that. Private. Personal. None of your business!"

There was a pause, and then he said, "But if it's personal, why store it so openly? Should it not be better hidden, perhaps in a secured compartment?"

I yanked the pillow off my face and sat up, glaring at him. "It's in my drawer, Nathanial. That's what drawers are for—keeping stuff out of sight! It's not my fault you decided to go on a treasure hunt through my things!"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Nathanial had the nerve to look genuinely confused. "I was not hunting for treasure. I was merely attempting to understand your human... belongings. You're very peculiar creatures."

"You're not wrong," I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. "But let's set some ground rules. Rule number one: no going through my stuff. Got it?"

He nodded solemnly. "Understood."

"Rule number two: if you don't understand something, ask me before touching it. Okay?"

"I will endeavor to do so."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "And rule number three: never—never—pick up anything that vibrates. Ever."

Nathanial frowned, clearly not grasping the weight of rule three but nodded nonetheless. "Very well. No vibrating objects."

"Good," I muttered, collapsing back against the pillows. "Now can we pretend this whole thing never happened?"

He tilted his head, his golden eyes studying me intently. "You humans are very particular about your... intimate artifacts."

I groaned, shoving the pillow over my face again. "Oh my god, Nathanial, stop talking about it!"

There was a long pause, and I thought—hoped—he might have finally let it go. But then he said, almost sheepishly, "For what it's worth... the lace material was quite aesthetically pleasing."

I ripped the pillow off my face, chucking it at him with all the force I could muster. "GET OUT!"

Nathanial didn't dodge, letting the pillow bounce off his chest before he gave me an apologetic shrug and turned to leave the room.

As the door clicked shut behind him, I let out a long sigh and stared up at the ceiling. This was my life now—embarrassment, angels, and vibrating disasters.

I was definitely buying a lock for that drawer.

After what felt like forever lying on my bed, I sat up, rubbing my temples. The room felt... off. The air was heavy, and the temperature had dropped so low that I could see my breath fogging up in the dim light.

I glanced around, my skin prickling. That's when I noticed it—a shadow in the far corner of my room. It was darker than it should've been, deeper, shifting in ways shadows weren't supposed to.

I froze, my heart thundering. This wasn't Zac or Max. Even at their most intimidating, they never made the air feel this suffocating.

The shadow solidified, stepping into the faint light, and I instantly knew I was in trouble.

The demon was tall, impossibly tall, his frame lean but radiating raw power. His wings were like jagged bones, skeletal and stretching wide enough to brush the walls of my room. His horns twisted upward, sharp and gleaming, and his glowing red eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach twist.

The scars down the right side of his face stood out like angry gashes, as if someone had tried to carve him apart but couldn't quite finish the job.

He smirked, the cruel curve of his lips revealing sharp teeth. "Well, aren't you a sight," he drawled, his voice dark and mocking, like shattered glass coated in honey.

"Great," I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "Another one. Just what I needed."

"Another one?" he repeated, tilting his head. "Oh no, little girl. I'm not like the others."

I stood up from the bed, trying to muster any semblance of confidence. "And you are?"

"Beleth," he said, his name rolling off his tongue like a threat. "Not that it matters. You won't have the chance to remember it."

"Charming," I replied, crossing my arms even as my stomach churned with fear. "So, what's your deal? Here to monologue me to death, or is this a more hands-on kind of visit?"

Beleth chuckled, a low, menacing sound that filled the room. "Oh, you've got a mouth on you. I can see why they like you. Too bad for them... I don't."

He stepped closer, his wings brushing the walls. The temperature plummeted further, and my breath came out in shaky clouds.

"Let me guess," I said, forcing the words out despite the lump in my throat. "You're another one of Satan's lackeys, here to drag me off to hell or whatever."

"Satan?" Beleth spat the name like a curse, his face twisting with disdain. "That fool doesn't deserve what you could become."

My blood ran cold. "What I could become?"

Beleth's smirk returned, cruel and taunting. "Oh, you don't know, do you? Poor little Athena, stumbling around in the dark, completely blind to the monster you're meant to be."

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling up despite my fear. "If you're here to give me a pep talk, you're doing a terrible job."

He barked out a laugh, sharp and humorless. "I'm not here to inspire you. I'm here to make sure you never live long enough for him to get his claws into you."

The weight of his words hit me like a freight train. "You... you want to kill me?"

Beleth tilted his head, his glowing eyes narrowing. "Smart girl. Yes, that's exactly what I want. You don't deserve to become what you're destined to be. And Satan sure as hell doesn't deserve to have you."

My heart pounded in my chest as I backed up a step. "If you're so eager to kill me, why are you wasting time talking?"

"Because," he said, his smirk deepening, "I enjoy this part. Watching you squirm. Seeing that spark of defiance. It's almost... entertaining."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "So, what? You're just going to taunt me to death?"

He chuckled darkly, his wings shifting as he moved closer. "Maybe. Or maybe I just like watching the realization sink in—that you're nothing more than a pawn in a game you don't even know you're playing."

My back hit the wall, and I realized too late that I had nowhere left to go. Beleth leaned in, his glowing eyes boring into mine.

"Here's the thing, Athena," he said softly, his voice dripping with malice. "You're powerful. Dangerous. More than you can possibly imagine. And that makes you a threat—to everyone. The only way to stop what's coming... is to snuff you out before you can tip the scales."

I clenched my jaw, my hands trembling. "If I'm so dangerous, maybe you should be the one afraid of me."

Beleth paused, his smirk faltering for the briefest moment. "Big words, little girl. Let's see if you can back them up."

The room crackled with tension, the air electric. For a moment, all I could hear was my own pounding heartbeat and the low, rumbling laughter of the demon who might actually kill me.

The cold seeped into my bones as Beleth leaned casually against the shadows in my room, his glowing red eyes fixed on me with unnerving amusement. His black skeleton wings fanned out slightly, and the jagged scars running down the right side of his face twisted into a grotesque smile.

"Do you know," he began, his voice low and silky, "how many ways there are to make someone beg for death? It's a fascinating study, really." He straightened and took a slow step forward, his claws flexing. "A scream here, a broken bone there—it's like composing a symphony. Each note sweeter than the last."

My chest tightened as his words slithered over me like oil. I forced myself to keep my voice steady. "You don't scare me."

He stopped, his head tilting as if considering my defiance. "Oh, Athena, that's adorable." His smirk widened, revealing sharp teeth. "The bravado. I've seen it before. It usually lasts right up until the moment I carve my first letter into their skin."

I clenched my fists, my pulse thundering in my ears. "You'll regret it if you try."

Beleth laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. "Regret? No, darling, regret is for mortals. I'm more of a 'live in the moment' kind of demon. And right now, I'm savoring the thought of peeling you apart piece by piece." He dragged one claw down the air as if painting an invisible picture. "Maybe I start with your hands. See how long it takes before you beg to keep them. Or maybe..." His glowing eyes darkened. "Maybe I go for that pretty voice of yours. Silence suits defiant ones like you."

The air around him seemed to hum with malice, and a knot of fear twisted in my stomach. But I couldn't let him see it.

"Why?" I asked, my voice sharper than I felt. "Why do you even care? What's the point?"

Beleth's wings twitched, his smirk faltering slightly. "Because you're a threat," he hissed. "I've seen what you'll become if left unchecked. I won't let Satan have that kind of power. And if I have to spill your blood to make sure of it, so be it."

I backed up a step, my hand brushing against the nightstand. "If I'm such a threat, maybe you should be afraid of me."

His laughter returned, darker and more sinister. "Oh, I am. That's what makes this so much fun. But don't worry—I won't kill you too quickly. It's the least I can do before saving the world from whatever you're destined to become."

My hand found the lamp on the nightstand, and I gripped it tightly, ready to swing if he got any closer. But before I could move, his wings flared, and he lunged.

The force of his presence alone made me stumble back, but as his claws reached for me, an instinct I didn't understand surged to the surface. A bright burst of light erupted from my chest, slamming into him and sending him crashing into the wall.

Beleth snarled, his claws gouging deep marks into the plaster as he pulled himself upright. His scarred face twisted into rage. "Impressive," he growled, "but not enough."

The door burst open before he could attack again.

"Athena!" Nathanial's voice cut through the chaos as he stepped into the room, his glowing blade forming in his hand. His golden wings spread wide, radiating light.

Beleth hissed, his glowing red eyes narrowing. "You angels are so predictable. Always swooping in at the last second, playing the hero."

Nathanial didn't respond. He launched himself at Beleth, his blade sparking as it collided with the demon's claws. The room filled with light and shadow as they clashed, their movements a blur of gold and black.

"You shouldn't have come here," Nathanial growled, forcing Beleth back. "You don't belong in this realm."

Beleth sneered, his wings slicing through the air as he countered. "I'll go wherever I damn well please. And you? You're just delaying the inevitable. She can't be saved."

"She's under my protection," Nathanial snapped, striking with precision.

Beleth deflected the blow, his scarred face twisting into a grin. "For now."

With a sudden burst of movement, Beleth lunged for me again, but Nathanial intercepted him, slamming the demon into the floor with a wave of golden light.

Beleth groaned, his wings folding awkwardly as he struggled to stand. "This isn't over," he spat, his voice dripping with venom.

Nathanial raised his blade, its glow intensifying. "Leave now, or I'll make sure it is."

Beleth glared at him, then at me, his red eyes burning with hatred. "Enjoy the reprieve while it lasts," he said, his voice like a curse. With a final glare, he dissolved into the shadows, leaving the room in eerie silence.

Nathanial turned to me, his blade fading but his golden eyes still intense. "Are you hurt?"

"No," I managed, my voice shaking. "But he's not going to stop, is he?"

Nathanial's expression softened slightly, but the tension in his posture remained. "No. He's not."

I sank onto the bed, my body trembling as the adrenaline wore off. "Then what do we do?"

"We get ready," Nathanial said firmly. "Because the next time he comes back, we'll make sure he doesn't leave." Nathanial knelt down in front of me, his wings folding back as he rested his hands on the mattress beside my knees. His proximity felt like a shield, though his own concern was etched into every line of his face.

"Demons like Beleth are relentless. They thrive on fear, on destruction. But Athena..." He reached out, hesitant at first, then placed a hand lightly over mine. "You're stronger than you think. Stronger than they realize."

I looked up at him, tears threatening to spill over. "I don't feel strong. I feel... helpless. I didn't even know what I did to him. That light—it wasn't me. It couldn't have been."

"It was you," he insisted, his tone firm but not harsh. "It's a part of you, a part you're just beginning to understand. And that's what they're afraid of—the power you don't even know you have yet."

I shook my head, my voice cracking. "What if I can't control it? What if it just gets people hurt? What if it gets me killed?"

Nathanial's hand moved from mine to my shoulder, his touch grounding me. "Then you let me protect you. You let me help you learn how to control it. You're not alone in this, Athena."

I blinked back the tears, trying to focus on the warmth in his words. "Why do you care so much?"

He hesitated, his gaze dropping for a moment before meeting mine again. "Because I've seen what happens when people like you—good people—face this kind of darkness alone. It destroys them. And I won't let that happen to you."

The sincerity in his voice hit me harder than I expected, and before I could think better of it, I reached out and hugged him. His body tensed at first, clearly not used to the gesture, but after a moment, he relaxed, his arms gently wrapping around me.

"Thank you," I whispered into his shoulder, the weight of the encounter with Beleth easing just slightly. "For everything."

Nathanial's voice was softer now, almost reverent. "You don't have to thank me, Athena. I'll always be here for you. It's my purpose."

The moment felt suspended in time, his warmth and reassurance chasing away the shadows of the demon who had threatened me. But just as I began to feel the smallest sliver of safety, a faint golden glow appeared on Nathanial's chest.

He pulled back slightly, his expression shifting to one of quiet frustration. "No," he muttered under his breath, glancing down at the light.

"What is it?" I asked, panic creeping back in.

"I'm being summoned," he said reluctantly, standing up. The glow intensified, outlining his form in soft gold. "Heaven's calling me back."

"But—" My voice cracked as I stood up, my chest tightening. "What about Beleth? What if he comes back?"

Nathanial turned to face me fully, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders. "You won't be alone. Zarach and Marax will be back soon, and they'll keep you safe." His lips pressed into a tight line. "I don't like leaving you, but I have no choice."

I clenched my fists, hating how powerless I felt. "When will you be back?"

He hesitated, his golden wings beginning to shimmer as the summoning light grew brighter. "As soon as