I packed every necessity that was nearby. I made a mess in her closet, for which she will probably kill me, and grabbed her favorite tea from the kitchen. With Azra's help, we packed a full suitcase in under an hour. Grandma certainly won't be happy when she comes home to this mess.

When we took a seat on the couch in the living room, I recalled that Azra wanted to tell me something. "What did you want to talk about? I got so caught up in packing that I forgot to ask." I said.

"It's fine, Vivienne." He crossed his legs. "It's a pretty important matter, though. Remember when I told you about the weapon the demons can be killed with?"

I squeezed my eyes and remembered the horrid night. "I remember it very well," I assured him.

"Well, Keliah and I have only two of those weapons. And since we have to eliminate those five remaining demons, I thought we could lure them out." He pointed at me. "With you as bait, if you don't mind."

I exhaled and regretted getting into this mess. Of course, I don't mind being the sacrificing sheep. "So, I should go somewhere alone for them to reveal themselves?" I asked, looking at Azra.

"Yes, it is pretty simple. But in case something happens, you should have a weapon like that yourself." He said.

I frowned, eyeing him. "But you said you only have two of them."

"Someone you know has one spared in their house." He whispered and then grinned.

I thought about all the people I knew, and since I have no friends except for Rowan, the answer was clear. "You want me to steal his weapon?" I shouted.

"We will steal his weapon. Me, Keliah, and you together." Azra clarified.

"Ohh," That's definitely not a crazy idea. "Yes, I can certainly steal it. Does it have any cons that I should be aware of?" I blinked repeatedly.

Azra scratched his head and avoided my gaze.

"No lies, Azra." I reminded him.

He rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Only one, and that is, you cannot touch it directly with your skin. A weapon like that is intended for celestial beings," he said. "Or demons."

I rearranged myself on the soft cushions and folded my arms under my chest. "W-What would happen if I touched it directly?" I lost my voice.

"From what I heard, it should curse you and burn you. But I never witnessed it myself." He confessed.

Using that weapon would be a near-death experience. What would happen if I couldn't touch it at all? But if I don't help them catch the demons, not only am I and Grandma in danger, but the whole town.

"What is Death doing about it? Just sitting on his bony ass somewhere, doing absolutely nothing?" I wondered.

Azra chuckled, but quickly his smile disappeared. I sometimes forget how serious he can get. "Death is trying to keep them away from humans. He's manipulating their minds. But even he has his limits. He's exhausted, V. And Death has to be in the best condition to collect souls. Even his reapers cannot manage it by themselves." He explained.

I widen my eyes. "He has colleagues? I almost yelled. "Who are helping him?"

No wonder he had so much time to spend with me, I thought.

"Yes, he does." However, as I already stated, Death's powers should not be wasted on so many demons. He even protects us." Azra stated, and his tone got serious. Scared.

I never thought Death could get weak. But if what Azra claimed is true, I need to help him. Not for his sake but for mine.

"But how do you know Rowan has the weapon in his house?" I questioned.

"Well, we have already looked into it." He confessed.

I sighed and got up from the couch, grabbing my black, oversized hoodie from the chair. "When should we go?" I asked.

"Right now," he answered.

• • •

We had to walk to Rowan's house because demons cannot teleport living humans. Azra took on the disguise of the same woman I once met at the Death's house party. Her forest green hair matched Azra's ends of hair.

We walked beside each other through the streets until we were in front of Rowan's house. Azra mentioned that he hadn't been around all day, and I couldn't help but hope he was alright.

Azra effortlessly leaped over the fence, then helped me do the same. Unfortunately, my landing was a total disaster, with both of us crashing into each other like a pile of hay. I dusted off my clothes, and together we headed inside. The front doors were unlocked. As we crossed the threshold, I heard someone's step from the inside. Azra walked in first, confident and without worry. I slowly walked behind him.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Hot stuff."

"OH GOD!" I flinched and fell to the floor.

Keliah grinned above me and, after a few seconds, offered me his hand. At first, I frowned at him, but I knew that wouldn't make him feel guilty, so I accepted his hand, and he gracefully pulled me back onto my feet.

"You scared the shit out of me! Don't ever do that again." I smacked his hand.

Keliah pouted and rubbed his hand. Then, like a snap of fingers, his facial expression changed. His glowing eyes darkened, and the corner of his mouth was pulled by an invisible thread. "What can I say? I'm naturally petrifying." He tugged his long strands of hair behind his ear.

Azra let out an exaggerated sigh. "You should've come after us. I hope no one has seen you."

Keliah teleported next to Azra and hung his arm on his shoulder. "Of course not. I'm a professional."

Azra stared for a couple of seconds at him, and then, like he only remembered I was there, he looked at me. "Me and Keliah will look through the rooms upstairs, and you check the downstairs." He said, and I nodded.

We parted ways, and I immediately started to search through the kitchen. It seems highly unlikely that he would put the most important weapon in such a place. After minutes of opening every drawer and every cabinet, I found nothing at all.

Defeated, I moved to the living room. I was once again amazed by his taste in decor. The couch and chairs were the color of snow. The shelves were mostly empty, with only a few books placed on them. The entire living room appeared empty. It was logical, given that he is an angel and will eventually leave this place.

Once I looked through everything in there and was on my way to leave, I noticed that one boringly done painting was hanging unstraight. I pushed it just a little bit to find a small hole in the center of the wall. I hung the painting carefully down and analyzed the whole thing.

I was reaching my fingers inside when I recalled what Azra said about touching the weapon as a human with my bare hands. With panic, I looked around the room to find some thick piece of material to wrap my hand around. My eyes caught sight of the blanket he once wrapped around me. I sprinted to it and grabbed it. When it enveloped my hand, I extended my arm inside the wall.

Nothing tangible was within reach at first; however, then I detected something. I clutched it in my fingers and slowly pulled it out. Dust floated in the air; it burned my eyes.

What I held in my hand was a dagger with a hilt like a sword. Black and alive. Like coiling worms living inside the hilt, they swam on the inside with a bright blue color. The blade of the knife was pure ebony and sharp.

"I found it," I mumbled to myself, glaring at it.

I quickly ran up the stairs, cheerfully saying that I was the one who found the weapon. I opened the bathroom door first, but they weren't there. Then I opened the opposite door, where I found another pile of empty boxes. I sighed and spun in the other direction, down the hall. I checked out another room before I realized I hadn't looked in Rowan's bedroom. I rushed to the door, opened it without hesitation, and to my astonishment, discovered Azra sitting on the couch with Keliah seated on his lap, his arms locked around Azra's neck.

Some seconds of silence passed by.

"Wrong door." I mumbled, and backed off to the threshold.

"No! Vivienne, this is not what it looks like. Don't go; I can explain, please." Azra shouted, and Keliah only giggled.

I stared at them like I saw Jesus. I saw a bit of flush on Azra's cheeks. I thought by now I had seen it all, but no. "I really don't want to interrupt your-" I thought about the best word to use: "moment." I awkwardly smiled and slowly backed away.

"It truly isn't what you think it is." Azra firmly stated, and Keliah hugged him tighter.

"Uhm, are you sure about that?" My eyes shifted from him to Keliah.

Keliah spoke. "It's not healthy to deny your feelings. Like right now, you're feeling all kinds of things because well, I'm sitting on your-"

Azra smacked Keliah to the ground and Azra immediately stood up. He folded his arms and turned back at me.

This situation couldn't be more chaotic and awkward. Another great day in my life.

I never would have thought that they had feelings for each other. But it now makes perfect sense why Keliah stayed by Azra's side all these years. He loves him, even though he's the only one expressing it.

I spoke up. "Are you sure I should stay because-"

"Positive." He quickly answered and turned back around. His gaze immediately focused on the weapon I held. "You found it." He said, astonished.

"Yes, it was hidden behind a painting." I revealed.

Azra came to take a closer look, and Keliah suddenly appeared squatted between us. "This one looks better and newer." He stated, glaring at the sharp, dark blade. Keliah's finger slowly stretched to its tip, but Azra was faster and whacked his hand. Keliah's jaw dropped, and his eyeballs popped out of his skull.

My face scrunched up. I sometimes wonder how it is that Keliah hasn't killed me yet. The facial expressions he makes are pretty psychotic.

Azra pulled a pair of gloves out of his jacket and handed them to me. I let him hold the weapon while I got them on.

"Don't touch the blade, only the hilt." He said.

I carefully clutched it in my hand, realizing how heavy it is if I have to hold it in an upright position. I swung it a few times in the air, testing it.

"So? What do you think? Will you be able to stab a demon with it?" Azra asked.

"I think so. But I'm not skilled with such stuff." I handed him the weapon back as my hand began to sweat under the glove.

"Just remember one thing." He warned me. "When you stab him, aim for the center of his chest. We're not humans; we do not have hearts. And with a stab in that part of the body, it will be the fastest death." He informed me.

Keliah, in the meantime, tried some of Rowan's shirts and pants in the closet. "Azra, what do you think? Found me more attractive now?" He asked him, dressed in a red shirt and tight cigarette pants, rolling his sleeves to his elbows. His bright red hair was styled in a low, messy bun. I must admit, he surprised even me with his appearance.

Azra said nothing; he just simply stared at him. I answered instead of him. "I think you look handsome." And winked at him.

"Aww, thank you, hot stuff. At least you appreciate my unspeakable beauty." Keliah, for the first time, warm-heartedly laughed as he left to change back into a different clothes. He didn't notice how Azra stared at him, but I did. His eyes couldn't be torn away from him.

I smiled to myself, and cleared my throat. "Azra, back to Earth!" I shook his arm.

He blinked repeatedly and focused on me. "Sorry, I was-thinking about the-weapon, yes."

I wanted to say, You won't fool me, but I didn't want to overstep our relationship. After all, there's so much I don't know about him, and his relations with Keliah.

Once we cleaned up the mess Keliah left in Rowan's closet, we walked back to the hospital. Both of the demons disguised themselves as humans. Rowan was waiting outside the door, and Keliah was on the roof of the hospital, where he had the best view of our surroundings.

I was so caught up in everything that I almost forgot about my mother's death anniversary. I didn't pray for her or lit a candle, since, as I know, Death has her soul. I do wonder what else he knows about my mother. What other secrets is he hiding from me? I ask myself this question every day.