Monday, December 12, 2005

Demons, Good Men and Other Mythical Creatures: Part 3
“That’s tough.” Tyler remarked, leaning against the wall and sliding into a sitting position. He winced as his clothes rubbed against his various injuries. “Hell, I forgot, you’re hurt!” Haley hurried over and knelt beside him. “Here, let me help.” She pulled of his jacket and delicately rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, doing her best not to brush the fabric against his cuts. “This one looks pretty bad.” She remarked, noticing a long gash that seemed to stretch from his elbow to his shoulder. “If you want me to help you, the shirt’s gonna have to come off.”
Haley, as always, looked a picture of modesty and understanding, but on the inside her stomach was knotting again. Tyler just shrugged and hauled the torn black t-shirt off over his head. His shoulders were strong and broad, and his arms and chest were muscled from combat training, something all demons were provided with from a young age. Haley, of course, ignored all these distractions in order to tend to his wounds, which were many and some very nasty.
They spent the next couple of hours just talking, Haley slowly but surely treating his injuries as best she could, and bandaging the more serious ones when necessary. “I hope you weren’t particularly fond of this shirt.” She commented as she tore it into strips. “Don’t worry about it,” He replied. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”
Haley smiled. “Where’d that come from?” She asked, nodding towards the bronze necklace corded around his neck. There was a large amber bead hanging from it, set into what looked like a bronze claw. “Oh, this? It’s the only thing I have of my father’s. Apparently it’s been passed though the family for generations. I had to hide it from my mother for years. She didn't really “approve” of my human heritage. She always denied it, but I knew that I had been a mistake.”
Haley frowned, pitying him. It seemed as though he had never had the safety of a family. They were more alike than she thought. “So where is your mother now? Somewhere in the city?” Tyler shook his head. “She was slain by a hunter a few years ago. I was thirteen years old. And who says it’s an unlucky number?” Haley smiled, but on the inside her heart was almost breaking, weeping for his misery. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.
“Don’t be.” He insisted. “It didn't really have that big an affect of my life. She never really felt like a mother to me. When she was slain I just…carried on. Us demons don’t believe in funerals or burials or anything like that. We just sort of...keep going.”
Haley looked at him, surprised. “You don’t even wish them well for their journey?” Tyler laughed. “Most demons don’t like to think about death. They’ll all tell you they don’t fear it because, surprise surprise, they’re already dead. But it’s what comes after this death that they’re truly afraid of. You threaten to dust a vampire and he’ll tell you everything you want to know, purely because that even though they’re dead, they have another step to go. And they’re terrified of it.”
Haley listened silently. It made sense. Any vampire she had ever killed or threatened to kill always seemed terrified at the idea. She brought herself back tot he task at hand and tied a knot in the bandage. “All done.” She said, smiling. “Just don’t make any sudden moves, or those muscles will tear the bandages.” Haley blushed furiously as she realised what she had said. Tyler smiled, apparently amused.
“What?” Haley asked, still trying, and failing, to hide her embarrassment behind her bravado. Tyler shook his head. “Nothing.” Haley raised her eyebrows. He sighed, as though defeated. “I was just wondering how someone as pretty as you could get herself mixed up in things like demon hunting.” Though she would have thought it impossible, Haley felt herself going an even deeper shade of pink. He was a smooth one. She looked away for a moment, and when she looked back she found that Tyler was still smirking in an annoyingly charming sort of way.
She got up and settled herself on the opposite side of the room, not really sure what to do next. Suddenly, she became aware of how tired she was. “I’m just gonna have a sleep.” She said, lying down on the floor. “Here.” Tyler tossed across his jacket. “Use it as a pillow, you’ll sleep better.”
“But won’t you be cold?” Tyler laughed. “Demon, remember? We adjust.” Haley just shook her head, believing that she would never be able to figure out boys or demons. She just curled up and put her head on the jacket, breathing in a sort of boy smell that reminded her of her brothers. Odd as it was, she found it comforting, and was soon asleep, with Tyler watching her thoughtfully from the other side of the cell.

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