The Devil's Temptation!

129 Out Of Ark Ville

Holding her hand, they quietly stepped out of the room after confirming the coast was more than clear. The corridor was empty, with not even a single soul trespassing the area. The servants hadn’t left the guestrooms yet since the earlier raise of alarm, giving Roshan and Anna a better chance of escaping.

Anna held the bag tightly in her grasp while keeping her eyes wide-open incase of any unanticipated attack.

They could hear running footfalls below the corridor, leading them to halt for a few seconds until those heavy steps faded and they hurried past, taking the second stairs and avoiding the main hallway.

“I know an easier way to leave the mansion.” Came the familiar voice that made Roshan and Anna halt in their step, taking notice of the fact they’ve just been caught. When they turned around, Nicholas was striding towards their direction, unarmed, and Anna’s eyes visibly widened in shock.

“Nicholas?”

He smiled when he stopped in front of them, the bewilderment in her eyes wasn’t a surprise to him but he maintained a poised composure as he began, “you don’t have to worry about being caught, I’m here to help.”

“Why?”

Roshan’s eyes glared at him in half suspicion as he protectively pulled Anna behind him, shielding her just in case the brown-haired beast boy ends up trying something farcical.

Nicholas’s gaze landed on their locked fingers, his lips twitched as they pulled to the side in discomfort before averting them and lifting it up to meet his challenging gaze.

.....

“Despite everything that has happened, I’m not so heartless to overlook the fact she saved me from a demon bite.” He honestly stated, quickly shifting his gaze from Roshan and when they diverted to the puzzled Anna, they looked warmer.

“I’m here to help you, but since you’re quite close to the demon, I have no choice but to help him as well.” To say the least bit of truth even if he didn’t like it, Roshan might be a demon but he never touched anyone, just like Anna said, so it’d be wrong to pass unfair judgements towards them, plus he wouldn’t want his conscience judging him for eternity.

Anna smiled in relief at his words, they sounded genuine to her ears and as risky as it might be, it wouldn’t really hurt to give him a chance, it was the only option they had if they plan to successfully escape from here. Anna finally looked at the disgruntled Roshan, gently tugging at his sleeve to gain his attention, “let him help us.”

Roshan averted his gaze from her, retracting them back to the Nicholas who stared back, clearly this two didn’t seem to fancy one another and Anna didn’t fail to notice the hostility in their gaze.

“So uhm how do we leave?” Anna broke the silence and Nicholas let his gaze rest on her again.

“Come with me.” He turned and left. Roshan and Anna exchanged glances before taking the risk and following Nicholas.

They carefully made it past the first stairs below and if there were any assassins patrolling the area, Nicholas would send them away by coming up with some sort of unnecessary orders and being the Mayor’s son, they couldn’t refuse him.

They kept walking until he brought them to the quiet garden, they moved through the flower path till they progressed deeper and after confirming there was no one at sight, Nicholas moved the flowers that designed the wall forming a blocked path except this specific path was actually a tunnel.

“A tunnel?!” Anna blurted out her exclamation.

“It’s one of my secrets.” He hinted before making way for them, “follow this tunnel and you’ll be away from our Mansion, no one will spot you as long as you keep to the woods.”

Anna smiled gratefully as she dipped her head in a low bow, “thank you for your help, I won’t forget this.”

“I’m just repaying the favor.” He smiled in return before clearing his throat and looking away from her big brown eyes, “you should leave now.”

Anna quickly nodded in affirmation before holding Roshan’s hand, “let’s go.”

She dragged the glacier in and the tunnel was immediately covered back.

~

Once it got to noon, Levi and Azazel were waiting at the autumn forest. He leaned against one of the big trees, silently watching the playful Levi stare in admiration at the beautiful Autumn forest and a lazy sigh left his lips.

“The bastard couldn’t wait till midnight before causing a ruckus, I wonder where they are now?” Azazel mumbled to himself but Levi just shrugged it off with a tsk.

“He better hurry up, Ark Ville is beautiful but it’s not a place for demon, the energy here is somewhat toxic and can fluctuate our powers which is understandable, they aren’t in a good relationship with Demons anyway,” he pointed out before placing a finger to his chin and looking at Azazel with an amused stare, “your father really made lots of enemies for us don’t you think?”

“Shut up.”

“Harsh!” Levi’s expression turned hurtful as he kept quiet, knowing how those simple words of Azazel were like a knife when laced with his arrogance, but then, he didn’t care.

“I gave him a time limit,” Azazel firmly began, “if that brother of yours doesn’t get here within that time, I’m leaving.”

“I never really expected to be pictured as the tortoise and the hare.” Came the sarcastic response of a certain glacier who finally showed up at sight, with Anna standing beside him.

“Tell me, which one am I in this story?”

Levi’s enchanted face instantly lit up in their presence, “they’re here!”

He hurried towards the both of them and hugged the baffled Roshan first, but when he pulled back, his face was contorted with worry, “my goodness what did this people do to you, the color in your face has paled, is it the energy from Ark Ville? I’m sure it is...” he kept ranting while pulling at Roshan’s cheeks and scanning the glacier whose expression only frowned.

“Touch me again..!!” The silent threat in his tone made Levi keep his hands to himself and it earned a snicker from Anna.

“Get Anna out of here.”

He nodded with a smile before looking at Annalise, “ready?”

She shook her head before meeting Roshan’s stare, “you said we’d leave together.”

“We will, I’m right behind you, but you need to leave first.”

“But...”

Levi grabbed her wrist and she vanished from sight along with Levi, leaving only Azazel and Roshan to stand in the quiet forest.

The glacier brought out his silver daggers while Azazel just hummed with an interesting gaze.

“What bad timing.”

Before they knew it, the forest was surrounded by assassins and Roshan stood behind Azazel as they both prepared themselves for a fight. Turns out they had both seen it coming and where planning to linger longer for a little playtime.

“When was the last time we fought together again?” Questioned Azazel whose eyes turned red, but the glacier’s eyes glinted in primal response.

“I don’t even want to remember, but this time around, keep your hands away from my toys.”