Chapter 47 Chapter 47
Maxwell held up his hand, and pure white light gathered in it, radiating an unbearable heat.
“What are you doing, demon?” Iseul roared, the brightness making her retreat back into the darkness of the room. She hissed in pain when the rays burned her skin. The light flared, enveloping her. It got so bright that Valerie had to shield her eyes with her arm. She heard the anguished cries of the spirit until the light faded, and silence fell over the room.
Only then did she dare to look. Iseul was gone, nowhere to be found, and with her disappearance, the once beautiful room decayed, showing its true state. It was just as rundown and dusty as the rest of the mansion. The curtains were torn and covered in moth holes, the windows were broken, and cold night air streamed in from outside.
Valerie breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Maxwell, who looked tired and spent as she had never seen him before. The ache in her body proved he was still in pain. She encased his hand with both of hers, gaining his attention. His eyes were clouded with exhaustion.
“What happened to you?” she asked softly. “I was worried when I suddenly felt your pain.”
He snorted. “Now you finally know what it’s like. The bitch sent every single lower-class demon in this house after me to get rid of me… but I killed them all.” His eyes hardened. “Tell me why you would run after that impostor without thinking twice,” he growled.
She blushed in mortification and bit her lower lip, guilt rising within her heart. “He was so kind and… charming. I just…” she stopped and sighed.
“He wrapped you around his finger, huh?” he huffed, a tinge of jealousy appearing in his reddish eyes.
“I’m sorry, Maxwell. Really. I hope you know I wouldn’t have left you behind.”
“Didn’t look like it to me,” he hissed sulkily.
“I could… prove it to you?” she said with a shy glimmer in her eyes.
Her heart fluttered nervously as she put her hand on his bloody cheek. He glanced at her with raised eyebrows, unsure of what she was planning. Valerie held his gaze and stood on her tiptoes, leaning closer to him.
Her lips touched his, and she kissed them lightly, feeling him freeze in surprise. The eerie red hue in his eyes disappeared as dazzling sky-blue spread over his irises. She smiled when he returned the kiss, moving his lips against hers while his arms enveloped her body.
He was hesitant initially, but soon his reluctance melted away, and he deepened the kiss. When they separated, her pupils were dilated, and she breathed heavily.
“Did that convince you?” she whispered, only to see him smirk at her.
“You’ll need to do it again.”
“That’s all you’re getting. We’re here to save my friends, remember? You haven’t fulfilled your part of the deal yet,” she reminded him, causing him to groan.
“Killjoy,” he grumbled, but left the room with her, his light flooding the hallway.
They passed the countless picture frames on the walls, and Valerie wondered why they were there. Obviously, Iseul had something to do with it, but she didn’t quite understand why she would keep photos of smiling humans around. “What do you think is the meaning behind the photos?” Valerie asked when her curiosity boiled over.
“I’m sure these people were her victims over the years. Many humans must have come here to explore the property, and she probably killed most of them and kept photos as trophies,” he said with boredom in his tone. He couldn't care less about the motives of an evil spirit. He had sent her to hell, where she belonged, and that was that.
Valerie shuddered, trying not to think about it too much. “I want to go home, cuddle with Mochi, and never come here again. A cup of hot chocolate would be great, too,” she daydreamed quietly, never noticing the mildly amused gaze she received from the demon. They descended the old and creaky stairs and returned to the lobby. It didn’t take long for them to find the door leading to the basement. It was next to the staircase and locked.
“Your turn, demon,” she said, pointing at the door. He rolled his eyes and kicked it open, the door hitting the wall with a loud bang. The stairs leading down were lit up by faintly glowing orbs of light. It was dusty down here, and it stank.
Valerie didn’t like it but descended the stairs anyway. She entered a wide room with moldy walls and shelves filled with various items. When her gaze darted around, it got stuck on five people passed out on the ground.
“Naomi,” she yelled and crouched next to her friend, worriedly checking her pulse. Valerie felt her steady heartbeat under her fingers, and the tension in her body finally evaporated, tears of relief welling up in her eyes. “Thank God,” she whispered.
“Excuse me? I did all the work here,” Maxwell complained, folding his arms as he stared down at the unconscious humans. “You should thank me.”
Valerie wiped her eyes, seeing his sarcastic eye roll. “You’re getting paid for this, so why should I thank you?” she said, teasing him a little. She knew how to push his buttons, and his scowl proved she had succeeded yet again. “I’m joking. Thanks, Maxwell,” she smiled. Now she caught him by surprise, his blue eyes widening considerably.
“What’s with the nickname?”
“I thought it sounded good. Or should I call you Maxwell instead?”
“No.”
She giggled, her gaze moving back to Naomi, her boyfriend Preston, and the three strangers she didn’t know. As far as she could tell, they were all unharmed, but she didn’t know how long it would take them to wake up. Sighing, she leaned back and observed them.
“We should leave,” Maxwell said. “If we’re here when they wake up, they will ask questions and be extremely annoying, like humans usually are. Also, I don’t exactly look presentable.”