Callahan's POV

|At the same day, since morning|

It was morning as I woke up at the sound of the entrance door opening. It was Probably Carson's dad preparing to go for a jog.

My whole body tingled as I laid there unmoving and it was a very unusual sensation I had never felt before. I felt calm and all my tension was gone. My tongue brushed over my canines as I felt a little tingle there.

Last night's images flashed before me and I got shocked at my own reaction toward Carson. I had always been under control when my instinct came out. But last night, I felt as if I was under some sort of spell. I couldn't help it when my body transformed on its own and my canines grew.

I bit her. I marked her mine. Why? It was as if I had finally got her and now she was mine. I felt a sudden possessiveness toward her that I couldn't help but mark her.

That would not be a devil would do. A marking means I was claiming her as my partner and making my territorial rights. All the devils indulge themselves in intimacy but they never mark anyone until they truly find their partner.

I didn't want to mark her yet I did it. I couldn't understand this feeling. I knew I had always felt a little possessive over Carson but I thought it was because I was wary that someone might break the contract and I would lose a chance to get her soul. It was my prime mission. At first.

But not anymore. Slowly I was forgetting about our contract and I kept getting attracted to her even though I knew I was pretending.

I didn't know when I stopped pretending to be her boyfriend.

When I was taking her, I felt a certain euphoria that surged through every pores in my skin. I had never experienced it before and it was driving me crazy. Each touch, each contact with her made my mind go wild as if I forgot everything and I had entered a different world.

I knew something about her was special. And I intended to find it however I couldn't. I needed to find Lucifer and ask him about it. I knew he knew something but damn that bastard! I couldn't find him anywhere. I hadn't seen him for many years.

I moved my hand to tap on my temple as the movement woke up Carson. I looked at her. She had been in a deep slumber. Her naked body stayed attached to me as it gave a thousand hell fires burning my skin. But it didn't sting. It felt really good that I didn't want to move her away.

She blinked open her eyes as I said with a smile, "Morning, sweetheart."

She looked up as her eyes still showed how sleepy she was. She looked adorable when she snuggled into my chest. Damn! I wanted to kiss her again! But I refrained and didn't let my emotions show on my face.

She mumbled, "Morning. When did you wake?"

"A while ago."

Color shifted on her face as I heard her thoughts. She was recalling last night's events. My lips twitched as if my ego was satisfied.

"Are you still feeling sore?" I asked as she buried her face in my skin.

She realized that I was in my human form. She asked, "When did you turn back?"

"After you fall asleep." I was wide awake then forced myself to turn back because my body wouldn't want to listen. It wanted more of her. Two times weren't enough. I wanted more.

"Are you thinking of something?" She asked as I looked at her contemplating if I should tell her or not.

"I don't always turn to my demon form when having sex but last night, it happened on its own." I said.

She turned around as she supported herself on her elbows and I got a little distracted at her bare body where certain parts were visible. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"I don't know what I mean either." I looked up to the ceiling to divert my mind and body as it had started to act on its own again. "It was more like my instinct. I even claimed you."

Her face heated and I could feel it. "That you certainly did."

She didn't understand the marking, did she?

"No. I meant the mark. I marked you." I looked at the deep mark on her neck and I inspected that it was certainly a claiming mark. "Something I had never done before." I told the truth.

"Wait! You gave me a hickey!" She panicked as she got to grab her mirror but her naked body appeared before me as my body acted. It wanted to devour her once again but I knew it was her first time and she was still sore.

Oh shit! Everyone will know! How am I supposed to hide that? She thought. And I would be lying if I said I didn't feel hurt.

"What do you mean by hiding that?" Instinctively my voice raised as hiding a mark is an offense as if she was rejecting me. A mark meant no one was allowed to have her but me but I felt a bit offended.

"My mom, dad will know!"

I knew that! But I felt myself to get angry although I maintained a straight face, "You can't hide it. Every devil or demon would know because my smell is all over you."

She gaped at me. "Won't concealers work?"

I smiled now I was feeling a little agitated as she kept thinking of hiding it. "That is a claiming mark not your usual hickey."

"What does that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"That means I marked you mine." And yes, you are mine.

****

The whole morning I avoided her. Firstly, because I was a bit angry when I saw she was wearing full clothes and secondly, I was afraid if I went near her, I would lose my control. Oh! How much I wanted to have her again.

One thing I realized after marking her was that I was just strangely conscious of her. I was hardly able to concentrate on anything whenever she went past me or looked at me with her adorable brown eyes which were looking out for my attention. Her scent, her movements and her everything I could feel and all of it was driving me crazy.

I could feel her gaze on me throughout the morning and every emotion of hers came toward me. She was confused as to why I was avoiding her. She was sad and it was making me restless and I wanted to go near her.

I went out as I sensed a demonic aura and Gretarioth and others seemed to feel it as well. I nodded at them saying, "I am going to take a look at it."

It was a good distraction though.

When I went there, I saw K'han had appeared. My brows knitted on my forehead. I was certain he had been guarding the demon dungeons for several centuries yet he had come here on earth?

Something didn't feel right as I went near.

K'han looked at me as he knelt down. "My Lord, I have been trying to find you where you have been living with the human. But I couldn't."

"Yes, I have been removing our traits." I said.

"I looked out for a last trait and found you finally."

"Raise, K'han." I ordered as he looked up and slowly stood straight.

His eyes said he had come with very dreadful news. And I was afraid I had a guess.

"What is it that you have come here for?" I asked, my face showing a grim expression.

"A prisoner had broken free from our dungeon, My Lord." He said as I clenched my teeth.

Who could have done that? The dungeon wasn't easy to break free from. It was an endless loop and uncountable death traps. The hollowness of it was enough to get lost in it. Some had lost their sanity.

"Prey, tell me, who is it?" I asked as my eyes turned hollow.

K'han looked very serious as his face darkened. "Almorach, My Lord."

My hands clenched and it all had started to come. I put two and two together. Now I knew why those enemies were attacking.

"Ho?" I smiled and now my body turned fully into my devil form. "I couldn't wait to meet my old friend."

Almorach was the first generation devil like myself and he was the general of Seven Hells before me. But with powers he became insane and started to rob his own people. He even made countless humans suffer. So, Satan snatched away his position and I ended up taking it.

I tried to warn him countless times but he was a greedy and egoistic bastard. And I had to put him in the dungeon. No wonder he would come for me.

But if he wanted to get revenge then I was ready to fight him back. After all, I wasn't an obedient pawn of him anymore. My smile broadened.

"But, My Lord, it isn't easy to break the dungeon. How could he possibly do that?" K'han asked.

True. It wasn't possible. Even some powerful devil like myself can't break free of its endless loops.

I narrowed my eyes at a distance and then I recalled the orb that went missing. It was a merely little object with low power but it got some certain interesting spells.

"Do you know about that O'Slhae Orb?" I asked.

K'han scratched his chin as he thought for a moment. Then said, "But it is merely an useless orb."

"Nothing in this universe is useless, K'han. Everything and everyone has a purpose." I said, "Otherwise they wouldn't exist."

"So how does this orb do that on its own?"

I shook my head, "It didn't. It was stolen from our secret library. Someone might have taken it." My eyes narrowed down to slit. "Someone who knows how that orb works."

"Then someone from O'Slhae's demons?"

O'Slhae was a small clan formed by a former devil who died making the orb. Some said he made many spells using his life energy thus that orb was a powerful one. The orb and his other spells were collected after he died but his pupils didn't like it. But it was one of the antiques and nobody knew how those worked so we placed them in our ancient 'confidential' room. Nobody is allowed there unless they have some really special access. Well, not anybody can enter the room because it was protected by a powerful barrier.

I nodded. "Could be."

"Then I shall go look into it. Permission to have full authority, My Lord." He knelt down once again.

"You have my full permission, K'han."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"Also, check who has access to the secret library. I am sure you will find some valuable names." I said. "Not everyone can go inside. They must have access to that."

K'han nodded.

I was coming back to Carson's parent's house as K'han said, "Let me go along with you, My Lord. I shall pay a little visit to Gretarioth."

I smiled. "Suit yourself."

We reached the house as he came with me. As we entered, her parents came to ask if K'han was going to have lunch, which K'han refused as he needed to go investigate. The others seemed a bit worried as they found K'han appeared. I could see questions forming in their mind as it wasn't your normal day where K'han would appear. He never came until it was really important.

That's when my eyes fell on Carson and saw she was already watching me. I removed my eyes from her immediately which made her frustrated and sad. My heart thumped with an unusual beat. Man! I so wanted to go to her. I felt like I was stranded.

After lunch she even came to me with a dessert but as soon as she appeared, my fangs tingled. Is that what happens once you mark someone? It was getting worse. Her scent lingered in my nose making me feel her warmth and I could feel her heartbeat. It sounded like music to me. My body acted as if I was about to pounce on her.

I refused her and she felt hurt as my heart fell. She asked why I was avoiding her but I didn't want to tell her. Not now.

I simply said I wasn't avoiding and went to Andrew. I needed to check Avaloth and confirm who it was that attacked her that day.

So I went there.

It was almost evening as I came to Andrew's room and asked the little devil who stiffened at my presence. "Do you remember how you came?"

She shook her head and said, "I only ran and finally came here when a voice said to seduce McAllen."

"Hmm." I hummed. "Do you know who attacked you?"

She tried to remember but couldn't.

"I think her memories were interpreted." I said as Andrew looked worried.

"Don't worry. She will eventually remember once she gets enough powers." I said as Andrew nodded.

Andrew said to Avaloth, "Stay here while I go buy your cinnamon rolls and some clothes."

"Don't go alone. It is not safe." I said.

I didn't know why Almorach would target mere humans. That was a narrow move to get revenge on me but I felt it wasn't safe at all so I said, "I will come with you."

We left and I could feel Carson's confusion, anger, sadness all together in me. I knew she was thinking that I left her or used her which made me a little offended as she should have known I wouldn't do that to her.

But then, had I ever told her that?

I was with Andrew and that's when I felt the intense demonic energy from the festival. My shoulders stiffened. They might have come.

I looked at Andrew who was in a queue in the mart. I couldn't leave him now. His life could be in danger.

I went near Andrew and said, "Andrew we need to go."

Seeing my grim face, Andrew must have assumed something. I smiled as he amused me. Even though he was just a human kid, he was far smarter than others.

If only he was a devil...

Andrew paid and immediately came as I teleported us to their house because I knew there was no one.

I called Droyth and he came immediately. His eyes had turned hollow as he could feel the demonic powers as well.

"Lord Devionth. The powers..."

"I know. I am heading toward there. Guard Andrew and Avaloth." I said as he bowed and I left immediately.