"Another day, another dollar, eh, Ryleigh?"

I returned the demon's grin with a smile. "You got it. What do you want today?"

"Feeling like... hmm... a Long Island Ice Tea actually. Add a Cosmo and a Mai Tai."

"Yup." I nodded and turned away as I jotted it down. "Give me a few."

"You got it." She paused. "By the way, you seem to be in a much better mood today."

"Oh, is that so?" I replied dryly, my back to her as I rummaged through the bottles. "What makes you think that?"

"You've been kind of moody the past few days."

"Have I now?"

"Yeah... did something happen?"

I shrugged as I turned back around to face her. "Not that I know of."

"Weird..." She narrowed her eyes and searched my face as I cleaned out the shaker. "Might just be my imagination."

"Yup."

"Hmm..."

She trailed off as continued to hum and stare away at me while I worked on her drinks. Luckily enough, I was quick at my job and she left with her tray within five minutes.

Was I in a good mood? No.

Was I in a better mood? Yes.

The comments about the damn hickey had finally died down after three days of endless taunts, endless suggestions, endless invites, and endless speculations.

I'd decided to cover up with makeup on the second day- didn't work. Those guys knew. The third day had been a turtleneck. Another fail. A scarf the next day. Utter, utter fail. Today. No scarf, no turtleneck, no makeup and a barely visible hickey. I felt like I was in some kind of a fairy tale with a moral about not hiding my true self or some shit.

"Ryleeiiigh..."

I exhaled softly. If anything, Lou needs a fairly tale about not hiding his true self around other people.... actually, that's a bad idea.

I placed my chin in my palm and turned to look at him. "What is it, Lou?"

"Pay attention to me." He sang again as he tapped the counter with his finger.

"Take my place and fulfill all these orders, then I'll gladly entertain you."

"Is that so?" He smirked, raising a suggestive brow. "Entertain me how exactly?"

A groan escaped me at that horrible line. I straightened up as I shook my head. "You keep conveniently forgetting that I'm seeing someone."

"And you keep conveniently thinking that I care about their feelings." He winked at me, dark eyes twinkling with his usual excitement. "He won't even know I was there. I'll be so sneaky even you won't know I was there."

I laughed at that as I crushed ice to fill up a glass. "If that's how it's going to be is there any point in even having you over?"

"There are several points in having me over." Lou piped up defensively amidst laughter from some of the other patrons.

"You trying to convince me or yourself?" I paused to look up at Lou. Mike actually seemed amused about the entire situation despite his usual stare-off with the wall. "Your game seems rather off today, Lou."

"My game is never off!" He scoffed. "If anything, all it will take is one night to convince you..." He trailed off suggestively.

"If anything," I mocked, "you've been coming here for several nights now and I'm no closer to-ugh-sleeping with you back then as I am now."

"Ah, well, now that's no-"

"Who called for the bubbly?" I cut him off with my question as I placed five champagne flutes on the tray. It's rare I get to pop a cork in this place, but I still rather enjoy the entire show of it.

"Here!" One demon raised his hand, eyes fully dark. They were all celebrating in the corner over something, all their guards were down to the point that I could see veins crawl under the skin of several demons there.

The one who raised his hand started to get up. I cut off his motion with a wave of my hand. "Sit back down. I'll bring it over. Can't have you dropping these glasses."

I left the tray on top of the counter as I exited from behind it. Lou didn't say anything as I walked past him to get the tray, but I knew his eyes were on me. Holding the bottle of champagne in one hand and expertly balancing the tray with the other, I made my way over to the booth.

"Here you go." I spoke as I placed the tray on the table. I stifled a shiver at the surprisingly chilly corner. "You want me to pop the cork, or can you do it yourself?"

"I can do it!" Grinned the one who was probably man of—demon of the hour. He grinned at me as he took the bottle from my hands. "Join us for a few, Ryleigh. It's a special occasion."

"No, thanks." I waved a hand dismissively as I turned away from their table. "Congrats on whatever happened, but I don't drink on the job."

"On the job?" Lou asked as I approached the bar again. "Given up your sobriety already?"

"Trust me, I came very close to doing just that over the past week with everything that's been going on." I walked past Lou. "I'm just glad it's all finally settled down."

It had settled down. It had settled down considerably in the span of just a week. It felt like it had been just yesterday when the entire bar had gotten ready to fight against the angels. And now? No one even batted an eye at them. They'd become regulars of this bar faster than the demons had.

They were all almost the same. The same icy blue eyes, cold demeanour and quiet behaviour. Barely talked, just nursed their drinks and whispered among themselves. Considering how animated most of the demons were all the time, they almost seemed like mannequins.

However, their numbers were still considerably lesser than the demons. The three angels that had shown up as 'backup' for Mike that day had risen by a few more. The new ones seemed more like casual drinkers compared to the constantly switching trio who were always on edge. They liked to glare holes into Lou's back, or my head based on who was speaking at the time.

"Now, where were we?" Lou spoke up and broke me out of my thoughts.

"I was going to start washing the dishes. You were on your usual bullshit."

"It's not bullshit if I genuinely want to sleep with you."

"It is bullshit because I don't consider it anything but."

"Ouch. You're really on fire today, Ryleigh." Lou sighed and turned back to his drink. "Seems like I'm not getting anywhere today either."

"Like everyday, you mean."

"You don't have to rub it in, you know."

I laughed at how genuinely butt-hurt he sounded about that. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was being a bit too hard on him today. I was a bit on top of the world because of Trace lately. We'd been texting and calling whenever he had free time. I'd wanted to schedule a date since tomorrow was my day off but...

I looked up as the bell above the door rang. One of the many usual frequenters of this bar walked in from the dark streets... except he didn't seem like one of my normal recruiters. Black hair, strong jaw, a slightly aged face- I'd guess he was about forty-mid to late.

I had to refrain from frowning at his outfit. He was dressed like something out of 'The Matrix'. Black trenchcoat, black boots and... sunglasses? At night? And what's the duffel bag for?

Oh, wait. He's removing the sunglasses.

He came to a stop in the middle of the place, a clear look of disdain on his face. I should be the one looking at him like that. Who wears sunglasses at night? And it's still not cold enough to be wearing a trench. Is this guy okay?

"Uh, hey." I finally spoke up. "Wel... come. What can I get you?" I hesitated a bit to welcome him as I realised that the bar had gone silent again. They usually did this for any angels that walked in or anyone new in general.

The man finally met my eyes. He stared at me for a few moments before an intense sneer formed on his face. "You're a human."

"Yes. Yes, I am." I placed my palms on the counter, leaned forward as I smiled at him. "What can I get you?"

"This is quite interesting." My eyes flickered to the side as one of the angels from Mike's backup trio spoke up. She glanced between me and the newcomer. "Seems like you can't even recognize someone of your own species even after spending so much time with us."

"Of my own species..." I repeated blankly as I looked over Neo once again. "You're human?"

"He is." Mike confirmed for me. Both he and Lou had their heads turned to the side to watch him.

"Huh." I cocked my head. "I thought humans couldn't enter."

"They can't." Lou clarified. He turned to the side some more. "So, how did you get in?"

I turned to look at the guy again too. I wanted to know as well. Maybe I could use his technique to finally get out of here someday.

His sneer darkened. "You... fucking demons." His shifty eyes moved around the place once more. "All of you pathetic, venom-eyed little fuckers."

"As much as I agree with you there, human." Another angel piped up. "We take a lot of offense to that."

"You bloody angels can go shove it where the sun doesn't shine with that holier-than-thou attitude of yours." He spat. And then he literally spat in the direction of their table.

I grimaced at the glob of spit landing on the floor. "That's disgusting, man! I'm the one cleaning up!"

One of the angels stood up, the same one who'd tried to kiss me on her first day. "You're crossing a line here, you pathetic worm." She replied, voice low and filled with a threat. I could see her eyes start to glow. "You have two options now. Apologise, and I give you a painless death. Or don't, and I tear you limb from limb while I dig through your measly, proto-reptilian brain for what and how much you know about us."

She has... quite a way with words. That threat wasn't directed at me, but it still sent a shiver down my back. One that was both a mix of excitement and fear. She looked so hot while saying that.

"Like I'll give you have a chance to do that." He snapped. He crouched to the duffel bag and pulled out-

"Holy shit." I hissed and immediately backed up. The wall of bottles rattled behind me as I smacked into it. My body frozen in fear as I realised what I stared at was inexplicably a machine gun. I did not know what kind, I did not know what bullets. I just knew it was long and black like the ones on TV that terrorists and heroes use to mow down each other.

He wasted no time. There was a motion, a loud click, and then it was aimed at the angel. My heart immediately shot up into my throat in worry and fear. I'd never been shot in my life. I'd only ever broken a bone but I-I doubt that's what it feels like.

"That's pathetic." Lou laughed, that simple sound that I was used to almost made my heart stop in the silence. He laughed again as the guy with the gun turned his eyes towards Lou.

Lou, in turn, leisurely took another sip out of his tumbler. He turned on his stool to fully face the guy. "It's really pathetic how you think a human weapon like that will harm us. You're new here, aren't you?"

"It doesn't matter what I think." He replied, his voice really low. "It doesn't matter what you think. The only thing that matters here tonight... is that each one of you die."

Each... one?

The sound of gunfire in real life is deafening. I barely saw him shift but before I knew it he moved around in his place, finger glued to the trigger as bullets tore through wood, upholstery, glass, and possessed bodies, angel and demon alike.

My body was still frozen in its place, but I managed to react just enough to throw my hands up around my head. It didn't lessen the sound or the impact it had on my ears. It felt like there was a jackhammer on my ribcage. The sound was a physical being. It was loud, unbearably so inside the bar. So loud... I didn't even realise my mouth was open in a scream till the shooting stopped.

My eyes snapped wide open, breaths laboured as I looked around the place with my eardrums throbbing. Within the sudden silence, all I could hear was the blood rushing through my ears. My eyes had been screwed shut so tightly, it took a few moments for everything to come back into focus.

The lights were too bright, the colours leaked into each other. But the collapsed man on the floor was visible enough even through all of that.

His trench had fallen open somehow, I could see... refills? Mag... magazines for the gun he was probably using. The duffel's zip was also wide open. The glint from it caught my eye and I felt my throat close up as I realised those were more guns.

"Those... weren't normal bullets." Coughed one of the angels. My attention moved to her.

She was clutching her throat as a steady stream of blood flowed through her fingers. Her body was peppered with blood and bullet holes... too many to count. There was already a huge puddle around her feet. The other angels who had still been seated had been shot through the head. Brains were splattered all over each other and the wall. Two of them were collapsed on the table, blood and chunks of... chunks of more blood mixed with the alcohol that used to be in their glass. One of them was held their head as they groaned and, mumbling incomprehensible words. Their eyes struggled to focus. The others had body shots.

My eyes slowly dragged themselves over to where the demons had been sitting. More specifically, where the celebrating demons had been sitting.

My eyes went first to the base of the champagne bottle- the only sign left of any celebrations that had been happening there. All the demons on that table were... dead. Do demons die? They die right? Those angels seemed dead. Those demons seem dead. Both their heads are split wide open. There's blood on the glass. There's chunks of solid looking stuff that... that's probably their... b-

My hand slapped over my mouth as I felt my gag reflex awaken. Thinking about what it might be just might make me throw up. I held it there for a few seconds and struggled to contain my roiling stomach before I pulled my hand away. A thin string of saliva stretched from the lips to my shaking hand.

I raised my other hand... it shook too. And... And my body was burning. Did I have a fev-

"Ryleigh!"

My head slowly moved up as I heard my name. I met Mike's annoyed blue eyes as he glared at me. The bullets had torn through his jacket. He bled from his chest and his legs. "I've called you five times already! This is no time to zone out!"

"R... Right." I whispered. My throat hurt. My chest hurt. It was hard to breathe. "What..."

"I said," he spoke exasperatedly, the tone of someone who's been repeated the same thing over and over again, "do you, or do you not, know this human?"

"I..." I looked down at the floor. At the man who'd just shot up the entire bar. I took a step forward. Slowly as my body struggled to respond to me. "I..." Lou moved to the side and revealed the human's face to me. Black hair, strong jaw, a slightly aged face- I'd guess he was about forty-mid to late. I... I'd already done this before. I'd thought this before.

He had... He had... brown eyes, like mine. Dead brown eyes, unlike mine.

"RYLEIGH!" I jumped as Mike yelled my name again. "Do you know who this is?!"

"N-no." I replied, it was hard to breathe. It was really hard to breathe.

"Tch. Useless human." Mike growled to himself.

"Don't blame her. She's not been around death." Lou defended me.

"T-thanks." I replied softly. My head fall forward.

My shirt gleamed wetly in the bar's lighting. I glanced behind me- cracked bottles. Cracked bottles where I'd been, cracked bottles all along the bar. And now that I think of it, my sneakers were sopping wet. Alcohol probably.

My hand touched my shirt and moved to my face. I glanced at it in confusion. Which alcohol is red?

"Ryleigh!" Lou snapped this time. My head was slow to rise once more. "For fuck's sake, now you're making me mad. Have you..." He trailed off, dark eyes moved over my chest. Is he going to say something? A joke about a wet t-shirt contest perhaps?

I sighed and coincidentally exhalee whatever air there was in my lungs. It was really hard to breathe now. My chest burnt. My lungs burnt. My legs burnt. More specifically, my thighs. Did I workout too much with Antonio today? Or was that yesterday? But it wasn't leg day...

I looked down at my other hand. Also red, but it dripped down my fingers. I tried to lift my arm to look at it closely but it wasn't moving. I didn't really realise what had happened till I turned my head to look at my shoulder.

"Oh." I mumbled. Eyes on the torn shirt, and the blood that flowed from a torn hole in my skin. "It burns." I added. A pained hiss left me as I tried to raise my arm once more. It hadn't hurt till right now. I wonder why.

Oh, right. I should probably tell them.

I looked up to see all the questionably alive, remaining sets of eyes on me. Lou's eyes were all black, skin pale and veins reaching down to his neck. That also probably explains why I'm feeling cold.

"Uh, g... guys..." My mouth wasn't moving. My body was really burning now. "I... I think... I've been shot."

Funny. Interesting word. 'Shot'. Wonder who made that.

I cracked a smile at that. And grinned down at my bloodied hands once again right as I felt my knees buckle.

**************

AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hoo-whee that was intense.
I have been up for way too long finishing both these chapters. Even if my upload is delayed, it's still here.
Better late than never right.

On that note, maybe Ryleigh might end up being the late one.

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