São Paulo, Brazil

"I honestly can't believe we actually made it here." I said.

The 3 of us stood on the sidewalk looking at the place breathlessly. Palm trees could be seen every time you blink, exotic birds came in flocks of hundreds or thousands, and people flooded the streets.

The place is alive.

"This is the worst place to be." Iu commented while standing beside me.

"You mean...yeah I can see why." The heat was already unbearable to regular human beings, but if you are demon, things just got worse. You will feel your life being sapped away while being baked alive under the sun...literally.

"What is your decision now?" Iu snapped.

"Do you sense any imminent danger?" I turned back to Iu.

She closed her eyes for a moment then answered:

"Not any time soon, though accidents could happen at any time. So be on guard psycho."

"Are you worrying about me?"

Iu shot me a cold look and for a moment I thought I gone too far.

"I was only joking, and I hope your prediction is right, useless demon."

"You seem really eager to die today psycho."

"It's a good day, why not?"

"Sadly your wish cannot be granted, as I have to conserve my power for far better uses."

"Like what?"

Iu simply sneered, which I pretend not to see.

"The bus is here and HOLY CRAP its fancy as hell!" The bus picking us up at the station looked like a gigantic Piñata on 4 wheels. Then the door slides open and all 3 of us got on.

"Why do I have to breathe in the same air that humans in this confined space breathe?" Iu complained.

"Then don't breathe and I hope you suffocate to death in the process."

The moment I said those words I felt an invisible hand squeezing the hell out of my lungs, which was definitely the work of Iu. The pain was so much, I was literally thinking about digging a hole through my ribs and wrestle with the invisible force. But the pain was so great, eventually I dropped dead to the ground and felt foam coming from my mouth...

***

When I reopened my eyes again, I my world view sideways.

"What is this place?" I asked, as I lifted my head from the bench and look around.

"We are going to be spending out night here." Iu pointed her chin to a building far too shady to be in such a lively city such as this.

"I thought I make the decision here." I said as I stood up slowly.

"After making us wander in the wilderness for a week?"

"Let the past be the past. And let's just focus on our present worries."

Iu crossed its arms.

"Fine I will go with your idea." I sighed.

The 3 of us went inside the building, and near the front desk I pulled Iu aside and said:

"Let me handle this."

"Very well then." She replied.

I then walked up to the front desk and boldly confronted the man.

"Room for...3 please." I held out 3 fingers, just in case the man doesn't understand English.

"Ok, show me your I.D please." He replied in a heavy Portuguese accent and didn't bother to look up from his questionable magazine.

"Sorry," I said with apologetic tone and continued in that manner: "it appears we lost it, but this will make up for it." I held out a thick wad of Brazilian Reals. The man eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Whatever the price it is for one night, we are willing to pay double...no...triple." I held 3 fingers in his face and slammed a thick wad of cash on the table for the dramatic effect.

The man looked at us in confusion for a moment, then his lips broke into a huge grin.

"Here are your keys. Washroom is at corner of every floor. And that is a pretty wife you have there." He said grinning at Iris.

"Thank you." I said, as I put the room key into my pocket. And just before I turn away, I threw the man another thick wad of cash.

"Pretend we were never here." I said without turning around, as the 3 of us then began to head away. And after several sets of stairs and multiple corners, we arrived at our room.

"Home sweet home." I said, as I stood in front of the door of our room. I then inserted the key and gave it a turn. Surprisingly the key broke.

"Don't worry I got this." I said with confidence. At first, I tried to pull the remaining part of the key out from keyhole, but it was next to impossible to concentrate due to the heat and sweat on my hands. Then out of frustration I grabbed the knob and twisted it and, now unsurprisingly, it came off easily.

"This is why I hate cheap places." I turn around and said, Iu eyed me coldly and I simply choose to avoid it.

"Don't worry we have money to cover the damage...but that can wait for now." I said as I push open the door, and the 3 of us stepped inside. Our room looked like prison cell minus the bars. The only difference was that, there was only 2 beds instead of one...wait what? Sensing my distress Iu said in a bone chilling voice:

"I am sleeping alone and if you ever go anywhere near me while I sleep...I will make you wish you never became a demon...because it will take much longer..."

"Understood!" I gulped as if I was swallowing an entire pineapple.

"Very well, I am going to sleep at this instant." Iu said as she walked up to the far bed and pulled itself into the sheets. And just as I was about to remind her that she didn't take off her shoes, I made a quick reconsideration the value of my life and decided in the end to keep quiet. A few moments later I heard snoring coming from Iu, not the loud lousy kind but, more like a soft kitten's purr.

She does have some cute places...

I then turned to Iris and said:

"I am going to sleep now." I yawned as I walked over to the bed.

"Se...p?" Iris repeated.

"Yes. Like this." I said as I took off my shoes and climbed onto the bed. Then I pulled myself under the covers and pretended I was snoring. And just as I was about to get up again and speak, something soft laid beside me. For a moment I was too shocked to move and finally I was able to summon up the courage to speak:

"Iris..." I gulped.

"Sl...p?" she said with a quiet voice.

"...Y...es..." my voice stretched uncannily.

Just as I was about to say more, she began to snore, in a quiet fashion. Part of me was relieved and part of me was disappointed.

I was hoping she could say more...what am I even thinking?

Suddenly I realized for the past few days, the time I spent around Iris...it had changed me. I was acting like a different person in a completely natural way. To some degree she was like a baby and I was like...

A father teaching her daughter and leading her...I don't even know why I am doing this at all for her, perhaps it might be...I honestly don't know...I never experienced this kind of emotion before, it's as if I developed a 6th sense or something...This feeling...I don't know how to describe by words...But this warmth...Not from the heat of the body, but rather coming from the inside...from a whole new dimension...And this feeling came from an entourage?

The thought made my face burn hot.

They are just a bunch of killing machines, how can they be capable of emotions? Much less spreading them...but then again, that doesn't explain the feeling I am having right now...maybe this was just all an illusion created by the entourage to kill me while all the chemicals were getting mixed up in my head...

Then it occurred to me:

What if Iris was different from the others?

But reason quickly crushed that thought.

You saw how lifted she that bus and battled you in the complex.

True...But there just maybe a chance that...

And I admit, I do want to believe in that chance really, really badly...

On that thought I rolled around and turned to her. Close up, I realized all the beautiful things I seen throughout my entire life were garbage compared to her. In her sleep, she looked ever so gracious and peaceful. Her lips were soft and glistening and even more tempting. Even when her eyes were closed and it was enough to make even a goddesses envy. Then for no apparent reason, I reached my hand forward towards her face, then stopped at half way.

No...

I retreated my hand and rolled to face the other side instead.

No...