Amy and Steelar were chatting about clothes while they waited for the rest of the group. The demoness was always curious why they wore them and was amazed by the sheer number of different outfits. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to try them all.

However, the demoness had to admit an extra layer during cold times was surely welcomed. She hated hunting in winter or rain. The umbrella would be a bad idea to carry, but the raincoat seemed to be more practical.

The lass ended her monologue and worriedly looked around.

"Why they are so late?" Master Tikal taught her how to keep a track of time without wristwatch, so she knew they already had about half an hour long delay.

'Could they meet more Black Arms?' Amy's stomach was squeezed by ice-cold hand, she quickly got up, ready to ask Steelar for help when her eyes fell on Eclipse who climbed on the roof with Silver behind him.

"Eclipse!" Amy shouted without thinking and rushed toward him. On first glance, he was haggard and tired. "Are you alright?"

He smiled at her. "Sorry for being late," he said instead. "I'm out of the shape." He sheepishly grinned, scratching behind his quills.

Amy glanced at Silver who walked past them holding a ball of dark energy above his hand. His face was emotionless like most of the time.

"Here. Will this be enough?"

He put his ball next to the one Steelar had. It was obvious he was smaller, filled with lesser quality.

"More than enough," the demoness said and combined both balls.

This was more than she needed or ever gathered during a mere hour. Partly it was because Amy let her gather her negative energy, so the resulting quality was top-notch. This time she didn't need to feed her small family or treat their wounds.

She quickly wiped the tears forming in her eyes. There was nothing she could change about them now. Steelar could only hope revenge would allow them to rest in peace. She quickly glanced at Silver, expecting a smug, but his attention was on the duo.

He wondered what got into him in the last hour. He was so frustrated he released all of his pent up anger on Eclipse. He had a solid suspicion about him being a spy, he only needed a shred of evidence to convince The Order to take an action. However, he hated how he lost himself to his desire.

It completely controlled him, and at the end, he felt refreshed. He wanted to torture the small demon more, and he would if his brain didn't stop his lust. He valued his self-control too much to let something so spontaneous happen so soon.

Silver didn't want to admit it, but he felt a bit of guilt for hurting Eclipse. It wasn't strong regret, or that he actually apologized, he was too proud for that. There was just this nagging feeling that kept convincing him he shouldn't do it next time.

It made him wonder how could Eclipse survive Tikal's training if he was weak as he claimed to be. The agent was sure he was hiding his real strength, waiting for the moment to escape or backstab them.

Based on Amy's face and from what he could hear, he concluded Eclipse didn't tell her anything about what Silver did to him. How strange.

The lass finished bandaging Eclipse's hand he claimed got stabbed during the hunt. She could tell there was something strange going on with him. He had numerous bruises and cuts on his body.

"Are those wounds from Silver?" she silently asked.

"Why would he do that?" Eclipse replied with a question. "I'm just out of a shape. It's a long time since I hunted."

"Then let's go hunting together."

Eclipse went silent.

"You need negative energy to live, right?" She looked into his eyes. "Your way of hunting is actually helping people. It calms them down." Her hand gently caressed his cheek. "You don't need to be afraid to show me your demonic nature. I won't look at you any differently."

"It's okay. I don't need much. I just smelled something of better quality and got a bit excited. I'm sorry to worry you."

Amy hugged him. "You are not okay," she whispered. "I can see that."

Eclipse hugged her too. "I'm just a bit tired," he mumbled, hoping it would lullaby her to safety.

"It's not just that, but know this, I won't press you into telling me what is bothering you. I won't reject you, no matter what you will say."

"Thank you." He inhaled her smell mixed with cookies.

Eclipse felt she turned wobbly in his arms. He strengthened his grip.

"I'm just... a bit sleepy," she murmured, feeling her legs turned weak.

"Just take a rest," he said, taking her into his arms.

"I can still walk," she weakly argued, her body refusing to cooperate. Her head rocked for a few times before it completely fell on her chest.

His yellow eyes fell on Silver. The agent kept watching them, and Steelar didn't dare to leave.

"Go."

Her head shot up as the psychic spoke to her.

"Don't you have some delivery to do?" He looked over his shoulder.

"Yes, and I'll keep my promise." With those words she left, jumping down.

Now it was just Eclipse with sleeping Amy in his arms and Silver. His amber eyes fell on the bandage, and he slowly moved closer.

"I'm surprised, you haven't told her the truth."

Eclipse looked away.

"Are you so bend on to make her happy, you are willing to keep your mouth shut?"

Silver stopped two steps in front of him. The atmosphere got thicker.

"Tell me what is your game?"

"I just wanna fit in," Eclipse weakly answered.

"Fit in where? Among us? Or demons?"

The demon had no proper answer for this. He wondered too. "Having a home..." he murmured more to himself than an answer.

"Now would you answer all of my questions if her life was on the line?"

There was no coldness in that query. Yet shiver ran down Eclipse's spine. His small hands pressed her sleeping body closer and his grip got firmer.

"Do you think you could still pretend you are weak?"

"Aren't you teammates? Why would you hurt her?"

"Would you kill your fellow kin to protect her?"

The small demon gulped. He had never killed anybody from his race. He had his shares of fights or scuffles, but neither ended with death.

The psychic tilted his head and said, "The morning is coming."

Eclipse also looked at the orangish ribbon around the horizon.

"No wonder she fell asleep," Silver noted like he wasn't threatening Eclipse just now. "Let's give those pathetic idiots some report before we will head back. I have enough of this city."

The small demon silently watched him for a second before he tagged along. Silver told him, he was aware of the truth, yet the psychic didn't use force to make him talk. Eclipse knew he would spill out everything for her. He couldn't help it.

His mouth opened to talk, but no note left it. It was too dry for words. Eclipse tried once more but just a husky sound left out.

Silver looked over his shoulder at him, awaiting his words.

The young demon gulped, finally able to talk, "I'll work harder to deserve your trust."

The psychic's eyes widened a bit, but he said nothing. Only his lips curled up a bit.

Later, at the local office, Eclipse was sitting on a bed with Amy sleeping. He was gently holding her hand, feeling the warmness entering him. He really wanted to keep her smiling, to make sure no worries plagued her.

It was an irony, he was the biggest reason for her anxiety. He had to get stronger for her so he could protect her. But that could also result in separation. He didn't want to get a different partner. He slightly pressed her hand when her body was suddenly engulfed by blueish aura.

The demon shrieked, hugging her, and his head snapped toward the door where Silver stood. His face was bland compared to the horrifying face Eclipse had. His heart tried to break his ribs from inside with each beat. His boiling blood threatened to cook him from inside. Ashyss' aura slowly crept through the Sirius' seal. Eclipse was anything but calm. He was about to shriek.

"Stop wasting time," the psychic rebuked him, "we are moving out." He threw at the demon a pack of clothes. "Get dressed." Without a problem, Silver swiped Amy from his grasp and stepped into the corridor.

The small demon needed a few seconds to calm his breathing. He really thought Amy would be exposed to torture to make him talk. His hands wiped the tears away, and he quickly put on the clothes. It was just the official uniform, but the touch of the fabric make him at ease. He felt less dangerous.

He quickly followed Silver down the hall until he reached the ground level. There he saw a few familiar faces that quickly looked away. He hardly paid them any attention as he stepped outside. There he found his teammate and together they reached the train station.

To Eclipse delight, they didn't have to wait in the line for a ticket as Silver already had them. The demon wasn't sure how he got it, but if he thought about the atmosphere in the office, Silver might have forced somebody to fetch them for him. Yeah, this was very possible.

Once the train finally moved toward the Capital City Albion, Eclipse had no idea what to do. He was sitting in front of Silver, and they had about ten hours in front of them, meaning they would reach the headquarter a bit before midnight.

The demon could only hope the psychic wouldn't try anything with the people around them. The next hour was torture for him. Constant looking out of the window almost lullabied him to the sleep. His body called for rest, but he refused to deliver it. Right now, taking a nap could be dangerous.

Silver got up, making the other jerk. The psychic didn't pay him any attention and went out. He walked toward the dining wagon. He needed to eat and a lot. The feeling of hunger was with him since the time he wanted to taste the negative energy, but now it was unbearable.

He didn't know why. He didn't use that big amount of his psychic energy, right? Well, that psybomb wasn't a small matter, but he was fine after it, just a bit tired. He clenched his stomach. 'Dang it! What is this?'

"Silver?"

His body pivoted on its own. There was half asleep Amy behind him since she still rubbed her eye.

The desire to bite through her neck and suck the blood filled his body.