Bargain Infernal

Episode 5: Shadows of Doubt

The next morning, Alex sat on the rooftop of a nearby building, his eyes scanning the city below. The fight from the previous night replayed in his mind, each moment etched vividly in his memory. Protecting Lila had been instinctual, but it also cemented his fear she was now a target. The demons knew about her, and that changed everything.

Evelyn’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You look like hell.”

Alex turned to see her standing behind him, arms crossed. Her usual smirk was replaced by a rare look of concern.

“Thanks for the pep talk,” Alex muttered, running a hand through his hair. “What are you doing here?”

Evelyn shrugged. “Checking on you. Word travels fast in the underworld. Sounds like you had quite the night.”

Alex’s jaw tightened. “They went after her. Lila. She’s innocent in all of this.”

“Innocent doesn’t mean untouchable,” Evelyn said, her tone matter-of-fact. “You’re in this fight now, and anyone close to you is fair game. You need to be ready for that.”

“I’m always ready,” Alex snapped, standing to face her. “But I won’t let them hurt her. Not while I’m still breathing.”

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “Bold words. But protecting her means keeping her out of this. You can’t have it both ways, Alex.”

He didn’t respond. Deep down, he knew she was right. But the thought of pushing Lila away felt unbearable. She was his anchor, the one thing keeping him grounded in a world that was spiraling out of control.

That evening, Alex returned to Lila’s apartment. She opened the door, her expression a mix of relief and frustration.

“You’re lucky I didn’t call the cops after last night,” she said, stepping aside to let him in.

Alex managed a faint smile. “I’d have talked my way out of it.”

Lila crossed her arms. “Alex, what’s going on? Those things last night… they weren’t human. And neither are you, not entirely.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re right. I’m not. Not anymore.”

Lila’s eyes widened slightly, but she stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

“I made a deal,” Alex said, his voice heavy with regret. “With Lucifer. I was supposed to die, but he gave me a second chance with a catch. Now, I’m hunting down demons that escaped from hell.”

Lila stared at him, her expression unreadable. “And you didn’t think to tell me this sooner?”

“I was trying to protect you,” Alex said. “The less you knew, the safer you’d be.”

“Safe?” Lila’s voice rose, anger flashing in her eyes. “Alex, I was almost killed last night. Don’t you think I deserve to know what I’m up against?”

He opened his mouth to respond but stopped when he felt the pulse. It was faint but growing stronger. His eyes darted to the window, scanning the darkened street below.

“We don’t have time for this,” he said, his tone urgent. “They’re coming.”

Lila’s anger faded, replaced by fear. “What do we do?”

Alex stepped toward her, his expression firm. “You stay here. Lock the doors; don’t let anyone in. I’ll handle this.”

“No way,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not hiding while you fight alone.”

“Lila, please,” Alex said, his voice softening. “If anything happened to you…”

Before he could finish, the window shattered. A demon burst into the room, its grotesque form illuminated by the flickering streetlights outside. Alex moved instinctively, summoning hellfire to his hands as he stepped between Lila and the creature.

The fight was brutal. The demon was larger and faster than the ones he’d faced before, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. Alex dodged and countered, his hellfire searing the creature’s flesh. But it was relentless, forcing him to stay on the defensive.

Lila grabbed a lamp from the nearby table and swung it at the demon. The impact didn’t do much damage, but it distracted the creature long enough for Alex to land a devastating blow. The hellfire engulfed the demon, reducing it to ash.

Alex turned to Lila, his chest heaving. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, her hands trembling. “I… I think so.”

The sound of footsteps outside caught Alex’s attention. He moved to the window and saw more demons approaching, their glowing eyes cutting through the darkness.

“There’s more coming,” he said, his voice grim. “We need to leave. Now.”

Lila grabbed her coat and followed Alex out the door. The two of them moved quickly through the city, sticking to the shadows. Alex’s mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. He couldn’t keep running forever, and he couldn’t risk Lila’s safety any longer.

They found temporary refuge in an abandoned church on the outskirts of the city. The air inside was cold and still, the faint scent of incense lingering in the air. Alex barricaded the doors while Lila lit a few candles, their flickering light casting long shadows across the walls.

“This won’t hold them for long,” Alex said, his voice tense. “But it’ll buy us some time.”

Lila sat on one of the pews, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “Alex, what happens now?”

He looked at her, his expression filled with both determination and regret. “Now, we fight. And I promise you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

As the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the night, Alex prepared himself for the battle ahead. He knew the odds were against them, but he also knew he couldn’t afford to fail. Not this time.

The church was eerily silent, the faint flicker of candlelight casting dancing shadows across the worn wooden pews. Alex leaned against the altar, his senses on high alert. Every creak of the building, every distant sound from outside, felt like a harbinger of doom. He glanced at Lila, who sat on the edge of a pew, her hands trembling as she tried to steady her breathing.

“You okay?”Alex asked softly, his voice breaking the heavy silence.

Lila looked up, her hazel eyes meeting his. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “One minute, I’m living a normal life, and the next… demons are breaking through my window. It’s a lot to process.”

Alex moved closer, sitting beside her. “I never wanted this for you,” he said, his voice heavy with guilt. “If I could take it all back…”

She shook her head, placing a hand on his. “Don’t. You’re trying to protect me, and I can see how much it’s costing you. But, Alex, I need to know something.”

He looked at her, his heart pounding. “Anything.”

“Why me?”She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Out of everyone in your life, why am I the one you’re fighting so hard to protect?”

Alex hesitated, the weight of her question pressing down on him. “Because you’re the only good thing I have left,” he admitted. “You’re my anchor, Lila. Without you, I… I don’t know who I’d be.”

Her eyes softened, and she leaned closer, her hand tightening around his. “Then let me be your anchor. Stop shutting me out. We’re in this together now.”

Before Alex could respond, a loud crash echoed through the church. Both of them shot to their feet, Alex instinctively positioning himself between Lila and the source of the noise. The barricaded doors trembled under the force of something massive pounding against them.

“They’re here,” Alex said, his voice tense. He summoned hellfire to his hands, the flames casting an ominous glow in the dimly lit space. “Stay behind me, no matter what happens.”

Lila nodded, her fear evident but her resolve unshaken. “I’m not leaving you.”

The doors burst open, splinters flying as a hulking demon stepped inside. Its eyes glowed a deep crimson, and its grotesque form was wreathed in shadows that seemed to writhe like living things. Behind it, smaller demons poured in, their guttural growls echoing through the church.

Alex didn’t wait. He launched himself at the first demon, his hellfire colliding with its shadowy form. The two forces clashed violently, the air around them crackling with energy. Lila watched, her heart pounding as Alex fought with a ferocity she’d never seen before.

But the demons kept coming. One broke away from the chaos, its glowing eyes fixed on Lila. She scrambled backward, her hand finding a broken piece of wood from the shattered door. As the demon lunged, she swung with all her strength, the makeshift weapon piercing its chest. The creature let out a shriek before collapsing into ash.

“Lila!”Alex shouted, his voice filled with panic as he saw her fending off another demon. He pushed back his opponent with a blast of fire and rushed to her side, dispatching the creature with a single strike.

“I told you to stay behind me!”he said, his tone a mix of anger and fear.

“And I told you I’m not leaving you,” she shot back, her eyes blazing with determination.

Before Alex could argue, the hulking demon roared, its shadowy form expanding as it prepared to strike. Alex grabbed Lila’s hand, pulling her behind the altar. “Stay low,” he said, his voice firm. “This one’s mine.”

The demon charged, its massive claws slashing through the air. Alex met it head-on, his hellfire burning brighter than ever. The two clashed in a violent storm of fire and shadow, the ground beneath them cracking under the force of their battle.

Lila watched in horror as Alex fought with everything he had. She wanted to help, but she knew she’d only be a distraction. Instead, she whispered a silent prayer, hoping that whatever force still watched over the world would give Alex the strength to win.

Finally, with a roar of defiance, Alex unleashed a torrent of hellfire that engulfed the demon. It let out a deafening screech before disintegrating into ash, the shadows dissipating like smoke.

The church fell silent once more, the only sound Alex’s ragged breathing. He turned to Lila, his eyes searching hers. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. “I… I thought I was going to lose you.”

Alex stepped closer, pulling her into his arms. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” he said, his voice soft but filled with conviction.

For a moment, the world outside faded away. Lila rested her head against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him. “Promise me we’ll get through this,” she whispered.

Alex pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I promise. No matter what it takes, I’ll keep you safe.”

As they held each other in the flickering candlelight, Alex felt a renewed sense of purpose. The fight was far from over, but for the first time, he didn’t feel alone. Together, they would face whatever came next, and together, they would find a way to survive.