As a creature of the night world, death was something he was used to.
The pungent smell of imminent death hangs over them like dark clouds, rolling, and ever ready to fall.
Alphonse prided himself on his rationality. Dealing with humans was something of a herculean task, which required a great deal of rationality.
The lady in front of him looked much like a mouse, hair matted all over her head, eyes wide with fear but focused.
He concealed his surprise well, hiding behind his stoic mask.
"Young miss," he began in a gentle voice used to stop cats from getting spooked.
She shook her head wildly, sending droplets of water everywhere. Alphonse clenched his fist on the armrest, he breathed in and gently retrieved a handkerchief to wipe his face.
"Check them out first." She spread them on the table in such a disorderly manner making his fingers twitch rapidly with the urge to rearrange them.
She was everything he despised. She was filthy from head to toe, her nose constantly dripping blood.
Unable to contain his reaction any longer, he stood up swiftly, startling her.
She pursed her lips and peered up at him from beneath sooty lashes. Her blue eyes were piercing, sharp and shrewd.
He could also see the edge of desperation, anger and so much tiredness. Something twinge in his sternum.
"Stand up." He commanded softly.
She glanced wildly about, before pointing to herself.
Alphonse raised his brow and she eventually stood up, her face lined at a mutinous angle.
"Here," with a simple thought, he conjured a tiny bottle from thin air.
She collected the bottle, her suspicion evident.
"That medicine is a hundred years old mixture I've been brewing for a different experiment. That should give you a few more years." He stared into her eyes until she took a tentative step back.
"Do not ever step your foot into my house again. You'll see something worse than death if you do." He finished softly.
She stared at him, too stunned to speak. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulder. Her mouth trembled at the corner, but her voice was clear and sharp.
"No," She said simply. She jutted her chin defiantly.
"No?" He repeated, his voice was soft but the fire beneath was barely contained
"It seems there's been some misunderstanding about our situation. I am your wife you see," she smiled tightly. "You are married to me." She grabbed the paper from the table, and squinted at it.
Alphonse snatched the bit of offending paper from her hands and scanned it. A frown marred his forehead as he read it all over again.
"How?" He whispered softly.
She tucked the tiny bottle into her breast and smirked. The corner of her lips tilted up and her eyes glinted with mischief.
Alphonse took a deep breath to quell the fire raging inside his chest. He was one of the most feared demons, does this puny thing think he wouldn't see through her charade?
"It's a bit of an unfortunate event, I'll admit. I found out yesterday and had to do something about it. You recently procured thirty percent shares of the Huang corporation. Yes?" She sat down with an audible plop.
He said nothing. She must have mistaken the taut silence for approval because she nodded and continued.
"That thirty percent was sold to you illegally. Those were my shares you see."
He started to say something but she raised a finger to silence him.
"My fiance…ex fiance now I suppose, stole the documents. The wrong documents. He got the marriage certificate I procured as a surprise for him," her upper lip curled with distaste.
"You signed the marriage certificate instead." She beamed brilliantly at him.
Alphonse walked to the morning bar and poured himself a generous amount of Brandy. He downed it in a gulp and shook his head.
This woman is insane. Utterly mad, is what she is.
He examined the paper once again. This was truly his signature. Nobody could forge it.
That would mean the son of a gun was trying to sell illegal shares to him.
His mouth kicked up with barely contained anger.
But he would deal with the slimy bastard later. He had to decide what to do with this one.
His eyes found the petite woman huddling on his couch.
Yet an idea swirls in his mind, a wisp of a teasing scent beneath his nostrils. He twirled the glass in his hand and thought about it.
"Would you like some? Miss..?" He handed her the glass of Brandy.
She took a large gulp and coughed. Her eyes watered rapidly and she sneezed.
"What's that stuff?" She said, her voice hoarse.
The chandelier glow casted a sick pallor on her unnaturally pale skin. She shifted uncomfortably under his intense stare.
"I'll agree to this on one condition." He smiled at her.
His smile was a feral thing that chilled her to the bone.
She shivered and made a discreet sign of the Cross.
"Uh..okay?" Her answer sounded like another question.
"This marriage will last until you can produce an offspring." He said chillingly.
Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to finally be free of his curse.
Karma pursed her lips, her fingers trailing along the rim of the glass. Alphonse eyes her fingers with obvious distaste, but she seems oblivious to him.
Her tongue peeked and retreated out of her mouth and she chewed on her bottom lip. She dabbed her nose with a handkerchief again, cursing at the red stain..
He was almost sure she would say no. Which sensible human would want to mate with a demon? Talkless of breeding for him.
Long at last, after his patience had been worn thin, she looked up at him.
Karma was desperate, but her sense of reasoning wasn't so clouded that she couldn't see what he meant.
Was she willing to risk so much for revenge? Her fingers tightened around the cup.
Flashbacks of her stepsister's subtle manipulation, her mother's death, her fiance's betrayal came like a flood. The visual image sent shards of pain ripping her heart apart.
Yes, she was willing.
"That's not too bad but I also have a condition." She enunciated slowly.
Alphonse had to grudgingly respect her headstrong demeanor, but she was dead wrong if she thinks she'll get out of this.
"I need to be alive. I need to live." Her eyes were glittering with determination, nose dripping and mouth set.
She wasn't going to budge.
Alphonse burst into laughter, the sound rusty with disuse.
This is going to be entertaining at least.
"I hope you know what you're asking for?" But of course she knew.
She nodded decisively, "The blood oath.
I know. And that's why you must sign this."
She pushed the paper to him, pen dangling from her fingers.
Alphonse laughter resounded through the room as he signed the paper with amusement.