(Author's note: previously we have wrestled with what tense (present, past, etc.) to use when writing these stories. We are now going to experiment with the present voice. I think it will be more effective in the end. Let me know what you think.)
"What are you doing?!" Merth dives towards RJ who is now moving slowly towards Susan with sword drawn. "She's mine!" Merth screams as he wraps his talons around RJ's arm. He doesn't see the muscles tense. He doesn't notice arm move or see the swing. But he feels the slap as his body flies helplessly across the room, tumbles through the bookshelves on the west wall and onto the wet grass outside. Immediately springing to his feet, Merth launches back into the room, only to find himself suddenly struggling, suspended in air as RJ's scaly talons tighten around his throat.
"You idiot!" RJ hisses. "You tempters always make the same mistakes. She is not yours. She belongs to nobody! Until she breathes her last breath. Actually, not until after that last breath. You overconfident little slug. She is not yours until she cannot choose to be anyone else's." RJ watches Merth's eyes bulge as his body dangles at the end of his grip.
"So are you going to kill her?" Merth wheezes. "She's my kill! She's my kill!"
Disgust. That's all RJ could feel. No sympathy. No pity for lack of experience. Just a growing vile river of disgust. Better to do away with this incompetent tempter before he did anymore damage... But, no. The master may have need of him.
Tossing Merth to the floor, he turns his gaze back to the once weeping teenager.
"I'm not going to kill her. I don't have that kind of power and neither do you." A wise demon knows his limitations.
"Then what?"
RJ's drags his heavy sword over his head and then lets it fall toward Susan! It pierces her flesh, but she never feels it. It slices through her from head to toe, but the sobbing figure on the floor never flinches. He steps back to survey his work.
"No!!!" Merth stumbles forward in shock! "What are you doing?"
"Probably saving both of our lives." Shattered links and chains litter the area around her. RJ kneels and inspects one of the pieces closest to him. Not really heavy, but enough to hold a know it all teenager. He was angry. This should have been a victory! He could usually salvage a situation like this one. Not today, though. What was that old saying? Those who fight and run away... A chilling howl on his right signals that the war has reached them.
"Back away from the girl." He doesn't even have to look. RJ recognizes the voice from so many times before. "You heard me, John!"
"It's RJ, Mar. I told you before to call me RJ." RJ has mastered the art of smiling and sneering at the same time. He practiced it whenever he could stand to look at himself in the mirror. Now it was one of his signatures. It was soooo satisfyingly irritating to others. "So, my friend, long time no see. You're looking good. it's been at least a decade or so." RJ smeered again as Mar flinched almost imperceptibly. The most bitter enemy is the one you once called friend. He laughs to himself. Mar was a great angel of war. He almost converted at the time of the great uprising. Oh well. Too late for Mar now.
Where was Merth? Oh! There he is! Cowering in the corner like a frightened puppy. Cretin! Dolt! Idiot! Putrid lump of stupidity. As long as he kept his mouth shut, they would be ok. But when has RJ ever known a tempter to be able to keep his mouth shut!?
"Let her go!" Mar's points his sword right at RJ's neck.
"Uh, let who go? The girl? What are you talking about, we don't have the girl." That's it... go examine her closely.
Keeping his sword outstretched towards the two demons. Mar moves slowly around the room, keeping his back to the wall, until he finally stands next to Susan. Confused, he looks down and notices broken chain pieces strewn around the girl. But as he kneels to examine the broken links, RJ makes eye contact with Merth. His mouth moves silently. Merth nods his understanding. On my count... RJ thinks. Not a second before... One, two, three.
"Now!"
