Make Me

As soon as I managed to push Jude off me, and sit up so I could face Veronica, she marched at me, pulling me into a tight hug as she sat down on my lap with surprising ease. I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there frozen, but soon enough I caught a glimpse of small noises, alerting me that she was crying.

Gently putting my hand around her, accepting the uninvited hug, I tried to shush her so she could tell what happened.

We sat there for about 5 minutes, while she quietly cried on my shoulders, quite literally, and if it wasn't embarrassing enough that I was half-naked, and wearing lingerie, Jude made loud noises of impatience, clearing his throat, and scoffing, so Ver would finally start talking, but I shushed him. She was obviously distressed.

"So-someone b-broke into my ap-apartment" she tried saying between tears, while slowly pulling away from my chest so I could see her puffy red, yes still beautiful eyes.

"Oh, and you ran all the way here... what a sporty girl you are" Jude commented sarcastically, earning an angry glare from me. He really had no filter even in times like this and couldn't stop being a dick to her.

Veronica quietly explained that someone broke into her apartment, and left strange stalker messages, talking of how they will take her soon because they were "meant to be together". She said she overheard which hotel we went to, so she got on the bus, not feeling safe anywhere in the town. My heart sank, knowing I was nowhere near her to help when she needed it. I've never seen her so helpless before, but whenever she seemed to be in trouble, something deep inside me woke, something that was maybe the only good part of me, that wanted to keep her safe. Maybe that urge made me get in a fight against Adam that night... Who knows, but one thing was sure, I couldn't let her down now. "Well... why don't you stay with us? We'll have a dinner to attend to tomorrow, but it should be alright. No one knows you are here" I reassured her, which to a hopeful smile appeared on her tired face, but it faded quickly.

"I don't want to be left alone" she said a little weakly, searching my eyes helplessly. I hesitated, not knowing how to say no to that pair of innocent blue eyes. They glistened from her tears, as her hands held my shoulders with all their might, which I must admit, wasn't much.

"No. Absolutely no. We have a little bit of a private business here, don't we Seth?" Jude interrupted sharply, but I ignored him.

"It'll be fine." My voice told everyone in the room that I was decided, even if Jude did not wish to agree even a bit. I'll just leave her with Jude when the time will come for me to get hot and bothered with Harvis. It shouldn't be much of a complication...

I let Veronica rest in the bed since she was exhausted, and she couldn't sleep last night given the events of yesterday. The evening was soon upon us anyways, but I decided to stay up because there weren't enough beds for all three of us to sleep separately, and I didn't really want to have one of my night terrors when Ver was around. I ordered a coffee up to the room and waited in the smaller living room area of the hotel-room with Jude.

Speaking of which, I have never seen the demon more irritated in my life, but obviously, he didn't know how to speak up about it yet, so we just sat there in silence while I sipped on my coffee.

"Seth... Isn't this a little too convenient?" he said after a short while, his voice deep and gentle as if he wanted me to stay calm.

"Convenient? Someone is stalking her!" I growled, keeping my voice down as well, so she would awake.

"Or so she says. Funny how she "overheard" where we stay, because we never mentioned it in front of her..." I refused to even think his words thought, simply because even if she were lying, I'm sure she had a good reason. Veronica was not like us. Not like Jude, and not like me, she was something entirely different, something that was too precious to even get entangled with me, yet here we were. She was innocent, and I could not imagine her having any malicious intentions, even though I don't think I'm naive.

"This argument is over Jude." my voice was stern and distant, nothing like it was an hour ago. I had to reject our bond on some occasions, such as this one, to think clearly.

The demon sat casually in his armchair, even his position asserting dominance and power, his eyes sharply outlined by his dark leashes. He was beautiful when he was angry, I had to admit. His black shirt, wide shoulders, complementing his intimidating frame even more, as he moment by moment somehow spoke himself down from killing me.

"She is playing you, Seth." he said quietly, but his deep melody still filled the small room.

"I guess it's hard for you to believe that anyone could like me without having some sort of ulterior motive... I understand that for you, that is impossible to imagine, and it sounds alien. However, don't put that on Veronica. It's not her fault everyone in my life sees me as a fucking plaything." I snarled, narrowing my eyes, and he visibly tensed with anger.

"Is that what you think I'm doing? Using you?"

"What else would you be doing? That's what I agreed to" I rolled my eyes leaning back in my chair, meanwhile he collected himself, probably for my benefit, because he looked like he could kill me. I didn't understand why he was so upset about this. Did he really think I can't see through his smoke and mirrors, his little kind words, and know they have a specific purpose?

He stood up and left the room, which kind of hit me harder than if he would've said something. I didn't know where he was going, I suppose to clear his head since I heard the hotel room's door being slammed shut behind him.

***

"I didn't know you guys were invited to such fancy places!" Veronica cheered quietly, looking around in Harvis's mansion.

Wasn't really my taste, it was too flashy, too "look, I have a lot of money" kinda decor, but I didn't interrupt her aweing. The demon and I were alert anyway, knowing that we had some important business to attend to, and, he somehow had to keep Veronica far away from my side of the plan.

But for now, I won't do much, we'll have to let the host show himself, so they wouldn't be looking for him immediately.

Gentle jazz played in the background, as mainly the same people, but much less of them talked and drank all around in the decorated Hall, as at the previous gala we attended.

"You two are terribly quiet..." Veronica concluded, surprisingly cheerfully. When she woke up this morning, she was in a much better state than before. I guess she just needed to feel safe and get a little bit of rest.

Jude... Jude was not very happy still, I felt like I pushed a button on him that caused a bigger effect than I first thought it will. He genuinely seemed like he was hurt, but not in like a normal human way, more like a distant, cold manner. "We still have a lot of time until our dear friend shows up, Seth. In the programme, his big arrival is put around 9 pm." Jude said suddenly, completely ignoring Veronica who stood between us.

I nodded, and let my eyes wander around in the room. A soft melody played, and quite a few pairs were slow dancing to it, which seemed almost surreal. I thought this kind of only happens in historical movies and homecoming dances. As my gaze left the dancefloor, they met with Jude's, who looked like he was about to ask something, but suddenly Veronica came into my view with a kind smile.

"Care for a dance, sir?" she made a huge theatrical gesture, the one that usually the male counterpart is supposed to do when inviting someone to a dance, and I softly chuckled. I didn't really want to bother with these types of things just before the kill, but I was also happy Veronica was happier now and I didn't want to ruin that.

"I mean... if it's okay with Jude..." She said hesitantly, making me glance in the direction of the demon, who still had his lips parted as if he was cut off right before he wanted to talk. Generally, Jude wasn't one to be silenced, especially not by interruption, but now it seemed as if his words stuck on his throat.

His eyes found mine, and the message was clear: Don't.

Though it wasn't in the "you are mine, do not let another human being lay a finger on you" kind of look, but something more worried and more serious, but still, knowing how much Jude hated Veronica, I wasn't surprised one bit. I just rolled my eyes at him gently and turned back to Ver.

"Sure m'lady, but I can't dance" I forced a cheeky smile on myself, offering my hand to her. She flashed me a happy grin.

"I'll teach you if you want, we can go to the balcony since there is no crowd there" she offered and I just let her decide it, I didn't really care, either way.

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"Seth, you'll catch a cold" Jude insisted a little sharply, but I just shrugged. It wasn't even cold outside, and so I knew what his real intentions were. "Stay here, I'll be right back" I waved him off quickly.

As we got outside, I had to realize the balcony was huge, like in those old, aristocrat houses. It was beautiful, especially lit by the moonlight, hitting Veronica's blonde locks with an almost angelic beauty.

They really were complete opposites with Jude... Just, every small movement of them screamed how different these two were, and I felt like it's a little ironic, that these two are the ones who play a big part in my life.

I was looking at her with a soft smile, while she returned the favour, and placed my hand on her back. I was aware of the position we had to be in, so I took her free hand, and listen to her guidance about where to step and how. "I wish we could stay like this" she said quietly after she could stop counting for me, and I could just take the lead. It wasn't hard, three steps in total, and it was easy to follow the rhythm, even though we were far away from the actual band. "Some things can't be, Veronica" I retorted a little apologetically, but sternly.

"Maybe. But this could be" she pushed the topic lightly, as we were dancing on the empty balcony. Silence settled between us, as I stared at that pair of hopeful blue eyes... What could I ever say to them, that wouldn't disappoint? I was not the man she thought me to be. I was, in fact, not the man that many people and supernatural entities thought me to be.

I guess being a failure is just my thing now.

"If this one is about Jude again... Veronica, please understand you cannot understand it. He is good for me... In a way." I bit my lips, trying to explain something I had no way of saying right. She searched my expression, with a hidden emotion I couldn't quite understand, but didn't say anything for a little while.

"This night is... crucial, isn't it? Something important is about to happen. It's in the air" she concluded, and I tensed up a bit by her guess. Unfortunately, or not, I was way too biased with her, so I did not assume she knew something. I furrowed my brows, flashing a confused smile.

"Just a dinner party"

"But you did come here for something specific, isn't that right, Seth?" she kept going, eyes boring into mine, and I felt like I can't lie to her face anymore. I swallowed, trying to find a way around the question, but after all, I just nodded. "Please... leave with me" she begged with her whole expression, holding on tighter to my shoulder. I took a deep breath, for a second, considering her request... Probably just because of the moment though, the whole thing felt like a surreal dream... as if it was just some sort of vision, of a world, where I am someone else. Where I grew up to be someone else.

Was there no hope for me to go with her? Giving up my revenge, leaving Jude, leaving this mess behind me? But what would I do? Go back to the miserable life I had before? Pretending I'm this good guy, who I really wasn't?

It would be weird to wake up and know, the demon won't be around. It would be strange to even fall asleep that way, my couch not being occupied, knowing when the night wakes me, Jude won't stand in the doorway, to check if I'm alright. "I'm sorry Veronica" I whispered as my stomach curled up into a small ball of self-hatred and pain. Her expression turned into something like mine, but somehow... condescending. Pitiful rather.

"So am I... but one of you has to... go" I opened my mouth to ask what she was talking about when I suddenly noticed that her hand wasn't on my shoulder anymore... I felt something cold and painful in my back. I immediately started hyperventilating as I stumbled back with a betrayed expression, staring at Veronica in disbelief as I fell to my knees from the pain.

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I gently reached to my back, and my finger traced the silhouette of a small knife.

"You... you stabbed me" I whispered in sheer disbelief.

"I'm... I'm so sorry Seth. I... I didn't want to do this to you. I tried everything else" she kept on apologising, but all I felt was blind hatred and anger. Her defence was hardly working, while a knife was sticking out of me. I slowly pushed myself back onto my feet, and slowly but surely got to the railing, grasping it with all my strength.

"You aren't an angel, are you?" I asked with a raspy tone while trying to fight the overwhelming pain.

"I'm human. That's why I could do it" her answer didn't help much, so I just turned my gaze away from her, before I waste more energy being extremely angry. But I guess what my anger tried to mask was my devastation... The only person who I thought genuinely cared for me, turned out to be... like the rest of them. The realization was so much more painful than the actual wound I suffered, and I could hardly keep my tears back.

She glanced behind her suspiciously and realized she probably shouldn't hang around someone who obviously got stabbed... it reeked from the movements, that she had never done anything like that before, still it didn't redeem any of the things she did to me. She... she just tried to manipulate me into leaving Jude. That's all it ever was. Every kind word, every look of worry... she even agreed to go out with me because of this most likely... It was humiliating. Jude was right. No one cares... people need me for different things, that's all.

She was mumbling something while she left, and I collapsed when I was finally alone, my pride not being able to keep me together anymore. I didn't want to pull the knife out since I would probably just bleed more and die faster... But maybe that's what I should do.

A violent and sarcastic smile appeared on my lips, as I felt myself for the first time, wanting to give up... to death, at that. Maybe it's better if Jude doesn't find me in time... I felt like there is no point living a life, where I must remind myself, I'm just a pawn every ten seconds. Maybe that's all I was meant to be.

I hated how this sounded, but also, somehow now I didn't feel the strength to get back up, and I despised it.

I feel semi-unconscious at one point, laying on the cold marble floor, feeling as I was slowly bleeding out.

"Well, well, well... You really are easy to trick, aren't you Seth?" Lucifers menacing and an ill-spirited voice filled my head, as I tried to stay, but failed to do so.

"Leave" I grumbled, not having the energy to fight him.

"Oh no, I really want to see you die... I guess Evil must do without Chaos now... It's such a tragic, I'm on the verge of tears" he mocked letting out a dark chuckle, as I heard him walk around me, though there was no on the balcony. He slowly kneeled next to me, dragging his hand down my spine.

"Let yourself rest, Seth... You can give up now, it's over... Just... listen to the music and close your eyes" he whispered in my ears, making the offer tempting. I really... I really was exhausted. Not sleeping well for weeks, losing all that blood, betrayed... I just... wanted to close my eyes so bad. As my eyelids wanted to drop, a sudden memory invaded my mind.

Harvis. 

He had to die before me... And Jude. I... I don't want to leave him just yet. I don't want Lucifer to win.

"Don't stress yourself with these things... just give up" Lucifer continued, but I ignored him I slowly attempted to move my hand, until I reached the mark on my neck, feeling the familiar burning, and knowing that it summons Jude to my side momentarily.

"N...Not today, Satan"