6

A therapist told me after Leo died that I had trust issues.

Really? I thought. I wonder why.

After all I'd been through in my life so far, it should've been obvious that I'd have problems trusting people in my life. But in living with Jade and Saffron, I probably should've been more careful with trusting what I'd summoned too.

I never had the heart to question Jade about things when he'd suddenly vanish in the middle of the night, especially after my encounter with Lacy Manson. I know that I most certainly could and should have. Jade was obligated to answer anything that I asked him. He'd told me that himself many times.

Yet I never could quite bring myself to question him on anything he did. I suppose I could reason that I wanted to trust that he'd always return to me, and that he would always put me first. That was part of our agreement, and he'd sworn to keep his word to the end.

But also, I confess that there was another thing nagging at the back of my mind, one that I did my best to not acknowledge.

Fear.

If I was completely honest about everything, I never got too comfortable in that house, even if I had everything I wanted and gave them all of me whenever they desired. I was well aware that they were demons, and while Saffron seemed more open and friendly, I didn't miss that his eyes tended to carry certain coldness in them that he often tried to hide.

I also had no doubt by now that Saffron and Jade had worked together on killing Leo, even if Saffron had only attacked Lacy. The truth was that I'd seen some of the police records through my lawyer as the estate was getting settled. Lacy Manson had been sexually assaulted and had bruises on her wrists and thighs where she had been held down.

The police said intruders had done it. Lacy contested that, claiming it was invisible monsters.

Well, I guess she was half right. I couldn't help thinking that as I prepared to go out that afternoon to sign the final papers to settle Leo's estate. As his widow I was entitled to everything and it was vital that I was there.

Jade was sitting back in one of the easy chairs near me, watching as I slipped on my coat.

"Are you sure you'd rather one of us didn't go?" he asked me.

"I'll be fine. It's just a quick paper signing, then I'll come right home." I responded.

"It's taken them long enough. Humans are such slow creatures at times."

"You do realize that you're talking to one, right?"

I felt the smile cross my face with my words. I wished I could wipe it away. I was getting too close again.

Jade returned my smile. It was friendly, yet there was something distinctly chilling about it too.

To be honest, none of Jade's smiles were truly sincere. There was always something behind them that one couldn't read, and I was beginning to think Saffron was right when he'd called him the biggest enigma in existence.

"If you insist. But just remember, as long as you have that contract you'll never truly be alone." he reminded me.

He was right. I was never alone. Even when I thought I was, a part of me knew that either he or Saffron was watching from somewhere.

I'd actually gotten a chance to read a bit of my contract by then and I'd learned that Saffron was indeed written into it. In fact, he had all of the same privileges and binding as Jade. I wondered why. Yes, I knew about their history, but something about their involvement with me felt odd when I allowed myself to think more about it. Why two when one could easily do the job?

I tried to push it to the back of my mind again as I drove into the city to take care of my business for the day.

What's done is done, I told myself. There's nothing that will change any of it now.

The lawyer handling everything with Leo's estate was a man named Arnold Rhinestone. He was an older man, in his mid to late fifties, and had been practicing law for a very long time.

Rhinestone ended up with my case just by chance, considering that I was still in the hospital when Leo died and couldn't pick a lawyer of my own. I had the distinct feeling that he didn't trust me either. Every time the man looked at me, it was like he was studying me. I couldn't imagine why, but I didn't question it. I just reasoned that soon I would be done with him and this whole thing would be put behind me.

I can recall Rhinestone's office quite well for its distinctness. The man carried a fascination with different cultures and had quite a few odd artifacts on display there. It was quite strange to me to see an older lawyer with an office like that. I'd even questioned his credentials for it at first. But he'd handled everything for me extremely well, so I supposed that I didn't have room to complain.

Still, as I sat down in that chair, I felt uneasy. I really wished that I'd asked Jade to come. Maybe it would've quelled these nerves.

Rhinestone had been waiting for me. I had the feeling he was hoping to wrap all this up very quickly. Of course, there were the formalities as well. He started with them every time I came there.

"Ah Ms. Evans, how good to see you. How are you today? I'm surprised that you have no company with you this time." he said as I sat down.

Of course he'd mention that. It was true that every time I'd come there, either Jade, Saffron, or both would be with me. Jade had enjoyed intimidating the man whenever possible too. As one would imagine, Jade was extremely intelligent and he liked to show it off.

"They were busy today, so I decided to come myself. I'm not an invalid anymore." I explained, managing to plaster a smile on my face.

"Of course, of course." I watched him rifle through some papers, "Everything seems to be in order now. I must admit that your late husband's assets surprised me a little. He was a detective, wasn't he?"

"He was."

"Such a shame. It seems like they make some bitter enemies anymore. Even that woman who was helping him didn't get away without them driving her to the brink. Terrible, terrible thing."

"Yes. It seems that he crossed the wrong person this time."

I couldn't help feeling a slight hint of satisfaction within me. Yes, he'd angered me enough that last time and my claws had gotten him.

Rhinestone looked at me for a moment, but said nothing. Tenseness filled the air before he cleared his throat.

"Well, I think you'll see that everything's in order now. His debts have all been paid and the lump sum will be put into your account within the week." he continued as he handed me the papers.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

I wasn't planning on being there very long. In fact, I'd wanted to get out of that office as quickly as I could. I didn't feel comfortable when I was being scrutinized, which I was certain he was doing.

Yet I couldn't resist reflecting on everything that had come to pass as I walked out to my car in the nearby parking garage. Leo was dead, I was getting everything, and I was living with the two demons who had killed him. Was I insane for that? I was beginning to wonder.

But as I reached my car, I saw that someone was there waiting for me. I stopped dead in my tracks as I recognized her. It was Lacy Manson. What in the world was she doing here?

"I thought that this was your car." she said as she saw me. Her tone was quiet, her expression neutral as she regarded me.

I was still as I stared at her, "What are you doing here?" I cautiously asked.

There was a strange look in her eyes as she stared back at me. It made me even more nervous, though I couldn't place why. Finally, she spoke again.

"I know what you did."

"What are you talking about?"

My heart began pounding in my chest. There was no way that she could've known about my deal with Jade. There was just no way. Yet, I couldn't seem to convince myself of that. There was something deep inside of me that felt like she knew the truth now.

"You had him killed. I know you did it. I'm not crazy." Lacy went on.

I took a step back as she reached into her coat, pulling out a gun. Now I wished that I'd reconsidered allowing Jade to come. He could've gotten me out of this. He could easily stop her from shooting me.

But a more sobering thought immediately came to mind as she aimed that gun at me. There was a possibility that Jade would simply allow her to kill me. After all, wouldn't my death mean that my soul would belong to him?

I did my best to remain calm and try to reason with her, "Lacy, put the gun down. Let's not be rash here."

"Why did you do it? Why did you have him killed so horribly? He was going to leave you and never come back! You wouldn't have had to hurt yourself anymore!" Lacy went on, still pointing the gun at me. It was shaking now along with her hands.

Her words brought up the rage within me. Even now, no one believed me about what had happened. No one believed the awful things that Leo had done to me. I hated that. I hated it so much that I couldn't stand it.

"He deserved to die! He deserved everything that he got for what he put me through!" I declared.

Lacy's eyes widened, and she steadied the gun towards me with a set look on her face.

"Then you should die with him. You'll go to hell for what you did." she whispered.

No one ever really wants to die, and I certainly wasn't ready to. That was my reason for calling out to Jade in the first place. Leo wasn't going to kill me, and at that moment, I was determined that Lacy wouldn't either. Whether Jade answered or not, I was determined to try.

"Jade!"

The next thing I knew, everything suddenly became darker and extremely quiet. Lacy noticed it too and immediately tensed up in fear. I could feel the warmth in my left eye, and I was certain that the contract was glowing.

"What... what is that?" Lacy's voice trembled as she looked at me.

"That, my dear, is the mark of one who has given up their soul for revenge." Jade answered from behind her.

A dark mist floated up around me, then an arm wrapped around my collar. I looked over my shoulder to see Saffron standing there. They were working together again.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I was safe now. Jade had again answered my call.

Lacy raised the gun at Saffron and me.

"What is this?! Who the hell are you?!" she cried. She hadn't even realized that Jade was directly behind her.

"Now this is a dangerous little game you're playing. Didn't they warn you that guns aren't something to trifle with?" Jade asked, laying a hand over hers on the gun.

Saffron pulled me against him, "What shall we do now? It seems that she knows the truth." he said to Jade.

"Indeed. How very inconvenient. What do you think Faith?" Jade asked, keeping Lacy still.

"I don't want her dead Jade. It's much better if she stays alive and like she is."

"Ah suffering. How very poetic of you."

Lacy broke away, spinning around to face him. But she cowered when she did. She managed to hold the gun tightly in her shaky hands.

"What the hell are you?!" she cried.

Jade took a step towards her, "Call us what you will. But I must say, it is rather rude to point a gun at one that you have just met."

"Stay away from me!" Lacy yelled.

I closed my eyes and held onto Saffron as I heard the deafening sounds of the gunshots. The only sound that followed them was of Lacy crying. I looked back to see that Jade was still standing in front of her like nothing had happened.

"Now, did that make you feel any better? Perhaps I should return these to you." he said, holding out his hand. The bullets clattered as they hit the ground.

Saffron tightened his hold on me, "Why don't I take you home now? Jade can finish dealing with this." he whispered in my ear.

"I said don't kill her Jade." I warned.

"No intentions to." Jade agreed, "Head home with Saffron now. I will join you soon enough."

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in my bed, with no memory at all of getting home. Saffron was standing near me, closing the blinds of the window. He smiled at me when he saw I was awake.

"Good evening. I trust that you slept well?"

I sat up, shaking my head, "What happened? The last thing I remember was being out there with Lacy." I responded.

"It's taken care of, so you shouldn't worry. However, it will be a while longer before Jade gets back. You don't mind my company until then, do you?" Saffron answered.

All of that had happened. It wasn't simply a dream. Jade was making sure that no one would know the truth about our contract.

I barely noticed Saffron kneel in front of me, speaking softly, "Faith."

I snapped back to attention to see him looking up at me. "Yes?"

"You look troubled. Is everything alright?" he asked me.

I let out a long breath, "It's nothing. I just wasn't expecting such trouble today."

"It comes with the territory now. But you don't need to worry. What's done is done, and we won't let anyone cause you harm." Saffron promised.

"Saffron, do you believe that Jade could actually come to care about me?"

"Where did that come from all of a sudden?"

"Well..." I hesitated, "I know that it was in the contract that he wanted to see if he could love me, but I'm not sure if it's actually is possible."

"I cannot answer that one for you I'm afraid." Saffron admitted, "Jade is not an easy one to read. But if it makes you feel any better, I can tell you what I think of you."

"What you think?" I repeated.

"Yes. I will say that I'm quite content to be here with you now. I really wasn't sure in the beginning, but I've found that I feel more and more at home around you every day. It's rather funny, but the three of us being here has been more comfortable than any other time in my existence. That's why I personally will make sure that you do not die anytime soon. I want to savor this time while it lasts." Saffron explained.

I don't think that I put his words together at that time. But later, I would come to believe that I knew his truth. Saffron seemed to be a very unwilling evil angel. He had only fallen because of his desire for Jade, and it seemed that he didn't carry the nasty tendencies that I was slowly learning that Jade had. Perhaps, at least for him, this whole little scenario that Jade had created had proven to his benefit.

But in that moment, the only thing that I could think about were my own feelings towards the entire situation. The weight was always going to be there, but I felt like I had at least one friend through all of it, and that was Saffron. I was quite sure of it as I kissed him.

Yes, I know now that trust can be a stupid thing, and eventually, I would learn that the hard way.