End of this week?

All the demons recovering from the great loss of their demonic energy gasped as they turned to the demon doctor. The room was eerily silent, like something forbidden had been said or an uninvited guest had arrived.

Even the roaring sound of the rain outside seemed to fade into a distant echo and no one had the guts to say anything afterward.

The demon doctor folded his hands tightly before him, avoiding all direct eye contact and the current tension in the room felt as though he was responsible for the human’s current predicament. Or he liked to call it fate or destiny.

The human doesn’t look like someone blessed with a very long life from the heavens.

Why did His Royal Highness even care so much? Hell, he had never even seen this human with His Royal Highness before. It made the demon doctor wonder whether it was even possible for two strangers to become so attached in just a matter of weeks! It felt like there was more to whatever was between His Royal Highness and the seductress.

It was just a mortal affliction.

Grim found himself sighing in relief as he stared down at the woman in his hold, lightly brushing her pale, cold cheeks. For a moment, he thought it was something that would be beyond his control. Like some deadly curse or a spiritual attack from one of his many enemies.

Good, it was just a mortal illness. Which means there was a quick solution to it.

He had seen a few humans get sick and take a few prescribed medicines and get well the next day. He wondered why she never prioritized her health above everything else. But now that he will be staying by her side forever, that will be one of the many things he was going to be taking care of.

’’Hope you brought along the cure with you,’’ Grim spoke, as he continued his caresses, touching a few strands of her hair, frowning at what this parasite was doing to her beautiful hair.

’’S–s–sorry?’’ The demon doctor spoke without consulting his brain. From his left hand side, Azazel threw him a hard glare as the demon doctor played with his fingers nervously, staring at his prince in horror.

Grim’s eternal gaze moved on the doctor, holding out his right hand asking for the cure to this mortal disease.

The demon doctor flinched hard, his teeth moving nervously against each other as his eyes widened like the bottom of a cooking pot.

Didn’t his royal highness hear what he said last?

There...is no...Oh hell, how am I supposed to say that now? It looks like I am really going to be beheaded tonight for something no one has no control over.

Azazel turned to stare at one of his disciples, daring to let his royal highness wait longer than usual for the cure.

’’Where is it?’’ Azazel demanded and the demon doctor immediately submitted to his fate. What’s the point in fighting it if he was still going to die anyway?

Everyone watched as the demon doctor fell on his knees like he was ready to confess a crime. He was shaking like a thousand thunderbolts zapped non stop across his veins.

’’I deserve to die, Your Majesty!’’ The demon doctor said dramatically, bowing his head until his forehead touched the cold marble floor.

’’But there is no cure for it,’’ he cried out, pleading for his royal highness mercy and his words echoed like a thunderclap.

’’What do you mean there is no cure for it?’’ Azazel’s thunderous thundered and the demon turned to his master with tears streaming down his face. Azazel could not believe the demon doctor would have the audacity to say such a thing in this situation.

’’Nonsense!’’

Oh how the demon doctor wished it was but it was very true. Then slowly, he raised his head high enough to meet His Royal Highness’s gaze and decided to make them all understand the situation clearly rather than tearing his head off for a delusional cure to something that has none.

’’The mortals call it cancer. It’s one of their top five deadliest illnesses with a slim chance of survival even with the best treatments made available.’’

No one said anything for a while and the demon doctor continued bravely, raising his head higher so they understand this wasn’t his fault and there was nothing any of them could do to save the human but to watch her die slowly at the end of the week.

’’It has no cure and even if there is, the parasite in her is much more unique than any I have ever seen or researched on. It seems to focus its attack on the red blood cells, the muscles of the heart and even killing off the body’s defenses against it. Even if we began researching desperately for a cure...I’m afraid the human wouldn’t live long enough for it, Your Majesty—’’

’’How dare you.’’

The doctor cried out when Azazel brought out his whip and marched toward the demon doctor, intending to whip a cure out of him.

’’Azazel.’’

Azazel paused at the call of his name. The magical hum of his dragon bone whip whirling in his hold as he turned to stare at his prince. Every demon in the room responded to that call as if they were all bearing that name.

Surprisingly, their love-stricken possessive demon prince didn’t end the world like they imagined him to do. He was surprisingly calm, even more collected than any of them. They all mistook that calmness for a sign he probably didn’t care anymore knowing that the seductress in his hold was doomed to die in a week.

But they had no idea how helpless that information made him. He was calm on the outside but chaos spread within his body, his hands trembling non stop as the world conspired once again to take yet another thing that promised future years of a meaningful existence. A chance to love and be loved in return, and for once, he would finally have something to hold on to and continue this rather miserable existence.

The future he had imagined with her now felt like a cruel dream. She was going somewhere beyond his reach and he wouldn’t see her again.

Grim trembled slightly as his eyes flickered about in urgency.

What should he do to stop death from taking away his happiness?

Hell, he was given three hundred and sixty five earthly days to be loved back and be freed from his punishment.

It had only been a few weeks of being with her. They just shared their first kiss and she was already taking dangerous steps far beyond his reach.

No.

Grim’s arms around her tightened.

He will not permit such separation.

Not now, not in a million years.

’’Azazel,’’ he called again and the demon’s whip disappeared from his hold to face his prince. ’’I am losing my mind.’’

’’Your Majesty, Your Majesty...’’ the demon doctor crawled forward and other demons called out to him quickly in concern.

Grim locked eyes with Azazel and said, ’’Tell me how to fix this.’’

*

*

Azazel was the last thing shielding them from Ichor’s rage. Whatever he says next, was going to seal their fate and decide if they were all going to make it out alive.

It was Azazel’s turn to be assaulted by a thousand gazes as all his disciples turned to him like he was their long awaited savior. The poor demon thought the solution to this was too much and unfair for him to bear all alone.

But he had to say something, even if it was good or bad for the sake of the eyes that looked up to him for a way out.

’’Well, I...’’ Azazel blinked, feeling pressured when no possible way out revealed itself to him at that moment. He thought hard and far, feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable all at once. Until one solution resurfaced again, causing him to take in a deep breath as he could no longer ignore it. It might turn out to be the only way but His Royal Highness might not like it.

’’All I know is that the light of a divine being is pure and capable of curing all seen and unseen afflictions. If we could find our way to heaven and capture a divine being...’’

’’Azazel,’’ Grim said calmly enough for Azazel to know he was in big trouble. ’’I am a demon. Not an angel. It’s impossible for the likes of me to reach heaven.’’

Even if he managed to do so, he would spend years fighting Michael and the other arch angels. And not to talk of how exhausting it will be to capture a divine being and make it back to earth on time to save his love. He might as well just watch her die and try to revive her corpse.

Azazel turned around quickly, falling on his knees to apologise for his terrible suggestion. But the wise demon doctor considered it and gasped excitedly at the solution he was able to arrive from that stupid suggestion.

’’Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness,’’ the vermin crawled forward happily towards the edge of the bed. Grim’s eyes lowered to the eyesore as he said.

’’We have a divine being in hell!’’ The demon doctor exclaimed foolishly, causing all eyes to widen and all faces to pale at the demon doctor’s blunder. Even Azazel was terrified at such foolishness. But it seems like they were the only ones who thought he had just committed an unforgivable sin.

’’His Greatness. The red dragon himself!’’

Grim only wished the demon would stop talking from there but he just had to say his name.

’’Your Father! The devil!’’