Make Me
Chapter TWENTY-TWO

I don't think I ever looked more Victorian-novel-male-protagonist in my life, than tonight. The suit and tie, with the pushed-back hair, accompanied by my walking stick, it all gave me a strange sort of "aristocrat with a dark backstory" vibe, that I honestly didn't have a problem with.

"This stick makes me look older" I complained (or just observed really) quietly, eyeing my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"Yeah totally, I swear you could easily pass as 7 or maybe even 8" Jude shouted back from the living room, waiting for me so we could get going. I rolled my eyes, sighing and admitting this will be one hell of a long night. But also... There is no harm in enjoying it for once, is there? It's my birthday or something. I'm nineteen... hurray, I guess?

Obviously, I knew this was just a way of Jude trying to hide the fact that the world is falling apart around us, and it's somehow all my fault according to literally almost everyone, but still, I could use the distraction.

As I got out of the bathroom, and our eyes met with the demon, he gave me a look that was equivalent to a very well worded compliment. Jude always looked at me with a hunger that suggested I would be everything that he would need to have right now, and that somehow made me want to keep my distance even more. I guess, aside from the fact that I didn't want to get entangled with him sexually, I also didn't want him to lose interest in me... As sad as it is to admit, he is the only one who ever really found my valuable, which is quite... depressing, to be frank, but what can you do?

Jude himself was wearing a three-piece, complimenting his broad shoulders and elegant posture. We both had plenty of reasons to stare at each other, but to be honest, it wasn't unusual. Having this bond, made both of our lives harder, even if Jude didn't show, from the interactions I had with other people that knew him, I gather that he really went out of his way to be gentle with me. I must admit, from our first interactions I was pretty sure that he'll torture me the first chance he gets, but he still didn't use his shot to order me whatever he wants to... But I have that unsettling feeling that he is keeping that for later.

On a different note, as we arrived at his choice of restaurant, I was speechless. I almost felt like I wasn't supposed to be in there, the only thing holding me back from cowering so no one would notice my presence, was my oh-so-important pride. I knew this place, I've walked by it many times, but I never dreamed of coming in here. The "Fameux" was one of the most expensive places that one could replace nearby, and so it was a little intimidating to enter as if I had any place here. Big chandeliers hung from the huge ceiling, everything overly decorated, but somehow still classy, and overall, you could just tell this place was exclusive, to say the least.

Jude, probably noticing my uneasiness that I fought so hard to hide, gently placed his hand on my lower back, as if to reassure me to keep going. We passed many tables, and pairs dining together until we got to the very back of the room. A table for two was already prepared with a single rose and a candle. It was almost like in those picture-perfect movies.

It was a big relief to sit down finally, but that also meant I had to face the demon who was not very good at hiding his amusement.

"Just admit it. You replace it childish that I like this" I rolled my eyes, while one of the waiters gave us our menus.

"I'm your demon, I'm not here to judge your desires, I'm here to make them come true..." he smiled cunningly, sending me a clear but subtle message that dining at expensive places is not the only one of my desires he is aware of. I swallowed a little, standing his sinister gaze, and nodded, while still trying to fight the pleasant level of arousal that the words "I'm your demon" left in me.

Damn right he was mine.

"Would you like some wine?" the waiter dared to break our obvious stare-down, but both Jude and I glanced at him as if we were just having the time of our life.

Maybe we were... I get the feeling, we both thrived on these mental (or sometimes not so mental) battles between us.

"Yeah, thank you" I replied before Jude would have the chance to, though I'm pretty sure he would've said something similar. As the waiter left, my gaze found the demon again.

"Speaking of desire... What was up with you and the prof?" I asked, what I meant to for a while now.

He took his eyes off me for a while, scanning the table before replaceing me again. My curiosity only grew from his hesitant behaviour, so I tilted my head to the side, signalling my growing interest.

"I made those for you... " he began, boring his eyes into mine "They were somewhat personal, so I wasn't happy that he kept them." I was about to say something along the lines of 'sorry I didn't get them back', but before I could've done so, his facial expression changed into an elusive smile.

"I noticed it's quite to your liking when I act out... isn't it?" he wondered with a face that suggested he already knows the answer to this question.

"Hmmm... Did I ever wonder what I would need to do, for you to like turntables, and throw things around...? Absolutely yes." I gave him an insolent grin, leaning back in my chair.

He chuckled lowly, glancing down at the tabletop as if he was picturing something in his head for a moment, accompanying the act with a small motion of his tongue running through the edge of his sharp teeth.

The waiter came back again, pouring both of us some wine, and he asked for our orders. I let Jude pick for me, after all, I didn't really know or understand the name of any of the meals.

"In these particular fantasies of me throwing a tantrum... what do I do with you?" he asked, his gaze meeting mine with a dark twinkle dancing in his velvet orbs.

"I paid quite a high price for Lucifer not to get in my head... Neither will you, Jude" I smiled knowingly, and raised my glass a little in his direction, while my eyes didn't leave him.

Mirroring my grin and gesture, he gently knocked his glass to mine and gave a small nod.

"I love your confidence dear, it's truly admirable" he hummed.

"So is your dedication..." I replied quickly, both of us smiling, yet it was evident neither of us meant the compliments in a good way.

***

We had quite a pleasant time dining together. Jude is actually a pretty good company, even with his awfully sexual humour, and demonic smile, I must admit it was one of my most relaxing nights recently. By the time we decided to leave and resign to our hotel, we were both a little tipsy, and that resulted in me using my walking-stick like an absolute moron, but I managed to stay on my feet after all.

"Do you, like, think... I'll grow any taller?" I asked him as we were leaving the restaurant, my tone sounding like it was a deep, philosophical question.

"Do you want me to lie to you, Seth? Because I'm good at it, I can do it..." the demon explained, his voice less reserved and calculated than usual. I grinned at the obvious sign of him getting a little drunk too, but my expression soon changed when my eyes caught a glimpse of familiar golden locks from across the street. Eyes wide open, I was staring after the girl... No, not any girl. It was Veronica. She was facing away from me, but I could tell. Those locks... "It's her..." I muttered as if in a trance. Jude followed my gaze, furrowing his brows, then shrugged. "Who?"

"Veronica" I explained impatiently, irritated that he didn't know immediately what I was talking about.

"It's not her. It's a random girl"

"It's her" my quick, and aggressive hissing silenced him, but I could see he wasn't happy about my new focus. His eyes darkened with some strange and frankly, scary, temper, but I couldn't give a damn at that moment. "Veronica!" I shouted. A few people passing by glanced at me, but it was already late at night, not many walked around this area. The blonde-haired girl didn't turn to me, just when I shouted at her even louder. She glanced at me above her shoulder's, noticing that I was glaring at her, but we were too far away for either of us to really see each other's face. Nonetheless, I'm sure she knew who I was... And I knew who she was.

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"I'll get her" I decided, throwing my walking stick to the ground.

"--What? No, Seth wait--!" Jude's words didn't reach me as I made a run for it across the road, hearing a few angry honks around me, as people had to step on the brake not to hit me. I didn't bother, I had to catch up to the girl, and since she probably realized who I was, she began running away. It wasn't easy to use my leg, every step hurt a little more than the last, but adrenalin gave me enough energy not to give up.

"Stop!" I shouted after her, my fury and irritation only growing because I wasn't fast enough in this state to reach her. Why doesn't my body work, God damn it?

She finally stopped in her tracks, because we reached another road, but it was much busier than the one before, cars passing through at high speed, and I could see that she was pacing, trying to replace a way to go through.

I grinned like a predator, knowing I finally caught her, but when she glanced back at me again and saw that I was catching up, she just... She just threw herself on the road, barely jumping away from a car.

I growled like an angry animal, but at this point, I was seeing red. I had to catch Veronica. This might be my last chance, and I wasn't about to waste it.

All my frustrated and vengeful thoughts running through my head in the few seconds that I hesitated, I couldn't stop myself from running after her, and since she had to stop every now and then, to avoid getting hit between the lanes, I finally saw the distance between us disappear.

I jumped her, and she let out a painful scream as her back hit the solid asphalt road underneath us.

"Finally," I panted grinning violently from my successful hunt until I met eyes with Veronica... Or at least the girl I presumed to be Veronica.

A scared, very young girl stared into my eyes, petrified for obvious reasons, and tears falling down her pale face.

I opened my mouth to say something, as I was still holding her down, but before I could've really done anything, I heard a loud honk, so I glanced to my side.

My breath stuck in my throat, as I realized we were still on the road, and a car was mere meters away from us. My life passed before my eyes, and I had only a few milliseconds dedicated to sheer panic.

"Fuck" I mumbled, closing my eyes at the planned moment of the hit, and I hunched over the girl as if my body could protect her from a car.

A loud crashing sound sent a shiver down my spine, but to my utter surprise, I didn't feel any pain... did I die instantly?

Opening my eyes, I searched for the car, and I found it soon enough since it was parked on the road, a few people gathered around right in front of the vehicle as if they were looking at something.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I heard a grumpy, but well-known voice and my eyes shot to the ground, where Jude was sitting.

His mouth was bleeding, and his suit was torn but other than that he seemed fine... And that made one of them because the car was wrecked, at least the front of it was totally ruined as if it crashed into a tree or something.

I couldn't comprehend the situation for the longest time, and I wasn't alone with that. Everyone was obviously confused about why was Jude alive, and even though he faked a limp as he stood up, it was rather unbelievable.

"Let go of me!" now it was the girl's turn to speak up, as she attempted to push me off her. I gotta admit, that was the weakest push I had ever had the chance to experience, and I kind of wondered if this is how it feels for Jude when I try to move him.

I slowly climbed off her, not willing to explain the situation to anyone, while Jude slowly walked up to me, and wrapped his long fingers around my wrists tightly, as if he had planned on breaking it.

He shoved my walking stick into my free hand and started dragging me away from the accident.

"Sorry for the trouble." He mumbled to the small crowd, as he led me away from them sternly. I couldn't even speak up for those minutes while we walked to the hotel because I could feel his intense desire to strangle me right then and there, and I just didn't really want to experience that... Or well, I did want to, but I also didn't want to die.

"Are...Are you okay?" I asked quietly, as he got out key from the lobby.

"If I were you, Seth, I would be really silent right now." his voice was contained, but sharp, and it sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't dare to reply, instead, I tried to tell from his expression if he was in pain whatsoever.

His eyes were distant, not even paying attention to me, he stared sternly at the elevator door, as we waited to get on our floor.

I was pretty sure, as soon as we get to our room, he'll just murder me and get it over with, so I was a little hesitant to enter, the otherwise amazing looking hotel room that he rented for my birthday.

I walked in, looking around, and shortly after I turned to face him, not being able to stand the suspense.

He shot the door, his eyes settled on me.

"You know... I wouldn't say I'm particularly... Angry? Or surprised, for that matter. " He began, his voice proving the complete opposite "It just... rubs me the wrong way, Seth... Your obsession with blondes... you know?" he started to make his way to me, while I kept back away so our distance would stay the same.

"I thought it's her... " I tried to defend myself, but it didn't seem to work.

"I couldn't care less, what you thought" he hissed, towering above me, when my back finally hit the wall, and so I had no chance but let him close. His stormy eyes now boring into mine, weakening my knees with fear and a strange sense of excitement. This was not a good moment for me to admire his angry mood.

"You never do what I ask of you... Not at the party, not now, not anytime... But that will change tonight." he slowly reached up to my face, and caressed my skin with one of his fingers, while staring down at me with cruel dedication. "It's time for me to teach you a lesson you'll not forget for a while... don't you agree? I might just replace a way to make you forget Veronica... or perhaps even your name" his grin alarmed me more than anything could've, and I soon realized what was about to go down. My expression turned desperate, pressing my lips together in panic. He obviously noticed how red my face got, and my eyes begging for him to not say what he was about to. "Jude, please don't---"

"I order you to obey me tonight"