I Accepted

I knew that this wasn't a fight I could be careless with. Even from the start, I could feel that this man wasn't anything like the Blake twins. He was on another level entirely. So I held back slightly when I lunged for his neck.

My claw grazed nothing but air as he leaned back just enough for a narrow dodge. His bright eyes were on mine, almost daring me to try again.

I pulled back and tried to slam my fist down onto him with enough force to crush him. But the book in his hand latched onto my arm and nudged my strike away barely enough for him to sidestep. His eyes were taunting me now. He was mocking me by putting only the minimum effort.

I continued to lash out again and again, but his speed matched mine too perfectly. He dodged every punch and danced out of reach without taking his eyes off me. My temper raged hotter when his gaze became condescending. He thought he had me outmatched already and even put his right hand into his pocket. But that was a mistake.

I brought both of my fists up then slammed the pavement at our feet, cracking it apart before ripping out a giant slab of concrete beneath the tar. I didn't waste a second before leaping back and throwing it at him like a boulder.

He dived out of the way slightly just like before, but this time I was waiting for him. As he twisted around the hurtling concrete, I managed to get face to face with him. All the rage and all the hate that he made me feel came boiling up into my lungs in an instant. and I didn't hold it back.

My jaws parted just in time to release a red-h0t plume of flame at nearly point-blank range. Then suddenly the wind was knocked out of me and a blast like a sonic boom blew me off of my feet. My body hurtled back into one of the houses on the opposite side of the street. I crashed right through a brick wall and landed halfway inside of a home.

I hadn't expected him to pack such a punch, but as I climbed out of the rubble I smiled. The demon was on his ass, staring at me with wide bewildered eyes and smoke rising from his suit. He reached up and felt his forehead only to find his eyebrows singed right off.

"And here I was starting to think demons couldn't burn," I grumbled. The blast had hurt more than I wanted to admit, but it was worth it. He had to use both hands to stop me from roasting him like a pig. Now I knew how much he was holding back and could fight to kill.

Suddenly, the demon started laughing at the top of his lungs. His eyes brightened and sparkled, casting a faint yellow glow over the rest of his face. "This is unexpected!" he boomed, and rose slowly to his feet. "You are a bigger prize than I thought. I will not sell you after all!"

For the first time tonight, I could see it. I could see and hear the madness in this demon. With the suit slightly burning its way down his shoulders and the scorch marks in place of eyebrows, he no longer seemed composed and steady. He didn't even attempt to put out the small fires spreading over his clothes rather than stripping it all off and throwing it to the side.

"Come fight! Show me what else a monster like you can do!" The challenge was undeniable.

I bared my fangs and roared loud enough for the whole world to know that I accept!