One

Panic settled straight into Liam's bloodstream. The sun was slow in its descent, but he still felt the pain of it.

Each day was a pain, him just attempting to get by.

I can do this, he kept telling himself. His hands shook violently, just as the last rays disappeared entirely.

"Don't abandon me, Grace," he spoke those words like a prayer. A mantra.

She had made a promise to him, even if everything else was... not so great in her life.

Tears swelled in his hazel eyes behind his black prescription glasses, hands cupped together. He had always treated Grace like a living Saint.

Her last words had been to him.

"I won't leave you." She had said. Then her throat had collapsed, blood running.

Liam had sobbed for days a time. Not bothering to stray outside, he was scared of the dark. He had only felt safe at night with Grace.

Grace had been his best friend since kindergarten. After she committed suicide, he didn't like the dark.

He always saw glowing eyes in the corner of his own, but when he turned they had already disappeared. It made him unsteady, uneasy.

He swallowed back screams as he saw shadows shift at the foot of his bed.

Liam was only in high school, so of course, he was afraid of dying. He bit his bottom lip, steeling his resolve somehow. His legs had been spread wide upon the bedsheets, but he crossed them at the ankles, right over left, closing his eyes as he did so.

"I'll be safe..."

"I'm here. I'll always be here." Staticy voice. Liam's eyes flew open, tears squelching at the corners of his eyes, a constant, it seemed, when remembering her.

That was Grace's voice, static or not.

"I'm not going to leave you, Li..." It was so soft, but it was her, definitely.

"Thank you," He whispered, feeling more confident in the dark. He held out his hand. He felt coldness slide over his palm, and he smiled softly.

"You are safe. With me... I won't let them hurt you." Grace told him.

"Who's.... them?" Liam tilted his head. The coldness over his palm was constant, not leaving him.

"Not good people. The... escapees from the Abyss." Grace said. "It's no longer safe for you, when I am not here."

"I..." Liam paused. His fingers retreated, going back to his sides. "Tell me more."

"You can't see me, but you can see them. It's because I am a Soul, whereas... they don't have one." She said, soft. Liam felt warmth inch across his lower body. He cursed inaudibly, pulling his legs against his chest.

"They're here." Grace gasped. The heat bothered Liam terribly, until it was slowly replaced by icy touch.

Liam's breath hitched and pulled, stuttering and stifling.

"Will you always be here to protect me...?" Liam asked, holding out his hands like mediatition, palms up. The coldness pervaded quickly, right along his fingers.

"I'll try..." Grace responded, sounding uneasy with static getting louder and louder.

Voices, growling and rumbling, approached. Warmth slid into the room, grinding out a harsh tone, similar to nails scraping over a chalkboard.

"I'm not giving in!" Liam shouted. The shadows curled around the foot of his bed once more. "It's... Why isn't it getting warmer...?"

"You scared them off." Grace still sounded unsettled.

"Kill him." Said a dark voice.

"Grace...? Grace!" Liam cried out. The icy embrace around him disappeared suddenly.

"You can hide behind Mortal Souls for only so long. You belong to me." The dark voice continued. "So, moy tomnyy prints, you must come home to me."

Somehow, Liam understood those words, though it was growled. All of them.

"I don't know who you are, but my home is here." He said, standing up on his bed, planting both feet into a confident stance.

"No, it's not. It's with me." The dark voice said.

"Show yourself, or are you a coward?" He didn't need Grace's protection. Time ever slowed down, or sped up. He didn't know.

"I am not a coward, but do you really want to see me?" The voice grumbled in even darker laughter. "For I will show you. I could show you the world, if only you asked me..."

"Quit stalling." Liam spat out.

Warmth caressed his shoulders, but pulled away as suddenly as it came. A shadowy form began to take shape, with skin paler than a ghost's aura. Dark hair, and a knowing smirk drew across lips.

"Are you happy, moy tomnyy prints?"

"I told you, not to call me that." Liam's cheeks heated from the forced proximity, however he stood his ground.

"What am I supposed to call you?" The other man's voice purred, absolutely caressing like velvet over Liam's brain. He had his arms wrapped around his own back, staring up at Liam.

However, Liam could tell that the - thing - was much taller than he was.

The man was toying with him.

"Me, personally, I am Krimson." The demon reached out and took hold of Liam's hand, bringing it to his lips and kissed it.

Liam felt his entire body spark, warm enough to heat up popcorn kernels. Raw.

"Now. I must go. But do not forget me. For I am always here." Krimson smirked, revealing his eyes were a crimson red like his name.

"Grace..." Liam's eyes widened. "Grace!!"

"I am here, Liam. I don't know what happened, but-"

"Who the hell is Krimson?" He asked, breathless, propelling himself foot first off of the bed.

"I-" Grace was nearby; the entire room was even colder than before, quickly becoming like a refrigerator the more she stayed. "No one important, why?"

"Grace Juliette Hawthorne." Liam hissed out. "If you don't tell me, I'll just research it myself."

It warmed up a little bit, but then shut back down into the depths of frostbite region.

"Fine. He's the Lord of the Abyss, second only to Daimin himself." She began to explain, pausing only to swallow her ethereal saliva. "He commands, firstly, all of the Berserker demons and demons in general. They are under his watch, and his command. He's the son of one of the Grim. Daimin's most trusted Souls and Demons."

"And that's supposed to scare me? I have went through worse." Liam scoffed.

"You are terrified of the dark, Li." Grace told him softly. He didn't speak. No, he stayed completely silent. "You don't trust yourself alone in it anymore. I... I was kicked out of the room when he came, didn't he? I can't protect you."

The static grew later.

"Please... Don't cry. I don't want you to cry..." Liam muttered. "I'd hate to this, to know, that I brought you to this."

"It's fine. Just..." Grace swallowed. The static grew softer. "I can't always protect you. I want you, no, I need you to know this, Liam."

Liam nodded, holding out his hands. Ice, biting at his skin, slid over his fingers once more.

He let out a breath of relief, but only when the dawn began to grow.

He had survived the night.

Now he only needed to survive the night every time, even in the times where Grace wouldn't be there to protect him.

Not like he was scared of Krimson, or anything... But still.

This would be a long week. Or life, depending on the length of how it lasted.