Chapter Twenty-Three

 

 

Jade arrived at her house around seven a.m. She’d taken Toran’s patrol because she’d been too charged from her confrontation with Davian to sleep. Now she was exhausted. She crawled into bed and was out within minutes.

She awoke around noon and shuffled into the living room to put some wood on the fire, but there was already a nice blaze burning. Davian sat at her table, sifting through correspondence and other items while consulting a map. She’d had too many things on her mind to remember to latch the door. Or perhaps, she’d subconsciously left it unsecured, hoping he’d return.

“How long have you been here?” she asked as she took the chair next to him.

“A couple hours. Catching up on business.” He slid a sheet of paper her way. “This is your copy.”

She stared at the approved document that officially made her a demon slayer. Her gaze lifted and locked with his. “You signed this.”

“I realized you’d continue down this path regardless. And I don’t want you creating more trouble for yourself.” He reached for her hand and raised it to his lips. “There’s something I want to ask of you, though.”

“I promise to be careful,” she quickly assured him.

He nodded. “That’s one thing that deeply concerns me. The other is that you’ve proven to be an effective liaison between myself and the village. I’d like that connection to be more solid. You could assist me.”

Her head inclined to one side as she regarded him thoughtfully. “How?”

“Will you entertain the notion of a diplomatic post? Such as…an ambassador of peace?”

The suggestion stunned her. But myriad thoughts instantly snapped to attention in her mind. “Meaning I would advocate for a less volatile co-existence and you would help us find better, safer ways for humans to live?”

“You can confer with the villagers and present ideas to me for consideration. In turn, I’ll make an effort to improve human-demon relations. But I’m not just talking about Ryleigh. We would take our movement to other villages, all regions.”

Her spirits soared. “You really want to promote goodwill? Together?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Davian…” Her eyes misted.

He said, “That night Michael almost kissed you… Later, I contemplated whether my unrequited feelings for you had become the price I had to pay for letting the Demon War go too far. I thought of restitution and redemption. I hadn’t stopped the battles when I should have and I regret that. In the back of my mind, I’ve always wondered how I could make amends. Now, months following that night outside the tavern, I still contend you’re the key to my salvation.”

She stared at him, her thoughts too jumbled to process. Her heart, however, did not stutter. Rather, it picked up several beats.

“Maybe,” he added, “we were destined to meet—to team up and forge our own Reconstruction Era, as we’d previously discussed.”

“You might be right,” she said with hope blossoming. “I told you, I spent fifteen years just going through the motions every day. But since that first time you came to the village… Yes, there have been some painful moments, yet I’ve started to see things in a new light. I’ve become more involved. It feels as if that’s precisely what I’m supposed to do.”

He grinned at her, though it was notably strained. He still worried over her welfare. Probably still smarted over her disobedience too. He said, “We could help each other if we worked together.”

“Not just each other,” she pointed out. “We could improve a lot of lives. Make the human communities and traveling amongst them less perilous, while still allowing the demons to roam at will outside the borders. Your alliance hasn’t faltered,” she said. “It’s those who haven’t banded with you that present the most trouble.”

“I agree. And I’ll have to place a greater penalty on them. I want this insurgency to stop. Attacks on the slayers and other humans can’t be tolerated.”

She leaned toward him and kissed him. “Thank you for seeing beyond me and accepting a bigger picture.”

“I want you well protected, make no mistake,” he adamantly said. “And pampered; though I might have to settle for comfortable. My idea of ensuring that happened was to whisk you away to my home. But now I know how much you love the cottage—and why. And how fiercely dedicated you are to the village. As your father had been. I respect that, Jade. As such…I’ll try to be less controlling.”

She smiled.

“However,” he told her with a hefty dose of warning in his voice, “when I know there’s danger close by, I don’t want you doing anything hasty. You need to maintain your partnership with Toran and watch each other’s backs. Do you understand?”

“You have my word.” Triumph rippled through her. “I don’t want to divert your attention by causing you to worry about me because I’ve gone off half-cocked. I’ll be very level-headed and cognizant of hazardous situations. I swear.”

Relief crossed his devilishly handsome face. “I’m holding you to that. I’ve enough to deal with at the moment. In fact, I need to rally this next charge to find the pack that ambushed Walker. Something tells me tracking the shifters will lead us directly to the rebel army. When they materialize, that is.”

“You don’t have to leave just yet, do you?”

His gaze slid over her. “No. Not just yet.”

She stood and held her hand out to him. He took it and she tugged until he was on his feet and following her into the bedroom.

“I’ve read in my romance novels that make-up sex can be particularly exciting,” she said.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. Her own cravings were ravenous. She slipped her hands under his sweater and marveled over the feel of his warm skin against hers. His muscles bunched beneath her fingertips.

His hand cupped her nape and he deepened the kiss, conveying emotion and need, but also reminding her that she belonged to him. As though she might have forgotten this while he’d been away and she’d been off with Toran, honing her slaying skills.

Davian broke the kiss and hauled off his sweater. He turned her so her back was to him. His arms slid around her and he palmed her breasts. She sighed dreamily as his lips grazed her neck.

“I’m still angry with you,” he murmured in her ear.

“I have no delusions about that, my Lord.”

He gripped the long hem of her sweater and pulled the garment upward, stripping it from her. He promptly heaped the rest of her clothing on the floor. Then he yanked the satin sash from the robe she’d draped along the foot of the bed.

Standing behind her again, he said, “I’m going to punish you for defying me. I told you to stay safe, and you became a slayer.”

Her stomach flipped at his sexy tone and implication. “I’ve been very bad.”

“Indeed.” Deftly, he wrapped the satin around her wrists, securing them behind her back.

A thrill raced through her. The last time he’d restrained her had been nothing short of explosive. Taking out a little frustration on her now would likely prove to be equally erotic.

His arms snaked around her again, his hands returning to her breasts. He caressed them almost roughly, which made her squirm so her butt wriggled against his crotch. He was instantly erect. As he kissed her neck, his teeth lightly scraped her skin. She moaned. Heat flashed between her legs, and her pussy throbbed with the need to be filled.

“You’ll behave a little better in the future?” he asked in an intimate, highly arousing tone.

“If this is my punishment for going against your wishes…not a chance.”

He chuckled, low and deep. “What if my plan is to arouse you so you’re in desperate need of me, and then leave you tied up on the bed while I make a sandwich and read a book?”

She groaned. “That would be cruel.”

“But it would get my point across, wouldn’t it?”

“I thought you said you loved me.”

“I do. Beyond all measure and reasonable thought. That’s why I’m so pissed off at you.”

He continued his ministrations as they bantered and Jade’s need for him ratcheted as his hands squeezed her breasts and then his thumbs swept over her pebbled nipples.

“If you love me so much,” she said on a heavy breath, “then you’ll fuck me.”

“Oh, I intend to. But not yet.”

His palm grazed her ribcage, down to her belly. “Your body has changed. It’s stronger, but still feminine. Still so incredibly enticing.”

His fingers brushed over her slick folds, rubbing back and forth as fire raged through her veins. She’d missed his hands and mouth on her.

“Let’s see how wet you are for me, hmm?”

His finger slid inside her and she let out a sharp breath.

“Nice,” he said in a gruff voice. “But I want you wetter.”

He withdrew from her and stroked her pussy lips again and then rubbed her clit. First in a slow, circular motion. But he picked up the pace, using the pads of two fingers. She writhed against him and little whimpers fell from her lips.

Being restrained was incredibly stimulating. So too was the ability to cup his balls through his leather pants.

“You like to play dirty?” he mused.

“When it comes to you, yes.”

Davian pushed two fingers inside her and pumped while the heel of his hand continued to massage her clit. His other hand remained on her breast, toying with her nipple.

Jade’s legs trembled and her breathing hitched. “Davian,” she whispered as her eyelids fluttered closed and the back of her head rested against his hard chest. “I’m going to come.”

“I shouldn’t let you.”

“Don’t you dare stop.”

“But you didn’t obey my command.”

“How boring would I be if I obeyed every command you issued?” she countered. “Let’s face it—there are a lot of them, my Lord.”

“Not funny,” he retorted.

“You can’t deny it.”

“Damn it, Jade.”

Despite his ire, he continued stroking her. Her heart pounded and her body ached for release. She didn’t give into the sensations cresting within her. Not yet, anyway.

She asked, “Wet enough for you?”

“I’m so fucking close to ripping off my clothes and thrusting into you.”

“What’s holding you back?”

“I’m going to make you come a few times before I do.”

A smile tickled the corners of her mouth. “You can’t resist, can you?”

“Not when it comes to you.”

He worked her a little harder, pushing his fingers farther into her as he teased her nipple.

“Davian,” she whispered. “Yes. Oh, God, yes.” Tension seized her and she gasped. Then the erotic sensations he evoked burst wide open and she cried out his name as she came.

His fingers were still inside her as she soared higher. Then he disentangled himself from her.

Jade’s erratic breathing filled the room, mingling with the blustery gust of wind outside that caused wispy tree limbs to scrape her window. Her skin was flushed and tingly and her pussy still pulsed, wanting so much more from this man.

“How are your arms?” Davian asked.

“Fine.” She wasn’t ready to give up the light bondage just yet.

He directed her onto the bed, helping her, though she’d mastered her balance with all the footwork and weight placement she and Toran had practiced. Davian guided her forward until her shoulders and chin were resting against a mound of pillows he dragged over to her. She was on her knees, toward the edge of the mattress. He palmed her ass cheeks and spread them. He knelt on the floor behind her and his tongue swept over her slick flesh.

A jolt of excitement rocked her.

His fingers spread her swollen folds and the tip of his tongue flicked over her clit, teasing the sensitive bud.

Her nipples brushed against the satin sheets as he suckled her clit. Electrifying sensations consumed her.

A throaty moan slipped out. Once more, his tongue fluttered over the knot of nerves between her legs. She panted loudly as her desire burned.

“I want you inside me,” she pleaded.

“You still haven’t apologized for not telling me you were training with Toran.”

“I’m allowed,” she murmured. “I don’t demand you tell me everything you do.”

He made a soft sound of disapproval. “Still haven’t learned your lesson.”

Standing behind her, he eased two fingers inside her, pumping slowly. His other hand slid around to the front of her and he rubbed her clit.

Jade bit into a pillow. Dark, carnal lust took hold of her and she loved how powerful it was. She’d never experienced such sizzling sensations until she’d met the Demon King. And everything he did to her left her blazing from head to toe…and wanting more.

She half-heartedly struggled against her constraints, wanting to be free of them, yet finding the sensual torture exhilarating. When Davian worked a third finger into her tight canal, she lost her breath. His touch was determined and skilled, and seconds later, she screamed in ecstasy as her orgasm exploded within her.

Her body vibrated and her pulse raged. He withdrew from her and she heard him divest himself of the rest of his clothes as her eyes remained shut and she concentrated on finding a normal breathing pattern. Yet her ragged gulps of air didn’t slow as she anticipated him entering her from behind and driving deep.

Moments later, he did just that, thrusting hard and filling her completely.

“Oh, yes,” she whispered as pleasure flooded her veins. “I really have missed you.”

He clasped her waist and his hips bucked as he hammered into her. Having her hands tied at the small of her back added to the eroticism in a way she had not expected. A secret part of her thrilled over being at his mercy…being a vessel for his own pleasure, though she reaped the benefit as well.

In need of releasing his pent-up sexual frustration—as well as the agitation she’d sparked—he thrust masterfully into her, pushing her to the precipice again. His body tensed when hers did, and then he called her name as he came, igniting her orgasm, hot and vibrant.

He remained buried inside her as his heavy breaths matched hers. When their excitement calmed a bit, he withdrew from her. He unfastened the sash at her wrists and sprawled on the bed alongside her. Jade smiled sweetly at him.

In a provocative tone, she said, “Anytime you want to teach me a new lesson, I’m game.”

“Humph.” He smirked. “I should have made the sandwich and read the book. But I can’t walk away from you when you’re naked and ready for me.”

Her lips swept over his. “Now I know how to keep you captive in my cottage.”

“I’d stay here forever, Jade.” He gazed forlornly—though heatedly—into her eyes. “In your bed. With you.”

She frowned as her heart constricted. “Of course, that’s not possible.”

He remained silent as he stared at her, then asked, “Would you want to spend an eternity with me?”

“I can’t afford to ruminate over things like that, Davian. Nor can I wrap my mind around it. An eternity… I don’t think I was meant to live longer than it takes to help the people I care about find their own sort of peace.”

“But what if you had the chance for immortality? Would you take it?”

With a shake of her head, she said, “Humans don’t weather grief and sorrow as well as demons do, I’m afraid. An eternity of suffering would be a bit much for me.”

“What if you actually had the capability to power through?”

“But I don’t, my Lord. Remember…human. Mortal. We’re not wired like demons.”

Suddenly, he slipped from the bed and disappeared out the door. Jade stared at the empty spot next to her, startled. A few seconds later, however, Davian returned. He dragged on his briefs and settled beside her again.

He said, “You’ve questioned your place in the new world, but have you ever questioned your heritage?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “What heritage? My cultural differences don’t vary from most of the war survivors in this area. Yes, my father had incredible leadership skills and he likely could have become a slayer. But he chose political responsibilities, more so than military ones.”

“No,” the Demon King said. “He was involved in military strategy. Morgan worked very closely with him and they did maintain a balance that helped my alliance to accept the terms I laid down when it came to leaving the humans be. In fact, my vampires stuck to the castle to avoid temptation. They upheld my laws.”

“Morgan did tell me recently that he and my father held tactical discussions and that they were of like minds in many respects. And Sheena is quite proud that she can have a human friend and not…you know. Want to kill me.”

“From her, I’ve learned the craving to drink from a human source has mostly diminished for her species. They still have human blood stored up from the war, yes. But they seem to be more content with animal blood. Apparently, it feeds their primal instincts in a way humans never did.”

Jade nodded. “She has proven herself capable of being around me when I’m bleeding without looking the least bit enticed by me.”

“Though…she’s deeply hurt you chose to become a slayer.”

Jade stared at him a moment until the implication hit her. “Oh, no.” She rolled her eyes at her insensitivity. “I never even considered… Damn it. She thinks I don’t trust her?!”

“Yes.”

“What about Morgan?”

“He doesn’t know yet.”

Jade’s stomach plummeted. “And was that the first thing you thought? That I didn’t trust you, either?”

“I know you trust me.” He gave her a confident look. “But I think you still have a lot to learn about my kind. And you have a lot to learn about yourself.”

He unraveled the piece of paper he’d apparently retrieved from his coat pocket when he’d left the room.

She pulled the duvet around her and sat up, curious about the change in topic.

Handing over the small sheet that appeared to have been torn from a book, he asked, “Do you recognize this mark?”

Jade laughed. “It’s not a mark. It’s a formation of freckles. I have the exact same—”

The paper fell from her hand and she covered the spots on her neck with her palm.

Davian said, “Your father had this precise pattern. In the same location as yours.”

Anxiety skittered through her as an ominous look filled Davian’s glowing eyes.

“So?” she tentatively asked.

Picking up the documentation, he told her, “You share a common trait with Liam.”

“Sure.” Her voice was still full of hesitancy as she tried to ascertain the direction in which this conversation was going. “I already told you—and you’ve witnessed—that I have psychokinetic powers and can rapidly self-heal. So could he.”

Sitting up as well, Davian said, “Have you ever read Greek mythology?”

His question confused her—what did it have to do with her genetic traits?

Regardless, she said, “A little, yes.”

“Some of the most renowned characters in Greek mythology were demi-gods. For example, Hercules and Achilles. The immortal ruler Zeus was their father, but their mothers were mortal. The result was that the heroes possessed extraordinary strength and skills, but they could still be killed. Even by a mortal.”

Jade wasn’t wholly sure what he was getting at.

Davian amended his comment, saying, “Well, in some recollections, Hera actually granted Hercules immortality at the end, but he did suffer a mortal death. It’s rather complicated… Point being, these demi-gods were gifted incredible abilities by their father, but they weren’t originally destined for a full eternity.”

Jade’s gaze narrowed. “Are you about to tell me I’m a demi-god from Mt. Olympus?”

“No.” He chuckled. “But haven’t you ever wondered how your father ended up with the talents you inherited?”

“Of course. But he didn’t talk about any of it, since our abilities seemed to be a sore subject with my mother.”

“That was because she wasn’t like the two of you.”

“No, she wasn’t. Not at all. She was actually very delicate. One of the reasons he was adamant about teaching her to defend herself. As much as possible, at any rate.”

“Yet he didn’t obsess much over you? He knew how strong you were from the beginning?”

Thinking of her younger years, Jade said, “I always thought he’d taught me to fight and to take care of myself because he secretly wanted a tough boy, but ended up with a girl instead. Later on, I realized there was more to it than that. Looking back now, I can see he had a plan in mind for me.” These sort of contemplations were painful, so she asked, “Why are we having this conversation?”

“Because,” Davian said, his tone turning broody. “I recently discovered something about your father that he didn’t share with you.”

This piqued her interest. “And what would that be?”

“It involves the marking on your neck,” he told her as his fingers grazed the skin below her ear. “I believe one of the reasons your father opted not to take the slayer’s oath, when he was clearly in the position to do so and demonstrated the expertise needed, was because he might have struggled with the moral dilemma of killing his kind.”

Her jaw dropped. She stared at him, her mind instantly assaulted by a barrage of thoughts and questions, too overwhelming to process all at once. So she simply demanded, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Davian’s apprehension was evident, though he forged ahead.

“I know this will be hard to comprehend, but the secret symbol you share with your father is that of a cross-breed. Somewhere in his—and consequently your—lineage, a demon impregnated one of Liam’s female, human ancestors. I don’t know when it occurred or to whom or whether the act was forced or by consent. My guess is it was many generations ago. But this explains your ability to heal yourself quickly, despite the fact that you are, indeed, mortal.”

Her eyes had to be the size of snowballs. She gaped again, at a complete loss for words.

Davian took advantage of her silence and continued. “I know this comes as a shock, but it really does shed some light on your physical strength, your fighting skills and your territorial tendencies.”

It seemed to take eons, but she finally spoke, latching onto a critical term. “Territorial tendencies? That’s your area.”

He grinned at her comedic timing. Then earnestly said, “You took me on without a second thought when Jinx died. You stand up for your rights and the rights of others.”

“Yes. I want what’s fair and just for the people in the village. But…” She still couldn’t grasp what he’d told her about her gene pool. And yet, their discussion earlier about her being an effective liaison between races came back to her.

She internalized the things she knew to be absolute truths—that humans had been, and still were to an extent, terrorized by demons and living in a repressed state because of it. Conversely, the king of those demons allowed her to open his eyes to life as a human and that having compassion in his heart hadn’t equated to empathy in reality, until recently.

Being a cross between the two species did, as he’d pointed out, clarify numerous convoluted notions she’d had since her childhood. Perhaps it also fed into her isolation. For someone who’d been viewed as a potential leader all along, she’d kept a wall around her.

Mentally exhausted and perplexed, she flopped down onto the bed and stared up at the cracked ceiling. “Why is it that every time I’m with you, something completely insane happens?”

“I don’t mean to make life more complex for you, Jade,” Davian said in a consoling voice. “But you have to admit, there really is so much more to you than an orphaned girl trying to survive from one day to the next.”

She sighed. “I just can’t fathom how something like this could come about.”

“It’s rudimentary,” he explained. “Were you and I to have children, they would be demi-demons. Although, because of my lineage, our children would have my dominant traits. Your demon blood is not as strong as mine, since you’re mortal.”

“Are you saying our kids would be immortal?”

“Yes.”

Her gaze drifted to him. She recalled their interaction following the chicken slaying and said, “When you found me in my bathroom… You didn’t seem the slightest bit upset or reticent about asking me if I was pregnant. But you had to be bothered by the idea, right?”

His hand cupped her face, his thumb gliding over her cheek. “Why would that bother me? I told you I love you and that I want to marry you. I didn’t make the proposal lightly, nor did I fail to take into account all it would entail. True, your comment about where a bird and a fish would live together caught me off guard, though I suppose it shouldn’t have.” He kissed her before adding, “I know you don’t feel safe in the castle, surrounded by demons.”

She searched his eyes as she asked, “Is that one of the reasons you’ve revealed my skewed genetics? Are you thinking that me being a demi-demon will make me more comfortable in the presence of other demons?”

“Perhaps…in general. However, what about how easily you and Sheena bonded? How strong the friendship was between Morgan and Liam—and that Morgan has concern for your welfare because of that relationship? How even Jocelyn sensed there was more to you than human flesh and blood?” He gave her a moment to process this, then asserted, “I knew you were different, but I couldn’t get past your suffering to pinpoint what set you apart from other humans I’ve met.”

Jade’s mind reeled, but more absolute truths infiltrated her jumbled thoughts. “Now that you mention it,” she said, “I once told Lisette the demons I encountered from time to time all seemed to watch me curiously. Not warily. But it appeared as though something about me perplexed and intrigued them. I almost felt as though…they were silently calling out to me.”

Davian nodded. “Your heritage isn’t common. There are very few like you, which leads me to believe the demon seduction way back when with your ancestor was by mutual consent.”

With a snort, she said, “Well, thank God they didn’t pass down horns from generation to generation.”

He kissed her forehead. “Love your humor…as always.” He winked.

Regardless of the levity she tried to infuse into the discussion and the reality she faced, her brain still churned with the how did this happen and what does it really mean? concepts.

And the very plain and shocking reality that she was part-demon.

Part. Demon.

It was all too much to decipher and digest at the moment, so she didn’t give into the dark side of the predicament Davian had brought to light.

“What else am I going to do,” she remarked, “if not crack a joke? Everything I’ve ever known and believed in has just been turned upside down. It’s not every day a girl receives this sort of news.”

“I can bring you the book I tore that page from, if you’d like. There’s a chapter on your kind. It might be informative.”

She eyed him closely. “You haven’t read it?”

“No, not all of it. Just enough to grasp the meaning of your mark. I didn’t want to discover something I might be able to hold over your head to get you to marry me.”

A laugh fell from her lips, unexpectedly. “Still riding that train, I see.”

His expression was an honest—and burning—one, making her nerve endings blaze and her pulse skyrocket.

“I know what I want,” he said, his voice confident and strong. “And when I make up my mind, it doesn’t change.”

As much as his unwavering commitment to her warmed her heart, she had to say, “Telling me I’m not one-hundred percent human doesn’t pave the way for a formal union between us, Davian. And I do need to be careful when we’re together, because us having a child when we’re not married would only create more strife in the village. And between us.”

In her mind, it went without saying where each of them would want their child to reside and be raised—Davian would demand it be the castle and she would insist it be the cottage. What an explosive situation that would become!

Resisting the urge to groan, she said, “Perhaps we should change the subject. You’ve already blown me out of the water with your little discovery and I’m not sure I can take any more hits tonight.”

“Fine,” he conceded as he pulled her to him and she rested her head on his chest. “But I do think we should address the townspeople tomorrow regarding your new post. It might be something they find comforting.”

She agreed, yet asked, “What about the impending threat of a demon army heading this way?”

“I don’t believe it’s necessary to alarm anyone just yet. I want to know more of their mission and whereabouts before I raise any hackles. Can you understand that?”

Jade grinned. “Don’t you mean, can I abide by that?”

“Yes,” he said as his fingertips glided over her bare arm. “Precisely what I mean.”

“All right. I’ll leave the military matters to your discretion. I’m now promoting goodwill amongst the species.”

The quest had a very nice appeal to it. And for once, Jade embraced an optimistic outlook. Though in the back of her head, she didn’t forget their world was a dangerous one no matter what good intentions were verbally expressed…