Chapter 2 #2
“I met Julian here. He was working for the guild then, spying on the Sentinels and reporting on their movements, but when they were attacked by halflings who held a grudge against them, he moved to help. When I arrived and laid waste to their enemies, he faced me with stubborn determination. He thought I meant to harm the people here,” he gestured to the humans and demons scattered around the room, some of whom were obviously listening in, “and he intended to stop me if I tried.”
Amusement chuffed out of Ashmedai. Any human standing against a behemoth was laughable.
Valac laughed, as well, understanding what Ashmedai couldn’t say.
“Yes. But he impressed me. His scent intoxicated me. His looks bewitched me. After he left that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
When I could no longer stand it, I entered his dreams for some scrap of contact with him.
We spent time together there, time we both cherished. ”
“Why are you asking?” Shadrach interjected. His black eyes were assessing.
Valac looked at Shadrach. “Do you think? So soon?”
Shadrach lifted one shoulder. “Could be.”
“What?” Ashmedai asked, feeling as though he was missing something.
“Have you met a human who made you feel this way?” Shadrach asked.
His gaze flicked between them. “Yes.”
Shadrach clapped loudly, causing Ashmedai to jerk. “I won!”
The front door opened, and Malachi charged in. “What? No!”
“It’s been four weeks! I said thirty days max! Pay up, assholes!” Shadrach crowed.
Malachi threw his head back with a groan. “Ugh! Fine. I’ll send it to you.”
Anger burned like a beacon. They’d made bets about this? Was it so common for a demon to feel this way about a human? Was this all a game to them? Why had no one warned him the surface had so many temptations?
“Okay, before the chainsaw gets any louder,” Ira said, approaching warily, and Ashmedai realized he was growling, “I think we should explain what’s happening?” He looked askance at Valac, who nodded.
“Of course.”
Ashmedai stopped growling. “Yes.”
“What you feel for this human is the same thing all of these demons felt for their human. It’s unique to that particular human, as far as we can tell.
I mean, none of the demons here have ever suddenly started lusting after anyone else.
” Ira’s soul was bright, almost solid white in the center with glittering gold on the outside.
His calm voice and calmer demeanor made him easy to listen to.
“Meaning?” he asked.
“It means you’ll want him,” Valac said. “All the time. You’ll think you’ll never be able to have enough of him to sate you, but give it time. You must move slowly. The humans can be wary of us, especially those who work for the guild. They’re taught to hate us.”
‘This is wrong,’ he’d said. ‘We have to stop.’ He hadn’t seemed to hate Ashmedai, but he’d certainly been wary.
Not wary enough to push him away or use the knives he’d had on his belt.
His body had responded to Ashmedai’s just as Ashmedai’s had responded to him.
Their connection had been absolute. He’d only been able to stop when the human made it clear that he didn’t want things to continue.
The last thing he wanted was to scare him away.
“What’s his name?” Julian asked, swinging his stick as he approached with Isaac.
Ashmedai shook his head. He disliked that he didn’t know.
“You just saw him from afar, then?” Valac asked.
“Sometimes that’s all it takes,” Malachi said, gazing fondly at Luke.
“No,” Ashmedai said. “Touched.”
“Touched,” Julian said, frowning. “Fought?”
“No. Tasted. Touched.”
“Oh God.” Julian looked horrified. “Did he… consent?”
“Consent?” He’d pushed Ashmedai away—at least, after a moment. It had been disappointing, but he’d listened. “No. Stopped me.”
Tension bled slowly from Ira’s shoulders. “Oh, good. You stopped when he asked you to?”
Ashmedai harrumphed. “Yes. Course. Just touched.” He raised his hand, remembering the softness of the human’s cheek.
“Oh, that kind of touch,” Julian said, smiling softly.
“He let you get that close?” Shadrach asked with surprise.
“You know what the connection is like,” Julian argued. “They were probably both overwhelmed.”
“Was that all?” Ira asked, his cheeks darkening. “That kind of touching? You didn’t, uh, do anything else with him, did you?”
Ashmedai didn’t understand why that mattered. “Why?”
He shook his head. “Just trying to determine how concerned to be.”
“Wanted more. He said no.”
Ira brightened. “And you listened.”
“Yes.” He scowled, though they couldn’t see it thanks to the shadowed hood. Of course he’d listened. The last thing he wanted was to hurt the human.
“So this paladin,” Shadrach said, “has no idea who you are or what you are. You approached him out of nowhere and he just let you put your hands on him?”
“Killed his squad,” Ashmedai said, lowering his gaze. His human had felt guilt for that. He’d seen it darkening his soul. He would never forgive himself for dulling his shine. He’d tried to explain that the ones he’d killed were evil, but his grasp of human language was tricky.
“You killed his squad and then made out with him?” Shadrach exclaimed. “And he allowed it?”
“Evil,” Ashmedai snarled. Why did everyone keep overlooking that? His human wasn’t safe with those other ones. “Ate their sins. Dark souls. Evil!” They didn’t deserve to be in his human’s presence. He’d done the surface a favor by removing them from it.
“Okay, okay,” Ira said, raising his hands for calm. “We believe you. I imagine your human was very confused about what was happening, that’s all. Then what?”
“He left.” Ashmedai sighed, subdued. “Called others. Returned to… guild.”
“What are they going to think about this human being the lone survivor of an attack like that?” Julian asked, looking from face to face. “Ashmedai, the guild has eight people in a squad. Did you kill seven and leave only him alive?”
“Yes. His soul—bright.”
“They won’t understand why he survived.”
“Do you think they’ll suspect something?” Valac asked.
“I think they’re far too paranoid these days not to,” Julian said solemnly.
“Meaning?” Ashmedai asked, glancing between them. What did that mean? What were they saying?
“Your human might be in danger,” Valac said. “And he might not even realize it.”