Book 2 ch.6 To Be More Human

 When they were alone, Damion faced the Gaucho, his hand stretching out to shake his. “Are you leaving?”

The Gaucho hoisted his child more comfortable in his arm, as his other hand gave a firm shake. “Afraid so, we need to get back to the West—can’t let things get out of hand like they done here. You take care of Miss Sophie now, or else I might steal her away for her cooking.”

Damion chuckled, “You’ve had her soup did yah?”

“Too right. You sir, are one lucky son-of-a-gun.”

Both demons gave a good laugh at their odd sense of humor. “Believe me I know I’m lucky, but who knows cowboy, it could happen to you.”

The Gaucho bowed his head, “Heh, maybe if she were blind.”

Damion truly hoped he would find someone. Though a demon, the gaucho was a good and honorable man. His eyes glanced to the albino child who was watching him with a shy eye. “Have a safe journey little one.  You two are more than welcome come by again.” He laid a cautious hand on her head, giving it a friendly pat. “I know Sophie would love to see you again. Farwell.”

Before Damion withdrew his hand, a tiny little voice spoke. “Wait.” It was gentle like a breeze and sweet as a bell. The oddity quickly looked up at her protector, a question in her pleading eyes. Something shifted in the gaucho. It was a look of concern as he seemed reluctant to grant her plea.

“You sure, Darling?” An eager shake of her head gave the cowboy no choice but to comply. She leaped from his hold, her coral wings coming forth to keep her hovered in the air so she was eye to eye to Damion. He took note that her wings, like the guacho’s, were also hind wings. She stretched out her hands, fingers spread out as she waited for him to do something.

 Damion glanced back at the gaucho. “Trust her,” was his simple answer.

And so he did.

Damion leaned his head forward, while she placed her hands just under his eyes. Her cold palms felt good on his bruised face and patiently waited for something to happen. His body froze in place when her coral eyes looked straight at him, glowing in the dark as some invisible force kept him from moving. He remained calm when he saw no ill will from her. Then a strange warmth spread first from his face then down to every crevice of his body, yet still he could not move. The sensation began to tingle, and was almost pleasant before that tingle turned into a sharp pain, like a hook latching on to flesh.

 It was like a nerve was yank from his body, like he was consumed in fire, wanting to jolt and thrash but was unable to break free. Just when he thought his eyes were about to roll into the back of his head, it stopped. Finally free from her hold he staggered back and out of instinct reached for his dagger. He stopped short however, when something clicked into his brain.

He felt no pain.

He looked down at his arms that were free from bruises, then touched his face to find their wasn’t a trace of soreness. Damion looked up in time to see the gaucho catch the demon child—cradling Daisy gently as she curled up.  As her head turned into the gaucho’s shoulder, Damion caught a glimpse of her bruised face. Soon a familiar pattern of bruises and scrapes crawled down her arms’ and legs.

“How?”

The cowboy switched back to his telepathy. ‘She has the ability to heal any wounds…but at a price.’  He rubbed her back when her arms tightened around his neck. He could hear all of Damion’s thoughts as guilt ate at him. ‘She’ll be alright. Her healing factor is faster than ours. If others found out about her special ability, it could spell disaster for her and all her kind.’

‘But that’s not all.’ The gaucho’s clawed hand slowly moved to the center of Daisy’s shoulder blades, before a soft beat echoed around Damion’s mind. ‘Like you Damion, I too have many secrets to protect.’

Damion held his breath as the sound became stronger.

Th-thump…th-thump…th-thump

No…it can’t be, but it was… the sound of a heart beating—Her heart he was hearing. He had so many questions’ he wanted to ask; his mind practically overflowing with all the possibilities.

The cowboy seemed to develop a headache from Damion’s frantic mind. He pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve the pressure as a small sliver of blood dripped from his nose. He wiped it away quick enough.

Damion’s breathing stuttered when he almost spoke out loud. ‘… Why risk such secrets with me?’

The gaucho gave a shrug. ‘We already know all your secrets. I recon its time I trust you with some of ours.’

 Daisy May whispered something to him, ‘It’s her decision, she said. Sophie is the only human who has ever made her feel unashamed of what she is…We both see how much you mean to each other.’

The gaucho turned his back to Damion, walking towards the balconies edge,  then jumping to stand on top the railings edge. ‘She trusts you with her secret and pleads that you won’t waste her gift,  to you.’

He gazed meaningfully back at Damion, “Go Lion, and protect your lamb that walks amongst wolves.”  He stepped off, disappearing over the edge. Damion nearly leaped forward, but his grip loosened on the railing when he saw the Gaucho upon his stallion's back with the white mule trotting right behind them, like phantoms in the dark.

The demon’s footsteps went unheard, as he walked in the shadows before twisting the door-knob open. In the room, a single candle was the only light fighting off the darkness while at the same time casting an inviting glow upon Sophie’s prone form. Her golden hair looked aflame across the pillows while her silky night dress became hiked up to mid-thigh. The dark silhouette’s horned head tilted at how she hugged a leather bound book to her bosom.

His firm lips smiled upon the peaceful sight, a welcomed change after this night’s chaos. Damion cautiously withdrew the book from her loose grip and placed it on the nightstand before blowing out the candle.  Dulled moon-light replaced candle light as Sophie still became clear in Damion’s eyes.  As Damion pulled the quilt up to shield Sophie from the slight cold, she began to stur.

Her eyes were heavy shut, her voice slurring, “Mmh- Damion?” She felt a familiar prickly chin rub against her cheek before hot lips touched her ear.

“Shh,” he tenderly whispered. “Go back to sleep.” He pecked her cheek before she relaxed more into the pillow, stretching like a cat before hugging the quilt.

He moved in front of his dresser mirror, peeling off his shirt as he searched for fresh wounds that were truly gone. His hands didn’t shake, his ribs didn’t wane, and his raccoon of a bruised face was gone.  He even checked his back, as it all still sank in. What else was there to know about their pale counterparts? Perhaps his library could answer some of his questions. But his questions could wait, for now.

His amber eyes found their way back to Sophie; after staying up three days for his sake she was burnt out and practically sleeping like a rock. Now it was his turn to watch over her while the other soul collectors were so close by. Even though their rooms were on the other end of the mansion, he still couldn’t settle. His old memories of living in Hell were literally all about survival and having both eyes open every sleepless moment.

He crawled into bed and sat against the bed post, his eyes trained on the door. Sophie sturred again and this time managed to edge up to Damion’s side, resting her cheek on his raising chest.

Her hand glided across his chest, touching every crevice of muscle and skin as if she were seeing him though touch. She remained in her sluggish sleep as her hand continued searching. He inhaled deeply as her hand rubbed against his collar bone to cradle his neck, but held his breath when those dull fingernails glided just past his nipple and caressed the intercostals muscle along his ribs.

 Her nails left a tickling sensation against his hip bone that made his leg twitch. He had to bite his lip from laughing and quickly snatched her teasing fingers before she made another part of him twitch.

The demon chuckled good-heartedly. “What are you doing?”

She rubbed her cold nose against his smooth hot skin. “Making sure…you’re in one piece,” she managed to slur out. He felt his throat constrict from the raw tenderness he always felt for this beautiful woman. He kissed her knuckles before resting their hands on his chest.
*~*~*~*~*~ (morning.)

The demon scrunched his eyes as an irritating light continued to bat at his face, until he groggily opened his eyes to see clear skies out of his balcony window. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. But once awake it was bloody hard to go back to sleep.

Funny, you’d think after being in a coma for three days, the last thing Damion would want to do is sleep.

He displayed his impressive fangs as he let out a yawn, before rubbing at his eyes. A groan vibrated in the back of his throat as he stretched his body back to life, but stopped short when his legs felt tangled.

 He glanced down at the golden head of hair that laid snuggle against his stomach. Sometime during the night Sophie must have slipped further down his propped up chest. Now she was hugging his hips, her legs threaded around his own, while she emanated the cutest, softest snores he had ever heard.

She never slept in this late before; usually she was up with the dawn before he ever woke up. Not that he was complaining, for this was a pleasant change.

She really pushed herself caring for me, the demon thought as he moved her bangs from her face.

She began to stur from sleep, elongating her body in a sensuous stroke against his stomach and legs, and nearly made him jumped when she curled her fist up against his morning wood.  He had to bit the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning, could practically feel her hot breath fan across the bulge in his boxer. He could almost envision her tantalizing lips and hands bringing him pleasure, her breasts rubbing against his thighs, as her emerald eyes locked with his.

Stop that train of thought right now! Damn, did he regret letting three soul collectors stay in his house. Just what he needed more eyes and ears in the walls.

He needed to get out of there and take care of the problem before she opened her eyes and see that twitching near her face. As Damion began to shift however, Sophie’s grip tightened around him with a protesting whimper from pouting lips, to not take her comfy pillow. His abdominal muscles tightened when her first unclenched and rested on top of his throbbing erection. He couldn’t take this torture.

He began jostling her shoulder; his voice strained and husked, “Sophie.”

 She stubbornly tried to keep her eyes shut till the last minute, before slowly raising her head. “Morning,” she yawned yet remained where she was. She was far too comfortable.

Her eyes traced up Damion’s sculpted form to rest at his face. The first, her foggy brain noticed was that his bruises were gone, and that Damion looked much better, but then the second thing she noticed was this strained look on his face.

She lifted herself up more. “What’s wrong?”

The crease in his brows increased from the added pressure, his talons digging into the sheets. “You might want to move your hand.”

Her eyes zeroed in on exactly where her hand was, and nearly choked on an “Eep!” pulling her hand away as if she had been burned, “ Sorry!” She squeaked as her blush doubled, yet she couldn’t help glancing back down at his restrained erection.

Damion didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed at the loss of her hand, and could only hid his face under his arm; his chest rising and falling in taunt breaths.

Sophie couldn’t help the smile that crept up her face, feeling sorry for her demon. She bit her lip at the cheeky idea she got, knew it was a bit bold of her but she thought, what the heck.

‘Were finally along again, and Rook knows better than to walk in on us anymore.’ Mind made up, she laid between his legs, massaging his upper thighs before kissing his stomach.

His stomach jerked at the teasing touches from her soft lips, her hand crawling up towards his cock. He jerked his arm out of the way to watch Sophie’s free hand trace down his claw mark scar that narrowly missed his ‘boys’ before she followed the trail back up with her tongue. His leg nearly jumped when she playfully nipped his hipbone.

The demon bit at his bottom lip from this sweet torture.  “Sophie?”  She gave him an innocent. “Hm?” as her fingers traced circles on her favorite muscles that were just above his groin while her other hand moved up to cup and massage his sac. He nearly fell back onto the pillows from the overwhelming need he had at that moment.

And she calls me a mean tease!?

He was so conflicted on what he should do and what he really, really wanted to do. Before he could attempt to do the right thing, she spoke.

Her eyes and blush showed she was nervous, but her voice spoke with confidence. “Damion, after all you’ve been through lately, you deserve this.”

(READ ME! Hey guys I'm SO sorry it took 5 plus months to finally update. I was stressed with work, college, and some family matters. And to top that off I attempted dating, and in the end the guy asked me if I would ever consider giving up doing artwork/ writing. He said I was talented, but others were better than me. Hes lucky I didn't hit him with a bat after I broke off our one month relationship. So after a terrible attempt at dating I was in a funk for writing for a while. So as a reward for my fans for putting up with my lack of writing here is the next update of the smexy moment I was tempting to deny you guys. I just took some details out so when you purchase the book their will be more to it. Enjoy the update and hope 2016 will be a better year.

WARNING THIS UPDATE CONTAINS SEXUAL TEXT. IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE READING THAT OR ARE TOO YOUNG DO NOT READ IT! I MEAN IT!)

She tugged his boxers past his hips, releasing his erection completely as she wrapped her fingers around him and began to stroke. She watched as his eyes shut in bliss, his body sinking more into the bed as he let Sophie have her way. She had only done this one other time, and even then it was in the dark. Now she could see every part of him clearly as she made her dark warrior writhing from her touch, his muscles flexing with everyone of her strokes. She bit her bottom lip when she saw Damion bite down on his own, his brow creasing in concentration. She couldn’t recall seeing him like this before from all the other times. Then again, it was always he who made her writher.

            She remembered how Damion brought pleasure to her with his mouth and wondered if he would enjoy that from her. Leaning closer, her lips laid a teasing caress against his shaft making the demon shiver. When she gave a curious lick to his tip his callus hand reached out to grasp her shoulder, his voice rumbling her name.

    She didn’t know what triggered the sudden grip of fear around her chest; dark images flashed across her memory—how many times a drunken Bruce tried to force her to take him. His grip was unforgiving on her scalp and neck as she fought with all of her strength.

    It suddenly hurt to breath, her throat feeling clamped as she tried to push back the memories she desperately wished to forget.  She swiftly moved to sit on Damion’s thighs, her strokes slowing as she tried to calm from her small panic attack.

    Will I ever be able to move past these horrifying memories? She wanted to cry at the unfairness of it.

    She opened her eyes to find Damion’s eyes intently on her own. Undoubtedly he could hear the frantic beating of her heart, the sudden panic that laced in her soul. She strained a smile as his fingers grazed her cheek, his thumb wiping a stray tear.

    “I-I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do that ye—” Sophie bashfully stuttered, but Damion grabbed the back of her head and kissed her hard, teeth nipping her bottom lip. She moaned as Damion’s hand stroked her silk covered breast, brushing his sharp thumb against a perked peak.

    His golden eyes were intense as he released her mouth and rasped, “Give what you can, only when you can. Never before.”

    His tenderness had done her in— Damion rasped, biting back a desirable moan from his throat, his other hand squeezing her bare hip as she started to ground herself against him, matching her strokes. He fell back against the pilled pillows, his jaw clamped shut as he watched his angel above him. Her skin on her thighs and gentle hands touching him, the mouth watering scent of her arousal, her hazy green eyes watching him as her lips parted in a shuttered sigh.

It was heaven.

And it was hell.

    He felt a fire begin to build up in his stomach, his muscles flexing with every sway of her hips, until his hips began to move with her. He couldn’t last much more, and cursed his lack of stamina at the moment. Hating that it was coming to an end, but couldn’t last much more his hips began to move in sharp jerks, thrusting into her hand and rubbing against her clothed core with vigor.

    She had to place her hand on his chest to keep herself steady as she bounced with his hips. It sent a tremor down her spin feeling him unrestrained like this. When his hips brushed against a sensitive spot she gasped his name.

“Damion!”

    The moment she whispered his name a tightened cord had finally snapped. He let out a primal growl, his back arched, his claws buried into the mattress when he came undone. Waves of scorching hot pleasure like never before hit him full force, as he released himself in her hand. His body shuttered violently as his wings shot out from his back and unfurled. Lightly fanning her as he came down from his high.

Panting, he held her gaze as she softly smiled at him, before she began giggling at him.

Why is she laughing?

He didn’t know how he felt about being laughed at after having the best climax in his life.

    Was that how they were supposed to feel? All his rare past ruts were practically muted, a few mere minutes of something pleasant before it was instantly gone, where now he still felt weak—peaceful even, in a magnificent way like he’d never felt before.

    Still breathless, he weakly lifted his head as he tried to fix her with an irked look. “You find my pleasure…amusing?” He said, through battered breath.

    She quickly composed herself. “I’m sorry, it’s just…I wasn’t expecting your wings to come out like that.” She bit down on her lip to stifle another fit of giggles.

    He only now noticed the presence of his wings and felt his damp cheeks flush as red as the tips of his ears. “So they did.”

Damn his lack of control when it came to her.

    He noticed her looking down at her hand as she released his flaccid manhood, erecting another pleasant moan from his lips at the lingering pleasure he still felt. He manifested a small towel to clean her, before wrapping his wings around her to lay her flushed against him.

    She laid above him with her arms on each side of his head. Love swelled inside her beating organ the way he was looking at her like that, and gladly met him half way into a searing kiss. His prickly face lightly scratching her cheek when she moved her kisses along the shape of his jaw up to elegant pointed ear.

    “Mornings should be like this more often,” she heard her demon grunt as he sampled her collarbone, sending thrills down to the ache she felt between her thighs.

    “Hm,” she hummed softly, “You’d like that wouldn’t you.” She placed one more, light kiss on his ear. Ignoring the ache between her legs, she leaned back to look at him as her thumb traced his eyebrow. “But I should go get supper ready, I’ve already slept in too long.”

However her demon had other plans when his pleasant grin turned into a cheeky, menacing smile.

Crimson wings held her captive against the wall of muscle as Damion flipped their positions, his weight feeling marvelous the way it pressed and rubbed against hers, while his wings moved to settle by her shoulders. His clawed fingers began to crawl up her thigh.

“D-Damion?” She faintly whispered, as she squeezed her thighs together to relieve some of the ache. Gripping his shoulders, his muscles flexed in pleasure as her nails lightly scratched him.

He placed his other arm above her head, leaning in closer. His black and gold eyes were hypnotic as they gazed into her very soul, showing his desire for her. “You didn’t think we were finished just yet, did you? There’s still this to take care of. ” Shifting his weight to the side his hand grasped her thigh, spreading her legs open before he rubbed his fingers against the slick, silky fabric of her underwear. A gasp caught in her throat before her teeth sunk into her bottom lip and released a tiny moan; her nails digging more into his skin.

He flashed an arrogant smirk that made her want to wipe it off his gorgeous face or kiss him feverishly. Luckily for him, he kissed her passionately as his fingers continued their assault. She shudders under his hot touch, unable to deny her demon. She nearly cries out when he nips at her neck before biting her with a firm grip and sucks hard at the sweet flesh, her nails racking down his back from the intense pleasure. He was careful not to break the skin, but there would be a mark—His mark, to show everyone that she was his alone.

“Oh!” She cries, her head rolling back against the pillow as she feels only him, yet she wanted more. He must have sensed her frustrations as he released her neck so he would watch her face. She feels his sharp talons against her skin become blunt nails, before he pulls her underwear down her hips. Her blush brightens as her eyes stay on his hand, her chest rapidly rising and falling.

 Damion watches her face intently for any sign of pain as he slowly inserts his middle finger, her walls instantly clenching from the invasion. She stiffens in his hold as her head rolls back, her hand moving to grip his wrist.

He ceases any movement, his chest tightening when her brow began to crease. “Am I hurting you?”

“No.” Her breathing stuttered as she rolled her hips against his finger, erecting a moan. “It’s just…d-different.” Damion hadn’t used his fingers like this before. There was a slight burn to the foreign tension she felt at her core; after all it would take almost two of her own fingers to match the size of a single one of Damion’s.

She could see the growing concern on Damion’s eyes as he contemplated whether he should stop or continue; she quickly reassured him as she held his hand in place. “Don’t stop.”

Her hips jerked in response when he slowly curled his finger back then gradually pushed back in again and again.

She could feel sweat beginning to form at the back of her neck when he continued his slow and considerate pace. The tension was beginning to lesson and it was actually starting to feel really good. Her lungs moved with his every caress, but before long, she began to feel that familiar coil begin to tighten.

 Damion could feel his finger brush against her maiden head, and took great care not to push too far. As he erected another whimper from her lips he intently watched her face. The demon was fascinated by all the different emotions that flicked across her flushed face. Her eyes never broke contact with his; her mouth a gaped as strangled moans resisted escape.

‘Such a beautiful expressive creature indeed.’ He thought, as he kissed her crinkled brow.

Every stroke, every light teasing caress was like a jolt of electricity coursing through her body. He could feel every muscle flex under his touch, and when her walls began to flutter, he knew she was close. She was just barely able to restrain her voice as she felt him quicken his pace. Her nails dug into his forearm as her other hand burrowed itself in his silky black hair. It was all she could do to ground herself while she began to feel that familiar sensation building.

She had nearly cried his name out in bliss, but was muffled as Damion crashed his lips against hers, their tongues mingling; swallowing every moan and whimper out of her as he prolonged her orgasm  for as long as possible, before her body began to slack in his hold.

She was heaving for much needed air, her breasts lightly swaying with every breath as she felt all tension leave her body and all that was felt was a feeling of bliss and peace. Her hips twitched as he slowly pulled his finger away; coated in her essence. She sluggishly watched as he brought his fingers to lips and tasted her essence; the sight coaxing her body into another pleasant tremor.

“You’re right,” she sighed as she held him close. “Mornings should be more like this.”

She spotted a fang peeking from the cheeky demon’s lips as he released a deep chuckle that vibrated from his chest into hers, sending pleasant tingles through her body from the sexy sound. “You’d like that wouldn’t you.” He teased before pecking her lips and rolling to lie on his side—bringing her with him.

She laid her cheek upon his chest as she came down from her high. She had almost forgotten how amazing this felt—feeling limbless and content—know where else she’d rather be at the moment than in her demon’s arms.

Though, her eyes took a glance at the windows and groaned. “Guess I should make breakfast before somebody becomes nosy and barges in here,” she muttered into his shoulder.

“Let’s just stay in bed all day,” he hastily suggested, his hands holding her hips in place.

She giggled at what she thought was eagerness. “You know I can’t.” But when she tried to rise he held firm. She didn’t miss the panic in his eyes when he wouldn’t let go. “What’s gotten in to you?”  When he looked away and didn’t answer her, she narrowed her emerald eyes on him, effectively intimidating the mighty demon. “What aren’t you telling me?”

There was no keeping this from her, and he was beneath lying. That, and he’d never admit the tiny fear he felt crawl up his spin whenever she glared at him like that.

You’re a demon for Christ sake, just get it over with!

“The others…Our guests decided to extend their stay.” He tried not to flinch when all expression slowly dropped from her face as she laid there, absorbing the news.

She slowly sat up, her eyes continuing to stare blankly at him. “…They’re still here?” She carefully asked.

“Yes.”

 Her face hasty flushed to a mortified crimson as she grabbed one of the pillows and slammed it into his face, successfully extracting an ‘Oaf!’ out of him.  “You didn’t tell me!” She hissed through her teeth, not daring to raise her voice in fear of being heard. She hugged the pillow to her chest as she garbled, “Oh my God, They could hear us!”

Damion sat up next to her, as he tried to get the mortified girl to look at him. “Calm down, we were quiet, enough. Their on the other end of the mansion, plenty of distance between us.”

She used her pillow to smack his side which resulted in some feathers flying. “Enough? Enough?! I was practically a banshee!”

He snorted at that. “Hardly—I could have had you moaning far louder than that.” He caught the pillow this time when she tried to swipe that cheeky look off his face. Her cheeks puffed up when he took her pillow away. 

(cliffy XD haha now the lemon is over and next update will hopefully be soon. I've had a nasty art block when it comes to typing lately. >_<)

(END OF LEMON)

“You’re terrible,” she whispered under her breathe as she turned away from him, intending to take a quick cold shower. But clawed hands trapped her beneath him.

She would have hissed at him to get off, but the worried look in his eyes made her falter.

“Do you hate me?”

Baffled she said, “Of course not.” She bit her lip as she confessed, “It’s just… embarrassing. I don’t want them to think I’m some kind of loose woman.”

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. ‘Humans worry about the silliest things.’

Damion hooked his finger beneath her chin.  “Do not belittle yourself. What we do is natural and none of their business.” He kissed her and all the tension instantly left her as she melted against him. Only when he had her breathless did he pull away.

When he kissed her like that it was hard to stay mad at him. “Your right,” she sighed as she combed her fingers through his hair. “And… you’re sure they didn’t hear us?”

“Do you see any other demons in the room?”

“No,” she giggled. “Alright, let me up. I need to shower.”

His smile stretched from all the naughty thoughts running around in his head. “We could always save time and take one together.”

He thought she was actually going to consider it, with the minx of a smile she was giving him…until she firmly pinched his ears. “Nice try you cheeky demon!” For good measure, she shimmied out of his hold and rushed to the bathroom door to quickly lock it behind her, before Damion could make true on his word.

~~~~~

After showering, Sophie was practically a whirl wind in the kitchen as she prepared breakfast. The blonde didn’t have a clue what their guests would prefer, so she whipped up just about everything. No one else was up yet, and Damion was just getting into the shower, so it was just her and Ruby.

After she set up the table, Sophie went to knock on Rook’s door first. She could hear him stretching in his bed as it creaked, before he released a deep groan and muttering, “I’m up, Shrimp.”

She continued down the hall. Damion told her that the others were farther down the mansion. This bit of information did ease her worry about them hearing anything; their rooms really were a greater distance away. She reached the first door and lightly knocked on the oak wood and waited. The door creaked open enough to where she could barely make out the demoness. She was a lot taller than her, making Sophie want to shrink back a little as she stared down at her with a fridged gaze.

But, she resisted and instead gave the demoness a polite smile. “Um, good morning. Breakfast is ready if you would like to join us.”

She did not reply, only continued to stare her down with a stoic face and hard violet eyes.

Sophie became uncomfortable, and feared she might have offended her. She began to babble, “O-or  I could perhaps bring you something later—”

The door began to close shut, the demoness not even batting an eyelash as she ignored her like she was nothing more than an insect.

Sophie’s cheeks puffed up before deflating. “…Or not.”

‘Rude much?’

She moved on to the next door and tried again. This time it was the younger male demon with the lightening blue Mohawk. She didn’t even get a chance to greet him before he slammed the door in her face. Her mood wilted a bit from the cold shoulders.

 Okay, she didn’t expect it to go smoothly straight off the bat, but still! They could have the decency to speak to her.

The blonde didn’t realize she was already standing at the third door. She felt hopeful with this one; she really felt she gained some ground with this collector. The petite woman gave this door a much more firm knock and waited…but he didn’t answer. She knocked once more, in case he didn’t hear.

Still nothing.

Okay, now she was getting worried.

Though the others were rude, they at least opened their door. Something didn’t feel right; she could feel it in her gut. With mind a fret, she said, “I’m coming in.” The oak door released a long groan as she scanned the room, it was dark from the curtains closed but it was defiantly empty, not even the bed was ruffled. She would have thought him never their before she heard a noise in the bathroom. Sophie walked across the room to open the curtain to let in the light before heading to the bathroom.

She pushed the door further open to reveal the third soul collector. He was hunched over the toilet, dripping in sweat as his stomach heaved again before ending in a fit of coughs. His hands were shaking while he tried to catch his breath.

He felt his stomach churning again, feeling another wave of nausea coming over him before leaning over the toilet once more. This time however, a pair of hands gathered his unbound hair together and began rubbing circles between his shoulder blades. The soothing sensation on his back helped to settle stomach as he slowly rose from the bowl. Every move was agony, like his bones were made of shattered glass. He felt delirious as his vision blurred in and out.

He wiped at his mouth as he tried to stomach this new humiliation, as this woman yet again found him at his lowest.

The woman paled when she say the thick black sludge in the bowl. “What is that?!”

The demon leaned against the metal tub as he took deep breaths. “It’s the dark energy that we embody when were in the underworld, it’s what fuels us so our bodies don’t require nourishment or rest.”

“It’s making you sick?”

He struggled to swallow the lump in his throat, his tongue feeling too dry. “Now that I’m not there to keep it saturated, it has become toxic to my body.” He went into a fit of coughs again. “The longer—” cough, cough! “—you stay in the underworld, the harder it is to leave.” He found his head above the bowl again, nearly choking on the black sludge.

She cringed at the sound, but didn’t leave his side ‘It’s like he’s going through withdrawal.’

“I don’t understand. Rook wasn’t like this when he came here.”

“That’s because he was barely there a month, not nearly long enough to feel the effects to this level.”

‘And he’s over five-hundred. I can’t imagine the toll it’s taking on his body.’

She helped him lean against the tub, before flushing the gunk away. “Why are you still here if it’s making you sick?”

“…I honestly don’t know the answer to that.” His eyes were unfocused as he watched the blurry figure move to the sink.

Sophie grabbed the cup from the counter and filled it with cold water, before kneeling next to him to place the cup to his lips. “Here, you need to stay hydrated.” She held the glass steady for him when his hands were too shaky to even hold the glass; his Adam’s apple bobbing with every gulp he took.

After she made sure he drank the whole cup, she grasped the demon’s forearm. “Come on, you shouldn’t be resting on the cold floor.”

(cliffy!)

But the elder demon used the metal tub against his back to pull himself up instead of accepting her help, but that didn’t stop her from staying at his side as he sluggishly walked back out into the bedroom. He began to feel a chill inside him as the pain in his head increased.

Sophie hastily pulled the quilt back for him. “Did you sleep at all last night?” She asked, as she tried to get him to lie down.

He grasped the bedpost as he felt light headed, to stubborn to just sit down. “I don’t require sleep.” He gritted, sweat gathering more at his neck.

He noticed a shift in her emerald gaze that sent a strange twinge down his spin that warned him to tread carefully. ‘How can such a small mortal be so fierce?’ 

This time she took hold of his arm without hesitation as she tugged the bullheaded demon closer in. “Well in this world you do, and you can barely stand as it is,” She chided, as she managed to turn them and reach for his shoulder. Her smidge of human strength made the willow demon wane as she pushed down, showing just how weak he was. “Now, sit.”

‘How humiliating.’ He thought with a plop as he was forced to submit. “Just because I’m ill,do not think you can just tell a demon of my caliber what to do.” He scowled as she actually had the gull to roll her eyes at him, before going back into the bathroom.

“You can argue with me about demon superiority all you want when you feel better,” she said in the bathroom, as she drenched a cloth with cold water before returning to the bedroom. “Lay back,” she lightly ordered as she pushed his shoulder back before placing the cool rage on his heated brow.

The familiar scene before him reminded the demon of the other day, when she tended to him. “Why are you helping me?” Even though he knew the answer, it was still difficult for the demon to grasp—to understand why she did what she did.

‘But more importantly… why do I let you?’

She gave him a small smile, as she pulled the quilt back over him. “You already know the answer to that.” She made sure he was comfortable before moving the rag over his eyes. “I’ll make you something that’s easy to keep down; for now rest,” she said softly as she left the room and quietly closed the door.

He didn’t know what it was, whether it was her gentle command, the softness of the bed, or the soothing sensation of the cold cloth on his face, he couldn’t find the strength to move from his spot. Every moment grew heavier then the last as the demon waned against his fatigue. ‘I’m only going to rest for a few minutes.’He thought, as his head fully rested against the soft pillows.

*~*~*~*

He woke with a start as something wet and slimy flickered across his face. It was difficult to open his eyes or move for a few moments before he became fully awake. He reared his head back, the rag falling from his eyes as he came nose to nose with a familiar Doberman. She had half her body leaning on the bed as she leaned closer, her cold nose probing his own as she took curious sniffs. Her eyes rounded more as her stubby tail and hips swayed back and forth.

“And what do you want,” he said irritably as he leaned up on his elbows.

“Probably your meal,” a voice said.

He felt the familiar jump of adrenaline in his body, his body tensing as he looked to find Damion in the room, just behind the canine.

“What are you doing here?” The elder asked, unused to being caught off guard. He found it easier to focus, and his head was no longer swimming with a fever. ‘How long was I asleep?’

Damion pointed to the metal lid that covered the meal Sophie made for him. “You were so out of it; Sophie thought it better to let you sleep some more before you eat something.”

She told her worries to Damion when she found his mentor sick, and even he began to grow concern when she checked on him a couple of times during the day. Damion could not ignore the situation as; he too, took brief visits into the room. He had never seen his mentor look so vulnerable like this. If they had been in the underworld, he would most certainly have been killed.

The elder just now noticed the old clock in the corner, his eyes widening to find it well in the afternoon as the short hand rested on the four, showing that he had slept over seven hours. He pushed back the quilt to swing his limber legs over the side of the bed, his bare feet touching the cold floor. ‘When did she remove my boots? How the hell did I not notice her removing them?!’ He found it disconcerting how dull his defenses had become.

“How could I have allowed myself to sleep so long?”

 “It really isn’t all that surprising. No one is an acceptation up here, not even you, teacher,”Damion said, giving the demon closure.

He could still feel it in the back of his mind, that clawing desperation—the craving to return to the underworld where he would be whole once more. ‘Why would any collector deliberately choose to stay up here?’ He thought as he tried to ignore the ache in his bones.

  “…How did you do it?” He quietly asked.

Damion could remember the first time he had surfaced with the same mind set. But like his teacher, he quickly learned the consequences. Of course back then he was merely existing up here; eating, sleeping…but never truly living until his path had crossed with Sophie’s. “In order to survive up here, you need to be more …human.”

 Damion removed the silver cap, revealing a steamy bowl of chicken broth with a side of crackers. The scent of food had the elder demon’s stomach churning for a different reason as it burned now to be filled.  “Eat,” he said. “You’re going to need it if you want to recover faster.”

He called Ruby to follow as he left his teacher to his own thoughts, as the elder took the warm bowl in his hands to look at his tired reflection in the steamy broth. ‘To be more human? How ironic,’ he thought as he brought the silver spoon to his lips.

(End of chapter 5! Next chapter, Iron Horn: Complete Once More)
Thought this chapter was to long, so I broke it up into two parts and gave this chapter a different cover. Will have an update soon for chapter 5. ^U^ Please tell me what you think of the new illustration!