“Let me worry about that. Sleep.”
∞∞∞
Faye awoke hours later, groggy and confused. The light from the candle still wavered, making the shadows sway around the room. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and tugged the sharp edge of a book out from under her ribs.
Beside her, sleeping soundly, was Raxx. Faye smiled as he frowned, almost as if he sensed her gaze.
She watched him for a while longer. Faye had found Raxx to be handsome from the moment they met, but as she allowed herself free reign to gaze upon him fully, she realised how much more attractive he was becoming to her.
Raxx had a pleasant face – a wide, defined jawline, nice teeth (once she had gotten over the fangs) and full lips – but, unlike some of the company he kept, he wasn’t classically handsome. He was good-looking, but the unnaturally dark hair and eyes, larger than average horns and sinister looking wings all distracted you from really taking much notice.
The shadow demon was frustrating beyond all reason, impossibly stubborn and arrogant... But Faye had also begun to discover he was intelligent, funny and far more personable than his expressionless face let on.
The more Raxx showed her of himself, the more she liked and the more she wanted to discover. The princess feared her feelings towards him were beginning to stem from something much more than a simple physical attraction, and that frightened her.
Faye wondered how the demon felt about her. Sometimes there was a glint in his eye or a small smile that suggested what she was feeling wasn’t one-sided, then there were other moments – like his reaction to her trying to kiss him. Faye felt her cheeks glow with shame. She had never seen a man, demon or otherwise, react with such obvious revulsion at the prospect of kissing someone.
Faye sighed and reached out to brush her fingertips across Raxx’s cheek.
I wish I knew what you were thinking.
The shadow demon jerked awake, his hand shooting forwards to grasp hers, just before she made contact with him.
Faye startled and attempted to pull away but Raxx squeezed her tighter, the leather of his gloves squeaking. He glanced at her hand with confusion before looking up at her.
“What were you doing?”
“I, what? Nothing – let me go,” Faye squeaked and attempted to tug her hand away from him once more.
“Were you going totouchmy face whilst I was sleeping, Faye?” the demon teased.
“Oh, shut up!” the princess growled.
“Were you?”
Faye paused, frantically trying to come up with a decent excuse, but the demon’s dark eyes bore into her.
“Alright, fine, yes I was.” Faye’s stomach sank.
“Why?” Raxx asked, seemingly curious.
“I don’t know. It just seemed like a nice idea at the time,” Faye spluttered. “Will you let my hand go now please?”
“Not until I’m satisfied you’re not going to attempt to molest me in my sleep.”
Faye groaned with embarrassment.
“In all seriousness, why were you going to touch me?” Raxx’s tone shifted suddenly from teasing and playful to serious. Faye glanced up at him.
“I was thinking...” she trailed off.
“Go on.”
“I was thinking about that horribly embarrassing thing that happened in the tent, back before we found Lephas and Lori. We never talked about it and—”
“We didn’t talk about it because I could barely get you to look at me, never mind anything else.” Raxx argued.
“Are you surprised? I was humiliated. I’ve never had someone physically recoil from me before. It hurt my feelings.”
