Caleb scowled at the random shout that filled the air. It was a call that was taken up by others until it became a chant.
A group in the middle of the temple linked hands to form a circle around a man. Chanting, they danced around him while the one they surrounded held his mug up to salute them.
“Human celebrations are so odd.”
Lifting up on her toes, she kissed his cheek. “The word you’re looking for, husband, isfun.” She took his hand and pulled him to a space where she could dance with him.
Never had Caleb felt awkward. But this… demons didn’t dance. The closest they came to it was battle.
“You’re so stiff,” Lilliana chided. “Give me your hand and follow my steps.”
She made it sound so easy. But he kept stepping on her dainty feet. To his amazement, she didn’t care. She just laughed and kept dancing with him.
He would never understand her. How she could be happy over nothing at all.
Her father came up to them with two cups. “Salute to my daughter and new son! May you live long and have many grandchildren for me to love!”
Thanks to his brother and Myone, they would live a long life. And he couldn’t wait for it.
As for children… the very thought terrified him. He couldn’t imagine being a father.
But then, he could never have imagined being a husband. Or a farmer. Truthfully, he looked forward to being proved wrong about children, too.He only prayed that it was a daughter who was every bit as beautiful as her mother.
Just as he took a drink, several screams sounded from outside.
People came running into the temple.
“Monsters!”
“Hide!”
“Run!”
It seemed like a thousand voices were screaming at once with contradictory orders. The words blurred together. Caleb cut in front of Lilliana to protect her and her father.
Before he could do anything more, a Malachai demon shot fire through the room.
His eyes burned, letting him know they were changing colors. Fangs descended.
Damn it!
He had to get control before he exposed himself to humans who would never understand the difference between him and their enemies.
‘Course, he’d been one of those enemies not that long ago, but things had changed.
“Get her hidden,” he growled to Ophelos.
“Caleb?”
The note of fear in her voice for him almost brought tears to his eyes. “I’ll be fine, mouse. So long as you’re unharmed, nothing can touch me.” He kissed her quickly, then gently nudged her toward her father. “Hide her.”
With a quick nod, her father vanished into the crowd, pulling her behind him.
Caleb hated putting his powers on display, or revealing himself to superstitious humans. But he had no choice. They weren’t capable of fighting a Malachai. Even though this demon wasn’t their leader, Monakribos, any of the Malachai line was deadly beyond belief.
Caleb let out a piercing whistle. “Hey, asshole! Try someone who isn’t afraid of you.”
The demon snarled at him, then launched a fireball at him.
