Irritated that this was happening, Caleb summoned his armor.
A gasp sounded from behind him. He turned to find Lil in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”
She smiled a smile that made his stomach tighten. “I forgot how scary you are in your armor… and how handsome.”
“I forgot how heavy it was.” He rolled his shoulders.
“Can you still take your demonic form?”
Caleb hesitated. Could he? It’d been so long that he wasn’t sure. “I don’t know.” Closing his eyes, he focused inward.
“Yes… yes you can.”
He opened his eyes to see his blood red skin. Laughing, he tsked at her. “You fell in love with me looking like this.”
“True. You’re beautiful to me in either form. But my fear is that our friends won’t be as understanding if they see your demon skin.”
“Probably not and while I like to scare the natives shaking their pitchforks, I don’t want to have to hurt one of them. Especially not one we’ve had over for dinner.”
“Then I suggest a more human appearance.”
“Mmm.” He switched back to his birth form. Strange how this hated body had become comfortable. Thanks to her.
Everything he had was thanks to Lil. It was why he couldn’t afford for anything bad to happen. If he lost her, he had no idea what would become of him.
And he didn’t want to find out.
So he took her to their cave and made a fire for her with his powers. Then, he pulled her into his arms.
“You’re holding me too tightly.”
“I know. I just don’t want to let you go.”
“I’ll be right here, Caleb. No one will come to our cave. I’m safe.”
“You better be.”
“I will and you better stay safe.”
Caleb scoffed. “I’m too mean to die.”
“Good. Now go quickly so that you can get back to me.”
He kissed her, savoring the taste of her lips. Until she gently pushed him back.
“All right, bossy. I’m going.” But as he left, a bad feeling came over him.
He didn’t want to be gone long. Spreading his wings, he flew to the village where they’d married.
Yet he didn’t have to go far before he saw the smoke and smelled the stench of death. Gods, how could he have ever forgotten that smell? It was rancid and stuck in his throat.
How could he have lived for this?
I was an idiot.
A part of him wanted to return to Lil and fly her far away from this hell hole. But he knew she’d never willingly leave. It wasn’t in her.
No. She was a woman of convictions. A woman of decency.
