Amazed by her, he gentled his grip on her shoulder, not wanting to hurt her in any way. “Are all women as brave as you?”
Finally, a smile curved her lips, and it was as breathtaking a sight as he’d thought. “Depends on the species.”
He’d arched a brow at her flippant, teasing tone. “Well, aren’t you a cheeky one?”
“So says my father. It’s ever a fault of mine that I don’t know my place. But who better to know my place than I, says I? And who so better to determine it? For I will not be hemmed in by anyone else’s expectations. This is my life, such as it is. And it will be lived under my rules and no one else’s so long as I have it.”
She led him into the dark cave where his sight quickly adjusted.
Even more surprised by her spirit that was unafraid of the dark he called home, he sat down on the floor while she went to a corner and uncovered a small tinder box. If he didn’t know better, he’d think her part demon the way she moved about in the darkness as if she could see plainly.
But it was merely the fact that she was familiar with the place and knew where everything in it was put. She struck a flintstone and lit a small tallow candle to burn. Holding it aloft, she used it to light several more candles that were on the cave walls, then placed it in a small makeshift sconce she’d created.
Once she could see, she returned and knelt down by his side. When she reached for his stomach, he caught her soft hand with his claws. “What are you doing?”
She gave him a blank stare. “I was going to inspect your injury. Surely, you don’t think I could do you harm?”
No, but trust didn’t come easy for him. He’d never had anyone who hadn’t sought in the past to give him all manner of pain.
That list included his own parents. So why should he give her any chance to do harm?
“I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Those words amused him. It was like a gnat speaking to a lion. As if she could do anything…
So reluctantly, he loosened his grip and surrendered to her care. As promised, she didn’t hurt him. Rather she carefully examined his wound then tore away a section of her underdress to bandage it.
That selfless act hit him twofold. One, that she destroyed her own dress for his care. And two, that her touch was feather-light and seared him to the core of his rotten soul.
When she was done, she sat back to smile down at him. “You lie still and rest. I shall get you something to eat and drink.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome…”
By the way she said that he knew she wanted something from him, but he had no idea what.
After a second, she laughed. “What’s your name?”
“Malphas.”
“Malphas?” she repeated in distaste. “That name doesn’t suit you at all.”
“How do you figure?”
“You’re far too handsome to be a Malphas.” She actually made a face as she said it.
Malphas gaped at her words. He was completely wearing his demon form in her presence. The one thing he’d learned early in his life was that humans hated whenever his kind wore their demon skins. Everything about his kind was repugnant to the human species.
Yet it didn’t seem to faze her at all.
Not even the darkness of his blood or the length of his claws that had been designed to shred human flesh appeared to bother her. She acted as if he were as normal to her as daylight.
And it softened his hardened warrior’s heart in a way nothing ever had before. “What name would you have for me, then, little one?”
She pursed her lips into an adorable frown as she considered it. Then, to his complete consternation, she reached up and gently brushed his orange hair back from his face so that she could cup his cheek and study his features. “Caleb.”
It left him speechless that she’d instinctively picked a name so close to his summoning name that could enslave him to her… as if she could sense it somehow.
