Undying Devotion

Her heart was pounding and her body betrayed her, she wanted to deny it but there was something so mysterious about him. She found herself craving his touch. When he released her, sliding his fingertips along the inside of her palm, her whole arm tingled. She couldn’t understand why a man like this wanted her. It had to be too good to be true, or she’d gone completely mad. Yep, probably totally bonkers at this point. Though if demons and a different world existed what to say that he hadn’t done something to her?

“Fine, you can stay here.” She said defeated by his charms and her curiosity.

He beamed, his smile threatening to steal her breath out from under her. This man should be illegal.

“BUT! You will respect my boundaries.” Even though in her mind she was screaming, please don’t. “You can use the spare bedroom down the hall, and you are not to enter my bedroom under any circumstances.”

“Not even if you invite me?” His grin turned wicked.

“Not going to happen.” She retorted sternly.

He laughed as if accepting her statement as a challenge but said nothing.

She retrieved her pillow and phone. “I’m going back to bed, I’ll deal with the door tomorrow.”

He wriggled his nose frowning. “Other people have been here.” He mumbled.

“Yeah, the ones that broke my door before you. I think they were looking for... your kind. And of course, I’m somehow in the middle of this mess now.” She sighed beginning to walk away.

“Perhaps it’s best not to leave the entrance open.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have forced your way in.” She rolled her eyes.

What happened next had her shocked and bewildered. She watched as he walked to the door. Lifted it from the ground with an ease that had her envious and simply pushed it back into place. A vine-like pattern formed on the surface of the wood as the edges let off a soft glow. The door remained in place after it seemingly slipped back onto its hinges as if it had never been on the floor in the first place.

“How...”

He smirked, clearly proud of himself. “As I said, I can be useful. Now, about these pursuers.”

She groaned. “Can it not wait until the sun comes up?” Her eyelids were demanding that she close her eyes at least for a few hours. “I’ve been kidnapped twice, proposed to and gotten a new roommate all in one night. Please let me rest!”

He tilted his head listening to her ramble before lowering his eyes and letting out a soft laugh. “Very well. I will formalize myself with this town and wait for first light. Sleep Well.”

With her head pounding she fled to her room. Shutting the door behind her she stood with her back to it for a short time. She was aching all over, her body stiff and tense as her mind tried to wrap itself around everything. The logical side of her was telling her she needed to book an appointment with a shrink. She slid to the floor as she looked over at her little bedside table and the pills that were lined up.

“I have a magical demon lord living with me...” She laughed nervously as she considered that it might be the medication. “This can’t be happening.”

Flicking her phone open she did the only thing she could think of right at that moment, she messaged the one person that might put her mind at ease, Masie.

‘I need some advice. Have you ever had a trip so bad that when you woke up its still happening?’

There was no chance she was awake right? Only a minute or so later her phone vibrated, Masie had replied. She smiled, thank the heavens she was a night owl much like herself.

’Okay, first, why are you not sharing?

Doc must have given you some good shit, wow.

Second, I can’t say that it’s happened to me, but it’s not impossible. Why?′

She smiled, her heart finally slowing down as a sense of normalcy filled her. Just a single text from a human being and she was already feeling better.

’I meet someone tonight, after a small home invasion (CIA).

I’m still trying to figure out if it’s real...′

How was she meant to explain this? Before she could continue to type anything a message popped up in response.

‘A HOME INVASION! WTF! WHY DID YOU NOT CALL THIS IN?’

Oh right, that wasn’t a normal thing. She scratched her head, probably should have left that part out. Too late now.

‘It’s not the first time my investigations have caused unwanted attention. Not a big deal really.’

How was she meant to brush past this and get to the magical man that was in her home?

’NOT A BIG DEAL?

LIKE HELL!

They drugged you didn’t they, is that why your feeling weird?′

She couldn’t help but laugh at Masie’s antics, she could imagine the woman standing in front of her with her hands on her hips shaking her head in disapproval.

‘It’s a possibility, but I was... rescued by a guy that’s staying in my house now.’

She didn’t have to wait long to receive a reply to that one, her smile spreading wider.

’You’re telling me you have a male in your house, like... right now?

You’re not hallucinating him are you?′

Shannara giggled to herself. She wished she were honestly, it would help explain a lot.

’That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

He said he had nowhere else to go and could help us with the case.′

Though she wasn’t entirely sure how to explain how, or why. She didn’t exactly want to wright that he was a demon murderer who wanted to marry her and whisk her off to another world.

’I MUST meet him.

What’s he like?

Is he cute?′

She bit her bottom lip, oh he was gorgeous, stunning and built like a stallion. But she decided not to go into details, she would be taking him to the station tomorrow regardless. Best for everyone to see the man that may kidnap her later, or be the cause of her death. Why were the handsome ones always the dangerous ones?

‘We’ll talk about it in the morning, I have way too much to catch you up on.’

’You’re coming back to the office tomorrow?

Isn’t it too soon?′

’I’ve been at home for too long as it is.

Besides I think the CIA will show up again, and I’d like to be there.

If he’s still real in the morning, I’ll bring him with me.′

They said their goodbyes and good nights and she climbed into bed. It was surprisingly easy to fall asleep now, her exhaustion getting the better of her. By the time the morning came, she was woken by a soft knocking at her door.

“Yes?” She yawned.

“It’s first light.” His voice chimed.

Oh right... That hadn’t been a dream then, she sighed pulling the blankets up over her head. He sounded far too eager for the time of morning. How could he be that perky? She was practically living on around 4 hours of sleep at this point.

“No shit Sherlock.” She muttered.

“My name is Arion...” He responded with a confused tone from the other side of the door.

She was surprised he had heard her, it seemed he had good hearing too. She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s just an expression, I’ll have a shower and meet you in the kitchen for breakfast.”

She listened as she heard his footsteps disappearing. Her body was tense and not well rested, the hot water of the shower would hopefully help. Thankfully her bathroom was connected directly to her room so she didn’t have to face him, yet.

But in no time at all she was dressed and in her uniform, her hair up in her usual bun, she was ready to take on the world, at least in appearance. Aside from the ache that remained in her abdomen and shoulder, she felt fairly refreshed. She entered the kitchen, following the scents of freshly prepared food.

“I didn’t know you could cook.” She commented truthfully as she saw him with a pan in hand over her stovetop.

“Ah, my dear. Good morning.” He placed a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of her as she sat at the table. “There is much for you to learn about me.”

She raised a brow at him as he retrieved some toast. “I would have thought that you have servants for this type of thing.”

“I do hire cooks and cleaners, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to look after myself or others.” He winked at her.

“So, you’re a civilized lord of demons?” She asked picking up her cutlery to test his creation. She surmised it wasn’t drugged, what would be the point in letting her come back home when he had had her in his world last night? If he wanted to he could have kept her there by force, though not with out resistance on her part.

“I’m not lord of Demons, I am a Demon Lord. There’s a difference.” He sat down to the side of her and placed his elbow on the tabletop, leaning his head in his hand.

“How so?” She continued to eat as he explained.

“I am the ruler of my realm, which includes many magical beings and creatures, not just demons. The royal bloodline has always been that of Demon’s.” He watched her curiously. “You seem rather... unfazed by all this?” He added, he was studying her.

Taking a drink of juice she glanced over at him. “I’m just hiding the unease well.” And yet she felt oddly conformable around him.

“I’m liking you more and more each day.” He bit his bottom lip as though in anticipation.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Hurry and eat, we need to get to the station.”

“We?” He asked raising a brow.

“I presume you won’t be leaving me alone while you’re... in my world.” It felt weird saying it out loud. “So for that to work, I need to register you with the station, then we can all talk freely about the case and the CIA that attempted to take me last night.”

He smiled and she felt her insides knot. She didn’t exactly fear him as he grinned at her, but she wasn’t sure what it was she was feeling. He looked at her like she was a precession he wanted to own. She put it down to nerves. She didn’t quite know what his intentions were or why he was so interested in her and it was completely and totally unnerving.