Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 16 - Separated at Dawn

16.

Separated at Dawn

The moon had dissolved into the brightening morning sky, and the dimness in Reyna’s room lifted. Darkened corners were slightly illuminated and the gloss of the furniture's varnished wood was set softly aglow. Most of the sun’s reaching rays were snuffed out by the window’s closed blinds and extended curtains, but a sense of daylight still penetrated through. The obscure, rectangular light that fazed through the window slowly crept across the carpeted floor. Mundus had been observing it since the daybreak with great curiosity. As the shafts of lights shifted, so did his curiosity evolve into apprehension. It was almost noon and he and Reyna were still separated.

Her body was sprawled over his lap bridal style, arms dangling in heavy sleep, drooping head resting on his chest. Mundus arms that framed her back and waist were what secured her sleeping stature to his. He should have woken her since the morning’s arrival, but her small frame appeared so delicate, it seemed she would break with the slightest shake. Thus he simply sat, waiting for her to awake on her own accord. When she finally did, she looked at him, sleepy blue eyes blinking. The shifty eyebrow he lifted at her was accompanied by a sly grin. The blue eyes widened with understanding.

Furiously blushing, Reyna jumped off of Mundus, almost stumbling upon the blanket that had latched around her ankles. Her stiff body popped with the sudden action.

“At last you wake,” Mundus said as he stood up and stretched, “You salivated upon me.”

She glared at him. “I don’t drool in my sleep!”

“The scent of your saliva is quite strongly present on my chest.”

Reyna opened her mouth to protest but something stopped her. She gaped at her sunlight bearing window and then back at the moon demon that physically stood in front of her. 

“Mundus,” she said slowly. “Why are you still here?”

He looked at her, arms crossed. “At last such comes to your attention.”

“You knew already? Why didn’t you–” She cut herself off and sighed.

Reyna was still in her torn clothes from last night, encrusted blood and all. Rusty flakes of blood powdered her arms, face, and legs. If she had to tackle this, it had to be with a fresh mind after a warm shower that hoped to wash last night’s events away. She scuttled over to her closet. Her shuffling was erratic and overly thought out as she scavenged out fresh clothes. They were the movements of a frightened individual, and Mundus noticed it all.

“I don’t know what going on, but I’m going to shower,” Reyna said, clean clothes in her hands. Their connecting stares read each other. Mundus could see her anxiety and she knew it.

“Don’t touch anything and don’t go out anywhere!” she quickly said, feigning cheer and jest into her voice. Cumbersomely passing by Mundus, she stepped out of the room. As soon as the door closed, it reopened and Reyna momentarily popped back in. “And don’t try to sneak up on me to get a peek!” This time her words rang true.

Mundus chuckled. She is unaware such a ‘peek’ has already been acquired.

He walked over to the window and moved the curtain aside. A bright day greeted him. He roughly drew the curtain back and walked back to the bed. His nostrils flared as he caught another whiff of Reyna’s blood. The scent was radiating from the bed, but mostly from him. Some of Reyna’s blood had caked on his clothes as well. Perhaps a shower would suit him too. He grinned at the reaction Reyna would undertake if he jumped in with her.