A Demon's Kiss ✔️

THIRTY EIGHT

Word Count: 1646

~Aspen

It doesn't take time for Keo to locate Kastriv's parents.

We gave him a day to return home, filled with the knowledge of everything Kastriv could impart about his parents to him. It's not much, since they were taken from him so long ago, but Keo seemed convinced he 's capable of tracking them down.

He's returned today, looking both determined and wary.

Seeing Keo unsure of himself isn't a good sign. He seems to know the result of everything that happens across these lands. It's uncanny, quite frankly.

"It's simple, in theory," Keo exclaims, stalking back and forth in front of Kastriv and I.

Kastriv sighs. "Go on."

"Your parents are in Territory One, not far from here," he announces. Kastriv sits up a little straighter, a dulled down version of his true shock crossing his face.

He doesn't want Keo to see how much that information pleases him. He doesn't want him to know how desperate he has been over the years to hear that. To know he is one step closer to seeing his parents again.

"Really?"

Keo nods once. "Yes. They are living in a small village near the border's edge, working as farmers."

"Okay..."

"The hard part is distracting Atari. She likely knows we are close to finding this information," Keo says uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck.

It's clear he isn't used to this - being helpful. He acts only for Demon's, and yet here he is, doing something kind for an Angel-blood. I bet he's doubting his own troubled moral compass....

"I'll do it." I stand.

"No, you won't," Kastriv says immediately, shaking his head at me.

I know he would rather sacrifice himself and his family than have me served up to Atari for her to do whatever she pleases with me. But what other choice do we have?

"I agree with your mate. She will kill you with no effort at all." Keo says bitterly.

"Kastriv can't do it...his parents won't believe either of us going there, trying to summon them away," I remind him. I'm trying to be rationale. Something needs to be sacrificed for this to work.

Keo rubs a hand down his face. "I'll do it."

"Really?" I frown. I thought him tracking Kastriv's parents down was as much charity as he was willing to offer.

Keo shrugs, as if it's not that big of a deal.

"She can't kill me. Not that she hasn't tried," he mutters, silently recalling some aspect of his past that I'm not sure I want to be privy to.

Keo is too complicated of a man for me to deal with.

"I can't believe she a Demon," I breathe. I would have never guessed that. Not with the way she acts.

I glance at Kastriv, who stares down at his feet. I'm surprised he didn't tell me, unless of course, he didn't put it together. Perhaps all he knows is that she is powerful.

More powerful than him, even. At least in the art of manipulation.

"I know, and a strong one too. But to me, she isn't truly one, regardless of her genetics," Keo tells me firmly. Still, he isn't willing to kill her.

Did he make that oath long ago, to never kill a Demon? Or is there a deeper meaning behind such a commitment?

"Why doesn't she want to be one?"

"I imagined she was raised by Angel-bloods who indoctrinated her into believing Demon's were evil." He doesn't bother concealing his obvious distain for the aforementioned Angel-bloods.

I shudder. "That almost happened to me."

My mother - the vile, wicked person that she is - told me all sorts of stories about evil Demon's. At times I believed her. I though ill of myself for it, and now, I see those lies for what they are.

"Exactly," Keo says, nodding at me as if I've made some extraordinary point. "I spent a long time trying to make her see my side of things. It never worked."

Kastriv stands swiftly. "We should go. It won't take Atari long to remember your special ability."

"The beauty of it is, Atari will never believe I would be willing to help a Noble." Keo grins, although his eyes convey another story. He hates this.

"Why are you helping me?" Kastriv asks him.

He tips his head from side to side, considering how to respond. "I'm feeling generous."

"Seriously. Why?" Kastriv pushes. He knows this is out of character for the Demon. He knows their history, and is confused as I am.

Keo looks toward me. "I don't just want Demon's to survive. They deserve to be happy too."

I'm not sure what has overcome me, but seeing Keo being so honest, so stripped down to his barest self for a moment, that I step forward and hug him.

He tenses under my touch, making no move to hug me back.

"Thank you," I murmur against his chest.

I hear him swallow uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah. Okay."

I pull away, not offended by his lack of affection. I doubt it comes naturally to him, and for me to recieve it, I would have to mean more to him than just being another Demon.

"Come on, let's go," I exclaim, smiling at Kastriv.

Keo quickly informs Kastriv of where his parents await before stepping back, giving me a last nod as my mate takes my hand.

Whatever happens to Keo is in his hands now. I know deep inside me, though, that he can look after himself.

The world dissolves around me, and soon enough, we are standing in red sand, a hot breeze whipping my skin, carrying burning granules.

Looking around, I see we are amongst the village Keo was referring to. It's small, and distantly, I spot a few scattered farms that clearly grow some kind of root vegetable.

When I look over, I see Kastriv staring toward the farms, squinting as if he see's something.

"That's them," he exclaims, pointing to a couple.

One of them is kneeling amongst the dirt and sand, shuffling through it with their hands. The other is taking the vegetables being passed to them, sorting them into different wicker baskets.

"You're certain?" I can barely see much from here.

"Yes. Of course." Kastriv is still, as if moving may ruin this moment. My heart melts, knowing how special this is for him. I wish I had parents I cared about, how weren't deeply selfish and delusional.

"Let's go then..."

Kastriv doesn't move when I tug on his arms. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" I ask, seeing the conflict in his eyes.

He stares at his parents, not taking his eyes off them. When I tug on him again, he remains stuck in his spot, as if taking a step toward them would cause them to dissolve away into nothing.

"I've dreamt of this day for so long. The day I get to see them again, since Atari took them hostage," he murmurs lowly. There's a softness in his eyes that makes me want to draw him close and consul him for all the pain she has put him through.

"This is something to be happy about. I'm sure they are dying to see me," I assure him.

He summons a deep breath, nodding.

"You're right. Let's go speak to them. I'm certain they cannot wait to meet my mate either," he says kindly, wrapping his fingers around mine.

We make our way toward the two farmers. We don't fit in here, some people pinning us with their gazes as we cross over the field. It's clear we came from the city, that we are outsiders.

Kastriv's mother is the first to look up from where she is sorting the vegetables.

The smile that lights up her face is made up of both excitment and surprise. She gets to her feet, nudging her husband to look also.

"Wow, are you that Noble?" she marvels.

I blink, glancing at Kastriv. I would have expected her to call him her son first.

Kastriv shifts on his feet, surprised by that reaction as well. "Yes, I am a Noble..."

"What an honour it is to have a Noble in our presence," his father exclaims, continuing to smile as if they have been graced with a prize rather than the return of their son who they haven't seen in a long time.

Kastriv gapes at the two of them, who exchange excited glances. My stomach falls, realising that they don't know who he is. They think of him just as his rank, not as their son.

"Well..."

"What do we owe such an honour, sir?" his mother asks.

"I just wanted to see how this town was coming along. Enjoy your day," Kastriv says uncomfortably, backing away.

His hand is gripping mine so tightly as he drags me away from his parents that I don't have a chance to stop and explain everything to them myself.

"What was that?" I question as he pulls me back toward the village.

He stops once we are behind a building, letting go of me to run his hands through his hair.

"They don't know who I am," he chokes out.

"How old were you when they last saw you?" Maybe he was so young that they didn't recognise him. Maybe it was an honest mistake, and if we went back we could tell them who Kastriv is and they would be overjoyed.

"Young, but they knew I became a Noble. If they remembered me, they would have asked," he mumbles hopelessly, pacing back and forth.

"Kastriv...you should have asked them," I insist.

He just shakes his head. "The parents I knew are gone. Atari killed them."

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