Unholy Love

Chapter Four

I jerk awake with an intense shock to my body. I feel like I just had a bad dream. Yes, another. I stare at the ceiling, all carved at an angle covered in dark old wood much like the rest of the cottage. I realise that I am lying in bed, propped up properly, covered in the red-wine silky sheets. I sit up in the large bed unexpectedly feeling small. Looking around the room I notice there isn't much to it. A bed, a fireplace just opposite us, slowly dying, a few chests of drawers, a mirror and an armchair covered in a vintage pattern. I look down onto the bed and see Damien peacefully sleeping beside me. He looks nothing like what one could imagine the Devil to look like, never mind how the Bible describes him. No horns or red skin and a long tail.

I know I won't be able to sleep again, and even though the night is still very dark, the moon sparkling and casting its shadows, I decide to get up. I push the silky covers off of my naked body and slowly rise to my feet. The wood makes a screeching noise causing me to look back at Damien to see if I've woken him up. Thankfully, he is still fast asleep.

Exposed, I walk over to the other side of the bed to grab my panties from the floor and slip them back on. Pausing to look at the sleeping Devil in his big bed. I gaze at him. Analysing his face, trying to find anything that doesn't look human, but apart from his eye colour he looks exactly as he did when we first met. My hands keen to touch him, brushing my fingertips on his warm cheek but I resist, biting down on my finger to subside the urge in case I would wake him up. The sheets are only covering half of his body, his torso is uncovered, his abs out for me to admire. I blink and bite down on my lip as I continue to look at him. Is he really the Devil? He looks more human than I can comprehend.

I hear a screeching sound coming from the living room. I turn around and quietly walk over there careful not to make too much noise with the old floors. By the sofa I grab a hold of Damien's black sweater. It smells like him, like cinnamon. I inhale deeply as the wool material passes by my face as I pull it over my head. Rather clumsily slipping my hands into the sleeves.

Again, I hear a squeaky noise and when I turn around twisting on my toes like a ballerina, I see the black cat I saw earlier sleeping on the porch, sitting by the door. How did it get inside? It purrs silently as it starts walking towards me. When its near I lift it up into my arms and gently caress it. Its fur is so soft. Much to my surprise the cat doesn't fight back when I hold it in my arms like a baby. In fact, it snuggles further into me and my embrace. I cannot tell if the cinnamon scent lingering on Damien's sweater also has an effect on animals too or if its just me. 

Holding the cat in my arms, I sit down on the floor beside the fireplace in the living room. Staring at the slowly dying blaze I find myself wondering and debating whether I should stay with Damien now that I know his secret. He must know the pressure he is now putting on me, keeping his secret like this. And do I really want to still be with him? I could very easily just grab my things and run for my life. Surely, he cannot hold me hostage against my will.

I frown thinking about how there is a part of him that scares me, but I still loved him, and he said he loves me too so clearly it must be all real. I should stay with him. But how long will all of this last? I'll be ageing whilst he won't.

I hear a strange sound coming from outside. It's like a howling, similar if not the same to that of what I have heard in the forest. Fear begins to consume me, but my curiosity bids me to stand to my feet. The cat jumps off and walks beside me as I creak open the double glass doors on the other side of the cottage. Barefooted, I step out onto the porch and let out a scream when I see a wolf not too far away standing there and growling. Its black with dark gloomy eyes.

Within seconds Damien is by my side with just his jeans on. He wraps a protective arm around me, and his eyes search the area until he makes eye to eye contact with the wolf. I peak up at him and see that he is rolling his eyes.