Angel of the lake

Chapter Forty

"Claudio."

Her demon was tense. Too tense. She hated seeing him this way.

She wished they could go back to the beginning. Back to when she'd fallen to that lake. Back to easier times.

Now, they both knew what was nearing.

And they hated it.

The demon King dreaded it more than she did.

He stood by the window, staring out of it, letting the cool air hit his face and fan him. She knew he'd heard her. His shoulders slackened, though he said nothing. He seemed tired. Emotionally drained.

Her feet were frozen for a second right before she stumbled across the room, arms latching onto his sides. He peered down at her. In spite of all that exhaustion, he still managed a fond smile.

Out of adoration for her, he could manage anything.

Her hold on him brightened his day.

"Hello love."

"I hate this."

He smiled. It didn't touch his eyes.

"I hate this too."

More than she could ever imagine.

He hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her close so she stood by his side. Through the window, they watched the sky. The stars. The moon. Anything that might take their minds off the very moment they stood in.

Everything about it was wrong.

Life was getting to be too much.

Need to slow down. Gods, he wished there was a pause button.

"I wish we could go back to the lake," She murmured. "Back to when things weren't this hard."

"Back to you throwing rocks at my head?"

She smiled and leaned into his side. "You know that's not what I mean."

"I know. I wish we could go back too." But they couldn't. No matter how hard they tried. Responsibility weighed heavy on both of their shoulders. "Easier days will come," He promised, tearing his eyes away from the sky to peer down at her. "When this is all over and done with, you and I are going to have the nicest life."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He eased a hand through her hair, finding comfort in her touch. "I'll take you everywhere and show you everything. We'll spend whole days lazing around in bed, doing nothing, just relaxing."

I'll give you everything. Everything she could ever want. It was hers already.

"Mmm, sounds nice."

"And there'll be no more training."

She grinned at that one.

Her training had gotten exhausting.

"Date nights every night?" She asked.

"Every night of every week."

"I like the sound of that. I think I'll dream of it." She gave him a suggestive look. "Amongst other things."

Both of them felt that. That shot of attraction. That need to have each other's skin on their own. The need to be touching. To be close. To be with the other in every way possible.

Her dreams had certainly been active. He dominated them in the night. He dominated her daydreams too. Any time her mind wandered, he somehow rammed himself into her thoughts.