The Dominant Demon (Finished)

18. Welcome Back

"I know," he says. "I also need to know something else, though. It's what this is really about."

I stare up at him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. "What is it?"

"I don't know what you remembered about yours and Moskil's relationship," he says. I feel my heart sink at the sound of Moskil's name. I've been trying not to think of him. "And I am not going to ask. I do need to know, though." He hesitates for a moment. "Did you develop feelings for him in the end? Before you killed him? Is that why you have been so withdrawn?"

I don't know how to respond. I don't want to lie, but if I am honest, will it upset Colvin? "Colvin, I-" I start, but then cut off, taking another second to think. "I'm going to be straight forward. Moskil was my first love. As I experienced the memories, I did feel some of those feelings come back. It woke a part of my soul that had been asleep for a very long time, just as you have." He goes to speak, seeming upset. "I'm not finished," I snap. "Moskil was important to me, but Colvin," my hand comes up to the side of his face as I smile. "It's us. Me and you. It has always been us. We are the ones meant to be together. I love you more strongly and differently than I ever have another soul, and that is what matters."

Once I am done speaking, it is quiet for a moment as I stroke my thumb across Colvin's cheekbone, until he finally replies. His voice comes out soft and quiet. "So you don't love Moskil more than me?"

I stare at him for a moment, amused. "Is my Colvin, king of all demons, insecure?"

He glares down at me. "Everyone gets insecure from time to time. I feel like I have reason to be."

I giggle. "Baby, you don't. Moskil was my first, but you," I say, lowering my voice and pulling Colvin's face down to mine. "You are my forever."

As I say this, I feel Colvin's shoulders drop a little, relaxing. He finally smiles. "I'm sorry. I just needed to know. I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything or make you feel bad for something that you, as you are now, didn't even do."

I nod. "I know. It's alright. I would have been curious, too. Now, what is the next thing we need to talk about?"

I study his face, gazing up at his strong jawline and dark, sexy, eyes. "You are just baby steps away from truly becoming my Queen," he says, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind my ear.

I catch his hand with mine, pressing it against my cheek. "So, what will I need to do? I'm already a demon. What else is there to it?"

"Well," he says. I stare up to him, confused as to why he seems so nervous. "Ask yourself this- What typically makes a queen a queen if she isn't born into it?"

"Uhm," I hesitate, thinking. "I don't know. Being elected? Wearing a crown and sitting on a throne? Uhmm, living in a specific place?"

He smiles. "I mean, some of this those, I guess, but what does a woman have to do to become a king's queen?" When I don't reply, he laughs. "Salem, to become a queen, you have to marry a king."

My eyes grow wide as I stare up at him. "W-What?"

"We have to get married," he replies, bluntly.

"Shit," I say, speaking under my breath.

"I'm sorry," he says, awkwardly. "I wasn't going to push you into it, but when you made that deal with the reapers, you basically signed the marriage license with your eyes closed."

"I don't know if I'm ready for this, yet," I say, spaced out. "When does it need to happen?"

He heaves a heavy sigh. "Soon. If you don't step up into your position quickly, the reapers may notice, and there will be repercussions."

I pull away from him and fall back onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Is my life even mine anymore?" I mumble.

The room falls silent. The only sound I hear is Colvin's footsteps as he walks over to the window, until a knock comes from the other side of the door. "Come in," I shout, monotone.

I glance over to see Rory enter. "Hey guys," he says speaking softly. "I told Jade I was coming up to use the bathroom and then I'd be right back. We need to talk."

I sit up, glaring up at him. "I've had enough talking. What is it?"

He looks at me, confused. "DO you need coffee?"

"Yes, actually," I snap. "I really do."

"What do you need?" Colvin asks, turning away from the window.

"Raise me up in the ranks," Rory replies, firmly, as he stares at Colvin.

"What?" Colvin asks, confused. "Why? You haven't done anything to be promoted, Rory. There would be outrage from hundreds of lower rank demons if I started playing favorites."

"What do you mean he hasn't done anything?" I ask, annoyed, as I hop up from the bed. "Are you forgetting the fact that he has protected the future queen of the demon domain for the past two years?"

"Future queen?" Rory exclaims, glancing back to me. "When did this happen?"

"We caught Moskil," Colvin says. "He is dead. For good."

"I died, and the reapers traded my soul for his on the terms that I will become queen and rule beside Colvin. I'm not human anymore," I add, clarifying.

"Wow," Rory says, baffled. "You two got a lot done in a couple of days."

"Move him up," I demand, turning towards Colvin.

"Why?" Colvin asks, frusterated. "What is the big issue with this?"

Rory and I exchange a hesitant glance, and he nods at me. "Rory fell in love with Jade, and they can't be together unless you move him up. You know that."

Colvin glances back and forth between the two of us for a moment and then drops his head with a heavy sigh. "When Salem and I are married, you will be assigned as the queen's continuous protector. That's a much higher level. How will you hide this from Jade, though if you are going to be in a real relationship with her?"

Rory's eyes flicker to the floor, and I see his jaw flex. "I haven't figured that part out yet, but soon, I will."

"Why can't we just tell her?" I ask. "She's not going to tell anyone. If anything, she will just laugh and think that we have all gone mad."

"If she finds out," Colvin says. "She dies. She will be killed. Those are the rules."

"What if she becomes a demon, then?" I push.

"Woe, woe, woe. Wait," Rory interjects. "I'd rather hide this from her than take her humanity away."

"It's going to be hard to hide, Rory," Colvin says. "Your best bet is to let Jade become one of us."

Rory opens his mouth to speak, but before he has a chance, the sound of my bedroom door squeaking open freezes all three of us in our places. Jade stands in the doorway, an odd look upon her face. No one says a word, letting the silence settle over the room, until Jade breaks it after a minute. "I knew you had been acting differently, Salem," Jade says, quietly. "Both of you."

I swallow, not knowing how to reply. Rory stares at me, fear in his eyes. He is speechless, too.

"Jade," Colvin finally says, speaking calmly. "We need to talk to you about something very important."