The meal was very good. After mostly only eating meat for the past week, it was amazing to have so many vegetables mixed in. I noticed, with half an eye, how Zane made sure to pick out most of his vegetables from his meal. He's such a child, I thought wearily. My taste in men was horrible. I silently took his unwanted food and gave him more of my meat in exchange. He said nothing, just patted the top of my head, before going back to his meal.
Back in the room, Zane had a bath sent up, paying a little extra for it. It was my first bath since the night at the lake and I was becoming super nervous. I had promised that he could stay, but that meant he'd be in the same room with me while I was naked. Technically he had seen me naked already, but that had been in the dark. That had been during a very tense, crazy, emotional moment. Now, we would be left alone, with candlelight to illuminate the room. If he turned his head, he'd be able to see everything.
I hid my shaking hands behind my back as Zane carried in a large tub, helping out the servant girl and a woman I assumed was the innkeeper's wife. They were bringing up buckets of hot water. Needing something to do, I started helping. Between the four of us, we had the tub filled in ten minutes. The women left some herbal mixtures for me to use, along with a towel. Grateful, I waved as they left, thanking them. Zane quietly closed the door. He turned to me, his expression made of stone.
I bit my lip. "O-okay...So...turn around and do not look, no matter what," I ordered.
I thought I saw a flash of laughter in his eyes, but he turned so quickly, I figured it must have been the candlelight. I had to take in several deep breaths before turning away from him. Walking further into the room, where the tub was, I slowly removed my clothes. Cautiously, I lifted a foot, touching the water with my big toe. "Oh!" I cried out. "That's certainly warmer than the lake," I muttered. Slowly, very slowly, I eased my way into the tub. "Mmhmm," I couldn't help the moan as I felt the hot water start to take away the tension in my muscles. I leaned back against the tub. I had made sure that my body would be facing away from Zane, just in case he did try to turn around or sneak a peek. "This feels amazing," I murmured as I lowered myself further into the hot water.
"A-Ana," Zane's voice sounded a little strained. "Can you try to have a quiet bath...please?"
Blushing, I nodded. Then I remembered he couldn't see me. "Ah, y-yes. I'm sorry."
He sighed. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, but..."
"Yep," I said quickly. "I'll be as quiet as a mouse."
He laughed. But a few minutes later, while I moved around in the tub, washing, he let out a low groan. "How the hell is the sound of water splashing attractive?" he muttered to himself.
I froze. I had been in the middle of leaning over the tub, reaching down to grab the bar of soap, to clean my body. I waited for several tense seconds before carefully moving back down into the water. I winced at each small sound it made, lapping against my skin, moving around me.
I heard another groan.
"S-sorry," I whispered softly.
"I want you," he said abruptly, in the silence.
I let out a squeak of fright. "N-no!"
His voice was very quiet. "I know, Ana. I literally dug my own grave and made it so I can't touch you like that. But I want to. So badly, it's driving me mad."
I shook my head, not caring if he couldn't see me. "No," I said, fighting to make my voice firm.
I want you too, I whispered. But I can't let that happen. I have to remind myself that you are the Demon King each time you touch me. Each time you make me feel breathless, make my heart beat faster.
We fell back into silence as I continued to bathe. I felt the nerves in my belly flutter, making me feel a little ill. I fought to hold back a sob. I swallowed back the sound and wiped at the tears that had silently begun to leak from my eyes. I couldn't let my emotions overcome me now, not when I had nowhere to run to, to hide.
It took five more long minutes before I reached for the towel. I stood in the tub, beginning the long process of drying my hair. I heard a soft sound and instantly my eyes flew to Zane. I let out a tiny breath. He was still turned away, he had just shifted a little. Drying my hair, I stared at his back. Unable to help myself, I imagined him without his shirt. I had seen his chest before, with his tattoos, but I had no idea what his back looked like.
Was it just as pale as the rest of him? Did he have even more tattoos? Did he have scars? Or was his back unblemished?
As if he could sense my thoughts, he grew suddenly still. He didn't turn, but he did speak. "What are you doing now? It's gotten really quiet."
I quickly turned my head away. My hair was dry now, so I started on my body. As the cloth rubbed against my skin, I heard him groan again. "Never mind," he muttered. "I see you're almost done with your bath then."
I glanced at him curiously. "Just how sensitive is your hearing? I can't even detect any noise from drying off."
"Very," he said tightly. "Very, very, very sensitive."
I blushed, feeling as if he was somehow telling me he could even hear my thoughts. But that was silly. I had to have a safe place somewhere and that was in my own mind. Stepping out of the tub, I quickly dried off my feet and legs. Glancing around I found my clean clothes I had laid out on the bed earlier. Turning my back to him, I pulled on everything, including my dark green dress. I didn't have any night gowns. Since I was traveling and sleeping with him, I didn't feel comfortable just sleeping in my shift.
"Okay," I called, glancing back at him. "It's safe to look."
He turned on his heel. His eyes were glowing again. He stared across the room at me, his eyes hot. I blanched a little at his gaze. He closed his eyes, taking in several deep breaths. "I think I'll be okay now," he sighed.
I nodded. "Right."
I turned to look out the little window, on the opposite side of the door. The moon was out, the sky dark. Silently, I climbed into the bed. I moved over, so that Zane would be able to climb in. I watched as he lifted the bath tub effortlessly and moved it to the window. He paused, staring down; making sure no one was outside.
With a flick of his wrist, the tub was upside down, and the remaining water rushed out the window. He placed it back on the floor, stepping away from the window. As he moved through the room to reach the other side of the bed, he blew out the three candles that had been lit for my bath. His weight lowered the bed and then his familiar, comfortable arms came around me. I closed my eyes, leaning back against him.
I wasn't sure how I was suppose to see this man. I wanted to belong to him and only him, but that wouldn't ever happen. But every night, I slept with him. Every day I was by his side, rarely leaving him, and if I did it was for a very short period of time. We had been together constantly since I had met him. Since the day he had swept into my village, looking inhuman and terrible. Every chance we had, we were touching each other. Not in a lustful way, just...as if both of us felt and agreed that if we weren't physically connected, we'd disappear.
I wasn't sure how to think or feel about any of it.
He lips brushed along the top of my head.
Another thing that didn't make any sense. He touched me like a would-be lover, like a man who wanted to be with me for the rest of my life. Yet, in the same instant, he could suddenly pull away and grow distant. I couldn't understand it.
His fingertips brushed along my shoulder, down my arm. I shivered at the contact. His lips suddenly took the place of his fingertips.
My breath came out in a low whoosh. My heart stopped and then kicked in twice as fast. I swallowed, my eyes springing open.
No, I sobbed. Please, don't.
Yes, I begged. Keep touching me, keep kissing me.
I was so confused, so conflicted.
His lips found my neck. I couldn't hold back the low moan I had in response to the sudden flame that was burning in my body.
"Ana," he whispered softly. My name on his lips brushed along my skin.
I shuddered so hard, it made the bed tremble beneath me.
"Ana," he repeated. His voice had grown deeper, harsher.
My name was a plea, a prayer, a request. It was a dying man's last wish.
Just that one word held so many meanings. I felt I only grasped a drop in the bucket of the words he said along with my name.
I shook my head. No. I couldn't let this happen. Feeling sick that I was doing it, I closed my eyes. Forgive me, Zane.
I let myself imagine what he had done to that man in the woods. I let the memory of all the horrible sounds I had heard come flooding back. I told myself that if I let him touch me like this, he'd eventually do the same thing to me.
He'd swallow me whole, devour my entire being, until there was nothing left. And then I would disappear. I would be obliterated.
I heard the sound of him hissing in pain as he was pushed off of me, far, far away. So far in fact, that I heard the thump of the wall as he slammed into it. Apparently, the force of my rejection of his touch was also the force with which he was thrown back.
I'm so sorry, love, I sobbed in my mind.
I didn't have the courage to face him and I couldn't speak past the lump in my throat. He was silent for a very long time. It took me many, many heartbeats to get my emotions and mind under control. Even after I had, he still did not return to the bed. I waited, my whole body tensed, curled slightly in a ball. I kept expecting him to shout and rage at me in anger. I expected the Demon King to burst forth and come rushing to my side, fighting to get to me, past the power of the vow.
Instead, there was only silence. I was just beginning to relax when he spoke. "Does my touch make you fear me so much? Am I that...terrifying to you?"
I quickly lifted a hand to my mouth, holding back my cry of pain. He was breaking my heart. He was ripping it into pieces.
No.
I was the one breaking my heart and ripping it into pieces. I was the fool here.
I forced myself to remain quiet and still.
"Ana...Do you honestly not want my touch?"
No! I screamed in my mind. I need your touch!
I carefully controlled my voice. I was amazed. How can my heart be breaking and my voice so calm and cold?
"Zane," I sighed heavily. "I see you as a strange friend. But in no way do I want you to...take it any farther." I was lying through my teeth.
He was quiet for so long, I was beginning to fall asleep despite myself. "You see me as a friend."
I nodded my head. "Yep. Just a friend. I don't want our friendship to be ruined by something as messy as sleeping together." My eyes fluttered as exhaustion began to drag my mind down. "I'm tired...Zane," I mumbled.
"Sleep, Ana," he murmured softly.
I nodded again. Doing as he said, I relaxed completely on the bed and felt my body give in.
O O O
The next day, we were both quiet and subdued. I had many things to think about and an act to try and perfect around him. I wasn't sure what kept him quiet, but I didn't really have to know to guess it had to do with last night. He didn't try to hold my hand, as before. Despite myself, I found I missed the feel of his hand. I wanted so badly to reach out and touch him. But I couldn't let that happen.
We continued on down the road, still heading west. We were no longer in the forest, so while traveling, we had to rely mostly on the food supplies I had brought and he had bought. Having no idea when the next town would come into view, I tried to ration our stock, at least a little.
At night I slept on the new bedroll. I tried to take the old bedroll, telling him that he had bought the new one, he should take it. But he wouldn't hear a word of it. So, I slept alone at night. I tried to fight back the sensation of lost I had, no longer having his body next to mine. I had to sleep closer to the fire at night, since I had grown so use to his body heat. He said nothing about my sleeping arrangements, made no move to change them.
I despised the distance between us. I hated myself for putting it there. I wanted back what we had before, strange as the relationship had been. I wanted to be able to reach out and touch him at any point in time. But as 'friends' that wasn't exactly acceptable. I bit my lip, swallowed my tears, and held my tongue.
On one particular night I lay awake, feeling my heart break, though it was nothing new at this point. What was new was my sudden need to be by his side, stronger than ever before. I slowly rose up to a sitting position. Staring across the fire, I could hear the soft sound of him breathing in his sleep. Letting out a breath, I rose to my feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. I must have succeeded, because I made it to his side without him waking. He didn't even pause in breathing when I was kneeling beside him.
I stared down at him, fighting back sobs as tears streamed down my cheeks. "Why did you have to be a demon, Zane?" I whispered. My voice was so quiet, so tiny, I could barely make it out over the soft sound of him breathing. "Why couldn't you have been a human man? Why couldn't you have been someone I could let myself love?"
I swiftly lifted a hand to my mouth, barely muffling my sobs as they broke free. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to breathe. When I could get some control back over myself, I opened my eyes again. Staring down at his sleeping face, my right hand unconsciously began to reach out to touch him. I was two inches away from touching his cheek before I realized what I was about to do. Sucking in a breath, I quickly rose to my feet and barely kept myself from crying out in pain as I hurried back to my own bedroll. In the lonely warmth of the covers, I sobbed even more, crying myself to sleep.
The next morning, I acted as coldly polite as I could to him. I did pretty good, until we stopped for the night. I was leaning over the fire, working on making our evening meal when I felt his presence behind me. Pausing, I glanced up. Only, he was kneeling behind me, nearly as close to me as I had been to him the night before, while he was sleeping. I jumped a little and automatically moved closer to the fire.
His hand flashed out, gripping my arm and pulling me back, away from the harm of the flames. I blinked, holding out my free hand to press against his chest, catching myself. We stared at each other in silence. Despite everything I kept telling myself over and over, I felt all my want for him swell, staring up at him. I licked my lips unconsciously, my eyes widening and my body leaning a little closer, into him. His eyes darkened and he responded to me in kind. His head began to lower, his eyes watching me like a hawk's. I let out a soft breath, needing his kiss. I needed his lips, his taste, his touch...
Pop!
The juices from the rabbit made the fire pop and hiss loudly. Startled out of the haze I had been in, I moved away. Turing back to the food, I lifted it from the fire, rising to my feet. My breath was coming out a little shakily, but I did my best to try and hide that. "Do you want any today, Zane?" I murmured, trying to make my voice sound calm and detached. Surprisingly, it came out pretty well.
"No," his voice came out low and harsh.
Still not brave enough to look at him, I nodded. "Alright," I murmured, moving even further away, back to my bedroll. When I felt courageous enough to glance over, he was still crouching near the fire, watching me with a unreadable expression. I smiled briefly, distantly, before turning away to eat.
O O O
The days passed on in a never-ending stream. We stopped in three more inns, pretending we were married as before. When we got close to a village or town, Zane would materialize the ring. As soon as we left and were a fair distance away, the ring would fade. I would hold my hand and stare down at the empty skin, running my fingers over where the ring had rest before. He explained that it was just another form of his illusion magic. The ring wasn't actually there, which is how it was able to just fade in and out of existence.
But to me, it was as real as anything else. I cherished each one of those days, after the first inn. We never had a big fight like that again and he never called me 'wife' when we were alone. I missed that too.
We had been traveling together for a month when we came across our first 'Demon King Army'.
I was walking a little ahead of him when he suddenly appeared in front of me. He angled his body in a protective posture, growing very still, his head tilted to the side, listening. I grew very quiet, too scared to breathe, in case it distracted him. After several tense minutes he straightened and then sighed, very long and very deep.
"What's wrong?"
He turned and glanced down at me, his expression annoyed. "It's one of those groups of idiots," he muttered for explanation.
"Idiots?"
"Yes," he growled, growing more agitated. "Fools who go around, pretending to be my army. They destroy towns, kill livestock, slaughter people. I don't understand why they think I would want them to do all that. Who wants thousands of people to die for no reason at all? It's so...wasteful," he spat out in disgust. "The least they could do is find an actual, logical reason to kill people."
I glanced at him sharply. His face was completely serious.
Shaking my head, I felt a small shiver of fear run down my spine. "What are we going to do?"
He threw his arms out in a grand show of agitation. "Obviously, I'm going to have to beat them up. Possibly even kill them, if they aren't quick enough to know when enough it enough."
I licked my lips nervously. "I don't like this."
He glanced back at me, glaring. "Have you not been listening to a word I've said? It's not like I'm enjoying myself."
"Still..."
Before I could react, he had moved and lifted me into his arms. "They're about to start. I need to get there fast and you're coming with, no objections." I had only half a second to wrap my arms around his neck, hold on, and squeeze my eyes shut. After I took in two breaths, we had stopped. He didn't release me yet though.
Opening my eyes, I saw that he had placed himself in between the small army and the town they had been preparing to attack. The town was still a good distance away, about a thousand feet behind us. The army was only about a hundred feet away. From what I could see, there was about a hundred of them. They paused in the middle of their war cries when they caught sight of the two of us.
A large, burly man with long, ratty, black hair stepped forward. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"I am the Demon King," Zane said calmly. "I've come to let you know I do not condone what you are trying to do here. If I must, I will even use force to stop you."
The man grinned triumphantly. "Ha! No Demon King ever traveled with a woman! You are just an imposter." The man turned to his men. "Kill the imposter! Make him pay for his insult to our Master!"
The men let out a huge shout, filling my ears. I blinked, fear making me a little lightheaded. Zane calmly placed me on my feet. "Idiots," he muttered darkly. "Ana, you move one inch and I will kill you," he told me, his voice completely serious.
I made sure to be absolutely still.
He moved his arms so that they were at my sides, facing the men. I glanced down, watching his hands move in strange motions. As they did, I could make out very faint gold lines run along the air. Even fainter, were tiny little symbols and letters, moving along the lines. He began to chant softly, his voice coming from above my head. As I watched, the lines grew, until they become a giant cage of gold all around the men and us. The cage became about the size of what the town was behind us. The men all stopped dead in their tracks.
Making sure to stay in my position, I glanced around. The walls of the cage were strange. Where the 'bars' would be were the gold lines. But in between, where the 'empty space' would be, the air shifted and moved like water.
"Now," Zane sighed heavily. "Do I have your attention?"
The men all gulped, along with me.
"Sir," Zane muttered, "please take back what you said earlier."
The dark man, the leader, I assumed, glanced between me and Zane. "Take back what, Master?"
One of Zane's hands by my side twisted slightly, pointing at the man. He twirled his fingers in a strange motion and then I watched, in horror, as the leader was suddenly split in half. His bottom half was floating up in the sky, hanging sideways. His upper half was floating ten feet away from us. Most surprising of all though, the man was somehow not dead. The man's eyes, I could see, were a dark green, with strange off-shades of bright lime green and sickly yellow. They stared at us in horror, shock, and terror.
Zane's voice, when he spoke from above my head, was a dark, threatening purr. "Take back what you said about myself and my traveling companion here."
One of his hands started to touch my shoulder, but my fear stopped him. Instead, it moved back to my side, not quite touching as the vow was forcing his arms to stay two inches away. "I am the Demon King, not an impostor. But, most importantly, this lady here is not just any woman. She is the most beautiful woman you have or ever will see. You need to apologize to her, and me, from the bottom of your heart. That you would dare slight her in a such a way as before. I won't allow it..." His voice had fallen to those threatening tones of the Demon King. By the pale face of the man, I could guess how terrifying his expression and eyes must look in that moment.
The man stared at me and, helpless, I stared back. I knew what he must be seeing. I was of average height, at five and a half feet. My skin was an olive-tan. My hair was long, straight, and black. My eyes were a very dark brown, nearly black. Currently, I was in my third dress, which was a faded pink-orange, coral color, which accented my skin tone. But even so, I was no beauty. If anything, I was pleasant to look at. Behind me would be Zane. I didn't know if he was using any illusion magic to change his appearance, as all I could see was his hands.
Slowly, the man tried to speak. It took him several tries. "I apologize, Mistress, Master, from the bottom of my heart. I could not see the Mistress' beauty from so far away. Now that I see her though...I can see why any man would thirst for her. I am sorry, as well, Master, for doubting who you were. Truly, no other man could be the Demon King. No other man could have as much power as you."
I raised an eyebrow. For a man currently split in half and still alive, he was pretty good at making a courtly apology and lying through his teeth.
"Now, was that so hard? Also, are you saying you want her?" Zane's voice became very soft at his last question.
I didn't think it was possible, but the man grew even paler. He licked his lips nervously, pausing to catch his breath. "N-n-never, Master! Never!"
"You hesitated," Zane growled.
Before either I or the man could react, he had pushed his hand out. I watched as the blast of magic hurtled through the air, landing squarely into the chest of the man.
Zane's hand came up and moved in front of my face, blocking my view. But he didn't block my hearing. And I heard every single, horrible, gut-wrenching sound.
The acidic hiss of melting flesh filled my ears, along with the horrible, gargled, pain-filled screams of the man. I sobbed in horror, feeling my stomach twist. Zane moved his hand just in time for me to bend over and throw up.
He sighed. "I always let my temper get the best of me when it comes to you, Ana. Close your eyes," he instructed as he saw me slowly lift my head up.
He didn't have to tell me. I didn't want to see what would be left of the man. My eyes were squeezed tight as I reluctantly straightened. The fear I was radiating was pushing him further back, to the point that I couldn't feel his presence near me anymore. I kept my eyes closed, even as I heard him talking behind me. The men began screaming in terror. I couldn't blame them. I really wanted to as well.
Zane let out a harsh laugh. "Am I in the mood to slaughter a hundred men today?" he mused to himself. "...No. But I am in the mood to completely change their reality. Ana, sweet, keep your eyes closed and do not open them again until I tell you so. Is that clear?"
He laughed again, this one a little more crazed, a little more wild. "This is my bath, Ana. No matter what you hear, you can't witness it."