"I'm going to check on him, he has been there a while," Oliver said and climbed to his feet.
Vinny watched him walk deeper into the heart of the library. He closed his book, so he could concentrate on listening.
Oliver peeked around until he spotted the demon sitting on the floor in between the bookshelves and staring into space. He hovered for a minute, but Kaiden didn't notice him until he asked, "Are you okay?"
"I told you not to talk to me," Kaiden growled.
"You did, but you're not giving me a reason to not feel concerned."
Kaiden rubbed his chest and climbed to his feet when Vinny appeared next to the human.
"He's missing his soulmate," Vinny whispered.
"I'm missing no one!" Kaiden yelled, his eyes turning black.
"Real convincing," Vinny sighed and took a firm grip on Oliver's wrist with caution. "Just go to him. Why are demon's so defensive about everything?" He started to pull his soulmate away, but a creamy glow caught their attention.
Milokan had arrived.
"What's wrong Kaiden? You are starting to panic." The young angel took his hand when Kaiden turned to look at him. His eyes were still as black as a moonless night.
"I can't do it without her. I can't live like this when I don't even know if she's still alive," the demon whispered.
"Oh Kaiden," Milokan sighed sadly and reached up to his shoulders. Kaiden crouched so Milokan could wrap his arms around his neck and hug him tightly. "Worrying will not give you answers."
They closed their eyes and breathed in each other's scent, feeling the bond settle and the pain in their chests mellow.
"I want to go home," Kaiden muffled into his shoulder. His voice cracked from the emotion in his voice.
Oliver rested a hand over his heart, and even Vinny's frown disappeared, feeling very sorry for him. They knew who the demon was missing, Madison had told them his struggles, so they didn't accidentally say something insensitive.
"You need to be positive for your mother's sake. It is what she would want from you."
"I'm trying," He pushed his face harder into Milokan's shoulder, hiding any evidence of tears. "It's making me weak. I can't think of anything else."
"You need time to mourn; then you can accept that you won't see her for a few years."
"It's not just a few years, is it? I won't see her for thousands, and that is the minimum amount."
Milokan rubbed his back until Kaiden suddenly stood up straight and wiped his face dry. Vinny and Oliver were staring at them, and he had let his emotions slip too many times.
"Kaiden-"
"I'm fine," he interrupted Oliver with a blank stare.
"It concerns me how you do that," Milokan sighed. "I dislike it when you change so fast."
"Learn to live with it," Kaiden muttered and picked him up. Milokan couldn't protest when they vanished, leaving the vampire and the human staring at the bookshelf.
"I've never seen a demon show emotion like that," Vinny sighed, realising that he did need to cut him some slack. Panuleon was right; they are scared.
Kaiden landed in the en-suite bathroom linked to their bedroom. He put Milokan down and pulled his t-shirt off.
Milokan crossed his arms and watched with narrow eyes.
"Stop, I'm fine," Kaiden grumbled while pulling off his jeans. "I just need to relax." He turned and entered the shower when his clothes were off. Milokan watched how he jumped out of the way when the water turned on automatically. It was icy cold.
The young angel laughed, and Kaiden turned with a glare. The demon stormed out of the shower and grabbed him.
"No, no stop! What are you doing?" Milokan wasn't strong enough to resist his soulmates strengths while Kaiden pushed him under the water, but to his disappointment, it had turned warm quickly. "You could have at least allowed me to take my clothes off."
Kaiden's eyes traced him, and he said, "Maybe you should."
"I do not need to take showers." Milokan brushed wet hair out of his eyes and looked up to Kaiden when he gently nudged him out of the way so that the water could run over his own body. Seeing him naked, as usual, didn't phase Milokan in the slightest.
"I know," Kaiden said and looked through the selection of soaps on the shelf, "but human's take showers together."
"I am not a human, though."
Kaiden stopped and rolled his eyes.
"When will you learn that I'm not stupid, so you don't need to point out the obvious?"
"It may take me a while. You say stupid things."
Kaiden scowled and squirted the soap on his face. Milokan flinched, avoiding getting it in his eyes. Kaiden rubbed it in until the angel complained about getting it in his mouth.
"It does not taste very nice!" he whined and dunked back under the water. "You are very annoying!"
"I'm not, you're annoying me."
"You pulled me in here!" Milokan turned and hauled open the glass door.
"Where are you going?"
"I do not need to shower."
Kaiden pulled him back. They could both feel their affection and often ignored it when Kaiden was washing because their attraction intensified when their vessels were bare. Right now, Kaiden wanted his attention.
"I don't care." The demon tugged at the bottom of the angel's cream t-shirt, and Milokan's cheeks flushed pink.
"Do humans really shower together?"
"I think so."
"Why?"
Kaiden shrugged and watched him take off his t-shirt. Just as he expected, his skin was smooth and perfect. He couldn't hold himself back from tracing his fingers down his chest.
Milokan stopped to watch the passion rise in his eyes. They haven't fallen victim to their feelings yet, but maybe that's what they need in such difficult times.
The angel pulled off the rest of his clothes and threw them onto the bathroom floor. He closed the shower door and turned, only to be crushed by Kaiden who stood so close, their bodies touched and pressed together.
"Your skin is so untouched," he whispered.
Milokan traced the scars on his back.
"And yours has witnessed a lot."
The water ran between them, keeping them warm, just like the spark of their bond settling in their chests.
Kaiden lifted him up so that he could stand on top of his feet. The angel moved onto his tiptoes and pulled their heads closer.
"I think I know why humans shower together," Milokan breathed against his ear. "It feels special."
Kaiden moved his head and trailed his lips down the side of his face. A sudden wave of desire spread through his needs. Being close and personal with the angel seemed to be the only thing he wanted.
Milokan stayed still when Kaiden softly kissed his jaw and moved down onto his neck. It was a new experience for him, and it felt a little thrilling. He enjoyed it, especially when Kaiden's hands trailed down, tightening on his lower back, and his kisses pressed a little deeper against him.
The bathroom started to steam up, making the air dense.
Milokan felt very safe in Kaiden's arms. He never thought such a situation would rise between them. It proves how strong the bond is if it could make a demon, who killed angels as a job, learn to love and to cherish one.
Their lips eventually found each other and Kaiden stood up, pulling Milokan up too, who locked his legs around his waist. They kissed with passion, tasting one another and displaying their affection with meaning. Their souls twisted and turned, just like they always do when they grow close, but this was a little more intense.
Their lips moved in sync until Kaiden tugged gently on the angel's hair and his lips parted, just enough for his tongue to adventure. Milokan momentarily stopped, concentrating on the feeling, not quite sure what to do but he enjoyed it. Kaiden slowed down when his soulmate no longer joined his rhythm. He knew he wasn't worried or confused, Milokan was comfortable, just learning from the experience.
The demon's tongue found his own mouth again, and they stood in the warm shower for a while, just kissing.
When the craving died down, they parted, breathing heavy and lost within one another.
"I think," Milokan took a breath, "I think I will shower with you more often."
Kaiden smirked and planted one last kiss on his lips. He put him down and grabbed the soap again.
Milokan watched in a loved-up daze as the demon washed, filling the bathroom with sweet smells. It took the demon only a few minutes to be ready to get dry. Neither of them wanted to leave the shower, but their moment had calmed them both and made the day feel a thousand times less stressful.
"Kaiden, I am glad we are in this together," Milokan beamed after putting his leg in the wrong trouser hole twice in a row.
"Me too," he said and watched him with a raised eyebrow until Milokan managed to pull his trousers on. "I would have lost my mind by now if not." He picked up his t-shirt and frowned uncomfortably.
"Are you okay?" the angel asked. "Is your back still sore?"
"It's fine." Kaiden pulled his t-shirt on, but a searing pain between his shoulder blades caught him off guard, and he stumbled to his knees.
Milokan rushed over with sudden panic.
"You are not just fine! What is wrong? Should I get help?"
"No, calm down," Kaiden muttered. "It's just the aftermath- ow!" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"It should be healed by now." Milokan tapped his cheek until the demon looked at him. "Where does it hurt?" The angel placed his hand on his back, hoping his touch would soothe some of the pain. It did until Milokan was suddenly knocked off his feet and fell into the wall.
Kaiden turned with shock when the pain just vanished. Although, catching his reflection in the mirror was not good for his heart. It almost stopped beating when he sat up with eyes as wide as they could go.
Staring at him in return was his own reflection, but in the mirror, sitting on his back was a beautiful pair of golden wings.