My Demon, My Love...

“You do understand how important this could be? Don’t you, Azlyn?”

Zareb’s voice pulled Azlyn from her thoughts.

“What? Why?”

“Because love between a demon and human has happened before. However, none of those relationships were ever with a royal. Prince Reve, actually, has the power to possibly change things! Your love could influence the entire realm!!!!” Zareb exclaimed.

“Could you imagine?!” Nissa squealed in delight.

“Wow, this is all a lot to take in. I don’t know what to think.” Azlyn sighed.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. Everyone turned to see Blaz connecting his fist with one of the stable walls. An angry look spread across his face as he, tightly, clenched his jaw.

“You cannot really be considering this!!!!” Blaz blurted out through gritted teeth.

“What is wrong with you, man?” Zareb interjected, shocked by Blaz’s sudden behavior.

Blaz turned to face the group. A fierce look burned in his eyes.

“He is a demon, Azlyn! How could you possibly think that he could truly love you?! All he is going to do is use you and then toss you aside, if you’re lucky. If you’re not lucky, then he’ll kill you when he’s done with you! How could you all, possibly, be so stupid?!” Blaz yelled in frustration.

Azlyn felt tears threatening to fill her eyes. She did not know why Blaz’s words hurt her so much. She knew that Blaz was right and that it was foolish to believe that Reve could love her. However, somewhere, in the deep dark depths of her soul, Azlyn wanted Zareb to be right. She wanted Reve to love her.

“Wow, Blaz! If I did not know better, I would say you are a little prejudice against demons.” Zareb retorted, shaking his head, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“You know I didn’t mean anything by it, Zareb. I think that you are one of the rare exceptions of your kind. The prince is your typical demon and a spoiled one at that. Just because he is nicer than most of his family does not mean that he can be trusted, he is still a demon, after all. Zareb, you know as well as I do, the sick acts that Prince Gedeon and Prince Hadeon have performed on slaves in the past. Why should Prince Reve be any different? Azlyn should stay far away from him!” Blaz demanded.

“Yes, the older princes have done some absolutely horrible things. However, I do not think that it is fair that you rope Prince Reve in with those two. Prince Reve and Prince Kane have never raped anyone and I, truly, do not believe that they ever would.” Zareb defended.

“Maybe the prince has not raped anyone, personally. But he has done nothing to stop any of the rapes or other terrifying acts that have been committed inside the castle!” Blaz retorted.

“Yes, that is true. However, you just proved my point again. His majesty did intervene with Azlyn. He has never intervened before, but he beat up two guards to protect Azlyn. Why is she so special?” Zareb rebutted.

“Because the prince doesn’t like to share?” Blaz snorted, sarcastically.

“Because he loves her!” Nissa interjected, clapping her hands again.

“Exactly.” Zareb nodded toward Nissa. “Tell me, Azlyn, what happened after Prince Reve took you back to his room?”

“Nothing. He just made sure that I knew I was safe.” Azlyn answered.

“No demon cares that much for their slave. No matter how valuable they may be…unless…they are worth far more than money.” Zareb educated them.

Azlyn was becoming overwhelmed with the conversation. She was not sure what to think or how to feel. While experience had taught her that everything Blaz had said was true; she could not help, but long to believe alongside Nissa and Zareb. She felt her heart rate increase and her breathing quickened, she was beginning to feel anxious. She needed to get out of the situation and get her head back on straight. This had all become too much.

“I have been gone too long. I must return to my duties.” Azlyn mumbled.

Without speaking another word, Azlyn turned and walked directly out of the stables. She was embarrassed and just wanted that conversation to be over.

“Azlyn!”

Azlyn stopped as she could hear someone calling her from behind. She turned and could see Blaz running towards her.

“I am sorry about all that back there.” Blaz apologized once he finally reached her.

“It’s alright, Blaz. You are probably right anyway.” Azlyn shrugged it off.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Blaz explained.

“It really is alright, Blaz. I know you are just looking out for me.”

“I am. Plus, you deserve so much better than him, Lyn.”

As Blaz said this last sentence, he reached forward and, playfully, twisted a strand of Azlyn’s hair between his fingers.

“Is he flirting with me?!” Azlyn thought in surprise.

Azlyn found herself rather bothered by Blaz’s advance towards her. Azlyn knew that Blaz was flirtatious and had gotten use to him by now. However, this felt different, this was not playful, this felt serious.

Blaz leaned in closer to Azlyn, his breathing becoming heavy. He stared down at her lips and licked his own. He was just about to bring his lips to hers when Azlyn recoiled from him.

“I really must be going, Blaz. Thank you for your kind words.”

Azlyn brushed Blaz’s hand away from her hair. Then she turned and rushed back inside the castle. She avoided looking back, although, she knew that Blaz’s eyes were still locked onto her.

Azlyn made her way to Reve’s room. She peaked inside and found that he was not there. She was relieved at this. It had been several days since she had showered, as every time she had made the attempt, Reve was in his room and she felt that it was too inappropriate. So, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Azlyn rushed across the hall to her quarters and grabbed everything that she would need for her shower. Then she rushed back into Reve’s bedroom and swiftly jumped in.

Azlyn’s shower felt wonderful. The water stayed hot consistently throughout and the flow from the faucet remained steady. Not to mention, she did not have to share the room with twenty-three other slaves. Azlyn had never known the joys of showering in private until she had begun to use Reve’s bathroom.

Azlyn shut off the water and exited the shower. She dried herself off using her old, ratty towel. Then she looked around for her change of clothes, only to realize that she had neglected to bring any. She could not believe that she had made such a, potentially, embarrassing mistake.

“Well, if I am lucky, then maybe Reve will not have returned to his room yet. I can run through his room, across the hall and straight into my room. No one will ever be the wiser.” Azlyn thought.

Azlyn wrapped her towel around herself, doing the best she could to not allow any of the holes to leave her too exposed. She took a deep breath and swung open the bathroom door. She rushed into the bedroom and…

SMACK!

Azlyn slammed directly into Reve’s shirtless chest. Her cheek pressed so hard up against him that she could clearly feel his heart beating, wildly, within.

“Well, hello to you too, Azlyn.” Reve chuckled.

Azlyn stumbled backwards away from Reve. She was completely dismayed that she had run into him and that he was seeing her naked again! She was, suddenly, so grateful for her old, ratty towel. It was the only thing keeping her from being completely mortified right now.

“I am so sorry, your highness! I was merely taking a shower…in your bathroom…per your instruction. I forgot clothes! I thought I could run…ratty towel…so embarrassed…” Azlyn began to babble.

“There is nothing to apologize for.” Reve smirked then gave Azlyn a wink as he scanned her from head to toe.

Azlyn looked down and was horrified to realize that the holes in her towel had shifted slightly, exposing almost everything! Reve chuckled to himself as he ran his hand through his hair.

Suddenly, Azlyn noticed Reve’s horns beginning to extend slightly. His muscles bulged, and his eyes widened, taking in more light, making them appear to soften. He looked at Azlyn full of lust; like she was a prize for him to win. His nostrils flared as he breathed in her scent. Suddenly, Azlyn could smell, what could only be described as, the scent of a forest during a light spring rain. Reve had, unconsciously, released a pheromone and this one was intended for her.

Before Azlyn could blink, Reve had her pinned with her back against the wall. One arm wrapped around the small of her back, pulling her into him; the other supporting him as he leaned towards her and into the wall.

“Azlyn, I am trying really hard to be good here and control myself.” Reve whispered in her ear.

Reve then proceeded to leave a trail of kisses from her ear down to her collarbone. This caused Azlyn’s body to shiver as she let out an, involuntary, moan. This only seemed to spur Reve on further as his hands began to explore her body, causing her to drop the towel.

Reve forced himself to stop for a moment. He looked down at Azlyn’s body in his arms and bit his lip. He slowly brought his gaze up to her eyes. Her face was flush, and she was breathing heavily.

“Azlyn, if you do not want this, then you need to leave this room right now. I would never want to force something on you, but I will not be able to contain myself much longer.” Reve panted, a pained sound in his voice.

Reve released his grip on Azlyn’s body and placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head. He looked down at her again, took in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. Azlyn did not move, she just stared up at him, hands pressed, flat, against the wall.

“If you are going to leave, then do it now Azlyn. If you stay, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. I will not be able to resist your temptations any longer.” Reve smoldered.

Azlyn thought about her options for a moment. She knew that she should leave and not look back. This kind of relationship was taboo and could lead to a lot of trouble for her. She began to move as if she would leave, but she found that her feet were planted to the spot. As much as her mind told her that she should run as fast as she could; her heart sang a much different song.

After a second of contemplation, Azlyn followed her heart and sunk back against the wall. She rubbed her left arm with her right hand for a moment, then she looked up at Reve. She batted her eyes and bit her lip, signaling to him that she was not leaving.

Reve took that as agreed consent and with that he lifted Azlyn up, placing his hands beneath her ass to support her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and they began to kiss, passionately.

Reve carried Azlyn over to his bed, never once breaking their kiss. He gently laid her down on his lavish bed spread and climbed on top of her. He removed the remainder of his clothing. His hands began to explore her petite curves; finding their way to her breasts where he teased, playfully, with her nipples. Their kisses growing more intense by the second.

Azlyn paused for a moment when she ran her hands through Reve’s hair, only to find her fingers embracing one of his, now, long, sharp horns. Reve felt her sudden hesitation.

“Is everything alright, Az?”

Azlyn smiled at the concern in his voice.

“Yes. Everything is perfect.”

Azlyn ran her hand up and down Reve’s horn, lightly running her fingers along it. His horns were much smoother than she had expected. She thought they would have a rough texture, but they were glossy, like a freshly polished obsidian.

“Actually…everything is perfectly…right.” Azlyn answered with a smile.

Then Azlyn grabbed onto Reve’s horns and pulled him into her for another kiss. This act excited Reve more than any other had ever before. This simple move meant so much to him; it was as though Azlyn was embracing all of him, every part of him, demon or not. He had worried that she would not be able to look past the fact that he was a demon. It was relieving to know that she could.

They made love all night long, only pausing occasionally for water and air. Azlyn was surprised to find Reve to be a gentle and affectionate lover. Reve was surprised to find that Azlyn was wild and passionate.

When Azlyn woke in the morning, she found that they were still tangled up in each other’s bodies. It took a moment for her to realize how inappropriate their situation was.

“Oh, my goodness, what have I done?!” Azlyn thought on instinct.

As Azlyn lay there and thought about it, no matter how hard she tried to make herself feel ashamed for what she had done with Reve. She just could not bring herself to do so. It had been perfect, and she had enjoyed every moment of it. For the first time in her life, she knew what it was to enjoy being intimate with someone.

Suddenly, Azlyn was struck with a terrible thought. What if Reve had not enjoyed their festivities as much as she had? After all, he was a demon, he was probably accustomed to a much more aggressive style. She was suddenly very self-conscious; she did not want to still be naked when he opened his eyes. She did not want him to be bothered by seeing her laying there as if she was his lover.

Azlyn carefully pulled herself away from Reve. She retrieved her towel from where it lay on the floor and wrapped it around herself. She ran out of his room and into hers. She threw on some clothes and then rushed off to the kitchen to fetch Reve’s breakfast.

Azlyn desperately hoped that when she returned, they would be able to pretend like nothing happened. She did not want to discuss what had transpired; she already knew that he regretted it. She did not need to listen as he attempted to justify his actions. She also did not want to hear Reve explain the nature of their “relationship” to her.

They had gotten it out of their system; Reve’s desire would be satisfied, and he was not likely to waste time pursuing her any further. Azlyn knew that he would never return her feelings, no matter what Zareb had insisted yesterday. All she could do now was hope that he did not have her transferred. Few posts were as desirable as hers was for a slave.

Azlyn took a deep breath and she stood over Reve’s bed with his tray of food. She watched him as he slept. He seemed so calm and peaceful in his dream world. She found that she could not help but wonder what he was dreaming about.

Reve slowly began to stir. He groped at the side of his bed where Azlyn had been sleeping and was disappointed to find it empty. He slowly rubbed his eyes and sat up. He looked over and smiled when he noticed Azlyn standing there.

“Hey you!” Reve said with a smirk.

“Good morning, sire. I have brought your breakfast for you.” Azlyn stated, as emotionless as possible.

Azlyn walked over to the bed and gently set the tray down next to Reve. As quick as a flash, Reve grabbed the tray and moved it to the other side of the bed. He reached out and grabbed Azlyn’s wrist as she moved to back away. He pulled her down onto the bed with him.

“Why don’t you join me for breakfast?” Reve cooed in her ear.

“That is not necessary, your highness. I have responsibilities that I must attend to.” Azlyn protested, wondering about Reve’s affectionate nature.

“Since your only responsibility is to me and I want you to join me for breakfast. Then I would say that the only thing for you to do is to sit here and enjoy this food.” Reve suggested.

“You don’t have to do this…” Azlyn whispered.

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t have to play nice with me. I knew what I was getting into when you gave me the chance to leave and I chose to stay.”

“I am not sure that I understand what you mean.”

Reve was confused. Had he not made his affections clear the night before?

“You’re a demon prince and I’m a slave. I know that nothing could ever really happen between us. Last night was last night. You do not need to pretend that it meant something to you for my benefit.” Azlyn explained, desperately hoping that Reve could not hear the slight tremble in her voice as her heart broke at her own words.

Azlyn’s words cut through Reve like knives. He could not believe that she thought that last night had meant nothing to him. He needed to find a way to prove to her that she meant more to him than a fling with a slave. He did not know why this slave mattered so much to him, but he knew that he could not have her thinking badly of him. It was as though her opinion had, suddenly, become the only one that mattered. He worried, briefly, that he may be starting to fall in love with her.

Reve leaned in and kissed Azlyn gently on her forehead. He picked up the breakfast tray and placed it on the bed between them. He pulled a strawberry off the tray and presented it to her. Azlyn hesitated at first, but after a moment, she leaned forward and bit into it. The flavor exploded into her mouth and it was the most delicious thing that she had ever tasted! On the rare occasion that they were given fruit, it was usually old and often rotted.

“Wow! I never knew that strawberries are so delicious!” Azlyn exclaimed.

“Have you never tried a strawberry before?” Reve asked.

“Not one that did not have mold growing on it.” Azlyn answered.

Reve shook his head in disappointment.

“Well, beautiful, this is only the beginning…”

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