I lead her outside, letting my wings expand, and she takes them in, her eyes going wide. When she takes a step forward to examine them, I curve one wing forward, and she reaches out to touch it.
I don’t let her see the effect it has on me, but she feels damn good, and I flick it back, stepping closer to her. “Ready?”
She giggles, and she looks so damn cute that I understand why Tolmond kept talking about her beauty. It has swept me away.
“I’m surprised you can talk,” she confesses as I stoop to lift her up.
I know I should feel offended, but I only smirk, especially as she presses against my chest. I want to stand her forever just holding her against me, but I know I can’t.
“Most demons can talk,” I tell her. “Did you think I was just some beast that wandered in?”
Piper shrugs. “You’re not what I expected.” Her voice is soft, and it strikes something in me. “That’s all I know.”
I nod, looking away from her before my face gives me away. Something stirs in my chest, but I block it out as I shove off the ground, my wings sweeping hard to catch the wind. With my powerful wingspan, We’re high above Protheka in a matter of seconds, and by the time Piper’s mind catches up, she lets out a scream and twists in my arms.
“Hey, it’s okay.” I tell her, climbing higher. “I’m not going to drop you.”
And what I say is true. I won't drop her. But there is little I can do when a cone of fierce wind whips her free of my arms with such force I can’t hold on. I feel the tingles of her chaos magic forming the strong winds as she panics, and even as she plummets, I am impressed at her skills.
But I won’t let anyone or anything hurt her, including herself. I dive, telling myself that she cannot get a scratch on her.
Asmodeus would not allow it.
That’s not the reason for my hammering heart, though, no matter how I try to ignore it. I want her back in my arms. I need to know that Piper is safe.
How did I get so mixed up with a human girl so quickly?
I swoop under her, and she lands in my arms again safely. I’m careful not to hold her too tight as I wrap my arms around her in a better grip, but I keep my tone light and my smile bright as I tell her, “See? I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I fell!”
Her magic is stirring again, and I nod as I beat my wings harder, trying to make it up to the island. “I know, but I caught you. You need to calm down, though, so it won’t happen again. I need you to trust me.”
Piper squeezes her eyes shut and sucks in a deep breath. I twist the hand behind her head to stroke her hair gently. “That’s it. We’re almost there.”
With us like that the entire flight, we finally make it to Ti’lith together. She dares a peek as I crest the edge of the island, and this time when she twists in my arms, it’s out of curiosity and not panic. “Where are we?” Her voice is full of wonder.
“Your new home,” I answer, and although I want to take her right to my place, I force my wings to keep beating until I land at the base of Tolmond’s twisted tower.
As I set her on her feet, she turns to look at me, and again, I’m struck with how sharp her hazel eyes are, and I just want to run my hand through her red locks. But I keep still.
“Are you going to eat me?” she asks abruptly, eyeing me, and I cough up a laugh.
“What? No.” I shake my head. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything hurt you.”
“Then why am I here?”
The door creaks open, and it pains me as I take a step back. “You’re going to have to Tolmond that.”
I incline my head toward the other demon, and she blinks as she takes him in. I’m sure she’ll find him more suitable. He’s not a monster that might eat her. He’s a scholar and made more like the dark elves with immense power like her.
And I’m… I’m just a brute.
Tolmond regards her with hungry eyes that make me want to tackle him, but I keep it buried deep in me. I need to get control of myself. I’ve never been a jealous creature, especially not with Tolmond. And I shouldn’t care what he does with her.
So, I turn on my heel without another word and push up into the air. Piper doesn’t call after me.
And I wish that didn’t hurt me so much.