Page 14 of Witch's Betrayal
"Sounded like a mountain lion," he answered. "They hang out in these woods sometimes but don't get close to people. We should be safe."
I would've laughed had I been in human form.Oh, she is certainly safe. I can't say the same for you, witch boy.
They resumed the lesson without any incidents triggering a growl from me. Raum also remained silent from where he roosted but I knew he was there. While he had a better vantage point, his raven vision did not see nearly as well as mine in the dark.
As they wrapped up and started heading back toward the house, I slunk off through the trees, silent as a shadow. Just before reaching the edge of the treeline before it met the road, I shifted back into human form and lightly jogged out under the streetlights. Anyone who saw me would figure I was a runner taking a shortcut through the woods.
You still got eyes on her?I asked Raum, slowing to a brisk walk.
Yeah, she's going out the front door now. She's alone.
Good.My temper simmered down to embers knowing the male witch wasn't walking her to the train station. He'd already gotten too close for comfort.
My human sight and hearing weren't nearly as strong as in animal form, but still better than the average humans. Raum's wings fluttered as he settled on top of a telephone pole in the distance, right at the midpoint between me and Deja. After a few moments, I saw her dark head of hair turn toward the station, her amber eyes looking almost golden in the streetlight.
We're good, Raum. I got eyes on her now.
Good, because I can't see shit now. See you both at home.
I walked briskly until I caught up with her. She had just purchased a new ticket at the kiosk and inserted it into the fare gate. Barely any humans were around at this hour but I still cloaked myself in shadow as I followed her onto the platform.
Stalking me, mountain lion?she asked, amusement in her mental voice.
Watching out for you,I corrected.And damn, you're progressing fast. You know I'm here and already talking through your aura.
I felt that was you in the woods,she said.I heard Raum up in the air, too. I thought ravens didn't fly at night?
Well, unfortunately, he can't turn into a bat.
The next train approached and zoomed past before slowing to a stop. The doors opened to an empty car and I took the opportunity to show myself again as we stepped on.
"So what did you think of your lesson?" I asked, sliding into the seat next to her and brushing my hand under her hair. She visibly relaxed when I caressed the nape of her neck and leaned into my shoulder.
"Annoying," she muttered into my shirt. "Apparently he's the best person to learn shadow work from, but he's a total ass. And on top of that, he'd kill you guys if he could."
"Which he can't." I kissed her forehead and rubbed the knot in her neck. "What about the actual magic part? Is it coming to you as easily as everything else?"
She shook her head. I could see the frustration in her knitted brow and held back a smile. It looked adorable on her.
"No, it's the hardest thing I've done so far. It's really disorienting. Like I'm swimming through mud and I don't know which way is up or down. I can just barely sense where I need to go to reach sound and light but it's so exhausting to get there."
"You'll get it," I reassured her, squeezing her shoulder. "The shadow side of everything is a deep and murky world. It's no wonder humans have such trouble reaching their subconscious. Even witches find it difficult." I tilted her chin up so her honey-colored eyes met mine. "But if that fucker even looks at you the wrong way again, I swear to Lucifer I'll tear him from limb to limb myself."
She smiled up at me, making my backward beating heart race.
"You're sweet, Sal. I'm glad I keep you around."
"Me too," I chuckled, brushing a kiss across her forehead. Only she would call my murderous habits sweet.
I was conceived in Hell as a manifestation of bloodlust and violence. Lucifer took human aggression and a lion's predatory instincts and blended them into a single soul. When he put that soul in a body, he created me.
When I first saw her sitting at the feet of Ash's throne, naked and seductive with his serpent around her shoulders, I found my purpose. I would protect her, no matter how many throats I had to rip out along the way. I lost count of how many I killed in her name. I started and ended wars just because some stupid fuck looked at her the wrong way.
The way she nuzzled her head into my shoulder, pulling my arm to wrap around her tighter, reinforced everything she did for me in return. She was the calm in my chaos, the one person who could take my guard down and remind me that I wasn't a simple killing machine. When I had nothing left after a long day on a battlefield, she did far more than wash the blood away from my body. She returned me to my humanity.
The human side of me longed for balance, a break from the senseless aggression. After getting my fill of death and destruction I wanted soft hands holding me. I wanted my woman to climb in my lap and kiss me until I felt human again. I wanted to watch her face contort in pleasure as she used me like a toy and fucked all the aggression out of me.
And I was forced to live centuries without her.
