The Protection of a God

Breakfast a couple days later wasn’t any different from past mornings. They all sat there in silence, David constantly looking confused as nobody started a conversation. Each day that Devon spent with Damien she asked him questions and he did his best to answer. But now Devon wasn’t sure any more about his intentions of being there. Every day he did something that worried her that David was going to find out about Damien’s powers.

One particular morning started off oddly and sadly the rest of the day went just the same. David tried to talk with Damien. Steering the conversation away from the topic of his parents, David started talking football. When it became obvious that Damien knew nothing about the sport, the table fell silent. As David’s face disappeared behind the morning’s newspaper, Devon felt eyes on her. Looking up at Damien, she could see the beginnings of fire in his eyes. His smile turned into a sneer and his hand started to slither across the table towards her. Startled, Devon dropped her spoon, which then clattered to the floor. David jumped in his seat and briefly peered at the two from behind the paper. When he looked away Devon’s gaze returned to Damien; just soon enough to see him smile as the sparks in his eyes flickered out.

~~

After breakfast, Devon was no longer sure that having Damien in her house was a good idea. Maybe there was a reason he was running away. Maybe he was dangerous. Stepping out of the shower, she jumped as she saw the dark figure leaning against the bathroom counter.

“What are you doing in here?!?!” She tried to keep her voice down as she re-adjusted her damp towel. She certainly didn’t want David walking into her bathroom too.

Damien stayed where he was and surprisingly his eyes didn’t leave her face. “You told me to wait for you while you were taking your shower. I’m here, waiting.” He honestly looked confused as he answered her, but Devon wasn’t so sure about him anymore.

“I didn’t mean in my bathroom with me!!! Do you know what would happen if David knew you were in here? Plus… It’s awkward.” She looked down as she said the last part, completely missing his mask slip; missing the smile creep across his face as he looked her up and down. When Devon looked up again his face was red with blush, his eyes widened and his mouth formed a surprised O. Damien quickly left after mumbling a quick sorry on his way out.

He was sitting in the hallway when Devon came out of the bathroom, this time she was fully clothed. She didn’t think it was worth the awkwardness bringing up what had happened in the bathroom, so she didn’t. She motioned for him to follow her down the hall to her room. As she closed the door behind him, Devon sighed heavily. She had made up her mind.

“Damien, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to stay here anymore.” Devon expected him to be mad, shocked, or at least show some sort of emotion. But Damien just sat on Devon’s bed staring at her. He braced his hands on his knees before he slowly got up and began to circle her.

“What I showed you at the park was only the beginning. My powers are well developed beyond the parlor tricks that you witnessed and I’m not afraid to use them to get what I want. So, I suggest you tell David that I need to stay longer.” Devon could feel his breath on her neck as he continued to go round and round, like he was stalking prey.

“And why would I do that?” Her voice came out trembling as his black tendrils began to seethe from his palms, rapping themselves around her waist. His laugh rolled through her, reminding her of deep, dark, and scary things; things she hadn't been afraid of since she was little.

“Because, you need me and I need you. Before I left my father and the Underworld, I did a little magic of my own. You know, to insure that I would stay alive even if Hades decided to strip my immortality.”

Devon shivered as he came to stand directly in front of her. A little above eye-level he peered down at her and said five words that confused her, scared her, and made her want to run like hell:

“You and I are one.”