CHAPTER 32 - "THE WINDS OF CHANGE"

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Damascus smiled with a broad grin. He had never considered himself a religious man, but as he sat next to Kassy in chairs watching their five year old twin boys roughhousing with eleven year old Tristan Phantomhive in the back courtyard of the Smythe family home - which was now his home - he had never felt happier.

In his ten years as a Roman citizen, he thought he knew the world according to what he observed and experienced in Pompeii - he thought a fisherman's life was his fate. When Vesuvius erupted and killed the city and he was asked to make a choice between life and death by Master Belial and to become a demon, he never would have conceived that he would be living the life he had now - albeit pretending to be human.

At this moment, everything else that had occurred in his life was moot.

William and Beautiese and Miles and Mary Phantomhive had gone away on a trip together leaving Damascus and Kassy alone with the kids, including Tristan, for which they were happy to look after. Tristan was such a good boy and the twins enjoyed his company, looking up to him like a brother. And already Tristan had begun teaching them about the star constellations and the planets in the sky.

Like many school children now due to the London Fire in 1666, six years ago, Tristan was home-schooled. Tristan had been home school from the beginning, much like his twin boys were beginning to be. But Damascus wondered if Tristan would become a teacher when he grew up because he was so smart and so knowledgeable in so many subjects of interest such as math, science, chemistry, English literature and, of course, astrology.

Bryan had been wrong. His boys had been born with their mother's temperament and good graces. Although, every once in awhile, Damascus would have to sneak away and obtain soul nourishment for them to feed to them in their sleep, but they were not demanding as Bryan had once claimed they would be. And he was not ashamed to admit they were more human than demon lineage.

He had never been more proud of anything or anyone in his life than of his twin boys. When they were married, Damascus didn't have a surname like most humans did these days and took Kassy's - Smythe. It was unusual, but Kassandra, husband of Damascus, son of Barracus, was not only was too long, but didn't sound well - so Damascus decided to break from tradition of the wife taking the husband's name and took hers, this way, his boys would also have a very strong surname. As the origin of the name Smythe meant "blacksmith" - a very strong individual who used his imagination to build sturdy things with his hands.

They were good boys, and the only difficulty when they born was what their names would be.

Kassy wanted more modern names, but he wanted something that catered back to his Roman heritage - although, he couldn't say such, and in the weeks before their birth, they "fought" over names. But later, when he actually thought about it, the names he had in mind were either very rare, outdated or had famous history behind them, and he wondered, would other children compare or make fun of them because of such? He didn't want that, so he agreed on two choices Kassy wanted, for which now, he couldn't see calling them anything else: Braydon and Brandon. They were close in wording, but as twins it made sense. But later, to make things easier for the kids and for their vocabulary, they shortened them: Bray and Bran. Later in life, if they choose to restore their full names, they could do so.

When Bryan come out of the kitchen with a tray of snacks and drinks for the kids, they ran to the manservant excitedly. He barely had time to put the tray down on a table before the kids began snatching the little cheese sandwiches and little plastic cups of juice, devouring them like "little demons" - and then returned back to playing.

Just recently, Damascus had recited a Roman tale of a Greek wrestler who was so powerful than no one could defeat him. According to Roman mythos, this wrestler was undefeated since he entered the wrestling scene and crushed all his opponents in record time. He was built like a god with massive muscles and was very intelligent in his fighting ability. It was said the Roman Emperor at the time adorned him with riches beyond the wings of avarice. Unfortunately, he had a heart-attack and died one day as he was training. Damascus delivered a morality to the story: Treat your body like a temple. Build a good foundation and you will live a long and healthy life. Treat you body roughly, like the wrestler did, and your life will be short.

The boys enjoyed the story and the next day, oddly enough, they began to act like wrestlers, emulating the story's idol. He wasn't sure if the true ideal of the story got through to the boys, but they were kids, and they probably thought it better being strong than being smart. They were kids, they didn't know any better yet.

Bryan served Damascus and Kassy with a second tray he retrieved from the kitchen after the first. It was a warm, summer day, and larger sandwiches and tall glasses of lemonade were certainly in order. Bryan seemed to know exactly what was needed or wanted, like he was reading their minds. And for which Damascus still had suspicions Bryan could do such being a Fallen Reaper possessing Bryan's body.

"Thank you, Bryan," Kassy said, taking a sandwich from the tray. "I don't know what we would do without you these last couple of days…" She stopped, and blinked several times.

Damascus saw her eyes were becoming glossy.

Only a week ago, her father had died of natural causes in his sleep. William and Beautiese were on their vacation with the Phantomhive's, sort of a second honeymoon for both of them, so they had not been told yet. A funeral was held regardless because the preservation of the body would not last until them returned in another month, and he was laid to rest in a marked graved on the edge of the forest surrounding the house.

Kassy loved her father dearly and often broke down crying these last couple of days. Bryan presented a handkerchief to her as if anticipating another crying spell. She took it and wiped her eyes, but did not cry further. Damascus knew she said she wanted to be strong in front of the children, but he knew human attachments were sometimes stronger than even the strongest of wills.

Damascus had also loved the man, who had been so kind to him over the years. And he was always so good with the boys. He hated to see Kassy so sad on a day that only moments before felt to him like a rebirth of sorts. He loved her more than life itself and he stood up, said, "Kassy, it's alright dear, don't hold it in."

She stood up as he went to her and he hugged her, she cried in his chest.

Damascus said, "…Then he charged them and said to them, 'I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan…'

"There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah… When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. As he neared death, Jacob made his wishes known. He wanted to be buried in Canaan with his family in the field of Machpelah…

"(And as) He reflected on his death—he wanted to make sure that everything was in place. - Genesis, Chapter 49, 29-33."

Kassy looked up at Damascus, her eyes were filled with tears.

He smiled sweetly and said, "To be absent from the body is to be with the Lord, my dear." He wasn't a godly man, but he knew his words would give comfort to Kassy.

"Thank you, Damascus," she said. "You always know what you say to ease my breaking heart." She no longer cried, but she stayed with him in his arms with her head pressed against her chest. He wrapped his arms around her, emanating warmth.

"I will always be here for you, my sweet."

He suddenly caught a glimpse of Tristan as the boy looked back at him. The boy was very smart and instinctively - he seemed to know what to do.

Tristan kept Bray and Bran busy, so not to let them see their parents in a sad moment, or they too, most-likely, breakdown and start to cry for their grandpa. He believed the twins didn't truly understand the concept of death yet, and probably thought their grandpa went on vacation like their uncle and aunt. But children are very smart these days, and maybe they did know…

But the last thing he wanted on this happy day was to see everyone crying.

Later in the evening when the sun sunk below the horizon and the stars twinkled like little dots in a clear night sky, Damascus stood in the threshold of the open kitchen door watching Tristan engage the boy's attention - they taking turns looking through Tristan's telescope his father had bought for him and brought with him. Kassy had went to bed early feeling tired, but he didn't feel tired in the slightest.

He sipped a hot cup of coffee.

He didn't sleep much being a demon, so when Kassy and the others fell asleep, he and Bryan would spend the night hours talking about general subjects - when he wasn't gathering soul nourishment for his twin boys to feed them as they slept. Bryan didn't seem to mind it. A person - even a demon - had to do what needed to be done to survive and that even meant killing other less desirable people for food. In this day and age, how could someone condemn another for trying to survive while others wasted their lives?

Bryan came to stand next to him. He had been busy cleaning the house and had just finished for the day. "Your mind seems occupied, my friend," Bryan said lowly. "Care to share your troubles?"

Bryan only spoke to him, as everyone else believed the manservant was mute. But five years ago he had revealed to Damascus who "Bryan" really was - how Kassy's father used to abuse Bryan badly, retaining him on as his boy-servant; that a supernatural spirit now possessed the real Bryan's body. Bryan also revealed that he really enjoyed serving the family, that it make him happy to do so giving him purpose again. But he also made a declaration: that if Damascus or his children ever harmed the family, Bryan would kill them all.

When Bray and Bran had been born normal, with no demon tendencies to speak of - their temperament calm and tranquil - Damascus's mind eased. Bryan's threat no longer occupied his mind for five years, but something else was indeed troubling him now, and it did infer to Bryan's threat. But Bryan could always pick up on when something was bothering him, hence the reason for the inquiry.

"Kassy is pregnant again," Damascus said, worried.

Bryan looked at him surprised. "Then congratulations are in order, not melancholy."

Damascus shook his head. "Something is wrong, I can feel it."

"With the child? How long is she along?"

"We just learned of it last week, so not long. But there is a dark energy building inside the fetus." Damascus took a sip of his coffee. "When Braydon and Brandon were born, and they turned out normal, happy, like typical human children, I didn't want to jeopardize the future with testing the water and having more children that did not turn out like they did, so I insisted on wearing what people are calling a 'condom'. But they don't seem very effective."

"So it broke or it leaked and Kassy became pregnant once more, and now what I feared five years ago will coming to pass - and you are worried that my declaration then will be fulfilled now?"

Damascus nodded. "This child is already very powerful and he is only five days old in Kassy's belly."

"How do you know it is male?"

"Because he spoke to me in a dream."

"He spoke to you in a dream?" Bryan's voice grew louder. "There are medical methods now that can abort the growth of a fetus, if such a thing needs to happen. It is invasive, but it can be done."

"And how will I explain it to Kassy? 'Please, sweetheart. We must abort the baby because I feel a dark, ominous power from it'?"

Bryan calmed himself and spoke evenly. "What did he say to you in your dream?"

"It was not a voice as we would hear one, it was more of a feeling - within a blackness beyond dark. And the only way I can truly describe this feeling is 'malice' towards the world. I also felt that he will be born no matter what we do."

"Then we must prepare."

"But what can we do?"

Bryan looked at Braydon and Brandon through the open doorway playing with Tristan goodly. "Pray."

"Pray?" Damascus said in disbelief.

Bryan shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "It was only a joke, my friend," he said.

"I know, but with both us - we will find a way to protect your family."

"But your declaration?"

"Is no longer valid. You are a good man, Damascus, and your children are good. If a way can be found to stop this evil from rising, we will do so together."

Damascus nodded. "Thank you," he said. "You have been a trusted friend and confidant all these years and I have relied on you more than I can ever repay. Ironic, that a Fallen Reaper and a demon can be friends?"

Bryan put a hand on Damascus's shoulder. "You are my family now. And family protects family. And no, I don't find it ironic at all, Damascus. They say a leopard can not change its spots. But that is only on the outside. On the inside, so many changes can be made." He smiled. "Philosophically speaking."

Damascus smiled.

"I don't know if a demon has ever done what you have done here, building such a wonderful family, and wouldn't want it destroyed by an unnecessary evil," Bryan said. "I will see what I can do to help alter the baby's temperament during Lady Kassandra's pregnancy. Perhaps something can be done."

Decco lounged upon his throne constructed of the skull and bones of dead humans and animals weaved together by tissue fibres, strengthen by blood extracts. His lair was deep beneath the Von Strauss Manor. He sat watching those at the Phantomhive estate - in the family cemetery plot - via an Eyeball Viewer that stood at eye-level near his throne.

The Eyeball Viewer was a large eyeball with an enlarged pupil situated on top of a tall stand, thin stand, grown and hardened with human muscle and tissue. Within the viewer pupil, Decco was able to see anything he wanted at a whim, like a god watching his children from afar.

Johnny Lazarus knelt on one knee on the floor in front of the throne. Despite the covenant on his forehead was gone, which was only a ploy for Wilhelm Lazarus's sake - who was now dead - the real covenant, a much larger one, encompassed Johnny's back. And he was fully loyal to his lord and master Decco, whom he now called Father.

Johnny was essentially a part of Decco. Decco had taken a part of his own dark spirit and put it into the boy's body to resurrect him - healing all wounds the boy sustained at the hands of Michaelis's slaughter of every man, woman and child in the amphitheatre being used by the Inner Circle. So in truth, the boy was his son now, and Johnny expressed his own hatred of Sebastian Michaelis and Ciel Phantomhive for ordering his butler demon to do such a horrid thing when all the members of the Inner Circle were dead. There was no reason to kill the children.

To Ciel Phantomhive, there was - to hide his escape.

All Johnny's memories were intact, the only difference now was this Johnny Lazarus was filled with hate and malice mirroring that of Decco. And he also watched the Eyeball Viewer. There were a lot of people standing within the Phantomhive cemetery plot - talking.

Merely talking, and plotting.

On either side of his blood-tissue lair stood two of Decco's most loyal demon allies - Nailz and Pyro, who arrived when summoned to their master's beckon call. With Epimetheus gone, Lazarus dead and Spencer Von Strauss's life returned back to him along with his brother Thann, in a moment of gratis - a true leader must be ruthless but also possess a certain amount of compassion as well, but Johnny waged it was done after the Reaper William T. Spears destroyed Epimetheus easily and the sooner he was gone the better, so Spencer and Thann's lives were given back; not a moment of weakness, but one of strategy; Decco didn't know anything about the Reaper, so to fight an unknown enemy was unwise - Decco needed more minions. And Nailz and Pyro were two of his most powerful ones.

They also informed him that his personal army was almost ready to attack Hell. He knew Morning Star was expecting an attack, but it would be a civil war unlike even the Holy War in Heaven. It was time to bring a new order to Hell and he will be its new King of Demons.

"Father, I wish to convey concern with your obsession with Sebastian Michaelis," Johnny began cautiously. "From what you have told me of him, he is nothing compared to your great and mighty power!"

Decco chuckled over the use of the word 'obsession'. "I do not have an obsession with Sebastian Michaelis, Johnny." He started calling Damascus by his new name because that is what he was calling himself these days with his covenant with Ciel Phantomhive, so he accepted it. "His existence mocks me and insults my kind. He is not a true demon, born human - but granted demon hood by a kind gesture."

"Your old master," Johnny said.

"Correct. Master Belial can never be set free from the void I sealed him in, no matter what others claim." But even he was beginning to have doubts after what he was seeing on the Eyeball Viewer. Mathu Kelvin had explained a scenario that could work to free Belial if the conditions were right, but it all hinged on Michealis waking. "But what if they are saying is true? What if a way has been found to fee Belial?"

"You are wise and powerful, I can not see something like that occurring," Johnny said.

He mused out loud for a moment. "Ciel Phantomhive was given the mark of the beast; the Reaper said Lukas Phantomhive was approached by another demon and given knowledge of Belial, but then his memory was erased of the event and this knowledge, a ghost, Renfrew Phantomhive, a distant relative of the family is now protecting it. And he is powerful in his own rite. Sebastian Michaelis was close to learning this secret, so Renfrew Phantomhive put him to sleep, and now he dreaming…"

"Could the ghost have had a hidden motive to render Sebastian Michaelis unconscious?"

Decco straightened in his throne, his right hand opening and closing as his eyes looked at nothing in particular, his mind racing with thoughts of something he could not put his finger to. Could there be a conspiracy here - something against him that was in the works? Could everything that is occurring be leading up to something that involved him? Could Sebastian Michaelis be faking? No, it had to be coincidence only. Nonetheless, if he wasn't careful it could lead to his destruction, and everything he worked for over the years could go up in smoke.

He shook his head. "I won't fight Mathu Kelvin, something is not right here." He looked at Nailz and Pyro successively; they came to stand out in front of his throne as if mentally summoned. "You two will go, learn the truth about Sebastian Michaelis. If he is truly 'sleeping', then I will come. But do not engage the Fallen Reaper or the others unless enticed. Understood?"

They both nodded in unison and then 'winked out'.

"Aren't you being overly cautious, father?" Johnny said.

"There is no such thing as being 'overly cautious', Johnny," Decco said. "I believe the old Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, said it best: "For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill, (but) to subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. So in essence, scouting out your enemies and then exploiting their weaknesses to the fullest is the true art of war and victory."

"But Nailz and Pyro are…"

"Weak? I know, but they have their skills. And when they engage them and I know they will, I will be watching, and Mathu Kelvin's weaknesses and the others will be mine to exploit. Then only when the Fallen Reaper is subdued, I will destroy Sebastian Michaelis and the others with ease."

Johnny Lazarus smiled. "You are brilliant, father. A true military genius."

"If they think I am going to walk straight into a hornet's nest, they are sadly mistaken."

The baby was born stillborn - or that's what Bryan had claimed when he helped deliver it without the care of a qualified nursemaid. But in truth, he had stilled it himself as he gradually brought it out of Kassy's womb using his powers to make it appear dead and lifeless.

Damascus agreed it had to be done as he felt - and could still feel - a great, dark power emanating from the newborn. And it was still never much alive.

He used his own powers to help calm Kassy - although she felt no pain during the pregnancy. But he knew she would need comforting when she saw the newborn was stillborn.

Bryan shook his head as Kassy looked at him, hoping for the slight chance that he was wrong in her baby being stillborn. Bryan wrapped the baby up in a blanket covering it completely and took it away.

Damascus agreed, he didn't want Kassy to see the newborn still and "dead-like".

"I'm sorry, Kassy," Damascus said, holding her hand as she lain in bed, tears falling down her cheeks. And he was truly sorry. Not only was it Kassy's child, but it was also his child. But he knew it had to be one to safeguard the rest of the family, and only he and Bryan would know the truth of the situation.

Kassy had lost her father only last year and now she had lost her newborn. Their happy little lives were beginning to crumble and become filled with hardship and sorrow now. But even he knew nothing lasted forever and the winds always changed. Notwithstanding, he would not let this destroy their family. He would do anything to make Kassy happy again. Anything.

William and Beautiesue came into the room, and he left. He would let her brother and sister-in-law console her now until he could return.

When the door was closed and only he and Bryan stood outside, walking further down the hallway, the newborn still in Bryan's arms, stilled, Damascus said, "What will we do with it?"

"We will bury it and hope it suffocates itself to death," Bryan said coldly but honestly. "But it is growing stronger by the minute, soon my powers will not be able to keep it lifeless for long. We must do it now."

Suddenly, Damascus felt two sets of eyes looking at them from further down the hallway. Braydon and Brandon were standing together, their gaze upon the newborn wrapped fully in a blanket in Bryan's arms. Damascus waved them over. "I'm sorry, but your little brother didn't survive," he said.

"Please father," Braydon said. "Do not lie to us."

"We are aware of what he is, what we are…" Brandon started.

"We could feel his dark energy within Mother for these last nine months," Braydon finished.

Damascus looked at Bryan, and Bryan said, "I didn't tell them."

Damascus crouched down to their eye level. "When did you discover…?"

"Through you father," Braydon said, and Brandon nodded. "All those late night feedings, all the special soul nourishment, as you name it. We also overheard you telling Bryan one-time."

All of a sudden, he realized Bryan had spoken in front of them.

"But we are fine with our demon lineage," Brandon said with a smile. "We accept it."

The twins then looked at Bryan. "And we have known for the longest time that you can talk, Bryan," Braydon said. "And we know what and who you are."

Brandon smiled. "Call is demon intuition," he said.

"They are very smart children, Damascus," Bryan said. "I believe the word is prodigy."

Damascus wondered that, and perhaps this is why the boys spoke so elegantly at this age as well. He stood up and smiled. "Then you know how to keep a secret," he then said, about the infant.

The boys nodded.

"He is still alive, we can feel it," Braydon said.

"He is our little brother, but he can not be allowed to live," Brandon then said albeit coldly.

"He is dangerous," they said in unison.

So they did understand, Damascus thought. The child must be killed, so it can not be allowed to unleash its deadly power upon the human world.

Bryan handed the infant to Damascus, and said, "You must do it quickly, I can feel him awakening. I will keep Lady Kassandra and the others busy and tell them that you have gone to bury the child."

Damascus nodded. "Thank you, Bryan."

Then he left, with Braydon and Brandon.

They headed deep into the forest that surrounded the property, Braydon picking up a shovel before they left, and once they got into a secluded area, Damascus handed the child to one of them, and began to dig when handed the shovel. After he dug a sizable hole, he put the infant into it and began to cover the child with dirt. But he began to hear its muffled cries as the dirt buried it. Once it was buried fully, silence resumed. He hoped without soul nourishment and air, it will soon die.

It was difficult to think such a thing, but he knew it had to be done.

As they walked away, a bright red light suddenly appeared, and Damascus looked back to see a strange man holding the infant in his arms, the hole open. He was human in appearance, and wore a long dark robe with red down the sides. He had long white hair bushed back. The man gazed at Damascus with narrow distain.

"You have lost your way, Damascus," the man said. "The child is mine now."

Damascus shook his head - is the man who he thought it was? "Please, he is too dangerous," he said.

"I gave you a mission and instead you settled down with a human woman to have off-spring? You are a disappointment, Damascus. I will task another to look for Belial and I will take the child to train. I can feel his power," Morning Star said, opening up the blanket to reveal the infant's lively face. The infant seemed to gurgle with a happiness with he saw Morning Star's face. "He is very strong. I need strong demons."

"With all due respect, my lord, I believe you are making a mistake."

Morning Star's eyes glowered a deep crimson. "Do not tell me what I can and can not do, minion! You were granted demon hood by Belial during an act of benevolence. At the time, and from your process, I was pleased with Belial's choice in you. But you have disappointed me greatly." He let out a soft grumble. "Decco will be dealt with accordingly, I am aware of his actions in attempting to build an army against me. But he will fail. And I'm afraid more hardship is about to befall you, Damascus, your wife is dying."

Damascus turned his head sharply towards the house, and then back. But Morning Star had had vanished with the infant when he did. He and the boys then ran back to the house.

In the bedchambers, Kassy looked very pale when Damascus arrived, with William and Beautiese and Bryan around her. He looked at Bryan and he gave a short shake of his head, as if they both knew what was happening. The birth of the infant had done something to her, poisoned her somehow, and now she was dying from it. The others made their way out knowing Damascus would want to be alone with her.

He knelt down next to the bed and held her hand. "My sweet, I am so sorry," he said.

She was covered up to her neck in their large bed comforter blanket and she looked at him with tired eyes. He knew after giving birth she would not have the strength to fight off this poison. It was demon poison, even another demon would have difficulty with it - so Kassy would not have a chance.

As he held her hand, he tried to burn the poison out of her blood, but it multiplied at a very fast rate. He could not keep up with it.

Had the infant planned this? An intelligence at work that was beyond even his comprehension? Was it revenge resulting from when Bryan paralyzed it in the womb to make it look like it was born stillborn? He had sensed a dark power and an intelligence from the baby even months before. Unlike his twin sons, Braydon and Brandon, the baby must have drawn on his demon half.

He could feel Kassy tried to squeeze his hand, but she didn't have the strength - and she felt cold, very cold. "You are…unlike any man I have ever…known, my husband," she said softly.

"Please, don't speak. Save your strength."

"No, Damascus. I must say…what is on my…mind." She took a long, drawn out, deep breath. "When we first met, even before, I felt you were different - you are a part and yet are not a part of this world."

Damascus's eyes widened, but then he tried to hide his fret. "I don't understand," he said.

"My special gift told me you were not fully of this world, but I chose to ignore it because I fell in love with you." She very gingerly raised a hand and placed it on his left cheek. "And I still love you. Whatever you are, Damascus, you are a kind and gentle man."

He cupped her arm in both hands. "My dear, your mind is playing tricks on you."

"Don't lie to me, Damascus. I am dying, and I do not want my last memory of you to be a lie."

He momentarily averted his gaze from her and nodded. "You are correct, Kassy. But I was born human. I am in fact over two thousand years old and I lived in ancient Pompeii. A being granted me a choice to live or die in the volcanic eruption that destroyed the city and I chose to live. He trained me, taught me how to be live - and I learned quickly. But I became bored and wanted something more and returned to my human roots. I wanted to try something new. And then I met you and my ultimate wish came true."

She gave him a weak smile. "I knew you were special."

She did not seem aghast that he just admitted he was a demon, despite her religious beliefs. And yet, he realized, he had not actually said he was a demon - only that a being had granted him a second chance at existence. Maybe subconsciously he didn't want her to know because of her religious beliefs, that it would frighten her, that he didn't want her to know that she had given birth to three demon offspring. But did she already know? And yet she still remained with him?

He returned a smile. "You are the special one, Kassy. I know the Lord is calling you home." He had just been called a disappointment by Morning Star because of his interaction with humans and having a family, but he didn't care. "I love you, Kassy…"

But she was gone.

Her eyes were closed and her heart had stopped beating.

He lowered his head down into the sheets, and then cried. He was a demon, and he knew most demons didn't care for "attachments", catering to their own whims. But he was not like most demons. He was half human, and now that half begged for release.

And he found himself shedding tears uncontrollably.

He truly loved Kassandra.

And he mentally prayed that her God would forgive her for the "sin" in loving a demon.

To be continued...