Her lips curled into a smile of humour.

Maybe I can scare the crap out of him again.

Orpheus usually helped her train, letting her attack a sword he was holding so she actually had something to hit.

He didn’t do much, just stood there pointing the sword downwards since he didn’t know how to hold it in his large hands and deflected her blows like an enemy that was defending.

The previous day, she had been using what she’d put into practise and had almost hit him! Not the sword, but him, and he’d stumbled back, barely ducking his body back in time before she sliced into him.

“I think it’s time I make you that wooden sword, my brave human,” he’d chuckled to her.

She’d expected him to be upset, but his eyes had changed to yellow, like he was proud of her. She couldn’t help beaming.

I’m feeling a lot better after getting a good sleep, she thought, practising the same move she’d done before until it was written perfectly in her memories.

Between doing all the many things that took up most of her time, she would find herself pressed up against something and everything. The table, the wall, the kitchen counter, being taken by him as she lost herself around his cock.

She knew a part of it was about release and pleasure, but she understood Orpheus well enough now to know it was also about being close to her. He liked to be near her, affectionate with her, even if it wasn’t sexual.

I still can’t believe he came into my room last night just because he wanted a damn cuddle. She laughed out loud, swiping the droplets of sweat from her brow.

Reia didn’t think sleeping in her bed, that bed – Is it even my bed anymore? I sleep in his room now – would upset him so much.

“Whatever. Now I know.”

Turning to collect her book so she could go inside since she was tired, she froze. Who the fuck is that?!

She lifted her sword to point the tip of it across the yard at the person who had been watching her from the other side of the salt circle.

He’d been behind her, so she hadn’t been able to see him, but he looked like a human and also very much didn’t. She knew it was a he by the fact he was shirtless and wearing nothing but a pair of genie-like maroon pants that were tucked around his knees for clothing.

“Who are you?” she asked, while she looked him over to figure out what he was.

Even with the distance between them, she could tell he was tall, too tall to be human. The streaking black over his sides, outer flesh of his arms that ran up over his shoulders, sides of his neck, and over his face through his hairline, told her he was probably a Demon. But the rest of him, which was most of him, was covered in darkly-tanned skin.

His eyes weren’t red, but he had pointed ears like the pictures of the Elves she’d seen in her book from the Witch Owl. There were also two horns that were dark and curling back over his long blueish-white hair.

His bulky arms were folded over a muscular chest, puffing them, while eight rock-hard abs were shadowed by them from the sun.

Since he wasn’t wearing a shirt, multiple gold chains hung from his neck in loops. He also had multiple arm bands, significantly more on his left arm, and long earrings dangled from those pointed ears.

He grinned, flashing sharp teeth behind his full lips.

“I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me,” he chuckled with a deep baritone voice. “I’ve been standing here since the Mavka left.”

Reia’s face paled. Orpheus has been gone for over an hour. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed him standing there.

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

“You may call me Jabez, and I mean you no harm.” His grin grew wider, crinkling the corners of his eyes that appeared brown or perhaps another dark colour from afar.

Reia still hadn’t figured out what he was, but she couldn’t help finding him... handsome. Too handsome. Like it wasn’t normal or natural. With all the muscle and gold jewellery, he looked like some kind of God of sensuality, sexuality. A being that screamed an outward appearance of erotic and seductive.

“Says the person standing on the other side of the salt circle,” she sneered, twisting her upper lip at him.

He cocked a brow at her, like he was surprised about something. Perhaps it was because of her brash tone, or that she wasn’t immediately fawning over this sexy looking man that was doing very little to entice her.

“Oh?” He unfolded one arm to point his index finger to the ground. “You mean this salt circle?” He lifted his leg slowly, and stepped through it, standing within it alongside Reia.

“See, no harm at all, little human.”

She raised her sword higher even though they were still metres apart. Just because he doesn’t mean me harm now, doesn’t mean he won’t later. The Mavka had stepped through it and still tried to eat her after being attacked by the flying Demon.

“I’ll have you know, I’m not actually that little,” she told him. She found it cute when Orpheus called her that, but hearing it from him caused her skin to raise in goosebumps with apprehension. “I’m pretty average for a human.”

He began to step closer. “All your kind are small to me.”

“Stay back!” she warned, her eyes darting towards the front porch.

Can I make it? It wasn’t that far.

When she looked forward, he was almost in front of her, and she stumbled back to put space between them. How did he get so close all of a sudden?

He was almost at the tip of her sword. He grabbed it between his clawed thumb and index finger as if he was pinching it, turning his head one way and then other to examine it. Now she understood why he’d called her little.

He wasn’t as tall as Orpheus, but he was still huge. Maybe only three inches shorter.

“This will not kill me,” he said, examining it with a bored expression. Then he turned his gaze to her, brightening into something that looked heated with his sharp, white eyebrows. “But it will hurt. And you don’t want to hurt me human, not when I offer you salvation.”

Reia narrowed her eyes at him, her lips thinning in irritation as she yanked her sword from him to point it at his chest once more. A billow of wind wrapped around their bodies, chilling her slightly.

“And just what do I need saving from?”

“You’re the captive of a Mavka, aren’t you?” He reached his hand out to her palm facing up, offering for her to take it. “I will give you freedom.”

“Even if I wanted freedom, I’m not stupid enough to think anything comes without a price.” Reia continued to back up, slowly, but steadily, making her way towards the house.

“You want something from me. What is it?”

“It is not about what I want, but what another demands.”

His grin softened, as if he wanted to appear more welcoming, and in doing so came across less trustworthy.

“You are nothing but a pawn, and I am offering you the chance to go back to your people safely in exchange.”

Reia snorted a laugh, her lips curling into a smirk while her eyes were filled with a glare.

“You’ve worded your offer very well, but I can see the danger lurking in it.”