Whenever it was growing to that time of the day, when the sun had finished setting over the horizon and she’d finished cooking and eating her dinner, he no longer needed to mention it. Her body seemed to be doing that for them.

Anticipation for it would begin to slick her core, and his eyes would change to that deep purple in reaction like he could smell it on her.

Then her arousal would grow when she watched him prepare, no longer disgusted by the ritual of the candles, incense, and him drawing his own blood. Not when she knew if she wanted it, if she asked him to – since she’d learned he wouldn’t if she didn’t actually ask – he would touch her intimately. He would stroke her clit, nipples, and insides until she came and went lax in the water to float in the heat in a euphoric haze.

He didn’t try to touch her unless she instigated it, didn’t speak to her or approach her about it even when he knew she was aroused. He also never demanded that she reciprocate.

He wasn’t cocky or trying to use her desire against her.

Everything was totally in Reia’s control, and it made her feel completely at ease. It made her feel… safe.

The other Duskwalker had also made her more curious about Orpheus. She never found out what they spoke about while she was inside where it was safe while they stood in the yard speaking, but she’d seen his feet!

Odd-shaped feet that were like hoofs near the toes but had a long foot behind it. She wondered if Orpheus’ were like that but, considering he was able to wear shoes, she didn’t think so.

So, what lay underneath his pants and shoes then? She knew what his torso looked like, knew he had dark-grey skin and possibly fur beneath it, but did he also have more bones on the outside of his body? More fins?

She wanted to learn about him.

The questions she had about the mystery woman were slow to be answered, and if she asked too many of them at the same time, he’d stop answering. She wanted to know what had happened to her, where she’d gone, and why.

She’d come to discover that she was the first human who he’d come across who he hadn’t eaten straight away. Like Reia, she hadn’t been afraid, and he found a companion in her. He built this home when she told him she didn’t like his cave, and they’d lived quite a few years together.

How long? Reia wasn’t told. His answers were sometimes vague. Just enough to quell the worst of her curiosities, but not enough to quench them completely.

She was also the one who gave Orpheus his name.

Then there were the other questions about his past, like where he came from. He didn’t know and didn’t remember

much about it. He knew he had been a mindless, hungry thing.

He didn’t think he’d had a face until he ate for the first time. A wolf, and then he was given his skull. When he’d eaten an Impala antelope, he’d been given his horns. She’d been surprised to discover that he’d eaten animals for the beginning of his life, and the first time he ate a human was when he really started to think.

He also knew of four Duskwalkers, Mavkas as he called them, and they also didn’t remember how they came to be, only knew they were other in the world.

Her fascination in him was growing, but she knew her many questions made him uncomfortable at times.

“Hey,” she started, sitting at the dining table with him while they were making trinkets since the old ones were beginning to wither. He’d not long ago come inside and remained after carving a new salt circle because the ground was dry. “You mentioned there was a town of Demons, but I was wondering how that’s possible?”

“They built it,” he answered casually, tying a white ribbon around a bundle of dill.

“Yeah, obviously,” she sighed. “I doubt humans would have built it for them, but why? Why is there a town of Demons to begin with?”

He turned his head away from what he was doing to look at her.

“It is unfortunate for your people, but only those that are small and weak mainly crave human flesh. New and young ones. Demons have been alive for centuries, and those that have eaten enough humans to gain humanity and thought, have begun to behave like them. There are thousands of you, and you grow in number quickly.”

He placed his half-made charm down for a moment to think.

“Many of those that live in or around the town have been alive since the arrival of Demons in this world, and they

were able to feast until satisfied. Then they built, learned to speak with each other by learning the language of humans by watching them, and now they live together.” He shrugged before grabbing two jingle bells to attach them, once more continuing with his task. “There are not many of them. Perhaps a hundred or two, but they don’t leave the Veil unless they are hunters, and they hunt not just humans, but also animals to trade. They don’t need to eat as often, like I don’t.”

“Trade? What are they trading food for?”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! This sounded... It sounded like he was speaking of an intelligent society of Demons!

“Jewellery, clothing, housing items. Many are fond of creating to spend their time. They also steal from humans, rob their houses and carriages, while also killing them for trade.” He gestured to the cloth bag of salt he had under the counter, something she’d only discovered when he’d given a large jar to the other Duskwalker. “It is where I obtain my salt, and where I have obtained my clothing.”

“Demons made your clothing? I thought you did, or like...

you stole them from a human.”

Then again, he was massive. She doubted any human would have been the right size for him to take them.

“No. I traded for them.”

“I would love to see this place,” she grumbled, knowing that was impossible. “It would be interesting to see it.”

“Perhaps one day,” he surprised her by saying.

Reia frowned at her own trinket, her head rearing back suddenly. “What do you mean, one day? I thought you’d be against it.”

“I am. It is very dangerous. But as I mentioned, they are not like the Demons you have seen so far. They are more interested in the life they have, than taking it. They also do not attack each other like the Demons you’ve seen around my home. With your bath, I can make the human in your

scent undetectable, and I can also disguise you. And, as long as you remain inside my cloak, I can shield you.”

“You’ve done this before,” she gasped.

“I... have.” His hands paused and his eyes darkened in colour. “A very long time ago, I was able to take a human there. She was able to pick things she wanted, and I would obtain them, like food I cannot grow, or items I do not have, or jewels and furniture I cannot make.” He pointed his snout toward the cooking hearth. “I traded for that, as well as anything else made out of metal you see here as I do not have the means to smelt ore or fabricate with it.”

He was speaking of the mystery woman again, and his eyes always appeared a saddened colour. He said that she left him, didn’t want to stay with him even though he’d done all these things for her. Orpheus hadn’t done near as much for Reia.

He didn’t build this house for her or anything around it, in it, and yet she was... slowly melting for him. How had this person remained indifferent?

“Take me there?” she almost pleaded, her hands reaching across the table to beseech him. “I want to see it.”

“I would like to. I have thought about it. But getting to it is dangerous, and if it comes to light that you are a human in disguise, I may not be able to protect you.” Then he let out a sigh. “However, it is much safer to take you there than to walk with you along the border of the Veil where foolish Demons are willing to attack even me, and it is also easier than to take you to the surface where those that are the hungriest and most desperate to consume humans loiter.

They are aware that I seek a human companion, what I am doing is known, so they may leave us be and allow me to walk with you freely as long as you stay with me. Like I mentioned, they are not like other Demons. They don’t kill humans on sight unless they are starving.”

“I trust that you’ll protect me.” Then she put her hands together like she was holding her sword and started

thrusting into the air. “Plus, I’ll just stab them if they try to take me.”

Orpheus chuckled brightly.

“You are strange, my little doe.”