Since the first time I died, I've fallen in love with the angel of death (Part 11)

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
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For one of the first times in my life, I glared at Gabriel. ?So, because of some crazy pact, instead of Rachel suffering, her mother will? and I?m supposed to spare her for that?? I point at Rachel, shouting now, ?She nearly killed Demond! She?s killed today and she has killed people before!?
Gabriel looked away from me. ?Life and death? they are temporary states of existence, Elon. But the state of the soul is an eternity.?
?Life is time!? I shout. ?Ending life robs someone of time!?
Gabriel sighed. ?I?m aware.?
?Do you think my father, if he were still alive, would still drink?? I glared. ?If he had a second chance if he survived and Demond didn?t, he?d have changed!?
?Trauma sets people on different paths,? Gabriel said, ?but it doesn?t always set them on a path of redemption.?
?People who die early, I?m sure, have regrets, and have sins they didn?t have time to atone for, so if your issue is that you?re sending a soul to die early, then what about all those who Rachel might end up killing??
Gabriel placed their hands on my shoulders, ?You are a reaper, the choice is yours, life or death. You know the stakes, you know what will happen? from here, I leave the matter in your hands.?
Gabriel vanished, and I turned to face Rachel. I recalled what Theodora told me, about Rachel and her mother: the tales of fear and horror that came about from Rachel?s rule, her fighting people for her throne.
It was then that I realized what Gabriel meant when they spoke to me before. ?Sometimes worse?, Gabriel wasn?t talking about death or hell. Not a figurative one. With my eyes closed, I turned to the window finding myself back in my body.
Time still drifting, I aimed through the window and I watched Rachel come into view.
?I have a shot: take it?? I asked Captain V?zquez via the radio.
?Take the shot!? she ordered.
I moved away from her head, angled the shot just right, waiting for her arm to move out of the way. A headshot would kill her, a shot to the neck might do the same? but if I got a nice shot into her body cavity, I could lay her out for the rest of her life.
My finger pulled the trigger. The bullet rocketed out of the barrel and struck right below Rachel?s ribs. A smile crossed my face as I watched the bullet enter, hitting her lung, likely striking her stomach and perforating her liver. If I was lucky, it would also have grazed her heart like I wanted, adding to the list of complications that would follow her for the rest of her life.
Rachel tumbled down like a sack of ****, as I expected she would. She was out of view when I stood up. ?Tango down.? I sigh and have a seat, closing my eyes to leave my body and make sure I did only mortally wound her, not kill her.
As I get to the room, I see Captain V?zquez holding Rachel and Rachel looked pretty rough.
Rachel?s lung is punctured, I can tell by the blood she?s coughing up. I notice some blood staining the other side of her armor and I wonder if the bullet hit her armor and bounced around in her body cavity a bit. A lucky shot if it did. Considering how out of it Rachel looks, she needs to get to an ER.
I hoped I didn?t overdo it, but, I?m not broken up about Rachel dying. More agitated that Rachel would go to heaven than I am worried about her mother burning in hell.
?Well done,? Gabriel?s voice whispered behind me.
I turn, seeing Gabriel standing there still, and Jason moving towards the doorway to get something. ?Thanks.?
Gabriel nodded., ?Wait here, there is something you?ll want to witness.?
?What?s that??
A black line of smoke appeared in midair, and as it widened, I saw a woman walk through.
At first glance, she seemed like someone from Penthesil but as she exited the portal, I realized she was different.
She wore full plate armor, for one. The material wasn?t steel, it looked more like they made it out of stone. It was off-white and behind her was a heavy cloak and a set of huge black and white wings. Her wings were mixed feathers of black and white, almost salt-and-pepper like, as was her hair. She shaved one side of her head, the other side her salt-and-pepper black and white hair in a braid. Her eyes were violet, flickering in intensity, from dark violet to a dim hue of purple.
She grabbed Jason and pulled him tight against her chest, her free hand produced a knife and pointed it to Jason?s chest. ?Release my angel or your angel dies.? she threatened.
Jason struggled, showing great effort as he did. ?****, lady, what the hell do they feed you??
The woman pulled Jason tighter against her. ?Quiet, you foul-mouthed little? runt!? Then she addressed the Captain. ?Release her, or he dies.?
Time came to a halt and Gabriel sighed next to me. ?Meet the enigma of heaven and hell combined? Ragna.?
?Enigma?? I frowned. ?Wait, didn?t Demond say she?s the daughter of the devil??
Gabriel nodded, walking next to Ragna?s frozen form. ?Yes. The devil?s only child. Ragna.? Gabriel gave a glance to Captain V?zquez. ?Oh? dear??
?What?s wrong??
Gabriel moved away from Captain V?zquez. ?Best to steer clear of her for a bit? she?s marked.?
?Marked??
?One catastrophe at a time,? Gabriel said, motioning to Ragna. ?You?ll see why she is an enigma in but a moment.?
Time started to move normally and I turned to Captain V?zquez, wondering if there was something I could do to help her.
Captain V?zquez has Rachel sitting up next to her.
Rachel was bleeding from her bullet wound and yet despite this, she started to goad Ragna into action. ?Kill them all, love,? Rachel started to say.
However, Captain V?zquez interrupted Rachel by shoving the business end of her desert eagle into Rachel?s mouth.
To my shock, Ragna, the towering unwavering daughter of darkness, looked worried. Her hair even went grayer and I swear some black drained from her wings. ?What are you doing?? she stuttered. ?Stop! Stop damn you!? She dropped the knife that was being held to Jason?s chest.
Captain V?zquez fixed Ragna with a stern gaze. ?Release him or I plaster her head all over this oak desk.? She tapped the desk to emphasize her point.
?Note to self, don?t get on Captain V?zquez?s bad side,? I said.
Gabriel shifted. ?Yes? Nor her master?s??
Ragna tried to regain her composure and threatened Captain V?zquez back. ?I?ll let him go when you do the same for her!?
She flicked the safety of her pistol off. ?On top of letting go of my subordinate, you will leave here in peace--or again, your angel turns into modern art!?
Rachel stammers but Captain V?zquez just shoved the pistol deeper into her mouth. I think I can hear her gag a bit.
Ragna?s eye twitched and her hair goes even whiter. ?Hurt her? and I swear to the Guardians, I will avenge her death with yours!?
?Yet if you do that, she?d still be dead!? Captain V?zquez retorted.
Rachel must have been feeling the effects of my shot because she seemed to lose her balance and nearly swallowed the barrel Captain V?zquez held in her mouth.
?Rachel!? Ragna shouted.
For a moment, I questioned who was the merciless evil woman born from hell and who was my superior officer trying to stop her.
Ragna?s gaze shifted to a withering one as she glared daggers at Captain V?zquez. ?Who the hell do you think you are??
?My name is Captain Sofia V?zquez, US Army,? she said as she pushed the gun deeper into Rachel?s mouth. ?Now release him.?
Ragna?s eyes go wide as she threw Jason forward. ?Fine! Take him! Hand her over now, damn it! We?ll depart, as agreed!?
Captain V?zquez gets to her feet and pulled Rachel to hers, pulling the gun from her mouth. ?You?re not coming back, understood??
Ragna stammered, ?I understand, damn it!?
Captain V?zquez let go of Rachel.
Rachel stumbled over to Ragna and fell into Ragna.
Ragna caught her, cradling Rachel in her arms. As Ragna caught her, the scene freezes and I see the look the two share.
?Our enigma?? Gabriel whispered.
?Why is she an enigma?? I asked.
The air grows hazy as time comes to a complete stop. Gabriel?s voices sing: ?Time is the reason why we fight or stay alive. Until the morning comes.?
The scene shifted and around us was a forest in some distant land. I spotted Rachel sitting at a campfire wearing a pair of simple slacks and a simple t-shirt. Her hair was disheveled and she had her knees pulled up to her chest.
Ragna approached now, carrying a large animal of sorts that she must have hunted.
?It?s a strife, but the shimmer in your eyes just makes me know, that you and I belong.?
Ragna dropped the animal near the fire and moved to Rachel, tilting her head up and kissing her softly at first.
?And you can light the dark all by your own, so let us show the world our love is strong.?
Rachel deepened the kiss and she reached up to Ragna?s cheek as she did so.
?Like a sign, like a dream, you?re my Amaranthine. You are all I need and believe in. Like we drift, in a stream, your beauty serene, there?s nothing else in life I ever need? my dream??
The scene fades and I?m back in the present, Ragna looking down to Rachel, clearing hair from her face. Ragna whispered, ?My Amaranthine?? Ragna?s wings shifted from white to black. ?My dream, speak to me.?
Rachel coughed up more blood, her face looking pale. ?I?m here? I?m sorry.?
Ragna kissed her and pulled her close, pressing her forehead to Rachel?s as they break the kiss. ?I?ll get you fixed up, I promise.? Ragna?s hand broke a small blue vial and pressed her hand against Rachel?s entry wound.
?Of course you will, my love,? Rachel said, her breath shallow.
Ragna seemed energized, standing tall as she cradled Rachel in her arms, her eyes now glow with a fiery passion and her eyes, a vibrant violet. ?Captain V?zquez, you will regret this, I will not let you forget this day.?Captain V?zquez pointed her pistol at Ragna and Rachel. ?You?ll regret it more if you don?t leave, I?ve still got a decent shot at her and I do not miss.?
Ragna seemed almost giddy, damn near excited, it?s a face I?ve seen before. ?I will make it a point to meet you on the field of battle, Captain V?zquez. We?ll see how you fare against me on a level playing field.? Her grin turned demonic. ?We?ll see what Samael?s Nephilim can do.?
With that Ragna turned and walked back into the dark portal she entered from.
?This first defeat is a practice round, Captain. I?ve already planned your demise,? Ragna growled before the portal closes behind her.
I closed my eyes and returned to my body. To my right was Gabriel still with me.
?So, they love each other??
Gabriel nodded. ?Ragna?s? a wild card, you see. We feel she might? shift.?
I frowned as I got to my feet, ?Shift?? I began to break down my gun.
Gabriel nodded., ?Rachel may be beyond saving, or she may not be, but Ragna? as odd as it sounds, has never allied with her father. She?s done horrible things but done them out of a lack of any alliance. We often considered that, though she destroyed the Guardian temple, it was only because of Xyphiel?s desire. Had his whim changed, she wouldn?t have done what she did.?
?So the idea is? get her to come to our side?? I asked as I packed my gun away.
Gabriel nodded.
I cleared my throat as I prepared my next question, ?So Zepherina is not Rachel?s kid, is she? She?s Ragna?s??
Gabriel smiled at me. ?What makes you say that??
?That look Ragna gave the Captain when she thought she found a rival? It?s the same look I saw Zepherina get when I told her about Demond.? I sighed.
?Science is a marvelous thing? Ragna?s apt at it,? Gabriel smiled, sitting at the edge of the building, their legs hanging over the side.
I joined them. ?How so??
?DNA and how it?s shared among all life with binary sexes.? Gabriel chuckled. ?Did you know there?s a few fish who, when they reach a certain age, just change their sexes? Just? one day they?re female and then--? Gabriel snapped their fingers.--?poof, male!?
?So? Ragna can change her sex?? I asked.
Gabriel smiled, ?Ragna grew tired of watching Xyphiel have daughter after daughter so she devised a little, lets call it an adapter, that would let her sire a child.?
?So Zepherina has two mothers?? I looked behind myself to the roof entrance and considered heading down. ?Should I wait for Jason or??
Gabriel nodded. ?Maybe ask??
I radioed over to Captain V?zquez, playing dumb. ?What?s going on? Did I get her??
?You got her, Sergeant, but hang tight, we need medevac for your brother,? Captain V?zquez replied.
I chuckled, frowned, and looked to Gabriel. ?He should be fine right??
Gabriel looked down.
?Wait? he?s still hurt? I thought? he should have healed up by now??
Gabriel shook their head.
?You?re kidding right?? I asked into the radio.
I didn?t get a reply.
Gabriel placed their hand on my shoulder. ?Sofia and Jason will take care of him, don?t worry.?
I sat there for some time, glancing at Gabriel, and then looking out at the broken window. ?Sorry I snapped at you.?
Gabriel nodded. ?You may be a reaper but you?re young still. You don?t understand death, not completely. To you, death is the end.?
?What is death if not the end?? I asked.
?A transition. My favorite mortal writer, Guillermo del Toro, he makes films if I recall. He understands death better than most mortals. Death isn?t the end of life, but a greater beginning.? Gabriel smiled at me, ?A reunion.?
?You kind of sound like a psychopath, just to let you know,? I warned.
Gabriel laughed, pointing to my left. ?Your ride is here.?
I got to my feet, seeing Jason flying up to the roof.
?Come on kid, let's get moving.? He walked towards the service door on the roof.
As I follow, I turned to Gabriel, still sitting on the edge of the roof. ?Will he die? He?s all I?ve got, besides you.?
Gabriel spoke without looking at me. ?His life is not in his own hands. Now it?s up to Lady Tasha and Irfan of Raphael.?
Jason responded, likely thinking I was talking to him, ?Demond?s a tough sonofabitch, don?t worry, he?ll make it.?
I followed in through the door that Jason opened, finding myself in the foyer of the Guardian Temple. Confused, I turned as it closed behind me, ?Wait?. What??
Jason chuckled. ?I can make any door open to the temple kid, French benefits.?
?Fringe.? I correct.
?Huh??
?It?s? fringe benefits, not French Benefits,? I clarified.
Jason shrugged. ?Fair enough, wasn?t too fond of the French, anyway.?
?Where?s Demond?? I asked.
Jason pointed to a room off to the left. ?That?s the medical quarter, Irfan?s in there.?
I ran in and found Lady Tasha standing over a bed with Demond laying in it.
A male angel with red wings and dark skin walked by me wearing white robes. ?Pardon me?? he said, carrying some bloody bandages.
I rushed to the free side of the bed. ?Demond??
?He?s been out for a while now,? Lady Tasha said.
I sat down next to him. ?How long??
?It?s been almost two hours,? she explained.
?Two hours?!? I shouted. ?It wasn?t out there that long!?
Demond groaned. ?Elon? quiet??
?Demond!? I shouted, standing up.
Lady Tasha smiled as I hugged him. ?Be gentle? he?s still recovering.?
Demond sat up, placing an arm around me. Shirtless, he had several large bandages wrapped around his waist.
Lady Tasha looked to Demond. ?I accept your apology.?
Demond gave her a confused look and moved to slide out of bed.
Tasha stopped him. ?Demond, no, you need to rest.?
Demond grabbed her wrist, ?I?m fine now.?
Tasha glared at him. ?Thanks to Irfan and I.?
?I thank you,? Demond said. He got to his feet, looking down on Tasha.
Tasha was on her feet, staring up at him. ?You?ve been badly wounded, you need your rest, Demond.?
?I?m not a child.? Demond breezed past her.
I shrugged but Tasha didn?t even bother paying me any mind, running after him, her hooves clip-clopping as she did so.
?Demond Winter!? Tasha scolded, ?You get back in there this instant!?
?I am fine!? Demond shouted in the foyer, turning to me. ?By the way, I met Gabriel, I spoke to mom. She said she missed us? among other things,? He turned away and started walking to the barracks area.
?You are not fine!? Tasha shouted after him, ?You?ve been through a terrible trauma! Marching off on your own will not help you.?
Demond stopped dead, which allowed Tasha and I to catch up.
?Trauma?? Demond growled, turning to face Tasha, glaring down at her as she stopped just in front of his face. ?What do you know about trauma, princess??
?It?s Priestess?? Tasha said, not backing down, ?and you shouldn?t speak about what you know nothing about.?
Demond narrowed his eyes. ?I bet you?ve not even seen a man die.?
?You?d be very wrong,? Tasha said.
?By your hands,? Demond added.
?Still wrong,? Tasha said, though she wavered.
?I think you?re lying to convince me to get back into bed,? Demond taunted.
Tasha was silent for a moment, then fixed Demond with a stern gaze. ?My first, and only, husband.?
?I said dead by your hands, priestess,? Demond grumbled, ?not dead by your father?s.?
?It was me,? Tasha said. ?He died by my hand, in our marital bed.? Tasha swallowed, remaining composed. ?Because I thought I had control over myself when I did not.?
Demond?s expression softened and he just turned around, walking off.
Tasha, somehow undaunted, kept after him. ?Your well being, Mr. Winter, is my responsibility!? She grabbed his shoulder. ?You are not well enough to walk about!?
Demond spun on his heel and grabbed at his bandages, pulling them hard, ripping them. ?I keep telling you I?m fine, demon!?
Tasha slapped him across the face, her teeth gritted. ?I told you not to call me that!? She then looked down under his bandages, her hand reaching over the scars on his abdomen.
Demon grumbled, rubbing his cheek. ?Nice hit.?
Tasha was moving her fingers over Demond?s abdomen, looking up at him and then back to his skin. ?You?ve scarred already.?
?I told you, I heal well--? he winced and fell to one knee.
Tasha has put pressure on the scar. ?Your skin healed? but you need to take it easy still Demond? you?re not 100%.?
Demond gritted his teeth and got to his feet. ?Then I know what to do to get to 100,? he said and started walking towards the training room.
?Hey!? Tasha shouted, again clip-clopping after him. ?Darn it, mister!? she grumbled. ?Where do you think you?re going??
?To work out.? He stopped at the door. ?You do not need to follow.?
Tasha stopped in front of him, arms crossed. ?If you pull something open while you, stubbornly, work out, then who will need to rush over to mend your wounds?? She huffed. ?Me! So I may as well be here, waiting for you to rip yourself open again.?
Demond rolled his eyes and walked into the training room.
Tasha followed and I was right behind.
?Bro, maybe you should listen to her? She is the one who fixed you up.?
?Elon?? Demond said, fixing me with an angry glare as he picked up a pair of dumbbells. ?Don?t.?
Tasha shook her head. ?You are the most infuriating man.?
?No,? Demond grunted. ?That would be my father.?
Tasha leaned against the wall and looked to me. ?Is he always like this??
?Most of the time,? I explained.
I couldn't help but notice Tasha?s eye is tracing Demond?s back, watching his bicep as he curls it with the substantial weight. She shifted and averted her eyes when Demond looked back at us both.
?This isn?t a show,? Demond pointed out.
Tasha scoffed. ?I?m well aware.?
Demond dropped the weights. ?Okay, how?s this? since I owe you for that cheap shot when I first arrived, how about a quick sparring match? I lose, I go back to bed; you lose, you leave me the hell alone.?
?It was not a cheap shot,? Tasha rebuked as she pulled her arms out of her robe, and her tail unraveled from her waist. She pulled her robes up over her head, revealing white pants, a tight long sleeve turtleneck shirt, and long cloth gloves. Every inch of her, aside from her tail and wings, remained covered. Her pants even went down to just above her hooves. ?Now I will warn you, I intend to put you back into that hospital bed one way or another.?
Demond laughed, moving closer, ?Elon can be the judge.?
?Pardon?? I asked, ?Don?t rope me into this.?
?You?re involved bro,? Demond said, ?I expect you to remain impartial.?
Tasha looked at me. ?He needs bed rest.?
Demond got about three feet from Tasha. ?So how do we do this??
I cleared my throat. ?I?m the ref, I set the rules.?
?Why do you set the rules?? Tasha asked.
?Because I?m ?involved? apparently,? I explained. ?Getting someone down onto the ground is a point, first to three points wins.?
Demond nodded, smiling at me. ?No going after my scars now.?
Tasha?s wings pulled tight against her back. ?No tugging my tail or wings.?
I added, ?And no hair pulling.? I walked up to the two of them. ?Now shake hands!?
Demond and Tasha do as I say, then they take a step back.
?I?ll try to go easy on you,? Tasha said, pulling her hands up.
?I won?t,? Demond retorted.
?Fight!? I shouted.
Demond took a step forward and Tasha slid away from him, her hooves squeaking a bit as they did so. Demond made the first move, moving to grab Tasha, but she side-stepped him, grabbing Demond?s reaching arm, and tripped him, using his own momentum to force him to the ground.
?Point, Tasha!? I shouted.
Demond grunted, getting to his feet.
Tasha smiled, hopping up and down, switching up her stances. ?Call it quits now, you?re in no shape to do this.?
Demond spun on his heel, keeping his stance low, and dove at her midsection, catching her off guard. Demond speared her to the ground, Tasha landing hard on the mat covered floor.
I winced. ?Point, Demond!?
Demond offered his hand to Tasha; she took it, getting to her hooves.
?Technically? we both went down,? Tasha stated.
I separated them. ?Okay, ready??
They both nodded, and I gave them the signal to start. Tasha took the offensive this time, throwing a few quick jabs at Demond.
Demond dodged most of them, then catching her wrist, he pulled her close to him, then tried to hip toss her to his left.
Tasha rolled with his hip toss and landed on her feet, grinning as she slid her leg behind his and gave him a hard shove.
Demond only fell to his knee, then pushed up and tried to punch Tasha across the face.
Tasha parried his punch and continued to parry as she stepped back from him. The way she fought reminded me of some old kung fu movies, and I made a note to ask her where she learned to fight like that.
Demond moved to sweep her legs out from under her, only to have Tasha jump into the air to dodge his foot. Demond continued the sweep and used his momentum to spin upwards, changing his kick to a roundhouse to Tasha?s side.
Tasha blocked the kick with her forearm. She then grabbed his leg and swung him to the left of her.
Demond grunted as she let go of him, tossing him to the ground.
?Point, Tasha!? I shouted.
Tasha walked over to him, grinning wide,. ?You fun to spar with.? She offered him her hand. ?I haven?t spared like this in too long.?
Demond took her hand. ?Yeah, well, I guess I should stop going easy on you.?
?Yes, please stop going easy on me,? Tasha beamed.
I separated them. ?Okay, ready?? After they both nod, I started their match again. ?Fight!?
Demond now pulled his fists up to his face and ducked his head lower. It?s a familiar stance, as it?s our father?s fighting style, which was Muay Thai with some influences from American Boxing. It made sense because so far Tasha?s defense against upper body attacks was pretty flawless.
Though the more I watched Tasha fight, almost everything she did was defense. Even when she got Demond to the floor, it was always a counter to one of his attacks, or a parry. I was waiting for her to go on the offensive, but she always waited for Demond to attack.
Demond threw a few quick punches, which Tasha countered easily. During one of her counters, Demond tossed a kick to her side.
Tasha took it, and stumbled. Demond attacked from the other side, this time throwing another punch that she parried from the opposite side and hurling another kick. Tasha lifted her leg to block it and to my shock, Demond?s leg bounced off her shin.
Demond stumbled back, springing back and forth between each leg as he worked the sting out of it.
?Are you okay?? Tasha asked. ?I didn?t mean to hurt you? but you shouldn?t come at me too hard?it?ll come right back at you.?
Demond cracked his neck. ?I heal quickly, as I keep trying to tell you.?
Tasha grinned, ?Regardless? you should listen to your doctor.?
Demond rushed Tasha, jumping into the air with a superman punch, which Tasha parried to the left. As she did, Demond grabbed her, and as he came down, he pulled her with him.
Tasha got the upper hand, tumbling down but flipping just in time to slam him right down onto his back, one hand on his shoulder, the other hand still held by Demond.
?Point, Tasha!? I declared.
Tasha was panting, grinning wide, as was Demond. She leaned down over him. ?Got you.?
Demond reached up and brushed the hair away from the right side of her face, his hand lingering on her face as he did so.
Tasha stared down at him, her good eye locked on Demond?s eyes.
Demond pulled her close or tried too.
At first, it seemed Tasha was moving with him, but just before their faces got too close together Tasha sprung up to her feet, her face flushed. ?I?m sorry,? she bristled as she grabbed her robe from the floor and rushed out of the room. ?I?m so sorry!? she shouted again as she rushed out of the room.
Demond was still on the floor, stunned.
I walked over, ?uh? what was that??
Demond shook his head. ?Where did she go??
?She ran off,? I said, looking to the door. ?Not too surprised you?d have that effect on women.? I turned back to Demond. ?Did she seduce you??
?Her pheromones had nothing to do with that,? Demond said, getting to his feet and heading to the doorway. ?Where is she?? He sniffed the air. ?This way.? And he took off towards the staircase.
I followed behind him as we ran down the steps.
Demond stopped as we reached the fountain room. We both walked in and found Tasha, her back to the door, her wings and tail pulsing with surges of white light.
Tasha seemed to be crying, her knees pulled up against the fountain and she was splashing water over her face. ?So stupid??
?You okay?? Demond asked as he walked in.
I stayed by the door.
Tasha turned, water dripping from her face, the hair that normally covered her right side wet and hanging off to the side, revealing a horrific scar over the entire right side of her face. ?I?m sorry? I must have lost control over myself.? She looked away. ?Forgive me, please.?
Demond sat next to her. ?You did nothing.?
?I did,? she whispered. ?I must have because you wanted to?? She looked up to Demond, ?... I seduced you.?
Demond shook his head. ?I keep telling you, your pheromones don?t affect me. I can smell them and I can ignore them.?
?Then why did you try to?? Tasha trailed off.
Demond turned to face her. ?I don?t know.?
Tasha?s face flushed and she turned away from him.
?Would you have let me?? he asked.
Tasha was silent for a moment, then spoke without looking at him, staring at the floor. ?My husband, Gen, and I were newly weds. We had dated for some time and thought we had figured out how to handle my abilities. He and I had managed to?? she hesitated, ?make love? together, and he survived the ordeal. We were so happy, we fell asleep in each other's embrace.?
Demond got to his feet and moved closer to Tasha.
?When morning came, I woke up holding a shriveled corpse.? She bit her lip. ?Laying next to me, our skin touching all night, was enough to sap the life out of him.? She heaved a heavy sigh. ?So, whether I would have let you kiss me, I couldn?t, and can?t, because if I did, I?d end up killing you.?
Demond took Tasha?s hand and arm and pulled her to her feet. ?Feel my wound.? He motioned to his side.
Tasha touched it gingerly and even pressed harder against it.
?It?s healed, fully. I keep telling you, I regenerate: I?ve taken bullets to the skull, had my brain stem snapped, and I?m still alive. I can recover from anything,? he explained. ?Pretty sure if I can come back from death, I can come back from you.?
Tasha was silent for a few more moments before she leaned up against Demond and kissed him.
Demond pulled her close to him, deepening the kiss.
I watched as Tasha?s tail flicked about excitedly and her wings shifted up and down as she did so. I couldn?t suppress a bit of a chuckle as I watched.
Demond broke the kiss, giving me a stern glare, ?Elon? go see a movie, would yah??
I nod. ?Yep, no problem,? I said as I walked off and up the stairs. Another laugh I did not suppress came out as I was halfway up the steps. As I reached the top of the stairs, however, my laughter stopped.
At the top of the staircase, Major Crestfall stood, looking down on me from the top step.
?Sergeant Elon,? his eyes narrowed on me, ?in my office, now.?


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