Chapter 26

Lilitha tossed and turned, her dreams filled with fire and heat and a monster that wouldn’t stop chasing her. She jerked awake and sat up. She blinked and rubbed at her face. Light was pouring in through the leaves and tangled vines. It looked quite late. A bird was singing. She sank back down. Clara was sitting beside her, blue eyes creased with worry.

“What happened?”

Lilitha bit her lip. She was a monster. Born to eat human flesh, to drink human blood. She shivered. Clara was human. To think she was meant to be her food was chilling.

“Tell me, Lilitha. I deserve to know.”

Lilitha opened and shut her mouth. “I-I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Feeling sick, Lilitha scrambled out from beneath the tree. Clara was calling after her but Lilitha ignored her. Was she a bad friend? Probably. But right now she needed privacy. She needed to think things through. Besides, she was beginning to think that the safest thing she could do was keep away from Clara as much as possible. For her safety. Lilitha winced as she thought of the cave. She raked her fingers through her hair with a shaking hand, then wrapped her arms around herself as she slowly walked.

The trees soared into the sky, the great canopy of the dark forest a bright green against the sun. Lilitha looked in wonder as the light danced against her skin. It seemed like forever since she’d seen the sun so bright.

The ground was slowly drying out. She spread out her arms and touched the trees. She liked the feel of it. So much better than her cold, uncomfortable little house in town. A light breeze rustled through the leaves and lifted her hair. She wasn’t feeling so cold anymore. Nor so hungry. And she wondered if it was all part of her so-called transformation.

She stopped before an apple tree. A creature slithered by its roots amid the ground cover. She picked up several fallen apples and tucked them into her cloak. As she walked, she found more fruits and nuts. She dug in the earth and found some edible roots.

When the ridge came into view, she peered into the shadows but couldn’t see her father amid the rocks. As she approached closer, gravel crunched underfoot and he sat up, huddled in his cloak. His chain rattled as he scuttled away.

“Don’t be afraid.” She reached into her cloak and pulled out the food, spreading it all out upon the ground. He craned his neck, watching. “You must be hungry.”

Lilitha withdrew, and he stood and came over. There was a water dish. Seeing that it was empty, she took it and collected the water puddled between the rocks.

Lilitha watched from a distance as he ate and drank. She could not believe how different things had been compared with now. So much had happened. So much had changed. She couldn’t fear him anymore. He’d never looked so small. And she wondered why Damon was still keeping him alive.

~He’s my food.~

She pulled her cloak tightly around her. To think she was a Diablon, a beast, a monster—whatever you wanted to call it. A creature with horns and a tail. It was too incredible, too outrageous, too terrible to grasp. It was a fairytale—and she was the bad guy. It didn’t make sense. She couldn’t be one of God’s creatures…

Maybe the Devil’s…

Finishing with his meal, her father sat between the rocks, and Lilitha approached.

“I think you’re a liar,” she told him.

Her father looked up. His beard and hair were matted. There was mud crusted upon his face.

“I think you killed her,” she continued. “How could you care for a baby? You don’t know how.”

“Think what you want, if it makes you feel better.” His voice was hoarse.

“Did you kill her just to take me? Were you afraid of her when you discovered what she was?” Something shifted in her father’s face. “That’s right. You discovered ~what she was~. You wanted her, didn’t you? I bet you did—men like you.” She bared her teeth. “Who use and abuse women. Who use and abuse ~children~. A woman alone with a small child—easy. Then you discovered ~what she was~—and you killed her for it. Is that right, ~Father~?”

Her father spat on the ground. “Don’t call me that, you little devil. She deserved what she got and you deserved what you got. You’re going to burn in hell.”

The words tumbled out of her mouth. “You know we eat you, right?”

Her father paled.

“That’s right. We ~eat~ you.” She bared her teeth again. “We’re going to fatten you up and when the time is right, I’m going to gnaw on your ~fucking~ bones.”

She fell silent, shocked at herself. She backed away, then hurried into the trees.

Lilitha wandered the forest searching for Damon. Where did he sleep? Where did they ~all~ sleep? She steered toward the cave. It was easy. She could smell the blood—and something else. A scent. A scent that made her feel warm and happy. It caught in her nose. It seemed to tug her onward. She followed and soon found herself in a familiar place.

The giant white tree reared above. The fire was long burned out, only ash and sticks now. It had one occupant—Damon. She stayed hidden in the trees as he sat on the log they’d sat on together last night, chin in hand, auburn hair twisted around his horns, tail coiled against his back.

“You can join me if you want,” he said. “You don’t have to hide. I won’t bite.”

Lilitha stepped into view. “How did you know I was here?”

“I can smell you, as you must have smelled me. And nothing can hide from a Diablon in his forest.” He looked her up and down. “You look good. Better. I’ve been waiting for you.”

She took a seat opposite him from across the cold coals. “You were waiting for me?”

“Of course. You’re my mate, why wouldn’t I?”

He grinned at her and Lilitha gave an uncertain grin back.

“We need to talk,” he said. “Finish what we started.”

“Yes.”

“You must accept yourself.”

Lilitha gripped her knees. “How’s this? I’ll accept myself if you let Clara go.”

“We’ve already been through this, Lilitha.”

Lilitha turned her gaze to the coals.

“What I say is true,” he said. “If only you knew what the humans have done to us. To your father. To your mother. As a species.”

“What have they done to you? Why do you hate them so much?”

“You sure you want to hear? You won’t like what I have to say about your ~precious~ humans.”

“If you want me to understand.”

His tail uncoiled. She watched the spike at the tip as it twisted and turned agitatedly.

“You speak about our cruelties, but theirs are so much more. We might eat their flesh but they hunt us down for the joy of it.” He touched his left horn. “Ivory is much sought after. It can make a human rich. Ever seen a bull dehorned? It’s nothing compared with a Diablon. You see, our horns are vascularized. We feel everything and it bleeds like a waterfall. And those humans—they like to keep us alive while they do it. And our tails—” he nodded at her “—would acquire a very fine price. They take it in agony and blood, then leave us to die.”

“Not possible,” she said. “They fear you too much.”

He bared his teeth. “There’s so much you don’t know. I’m not talking about the humans up here. In the southern lands is where the damage is done. But not to worry, they’ll arrive here too, soon enough.” His face was flushed but he was looking down at his feet. He picked up a stick, arms bulging with muscle as he snapped it in two.

“They’ve hurt you, haven’t they?” Lilitha said.

“I had a clan once.” Damon’s eyes turned dark. He did not elaborate.

Lilitha got up and went over to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, eyes shining, and she slid into his lap. “I’m sorry.”

She kissed him on the side of the neck, on the jaw, then rested her head on his shoulder, arms wrapped around him.

“You must accept yourself, Lila,” he said in her ear. “It is the only way. Try to fight it and you will suffer. And you’ve suffered enough.”

Lilitha was playing with his hair, watching as it gleamed against the sun. Then she kissed him on the lips. Tightening his arms around her, Damon pulled them both from the log. He rested on his back, Lilitha on top, straddling his hips.

“I’m not so terrifying now, am I?” he said as he looked up at her, not entirely joking.