Free Things Forbidden by Raquel Dove Page B

pointed.  “Who are you?”
    He knew he had already done too much.  He had saved the girl, he could and should just leave now, without a word.  But try as he might, he couldn’t stop the words from coming out of his mouth. 
    “Do you not fear me?” he asked, a perfectly groomed black brow arched in disbelief.  He dropped the bloody heart he had been holding. 
    “You just saved me,” she said matter-of-factly, “Why would I fear you?”
    He felt a strange pinch in his chest at the naivety of the girl.  If she knew who he was, and everything he was capable of, she would fear him far more than her previous attacker. 
    “Why do you come here, alone and so vulnerable?” he said, trying to shake the strange hold she had on him.  His voice was steady and cold, but held an unmistakable hint of concern behind it. 
    “I just like to get away,” she said, looking away, “this is the only place that makes me feel at peace.  Wait…how did you know I come here?”
    Before realization had fully hit her, the demon lord disappeared.  The absolute last thing he wanted to do was get into an explanatory conversation with a human girl that wasn’t even supposed to know he existed.  He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when he was far enough away from her, and finally out from under her hypnotizing influence.  He didn’t know if she would ever be brave enough to visit the pond again, but it didn’t really matter.  He had the girls’ scent locked firmly in his mind now.  He would be able to find her anywhere she went. 

Chapter Two
     
     
     
    He was surprised to see her come here again.  He was sure their encounter would have scared her off.  And yet, here she was.  Foolish human, he thought to himself.  This is why their species was so inferior.  She had nearly been raped, possibly killed, and then witnessed a creature ripping out a still beating heart.  One would think it would deter a person from returning.  And yet, here she was.  Somewhere in the back of his mind a thought registered.  He should not be so concerned with a human and her incomprehensible actions.  But for some reason he decided to ignore that thought.  He was merely curious, he decided. 
    He watched her, much like he had the last time he had seen her here.  She was looking for something.  She was looking for someone.  He could have kicked himself if he was any less dignified of a demon.  She was looking for him.  What a stupid girl.  She had seen what he could do.  Had seen that he could tear her to pieces without a second thought.  
    Perhaps the girl was a masochist.  Perhaps the thought of danger excited her.  Perhaps he had been wrong in his original assessment of her, in her innocence.  But that was absurd.  He was never wrong in his assessments.  This girl was either brave or stupid.  Judging by everything else he had seen of her, she was stupid. 
    “I know you’re here,” she called out into the night, “and I know you’ve been watching me.”
    This was getting interesting, he thought.  He had indeed been watching her.  He had followed her home that night, hiding in the shadows, moving faster than she could ever see.  The girl lived in a rough neighborhood, and she lived alone.  He witnessed her in direct danger at least three separate times on her walk home.  He wondered what made her act so irresponsibly.  She was curious to him, and he liked to satisfy his curiosity when it was piqued.  So he decided to follow her, learn more about her.  It had been about a week in human time. 
    “Come out,” she called again, twirling around, eyes trying to see into the darkness around her. 
    He knew it was wrong, even as he decided to do it.  But there was something about this confounding creature that was making him act entirely out of character.  He mentally berated himself as he stepped out of the bushes that were concealing him.
    “Why are you following me?” she said, her face forced into a scowl.