A couple of hours later, Beth was busy washing clothes, trying to keep her mind off Aztos’ hasty departure during their kiss. She removed some clothes from the drier and tossed them into the laundry basket, and then she picked up the basket and whirled around to take them into the bedroom to fold them. She gasped.
“I did not mean to startle you,” Aztos said.
“Why did you leave, earlier?” Beth demanded.
“I cannot explain it,” Aztos admitted. “I just felt the need to escape.”
“Was it because you didn’t like kissing me?” Beth wanted to know.
“No, not at all,” Aztos said. “I just felt somewhat… uncomfortable.”
“So… you did like the kiss?”
“It was… pleasant.”
“Okay, I can live with that.”
“May I take that for you?” Aztos asked, nodding toward the laundry basket she had hoisted uncomfortably onto her hip.
“Oh, thanks,” she said, handing it to him.
She followed him into the bedroom, and he placed the basket on the bed and began to fold some of the clothes. She joined him, and they put the clothes away together in silence.
“Aztos, can I ask you something?” Beth asked once the clothes were all put away.
“Of course.”
“Do you regret marrying me?”
“Absolutely not. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“I don’t know. Look, I know you say demons don’t feel emotions the same way as human, right?”
He nodded.
“But you do feel emotions, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“And you said kissing me was… pleasant.”
“It was.”
“Well, then… do you think you might ever be able to… you know…”
“Love you?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I do not know, honestly. I would like to think that would be possible, but I have never known a demon who felt that way about their spouse – human or otherwise. I do not wish to get your hopes up, only to disappoint you later.”
“Never?”
“Never,” he confirmed. “Do not get me wrong. Demons develop attachments to their spouses, and they do feel loss if their spouse is taken from them. However, they do not bond the same way humans do in marriage. Kissing is used only to seal the bond of marriage and on certain social occasions, and sexual relations are used for procreation, not recreation.”
Beth’s face flushed.
“Have I upset you?” Aztos asked, noting her change of color.
“No,” she answered, laughing nervously. “It’s just strange hearing you refer to ‘procreation’ and ‘recreation’ in the same sentence.”
“May I ask you something, now?” Aztos added seriously.
“Yes, of course.”
“I know I have asked you this before, but you were not entirely clear with your answer. Before you met me, what did you think of demons?”
“I don’t know. The same thing any human does, I guess.”
“You thought we were all evil? Perhaps even ugly?”
“Yes, I suppose so. Like I said before, I never thought about it that much.”
“And now?”
“I don’t know about other demons,” she admitted. “But I’m growing rather fond of you.”
“Are you, really? Why?”
“I don’t know. Most of the time, I really like being around you. Although, I must admit… sometimes I am afraid of you.”
“I do not wish to scare you,” Aztos said. “I am sorry if I have.”
“It’s not that you’ve done anything to me, really. You’re just a little demanding, sometimes.”
“I do so for your protection,” he reminded her.
“What do I need to be protected from?”
“I am a demon,” he reminded her. “I know all manners of evil that lurk in the shadows. Things you could not possibly understand.”
“Why don’t you tell me about them?”
“I do not wish to frighten you, Elizabeth.”
“If there are things that could pose a danger to me, don’t you think I should know?”
“Let us just say that the sanctity of our home cannot be disturbed. This place is protected. When you leave it, you are not safe. There are forces out there you would not believe.”
“Stop being so cryptic, Aztos. Just tell me what you mean,” Beth insisted.
“I want you to promise me something.”
“Okay, what?”
“Never, never visit the western area of the forest. Promise me.”
Beth remembered her promise to Malachai to never go back there.
“I promise. But why?”
“There are evil beings lurking there – far more evil than any demon I have ever known. If you go there, I cannot protect you.”
“I won’t go there,” she promised.
“Please, Elizabeth. If you keep no other vow to me, keep this one.”
“I will, Aztos. I promise.”
“Would you like to do something fun?” Aztos asked, attempting to lighten the somber moment.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Anything you want. We could go out, or stay in. It is your decision.”
Beth hadn’t been out in a long time. She thought it might be fun to go out to dinner, or to see a movie in the theater. But more than anything, she just wanted to spend some quiet time with Aztos.
“Could you read to me?” she asked him.
He looked at her curiously.
“I am giving you the opportunity to go anywhere you wish, and you would rather stay home and listen to me read?”
“That’s honestly all I want to do right now.”
His face was stolid, but inside, he was delighted. He couldn’t understand why, but this made him happy.
“If that is what you wish, then choose a book and we shall do so.”
Beth looked through his bookshelf and choose a book she knew he enjoyed – Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. She had started to read it herself once, but she preferred to listen to him read.
She joined him on the sofa, and he began to read. She decided to lie down, and she rested her head in his lap, looking up at him as he read. He paused to watch her curiously for a moment, and then began to read again.
His voice was smooth and deep. It had a slight gravelly edge that made it terribly masculine and exciting. Every time he read to her, she became enchanted. She had come to love hearing him read to her more than watching movies. In fact, it was one of her favorite things to do.
As he read, she could feel his breath causing his abdomen to rise and fall. For a while, she resisted temptation. However, soon it became too great for her to resist. Slowly, carefully, she slipped her hand underneath his shirt and rested her hand on his flat stomach. His muscles tensed, and his voice faltered for a moment. Then he continued.
She didn’t want to risk pushing him away, so she let that be enough. Her hand rested there, feeling the smoothness of his skin, covered by light patches of hair, his muscles strong and tense. She wanted to move her hand up and touch his chest. She wanted to put her arms around him, and kiss him. But she could not risk ruining the moment.
She listened intently as his smooth voice told her the story of Ivanhoe, and although she found the story intriguing, it was his reading of it that captivated her. She was absolutely enchanted.
For hours, they never left their position on the sofa. Beth shifted occasionally, moving her body into a more comfortable spot. But she continued to look up at him with adoring eyes, and she left her hand on his stomach, enjoying the feeling of his breathing moving it up and down.
When the last page was read, Beth couldn’t hide her disappointment. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and her mouth was parched. She was exhausted, but she did not want the moment to end.
“We should go to bed,” Aztos said.
“Alright.”
“Are you hungry?”
“No!” Beth replied vehemently, though her stomach pinched terribly.
She only wanted to lie beside him. She wanted to rest her head on his chest and listen to the beat of his heart, and feel his arms wrapped around her as they slept. Nothing else mattered.
Aztos got to his feet and took her hands, pulling her to her feet. She followed him willingly to the bedroom, and she watched him change into a pair of comfortable sweat pants. She started to pull a t-shirt from the drawer, but she grabbed his arm.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
He lifted one eyebrow curiously, but dropped the shirt back into the drawer. He climbed into bed and waited for her to disappear into the bathroom to change as she normally did. Instead, he was surprised that she took off her clothes in front of him and dropped them onto the floor, climbing into bed beside him wearing nothing but her panties. He had never seen her that way before.
She settled beside him, moving her body to close to him she was practically on top of him. She pressed her skin against his, and laid her head on his chest. Her hand rested softly against his chest. He put his arms around her, and they fell asleep with the pleasant warmth of their skin comforting both of them.
The next morning, Aztos was gone. This time, he’d left her a note:
Elizabeth,
Called away on an emergency. I should not be gone longer than a day. Please be home when I return.
Aztos
She had wanted so badly to wake up in his arms, and she felt as though she might cry. At least he wouldn’t be gone long this time.