“C-couldn’t I just be your companion? You said that’s all you were looking for now.”
He pulled his embedded claws of one hand from the counter and cupped the side of her face.
“That was before, when I didn’t think you would ever accept me, just as the others hadn’t.” Then he scraped his claws over her neck, her shoulder, and then down her chest to watch her nipple bud for him before he even reached it. “But you like my touch. This gives me hope.”
Her hands shot forward to grab his before he could caress that sensitive point.
“If you don’t help him, Orpheus, then I never will.”
He tilted his head, not understanding why the other Mavka would prevent her from doing so. “Why not?”
“Because you are being selfish and cruel to him. I would never want to give myself to someone like that. I would never forgive you for it.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“No, and that is a promise.”
His eyes flashed white at her words. A promise?
Orpheus internally grumbled as he placed one of his black cloaks around Reia’s body. It had been shortened and altered to fit her.
He now had to help the Mavka or possibly lose Reia’s affections. So, he was doing it. He would take him to the Demon village so he could acquire what he needed, while showing him around so that he could go there by himself in the future.
That was an easy decision.
The one to do with Reia had been more difficult. To leave her here by herself where she could be harmed, or bring her with him so that he knew she was protected?
Both were dangerous.
He’d been troubled for a few hours, feeling her drawing away from him as he paced around the house and yard, keeping a watchful eye on the Mavka he told to stay.
His choice had been difficult but, in the end, he chose the one that was less dangerous for her.
So here he was, dressing Reia in one of his cloaks while she wore the remaining material as a black dress to hide her body, with the intention of bringing her with them despite his aversion to doing so.
He didn’t like this, that he chose to bring her to the village even though she wasn’t his bride and eternally tied to him. She wouldn’t be truly safe and could be taken from him.
Knowing that the Mavka would be with them and had sworn to protect her did ease some of his inner turmoil.
Her smile when he told her had been unusually bright as it beamed from her delicate, pretty face. She is so lovely to behold, he thought at the time. He ached for this female in so many different ways that it stirred both his heart and his body.
They were setting off immediately. There was no reason to wait.
She’d packed a shoulder strap bag with enough food to survive the journey to the Demon Village since he told her they’d be able to obtain more while they were there. They also placed a sack of water inside the bag they could fill along the way. They’d be following the stream that ran all the way through the Veil.
While she packed, Orpheus had taken a large chunk of crystal from his room, one that was the same as those in the washing room, and took it outside. He smashed it to pieces.
When she’d asked him why, he said he would be using it to trade with. He didn’t usually need this much, but the Mavka had nothing to trade with and he was hoping Reia might like something as well. Trading it meant little to him as he had plenty of it.
Once the preparations were done, he’d washed her, so the spell was fresh, and then dressed her.
There was only one last thing to do now, and she’d looked unsure as he started to place the head of the deer he’d brought for her over her head.
“What’s this for?” she asked, her voice echoing inside the skull that had been peeled of flesh and cleaned.
“Your disguise, so you can see but not be seen.”
She couldn’t show her face. Her pale skin would give away she was human.
He started tying cloth straps to it and her so that it would stay fixed in place but could also be removed during the journey. She only needed it when they were close to the Demon village, and he needed to permanently keep her hidden.
He should have done this when he’d taken the last human to the Demon village. He hadn’t known she’d been spotted looking around underneath a large cloak hood, but they’d been left alone while inside the village. He’d thought all was well.
“There, now you look like a Mavka,” he said, before leaning down to nuzzle his snout against her neck underneath the skull mask.
“Aren’t I a bit short to pass off as one of you?”