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Inadequate
Gwen
When Gwen had regained some semblance of consciousness, she saw them.
Protruding angrily from the tender-looking wounds on Ambrosius’ forehead were two very tall, cyan horns. Unusually smooth—though Gwen had no other horns to compare them to—and stained with inky blood.
A quick glance at Ambrosius’ face confirmed that his eyes were closed. Naturally, Gwen couldn’t help herself. Her hand lifted from bed to touch the unusual horns. She nearly hissed at the unexpected heat that nipped at her fingers.
“Has anyone told you it’s inappropriate to touch someone at rest?”
Gwen stole a glance at his face. The demon’s eyes were still shut, but she could feel his hand tighten against her lower back.
“You’re practically still inside me,” she snorted, running her fingers along the curved surface. “Can you feel this?”
“As easily as you can feel someone touching your fingernails,” he huffed.
“I…” she trailed, biting her lip.
It was odd that she could sleep with a demon, but couldn’t summon the courage to ask the question bubbling in her mind. The hand on her back lowered, and she squeaked when his fingers pinched the curve of her ass.
“Just ask, you silly girl.”
“Fine,” Gwen pouted. “You said you weren’t a devil in the more …traditionalsense. If that’s true then why…”
Slowly, Ambrosius’ dark lashes lifted, revealing the three eyes that Gwen had surprisingly grown fond of. She found herself lost in the mixture of cyan and near black browns as those eyes stared at her face. Whatever he was searching for—either with his vision or his ability to read minds—he must have found something in her that made him sigh in tired relentment.
“When I wasyoung… for lack of a better word … I didn’t have these,” Ambrosius flicked his eyebrows up. “And then one day, I did.”
Gwen frowned, glancing at the horns. Ambrosius’ other hand curled against her back, fingers tracing along the band of her bra. For once, Gwen didn’t press, as she knew he would clam up. Instead, gently trailing her fingers across the weird keratin.
“I wasn’t even called Ambrosius then. I had a different name … one I’ve forgotten.” Ambrosius ran his tongue along his lower lip. “But I remember I was very different.Malihiniscame to the island and started sharing their …beliefswith the humans and, well … suddenly, I was different. Then more people came, and I keptchanging.”
Malihinis.
Strangers.
She hadn’t heard that word in decades, but the implication was there, and it left Gwen surprised. When she had threatened to hit him on behalf of her‘aumakua,Gwen hadn’t expected Ambrosius to understand her.‘Aumakuawere ancestral spirits who took on the form of animals, plants, or even rocks in order to protect or guide their living families. Her language—theirlanguage—was endangered for a reason. Gwen was still clueless when it came to demons, but an awful thought came to mind.
“You’re like this … because of colonization?”
Ambrosius’ eyes flashed, cyan shining in the darkening room.
“Are you surprised? Even your name was chosen to please them. Iloathehumans, my bittersweet. For many,manyreasons,” he said with such malice, Gwen couldn’t help but shiver in fear. “This is just one of them. And while I’ve come to accept that humans will continue toinfluencewhat I am, I refuse to let it happen uncontested. I’ve fought hard to keep this form from changing anymore.”
Is this why you have to be in control all the time? Because humans hurt you? Are demons just spirits who were harmed by our oppressors? Are you like this because of us?
Without realizing it, Gwen had curled herself further into him. She wanted to apologize, though Gwen wasn’t certain for what or why. Certainly not for being difficult about the whole warlock thing, but…
Because shecaredabout him. The thought frightened her more than anything she had witnessed since meeting him. Yet Gwen couldn’t tear herself away. She hadn’t planned on sleeping with him, but that simple act had changed her. Changed them—at least things had changedfor Gwen. Not knowing where Ambrosius stood made her feel even more wobbly.
Unlike previous boyfriends, Ambrosius wasn’t so easy to understand. He was complicated, stubborn, and guaranteed to piss her off again. If that wasn’t difficult enough to navigate, there was also the whole demon daddy thing she had to contend with. Gwen still didn’t know exactly what he had planned for her. Forthem.
What are we?
The thought echoed in her mind, making her dizzy.
“I won’t touch them again, I promise,” Gwen murmured into his neck.