Of Demons and Reapers

Chapter 22:A walk in the park

The next morning she woke up with Adrian holding her still. She turned her head to find him still sleeping. She smiled and let her hands rest against his as she cuddled closer to him. She was still tired from the nights' events and decided she would try to sleep a bit more. As she lay there in the world of half sleep; she could hear footsteps coming towards the door. She could feel Adrian wake up and his arms tense around her as he heard them as well.

She lay perfectly still pretending to be asleep still as she heard the door open and Adrian give a small sigh. She felt his arm around her relax and felt the bed move slightly as he sat up on his elbow. "Christian what are you doing here so early?" Adrian said just above her head in a whisper. "I wanted to make sure you were both still in one piece. You were acting like a mad man last night and Ariel was more scared than you think." Christian replied in a whisper of his own as she heard him walk closer to the bed.

She felt a hand move some hair out of her face as she still pretended to sleep. "She looks so peaceful right now. You'd never know her life was going to hell right now just by watching her sleep." She heard Christian say from right in front of her now. "Yes I am rather fond of watching her sleep before I get ready for work. I didn't mean to scare her or take out my anger on her last night; I just reached a breaking point. I know she only did it to help us out, but I really didn't like her flirting with that demon to get it."

She heard Christian give him a sigh, "She was just trying to make up for the other night with the Tango. You have no idea how bad she felt that night. When Lizzie and I found her she looked horrible." "I didn't know she felt so bad about it still. She shouldn't need to feel guilty about that. It was Lord Gages fault not hers. Speaking of which; what will we do with this new information about him making a deal with his demon over her?" "I'm not sure there is anything we can do. She still has about two months until her second exchange I believe; that's if every goes to plan and you can do it on the four month mark."

"Yes I know, I wish it wasn't so long to wait so she would be out of danger. I don't honestly care about myself; I just want to protect her." She heard Adrian say as she felt him put his arm around her again. "We will just have to keep an eye on her when they are around. I know you don't like that young demon very much right now, but he might be able to help us. He did say he is fond of her, perhaps it would be enough to get him to turn on Caspian." "It's not that I don't like him so much as I don't want him to be added to the apparently ever growing list of people who want her for themselves. I do agree though if we could turn him against Caspian then we would have a chance. I have also asked Gaerben's help with the matter. He and the fairies of the glen were rather fond of her and have offered any assistance they could give. That day you told us about the council is when I went to go see them."

She heard Adrian sigh and felt his hand brush across her face. She decided this would be the perfect time to wake up. She gave a small yawn and stretched herself as she looked up with sleep still in her eyes. She saw Adrian smiling down at her and Christian standing near the bed with a smile as well. She gave him a quizzical look feigning ignorance, "Gingy what are you doing here so early?" "Forgive me Ariel but I wanted to make sure you and Adrian were all right. I did tell you last night I would stop by to check on you both." He said smiling a bit wider as he spoke.

She cocked her head to the side as she sat up, "Well yes but I figured that wouldn't be until later on in the day. Not early morning while I'm still sleeping." She felt Adrian rest his head on her shoulder, "It is fine little one, he will have to leave for work soon anyway. We were just discussing some things before he left." He said giving Christian a look she could see out of the corner of her eye. "Yes nothing dreadfully important really." Christian agreed waving his hand as if the matter was nothing to be thought of again.