His Demoness

45 ⚔️ Fears and Promises

Zhijian had only meant to take a short nap, but the moment he closed his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.

He didn't know how long he slept. It was only when he felt the feathery touches on his eyebrows and nose did he eventually arouse from his slumber. Prying an eye open, he came face to face with a demure Xiaoyu, who was wide awake. It seemed as if she had been watching him all along while he slept.

Their faces were just mere inches apart. How did he end up being so close to her?

He was certain that before he went to bed, he had placed a pillow between them as a boundary. He didn't want her to push her into doing something that she might feel uncomfortable with, especially in their newfound relationship. And since this was the first time he ever got himself so intimate with a woman, he was trying to be careful and respectful.

But some time during the night, the barrier had disappeared; his arm was thrown over her body and their legs tangled underneath the bed covers. His muscles were screaming in pain and all he wanted to do was to lie on bed beside her. He was content to stay like this just for a while longer.

Besides, Xiaoyu didn't seem to mind his closeness. If she did, she would have scurried away from him ages ago, right?

"What's wrong?" he murmured groggily. "Can't sleep?"

She gave him a smile that stirred his heart. "I woke up early. It's probably because I slept too much for the past twenty years."

Every time she opened her mouth to speak, it always felt surreal. Her voice was like a mountain spring to his ears, light and musical.

Even her eyes... Now they shimmered like the brightest stars in the sky. "I find it incredible that you can hear me," she said happily. "The only people I could speak to in the past were my parents and sister. Nobody else could listen to me without getting enchanted."

"Well, I enjoy listening to you," he confessed. "Don't you ever stop talking in front of me."

Her smile widened and he couldn't stop himself from pinching her cheek lightly. "Aren't you tired?" he asked.

"No." She reached for his messy locks of hair that clung to his forehead, brushing them away. A shadow crossed her features. "It's funny how I used to want to sleep and never wake up forever. But right now, the thought of it scares me. What if I don't wake up? What if I can't stop the Jiang clan from taking advantage of my powers to harm others? Especially you?"

"Hey." Zhijian tucked her closer into his arms until her face was resting against his chest and her arms were wrapped around him. "Don't worry too much about it. I woke you up before, didn't I? I will do it over and over again."

She lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Even if none of them said it out loud, they both knew that it was the work of the soulmate bond that awakened her. Now that their connection was gone, was it really possible that he could reach out to her mind like how he did previously?

"Xiaoyu?"

"Hm?"

"Do you still hear his voice?"

Her arms tightened around his body. "Not as often," she said. "I think it's only because you're with me."

A frown crossed his face. "Are you saying that it's because I'm some kind of an amulet that deflects his curse? Or is it because you always want me to be near you?"

He could hear the smile in her voice. "Both," she admitted bashfully and his heart warmed at her endearing answer.

What had she done to him?

Xu Zhijian, the boy known to be an indifferent and solemn demon slayer, was hopelessly in love with a girl. If anybody were to see him like this, especially his friend, Jinlong, he knew that he would never hear the end of it.