13
My Demon’s Wings
(Lillie Joanna)
Several things happen all at once. Lachlan and Samuel both draw weapons that I did not even know they were carrying, and then the shouting and cursing began. All hell breaks loose as the two move to place themselves between us and my sister and best friend. Holy freakin’ hell, everything is about to go to hell in a handbasket. I move to stand between Lachlan and Dax, trying like crazy to defuse the situation, but Dax is not having any of that. His shift took less than thirty seconds and for the first time, I’m standing before Daxell’s other half. The demon has taken over and he is all about protecting me, and to hell with everyone else.
I step around Dax’s demon, holding my trembling hand out to my brother and Samuel. I shout, shaking my head, “Listen to me! I know that this is all a bit of a shock, but everyone needs to settle down, right now! Lachlan, that means you! Please. I beg of you. Back away. I don’t know what his demon will do, we’ve barely even met.”
“Lillie,” my brother breathes out, “what have you done?” His face is full of concern as he slowly lowers the short sword in his hand. Samuel does the same and both slowly back away with the females behind them protectively.
Turning, I look up into my demon’s eyes, they’re solid black, but a flame dances within their depths, no doubt, hellfire. Dax has shredded his clothing during his shift, his tee shirt is in shreds and his massive thighs have ripped the seams of his jeans. I can’t help but admire his form, he’s beautiful in a sinister sort of way, all hard lines and planes. His skin is much darker than before and has taken on a charcoal hue. He’s tall. Close to seven-foot with black horns that curve back over his head and he has wings. By the gods, they are not at all what I expected, they look like the wings of an angel but their feathers are black as soot. His claw-like fists are clenched, and damnation, but he’s hot as sin standing here with his onyx burning orbs fixated on me.
I approach him slowly and gently reach out to place my hand on his chest, tenderly caressing him. An unexpected rumble erupts from deep within his chest that reminds me a bit of a cat’s purr. The sound is intoxicating. We’ll have to explore that later, definitely later. I whisper calmly, “Daxell, it's okay. No one here wants to hurt me … or you.”
His voice is deep and rumbles in his massive chest as he utters one word, “Mine.” He pulls me to him and looks over to my family, “I will not hurt her. She is mine to protect, but you, her family have hurt her deeply, and you must suffer for that.” His voice a deep rumble.
Dax’s demon moves to sit me aside to act on his promise of retribution and I grab hold of his face and say, “No. Please. They are worried for me. They don’t understand our connection. I don’t even think that we understand. Not yet, but we will. You must not hurt my family. Do you understand?”
He sighs, his voice deep and guttural, “Little one, you are too generous and kind with your heart. You would have me do nothing?! They hurt you, and yet you don’t want the same for them? I do not understand. They need to be punished.” His wings spread out in a threatening posture before he wraps the two of us up in the shelter of his magnificent wings.
I smile as I look up at him and for a moment, I see Dax staring back at me before the demon asserts himself once more and I shake my head, “No, my angel, they just don’t understand. They’ve never met a demon before, not like you. You have startled them.” I cup his face in my hands, and say, “As breathtaking as you are, I need Dax back. We will have plenty of time to get to know one another.”
“No! He wants to protect you from me. He doesn’t want to allow me out.”
I stand up on my tiptoes and whisper, “Trust me. I very much want to see you again. I’ll talk to Dax.” I caress the side of his face and whisper, “You’re my dark angel.”
He shudders at my caress and holds me tightly to him, and says roughly, “You’re mine.” With that, his demon’s overwhelming presence fades to the background and their shift takes mere seconds. Dax is standing before me, his chin up in a defiant showdown. He moves away from all of us and says, “I’ll pack my things and leave as quickly as I can. I know I don’t belong here.”
I grab his wrist with a strength that I didn’t know that I possessed and spin him around, “You will do no such thing, Daxell. You’re not walking away from me, demon boy. Not on your life.” Poppy and Timbra both clap loudly, but the guys are still on team, let's kick him the fuck out. I continue, “Where else will you fit in? All of us here are a bunch of misfits. You’re no different, Dax.”
Daxell gives me an exasperated look and gestures to Lachlan and Samuel and says, “I don’t think they’re convinced, and no offense, but I’m a completely different type of badass misfit.”
Timbra sighs, “I’ll say.”
“Hey,” I scold as an unexpected surge of jealousy hits me. I glare over to see my younger sister all but swooning over Dax.
Poppy laughs,
