Pillow Talk

It was such a large bed in such an enormous room. Overly excessive, really. No one needed this much space for a single room. It was such a waste. Even with the canopy bed with all it’s different fabrics draping across its elaborately carved posts, the various dressers and armoires and desks against the walls. Plush chairs and couches sitting a top finely woven rugs a top carefully laid wooden floors, there was still so much empty space between each and every piece of furniture. Why would anyone need all of this?

And yet, Charlotte had waved it off without a second thought as she guided them through the guest corridor, telling the group to choose whichever rooms they wanted. There were plenty to pick from, many of which had never even been used.

What an outlandish concept.

Bedrooms that no one slept in.

Each one kept in constant pristine condition in the off chance that someone may reside in it for a night.

Who could imagine?

“Do you think this room is bigger than home?” Sakura asked, her eyes darting around the room that was illuminated only by the moon’s glow that filtered in through the enormous, arch windows across from them with a view of the castle under the stars in the distance.

“Oh yeah,” Ren muttered, not bothering to even open his eyes to visually measure the room. “Way bigger.”

She looked down at the man who had immediately wrapped himself around her the moment she laid down, as if trying to prevent her from getting lost on the mattress and in the blankets, his wings housing their bodies from the rest of the room. Her fingers brushed through the angel’s dark curls that rested on her chest, his face serene and childlike. He was such a large man, one that so many feared, fear that may or may not be well warranted. And yet, in times like these, he really was nothing more than a little boy seeking comfort and affection, clinging to the source desperately.

The woman would give what he sought after. “Are you okay?” She asked softly while tucking his hair behind his ear. “What Charlotte said about your parents. That was… a lot.”

“It wasn’t too bad,” his words slurred unsteadily from his tongue. “It’s not like it’s some big surprise. Obviously they had done something they weren’t supposed to. But good thing they did. The land and heavens would be doomed without their most pious and great alpha king.” He nuzzled deeper into her bosom. “Long live your alpha king!”

She pursed her lips as her eyebrows crept up her forehead, the extent of her sympathy all used up. “How drunk are you?”

Ren twisted, the bottom half of his face obscured by the demon’s chest, his ocean eyes narrow and glassy. “Just drunk enough that if you decided to take advantage of me, there would be absolutely nothing I could do about it.” He rolled away and onto his back, coming to terms with this most unfortunate happenstance. “Okay, go for it. No one can stop you now. No one can hear me scream.”

“What if I just smother you with a pillow instead?” she threatened. “Then they really won’t hear you scream.”

A giggle bubbled from his upturned lips. “I’m not really into that sort of thing. But for you, I’ll try anything once. Maybe twice.”

The angel thought himself clever.

The vixen, not so much. She had actually been worried about him and how he was processing the information about his origins. Especially after learning that his mother had killed infants just like him and mothers just like her, all in the name of God. He had been so quiet after Charlotte had told them about Celeste and Ben, keeping the wine as his only company while she and Charlotte further discussed the parasite before retiring for the night. Sakura had been certain that it was affecting him enough to make him withdraw into himself, lost in his thoughts and feelings over the disturbing information that had been kept from him his entire life.

But it looked like she had been wrong about that.

He was just extremely intoxicated.

“Damn it, Ren!” The woman growled as it took everything inside of her to actually not smother the man. “That’s why I told you to sip it. You don’t just chug red wine like that. We’re supposed to exterminate that parasite tomorrow, and you’re going to be completely useless.”

“You worry too much. It’ll be alright. I got this.”

She highly doubted that.

“You got nothing but a massive hangover on the horizon. Maybe I’ll just ask Charlotte for help,” Sakura huffed. There was no way she actually would ask for that angel’s help. The woman may not be what she had expected with her sadistic view towards The Kingdom and its angels, blatantly savoring the parasite’s destruction and the torment it was causing. But that didn’t mean that Sakura wanted her assistance. An angel was still an angel, and that one was clearly only out for herself.

She could still make Ren think that it was an option though. As punishment for throwing a wrench into her well laid out plans for the extermination.

After all, hurt people hurt people.

Ren rolled over, attempting a vicious glare, lids debating whether to be open or closed, as his arm went over the demon’s waist and pulled her to him. “Don’t you do it, woman. That’s our thing. You’re not gonna take this from me.”

The demon glared back much more menacingly. “Look at you. You can barely hold it together. You’re completely wasted.”

He groaned, eyes closed tight, face scrunched in defeat. “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I fucked up. I fucked up bad.”

“What happened was you were guzzling wine. Have you never drunk red wine before?”

A pink tongue lolled from his mouth as he gagged at the taste that still lingered. “No. Never. I thought it’d be like ale, but it’s not. It’s so much worse in every way. How do people drink that shit?”

“Well, you seemed to have no problem choking it down,” Sakura sighed as she stared at the waves of cream-colored fabric above her, resigning herself to the disappointment that lay beside her. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day. She was just going to have to make do with what she would have: a hungover angel. It would still be better than doing it on her own.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

“Do you think my mother enjoyed killing babies? Grabbing hold of their tiny wings and ripping them from their tiny backs. Watching them bleed out as they screamed.”

Her eyes went wide at the sudden ambush as her head snapped to face the man. “Fuck Ren. That’s a hell of a question.”

“Charlotte said she was renowned for it. A real champion of the people,” he muttered with a loopy, miserable smile. “How many do you think she killed? Do you think she kept count? I wonder if they gave her a cute nickname for it like they gave me? Something like… Baby Killer? Maybe not that, too original.” His lips fell, voice low. “There’s a lot I could do, but I could never do that. I could never hurt a child, much less a baby. She could, and she was celebrated for it. Maybe that’s why Raz never talked about her. Because she was a hypocrite. She killed other women and their babies but kept me alive. Dumped me off with Raz and made me his problem. Made him pay for hers and my father’s sins, me.”

The woman rolled onto her side, staring at the man in front of her, bleak and morose under the veil of alcohol. The weight of others’ choices becoming his burden to bear before he even came into existence. Their actions etching his fate and how the world would view him. The injustice that life had hurled at him, providing every opportunity to fail. Nothing he could do would ever change that. Change who he was.

And she would never want that.

Because despite what others thought they knew about him, they were wrong. All they had were ancient relics of anecdotes that none had experienced for themselves but all believed blindly. Never had they held the hand of the one they demonized, the warmth from his skin seeping into theirs. Never had they listened to his voice— steady, calm, and attentive— and felt his breath teasing their ear. Never would they lay beside him, witnessing the innocence of his slumbering features.

But she had, and she knew better.

“I know they loved you,” the demon smiled gently, reaching for him. “Your mother, father, and Raz. They all loved you. More than they loved themselves. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have gone through all that to try to keep you alive. I know it’s fucked up, but maybe your mother thought that she was doing the right thing by killing them? It’s hard to know that something’s wrong when everyone around you tells you that it’s right. Maybe she only realized how wrong it was when she faced the same thing for you?”

“Maybe they should have killed me.” Words he had only ever thought but never spoken, coming out in stumbling whispers.

Sakura shook her head lightly, emeralds soft. “No, they shouldn’t have, and it’s a good thing they didn’t.” She smirked playfully, pinching his cheek. “The world needs its king of the heavens and alpha of the land. Who else would ever be able to carry such a crushing burden other than you? It was destiny.”

Ren chuckled, finding her hip and pulling her closer. “I know what you’re doing here. Trying to butter me up and get me comfortable so that I let my guard down. Once I do, you’ll swoop in and take advantage of me. What a horrible thing to do to someone so helpless.” He plopped onto his back once more. “I’m comfortable now. Proceed.”

She studied the man with his relaxed demeanor and expectant grin. He had done this so much while growing up. Blowing off his worries and concerns, acting as if they were nothing. But this wasn’t nothing. He could try to hide it, but she could see right through it.

The doubt he had for himself.

The woman slid her upper half onto his, chin on his heart, feeling the beats behind his ribs. “Do you really think they should have killed you?”

He peeked down at her for only a moment before closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “I don’t know. Everyone here sure thinks so, and many on the land would agree. I am evil after all. Everyone fears me. So scary.”

“I don’t.” Her fingers brushed along his jaw as she pushed her way up and nuzzled against his shoulder and into his neck. “I’ve never feared you. I never will. No matter what you do. And if anyone ever comes for you.” Lips warm against his ear, whispering promises. “I’ll kill them. Each and every one of them. I’ll do anything for you, Ren. You’re mine, and no one will ever take you from me again.”

A loopy smile spread across his lips as arms encircled the demon tightly. “You always know just what to say. Always so romantic. Is this the moment you take advantage of me?”

Sakura snorted, not surprised the man was still trying. “Absolutely not. I doubt you can even stand up. I don’t have high hopes you can keep much else up.”

“You’re always so cruel,” he sighed, taking one last flustered glance at his lower extremities. “But probably not wrong.”

“Definitely not wrong. Now, enough of your nonsense. This is the moment when you go to sleep and pray you’re not too hungover in the morning.”

Ren groaned, painfully aware that things weren’t looking good for him on all fronts. “I don’t think that’s a possibility.”

She snuggled closer, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of aspen and alcohol. “Well, for your sake, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

Tonight, she would be forgiving.

But come morning, she would show no mercy.