Behind Closed Doors

Azag knew he could no longer delay or resist without raising suspicion. So, he led his two guests to the doorway, letting them begin to investigate his tavern and the back areas. In his mind, he knew that dozens of other Silencers were doing the same all across the district nearby, and he hoped that no commotion would follow. Most of all, he begged the spirits that Sayane was hiding.

Opening the door revealed a quiet, empty hallway. Azag stepped back without a word. The snake-like being entered first, followed by the captain.

“Follow behind us, Rabal,” said the captain.

“Understood,” Azag replied.

Every step taken by the Silencers felt like a knife going into Azag’s skin. Fear was heightening every sense for him, and he knew that if this moment turned dangerous, everything could unravel. He was ready to lay down his life for Sayane, if need be, but he was also not yet ready to die. Still, if it came to it, he would gladly activate the detonation device hidden in his mask. Its explosion would kill him, but it would at least take these two with him.

As the two Silencers made their rounds, Azag focused on not speaking or betraying any signs of concern. When the captain reached Sayane’s room, Azag subtly moved closer and placed his thumbs on the helmet detonation triggers that were hidden on his canes. The captain opened the door.

Nothing was there. It was an empty room with a single bed that was made to look unattended. Sayane’s belongings were all gone. Hidden behind his mask, Azag smiled a smile of relief and silently exhaled. She was at least in the hiding spot. Now he just had to hope that neither of them found her secret space.

Beside them, the snake-like being returned from the storage room.

“Nothing but drinking vats and cleaning supplies,” he said as he stepped in front of the captain once more and continued his search.

Down the hall they went, checking every room and corner. Soon, all that was left was the closet where Sayane’s hiding space was, and Azag’s room.

Within the hiding space, Sayane was beginning to panic. She knew the danger was close, but the claustrophobic, pitch black of the room and the unending buzzing of the device were starting to drive her into hysteria. Still, she fought with every ounce of her being to stay calm.

She could hear subtle taps that told her Azag was there with the danger. Knowing he was close gave her some relief, and she inhaled deep, slow breaths to try and force relaxation into her heart.

Outside, the snake was closest to the door. As he walked, something on the ground caught his perceptive eyes. It was small and almost unseen, but there was a tiny stone on the ground that didn’t belong. Upon getting closer to it, the snake realized it was a charm from some manner of clothing decoration. It was feminine, soft, and out of place. Without his captain or Azag noticing, the snake stepped forward and put his boot over the trinket to hide it from their view.

Then, he opened the closet door and peered inside.

From within the hiding space, Sayane heard the closet door open and something move close. Terror turned her skin to ice, and she covered the buzzing device to silence it as she stopped herself from breathing.

Every second felt like an hour.

Outside, Azag moved closer to the snake, triggers ready. If this were his death, he would not be mad. He only prayed that Sayane could live, and the Silencers would die.

The captain stepped past the snake and continued towards Azag’s room. The snake’s eyes narrowed, and he sighed as he stepped back and knelt to the ground, pretending to adjust his boot strap. As he did, he closed the door and picked up the charm from the ground.

The snake began to speak, then stopped and rejoined his captain. Azag almost sighed in relief, but he kept his composure.

Inside, Sayane heard the door close and the footsteps move on. She let out a tearful exhale and begged for it all to be over soon. She wanted out of that darkness, but she knew she had to stay a little longer.

The two inspectors entered his room, and Azag stood at the door, watching them look under his bed and behind the tapestries that hung on his walls.

Then, they were done. The captain stood and dusted his hands together as he fixed his belt.

“Nothing to report, as always. Thank you for your compliance,” he said to Azag as he exited the room.

Azag nodded and bowed as the snake approached him. Then something touched his hand. Azag looked down and a flood of horror soaked his body in a cold sweat. The snake had opened his hand and placed a small charm in his palm without a word. It was one of Sayane’s charms. Millions of thoughts exploded in Azag’s mind in a single millisecond, as he prepared to activate the detonation device. But then, the snake did something incredibly unexpected.

His gaze was remorseful, stoic, and nonconfrontational. It happened swiftly, but all he did was subtly bowed to Azag and then continued on to rejoin his captain. Azag was left standing there stunned and concerned that this was a trick, but the snake did not say a word.

Azag moved quickly to let them out of the hallway, and then they were leaving the tavern entirely.

As soon as Azag closed the tavern door behind him, he gasped in relief and deactivated the buzzer. He moved as quickly as he could to the safe room, even though part of him wanted to wait. The snake’s behavior had confused and unsettled him. He needed to check on Sayane.

Inside, Sayane heard the familiar tapping getting closer as her buzzer finally quieted. She closed her eyes and began to rub her chest for comfort. It was almost over.

The closet door was pulled open. The secret pressure latches were undone. The secret room was opened once more.

Faint light dripped in and Sayane looked up to see Azag’s glowing eyes there waiting for her.

“Sayane?!” he called.

“I’m here!” she said as she rushed forward.

Azag let out a laugh of abandon as he lowered onto his knees. Something drove Sayane to him. It was like a pull from some unseen current was pushing her into his body. For him, it was the same. An unfamiliar feeling was shooting through his spirit as he heard her clamoring forward, and he held out his hands for her.

Then she was there, jumping into his arms with a cry of happiness.

They embraced.

Azag was stunned at first, but his mind was too overwhelmed. Her smell struck him. Strands of purple hair fell onto his shoulders as her face rested on his shoulder. Small, hume hands pressed on his scaled back. Large rabal hands pulled her close. His metal mask was cold and smooth against her cheek.

They sat there, in the near darkness, holding one another for well over a minute. Neither spoke. He could feel her softness pressing from her chest and against his shoulders as she breathed swift, overwhelmed gasps. She could hear the slow, strained rattles of nervous exhales as he tried to calm himself.

All the while, they stayed against one another.

Finally, he spoke.

“I was so fearful something might happen to you,” he whispered.

“Me as well. I was so afraid for you. What if you’d been hurt? What if we’d been found?” she replied as she wiped her eyes.

Strange, unfamiliar longing moved through Sayane’s heart. Sitting in his embrace, feeling the sheer size of his body and hands against her as she thanked the spirits he was safe, Sayane found herself being drawn to Azag in a way that she did not expect. For Azag, he was fighting the same sensation.

Every part of her was soft, and gentle, yet strong. Her hair was thick, long, and light to the touch. The pressure of her palms on his back was unlike any feeling he had ever felt. Sounds of her exhales in his ear stirred unwarranted rushes in his body, yet most of all, his heart was overwhelmed with gratitude that she was safe.

“You did so well. You even hid your clothes!” Azag laughed.

“I hope Can-Mo isn’t too mad that they’re dirty,” Sayane chuckled as she sat up to be face level with Azag.

Now the sensations were rushing through her body and heart. Seeing his mask right before her, Sayane moved her legs to shift closer to him. Neither looked away. As her weight shifted, Sayane found herself straddling Azag, who did not release her waist. Feeling the way his hand held the entirety of her side stirred a flurry of femininity into Sayane’s lips as she met his gaze and lost whatever words were left to say. Azag felt a pull of longing moving him to her, but at the last minute, he hesitated.

Sayane’s hand reached up to touch his mask, and he released her waist to gently stop her.

“Please, no,” was all he said.

Sayane looked away in humiliation and confusion.

“Please, forgive me. I misunderstood…” she muttered.

Then his fingers were at her chin.

“No, it is not that. Please know that it is not that at all. I just… I do not want you to see me. It will ruin your perception of me,” he whispered in shame.

Sayane could sense that he was not being overdramatic or coy. His opinion of himself was purely spiteful, and whatever was behind that mask, he feared ever letting her see it.

“But, Azag,” Sayane started, then stopped.

She understood it was his choice, and it was not her place to push.

“I am sorry, Sayane. If there was ever a being I wished to take this wretched mask off for, it would be you. But I’m not ready for that yet. I’m not ready to see the change in your eyes when you see that. Please, allow me this bliss of your ignorance for a little longer.”

Leather-covered fingertips moved along her face in as soft a caress as possible, and Sayane lowered her head with a smile. She accepted his request, even though every ounce of her womanhood was screaming for his touch. Azag, in his own mind, was raging in self-loathing, as he cursed his face and his decision. All he wanted was to pull her against him and let her consume whatever bits of him she so desired, but his fear of being revealed had won.

Sayane leaned her head against his mask, and they shared one more moment of silence before finally standing.

As they stood, Sayane had one more request she was willing to try.

“Azag, could I… hold your hand at least? Would that be comfortable for you? I just… want to feel your presence. Be with you.”

It shocked her that she was able to be so forthright and bold, but she didn’t want to stop. A lifetime of being reserved and timid was lived and abandoned. Now, she wanted to speak up and say what was on her mind. And at this moment, he was at the forefront. To her great relief, Azag chuckled and held out his hand.

“I would like that,” he replied.

Her hand met his, and the two of them made their way to the tavern doorway.

Happy tranquility distracted them both as they opened the tavern door without care. Only then did Azag realize his grave error. But it was too late.

Upon opening the door and stepping into the tavern, Sayane and Azag found themselves before a familiar face.

Sayane’s scream of shock and terror told Azag she knew this creature. Before them, standing alone, was the inky, snake-like interrogator.