Morning came with rays of the sun, seeping in through the curtains. It reached onto the bed where Eyre lightly stroked the sheets. Eyes squinted, she took a look around the room. She vaguely recalled the events from last night and shivered, hugging herself as her stomach turned in disgust. She recalled the social gathering she had gone to, a party filled with nobles and brown-nosed authorities. 

One man, an acquaintance on her uncles’ side of the family had become one she’d not forget and by the time the memory returned, she found herself rushing to the bathroom, hurling at the sheer horror that kept playing over and over in her head.

Kai popped up behind Eyre watching from the doorway into the bathroom, he crossed his arms frowning at the sight. Eyre remained on the floor trying to collect her thoughts when he suddenly broke off the silence. “Tsk tsk tsk… what a mess,” he said unfazed. 

Eyre jolted and turned back around, staring right at the demon she did not remember meeting last night. “H-How did you get in?” She asked carefully as she now fully noticed his horns and the markings on his face. 

Kai was dressed in a long-sleeved cotton shirt in a dusty pink shade with a deep V-neck, and his pants were loosely tucked into his mid-calf boots. Aside from his human complexion Eyre was already aware that he was not. Not that knowing this would calm her down at all.

“That’s not important.” Kai retorted and turned to walk back into the bedroom, not giving her the chance of asking any further. He stopped halfway in and sent her a glaring stare with a thoughtful frown. “Get yourself cleaned up first, then we’ll talk.” He added.

Eyre blinked in confusion before she looked down at her gown, now seeing the frayed hemline from the assault. Questions kept popping up and although scared, she was curious. 

***

Kai waited impatiently by the window, staring at the empty streets. Eyre sat on the bed after the shower, drying her hair with a towel. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. One that could mute even the tattering feet of the mice in the attic. She inhaled carefully and turned to look at him, worried. 

“Did you-” 

“Yes.” He confirmed, knowing exactly what she was referring to, the possession. 

Eyre bit her lower lip, almost forgetting where she was taking the conversation. She put down the towel and looked around trying to find words. 

“Will I… am I going to die- “

“No!” he snapped, almost flinching at the thought alone. 

It was a guaranteed question every time he managed to converse with his hosts, and he hated it because he always had to convince them otherwise.

“How much do you know?” He asked in return. 

Quite frankly Kai would expect Eyre to be a novice about his kind, but her entire demeanour suggested otherwise and that alone put him on edge. She looked up at him, gazing at his back, feeling the invisible wall he put between them. 

“Not much I’m afraid.”

“But you do know what I am, no?” He asked.

Eyre nodded slightly in response. 

“You will live.” He said. It was a very bold choice and he knew it, but he could not afford to have her running around being worried about her death, although it would come sooner rather than later. He caught her gaze once again and with more willpower than before he withstood the urge to give in.

“I’m not scared.” She added with a look of deep loneliness hidden in her eyes. Frankly, she had never heard of a human who had lived to tell the story of being possessed. It was always these cryptic messages going around by others, describing humans running around in madness like vile beasts.

Kai remained silent at her last statement, forcing himself not to stare at her. He cleared his throat trying to remain composed but had to avert his gaze eventually. It was a trial like nothing he had ever experienced before. Under normal circumstances, he would have given anything to prolong his time with a host, yet here he was, stuck with a girl that triggered his urge to consume her, repeatedly.

Eyre understood very little about demons, but that could not be reason enough to silence her curiosity. As Kai remained by the window, giving her the cold shoulder, Eyre stood up and stepped closer. She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, and he flinched at the sudden touch of her hand.

“Please be kind to me.” She pleaded and sent him a warm smile. Even with the chance of dying, the mere thought of not being alone anymore was oddly comforting. As Eyre kept eye contact with him, she suddenly noticed how his cheeks flushed ever so slightly. “Is everything alright?” She asked. 

However, the sound of Eyre’s voice made Kai shove her away with a firm hold on her shoulders, keeping a safe distance between them. Eyre looked at him confused as he had his gaze locked on the floor. He let her go and raised both hands in defeat to tell her that she was not allowed to come any closer. 

“I-I’m fine,” he said.

Eyre was dumbfounded at his response. As much as she wanted to believe his words it was just too contradicting compared to his behaviour. 

***

After a long break, they both sat down across from one other. Kai had taken the spot on the stool by the vanity dresser while Eyre sat politely in question on the edge of the bed. He had his arms crossed and frowned so much that his gaze had turned into a glare. She did not know what to do or say and thus kept fretting and playing with the skirt fabric, avoiding the subject.

“Name?” He asked in a sharp tone. 

“E-Eyre!” She replied, leaving no room to think it over. 

This was not even a scary situation, but his current mood just made it too uncomfortable to be at ease. Was he that unsatisfied with her? It was hard to believe that he would be this careless.

“A-And yours?” She asked in return after a moment of silence. 

Kai was lost in deep thought and just kept glaring at her. He almost blurted out a frank comment that would contradict his earlier statement about her survival. She would not live long enough to make use of it, so why bother? He sighed and rolled his eyes behind his eyelids before reuniting with her gaze again. 

“… You can call me Kai.” He replied ever so gently and let go of the heavy frown he had been holding onto. This familiar situation was just too unsettling.