The following morning Kai woke up with a strain in his back. He had dozed off in the chair even after Eyre's continuous complaints.

Eyre was no longer just a fascinating creature to him. The more he looked at her, the more she resembled her mother. 

Although he had never harboured any romantic feelings for her mother Eleen, he still felt a sense of responsibility for what had happened all those years ago.

Fate was mocking their reunion.

Kai looked at Eyre as she turned over on the side in her sleep. The sun was rising behind the trees and stretched in through the window shields, barely touching her.

A smirk pulled from the corner of his mouth as he carefully leaned in from his seat, reached for her hand and pulled it closer. He left a soft imprint on the back of it and could tell by the rate of her heartbeat that she was awake but refused to open her eyes.

A shy knot turned in his stomach and forced him up from his seat, where he left the room with silent steps and closed the door shut behind him with a sigh of relief.

***

Heavy steps carried Kai through the backyard with both hands buried deep in his pockets. He kept pondering about Eyre’s upbringing. Surely her uncle, Then, must have taken her in.

As if killing Eleen was not enough, Theon had to go and use his niece for his gain, trying to sell her off to one of the most horrible and vile creatures in that little port town. 

Even Kai had heard of Mr Tucker before and he had seen the man’s victims cowering in the dark alleys. That was how he came across Eyre too.

There was no doubting it. He and Eyre had taken Tucker's life and then fled the port town. Theon would surely be tracking them down at this very moment. 

As it all stood right now, Eyre was better off without Kai nearby, since Theon would not hesitate to kill a relative if they were involved with demons.

A deafening silence fell over Eleen's grave, caused by the absence of animals. It seemed far more intimidating this time compared to the day before.

“Eleen... “ Kai sighed and gazed upon her tombstone with empty eyes. “What am I to do with her?” he clenched his fists, mildly irritated with what little options he was left with. “Should I put an end to this or let Theon have his way with her?” he almost snapped at the last part of the question. He already knew the answer to this but felt a deep burden wrought upon him by conflicting emotions.

Kai took a deep breath and turned away from the grave. He was ashamed to admit that he was trying to get out of this mess with little to no effort.

“Kai!” Eyre’s voice cut through the trees like translucent glass and pulled him out of his miserable train of thought. “There you are! Geez, you left me worried sick after disappearing like that!” she emerged with frantic steps on the gravel pavement between the trees.

A frown ruined Kai's dull expression. Her words were dripping in anxiety and her heart was racing like a mad horse. It was nothing short of a nuisance as it provoked his demonic instincts.

Eyre was still dressed in her nightgown and he had to fight the desire to be indulged in her presence. She ought to know better than to rely on a demon for protection. She closed in on him and grabbed onto his sleeve. 

Kai felt her burning eyes on him, wishing for him to respond. “Why did you follow me?” he asked, even though he knew she could do nothing but depend on him.

“What do you mean?” she replied and gazed at him with a concerned expression.

Only then did Kai turn to confirm the look on her face. Her eyes were shivering. “I asked you, why!?” He snapped and noticed how she backed away. Her gaze was shaking in disbelief at his sudden outburst. “Go back…” he growled.

There was no need for Eyre to be here. He could not fathom why she would allow herself to get so close to a horrid memory on purpose.

Eyre may not remember that Kai had been a part of her childhood, but she was well aware of the way her mother had died. 

The reality of it all was that Kai was no different from the monster that took her mother’s life. Should Eyre ever learn the truth, it would ruin the illusion surrounding her.

“I am not going back without you,” she said.

Kai clenched his teeth out of frustration and with a subtle glance at her defensive posture, he felt his anger subside. 

“That is not for you to decide,” he retorted and chewed on the burning frustration that he wanted to let loose.

Eyre could not believe that he gave her the cold shoulder like this. “I don’t care, I am not going back alone,” she replied. 

Eyre's use of a gentle tone blew off the fuse to Kai's anger, but it could not change the facts.

“Just do as I say,” he demanded and turned his back on her before he vanished like a shadow in the wind.

Kai had now left Eyre defeated and speechless. Even from the shadows, guilt continued to gnaw at him. 

The anxiety was haunting now that Kai knew what was waiting up ahead. He did not wish for her to shield him as her mother had done.

Eyre let her eyes wander over the grave. It seemed so lonely and isolated. The large field of grass stretched out far enough, to let the light come in between the treetops. 

The sun was rising over the mountains already.

Eyre sat down in front of her mother’s grave and brushed the dust and dirt off the nameplate. 

This place seemed to attract Kai a lot. It was already the second time she had followed him out here. His secretive nature made it impossible for her to get close to him. Of course, she relied on him and believed that he had no intention of harming her, but she also had no way of making sure he would keep her safe. “Can I trust demons, mother?” she hugged her knees and let out a deep sigh. 

Huddled up in front of the grave site, Eyre was left with no will to live in her current condition, and though she was aware that Kai remained nearby, it did not provide the same comfort as when she could see, hear, and feel his presence. She sniffled and wiped a tear off her cheek.

Eyre thought of her mother as a kind and loving woman; a figure she desperately needed in times like these. Theon, her uncle, always scolded her for being too emotional around others, because he had raised her with the intent of polishing his social image. No wonder her mother never felt comfortable around him.

***

By the time Eyre made it back to the house the sun had already set. She headed right for the kitchen to make preparations for dinner and noticed that they had run out of dry wood. She sighed in defeat, picked up the basket and dragged her feet out the back door.

Kai wouldn’t show up no matter how many times she called for him, completely giving her the cold shoulder. 

The entrance to the cellar was just on the right side of the porch. It had a descending staircase made of large pieces of stone leading down to a sturdy wooden door.

Dust whirled up as soon as Eyre pushed the door open. The light from the outside left a dim shade in the room and revealed the large stack of chopped wood against the back wall.

With only a few steps into the room, Eyre noticed the sealed-off area made of heavy wooden bars. 

It even had a clunky metal lock attached to it as if it was meant to imprison something, or someone - just the sight of it sent shivers down her spine. 

Old hay remained spread across the stone floor in the cell, and only a few large craters were stacked in the far corner.

Out of sheer curiosity, Eyre stepped closer reaching for the lock, but the abrupt sound of rustling wood broke through the eerie silence.

Eyre jumped and turned around as her eyes caught the culprit. It was Kai, loading the basket with firewood. It almost mocked all of her previous attempts at pleading for his help.

Eyre took a few steps back in a response to his sudden arrival, but Kai remained indifferent and focused. She couldn’t help but stare at him in confusion. Why would he show up now of all times? “Kai…?” Her voice was weak and all she got from him was a glare thrust over the shoulder as he left the basement with heavy steps. 

Eyre instantly felt the urge to pursue him but couldn't help but take another look at the-sealed off area. Its’ presence raised a bunch of questions, but none of them dared to escape her lips.

By the time Eyre reached the kitchen the wood was already burning and the pot was placed on the stove. 

Kai was leaning against the dining table, watching over it like a hawk, arms crossed. 

Eyre couldn’t help but crack a smile at the sight. Kai's reappearance had been a surprise, but she was far more relieved to have him in plain sight. Everything in her life had changed the moment she met him and while the future seemed uncertain, she felt calm knowing he would be by her side.

Kai kept his arms crossed with a curled and serious expression, but when his shoulders dropped he almost seemed like a defeated little puppy.

Eyre walked over and placed a hand gently on his arm, nudging for his attention. “Were you visiting my mother’s grave?” she asked carefully.

Kai flinched at her touch but remained in place. He only dug his nails further into his palms to remain calm, although his eyes were livid in an uproar.

"Did you think I didn't know?" She probed, hoping for a reaction.

Kai sneaked a glance at her. Eyre may have known of her mother’s grave, but she sure lacked the memories of the time they spent together. A time in her life that he had been part of.

“It's nothing,” His tone was cold and dry, opposite to the fiery chaos in his gaze. The soft and appealing gleam in her eyes made him look away. It was painful enough for him to feel the touch of her hands, but he really couldn’t stand the way his heart ached when she looked at him.

“I would have appreciated it if you had just told me where you were going,” she continued and nudged his arm again.

The tension left Kai's shoulders and was left dumbfounded at her response. He refused to look at her and bit his lower lip in confusion. The guilt was crawling up his spine like a snake. 

Danger lurked around every corner and made everyone he had ever encountered suffer the fatal consequence. 

There was never a moment where Kai would hesitate to discard those who proved inconvenient to him. However, Eyre was different, in so many ways and it was painful.

“Are you hiding something from me?” she asked again, this time not wishing to take his silence for an answer.

Kai flinched at her question and pulled his arm out of her grasp.

“Don’t tell me you-"

“It's not what you think!” He shouted. “It-It’s not... what you think…” he repeated and huffed with a hand covering his face in shame.

Eyre stood back completely paralyzed by the sudden shift in his voice.