Anger comes off the large man in waves. He wanted nothing more than to force Deamon to continue walking, but he was not confident at all at taking the demon on in his current state, having just fed. “You’re not tired. Invigorated is more like.”

“Come a little closer and see how invigorated  I am.” 

Tae looks at the man Deamon had killed with a single kiss and he notices something unexpected. He blushed as he looked back to Deamon. His eyes digested Deamon’s trousers as he said “You didn’t…?” 

Deamon scoffs, “climax? No, wasn’t even aroused, were you?”  Deamon knew full well the answer, he knew exactly when the man started to engorge. He only asked to rub salt in his ego. 

With that revelation, Tae suspected the demon had even more energy than he was trying to let on. “We need to keep moving. To get out of the forest before nightfall.”

Deamon considers his words, “I think there are some things I’d like to discuss first.”

“I’m listening.”

“I want you talking, not listening. Considering I could have run when the fighting started, you think maybe we could lose the rope now?” Deamon holds his hands to the other man in a questioning manner.

“Not on your life. Besides, you only stayed to feed. If they'd have stayed to fight you’d have bolted straight after.”

Fair enough thought Deamon, “I never did get the hang of distance feeding. You have to let me eat or neither of us will like the consequences.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“You say that like you know!”

“Queanya was…”

Deamon interrupts, “Don’t mistake! I am NOT my SISTER. Look, my sister was no saint. And so you know, she was feeding the entire time. As I said. I never got the hang of distance feeding. Probably the only magic she was better at than me. But she had more practice at it. And frankly she was a prude! By our family standards she was a nun.”

“I thought your mother..”

“We’re demons from father’s side. Hell, he probably considers me a prude.” 

Tae’s head looks like it’s about to explode. 

“I guess you propped her up on that pedestal pretty good, huh? And she is never coming down. Is she?” The glow had faded from Deamon’s eyes, but there was still a sense of power about him. 

Tae really felt they should get moving. They needed distance between them and the slavers and whatever other bandits lurked in the wood. He still felt that he should be keeping a distance from Deamon too though. At least for a while. 

“Third and finally, and you do have to pick at least one to make me start walking, the name.”

Tae’s frustration was growing. Tian had warned him that Deamon may panic if he knew of his involvement. Though he had no idea how the two men knew each other. He’s known Tian for fifteen years and had never heard of Deamon before this fiasco. Deamon appeared to be just a teenager himself, maybe early twenties. 

Tae knew that he was not untying him. He also wasn’t feeding him. Maybe he should just give him the name. See his response. Find out how they knew each other. That was dangerous too though. He made his decision, “Kai.”

“I don’t even know anyone named Kai!”

“This is a big world we live in. And I’m sure at some point you’ve pissed off someone named Kai. Probably more than one. So now. I gave you the name, you get up and start walking!” 

Though visibly annoyed Deamon did get up and start walking toward Eidenberg. 

Tae is a little surprised that Deamon had given in so easily and is confident with all certainty that he needs to be even more vigilant in his quest.