Warning: Possible assault and unwanted sexual attention triggers. 

Lita stood next to a pillar in the Entrance Hall. Listlessly, she watched what was going on around her without truly seeing any of it.

Her whole body ached and her head ached.

Everyone present at dinner last night had been unusually quiet at breakfast or as they worked.

Most people had avoided the still dirty dining hall, even though Nakos had been removed, and the blood had been mostly cleaned up. It made breakfast interesting with people coming in and out of the kitchen for it. Cook had compensated by making corn tortillas and potatoes, which was easy to fill and take with them while dirtying no dishes.

Human visitors had been told the news with such rapidity that even the newest arrivals and merchants dropping off goods had taken on a wary air.

No one from the Palace looked like they’d slept well.

She sure hadn’t.

She rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the aching.

The worst part was she wouldn’t be getting out of her ‘punishment’ for the day. As soon as she completed her errand here, she had to report to the training hall.

Voided demons!

She hated them. Every. Last. One.

With gritted teeth, she bounced a clenched fist by her thigh, hitting the pillar behind her.

At least most of the activity was slowing down, and the worst they had to worry about now were the demons arriving sometime today. 

In fact, there was one now.

With nothing better to do, and desperately wanting a distraction from her fatigue and memories, Lita focused on the couple that entered the Hall.

A steward of the Palace spotted them and practically ran to greet them.

Harv, one of the four Brethren who ruled the Separation. She’d seen him before on other visits. Most demon were neither handsomer nor uglier than a human, though in a red-headed, yellow-eyed way. And like humans, demon varied from eternal childhood to a few that appeared far older.

Harv was one of the not-too-young handsome ones. Not nearly as good looking as Dalius but he’d turn even human heads if he wanted to.

He was also one of the few demons who had a reputation of absolutely no intimate relations with humans. Barely any contact with humans at all, actually. Even ruling the one fortress, built straight into the cliffs on the other side of the lake, that didn’t allow humans. Period.

Harv was a demon she didn’t mind serving because he rarely glanced at her. And when he spoke, it was to give an order and no more.

This was the first time he’d come with company and now Lita understood why he’d never tried to coerce a human woman.

Because what woman could compare to that?

The female could’ve been a goddess. Draped in soft pastels, the delicate, beautiful creature clung to Harv’s arm like she’d float away if she didn’t.

Everything about her was so… strange, that Lita couldn’t stop staring. Trying to work out what was so strange about the demoness.

The colors were the most obvious.

The only place in the Separation that could come up with such exotic colors was Taiken's troupe. She’d seen Taiken make bright colors without dyes many times but never seen Diana Veran or any other demon do it. And humans were limited to whatever dyes they could make from local plants.

Only thinking about it now did it strike her as odd. Human limitations weren’t odd but the demons? Why didn’t they make more colors and refused all Contracts asking for them?

Lita continued her thoughts. 

Then there was the whole body language of the female.

Demons were arrogant creatures who strutted around like they owned you and the world.

This one jumped at every little movement. And would half hide behind Harv whenever the human steward leaned too close.

The demoness constantly looked around. Noting every single living being in the room with frequent glances at the outside door.

Then the female caught Lita staring.

Lita almost jerked her eyes down but then, out of sheer curiosity, she looked up again held the female demon’s gaze. It was a contest. But not against Lita and the demoness, Lita realized after a couple of heartbeats.

The demoness was fighting herself.

Harv’s woman fought to stare Lita down, chin visibly trembling. And it took less than a minute for the demoness to lose and turn her face into Harv’s shoulder.

Harv frowned and turned to see what had disturbed his lady.

And Lita wisely dropped her eyes to the ground before he could see her and shuffled to get behind the pillar.

That… was weird. Did he notice me?

No. Someone did, but it wasn’t Harv.

“Giving Elisha a hard time, pretty Lita?”

She jumped away from the voice, nearly exposing herself to the hall again. Her heart pounded as she forced herself to bow to the demon.

“Good morning, Master Clophas.”

Clophas smirked. He’d been leaning on the huge pillar but now pushed himself off of it. Stepping closer to Lita. She took a wary step back.

“Stay put,” he said. “I’d like a word with you.”

Can’t you visit the Palace without harassing me? She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Only images of Nakos’ death kept her from stepping away from him again as he got closer.

The demon touched her cheek and she flinched.

“I could have you punished for what you just did.”

“What I just did, Master Clophas?”

He ran his fingers over her cheek and played with her hair and ear.

He can’t hurt me. He can’t hurt me.

“You know what I mean,” he purred. “Harv would punish you severely for messing with his lady.” He leaned down and whispered seductively, “I’d only play with you.”

She couldn’t stand it anymore and pushed his hand away.

“I’m on an errand for my Mistress,” she said, glaring at the floor. “Please allow me to get back to it.”

“What sort of errand allows you to be rude to visitors? If I want your attention, I should be able to claim it.”

“I am contracted to serve Diana Veran. Not you.”

Abruptly, he grabbed her arm and pushed her back into the pillar. All the activity was on the other side of the huge thing, so no one but the stray eye could see what he was doing.

“You serve the demons, girl,” he hissed. Fangs growing just enough to scare her.

Which it successfully did. She cringed away from him.

“Have you already forgotten the punishment for forgetting your job? Should I reenact some of it to remind you?”

Again, he traced her cheek. But this time he trailed his fingers down her jaw and throat.

He can’t hurt me, he can’t, he can’t-

She squeezed her eyes shut. Unable to do a voided thing to get the bastard off of her! She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.

Terrified.

Suddenly, he was yanked away so hard that she stumbled forward with him. With a gasp, her eyes flew open as the demon’s fingers were pried off her arm.

She stared, dumbly, as her savior slammed Clophas into the pillar next to her. Now in partial view of the Hall. The new demon leaned in close to Clophas’ face, snarling and fanged.

“Keep your hands off her,” the newcomer growled. Emphasizing every word.

“If it isn’t the unnatural.” Clophas smiled warmly. He patted Taiken’s cheek. “Good to see you, too. Were you also invited to the meetings? How amusing.”

“Touch her again, Clophas, and I’ll rip off your arm.”

Clophas laughed. “A threat like that might work for the voided humans. But, in case you’ve forgotten since you’re the unnatural one here, I can grow back an arm.”

Taiken glared and Clophas smiled.

Then Taiken suddenly smiled, too.

Lita shrank away from that smile. It was full of malice and thoroughly destroyed any lingering memory she had of his normal warmth. Her hands shook and she remained frozen where she was.

“Yes, I’m the unnatural. And I think it is you who has forgotten what people are capable of. Do I need to remind you?”

There was a long, tense silence as the two males glared at each other.

Finally, using claws, Clophas pushed Taiken’s hands away.

“I don’t have time for you childishness, unnatural,” he said coldly. “Get out of here before I drag you out.”