me, holding out her bound wrists, she certainly seemed to trust me enough. I pulled my pocket knife from my belt, switching the blade open. She didn’t react to the sound, not even a tense lifting of her shoulders. I had a weapon in my hand, standing behind her and she didn’t even flinch. Would she even get injured or die if I tried to attack her?
The thought left me feeling immensely uncomfortable. What the fuck is wrong with me? Horns or not, what kind of Christian contemplated attacking a woman who came to us seeking sanctuary? My own mind was giving me whiplash trying to determine if she was a threat or not.
“Any day now, Kais.” Deyva tossed me a look over her shoulder, her side profile as artfully crafted as a Renaissance painting.
I stepped closer, sliding a finger of my free hand under the zip-tie holding her wrists together. The skin of her wrist was warm, and I realized just as my blade slipped under the plastic cord, how close my face was to hers.
She stayed, looking back at me like that even after her wrists came free. If she leaned back another inch or two, that horn would be nuzzling against my forehead.
“I won’t be long.” She turned away, lifting one free hand to the locker room door.
“I’ll, uh,” I cleared my throat, “I’ll knock when I have stuff for you.”
Her head tilted back, the curve of her lips naughty and coy. “If you’d like to, but you’re welcome to barge in at any time.”
“Not happening.” I stormed off, unsure if I was trying to convince her or myself more.
5
God Doesn’t Make Mistakes
Deyva
A shower. How long had it been since I felt real water on my skin? I was tempted to stay under the scalding hot spray until Kais really was forced to burst in. The thought made me giggle—his heavy footsteps stomping through the locker room, thinking I’d run off to go on some demonic rampage. Only to find me here, wet and naked, just as he liked me.
How they all liked me, as long as I was a fantasy. Reality proved to be entirely different. I couldn’t say I was surprised, but maybe a tad disappointed. Getting Kais all riled up from my teasing was fun, though.
I heard two heavy thumps on the locker room door, then the creak of it opening.
“Got you clothes. I’ll be right outside,” Kais called just before the door closed.
“Why stay out there when you could come inside?” I said to the empty locker room.
It didn’t dignify my question with an answer.
I remained under the hot spray for another several minutes before reluctantly shutting the water off. As fun as it was to make these priests squirm, it was probably smartest not to press my luck with them. Who knew how much sexual frustration would set them off to the point of tossing me back over the gate? The dream-feeding was real to me, but not to them. I felt like I knew who they were, but in their eyes, I was only meant to be a fantasy.
Dripping wet, and my dress discarded on a bench, I padded across the locker room to see what Kais had left me. A large, fluffy bath towel, a pair of leggings, and a long-sleeved t-shirt were folded neatly on the bench closest to the door.
I couldn’t help the sigh that escaped as I rubbed the towel over my body. There was nothing like this in Hell, this sensory feeling of softness, coziness. Wrapping the towel around my torso, I carefully unfolded the clothes set out for me. Between the shirt and pants, there was a pair of flip-flops, and even a bra and panties, still sealed in plastic packaging.
“Aw, what’s the matter, Kais?” I laughed to myself. “Don’t want to see my nipples through my shirt?”
I got dressed and left the locker room to find him waiting just outside the door, as he said he would be. His arms were crossed, trying to look the part of a stern bodyguard, but his brow and stance visibly relaxed at the sight of me.
“Feel better?”
“Much. Thank you.”
“Good. You do look almost human with Hell washed off of you.” His gaze was softer as he appraised me in my new human clothes. “Fresh as a daisy.”
I snorted. “Please do not ever compare me to something as bland and earthly as a daisy.”
“Why not?” Kais seemed delighted in my annoyance. “It almost sounds like your name. Deyva.