I press my lips against Edeva's shoulder and nuzzle my nose in to her neck as she sleeps. She curls up a little tighter but pushes her back against my chest so I can better hold her. I daresay this has been the greatest week of my life. I have only truly known my wife a few days but those days are more exciting than when I first became king. This inexplicable draw I have to her, this need to be near her at all times, leaves me feeling conflicted when I am alone with my thoughts, but when she is beside me I don't care to dwell on it. So what if I am obsessed with her so shortly after marrying her? That is a good thing. She calms me down. I promised I would be more merciful to my people, and she has held me to that promise several times.

First there was the man who insulted me in the throne room. I wanted so badly to destroy him, and Kaz egged me on the whole way, but the moment I felt Eva kissing me to try and take me from that dark head space, both the demon and I managed to hear her.

Then there was a stable boy who practically ran in to me after we went riding together. All it took was a little pout from her and I let the thought of ripping the boy in half go. He ran in to me, why shouldn't I kill him for it? Because Eva doesn't like it, that's why.

Then this morning, I sought counsel and met with the men who had spoken down to her. She came with me, and Lord Bron had more to say on the topic. Never had I wanted to choke a man as much as I wanted to choke him when he called her a 'silly girl' when she suggested easing up on taxes now that the crown is no longer in debt. Edeva insisted he was entitled to his opinion, and she was entitled to ignore it. Well, there's a novel idea. I just hope I do not come to regret that.

According to Anselm, there have been fewer reports of dissent in the smaller towns that still supported Henry I, though he still suggests Eva and I perhaps go on a tour so the kingdom might meet its new queen. I find that unsafe. Eva at least wants to spend the upcoming winter at Goldstone. Perhaps that is good enough. For now I will enjoy her here in the castle, closing my eyes and willing myself to sleep even if I am not tired.

Alekso.

And there is another shock of which I am just getting over. Kazaxon the Red, my demonic companion, my dark influence, has fallen for Eva as deeply as I have. I find it a little odd since she is a pacifist and he is a wrath demon. Her ideas for the kingdom are usually kind and require no killing, similar to Anselm, so it goes against everything Kaz is. Still, ever since that fateful morning in the field (which she still has not told me about) I hear him whisper his affection for her any time I look at her. I suppose it is better than him griping about her.

What is it? I growl in my head. The fire has been tended. All is well. What could possibly be bothering you?

I wish to see Edeva. Open your eyes again.

Sitting up on one elbow, I look my sleeping bride over. The low fire light flickers against her angelic features, highlighting the gold tints in her dark hair. I pull a wavy lock behind her ear. She is safe.

I am aware, I simply wish to see her. Wake her, Alekso.

No. I can put up with you, but I will not have you disturbing her rest. I promised her a full night's sleep at least once a week.

I want her to look at us.

I try not to sigh. She will in the morning. You are like a puppy, pawing at your owner for attention. Does Eva own you now, Kaz?

Silence. My lips pull in to a grin while I idly trace little patterns on Eva's bare shoulder. I hear a low, brooding Yes in my head, and I stifle a laugh.

Let your owner rest, then. I shake my head, moving to lie back down when suddenly my arm jerks forward, shoving Eva. My brows furrow, looking down at my trembling hand. I didn't do that. Eva stirs only slightly, and I, involuntarily again, reach over to pull her on to her back. Her arms go up, and her hands tiredly drape over her head as her eyes flutter open. For a brief moment, those dazzling purple jewels stare up at me, and a shy smile spread on her full lips. "Alekso, you promised..."

In an instant that smile is gone. She focuses, and a terrified expression marrs her once calm features. It is only then that I notice the hand touching her is no longer mine. Instead it is red, clawed, and dragging down the sheet covering Eva's body.

Kaz, you bastard! I growl. Relinquish control! I never said you could do this.

Oh calm down, you know I will not hurt her. I just wish to touch her myself.

I fight to stop his hand, to get my body back, but he is too strong. The fool! Eva doesn't know about him yet. She wouldn't know that Kazaxon and I are one; that she is safe with him.

You're scaring her, Kaz!

Try as I might to stop it, the world around me grows dim. Darkness floods my vision as Kazaxon blocks me completely.

The man leaning over me Isn't Alekso. In fact, he isn't man at all. No man has a frill of horns adorning the sides of his forehead like a dragon, or dark red skin, or eyes so black I cannot see my own reflection in them. They certainly never had sharp, serrated teeth which he bore to me in a slow grin. He is a demon. The longer I look at him I realize he is extremely similar to the big, beastly one I met last week. Those eyes I swear at the same ones.

My Edeva.

I gasp. Though the demon's lips did not move, I hear him in my head clear as day. It is a deep, rasping voice with a slight accent as though he is not speaking his native tongue, made more intimidating as I stare at the sharp fangs, knowing that though they are still, he is definitely the one saying those words.

"Your Edeva?..." I whisper, managing to turn my head from the fearsome sight to try and find Alekso. He isn't here, and I worry if this is normal for the wife of a diablarist. Do demons simply appear in your dreams, possibly attracted to whatever power they gave out? Would I need to get used to this? It does not feel like a dream, though. My arms are so heavy I can't move them; I can barely move my head about too, and I have had this sensation at the edge of a dream before, but I could never feel. "Where is Alekso?"

Look at me, Edeva. A clawed finger gently touches my chin and guides me back to face him. You have such lovely eyes. I could lose myself in them.

As his thumb drags across my bottom lip, his other hand continues to pull the sheet away from me, exposing my breasts as they rise and fall with deep, labored breathing. His gaze does not travel. Shadowy eyes stare in to my own, and while he has no pupils or irises, I can still read his expression. He is overjoyed simply to look upon my face.

"Why, you are the demon from the field, aren't you?"

You remember me. When you did not tell Alekso, I worried you were so frightened to think of it that you made yourself forget.

"How... How did you know I never told him?" I do not understand what is happening. I hear stories of succubi and incubi seducing men and women with their otherworldly beauty and then devouring their souls, but this demon is not beautiful. His appearance is far more subdued than when I saw him in the field, but no less ghastly. The frills on the sides of his head are just above his pointed ear, parting a little before the top of his head. The horns, though smaller, look sharp. They curve back and then slightly up. He could slam his head in to someone and slice ribbons from their skin. His nails are black, thick and pointed like claws. His teeth are still all fangs, and I believe that is why he speaks in my head rather than to the air. Behind him, his tail sways back and forth, and I see it has a sharp, shiny tip. A stinger.

No, this demon was not made to be beautiful and seductive. He was made to be deadly; to be feared.

"If you kill me, Alekso will find you." I warn, even if my voice holds no bravery in it. The demon is unafraid, his fingers trailing along my collarbone, then down to circle my nipple. "He has power. You will not be able to hide from him."

I do not intend to kill you, my Edeva. I could have done so when we first met. But your beautiful face and sweet, musical voice stopped me. I wish to do other things to you instead.

He moves down my body, hands exploring my heated skin, claws grazing my breasts, sliding down my sides, squeezing my hips. My breath hitches in my throat as my eyes close. I feel so confused, so helpless and afraid, but his touches... They are incredibly arousing. It's as though the threat of his nails piercing my delicate flesh only excites me more; or maybe knowing how easily he could end my life but chooses not to. My attempts to move my arms remain futile, and my legs are useless, too. I can only move my hips feebly as his lips barely brush the sensitive skin of my lower belly. He hooks my legs over his shoulders and grips the tops of my thighs.

I feel myself angling towards him, knowing what he intends, now. He is bold, willing to touch me where Alekso had touched earlier that night. Ready to put his mouth where my husband's cock was. Perhaps demons did not care about things like that?

In that moment though, I realize I do.

He nips at my inner thigh and I jerk my hips away. "No."

There is a pause, and then another nip, followed by a long, slow lick on the outer skin by my folds. He spreads my legs wider as I bite my lip to suppress a moan. He repeats himself again with that wicked tongue, licking on the other side, but never touching where my traitorous body truly wants. His hands move from my thighs up to my hips, and then back down, gently massaging the muscles as he teases. The tip of his tongue would slide dangerously close to my sensitive bud, but then pull away.

I can scent your lust in the air. I can see it glistening on your flesh. I want to taste it. To drive the point, he gives another teasing lick along the crease of my thigh. Tell me no again, my Edeva. Tell me you do not want this.

Despite his efforts, I shake my head. "No."

The growl the demon let out is not in my head, and it vibrates his lips against the skin touching them. I want to pull my legs apart more; offer myself up to him to do as he pleases, but I cannot bring myself to do it.

"...I belong to Alekso."

Another growl. His claws press in to the tops of my thighs, but do not pierce the skin.

Right now you belong to me!

"Please, demon, let me go."

I curl my hands in to weak fists, cementing my decision for him. I suppress a whimper as my body cools with disappointment. The demon finally stops his teasing, slowly advancing back up until he is on top of me, threatening to push me in to the bedding with his weight. He stares, his hands on either side of me as he cages me in. His expression is contemplative now as his tail sways in agitation. I am sure women do not often refuse him. They would be too afraid if they wanted to.

I am afraid, too. I get a feeling that the demon will not hurt me, but I cannot betray Alekso.

The demon's eyes narrowed. Such loyalty to the man who killed your father. Did you know he summoned me to help him? I was there, pretty one. I watched your father's eyes as he died.

"You are the demon who gave Alekso his powers?" I feel the tears fill my eyes as the demon taunts me. "Was having me part of his deal?"

In a manner of speaking.

"Alekso never said anything..."

The demon pauses, and tilts his head. He must be able to sense my feelings of hurt and betrayal, or it is etched on my face as tears slide down my temples. He leans down and kisses away some of the tears lingering at my hairline in an odd moment of kindness I did not think demons were capable of.

Rest.

At his command, I close my eyes. I do not think I would have been able to fall asleep without magical assistance. The rest of the night is dreamless.

***

The next morning, I wake up with my head in Alekso's lap, his fingers gently running through my hair. He sits up with his back against the headboard, supported by a few pillows, listening to Sebastian relay some information to him regarding my wardrobe. I do not pay much attention even if this conversation is about me and how the dressmaker is requesting I choose some fabrics for more dresses and something or other. Alekso realizes I am awake; probably because I am flinching from each stroke of his hand.

"Tell her I will send for something to show Edeva and she will make her selections. If that is all..."

"It's never all, your highness," Sebastian briefly turns his attention to me, cheeks heating. "But I will see myself out."

When Bash leaves, Alekso looks down and smiles at me. "Good morning, beautiful. Come here."

I slowly sit up, and then climb in to Alekso's lap with my legs draped over the side of the bed. He wraps his arms around me holds my naked body against his. I imagine that while his cold skin cools me off, I might warm him up. He insists the fire be on at night even though it is midsummer. The only reason I can handle it is because if I cuddle up to him, everything evens out. I do not feel like cuddling right now, but Alekso owes me some answers and if he prefers to talk like this, I will do so. Usually one of the draws to my husband is how safe I feel in his arms, and the fact that I do not feel that way right now sends a wave of heartbreak through me.

"What happened last night, Alekso?" I get straight to the point. His smile gets a little wider, but then I see him reach up and scratch the back of his head like a nervous schoolboy. It is admittedly quite a cute gesture.

"I have not been completely forthright with you about the type of diablarist I am."

We have had plenty of time to talk about ourselves, and I learned a great deal about diablerie from him, about how mages must perform a ritual and sacrifice their blood to summon the demon, and there are types of demons, too. You do not get to choose who ends up drawn to your summoning circle. He claimed that more often than not, the ritual goes horribly wrong. You can bring a demon in to the world, you could spill too much blood and die, among other things. I never thought to ask him about his ritual. I was too afraid, because I knew he did it to become strong enough to take over Mercia, and that conversation... I am just not ready for it yet.

I wait expectantly for Alekso to continue. He clears his throat and runs his hand along my thigh. "When I performed the ritual, I summoned a demon of wrath. I was so desperate for revenge, my anger clouded all else and he was drawn to it. I was willing to do anything he asked for his power; anything he wanted, I would willingly give to him, so I could avenge my father."

"What did he ask for?"

"A wood witch helped me perform the ritual, and she told me he would ask for my soul. He didn't, though. Instead he asked if he could join me in my rebellion. He asked I take his soul in to my body and we would be one. It meant unlimited power, and I eagerly accepted."

Alekso holds me closer to him as I start to tremble. "You are two souls in one body?"

"Yes, love. It is also why I am the strongest diablarist. Others get a fraction of a demon's true power. I have all of Kazaxon's."

I tilt my head a little. "That is his name?"

"Kazaxon the Red. He is one of the stronger demons from the underworld, so he tells me."

"This 'Kazaxon', last night he told me that I was part of the deal he made with you."

"In return for his power, he sees what I see, he can hear my thoughts, he can move my limbs at will, he can even take over my body completely and shift it in to his own visage. It is not just my body I must share though. I share everything with him. As I am king, so is he. All that I own he owns. Therefore, since you are my wife, he feels that you are his as well."

It takes a few moments to register in my mind what Alekso is saying. Since I have been with him, I have been with this Kazaxon, too. This otherworldly monster has seen me in my most private of moments; being intimate with my husband, who never thought to warn me about this. I feel scandalized and betrayed.

"Why did you not say something sooner?"

"To be frank, my dear, I was not sure how." Alekso admits. It is not enough to convince me it is okay, though. I sit up and straddle him, setting both my hands on his shoulders.

"How about 'Edeva, I have a demon in my head who will see you naked when we make love'?"

"Well, then there is the risk of you refusing me." He gives me a little wink, but I grow further incensed. I want to smack the grin off his face and go back to my own bedchamber. He sees the angry look has not decreased from my face, and sighs. "I am truly sorry, Edeva. I should have told you sooner, and it was a cowardly act on my part to hide Kazaxon from you."

I lean forward a little and stare in to Alekso's eyes. Can I see the demon in them?

"He is not with us right now, my sweet. Just as he blocked me from seeing you last night, I have learned to block him too. He is technically here, but he has been put to sleep so to speak. It is just the two of us right now."

"I do not want to see him again, Alekso. He frightens me..."

"I cannot keep him blocked forever, but I will make sure he never takes over again. He will not warm your bed unless you ask for him."

What a weird thing to say. Why does Alekso think that might happen? He reaches over and curls a lock of my hair around his finger. "He told me what you said to him, about belonging to me... I would much like to hear you say it, too."

I stare at Alekso for another long moment, then huff and slip out of his lap. "You can wait to hear it until I am no longer mad at you."

Admittedly I do not think I will be able to stay mad for long. He did apologize and has promised to protect me from the demon. I still kind of want to punish him though. I find my chemise and slip it over my head, covering my body from his longing eyes, then wrap on the door a few times until Bash opens it.

"Please send for the dressmaker, Sebastian." I say sweetly. "I will not be joining the King for breakfast this morning. I am going to find Kwenthrith and Gisela and get started on that fabric selection you mentioned before."

"Of course, your highness." He bows as I move past him. I feel Alekso's gaze on me, and it empowers me somewhat. I really am no prisoner queen here if I can angrily storm out of the evil king's chambers without fear of repercussions.