The Devil's Love

Playing with Fire: Chapter 14: Sarah

After standing under the warm water for a long time, we finally decided it was time for bed. Or at least time to go to the bed. I was beginning to think that Anton did not know the concept of sleep. As tired as I was I didn't care. We were snuggled under the sheets and talking about the future.

It had gone from decorating ideas for the house to our children.

Life was going to be odd for them. They could attend any school of our choosing, provided the children understand how to control their abilities. It was an interesting thought to know that one day I would have children that could set things on fire just by looking at them. I mindlessly wondered if I should invest in fire extinguishers now or when they arrive.

I joked about a baby that would crawl around our newly renovated house, burning everything to a crisp. Anton set me straight, telling me that their major abilities will not start until they get to school age and hopefully they would be at an age that they could be reasoned with. I didn't want a phone call from a teacher to say that my kid had tried to burn the place down.

Something dawned on me like a light had been switched on in my mind I sat up on the bed and looked at Anton.

"How would you know what a baby of the devil would do?"

Was I truly a fool to believe that Anton could have lived since the dawn of time and not have fathered a child? Maybe I was a fool. Maybe he had lied and there were dozens of his children on this planet.

"Assumption based on how other children of deities have come out. I have no idea what our children will be like. Maybe they might start breathing fire from the instant they are born. Maybe they might have no abilities whatsoever. We will not know until we get there. There is no school for any kind of being other than human so if we cannot trust the children to behave themselves then they will have to be home schooled."

I laid back into his arms, feeling like a distrusting idiot. Why did I constantly feel the need to make him into the enemy or a liar? Was I preparing myself for the day when his true nature would show and I would be left with a boyfriend that was something similar to the pictures I was shown of the devil when I was in Sunday school? I expected the worst from Anton and yet it was wrong of me, he has done nothing to deserve any of my negative thoughts.

Pretending that I hadn't just thought the worst of him, I replied to his statement.

"I think that all children need to socialize with other children. Maybe someone needs to start a school for children that are not human."

With a yawn, I snuggled into him and closed my eyes. There were whispers said that I could not hear, lethargy dragging me down into a blissful sleep. Today had been rather tiring.

I woke feeling refreshed and happy until I remembered that our time was ticking away. Anton's plan would work. I know he was trying to avoid hurting me because he thought there was a chance that it would fail but I believed in him. I knew that he wanted to do away with this departure ruling and would do all that he could to stop it.

"Good morning."

With a smile that I could not restrain, I looked up at the already dressed Anton.

"And good morning to you too. No making breakfast in your shorts today?"

"Not today, we have been invited to breakfast with the bride. Dress quickly."

Scrambling out of bed, I rushed to my bag and avoided Anton's gaze. He followed after me, determined to make us late. His fingers danced over my bare skin as he kissed my shoulder.

The attention he gave was always wonderful, a little ticklish and definitely loving. I could take this kind of attention on a regular basis.

"I know that it is rather anti-social but I do believe that we will be required to return to our room after breakfast, and hastily too."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I fear that the bed will die if we do not keep it warm."

I chuckled, dressing as best I could when Anton kept pawing me.

"And what of the depressed lounge, surely we need to keep it company and cheer it up?"

"Oh my word, yes. The kitchen bench is rather nasty to it, we should have words with it. The dining table has not recovered from our chat last night, it would be best to visit with the poor dear and make sure that it is coping with the stress."

"You are crazy, did you know that?"

He nodded, leaning to my ear.

"Crazy in love."

Then he turned out of the room, leaving me amused and smitten.

I finished dressing, free of his wandering hands and sweet kisses.

We entered the room where Rowan was staying, Nick had apparently passed out in William and Eliria's apartment, or rather the lounge. Marty had stayed with Rowan and Castian last night, Antonio had as well but he was checking on the rather hungover Nicolas.

Rowan could not be sated by his reassurances that everything was fine, nor could Anton offer anything believable either. We had all got a little festive last night and she fretted that he would not be coherent for this afternoon.

"I will go and check on him, okay?" Marty offered with a gentle squeeze of her hand.

Rowan nodded, looking a little pale. She looked pale normally but this was a new level of pale. This was the sick kind of pale.

As she pressed her lips together with a thin hard line, Rowan turned back to her bedroom and walked rather briskly.

"I don't know what kind of things you have in your bag of tricks d man, but something to settle the nerves would be really great. She's been up for an hour and that's the third trip. The smell is making me gag and I'm struggling."

"Of course." Anton smiled at Marty.

She turned out of the room, leaving us in the lounge room with a tired child watching television and the sounds of a woman suffering nerves or maybe morning sickness.

"Ah, the joys of weddings and impending motherhood." Anton smiled cheekily at me. "Looking forward to it darling?"

"Yeah sure."

He chuckled, taking my hand and pulling me into his arms.

"You will love every second of it, won't you?"

I grinned, unable to hide the amusement or happiness.

"I will."