10. Abbadon

Eliza's scent is at its strongest when I hear her shrill cry echo through the trees.

"Ah!" she screams, her voice coming out strangled and weak.

A predatory roar tears from my lungs, shattering the sky and sending flocks of birds fleeing in fear. As I lunge forward, two beings come into sight. The first is my precious human, her head wrenched back unnaturally and her eyes wide as they find mine.

The second is my prey.

"Abbadon," Eliza squeaks, drawing my attention back to her. The relief is evident, but it's the surprise that twists my gut.

Of course I'll come for you. I will always come for you.

When I look back at the human male, all I see is blood red. His blood. He hesitates and I seize the opportunity, watching as he stumbles back toward the treeline. Unfortunately, his hands are still holding on to something that doesn't belong to him.

Eliza calls out to me again, her voice trembling, but it can hardly break through my rage-filled tunnel vision.

"Eliza," I respond automatically. Her name brings a fleeting sense of peace that can only truly be restored with that bastard's head on a pike.

Finally, I pounce. His grip on Eliza falters and I tear him away. My fingers snake around his pathetic neck, claws drawing blood, and I relish the expression of pure terror.

Eliza's shocked scream pierces the night once again as she falls to the ground.

With a feral growl, I tighten my grip around his throat, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage beneath my fingers. His eyes bulge in terror as he desperately tries to claw at my hand, but it"s no use. I"m too strong for him.

With one final, brutal squeeze, I feel the life drain from his body. His eyes glaze over, and his body goes limp. It"s over in seconds. He deserved worse than a swift death for laying his hands on her.

I release his lifeless form, allowing it to crumple to the forest floor with a sickening thud.

My chest heaves as I take a moment to collect myself, the red haze of rage slowly dissipating. It"s only then that I turn my attention to Eliza.

She"s on her hands and knees, trembling and wide-eyed as she stares at the lifeless body beside me. Her breath comes in short, ragged gasps, and I can see the terror etched into every line of her beautiful face.

Her gaze flicks up to meet mine, and I see the fear there. But there"s something else, too.

Something that makes my heart clench in my chest.

I freeze, my heart sinking. This isn"t how it was supposed to be. I was supposed to protect her, to keep her safe from monsters like the one I just killed. But now, she sees me as one of them.

I take a step towards her, my hand outstretched. "Eliza," I say softly, my voice cracking with emotion.

But before I can say anything else, she shocks me by letting out a sob and launching herself into my arms. I stumble back a step, surprised by the force of her movement, but quickly regain my balance and wrap my arms around her.

She clings to me with all her might, her body shaking with sobs. I can feel her heart pounding against my chest, and it"s then that I realize just how scared she was.

I hold her tightly, running my hand soothingly over her hair. "It"s okay, Eliza," I murmur.

"I"m here. I"ve got you."

She buries her face in my chest, her sobs slowly subsiding. I can feel the wetness of her tears seeping through my shirt, but I don"t care. All that matters is that she"s safe, and she"s here with me.

As we stand there in the forest, with the lifeless body of her attacker at our feet, I"m struck by the sudden realization that she"s choosing me. She"s choosing a demon, a creature that she should be terrified of, after seeing what I"m capable of.

But instead, she"s clinging to me like I"m her lifeline. And it"s the most incredible feeling in the world.

I don"t know how long we stand there, wrapped in each other"s arms, but eventually, her sobs subside, and she pulls back to look up at me.

"Thank you," she whispers, her voice hoarse from crying. "Thank you for saving me."

I brush a stray tear from her cheek with my thumb. "Always," I promise her. "I will always protect you, Eliza. No matter what."

She nods, her eyes shining with gratitude. And in that moment, I know that I would do anything for her. Anything to keep her safe, to keep her happy.

"Let's go home," she says softly, snuggling back into my chest.

I nod, cradling her against my chest. She sighs contentedly, resting her head on my shoulder as I carry her through the forest.

When we finally reach the house, I gently set her down on the couch and go to work lighting a fire in the hearth. She watches me with tired eyes as I move around the room, gathering supplies to tend to her injuries.

I start by cleaning the cuts and bruises on her face and arms, using a soft cloth and warm water. She hisses in pain as I dab at a particularly deep cut on her cheek, but she doesn"t pull away.

"I"m going to draw you a bath," I tell her, heading towards the bathroom.

She follows me and watches as I start filling the tub with hot water. I add a generous amount of bubbles, watching as they swirl and pop on the surface.

When the tub is full, I turn to Eliza and help her undress. She"s shy at first, but I reassure her with gentle touches and soft words.

I help her into the tub, and she sighs contentedly as she sinks into the warm water. I grab a washcloth and soap, and begin to wash her hair, massaging her scalp with my fingers.

She leans back against me, her body relaxing as I work. I can feel the tension leaving her muscles, and it"s a relief to see her finally starting to unwind.

As I continue to wash her body, the warm water cascading over her soft, supple skin, I can"t help but feel a deep sense of longing and desire. I"ve tried to deny it, to push it away, but it"s no use. She"s mine, and I"m hers.

My hand brushes against her breast, and I feel a jolt of electricity run through me at the contact. She gasps softly, her body tensing for a moment before relaxing again. I can see the desire in her eyes, the way her breath hitches as I touch her.

I know that I can"t keep the truth from her any longer. She deserves to know what I am, what we are.

"Eliza," I say, my voice hoarse with emotion. "There"s something I need to tell you."

She turns to look at me, her eyes wide and curious. The way she looks at me, with such trust and vulnerability, makes my heart ache.

"What is it?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I"m about to say. "You"re my mate," I tell her. "From the moment I found you in the forest, I knew that you were meant to be mine."

She stares at me for a moment, her eyes searching my face. I can see the confusion in her expression, the way her brow furrows as she tries to make sense of what I"m saying.

"But… how is that possible?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "I"m just… I"m a human."

I nod, my heart heavy with the knowledge of what I"m about to reveal. "It"s just the way it is," I say, my voice soft. "When a demon finds their mate, they know it instantly. It"s like a primal instinct, a deep-seated knowledge that this person is meant to be theirs."

She"s quiet for a moment, contemplating my words. I can see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, but there"s something else there, too. Something that gives me hope. I search her beautiful green eyes, lifting my hand to caress her cheek. The softness of her skin against my calloused fingers sends a jolt of electricity through me, and I feel my heart swell with love for this woman.

"I love you," I say simply, my voice barely above a whisper.

She closes her eyes and leans into my touch, her breathing shallow. I can feel her heart racing beneath my fingertips, and I know that she"s struggling to process everything that"s happening. Tears are pooling in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

"Say something."

She opens her eyes and looks at me, her expression vulnerable. "I"ve never known what real love feels like," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

I pull her closer, cradling her against my chest. I can feel the warmth of her body, slick and wet, pressed against mine, and it feels like home. "I"ll show you," I promise her. "There will never be another day where you don't know what it is to be loved. Where you don't know the feeling of being put first before anything. Even me."

I feel her nod against my chest, and I tighten my hold on her. I want to protect her from the world, from the monsters that lurk in the shadows.

"I want that," she says, her voice trembling. "I want to know what it"s like to be loved by you."

I lean down, my heart pounding in my chest, and press my lips to hers. The moment our lips meet, it feels like a spark has ignited between us. I can feel the warmth and softness of her mouth, and the taste of her lips is intoxicating. She responds eagerly, her arms wrapping around my neck as she deepens the kiss.

My hands plunge into the water, capturing her small waist. I can feel her desire for me, radiating from every pore of her body. I groan, my body responding to her touch. I want nothing more than to lose myself in her, to feel her body pressed against mine.

I want to devour her, to make her mine in every possible way.

She moans softly, her body trembling in my arms. I can feel her heart racing, matching the rhythm of my own. I know that she feels it too, this overwhelming desire that threatens to consume us both.

I break the kiss, gasping for air. I can see the desire in her eyes, the way her chest heaves with every breath. I know that I could take her right here, right now, and she would be mine.

"I… I love you, too."