Taming the Demon - Book 1 (Completed)

Chapter 1 - Kadis

There she is!

I finally spot her as she weaves her way through the market, quickly I duck behind a display. She shouldn’t be able to see me, but I am taking no chances. Peeking through the shelves, I watch as she flows through the crowd effortlessly. No small feat, as she is carrying large bags in both arms. I watch her for a few minutes, before I realize that there is someone at my shoulder.

“How long have you been there, Jaed?” I ask, never taking my eyes off of her.

“Not long”, he states, casually picking up a trinket and pretending to admire it. Following my line of sight, he catches a glimpse of her.

“Wow Kadis …. you sure know how to pick them. How long do you think she will last?”

Finally tearing my eyes away, I turn to glare at my partner in crime for the last millennia. My stare is met with bright green eyes filled with laughter. Standing six feet tall, Jaed oozes of sexuality. Athletic build, angelic face, and light brown hair that tends to fall into his eyes, men and women fall over in lines just to get him to look their way. It makes competition hard. Even when he knows about my next choice and steers clear of them, it seems as soon as they meet him, I lose them. I know he doesn’t mean to, but it does happen quite often.

Jaed tells me that if I mark them sooner, that it would stop, but placing marks is stressful on humans. It wears them down quickly and I like to have my pets for as long as I can. Not like some demons who I know that burn through pets as fast as they can, choosing new humans as often as every few weeks. While I understand that humans do not have a long lifespan, I do not like to be forced to release my pets because of a time pressure. I prefer to release them because I want to, for whatever reason, not because they are going to die.

There is only so much the human mind can take before you have to release them. The alternative is death, and ever since the Laws have been amended, demons are not allowed to use humans pets to death. But being marked is still not without risks. Humans who have been released are never the same. Even the most tolerant and hearty of humans, once marked, become dull once a demon releases them from service.

I like to take time to learn about my humans. They are fascinating creatures. I not only want to know them physically, I want to know them intellectually. I find their thoughts are beyond interesting. They are so diverse in beliefs and opinions, that I have never found two humans the same. And when you have forever, diversity is a beacon in the shade of eternity.

My latest find is no different. I found her a few weeks ago when she accidentally bumped into me and apologized. I was so taken aback that I was at a loss for words and didn’t have time to stutter out the question that jumped into my mind. 

You can see me? 

Humans typically do not see or feel demons. Only when we give them permission to see us can they interact with us. When they do interact with us accidentally, it is usually written off as a mystery. Like when a human wonders why they felt a hand on their shoulder, but no one is behind them or a sudden chill for no reason. Some are told as ‘ghost’ stories. Most humans just pass harmlessly by with no contact at all, and no human has ever had the innate ability of full sight. How she managed to have full contact, as well as being able to see me is beyond my comprehension. I’ve never heard of a human interacting with a demon without the demon's permission, but it is something I want to find out. I have to do this discretely though. I do not want any other demons knowing about this, especially those who Rule. They will want to study her and then I will be without my pet.

This one WILL last longer! I have to have her and I will figure her out!

I snap out of my thoughts as I notice Jaed following my choice with his eyes. He seems a little too interested. I instinctively want to shield her from his gaze, and I have to catch myself from moving in front of him.

I glance back in the direction of where she is and see that she is bartering with a local farmer over a bag of vegetables. She seems so serene in the midst of the chaos of the market, like a bubble of calm that surrounds her. 

Reluctantly I take my eyes off of her and slap Jaed on the shoulder, maybe a little too hard, “Let’s go, I could use a drink and some quiet from these creatures.”

“What about her? You don’t want to pursue her today?”

“No, I’ll have time to dabble with my pets later. Besides, I know where to find her. You know I like to watch for a bit before moving in for first contact.”

Jaed stares a few more moments at the human, turns and flashes a smile as he opens the door to our realm, Helis. Forcing myself to not look over my shoulder for another peak, I wait for Jaed to pass through and follow him in.