Thanks for all the comments during the course of this story. I apologise for the rather abrupt ending, it was either that or I wasn’t going to finish it at all. My attention span has been too short lately to write long stories. I am currently working on one though that I’m hoping will end up quite long (for me anyway). I’ll probably be posting the first chapter of that story in a couple of weeks, so keep a look out for it. Well, enough of my babbling, I hope you all enjoy this little look into Daemir’s family life. I just had to write something short and sweet with Dae and Cali as an official couple.

            Sighing deeply he put the quill down and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. He’d been working for too long, he could tell by how unfocused the neat writing in front of him was. He needed a break, the night was almost over and he hadn’t even contemplated going to bed, but he was so close to finishing. It was the last assignment for the year and he was determined to do well. If he could get high enough marks then he would be accepted as an assistant and he would be well on the way to teaching his own classes. He wasn’t sure when he’d decided that was what he wanted to do, one thing had just led to another and this was where he had ended up. One of the main incentives had been the fact that their daughter would be starting her first year at the college the following year. Every parent knows they have to let go at one point but she just seemed so young still, despite the years she had lived. She was almost full demon after all, and most of the other students were faery or human.

            Unfortunately it was painfully obvious that she needed the variety of training and discipline. Being Daemir’s only child he had spoilt her somewhat, not to mention how her grandfather had doted on her since birth. At least he didn’t give in to her every whim like Vilya did. He sighed again, leaning back in the chair and stretching. The flickering candlelight really wasn’t enough to see by, he really should go to bed. Picking up the quill he scrawled the next sentence, having to rephrase it several times in his mind before finally putting it to paper. If he could finish before dawn then he would have two weeks with nothing to do. Two weeks to spend doing absolutely nothing. They could hire a maid to do all the cleaning, they could go out to eat and they would visit all the places he loved. It was going to be great… Just three more pages, that was all.

            “Daemir?”

            “Not now, love, I’ve only got three more pages,” he knew he shouldn’t be so impatient but he was so close. Whatever it was could wait until morning when he was sure to be finished. There was silence and he assumed he was alone again, so he set the quill to the page. He was half-way through the second sentence on the page when he heard a soft noise, one that made him freeze.

            “Daemir… please…”

Not in all their time together had he ever heard the powerful mage sound so lost and despairing. Assignment pushed instantly and thoroughly from his mind, he stood, turning to his lover. The taller demon stood just in the doorway, his dark eyes large and shimmering. Daemir could tell just by looking that the elegant body was trembling and he moved quickly, wrapping the cold form in his arms. Caliarus collapsed against him almost sending them both tumbling to the floor. As it was it took some effort to get the older demon over to the soft rug laid before the fire and sit him down. Once they were there he cupped his lover’s pale face, studying the vulnerable eyes closely.

“What is it, Cali? What’s wrong?”

“I-I’m sorry,” Caliarus swallowed and closed his eyes for a moment, gathering back his control, “I shouldn’t have interrupted your study, I know how important it is to you.”

“Not as important to me as you are, love. What happened?” Pulling his still shivering love closer he stroked the soft shoulder-length hair soothingly. It wasn’t often he was the one doing the comforting, in fact he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the older demon cry. It’s what made this all the more disturbing, it must have been something really bad to do this to his sturdy lover.

“I had a nightmare… it seems silly now…”

“No, love, it’s not silly to be scared once and a while. It must have been a terrible nightmare though, you’re still shaking.”

“I was alone,” Caliarus’s voice shook and Daemir knew exactly what he meant by ‘alone’. He had been surprised during their first couple of years together that the older demon hadn’t ever had any nightmares about his centuries of imprisonment. Then he’d just taken it for granted that they never happened, but what if they had? His lover might have just been hiding the dreams from him. Was it only because he hadn’t been in bed and sleeping peacefully next to Caliarus that the older demon had bothered telling him?

“I’ll always be here for you, Cali, you know that. You don’t have to be scared of being alone.”

“I know,” he smiled but it seemed an empty gesture, “I just needed to see you… touch you. I am sorry for interrupting you. I’ll go back to bed and leave you to it.”

“No,” Daemir tightened his grip to stop him from leaving, “The assignment can wait, I still have another week before it has to be handed in. I want you to talk to me.”

“About what?” the words were cautious and it hurt Daemir a little. He’d shared his entire life with Caliarus and he was only just realising how little he actually knew about his lover, what did he know of the ancient demon’s past?

“Your life before. You never talk about it, I feel like I don’t know you.”

“Of course you know me, Daemir, knowing about what I was won’t change what I am now, there’s no point in me telling you.”

“So you won’t tell me then?” he removed his arms, resisting the urge to shove the other demon away. “Go back to bed then. I’m done with you.”

He knew he’d said the most hurtful thing he could have when the steely eyes filled with fresh tears, one slender trembling hand reaching out to him hesitantly. “Please, Daemir… Don’t ever say that to me.”

“I won’t, love. I’m sorry,” he grasped the hand, holding it tightly to his chest, “I didn’t mean it but I wish you would talk to me. It might make you feel better to talk about it with me.”

“I’m afraid to tell you,” Caliarus admitted grudgingly, “I’m afraid of what you will think.”

“I’ll always love you, Cali. I already know you used to be evil, what can you possibly tell me that will make me think badly of you?”

He shrugged, “It is not so much that you’ll think badly of me…”

“So tell me.”

The pale-haired demon took a deep steadying breath, “Tyreal…”

“Yes?” he encouraged gently, stroking the soft, warm skin of his lover’s hand, “Tyreal…?”

“Do you… Do you remember when you asked me to marry you, and I said that I wouldn’t because it didn’t matter to me and that we were already bonded in my eyes?”

“Yes,” Daemir winced, they’d argued a lot about that but Caliarus had been stubborn and he’d given in eventually, knowing in his heart that it didn’t matter. Now he wasn’t so sure.

“I lied.”

“You lied?” That was something the older demon had never admitted to him before, he’d actually thought it possible that Caliarus had never told a lie in his life, he wasn’t the sort to bother with deception. On the other hand there had been the time when the older demon had wanted him to think their first time had been a dream, but he’d never lied about it directly. “What did you lie about?”

“I love you, Daemir, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone and I do want to be bonded with you… completely.”

“So marry me,” the younger demon shrugged, it was simple wasn’t it?

“I can’t… not properly. When immortals bond it is different to how mortals do, there are rituals involved, magical ones. It is impossible to be bonded with more than one being, that is why it’s something only done after very careful consideration.”

“So you can’t marry me because you’re not sure what we have will last?” Daemir was needless to say hurt. Did Caliarus have so little faith in him and their love?

“No. I can’t marry you because I’m bonded with someone else… Tyreal.”

“What?” He was stunned, absolutely stunned. Of all the things his lover could have told him this was the most shocking. “But… but I thought you were enemies?”

“No, not always.”

“So why did he kill your sister, if you two were bonded?”

“You remember me telling you that?” The older demon seemed honestly surprised.

“Of course. You never tell me anything about yourself, so what little bits you did let slip I’ve never forgotten.” When he saw the guilt in the steely eyes his words caused he felt bad for adding the sorrow to his voice. He didn’t want to make Caliarus feel guilty, it was just so rare that the older demon was emotional that he wanted to make the most of it.

“I’m sorry, Daemir,” he shifted closer, kissing him gently in apology. “I didn’t realise such things matter so much to you. I would have told you if I had.”

“You always know the right things to say, don’t you? But don’t think I’ve forgotten that you lied to me, not to mention keeping secret the fact you are married to the most pompous angel in the land. Now tell me why he killed your sister.”

“He… he thought…” Caliarus seemed at a loss, confused by the younger demon’s commanding attitude. It amused Daemir, though he kept his smile mental, they were discussing things far too serious for laughter.

“He thought what, dear?”

“He thought she was in love with me. He accused her of coveting me in front of half the demons and angels in the land before killing her… He said that he was the only one allowed to have me… and then…” the ancient demon shuddered, “Then he imprisoned me.”

“I’m so sorry, Cali,” and he really was. The other demon hadn’t said much but there had been so much hurt and never dealt with pain in his enchanting voice it caused Daemir’s eyes to sting with tears. Caliarus looked away and tried to stifle a sob, tried to be strong but that was the whole problem. “Love, I’m here,” he drew him into his arms, “Let go.” There was only a moment of hesitation, where Caliarus was awkward in his arms but then the dam broke, and he grasped the younger demon tightly. He suspected the ancient demon had never cried over what had been done to him. There had been tears but he’d never let himself feel the grief of such terrible betrayal completely. Unfortunately he had to feel it before he could move on, but Daemir would be there. “I’ll always be here,” he promised the weeping demon passionately, tightening his grip.

And he would be. They may not ever be able to bond the traditional way but that paled in comparison to what they did have. It wouldn’t be easy to get Caliarus to open up to him as his lover needed to but it would be worth it, in the end. And if he didn’t finish his assignment in time it really didn’t matter. There was always the next year.