Hedgesville, West Virginia

Caspian Residence

Monday, August 26, 1996

5:03 PM

Still curled up under a blanket on the sofa, Jennie was focused on a comic book that Rachael had fetched for her from the younger girl’s bedroom. Reading through the graphic novel, she tried to smile at the situations inside the story, but couldn’t find it inside her to get her face to conform to her wishes.

It seemed that nothing could make her break the inhuman mood she was suffering. Slowly, she closed the book and put it down on her lap while staring straight ahead to the television set that was turned off. All she could see was her own reflection that was hiding underneath the cover.

“Feeling better?”

Peeking up over the blanket, Jennie found Reiyl walking into the room. She had heard the commotion from earlier, but the cat demon didn’t appear any worse for wear. Instead, he seemed pretty happy with himself.

“I’m okay,” she answered, slipping the covers off her while twisting around on the couch to get a better look at the demon. Getting a hold of the back of the sofa, she pulled herself around and lifted up. She eyed him for a moment then smiled. “How about you?”

“Me?” he asked with a raise of his eyebrows. He tilted his head to the side as his long hair fell over his shoulders and down his chest. “I’m fine.”

“He didn’t hurt you too much?” Jennie inquired with an innocent look.

“Rem?” Reiyl mumbled.

“Yeah,” Jennie said. “It sounded like it was a pretty bad fight.”

“Sort of,” Reiyl whispered. “But I’ve gone through worse. Did Nick say why we were fighting?”

Jennie only nodded as she ducked her head down while slipping the blanket over her head, hiding again. Once more she was a huddled mass.

“Rem doesn’t want me to be the Seraph anymore,” she said, “so he tried to kill me.”

“Not sure it’s that easy,” Reiyl said quietly as he walked around the couch and flopped down beside her, “but I stopped him.”

“For now,” Jennie said, drawing up further. She bit at her bottom lip while her face scrunched up at the memories of the yelling. Abruptly she flinched when she saw orange eyes peering at her.

“Don’t have confidence in me?” he asked.

“No,” she whispered, but then her eyes widened. “Yes! I mean, I have confidence in you.”

Reiyl cracked a smile. “I understood the first time.”

Drawing up a thumb to her mouth, she chewed at her nail while eyeing him. Her lips trembled underneath her hand while her eyes began to water and burn. The boy staring at her held such warmth and admiration for her in a single smile.

“Oi,” Reiyl exclaimed with his eyes filling with concern while his hands stretched out to her, “there’s no point in crying about this.”

“But,” Jennie choked out while the tears only seemed to worsen with his words.

“Kuso,” Reiyl cursed to himself as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her covered form against him. “Please, Jennie, don’t cry about it. About him…”

“I don’t understand what I ever did,” she cried out.

“Nothing,” he replied, drawing the blanket from her head. He stared down at her head as she glanced up at him with miserable eyes. “You did nothing. Rem just can’t handle all the stress on him.”

Cupping the side of her face with his hands, Reiyl smiled at her and leaned his head down. With his face near hers, Jennie held her breath. Again she could feel the bubbling warmth start to grow in her belly.

“Things will get better,” he whispered, “and then you’ll get better.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Hai.” he replied. Finally he drew back, rustling her hair playfully. “And you’ll always have me beside you.”

A smile slowly formed on her lips as she watched the cat demon as he began to search for the television remote. She couldn’t help but feel comfortable around him. Gradually, she extended her hand out, touching her fingertips lightly against Reiyl’s leg.

Pausing in his search, he looked back at her. “Something wrong?”

Shaking her head back and forth wildly, she tried to cover herself back up inside her blanket, but was stopped by Reiyl quickly. He stared at her with a stern glare.

“What’s wrong?” he questioned.

“Always?” she asked with her cheeks burning a hot red.

A chuckle escaped him as he nodded. “Always.”

Jennie watched again go back to looking for the remote. Her eyes saddened. Until the day you have to go back to your village. It’s not going to be always.