Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 14

"I love y-you more than a-anything too," I stammered in response, my voice suddenly trembling.

I felt her muscles stiffen for half a second, and then felt her chin leave my head as she looked down at me, seeing that I looked like a devil again, my hair white, my skin dark gray. She then tightened her embrace, turning her head to rest her cheek against my hair, her heart suddenly racing.

"I'm sorry if I scare you," I whispered, knowing she was anxious now, but uncertain as to why.

"You don't scare me, Kai," she replied quietly.

I tried to keep my tone gentle as I responded. "I'm not sure if Gabriella told you, but I sort of have heightened senses. I can smell happiness, sadness, anger, and...anxiety." I sighed. "And I can hear your racing heart," I added softly.

She took a deep breath, only to lift her head again, her embrace still firm. "I'm not afraid of you," she repeated with more confidence. "Here, look up at me Kai. I'll prove it."

I hesitated, before slowly complying, tilting my head up so that my chin was resting in the middle of her chest, uncertain if she was prepared to see that the whites of my eyes were pitch-black now, my irises a glowing gold -- the same eyes that Gabriella found mesmerizing to look at.

Carefully I met Serenity's gaze while she kept her arms wrapped around me.

Her heart rate spiked again when we made eye contact, her pupils visibly dilating a little, the deep chocolate brown of her irises growing thinner. Part of me wanted to look away, becoming anxious about her reaction, but I felt like she was determined to make a point.

So I let her.

But her pulse was visible in her neck now, her usually pale cheeks flushing as she continued to hold my gaze, her full lips parting slightly as her breathing became more shallow. Suddenly, it felt like there was no one else in the world, other than me and her.

It almost reminded me of Gabriella's reaction when she held my gaze on the couch that first night, which had prompted me to close my eyes before I felt like my girlfriend was going to uncontrollably kiss...

My older friend leaned down faster than I anticipated, causing my muscles to lock up in response, shocked when her lips suddenly met mine.

Instantly, my thoughts vanished from my mind as my body began reacting, my knees slipping between hers as I pulled her forward, forcing her to sit down in my lap, straddling my thighs.

My tongue slipped into her mouth as I again wrapped my arms firmly around her thin waist, relieved when her tongue seemed to just as eagerly meet mine. My cock quickly became hard as a rock, the gym shorts I was wearing doing almost nothing to stop it from pressing into her ass, feeling even more encouraged by me noticing the strengthening scent of her arousal.

However, almost just as fast as it started, she abruptly broke the kiss and turned her head, causing me to freeze solid, my mouth pressed against her slim jaw.

She was breathing heavily, like she'd run a marathon, seeming to struggle to catch it.

And now I felt guilty as hell, even more so when I smelt some guilt coming from her too.

"I'm sorry," I whispered against her skin, sincere remorse in my tone, even though I wasn't able to separate my lips from her. Even though my cock was throbbing against her tight butt.

She just barely shook her head, sucking in a long deep breath. "Kai..." She paused. "I love you so much, but we can't..." Her voice trailed off.

And my heart sank.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, unable to let her go, though she wasn't trying to escape anyway. At least, not yet. However, my cock still throbbed nevertheless, the guilt seeming to make it even harder, rather than having the opposite effect.

When she didn't say anything, I spoke up again, suddenly feeling desperate to know it wasn't just me. That I wasn't the only one with these feelings, with the kiss we'd just shared not feeling like enough proof.

"How long?" I whispered. "How long have you felt this way about me?"

Her guilt only intensified. "Kai, I'm your... I mean, I don't..." She hesitated, seeming to really struggle to explain why she was against us being together. "I can't..." Her voice trailed off.

Of course, if she just didn't like me in that way, then she didn't need an excuse. But I had no way of knowing if it was her way of letting me down gently, or if she truly was interested, and just felt like it wouldn't be appropriate.

Either way, her rejection still made my heart sink even more, my thoughts grasping for anything now. "What about those silk pajamas?" I asked desperately. "The purple ones. Why did you buy those? And when?" I wondered.

She shook her head, prompting me to bury my face against her neck.

"Why did you get them?" I repeated. "Please tell me," I begged. "Please be honest."

She sucked in a shaky breath. "I got them a couple of weeks ago..." She sighed. "Because I thought you might like them." She shook her head again, her tone suddenly urgent. "But I was never going to wear them. By the time they got here, I felt miserable for even getting them, and..." Her voice trailed off again.

"I don't remember any packages coming," I replied quietly.

Her body stiffened in my arms. "I bought them when I got your birthday present," she admitted softly, seeming reluctant to admit that they might have been a part of my present for my eighteenth birthday. "Had everything sent to work. And of course, I didn't want you to find out what I got you, so I was careful when I brought everything home."

"Well, I liked them," I admitted, feeling a little more bold. "When I saw Gabriella in them, I really wished it was you wearing them."

"Shit," she hissed. "Gabriella." She shook her head again. "Kai, we can't. I need to get up."

I would have loosened my grip on her if she'd made any effort to actually rise to her feet, but she didn't. I wasn't sure if she was waiting on me, like I was waiting on her, or what. But, for now, I was content to hold her in my lap.

"I love you," I repeated quietly. "More than anything," I added for emphasis.

Her heart started racing again, guilt tainting her scent, as she took a few controlled breaths. When she spoke up, her voice was almost inaudible. "I'll ask Nick to go home," she whispered. "And then later we'll talk," she promised, only to sigh heavily. "But right now, I need to get up."

I nodded somberly, loosening my grip on her, almost relieved when she didn't try to jump off right away. Instead, even as my arms dropped to my sides, she gave my head another tight squeeze, before slowly rising to her feet, her legs shaky.

Her entire composure suddenly made me feel like she was being very intentional about not making it seem like she was rejecting me. Even more so, when she leaned against the table for a second, only to focus on the large crack down the middle of the wood, before leaning forward to kiss me on the forehead.

She then gave me a reassuring smile and moved to sit down in the chair across from me.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, all my brazenness -- what little I had -- vanishing, now that she was sitting further away.

She shook her head, leaning her cheek into her hand, her elbow on the table, as she focused toward the front windows in the kitchen.

I spoke again, desperate to not let an awkward silence fall over us. "Can I get you anything to eat? I sort of made enough to feed a small army. There's pineapple, oranges, and cottage cheese, or you could have pancakes. Or eggs, if you want."

She gave me a small smile. "Fruit sounds nice," she agreed, only to look away abruptly when I got up, her face flushed at the sight of my still-hard cock.

In my haste to get breakfast for her, I'd sort of forgotten.

Although the distraction helped me cool off a little, and by the time I had cottage cheese and fruit in a bowl, my semi-hard cock was much less noticeable. I then went ahead and grabbed a couple of pancakes, along with some more eggs, to have something to poke at while she ate.

When I sat back down, she seemed more relaxed.

"So how did you sleep?" she asked casually, likewise seeming to want to try to dispel the lingering awkwardness.

I scoffed, keeping my eyes on my food. "I didn't sleep."

She abruptly looked at me in concern. "You didn't sleep?" she repeated. "Are you going to be okay? I'm up now for the day, so you can get some rest if you need to."

I shrugged. "I probably will in a little while. I just couldn't stop myself from keeping an eye out for danger all night, even though I know things are probably safe now." I sighed, glancing up at her. "I'll probably end up staying awake tonight too. Or at least sleeping downstairs on the couch so that I'm closer to the front and back doors."

She frowned. "Is it also because of Nick?" she asked quietly. "Are you going to wait until he leaves before you go to sleep?"

I glanced away as I thought about that, a little shocked that she'd called him 'Nick' twice now, instead of Nicholas.

"I don't know," I admitted, my tone becoming more hesitant. "He said he was going to drop the case. But he does like you," I added quietly. "Said so when I accused him of being involved in everything that happened last night."

Serenity took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Kai, I realize now that it kind of looks like I brought him home for a date, but I just met the guy." She lowered her voice, as if she was afraid he'd overhear from the living room. "I just kind of wanted to know how much he knew about the case."

My eyes widened slightly. "Did you know it was me?" I asked seriously, recalling what Gabriella had considered previously, regarding reasons why Serenity might have brought Nick over.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I guess I just wondered deep down if you might be involved, especially since the three original cases were all ones that I'd told you about. Not to mention that Gabriella had all those weird questions when I brought her home, like questions about your diet and such. Like, who seriously asks if someone eats potatoes? And not casually, but more like, 'Are they against it like I'm against eating meat?'"

I nodded, not really surprised in hindsight that she'd noticed that.

Serenity sighed. "But I suppose I was kind of in denial at the same time, figuring that having Nick meet you would ensure there was no suspicion when he saw that you were just a normal guy." She grimaced, focusing on me more intently. "But I really messed up. When he started talking about the other case, that no one knew was related, things just lined up so perfectly, and suddenly all I could think about was how depressed you got when you were nine." She shook her head again. "I barely kept it together when it hit me. And I was even more distressed when I realized you fit his target age group perfectly. But then there was that crazy description, and I wasn't sure what to think, because you obviously don't look like that."

"Normally," I agreed quietly.

She gave me a weak smile, sighing again. "I'm sorry. I was trying to help, though now I'm not even sure what my goal was. Maybe I was just trying to prove to myself that it couldn't be you, hoping the evidence was leading Nick to some middle-aged guy or something, not you..." She grimaced.

"I'm sorry," I repeated. "I'll try not to get involved again. It's just hard knowing that someone's going to die, and I could stop it."

She shook her head. "I'm thankful you saved Gabriella," she admitted. She then gave me a warm look. "And thankful that you saved me too," she added, her tone more meaningful. She glanced away. "And I realize killing was your only option. Especially if you caught them in the act. I don't blame you for any of that, even if the law might not see it the same way."

I tried to lighten the tone. "Well, that's good. Would be awkward if my own best friend turned me in."

She smirked a little, knowing from my playful tone that I was teasing, but also almost seeming to like that I'd referred to her as my 'best friend' even though she should know she was quite literally my only friend.

Her grin then widened, her own tone becoming a little haughty. "I don't know. Still could. Might hold it over your head for a while to make you do what I want," she added, a mischievous look in her eye.

Instantly, my body shifted, causing her to jerk back in her seat in alarm from the abrupt change.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry." She then frowned. "Kai..." She paused, her brow furrowed. "I didn't mean it like that..." she said hesitantly, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as it looked like she started second-guessing what my assumption was.

But she was correct.

I wasn't trying to take it in a perverted manner, but I did, nonetheless.

I stared at my partially eaten pancakes as I replied. "It's fine," I whispered, my tone becoming a bit too serious. "And besides, I already pretty much do what you want anyway, so nothing different there." Which was objectively true, and had been for a long time now.

Serenity swallowed audibly, trying to clear her throat as she changed subjects. "S-So, I'm not sure how to ask this, but I was kind of wondering about the blood situation."

I ducked my head, feeling ashamed all over again.

"Hey," she said gently, reaching her hand out toward me on the table. "I still love you, no matter what. I just want to know. I had no idea you needed it."

"I don't usually," I admitted quietly, unable to meet her gaze. "Yesterday morning was the first time I'd ever felt the urge. First time I'd ever really gotten hurt either."

Serenity immediately straightened in her seat, withdrawing her hand. "Wait, what?" she said in alarm. "Yesterday morning? Not last night? Or the previous night?"

I finally glanced up at her. "The guy who kidnapped Gabriella had an accomplice. He came looking for her in the morning after you left for work. Dressed like a cop. Might really have been a cop too. I was the one who killed the deer, to hide his blood."

She abruptly leaned forward, resting her forehead in her hands while staring down at the table. "Oh shit, Kai. I had no idea." She shook her head against her hands. "Shit." She shook her head a second time. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Sorry," I whispered. "But there was nothing else I could do. He flat out told Gabriella he was going to 'finish the job' after handcuffing her, and he shot me when I tried to stop him."

Her deep brown gaze snapped up to meet mine. "He shot you?" she repeated in bewilderment. "And you're okay?"

I cringed. "After I drank some of his blood." Honestly, I was surprised she'd even ask, considering what happened last night, but maybe the memory was hazy for her or something.

"Oh, Kai. I'm so sorry," she said gently. "I feel horrible, because I had no idea about any of this." Her tone abruptly became more serious as she dropped her hands and leaned forward. "Does Nick know about that one? What did you do with the body? And did he have a car? What did you do with that?"

I sighed, knowing she was now thinking about me getting caught. "I hid the body in one location, far away from here, deep in the woods. And I drove the car into a pond. Buried the license plate, though I'm not sure if that helps anything."

She frowned. "Since we have company over, I don't think now is a good time to go into further details, but later I'm going to need you to elaborate. And what about the guy from last night?" she added.

"Flew him out of the city and buried him. And he had some Rubbing Alcohol at the warehouse, so I made sure I got rid of my fingerprints on the car. Also burned the area where I bled, but I don't think anyone will find that anytime soon anyway."

Her chocolate eyes were suddenly wide as saucers. "F-Flew?" she repeated.

"Oh, umm, yeah. That's sort of how I killed the guy from last night too. With my wing. Didn't you see?"

"I'm not sure what I saw, Kai," she admitted. "I couldn't really turn my head, so half of what happened was in my peripheral vision."

"Oh, well, I can sort of grow wings too," I said cautiously, trying to gauge her shocked reaction. "Do you want to see them?" I wondered.

She seemed stunned. "I mean, yeah, of course."

I nodded, my skin turning dark gray as I grabbed my shirt in the back to start lifting it up. Her gaze was completely on my shoulder in anticipation, not at all seeming drawn to my abs like Gabriella had been, likely since she'd seen me without a shirt many times before, her eyes visibly widening in shock as she watched the bat-like appendages form and open up around us, with one higher than the other due to the table.

"Kai," she said in disbelief, reaching out without hesitation to feel one. "How long have you been able to do this? And have you always been like this?"

"As far as I know," I replied, answering her second question. "And I think I first grew my wings when I was around eleven or twelve. I don't actually remember the exact date, but my back was itching a lot and every night it felt like the moon was calling to me, and..." I paused when she gave me a confused look. "I always feel like that for a couple of days before and after the full moon, but this was different." I glanced at my left wing. "So I snuck out of the house one night and my instincts just kind of kicked in. Growing them out felt like I was scratching the itch."

She nodded slowly, still feeling the membrane. "I'm really sorry," she repeated, only to give me an apologetic expression, her eyes glistening slightly. "I just keep thinking about the morning you started being so depressed. I'm not sure if you remember, but we had a sleepover, and the two of us stayed up late that night, because we were playing a game together, and when my mom told us to go to bed, you seemed really sad, so I promised we could continue it first thing in the morning." She paused to reach up and wipe her eyes. "And then you didn't want to play at all, and I just kept wondering if I'd done something wrong. If it was somehow my fault."

"What?" I whispered. "Of course not, Ren. Why would it even be your fault?" I asked seriously.

She shook her head, sniffling. "I don't know. I was fourteen and kind of moody myself sometimes. But you just never got like that. Never. And I assumed I must have done something. I had no idea what, but felt like it was my fault somehow."

I sighed heavily, still keeping my wings out. "Sorry," I said gently. "I just...I just didn't know how to handle what I experienced. And I felt like I couldn't tell anyone." I paused when she nodded, more tears slipping out of her eyes. "But you helped a lot," I reassured her. "You and your mom both. And of course my mom too. I couldn't have gotten through it without all of you. And I definitely couldn't have gotten through losing mom and dad without you," I added quietly.

She sniffled, giving me a small reassuring smile, not responding this time as she tried to collect herself. After a second, she returned her focus to my dark gray wing, reaching out to feel the membrane again.

Oddly enough, whereas usually I didn't like having them out unless I was going to fly, instead I was more than comfortable to have them out in her presence. There was almost something cathartic about it, being completely exposed to her -- finally, after all this time -- and having her acceptance.

"Thank you," I said quietly after a few seconds.

She looked at me in surprise. "For what?" she wondered in confusion.

I decided to be blunt. "For accepting me. And for loving me."

Her eyes pained briefly as she nodded, returning her focus to my wing as guilt tainted her scent again.

"It means a lot," I added softly. "You're everything to me. So please don't feel guilty. You've been my friend when I needed a friend, and helped fill the role of our parents when we were left all alone."