As he assumed, Frost’s sudden appearance with a woman drew attention and started whispers. The few shop keeps bold enough to ask were given the simplest explanation possible. Presia was sent as his betrothed to fulfill a promise made by his family when he was a child, they had not seen each other since they were children and were to be wed once they reacquainted themselves. Gossip would take care of the rest and both Frost and Presia imagined the story would become far more interesting by the time it reached their ears again.
“You have done more than enough.” Presia insisted on an end to the generous outing. “I can create these things on my own.”
“This is just as much for me.” Frost offered his arm after settling another bill and arranging delivery. “I should make an effort to learn about you if we’ll be spending time together.”
“I won’t be any trouble.” Presia smiled and took his arm. “There isn’t much to learn, but what would you like to know?”
“So many things.” Frost shook his head. Most of what he wanted to ask would be better left until they were not wandering around humans, but the thought made another question come to mind. “First, why hasn’t anyone noticed your eyes?”
“It’s easier for them not to.” Presia sighed. “They assume you are human. You told them we are affianced; their minds assume I am also human. Just as you have yet to notice my ears because the first of my kind you met were more like you. You assume all demons are.”
“Ears?” Frost slid her hair behind her ear as they walked and smiled at the slightly elongated cartilage that came to a delicate pointed edge. “Very pretty.”
“Thank you.” Presia smiled.
“I hope you aren’t bothered by this.” Frost laid his fingers over hers on his arm and spoke quietly. “I am what I am, though. I need to feed.”
“By all means.” Presia shivered not from the thought of his feeding but the feel of his fingers on her skin. Even if they had been warm she would have trembled. When she looked at him and met with his eyes again her own skin went cold. “I’ll stay out of the way.”
“Not too far.” Frost squeezed her hand gently. “I don’t need much room.”
Frost stalked a victim quickly and led Presia along to a quiet spot to pounce on it. True to his word he left her only a few paces away to grab the man and snap his neck to ensure there would be nothing to attract attention. Presia watched the vampire with a sense of wonder. He was quick and neat about his feeding and after he filled his veins he covered his tracks. Using the man’s own knife to make several wounds in the neck and emptying the pockets to fill his own. As he was finishing his practiced routine Presia came up beside him and he looked up at her and smiled.
“Okay with that?” Frost asked as he stood.
“I am.” Presia reached up and touched the side of his face. “You are warm now.”
“It doesn’t last long.” Frost smiled. “Hungry?”
“Not particularly.” Presia laughed. “It isn’t a need for me.”
“Home then.” Frost took her hand with the intention of kissing it and offering to walk her there, but Presia used the moment he closed his eyes to take the two of them into his sitting room. He looked up and laughed. “That saves time.”
“I should have asked.” Presia started to sit on the floor as Frost claimed his chair.
“This isn’t going to work.” Frost stood again and offered his hand. “We’ll sit together.”
“You don’t have to be so considerate.” Presia let him pull her to her feet and steady her with an arm behind her back. There was a feeling of belonging in his embrace that made her lose her train of thought and she just looked into his eyes.
“I don’t have to be inconsiderate either. We’ll find somewhere more comfortable to talk.” Frost gestured for the door and kept his hand at her back as he led her through his home to a cozy room with couch. “This should do.”“Thank you, Lord Frost.” Presia sat and waited for him to take a place beside her. As he did she leaned back to keep a sudden vision from causing her to slip from the couch.
…
In her lonely desert, engulfed in flames reaching once more toward the bright eyes of the one who reached for her from a cliff of ice. Now a more familiar figure appeared beside him with a grin she was well acquainted with. Lucifer raised his hand and brightened the crimson light of the stars before he grabbed the would-be hero by his wrist and aided him with an extended reach.
Presia watched her beastly hand become her own as her rescuer came closer and the flickering shadows left his face.
“Frost…” Presia whispered as their fingers met.
The fury of the fire around her calmed and cooled as the flames became the wings on her back. Nei laced his fingers through hers and smiled.
“Presia.” His voice seemed far away as he spoke and Presia was distracted by the grin of the Dark Lord that set him to his feet and waited behind him.
“Presia…”
…
“Presia…” Frost held her face as he called out to her. The collapse had been sudden and the only thing she had spoken was his name. “Wake up, Presia.”
“Frost…” Presia blinked open her eyes. She realized her sudden augury was somewhat of a shock and quickly sat up to alleviate his worry. “Lord Frost, forgive me. I have visions.”
“Dreams?” Frost had kneeled close beside her in a panic and now sat back on his feet with other thoughts buzzing through his mind. “That involve me? You spoke my name.”
“I suppose I did.” Presia smiled at him. “Nothing to be concerned over. Probably my mind giving a name to a face it has been wanting to see.”
“Wanting?” Frost pushed back his hair and leaned on his hand as he waited for an answer. “A recurring dream?”
“Sort of.” Presia nodded. “It has changed recently.”
“They do that.” Frost smiled at her when she turned in shock at his understanding. “Your eyes are like the sky in winter.”
“More like ash.” Presia looked away.
“Ash then. It hardly matters. I think they are pretty.” Frost nudged her chin with his finger until she returned her gaze to his. “Just like the eyes I’ve been watching in dreams all my life through a wall of fire.”
“Then my thoughts reached you.” Presia felt tears run down her face. “I had no name to call out to. Just hope that there was truth in destiny.”
“Fate?” Frost sighed and wiped her tears. “While I’m flattered, I’m disappointed on your behalf. I don’t have much to offer.”
“I don’t have much to ask.” Presia held Frost’s hand against her face. “I only ask you let me stay close and allow me this warmth.”
“My hands aren’t all that warm, you pretty thing.” Frost pushed back her hair and kissed her cheek. “But of course, you can stay.”
“You had questions.” Presia closed her eyes and let further tears escape her eyes in relief.
“I’m sure you have some of your own.” Frost wrapped an arm behind her and pulled her close as he settled onto the couch. “No more tears. We’ll try and do this fairly. You know nothing about me either.”
“With my thoughts, I willed you a gift.” Presia rested her head against his shoulder. “A chaos to balance my own.”
“This magic?” Frost called a small swell of water into his hand and forced it into the form of a newly blooming rose before he froze it and tapped her nose. The flower of ice burst into a dust of snowflakes and Presia smiled up at him. “It is an impressive gift. One I can never hope to return in kind.”
“That you’ve learned to control it so well is gift enough.” Presia was more than impressed that he not only heard her near silent pleas, but grabbed hold of the subtle stream of chaos that carried them. To have learned to use it so well was amazing. “Your turn.”
“Lucifer called you by so many names.” Frost brushed the melting flakes from her lap as he tried to remember the ones that made him curious. “Esper, Siren. Are they titles for your kind?”
“Sirens are a young breed who have a similar skill, Espers are just gifted with sight. It’s a skill more than a title.” Presia continued carefully. “One of the reasons I was of concern to Lucifer was because he thought it would be amusing to give me the favorable aspects of so many creatures. He quickly realized it was a mistake when I figured out I could control them all.”
“I imagine he was more sore that you rejected him.” Frost smirked.
“I doubt that.” Presia took Frost’s hand to explain. “I think his advance was made to test the power of his own experiment. Lucifer never had interest in me. At least not in that respect.”
“He claimed as much.” Frost still doubted the sincerity of the claim. Presia was beautiful and from what he had been told powerful. Why lock her away if there was no intent to keep her. “I still don’t understand his willingness to use you as payment.”
“It may not be as malicious as you think.” Presia tried to make sense of Lucifer’s appearance in the vision and could only assume it was his doing. If anyone had the power to invade her gift to point out how great he was it would be Lucifer. He had done as he always said he would and found her starlight. “He knew of my visions. His play for your loyalty may have been the excuse to bring you to me.”
“I’ll have to rely on your insight.” Frost tugged at the tiny lock on the chain around her throat gently. “I know absolutely nothing about demons.”
“We’re as individual as anyone from any other race.” Presia blinked at him. “I should apologize for the way I greeted your arrival. I don’t dislike your kind, I’ve never known any personally.”
“Half-breed, right?” Frost laughed. “I am not familiar enough with the term to be insulted.”
“I only know it from the others.” Presia admitted. “Those close to Lucifer who find one of his favorites distasteful.”
“He has a favorite vampire?” Frost ran his fingers through the hair that had fallen over her shoulder. Soft dark brown hair highlighted with strands of red. “That’s sort of comforting. Though if it is Maefyl, the comfort is somewhat bittersweet.”
“He is the child of Lucifer’s bride.” Presia explained. “But he is also a friend to Lucifer.”
“Interesting family.” Frost pulled her into both arms and smiled. “I’m more interested in you. You’re the one who will be living here. You clearly dream. How often do you need sleep?”
“Much like food, it is not a need.” Presia let herself fall against him as he pulled her close. She could see he was testing his boundaries, but she knew enough of his kind to know there was no threat and no hope of intimacy regardless of how close destiny brought them. “I do enjoy the rest and it keep visions from becoming disruptive.”
“I give myself a few hours a night.” Frost held Presia a little tighter. “For the sake of decency. I can put that off until we get a second bed for you.”
“Is this embrace indecent?” Presia clutched his shirt as she pushed up to look at him.
“No.” Frost looked at her puzzled by the question.
“Then we can share a bed.” Presia suggested a greater trust between them. “And this embrace as we sleep.”
“We can try that.” Frost lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. They were both quiet for the short journey and remained that way as he sat her on the bed and stripped to his pants as he walked to the other side. Once he climbed under the sheets Frost sat there watched Presia change her clothes; not for an easy glance which she didn’t give him, but with fascination for the magic that altered her attire. Frost tried to keep himself from staring at the long hair that fell over her bare arms and back, but only managed to find himself tracing the line of her through the thin black dress that fell to her ankles. As she turned to face him he looked up to her smile and laughed a bit. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”
“As I recall, I’ve been given to you.” Presia stepped to edge of the bed and gathered her hair over one shoulder before she sat, gracefully pulling her legs onto the bed in front of her. “You can stare all you like.”
“Do you truly believe this is fate?” Frost rearranged some pillows and leaned back into them. “The two of us?”
“It no longer matters, my Lord.” Presia looked back at him. It was unmistakable for her. “It was already decided. I belong to you.”
“Rotten luck for you.” Frost laughed and opened his arm to invite her closer. When he noticed the flush in her face he sighed. “I can put a shirt back on.”
“No.” Presia slid up the bed and situated her feet under the blankets before she moved closer. She stretched out her fingers to touch him and paused. “Can I?”
“I won’t bite.” Frost took her hand and laid it against his chest as he put his other arm around her to pull her beside him. He had never been one to enjoy the company of others, never desired the constant presence of a companion, but looking into the grey skies of soul, the ash burned into the strange demon eyes, Frost felt more at peace than he ever had. The warmth of her back against his arm and her hand against his chest felt like the sun, it was as if Presia herself was the fire he had seen in his dreams. “Is this okay?”
Presia nodded.
“Get some sleep.” Frost kissed her forehead and smiled as he pulled her close. Presia responded to the suggestion as if it were an order and fell against him peacefully. Frost pulled the blanket up to cover them and held her as he joined her in slumber.
Tsuriai 