The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Kaia sat alone in the gazebo staring out over the lake. She still wore the sunglasses to shade her eyes from the full strength of the sun but had dispensed with the oversized hat that was always in the way. She sighed as she thought back to the way Gabriel had just stood up and left the kitchen without another word to her. She didn't know anything about men and couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. Both Cassiel and Marie had told her it wasn't her, it was Gabriel, but it didn't put aside her fears. It didn't help that when she told Cassiel what they had been talking about he started to laugh so hard tears rolled down his face. 

The fact she'd told Winston they were talking about making love, left the hybrid unable to breathe. She still didn't understand what was so funny. In her forest home if animals wanted to mate they just did. As for her year watching Heracles, he rutted with anything that would open its legs for him, male or female. Hearing how Cassiel spoke about women she assumed all men were highly sexed and open about it. 

Marie had been of more help than Cassiel. She had explained to the confused hind that some men were very reserved and far less open about their feelings and amorous activities as she'd put it. 

She was finding that she much preferred her life as a hind than as a woman. Animals were so easy, they didn't have all these complexities. They needed food, water, shelter and to procreate. Some were pack animals, some solitary, but that was as complex as it got in the animal world. This world of creatures was too confusing. Even trying to equate it to the animal world didn't help as all these creatures had such complex emotions. Kaia was giving serious thought to just disappearing to this Hidden Isle Rouge and Duncan spoke of and living as a hind in the woods. Duncan had said there was a small herd of deer on the island. Maybe they would accept her as one of them. Although she had a horrible feeling the wolf pack sometimes hunted them from the uncomfortable way he'd reacted to her delight at the idea. Maybe they wouldn't, with her there to protect the herd.

Hearing a noise behind her Kaia's head snapped round to see a tall dark-skinned creature approaching her. As she drew closer Kaia was shocked at her appearance. She was easily as tall as Cassiel, with deep ebony-coloured skin that appeared to glitter in the sun like she was covered in millions of tiny flecks of gold. Her large black eyes were fixed on the lone doe as her large muscular legs that bent back at the knee and ended with huge golden hooves instead of feet strode quickly towards her. Whatever kind of creature she was terrifyingly beautiful, with masses of black glossy ringlets bouncing around her face that appeared to have been dipped in liquid gold that gleamed in the sun. When the demoness reached the gazebo, Kaia could see she had small golden horns protruding from her forehead, not unlike her own in human form. 

Folding her arms and leaning against the door frame the demon looked Kaia up and down, her lip curling to reveal small pointed teeth and a pair of fangs. Golden clawed fingers smoothed non-existent wrinkles from the skin-tight red leather mini dress the creature wore. 

"Are you looking for the Angelus brothers?"  

"No." Purred the demoness in response, her long thin, gold-tipped tail twitching in agitation behind her. "I was looking for the creature that's been claiming so much of my Cassiel's time." 

"You must be his friend, Dita. He's spoken of you." 

Winston had been about to cross the lawn to see if Kaia needed anything when he spotted Dita leaning in the gazebo doorway. Shaking his head he turned quickly and headed back to the house. He would never understand why the young Master insisted on playing such dangerous games with that demon. He walked as quickly as he could to the youngest Angelus' room. Knocking he didn't wait for a response before opening the door and heading in. Cassiel was still in bed and just waking as the dwarf hurriedly tugged open the green velvet curtains and moved towards the wardrobe.