Half-Bloods R • 2 : Growing Shadows

C • 7 : Songs in Forests, Sirens in Lakes

"What the hell? Vaelan's not back yet, you can't just take away our rest period! I understand that, but we just need more time! No, don't you dare- damn it!" Demi threw down her phone and placed her forehead in her palm.

"You're starting missions soon, aren't you?" Anna asked, her voice ringing sadly.

"I don't get why they can't just wait for Vaelan to come back, do they have something big planned?" Elizabeth asked while Christopher tried to subtly watch her from the corner of the room.

"They didn't say," Demi huffed.

They all stood in silence, the light of dawn peeking in through the windows.

"He hasn't disappeared again has he?" Anna asked.

"No, he's still out there somewhere," Demi hopped on her tiptoes.

I hope you're doing okay, Vaevae.

There was a knock at the door and the quartet went dead silent. The sound of the ticking clock lingered in the air like an annoying sore. They stared at the door.

"Is that him?" Anna asked.

Demi shook her head, confused, "He has a key, why would he knock?"

"To surprise you maybe?" Elizabeth said

Another knock sounded off.

"He's never been much for surprises," she said, glancing back.

Christopher suddenly spoke up, "Maybe someone should just get the door?"

Demi huffed and nodded, walking to and reaching for the doorknob. She turned the handle and opened the door to see Vaelan standing in front of her, his body beaten and heavily bruised. He walked in, appearing half-awake.

"Vaelan!" Demi and Anna rushed to hug him with Anna backing away for a second to speak, "Did you find her?"

Villin walked in, her rosy eyes sharpened, and her long black hair curling down her back. Her tails lashed and Anna simply stared silently at the woman who stared back with quiet eyes. She stood tall, her body only slightly scuffed, whereas Vaelan slunk down, dirtier than dirt.

"What've y'all two been up to?" Demi backed away from Vaelan and brushed away a spot of grime off of Villin's face. Suddenly, a foul smell burned her eyes and throat, "Oh, y'all stink, what the hell have y'all been doing out there, rolling in shit? Go shower"-She patted Vaelan's face-"Y'all reek."

Vaelan groaned, his voice crackling with tiredness, "Villin you can have the main bathroom, I'll go upstairs."

The woman nodded.

The devil twins walked off, each collecting a change of clothes. After a short, mostly dismissive talk with the others, Demi made her way upstairs, grabbed a change of clothes, and joined Vaelan in the shower. She tore open the curtain and saw Vaelan's ragged body glistening in the water, he looked at her, puzzled by her sudden appearance.

"You owe me one, Vaevae," Demi smirked, disrobing and hopping in.

She pressed against him, immediately feeling his four arms wrap around her waist and shoulders. He kissed her, their soft lips pressing together and sending a vibrant warmth through her body.

"We've gotta talk, Vaelan."

They spent three-quarters of an hour cleaning each other's hair and bodies, talking about Anna's most recent behavior, their return to active mission status, and the hunt for Villin. They stepped out, dried off, and changed. Demi placed her grey hair in a ponytail while Vaelan let his mass of dark hair fall.

"How has her training been progressing?" He asked.

Demi grabbed a brush and began removing a large number of tangles from his hair, "I've been keeping her on a strict schedule and regimen, right now I've been working on her mana usage, she's made great progress, but she still has trouble le limiting herself."

"I'll watch a day of you two training, then take over for you, Villin can help too," he said, his left eye twitching when tugged roughly at a large tangle, whispering an apology.

She finished, placing the brush on the counter as Vaelan picked up rampant hairs off the floor and tossed them into the small trashcan next to the toilet. They left the bathroom, flicked off the lights, and walked downstairs to the living room. Elizabeth and Christopher shared the main couch that was situated closest to the balcony, Villin was splayed across the loveseat that faced the center of the room silently staring at the ceiling, and Anna sat at the coffee table in the middle of the room. The second couch to the right of the room, also facing center, was empty. Vaelan and Demi sat, with Demi resting comfortably on his lap.

Elizabeth spoke first, "So Villin, what've you been doing all this time?"

Demi felt Vaelan tense.

Villin remained silent, and Elizabeth struggled to grab her attention.

Vaelan then spoke, prompting Villin's tails to twitch, "You can stop acting like you're above her and talk, you know?"

Villin spoke, "I'm pretty sure a trainee doesn't need to know that just yet." Demi had forgotten just how sultry Villin's deep, monotone voice could be.

"She's a full Chimeric Elite Warmage now, you can talk to her just like you talk to me and Demi," he said.

Villin remained silent for a moment, her eyes tracking something no one else could see, "She'll wait, just like the others."

Vaelan and Villin looked at each other, neither spoke, but Demi knew the two had most likely shared an entire conversation with their blank expressions alone. Vaelan suddenly spoke, "Alright then, get your rest, Sis. We get to report to Darwin tomorrow."

Vaelan picked up Demi as she waved to the others and carried her off to their room. He kicked the door closed behind them and tossed Demi onto the bed, the sheets flying up around her. She smirked as Vaelan climbed onto the sheets beside her.

"Feelin' naughty, love?" Demi squirmed happily, but as Vaelan leaned over her with his handsome grin there was a knock at the door.

Anna stepped, her eyes pointed dimly toward the floor as she gripped her left arm tight, "Hey, can we talk?"

Vaelan huffed and pushed away into a sitting position, while Demi pushed up against the wall, "Sure, what's up?"

"It's Nephilim, he's back, and you'll want to hear this."