The Fire in the Monster

Slow Burn

Damien didn't sleep that night. He rested, waiting for Sam's thoughts to come back. It was a little after 3 in the morning, when he heard them. Sam was on the roof.

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Sam swallowed half his beer in one gulp, feeling the cool liquid soothe the raw clawing in his throat. He had roared himself hoarse. The anger, the pain, had been too much to handle. He had burned a path through the forest, mowing down trees and anything else that couldn't move out of the way. He was covered in small cuts he couldn't be bothered to heal, where branches and and roots had tugged his skin. He had fed on his rage and burned it out of him. Now it settled in his belly, a slow burn that no longer threatened to erupt at any moment. He saw two hands reach over the side of the roof, followed by the head and torso of his youngest brother. Damien said nothing and lay down next to Sam, leaving the six pack to sit between them.

Damien opened one and took a drink. "She told me to tell you everything you wanted to know." They lay in silence for awhile, Damien waiting for Sam to decide what he wanted to ask.

"How long?"

"Since the wedding."

Sam looked over at him. "What the fuck?!? Why the hell would a guy never lay his hands on a woman and then start that shit right after the wedding?"

Damien shrugged. "He's been controlling and mean spirited for awhile now. But it wasn't just right after the wedding, it was after the demon war. It was after she came back to him, but in YOUR arms."

Sam smirked. "Well, he should have had the balls to go get her then."

Damien gave a small chuckle. "I don't disagree with that."

Damien paused and blushed for a second, debating whether to tell Sam or not. "You wouldn't think to ask this but...she's still a virgin."

Sam was very quiet, as his mind tried to make sense of that statement. "Damien, that's not even possible..."

"I know what you're thinking, so let me explain quickly. I don't like talking about this."

Damien blushed even deeper. He had heard Mika thinking about this at dinner, and she seemed like she wanted Sam to know (for a specific reason that made Damien feel even more flustered.) She'd never ask him, but she had hoped he would tell Sam. This was way out of his comfort zone, but Mika had been through enough. He'd do anything to make her life easier.

"Well, if it's forced it isn't your virginity regardless, but even so, our Father never got that far. He had plans and we interrupted them. He talked about it to her, making it sound horrifying, but you got her out before he could do what he wanted."

"As far as Andrew," Damien continued, happy to be off the subject of the Demon Lord for a moment, "Mika wanted to wait until they were married, and then when they did get married, she had just gotten back from the Demon Plane. She told him she needed time, and he hasn't asked since." Damien shrugged and relaxed onto the roof, glad to have that bit over.

Sam took another drink and was silent for a few minutes. He had so many big questions, and none of them were easy to ask.

"Why did she shut us out?"

Damien paused. "Because she didn't want me to see the truth."

Sam eyed his brother. "That's not what I meant."

"I know." Damien sighed. "Sam, he had her for 3 days and 2 nights. She's not a demon, she's a human. And he was...very angry with us. He vented that on her."

Damien grit his teeth. "She dreams about it sometimes. I saw it earlier when she was passed out."

Sam felt like someone punched him in gut. "But that doesn't answer..."