Stolen Innocence

14

Kayden woke up with a terrible ache in his head. He let out a small gasp of pain and clutched his head, vision blurred as he opened his eyes before it the room came into focus.

Simon was nowhere to be seen on the bed, but upon further investigation, Kayden found the demon in a makeshift bed on the floor, and Kayden felt his heart warm over the fact that Simon was willing to give up being comfortable in order to make him feel safe and not violated.

He didn't remember much about the night before, other than the drink and some small details like going to the beach and then crying.

Kayden slid out of bed and shuddered when he realized he wasn't wearing anything but underwear, the cold air in the room nipping at exposed skin.

Rummaging through Simon's suitcase, Kayden pulled out one of his sweatshirts and his own pair of shorts. He'd use his own jacket, but he didn't bring one because he didn't think California would be as cold as it apparently was in February.

Not wishing to wake Simon, Kayden stepped over the sleeping demon and ventured out into the hall, looking for water and medicine. He found Indigo in the kitchen, working on breakfast, though he limped when he was walking around.

"Are you okay?" Kayden asked, blinking furiously due to the bright light of the kitchen. "I can't tell if you're limping or it's just the throbbing of my brain."

Indigo cringed, pouring a glass of water for Kayden and handing it to the human, who sat at the bar.

"I got in a little trouble for getting you... tipsy," Indigo admitted, limping as he went back to preparing bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

Kayden drank the ice water and felt himself relax as the cool substance ran down his parched throat. "Tipsy? I can't remember most of last night after the drink, so tipsy might be an understatement," he said, but he felt himself smiling anyway because he felt that Indigo was the kind of person to get into trouble and Kayden loved his stealthiness and mischief.

"Okay, you were way too drunk for a human," Indigo admitted, smirking at the memory before his face fell and he huffed. "My ass paid the price."

"Did he... hit you?" Kayden asked, his eyes wide in horror as Indigo's own expression shifted to shock.

Indigo shook his head. "Not in a way I didn't want! It's just our relationship and it's all consensual," he said, struggling to explain because it was very clear that Kayden was not picking up on what he was saying.

"You... like when he hits you?"

"Yeah... kind of... I don't know how to explain this without you being uncomfortable," Indigo said, flipping a pancake and his bacon, sizzling and delicious aromas filling the room.

Kayden sighed. "Just say it," he demanded, finishing off the water and thanking Indigo as he hobbled over to refill it. "I promise I won't judge or show if I'm uncomfortable."

Indigo raised an eyebrow, not buying it but choosing to explain it anyway. "Fine. So, Darius is, well, he's my Master. I live with him and he gives me protection and cares for me as long as I obey his rules and basically let him have control over me. I used to want to leave, and it's an option for me if I want to, but when I got closer to Darius I learned he was trying to protect me, I learned that my heart is here and I feel safe with him."

Kayden hummed and waved his hand, gesturing for Indigo to go on.

"While I live with him, I am responsible for obeying and following every rule my Master sets before me, whether it's a set in stone one or a request he decides to ask of me in the morning and expects me to follow that won't be part of the normal rules I follow," he said, pausing once again so Kayden could process. "When I, or one of the other supernaturals, breaks a rule, we've all given him the consent to punish us. Some of the supernaturals have strict limits and don't like certain punishment, but most of them consist of physical punishments, such as spanking."