Daemons Are Forever

by Suzy Shearer

  When I pulled up, he pulled me to him and kissed me.

  “I’m sorry, babe, I really am.”

  “You can wait in the car. I don’t trust you and this is important to me.”

  “I promise I’ll behave, Ellie, I really will.”

  I looked at him. I had no idea if I could trust him or not, maybe it was a Daemon thing, who knows?

  “I promise.”

  I weakened.

  I know, I know. I should have put my foot down, but hell, he looked so gorgeous and, well, I liked looking at him.

  “Behave!” I hissed. “This is my livelihood.”

  When we walked from the foyer into the showroom, Adrian, the person who I was working with, greeted me.

  “Ellie! Hi, come on through, I thought you’d be here about now. I think you’ll love the way the fabric has turned out.”

  I felt his hand on the small of my back. At least I think it was his and not Dorian’s, as we walked into his office. He directed me to a large workbench with bolts of fabric, then proceeded to unroll a few metres of each. They looked amazing!

  I was so excited. “Adrian, these are fabulous! They are even better than I hoped.”

  They were a set of prints that themed around the seaside, so shells, seaweeds, little fishes, rocks, etc, all on a soft sandy-colour background or soft watery blue and green one. The colours were perfect, blues, yellows, greens and browns. There was a set in lights, another in mediums, and the third in darks. The darks looked great and ranged from dark blue through to a very dark brown.

  “I agree. They look wonderful.” He grinned at me. “So if I give you a bolt of each, can you make up the wall hanging we spoke about?”

  “Yes, it’s all organised.”

  “Will there be enough left to make up the quilts you have designed or will you need more bolts? We’ll show them also and take photographs so we can use them for advertising the range when we sell any patterns you design.”

  “Yes, one bolt of each will be plenty. What about the backing fabrics? What did you end up with for those?”

  He unrolled a few long rolls. These were much wider and would be used as quilt backings or sashings. They were marbles using the sandy colours and the sea colours, plus a couple that complemented the whole design palette.

  “Do you want a roll of each of these?”

  He seemed to be standing rather close to me, but I ignored it and hoped Dorian was not watching. I could see Dorian on the other side of the workbench, but he was looking at each of the fabrics, so I relaxed a little.

  “Perfect, thanks Adrian. Yes, please. I’ll use one for the wall hanging backing and the others will work for sashing and backing on the three quilts.”

  “I’m so happy you like them, I thought you would,” Adrian grinned at me. “I’ll help you take the all the fabrics out to your car.”

  “Thanks Adrian.”

  I carried half a dozen bolts and Adrian took about ten. We took them out to the car, then Adrian went back for more and then the backing range rolls. I was excited to start on the commission. I already had one range of fabrics out now, so to have a second was so exciting. While Adrian was missing, Dorian hugged me.

  “These are amazing! You are a very clever woman.”

  “Thank you. This is the culmination of a few years’ negotiation and work, I’m so pleased that it turned out this well.”

  He gave me a kiss, then stepped back as Adrian brought the last of the fabrics out.

  “I’ll give you a ring when I have the hanging finished, Adrian. We talked about the timeframe, so around ten to twelve weeks. I’ve given you the measurements so you can have the space and the rod organised in the showroom.”

  “Thanks, Ellie, I’m really looking forward to seeing it.”

  He took both my hands, lent forward and kissed my cheek, which I found rather surprising. I glanced over at Dorian, and he looked as if he was going to throw a punch.

  I giggled. Damn!

  “Um…right. Ring you hopefully in about a month and a half. Thanks, Adrian.”

  He looked a little nervous, then asked, “I wonder if you’d be interested in dinner one night Ellie?”

  “Oh. Um…sorry, Adrian, it was lovely of you to ask but I am sort of involved with someone.”

  Dorian was looking furious. I thought it was exciting.

  “Okay, well the offer is there if you change your mind, or if it doesn’t work out with, with whoever he is.”

  I held out my hand and shook his. I had a feeling he wanted me to kiss him but I was not going to risk his health with Dorian growling nearby. I opened the car door, standing with it open for a moment so Dorian managed to slide in before I got in. I wound down the window and waved as we drove off.

  Mr. Grumpy was seething. I could feel the explosion building up.

  “Do you have any idea what that creep was thinking?”

  “No, but I imagine you are going to tell me.”

  “He wanted to fuck you! Even inside, he was imagining pushing you onto the worktable and having you.”

  “Oh gee, I don’t imagine you were thinking anything like that!”

  “Certainly not!”

  He grinned. “I was thinking of spreading you on the front of the car.”

  I burst out laughing. “Oh Dorian, you are crazy!”

  “Crazy for you, but I don’t like the way he was touching you.”

  “I’m a big girl, Dorian, I can handle men.”

  He crossed his arms and sulked.

  “What?”

  “You told him you were sort of involved.”

  “And?”

  “This is for real, Ellie, this is forever. Not some casual fling.”

  “I’m sorry, Dorian but you need to look at this from my perspective. Until yesterday, I didn’t know you existed, let alone Daemons and demons and immortals. I’m still trying to come to grips with it all. Then you spring on me the fact you’re in love with me and that I’ll love you. Oh yeah, and no one can see you except me.”

  He had the grace to look a little remorseful as I continued.

  “I lived without a man in my life for over twenty years, so this is a big learning curve in more ways than one. I like you, I mean. Oh hell, who wouldn’t? You are handsome, a great lover, funny, but it doesn’t dismiss the fact that this is way too weird. I know I’ll fall in love with you because of the way I worded my wish, but it isn’t going to happen immediately.”

  “I’m sorry, Ellie. I was jealous. I know this is all so very strange for you.”

  I took his hand as we drove and kissed it.

  “So do you eat?”

  He laughed. “Of course I eat.”

  He looked over at me, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk. “I ate last night, so delicious. I’m hoping to indulge again very soon.”

  I just rolled my eyes. I was hungry for food. Too bad if he didn’t eat real food, because I did and I intended to very soon. Looking at the dashboard clock, I saw it was close to three in the afternoon. No wonder I was so hungry! I hadn’t realised how much time we had spent with Adrian.

  Dorian put his hand across my neck and started to run his fingers up and down, tickling my ear.

  “Yes, my love, I eat real food.”

  “Thank you.”

  He looked over at me. “Do you want to go to a restaurant and get something?”

  “I don’t know. How on earth can I order two plates of food and sit opposite the invisible man?”

  “Good point. What do you suggest?”

  “How about we grab pizza?”

  “Yum, but I don’t want those dead fishes on it. I hate fish, reminds me of when I was a child and that was all we had to eat until my parents got a little farm.”

  I burst out laughing, “No little dead fishes, okay. Anyway, I don’t like them.”

  “Can we have chicken and pineapple? Oh, and one with lots of cheese.”

  “When was the last time you ate pizza?”

  “Last
year, I did a job with one of the other Daemons.”

  “So you sort of drop in and out on occasions.”

  “Yes. Sometimes we get bored when there is nothing to do and sleep for centuries, sometimes we have duties that keep us on earth for years.”

  “This is so weird.”

  I drove to a nearby pizza place about fifteen minutes from home. Dorian sat in the car while I went in an ordered a couple of pizzas. I sat back in the car with him to wait.

  I was curious, “So how do you know if a demon is after you?”

  “Usually by the blood.”

  “What? Do they bleed?”

  “Yes, but I meant mine. That’s usually the first indication one is out for you. It gets in a quick slash or stab.”

  “Great!” I visualised walking with Dorian when one of his arms was cut off. “So they don’t send you a warning first?”

  “Uh, that kind of defeats the purpose, you know, letting your enemy know you are around.”

  “Guess so.”

  “So one could turn up here and stab you.”

  “Well, yes, but I’m not expecting any.”

  “What about me?”

  “You? You’re safe, it is only Daemons they hate. Although, they aren’t that keen on mortals, but you aren’t as much fun to attack as we are. Anyway, there are laws, they aren’t allowed to physically hurt a mortal.”

  “Fun? They think it’s fun to attack?”

  “Well yes, Daemons and immortals anyway,” Dorian explained, “When they attack a mortal, it’s through the mind. They might come in through your nightmares, send you crazy. But with us, unless they cut off our head, we repair ourselves. So they get to keep attacking, which, for them, is fun.”

  Right, let’s go chop up a Daemon or two.

  “What about you Daemons? Do you like chopping up demons?”

  “We tend to just kill them as soon as they attack if we can. They have this habit of appearing, getting in a cut or two and then disappearing as quickly as possible. But with us, no Daemon likes playing with mortals or immortals, so if we get attacked, we aim for their head immediately.”

  “So you just chop their heads off?”

  “Technically, yes.”

  “So they do really look like the little green things that I spoke about last night?”

  “Well, I guess so. They are greenish, with sort of rough skin, and they have pointed ears, very big eyes, sharp pointy teeth, three small horns. Three fingers and a thumb and, sorry, no hooves, four toes. Oh and they have a pointed tail.”

  “Okay, then pretty much like the movie version?”

  “I would say so. They are short. Maybe around half to about a metre high.”

  I shook my head. Maybe it was better not to think about this.

  “Are all Daemons as old as you?”

  “Some are older, some are younger.”

  “So, if and I say if, I was to let you make me immortal, you said that doesn’t make me a Daemon?”

  “No, you become an immortal. There is very little difference between immortals and Daemons. Basically Daemons get called on to do things by the Gods and immortals don’t. Daemons can ‘do’ some things, like I made the chocolate, immortals can’t.”

  “Right. But I can remember you saying if I was an immortal I get to go on the demon hit list.”

  “Ah…yes.”

  “Great, just what I always wanted.”

  “They still prefer Daemons over an immortal though.”

  “Oh gee, that’s comforting to know.”

  “And I would teach you how to defend yourself on the off chance.”

  “Oh wow, this is really making my day! I can hardly wait to learn how to kill a demon.”

  Sarcasm was my strong point. Dorian just looked at me, ignored my sarcasm, and changed the subject.

  “Pizza’s ready.”

  I just glared at him, got out of the car, and collected the food.

  Chapter Six

  It was a short drive back home, we did it in total silence. I was trying to come to terms with being on a demon’s wanted list, sort of. Fortunately, Dorian kept quiet and let me stew.

  I didn’t say a word when we walked inside. I threw my keys down, put the pizza boxes on the counter, and went out to get the fabrics from my car. Dorian already had picked up a number of bolts. I grabbed a few more and carried them inside, and dropped them onto the table. Picking up my keys, I walked down the hall that led to the annex that housed my studio.

  Once I unlocked the door, Dorian carried his lot in while I went to pick up the fabrics I had dumped on the table.

  “Just leave them on the big workbench on that wall, please.”

  I picked up the few left in the kitchen, passing Dorian on the way. He met me back in the workroom with the long rolls of backing fabric then went back for the remaining bolts. I let him.

  I locked up again and we went back into the kitchen.

  Dorian put his arms around me.

  “Ellie, I will do everything in my power to protect you, and believe me when I say I have considerable power.”

  I was stiff in his arms, but then I realised it wasn’t his fault. In a way, I was the one who had called him into my life. If there were dangers, then that was my fault. If I was going to be on a hit list, then so be it. I wasn’t happy, but what could I do? The only decision I would have to eventually make was to stay human or become immortal and in the demons’ sights. As far as I was concerned that decision was a long way off.

  I was still coming to terms with having him in my life. I know my body was overjoyed but my brain was having a hard time assimilating to everything it had been told.

  Now I could stay mad at him for no reason or I could thaw out. I chose to thaw and melted into his arms. I heard his sigh of relief as he ran a hand through my hair and down onto my neck.

  “I’m sorry, Dorian. This is just so much to take in. I’m still having a lot of trouble believing it all.”

  He lifted my head with his fingers, “I understand, Ellie, I really do. We’ll just take things one day at a time.”

  I nodded and he kissed me.

  “Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold.” I moved toward the table.

  “Are you okay, baby?”

  I nodded. “Yes I think so, I just have to get my head around it all.”

  We sat and ate the pizza. Dorian started telling me about his family. It was relaxing to just pretend he was a normal guy.

  “I had two sisters and three brothers. I was the second oldest. My father, me and one of my brothers made bricks and we carved rocks. We helped make homes. My other brother would fish, selling them in the local market.

  “We had some sheep that my mother and sisters cared for. As we became a little affluent, we bought land and we grew crops. There were also olive trees that we grew, and sold the olives when they were ripe.”

  “So you were a mason? Did you like making things?”

  “Yes.” He thought a little. “Yes I did. I like feeling the raw material, then turning it into something special. Sometimes, when I have no duties, I like to sculpt with marble and other rocks.”

  “Oh wow! Will you teach me? I always wanted to learn how.”

  Dorian just grinned. Maybe this was one of the reasons why Dorian was selected as my match.

  “You said you saved some children. What happened?” I asked.

  “I don’t know if you remember your ancient history or not, but Crete was the centre of Minoan civilization until there was a volcanic eruption. The remaining Minoans were invaded by the Dorians about 1100 BCE and my family came from those invaders.”

  Dorian grinned at me. “And yes, that’s where my name came from.”

  I grabbed another slice of pizza as he continued.

  “There were often raids on villages through the years, and that’s what happened. There was a large group of young children together nearby. They were being taught by an older child. When the raiders attacked, I happened to be near the child
ren and led them to safety. Unfortunately, I was seen and followed. I managed to kill several attackers and protect all the children until reinforcements arrived.”

  I could see Dorian was upset by repeating his story, even though it was thousands of years ago. I put my hand on his knee as he continued.

  “The children were all safe.”

  His voice was flat as he continued. “But the injuries I sustained were too many and too severe.”

  We sat in silence for a while. I could not imagine how it must have felt. I leant my head against his shoulder as we sat. He touched my head with his and sighed.

  “That was a long time ago, babe. Time to think of here and now.”

  By the time the pizzas were finished I was feeling better. I guess no one would be expected to have this dropped on them and not feel weird. Moving into the living room, we sat together and talked for the next few hours.

  “Are you happy? I mean, would you have preferred to stay as a mortal?”

  “No. I love who I am. Being immortal has lots of benefits. I travel the world. I meet all kinds of people. I have seen history unfold before my eyes and it is amazing. And now I have you.”

  He kissed my hand. “I don’t really have any real regrets, although sometimes I wonder what it would’ve been like to have my own children and grow old with them.”

  “I can understand that. I never had children and sometimes regret it.”

  I gave a sigh. “You said the Gods would have chosen you for me because you are my perfect match.”

  “That’s right. I think as we learn more about each other, we’ll see we share the same sense of humour, similar values. You make wonderful things and I’d like to go back to sculpting. I bet we have enough things in common with a good balance of differences that make us the perfect match.”

  I giggled at Dorian. “Not to mention you are my imagination’s perfect-looking man.”

  He had the good sense to look a little smug but not make any reply.

  “Tell me what other things Daemons can do.”

  “Wow, there are so many. For me they are just natural but I guess to you they would seem like magic. I can make things like the chocolates, sorry but you won’t be able to do that. We can materialise and dematerialise to go from one place to another. We can talk over any distance to each other. We can ‘read’ what people think. The good news is that you will be able to do those. Let’s see…what else?”