Chapter 6
Germaine’s stomach twisted into knots as she stared at Leon, blood oozing from him like he’d stumbled out of a slaughterhouse. Her eyes darted to Caitlyn, and she swallowed hard, her mouth dry as bone dust,
Holy hells, this is dark. Her mind spun. ‘Could Caitlyn really be that ruthless? Is this her sick way of settling the score with Leon for toppling her from power, tracking down her old lover to make him pay?
‘That’s some twisted, next level revenge.
“Fix him up, now,” Caitlyn snapped, rubbing her temples. She pointed at Leon, her voice sharp with irritation,
It was
a wonder Leon hadn’t bled dry already.
Germaine’s pulse quickened, her nerves jangling. She hesitated, then mumbled, “Uh, Lady Caitlyn, no shade, but… keep this up, and he’s toast.”
Caitlyn’s eye twitched, her chest rising with a deep, frustrated breath. She shot Leon a glare that could’ve curdled milk, his head slumped like a whipped hound.
“I told him to scrub up, that’s it,” she bit out, her words slicing the air. “Who knew this knucklehead would yank off every bandage and dive into a shower like he’s chasing a river spirit?
“How didn’t that kill you.
you, huh?” She fixed him with a stare hot enough to spark a fire.
Germaine chewed her lip, her fingers twitching as her gaze bounced between them, her heart thudding
When Caitlyn stormed into the living room, Germaine leaned toward Leon, her voice low but firm. “Alright, I’m patching you up, but for real–don’t go tearing those bandages off again, got it?”
Leon gave a weak nod, his face ashen, eyes hollow.
Germaine’s chest tightened with pity. She sighed, shaking her head as she took in his shattered look. “Poor bastard.”
The Demons‘ moles in the Human Alliance had spilled his whole story, and she’d pieced it together.
But him and Caitlyn–the ex–Demon Lord–having a secret fling? That was locked tighter than a dragon’s vault. Not a single soul on either side had sniffed it out.
“This is gonna sting” she warned, her hands steady but her gut churning with sympathy. “Just… suck it up, alright?”
In the living room, Caitlyn winced at the low, choked grunts drifting from behind her. Her head pounded like a war drum as she clapped her hands over her ears, slumping onto the clean side of the couch with a blank stare.
This is gonna drive me to an early grave. Her thoughts spiraled. “Why the hell did I let Leon cross my threshold? What kind of madness possessed me?”
Caitlyn’s lips quirked into a grudging smirk, a spark of dark humor cutting through her annoyance as the eyed Leon, Swaddled in bandages like a mummy and stuffed into a garish pink pajama set, he looked like a cursed trinket from a back–alley enchanter’s stall
She sighed, massaging her forehead, and glanced at Germaine. “Hey, Germaine, do me a favor and grab him some real guy clothes, yeah?”
“On it, Lady Caitlyn” Germaine chirped, scrubbing the last bloodstains from the floor with her mop.
She tossed a quick nod, her shoulders loosening with relief.
“No rush,” Caitlyn added, her voice softening as a pang of guilt gnawed at her Insides. “If the rain’s st hammering tomorrow, just swing by then?
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Chapter 6
She wasn’t the Demon Lord anymore, and barking orders at Germaine like this left a faint, sour taste in her mouth. The guilt was small, but it pricked like
a thom.
Germaine flashed a sly smile, cleaned up, and walked out the door.
“A smart subordinate knows better than to mess with their boss’s downtime, she thought.
Leon sat there, still looking like he’d just lost everything.
Not like it wasn’t pretty close to the truth
He was an orphan in his past life, and in this one? Same deal
He’d managed to find a few companions, but they’d all turned on him over some selfish crap. So, he went off the rails, took them all down. Now, all he had left was Caitlyn–half–hiend, half–enemy, and totally unpredictable.
The room was quiet, too quiet.
Caitlyn sat on the couch, watching TV, but her eyes were on Leon, She wasn’t letting him out of her sight.
After what felt like forever, she turned to him, her expression flickering for a second. “You’re buying me a new sofa,” she said, her tone dead serious.
“When I’ve got the cash… Lean muttered under his breath, barely looking at her.
“And the carpet too!”
“When I’ve got the cash…”
Caitlyn nodded, like she expected that answer. But then her eyes narrowed, and her voice got sharper. “And don’t even think about doing something
stupid like that again.
“You bled all over the place, and that’s a pain in the ass to clean up. Got it?”
“Look,” she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Tim not the Demon Lord anymore, and you’re not the Hero. We’ve been at each other’s throats for years, and the only reason I’m not dead is because you didn’t kill me in that last battle. So fine, I’ll let you stay here for a bit, you homeless idiot
“I’m not gonna kill you,” Leon said, his voice suddenly more serious, like he meant it.
Caitlyn shifted uncomfortably. She mumbled, almost to herself “Aren’t enemies supposed to just try to kill each other?”
“Aren’t we friends?” Leon asked, looking at her with genuine confusion,
“Friends?” Caitlyn snorted, glaring at him. “As if I’d ever say that. The second you’re back on your feet, you’re out there earning enough to replace my sota and my carpet. Got it?”
Leon slumped back down on the couch, staring at the floor, clearly exhausted.
“Fine,” Caitlyn muttered, not meeting his eyes. “That storage room over there… clean it up, it’s yours for now. I’m not in the mood to move stuff around, so the couch it is. I’ll toss you a blanket or something”
“Alright, “he replied.
Leon started to stand, but Caitlyn gave him a quick look and sighed.
“Welt,” she said. “Just stay on the couch for a couple of days. Rest, Let yourself head up before you do anything crazy. The last thing I need in for you to
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Chapter 6
bleed all over the place again and make me call Germaine.”
Leon gave her a quick glance but then silently sank back into the couch.
Caitlyn checked the time, then grabbed her phone. She pulled up a food delivery app and started scrolling.
There was a new nit outside Ekavine, and it was causing some trouble. The rain had been non–stop for days, making everything worse.
At least the Guild of Hunters had it under control–they were out there dealing with the Beasts taking advantage of the chaos.
The rain would stop soon enough, though,
She didn’t even look up when she said, “I’ll cover dinner for now, but you’re paying me back.
“I’m not the Demon Lord anymore, and I’m broke as hell. Got it?”
“Yeah.” Leon’s voice was barely a whisper.
Caitlyn didn’t ask what he wanted. She just went straight for the fanciest pizza on the menu–loaded with every topping under the sun. He’d deal with it.
‘Oh, he’s gonna hate me for this! A wicked grin tugged at her lips.
She’d add a little extra to his bill later, just for fun.
As she waited for the food, she glanced at Leon–still curled up on the couch, staring blankly at the TV like a lost puppy.
She bit her lip, trying to fight off a weird, almost guilty feeling. “Ugh, fine. I swap it for a cheaper one. Don’t say I’m not nice
‘But he’s not getting off easy.
“Gotta admit, you actually pull off that pink,” Caitlyn teased, looking him up and down with a grin.
Leon stiffened, hugging himself tightly. His checks burned as he avoided her gaze, lips sealed.
After dinner, they swapped the worn sofa cushion for a fresh one. It didn’t match, but it fit.
Caitlyn tossed Leon a blanket from her room, her brow creasing as she eyed him in her baggy clothes, now wrapped in her bedding.
“This is so weird,” she thought, an odd pang twisting her gut
Leon clutched the blanket, his energy back after a good meal. He stared at her, eyes wide and unblinking-
‘Like I picked up a stray, Caitlyn mused, half–amused, half–annoyed.
I’m crashing,” she said, then shot him a look, “Sneak into my room, and you’re toast, got it?”
“Won’t happen,” Leon mumbled, face buried in the soft blanket, its faint lavender scent calming him. His eyes softened, voice barely a whisper.
Caitlyn leaned in, tone sharp. “And if you’re gonna keep hurting yourself, take it somewhere else. Not here.”
“Got it,” he said quietly.
She turned and left, leaving Leon alone in the dim living room.
Late at night, rain drummed against the windows, a steady patter that filled the silence. A chilly draft slipped through the glass. The TV was of, 1 Leon’s soft breathing echoed in the quiet space.
Sprawled on the sofa, Leon hugged the blanket, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. He breathed in the blanket’s gentle scent, a faint smile tugging at his
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12-54 FM, 13.
Chapter 6
Feels like home! Warmth bloomed in his chest. So safe.
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