Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 61

**OZ**

Kacia is asleep in my arms, and I don’t dare move even a millimetre in case I wake her. She needs this. She needs the rest, the quiet, the safety, all things that have been hard to find lately. I tighten my grip around her just slightly, careful not to jostle her injured ribs. Her breathing is slow and steady against my chest, each soft exhale warming my skin through the fabric of her robe. I can feel every shiver of her body as it relaxes deeper into sleep.

I’m… Not really sure where we stand right now. Before everything fell apart, before the troll and the screaming and the betrayal… We were something. Not quite together, but something close. Something sweet and fragile and new. The kiss. The teasing. The unspoken promises. And now? Now she’s here, in my arms, in her bed, letting me hold her like I’m something good. Like I’m something safe.

The fact that she’s let me stay here… That she ASKED me to stay… It makes something warm and desperate bloom in my chest. It hints, just a little, that maybe she still wants this. Still wants me. But then again… She’s in pain. She’s exhausted. Her judgement is clouded by shock and blood loss and whatever Clarence shoved down her throat. Maybe she just doesn’t want to be alone tonight. Maybe she doesn’t want me. Just someone. Anyone. The thought makes my stomach twist with bitter jealousy at some imagined person who isn’t even here.

We still haven’t really spoken about any of it. About the fae, or the assassins, or the broken trust that stands like a chasm between us. I know I have to tell her everything. She deserves the truth, all of it. And when she wakes up, I will tell her. I’ll tell her about the deal. About my family. About the bindings and the bargains and every ugly piece of the puzzle I’ve been hiding from her. And then… She can decide. If she still wants me after that, it will be her choice, made with all the cards on the table.

And if she doesn’t… Well, that’s going to hurt. It’s going to rip something vital out of my chest and leave it bleeding at my feet. But I’ll survive it. I have to. Because she deserves honesty, even if it costs me the only thing I’ve wanted since I got dragged into this world.

I glance down at her peaceful face, at her long lashes resting against bruised skin, her mouth slack with sleep. She looks so soft like this. So small. It’s hard to believe such a big personality could fit inside such a small person. Damn it, I hope she still wants me.

Hours later, in the middle of the night, Kacia stirs against my chest, her breathing catching as she tries to move. I immediately shift to support her better, brushing a hand softly down her hair.

“Hey, careful. How are you feeling?” I whisper.

“Like I got run over by a truck.” She croaks, her voice rough with exhaustion and pain. Whatever Clarence gave her earlier to help with the pain must be wearing off.

“Hold on, sweetheart. Don’t go moving around. Let me get you something for the pain.” I say. I ease her gently back against the pillows, forcing myself to move slowly despite the tight panic coiling in my chest. I find the painkillers quickly and bring her a glass of water, settling back onto the edge of the bed. She takes them gratefully, swallowing with a wince before slumping back down, her eyelids fluttering from the effort.

For a while, there’s only silence between us. The soft sound of her breathing. I think she might be falling back to sleep. Angelo’s gentle snores drifting in from the living room. Then she turns her head to look at me, her gaze tired and shadowed, but searching.

“Oz… You mentioned before… Your sister?” She asks softly.

I blink, I didn’t expect to have this conversation while she was still half-asleep. I take a deep breath, feeling my chest tighten painfully. It’s time for the conversation I’ve been avoiding since the day I met her.

“Yeah, I have a younger sister. And a brother. They’re both adults now. Twenty and twenty three. But they’ll always feel like my baby siblings to me. My parents died young, so I half raised them.” I say quietly.

She frowns slightly, curiosity flickering through her exhaustion.

“What are they like?” She asks. A small, sad smile tugs at my lips despite everything.

“My brother’s… Stubborn as hell. Smart. Good in a fight. But he pretends he doesn’t care about anything, when really, he cares too much. My sister… She’s so sweet. Kind. She has this way of seeing right through people’s bullshit, you know? But she never uses it to hurt anyone. She just… Helps. Always.” I sigh and my voice cracks at the end, and I clench my jaw, staring down at my hands.

I feel her gaze soften against my skin. She takes a slow, careful breath, her voice a whisper.

“Tell me what happened, Oz.” She says firmly. And I know then she isn’t just asking about my siblings. She wants the truth. All of it. I swallow hard, my throat feeling raw.

“I didn’t come here willingly, Kacia,” I force out.

“I was summoned. By an unknown fae. I don’t know who he was, never saw his face, but he dragged me here and bound me to this realm.” I explain.

I turn my arm so she can see the black vine like markings that twist around my skin. Her eyes widen slightly, her breath hitching in shock.

“These, they stop me from opening portals or travelling home. The only way to lift the spell… Is for me to kill you.” I say softly, shivering as she begins tracing one of the dark lines with a fingertip.

Her lips part, her eyes shimmering with pain and betrayal. But she doesn’t flinch away. Doesn’t recoil. Her gaze is steady on mine. Hurt, yes. Angry. But not afraid.

“I never intended to do it.” I continue quickly, my voice shaking with desperation.

“After I met you… After that first day… I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. And after you saved my life… shit Kacia, there was never a chance I’d hurt you. Even if it meant I’d never see them again.” I tell her.I swallow hard, the ache in my chest so sharp it steals my breath.

“I’d already given up on going home anytime soon. Maybe ever. The only other way now is… If the fae who summoned me dies. Or is killed. Otherwise, I’m stuck.” I point out. It hurts to say it out loud.

She’s silent for a long moment, her eyes locked on the markings on my arms before lifting to my face. When she speaks, her voice is confused and upset.

“The troll. He had the same tattoos.” She whispers. I nod, jaw clenched tight.

“Yeah. I think… The other assassins are like me. Summoned. Bound. Forced into this. Desperate. Manipulated.” I explain.

Tears well in her eyes, her lashes trembling as she blinks them back hard. Her expression is tight with pain and anger.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” She demands. Her voice cracks, and the sound of it feels like being stabbed through the heart.

“I… I was scared.” I admit, the words tasting like poison on my tongue.

“I didn’t want you to look at me differently. I didn’t want to see… This look on your face.” I explain.

“You idiot.” She whispers, her voice breaking. A tear slides down her cheek.

“I’m angry because you hid it from me. Because you didn’t trust me enough to tell me. But damn it, Oz… I get it. I understand. You were trapped. You’ve been stuck in a nightmare this whole time.” She sighs, them she reaches out with trembling fingers, curling them around mine. Her grip is weak but determined.

“I don’t like that you lied, but… You’re not alone in this anymore. We’re going to find a way to break this spell. I don’t care what it takes. I won’t let you stay trapped.” She declares.

This would probably be a lot more impressive if she were capable of sitting up right now. I stare at her, stunned by the fierce, aching tenderness in her gaze. And the crushing weight in my chest eases, just a little.

“You really think we can?” I whisper, barely daring to hope.

She gives me the tiniest, bravest smile.

“I know we can.”