Stolen Name, Stolen Heart

Leon put a hand up from the front of our group, "I think we should call it a night, it's going to be moonless and we're all tired so better if we make camp early."

He immediately wandered off the road knowing the rest of us would have no complaints. For all things that I could criticize about the man, his management of the group wasn't one. He was a decent strategist and likable enough when he wanted to be. But of course, to him like the rest of the group, I was an unfortunate necessity.

"Hey pretty girl, after we set up I think I saw a hot spring on the map not too far from here," Cassius told me with a sunny smile.

The rest of the group sans one person in particular, I corrected myself. Cassius had warmed up to me at some point. It was almost weird, after all the times I'd healed him after battles, it was after a minor twisted ankle that he changed his tune.

I gave him a playful shove and replied, "Well I hope this time 'not too far from here' isn't a mile away."

He pulled an exaggerated hurt expression, "I made a mistake once!"

I just snickered in response while I helped set up camp. Cassius set up our bedrolls, next to each other as has become usual and I stopped myself from snickering at Clara's face. She had clearly had her sights on him since we'd accepted this quest. Around the same time that he started treating me like a person he also stopped humoring her. I asked about it once when we had a moment to ourselves and he'd told me the way she treated me was a turn off.

It might be a little sad to say but Cassius is the best friend I've ever had. Unlikely friends as we were. I smiled a little to myself as I finished setting up the cook-pot. A healer and a chosen swordsman, the folks back home would never have believed it.

"Oh hells," I heard Lina quietly curse as she dropped some of the firewood at her feet.

I turned, it looked like her hand had been stung by a razor-hornet. Nothing serious, but it'd hurt like hell any time she tried to move it for a day or two. Not exactly optimal for a ranger.

"I could-" I offer half halfheartedly before I'm cut off.

"No!" She snapped before schooling her expression, "I mean, it's nothing to worry about, no need."

Leon gave her a look, "Just let her heal it, no point in trying to work with it."

Lina thrust her hand at me and turned her head. She'd admitted once that she found the process easier to tolerate when she didn't have to watch.

I gently cupped her hand with mine and whispered an incantation. The familiar soft green glow emanated from where our hands were joined. I felt her shiver. I'd been doing this long enough that I didn't take it personally. It was an accepted fact that healing was only one step removed from necromancy. An unnatural magic not truly fit for human casters.

I removed my hands as soon as it was done and noticed Cassius watching with a curious expression. He'd said recently that he doesn't find it unsettling anymore, as long as I was the one using it.

We finish setting up camp quickly and Cassius and I head off to see if the hot springs on the map really were there.

"I've been wanting to ask for a while but I thought you might take it the wrong way," he told me with an easy smile.

I quirk an eyebrow at him and he laughs it off. He was always such a good natured guy, even before we'd grown close he'd be the first person making a joke to lighten up a bad situation. A pretty boy with muscle to back it up, I was sure he broke a dozen hearts when he'd left his home town to come on this quest to stop the demon king. Initially, I hadn't given him enough credit, I thought he was all looks and strength but since we'd become friends I'd realized he was truly clever and deeply intelligent. If he hadn't learned swordplay he'd have made an excellent mage.

"You gain power on nights like tonight with your magic too, right?" he asked tactfully.

I felt the breath catch in my throat. It was true but people who don't study healing don't know this. It was already such a maligned field of magic, there was no need to draw comparisons to monsters.

I stumbled over a root and felt his comfortingly familiar hand steady me.

"Whoa, I didn't mean to scare you!" he tells me without removing his hand or smile.

His other hand sweeps his blond hair out of his face, "I just thought that there might be a silver lining to look out for is all."

I took a steadying breath and offered him a shaky smile, "You know not everyone would see it like that."

He laughs deeply at that, "Well, they're stupid so who cares!"

I can hear the running water before I see it. After weeks on the road it looks like a beautiful mirage. I grin at Cassius.

He returns my smile, "I'll run back and tell the others, I should only be five or so minutes, you can start without us!"

"Shouldn't we go together?" I ask while admittedly looking longingly at the luxurious hot water in front of us, "It's unlikely but there could be monsters around."

He gives me a strange smile, "Be back before you know it, besides, this close to a town I don't think we'll have anything to worry about."

Without a chance to argue he runs off back toward the camp.

I look back at the tempting water and decide not to stress the point. I hated getting undressed in front of the others anyway. So long on the open road together had only done so much for my natural shyness. Leon might have kept his gaze towards only Lina but Cassius despite being my friend, was still only a man.

Occasionally, I could feel his gaze when changing clothes with the limited privacy tents or the occasional abandoned homestead offered. I tried not to be put off by it, he never said or did anything that was inappropriate. That a man like him would even look at a woman like me was a little complimentary if I was honest. Obviously, a chosen swordsman could never be with a healer and so even if he did harbor any feelings for me he didn't suggest an illegitimate relationship.

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't fantasized about if things were different. Or temptingly, if our group did manage to defeat the demon king and live. Then who'd be above us in station to forbid such a union? I tried not to linger on these thoughts, hypotheticals were a distraction and real life was vexing enough.

I had laid out my clothes to be put back on after a nice soak and stepped into the water. I found a comfortable rock to sit on and scrubbed some of the dirt of travel off. I hadn't brought the soap with me but since Cassius was already going back to camp he'd surely bring it back with him.

I silently thanked the gods for such a blessing on our journey. I felt my tense muscles begin to relax but tried to stay focused at least until the others got here.

After a few moments I began to feel a bit nervous. What was taking them so long? It was late in the day and the edges of twilight just began to cast the forest in its orange light.

I heard familiar footsteps and relaxed, "You were starting to worry me you know!"

I can hear his comforting laugh, "Never my intention."

"The others aren't coming up to join us yet?" I ask, slightly relieved that I would be able to relax and talk freely with Cassius.

I hear him shed his clothes behind me and I keep my gaze on the peaceful twilight ahead.

"No, they aren't," he tells me with a laugh and presses a piece of soap into my hand as he climbs into the water.

I look down at it and I see the greyish surface has been smeared with red. I look over to where he's sat in question to realize he's covered in blood.

"Cassius!" I yelp and stand up to wade over to him.

He grins and looks down at my revealed chest. I ignore his look and reach out to his neck and shoulders where the majority seems to be in order to find the source of blood.

"Where are you hurt?" I ask, trying to keep calm. It's been a long time since I've had to heal the serious injuries of someone I care so deeply about.

His arm snakes around my waist and he pulls me ever so slightly closer, "It's not my blood."

I wash away the worst of it and he closes his eyes contently as I do. He was right as far as I could tell. I certainly wasn't going to reach below the water to check elsewhere when he'd confirmed he wasn't hurt.

"Was there an attack on the camp while I was up here?" I ask, trying to regain my composure. Clearly if he looked so unbothered it had been taken care of.

He hummed thoughtfully and didn't release me after I made a move to pull away from him, "In a matter of speaking, yes."

He opened his eyes again, clear and blue as ever. He smiled at me fondly as always and finally let me go. I brushed off his odd behavior and wadded back to my original seat, feeling his eyes on my bare back all the while.

I settled back in, "So what happened?"

"I killed the others."

I laughed at the absurd joke before looking back at his gaze. The smile was gone. He looked... I wasn't sure of the expression. I felt my blood chill despite the warm water around me.

"Wh-"

"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked, cutting me off.

I swallowed hesitantly, "Leon picked me from the three available healers at the guild and you asked if he was sure, you didn't really speak to me for the first time for weeks."

He smiled at me like he did when he was about to let me in on a joke, "That's not when we met."

I hesitated again, "We met before then?"

Maybe I had done something to make the caring and rational man who I'd come to know doubt my skills in the past? It wouldn't explain the situation at hand but maybe that's why he'd been so cold to me at first.

"Dead man's tunnel," he tells me, watching for my reaction.

Everything clicked into place. I felt like I might be shaking.

"You helped me up and asked if I was hurt," he told me, frowning at my expression.

"No."

"Cassius had twisted his ankle after he stumbled into my pit then he'd almost managed to make a noise, grab his sword, anything to give an indication that I was down there with him," His smile turned sharp at his retelling only to soften at the look on my face.

"Then what happened?" he asked me.

"I called out and asked if you could get back up on your own," I answered numbly.

"And you healed my new body," he looked lost in the memory, "Your hands and your magic were the first friendly touch I'd felt in ages."

"I asked you about yourself which was apparently something the previous inhabitant never bothered with," he continued, "Gods, I liked you immediately."

"Then when you found the rest of your group they asked if either of us had been separated," he frowned, "I thought about telling them that you had."

The icy dread hadn't left me since he'd begun his reveal but this was another horror on top of the rest.

"They would have believed you and there was only one body snatcher in the mountain, it could have only ever gotten one of us," I conclude.

"Not 'it', still 'he' just so you know," he corrects.

I scowl and he has the audacity to giggle, "See, I told you, I liked you so I took the risk."

"And so did you," he finishes with a disgustingly fond expression.

"I just thought, I mean I didn't realize-" I cut myself off. It didn't matter anymore.

"So why reveal yourself to me now, you must know I'd never aid the demon king and you had plenty of opportunities to kill me," I state while trying to stay strong in the face of my imminent death.

"Couldn't care less about what the old bastard has planned for the rest of the world, he left me to rot for centuries after all," he confides with an overly exaggerated stretch showing off his, apparently stolen, muscles.

He seemed content to wait for me to continue my line of questioning. My head reeled. Against the demon king but he killed our group. My group, I corrected myself.

I had to ask the only question that mattered, "So whose side are you on?"

He scoffs at this, "Neither, I'm on our side."

I feel myself shaking my head before I realize I started.

"Yes, our side," he persists, "No more fighting, we just go off together, take ourselves off the playing field altogether."

"And do what?" I ask, nearly shouting, "I pretend like you didn't murder our friends and ignore the rest of the world?"

He frowns again, "They weren't my friends and they certainly weren't your friends either."

I couldn't deny the truth of his statement. My mouth felt dry and I wanted to get out of the spring.

"They were my allies, we may have not liked each other but in the end we trusted each other with our lives, that counts for something," I tell him.

"They would have been happy to trust my word over yours with no proof and you know it," he counters.

"So, what then," I begin not entirely sure where I was going with my question, "We hide out in the mountains somewhere and braid friendship bracelets until the demon king conquers the rest of the continent?"

He laughs at that, full and unrestrained as if he really was the man he had pretended to be.

"I doubt the demon king will succeed if I'm being honest," he tells me conspiratorially, "I've had very few updates since my escape but personally I think his inner court is on the cusp of a coup."

Before I can respond he continues, "As for us, I have some better ideas about how to spend our time."

He leers at me. There was no other way to put it. It looked out of place on his, stolen I had to remind myself, face.

"I don't-" I begin before being cut off.

"I haven't exactly been subtle, Ava," he tells me, "And don't think I haven't been able to smell your own desire at times."

"I have actually been wondering, why have you never acted on it?"

I feel mortified at the realization that he knew about my own shameful desires and the belated realization that my lust had only ever been for a demon. I hadn't had any interest in the real Cassius, not that I was about to tell the body thief that.

"I'm a healer and he was a chosen swordsman, no one would have allowed a marriage like that," I tell him plainly. What was the point of lying about something so simple?

He frowned, "Such a thing really matters to humans that much?"

I scowl and try to think clearly. If he thought I was going to bed him just because he had tricked me into liking Cassius, he was sorely mistaken. Maybe there was still one chance. Cassius' sword should still be at camp where the body thief had left it. If I could outrun him and reach it, it was a sword of light. A demon slaying weapon. If it allowed me to draw it, which was a big 'if". Still, it was better than staying here at the demon's mercy.

"Not that it matters but if I were human, I'd have married you regardless," he says and I could almost believe him.

I leap out of the water and make a run for the camp. I can hear him unhurriedly leave the water after me. His laughter and some joke I can't quite hear follow me. I push myself to run faster than I ever had. Maybe he was toying with me because he forgot about the sword or is confident I can't wield it. I have to try though.

I can't hear him behind me and my heart leaps as I see the camp come into view. It's still there! I see the sword resting against our things. Blood covers little of the camp but the bodies are entirely missing. I try not to think about it as I grab the sword. It doesn't burn me when I pick it up so already it's going better than the worst case scenario.

"My love?" the body thief asks from the treeline, as nude as I am.

He looks at what I'm holding and then back at my unsure face, "Do you intend to use that on me?"

"Yes," I confirm with a shaky hand on the hilt.

He frowns and starts walking towards me slowly. It's now or never. I draw the sword and clumsily point it at him. I really did it. My heart was judged pure enough to wield one of the sacred swords. I felt a smile coming on despite the circumstances. I may not have swordplay experience but even a single cut from this blade could be deadly for a demon.

The enormity of the realization caught me off guard. He wasn't backing down. I felt myself begin to shake. The mad dash I had made combined with the life or death scenario wasn't helping.

"Stop!" I demand.

He continued his short march to stand before me. The sword was inches from him now. If I was fast enough to cut or stab him then this would all be over. He took one more step and I backed up instinctively. I recognized his expression immediately, he was hiding a smile.

"Your supposed enemy stands before you, how will you strike him down from over there?" he asks me.

I could feel the shake of my hands worsen and tears of frustration begin to prick at my eyes, "Don't come any closer!"

He looks at the sword and then back at my face. He reaches out to the sword and I feel myself freeze. He points it away with two fingers and closes the distance between us. That wasn't possible.

I feel him envelop me in an embrace. As if he was still my friend.

"How?" I force out through the tears.

"I've been carrying it this whole time, I had to make a copy before I crawled out of that pit, the original is still there." he tells me.

So it was hopeless from the beginning.

"But you didn't know that," he continues pulling me closer to him, reminding me once again that we were still both nude.

"How could I have known that?" I angerly respond, still unable to stop crying.

I feel his chuckle at my response and his hands against my back holding me tight against him.

"You thought you could kill me but didn't," he pointed out my weakness, my ultimate failure of character.

I pushed at his shoulders as if I could free myself or that he would let go.

"I love you too," he tells me and it sounds like one of my fantasies.

One of his hands reaches down to mine with the fake sword and I let it fall to the ground uselessly. He pulls back slightly to look at me again. I meet his gaze.

"What's your real name?" I surprise myself by asking.

He smiled down at me lovingly, "Kol."

I'd heard some legends of demons falling in love with humans. Mostly it seemed like those stories ended in tragedy. They were stories of fates forcibly intertwined. It wouldn't make it better but at least it would be easier to understand.

"Are we," I hesitate but after all the shame and embarrassment of the night, what was one more thing, "Fated for each other?"

It's his turn to freeze, "Are you asking if we're fated mates?"

"I guess I am."

His smile returns, "Absolutely not."

I flinch at the refusal and then berate myself for believing that a demon could actually love.

His hand moves to wipe away a fresh tear, "Fated mates are nonsense fairytales."

A confirmation of what I should have already known.

"I love you because you're you," his face is closer to mine as he finishes his declaration, "Not because I have to."

I blink away tears in my confusion and let him capture my lips in a kiss. It's better than I had imagined it could be. That he's so gentle is the biggest surprise. He pulls away slowly.

"I've been waiting to do that since you first healed me," he says while running his thumb along my jaw.

I wasn't that far behind him.

"Come to bed with me," he says while pulling me down to our bed rolls.

He situated me so that I was straddling his lap. He was partially erect already but he seemed to be in no particular rush.

"I can't just," I almost wanted to be cut off, what could I say in this situation.

Kol ducked his head against my throat and pressed a warm kiss against the pulse there.

"I already told you, just think of it as taking me off the battlefield," he whispered.

He was dangerous, truly a threat if he'd managed to kill three of us without breaking a sweat. Without the sword I had no chance of beating him with my magic.

He seemed to see my resolve weaken, "There you go."

He pressed us into another kiss. Gone was the gentleness I hadn't expected, this was the kiss of a demon. His tongue in my mouth still felt human, as did his hands. One dragged me closer to him, pressing against the small of my back. The other tangled in my hair, keeping my mouth against his. It wasn't necessary. Hesitantly, I brought my hands to his muscular shoulders. I feel him smile as he breaks the kiss.