ONE MONTH BEFORE KILO ESCAPED HADES

That was the first time in six years that Devyn had slept without having nightmares. He stretched in tiny and opened his eyes. A cool light washed the room and shined behind Denzyl, cresting the demon's crimson head in a faint glow. It took a minute for the human to register where he was and what had happened during the past few days. Devyn's hand reached to his shoulder as he remembered the mark and Denzyl saving him. Devyn's body shivered when he thought about the demon from the slit in the cliff, but Denzyl's touch reminded him that he was safe.

Devyn brought his hand up under his head and used it as a pillow as he looked at the man holding him. Why do I feel so safe when I am with you? I have never felt this way with anyone. Denzyl breathed in deeply as Devyn timidly moved a loose strand of hair out of the demon's face.

"Good morning," the demon's grey eyes opened sleepily.

"Morning," Devyn replied quietly as he gazed into the demon's eyes.

"Did you sleep okay?"

Devyn nodded. The human took a moment before inquiring, "Where are we?"

"My house. Don't worry. No one can get in," the demon answered truthfully. He spoke softly to keep the human as calm as possible.

"Mmm." Devyn nodded his head. "How long were we in the crypt?"

Denzyl took a breath and thought before answering. "I don't know. It could be a few days to a few years."

"A few years?!" Devyn sat up in the bed.

Denzyl looked at the human, startled.

"My company! Oh, no. What could have happened if I was gone for a whole year?" Devyn turned to face Denzyl. "Is there any way you can get me to Earth?"

The demon let out a breath, "About that..." He did not get to finish as a loud rapping sounded from the floor below. Denzyl's eyes narrowed, and his body grew tense. "Stay here," he told Devyn as he got out of the bed.

Devyn watched Denzyl leave the room and make his way downstairs before silently creeping to the doorway and peering around the edge. Denzyl walked to a screen mounted on the wall beside the door. The screen lit up to show a man and woman standing outside with four men behind them.

"Denzyl, open up, baby. I know you're in there. Please?" The woman spoke through the monitor.

Baby? Who's your baby? Devyn looked at the woman suspiciously as Denzyl sighed before speaking through the screen, "Just you two. Leave your goons outside." Denzyl opened the door, and the man and woman entered.

The woman hugged Denzyl as soon as the door shut. "You're finally back!"

Denzyl patted the woman's back until she let go. "We need to talk, Denzyl," the man spoke, his expression grave.

Denzyl nodded in response and brought the two to the couches in the living room located just behind the door.

"Firstly, how did you end up in a soul crypt," the man asked.

"We were both dying. It was the only way to stay alive."

"I'm impressed you were even able to make a crypt; they are incredibly difficult," the man praised. "Ryiak has been going around saying you marked the human. Is this true?" His brows furrowed as he inquired.

Denzyl took a moment before nodding his head. He was rewarded with a fearsome strike to the face. Devyn covered his mouth with his hand to keep himself from making any sound.

"How could you mark a human?! And a sacrificial one at that!" The man yelled as he stood to his feet to tower over his son.

Devyn shrank away from the door at the man's terrifying voice.

"Klein! That's enough!" The woman spoke up.

"No! I will not have my son bonded with a human!"

"Klein, it is his choice! He can bond with whomever he wants." She turned from her husband to her son. "Where is he? Is he here?"

"No," Denzyl shook his head. "He ran from me after I marked him."

His father scoffed.

Wow. Denzyl is a good liar.

"Why did you mark him when he doesn't even want you?" His mother asked.

"I couldn't watch him get hurt. I will not let him be a sacrifice."

"That is not your decision to make," his father spat.

"Why? I bought him from the dendrum with my money, and we never made it back for him to be marked as a sacrifice. He will not be used," Denzyl stated firmly.

"You useless son! You're a disgrace!" The man backhanded Denzyl before striking him again. "Do you know how long we waited for that boy? Fifty years! We had to get another one because you disappeared with him for fifty fucking years! I am not letting you take away another sacrifice."

Fifty years?! We were in the crypt for fifty years? Devyn looked at Denzyl. His face was stone cold as he glared at his father. Thankfully, the woman managed to pull the man off of Denzyl just as Devyn was preparing to run down the stairs and personally drag the abusive man away.

"Let's focus on finding the human first, okay? We'll bring them both to the elders and let them decide," Denzyl's mother pleaded with his father.

"I will kill you myself if we can't find him," the man threatened Denzyl.

So this is why he lives by himself. Devyn watched the woman nudge the man toward the door. Denzyl slumped onto the couch as his father stormed out and was followed by his mother. Devyn raced down the stairs after the door shut and checked the wounds on Denzyl's face.

"Do you have a first-aid kit?" The human asked quickly when he saw the wounds.

"There's one under the couch."

Devyn ducked his head under the couch and pulled out a rectangular box. He retrieved a piece of gauze and soaked it in medicine. Denzyl did not wince as Devyn dabbed the medicine on the wound next to his eye. Instead, the demon just watched with a soft gaze as the human intently tended to him.

"What's wrong? You seem pretty tense still," Devyn inquired when he realized Denzyl was clenching his hands and was deep in thought.

"The security system didn't alert us when my parents were approaching the house." The demon brought his hands together and clasped them as he pondered.

"Did it glitch?"

"No. Something's wrong. I need to run a check on it."

"Ok," Devyn nodded as he removed the gaze from the wound.

"You seem pretty familiar with this," Denzyl commented as Devyn moved to the cut on his cheek.

"I've had to patch myself up a few times," Devyn said as he finished by putting small bandages over the wounds. "Why do you try so hard to protect me?" Devyn asked as he slid the kit back under the couch.

Denzyl looked at the human fondly for a moment before drawing in a breath. "You'll find out later. Right now, we need to get off Sendrum."

Devyn nodded in agreement. "How?"

"I have a hovercycle. If we can make it to the place where the dendrum land, we can pay them to smuggle us to a planet with a space station."

"Ok. When do we need to leave?"

"In the next hour when everyone is searching for you." Denzyl stood to his feet and left the couch. He selected a few weapons from a hidden safe before the two headed upstairs to change. Denzyl dressed Devyn in a black outfit consisting of a long-sleeved roll-neck, pants, and boots with a cap and face mask. He then put them both in black, leather jackets before leaving to find more equipment. Devyn familiarized himself with the two guns and dagger Denzyl fit him with while the demon scurried about gathering supplies and money.

Denzyl met Devyn downstairs with two black backpacks. The human took one of the bags from the demon and slipped the straps over his shoulder. Devyn winced as the strap settled on the bandaged mark. Denzyl had turned around to check the camera outside the door so he did not see the human's quick, pained expression. The crimson-haired demon put his cap on and looped the mask over his ears as he turned back around.

"Ready?"

Devyn nodded as loud, quick knocks sounded on the door. Denzyl quickly stepped in front of Devyn and checked the screen.