Oh Alastor...

Not a chapter illustration.

Alastor's POV

The water pelted my face and chest as I stood under the shower head.

Cold shower.

Very, very cold shower.

My heart still has not stopped hammering and, strangest of all, there's a dull ache between my legs.

Like a pain that won't go away.

I growled softly and tried to calm myself down. Every time I get close to slowing my heartbeat my brain takes me back to earlier.

Her little moans, each noise she made just motivated me. The way her fingers trailed across my skin, and her legs wrapped around my waist...

She's making this beyond difficult...

My natural instincts just wanted me to make her mine, and mine alone. Leave my mark and make sure everyone knows who she belongs to.

Then I have to remind myself she does not belong to me.

I'm sure she knew what she was doing to me. The pants I was wearing didn't exactly make it the easiest to hide.

A knock came to the bathroom door, causing me to jolt.

"Alastor? Are you alright? You've been in there a while," came Aria's voice and I quickly called back.

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm quite alright!"

But I was not quite alright.

I am having quite a crisis, actually.

"Ok, well I'm coming in, I gotta get ready," she called back and the door opened.

My eyes widened when her scent clouded my senses.

That scent only she carries.

The ache got worse and I looked at her soft silhouette move on the other side of the shower curtain.

My mouth formed into a wary frown and my ears lowered. This is bad...each moment I spend here with her makes me want her more.

It would be my absolute pleasure to court her, but unfortunately for me...

I'm dead. Literally.

I'm also one of the most feared overlords in all of hell, currently spending most of his time in the over world with a mortal girl.

I also still don't understand these feelings. These blasted feelings that I get whenever I touch her. I have never before wanted to kiss someone, that desire never even passed my mind.

Not even when I was alive did I ever feel such a way towards another person.

So to look at her and just want to hold and squeeze her and kiss her all over is new to me.

"Alastor, you've been in the shower for like 40 minutes," came her voice right outside the curtain.

"If you don't get out, I'm going to be forced to come in there with you," she threatened playfully.

Quite a tempting threat...

I sighed and shut the water off, shaking my hair out so I could lift my ears again.

Suddenly the shower curtain pulled back slightly and I jumped, immediately moving to cover myself.

Aria was holding a towel towards me, her other hand firmly placed over her eyes. I relaxed and rolled my eyes, smiling softly before taking the towel.

She closed the curtain and started humming softly. I wrapped the towel around my waist and pulled the curtain back once again.

She was in the mirror fixing her hair and checking her appearance. The sight caused the tangle of worries and feelings in my chest to slowly unwind.

I was just looking at her with a soft grin on my face and she looked over at me. Her relaxed expression turned up into a smile as her eyes fell to my abdomen.

"Good morning to me," she mumbled, her eyelids lowering.

My cheeks flushed and I snapped my fingers causing my usual ensemble to appear, as well as my hair to style itself.

Her mouth fell open.

"What! No fair! I want to be able to do that!" She said, sounding miffed.

I chuckled and walked past her, petting her head.

She fumed slightly, scrunching her nose at me as I passed. Oh, she's so cute...

After I left her room, I headed down to the living room. I hummed softly to myself and looked around, sighing.

I'm no fool...I know where this is going to lead. I just don't know if it means to her what it means to me.

I don't want her to take my intentions the wrong way... or feel like I'm just using her. I think I may actually care deeply about her...

As much as I wish it wasn't so.

If I could just walk away now that would probably save us both a lot of trouble. The thought of that though...the thought of leaving her here?

It hurts to think...

"Al!"

Her little voice piped up, coming closer as she approached.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" She asked me, bounding over to me as I turned around to face her.

Her face was expectant and that smile could make even the sourest man happy.

I pinched her cheeks, squishing her face and making her lips puff out.

"Sure, darling," I replied, and she grabbed my wrists, her surprised pout turning up into a little smile as she closed her eyes.

"I've been wanting to explore the woods," she said after I stopped harassing her soft face. Then she took my fingers in her hand and lead me towards the back door.

"And you already know these woods pretty well, so I figured you could come with," she continued. Her voice kept rambling and I tried to listen, but I was more focused on the soft bounced in her hair whenever she took a step.

Or how her fingers curled around mine.

Such a small hand, and she's the one pulling me.

I shook my head with a small smile and allowed her to pull me out into the back yard towards the woods.

Eventually she stopped moving so fast and let me come stand next to her. Her fingers were still wrapped around mine, and she held my hand casually while we walked.

She soft sounds of nature filled the air, birdsongs ringing out. The sunlight seeping through the trees made soft streams of light scatter through the forest.

I forgot how beautiful it was out here.

I used to hunt out here.

I swear...this girl causes new memories to sprout every second I'm with her.

I glanced down at her, her soft smile still remained. She was looking around, and suddenly lifted her eyes to meet my gaze.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she teased me, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm just trying to figure out how so much stupidity can fit in that tiny body," I quipped back and she gasped dramatically.

We both chuckled and I squeezed her hand lightly. The further we went into the woods, the more memories returned.

Victims...hunting...

Suddenly we came up on a clearing, and I recognized it immediately.

How could I forget.

This is where I died.

It looks much different in the daylight, and also seems to be much more overgrown now.

She released my hand and walked further into the clearing, leaving me to stand back a little ways. I watched her walk around, she was looking at all the rocks and flowers.

My death replayed in my head and I scowled for a moment before quickly restoring my smile.

The longer I stared at her, my thoughts shifted back to being centered around her. Currently she was crouched in a little patch of clover, sifting through it to find any small wildflowers that she can.

Her back was facing me, and she was just picking the small flowers contently. She was doing something with them but I couldn't tell what.

My heart thumped and I raised my hand to my chest.

I want her...

But...she's human...I can't have her as long as she's human, that's not fair to her...

What if she were a demon?

I suppose then I could—what? What do you mean if she were a demon?

Look at her. So vulnerable, so relaxed. It would be quick. Do it while her back is turned.

I felt my claws lengthen as I watched her, my shadows suddenly crawling out from the ground beneath me slowly.

I lifted my foot, taking my first silent step towards her, but froze.

She was knelt in the little patch of clover...her hair sprawled out across her back. My brows furrowed and an image flashed through my head.

The image of me kneeling in that clover with her, her bloodied corpse in my arms. The image of me holding her cold body, begging her to wake back up.

Looking down into her lifeless eyes, begging to God that she went anywhere but to hell.

Sobbing, and wishing she would just come back to life.

I would regret it as soon as it was finished.

You've gone soft.

I don't give a fuck.

My claws retracted to their normal length and I retreated the step I took, immediately averting my eyes from her. I don't even deserve to look at her after the vile thoughts I just had.

I closed my fist and shut my eyes, shaking my head. That's so selfish...I can't take her life away from her. Even if it does mean I can't truly have her...

"Al!"

My eyes opened and I looked towards her as she trotted over to me, a smile on her face.

After all...I'm completely fine as long as I get to see this every day...that lovely smile. I smiled back at her and she had something behind her back.

She reached me and revealed what it was.

A little flower crown...so that's what she was doing.

My smile softened and I leaned down, allowing her to place it on my head. She situated it, giving my ears a little rub as she did so, making me nearly groan, but I bit my tongue. My ears are a very dangerous area, and she tests that danger every single day.

I glared at her playfully and stood back up.

She smiled up at me, her eyes squinting closed and I brought my hands to her cheeks. My eyebrows turned up in a tender expression as I squished her cheeks gently.

Yes...

This will do...

This will do just fine.