Private Tales Monsters think Alike

[Serene]

With a little luck and no one would notice.

Weeks have passed after their first contact with the scout party, after their cry out to the sky in anger of the ones invading their privacy. They had given chase over the remaining of the day and found just the remnants of a recently burnt encampment not far from the side of the mountain, the result turned clear then.

Their position was compromised and they needed to move out.

They had to keep their baggage light and left some of the commodities they had picked up over their travel, just keeping the exterior tent, a lantern for their travels at night and some dry food Serene had finished making. It wasn't much but it'd help them survive their travel to the west, getting them closer along the coast into a dense section of the forest where no natural light seemed to shine in so easily and yet life seemed to thrive without obstacles or problems.

Serene's prior travels had warned them of these pockets of land, uncharted and avoided by scholars and mercenaries alike as most creatures living there were beyond of what a common party would be able to handle, fortunately for them however they already well beyond normal and found no obstacles once inside the forest. The terrain extended for days of travel if not longer, they did not check the entire perimeter in their exploration of a suitable place to hide, they just wanted somewhere where they would be left to their own devices, at least for the next few months.

Time was an essential commodity they could not waste, little by little the wind blew colder every day, the clouds shrouded the sun and the forest slowly started to lose its beautiful autumn palette, it wouldn't be long now before winter finally arrived.

It was clear what they had to do, Diablo had been reluctant in seeing Serene go even after promising him she'd return to him, she had to escape in the middle of the night, leaving a small piece of her clothing tinted in her blood next to their makeshift bed.

I'm not scared of you.

She had understood what was in his mind over the last days of travel, it was obvious as his attitude had shifted every time she came close to him. She never pushed the matter because she knew he too didn't know how to respond to her, of course she was curious what his transformation had been but it also looked like even he didn't know what it was. She could not blame him at all, and that's why she had no problem accepting him exactly as he was, because no matter how much he changed he was still Diablo.

Her Diablo.

With that thought in mind, Serene shook her head and finally focused on the task at hand, she had just arrived to the gates of Bathairk, a city of orcs. She waited in line for passage, just like any visitor to a foreign city would until she was next in line.

"Hold it!" the orc exclaimed with two more behind him, clearly not threatening her but just being cautious, with good reason. Serene turned to look at him and showed several gold coins in a pouch, her clothes a mixture of the remnants of the scouting party she and Diablo had killed in the mountains, giving her the appearance of a mercenary or adventurer, rather than the scavenger she was more comfortable in being.

"I'm here for trade, nothing more. I'll be gone once my business here are finished." she murmured to the guard who immediately threw her a worn out black cloak. She didn't wait to be told what to do with it, the message was clear.

Her race was, after all, still very much resented by the race, they would not deny her passage but they would not guarantee her safety, the cloak would help her hide her racial features.

Of course, whether the cloak would remain tinted in black or not was completely dependent on how they'd react towards her.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Diablo had no need for visuals, he could clearly feel the absence of Serenes warmth that he had become so accustomed to, slowly he opened his bleary eyes as a sigh escaped his lips. He trusted Serene, with his very life even, yet the prospect of her, going alone, into the city made him feel unnerved, uneasy, and he didn't like it one bit.

Shaking his head Diablo would sit upright, stretching and quietly exited the tent. Diablo was certain that the space they had chosen would do the trick, a dense forest surrounded the small camp they had made. yet gave them enough of a clearing to live comfortably. His train of thought had sprang a new idea however, A home.

The thought alone played a soft smile upon Diablos face, a place Serene and him could call home, just for the two of them. Yet a deep pain struck his chest with the realization that he never truly had anywhere to call home before, and with the concern he still had for Serene and her thoughts about him, that still weighted heavy on his mind.

"BAH!" Diablo yelled in frustration as his fist met a tree, which quickly succumbed to the blow and toppled over "You sure taught that tree master!" Violeta came into view, giggling away as per her usual demeanor. Diablo gave a glaring glance towards her and sighed, yet again "What now?" He growled at her as he walked over to the tree, examining it carefully.

"Well, I figured instead of beating up the entire forest, you could build said home, you were thinking of it yes?" Violeta watched him carefully as she could clearly see the gears clunking away in Diablos head. He would silently take a glance at Violeta, then back to the tree. Diablo shrugged and smiled "How hard could it be?"

With that Diablo began his attempt at making a home for Serene. After several hours, of failed attempts, multiple curses, and a curious stacked pile of trees with an equally curious section of stumps, sat Diablo with an incredibly bruised ego and with a high amount of frustration as he continued to mumble under his breath.

"Stay here Vio, let Serene know where i am when she gets back. Im going to cool off." With that he stormed off, disappearing into the forest. He was way in over his head, and it only became clear after he had taken it upon himself to build a home.

"I guess that's what a lack of education gets ya." He scoffed with venom as he made his way through the forest. Soon after he would find himself standing before a beach that hugged the ocean, a small clearing that only spanned twenty yards or so, until the forest regained control of the land yet again. Diablo shrugged and began stripping down and making his way into the cool ocean waters.

 

[Serene]

The trip to the city was disappointingly uneventful, the most she got was a glare of a merchant refusing to sell her what she wanted but changed his mind when she showed she meant business, her pouch of gold still fat and ready to spend away.

She had no real need for coin but there were things cities had that she or Diablo could never do, they were no practitioners of any craftsmanship to the point where they could simply make it off the land, it was simply too complicated and the raw materials and manufacturing tools needed would simply make their hideout an overcrowded mess.

It was best to leave craftsmanship to those that lived off it, the vanity result of having money to spend with leisure. When she exited the city she actually had to pay for a horse and a small wagon with no roof, a mixture of multiple grains and clothes, pillows and carpets to replace those that had to be left behind, the rest were a mixture of tools, the simple necessities to give their tent a good maintenance work. She spend not even half of her pouch, there was enough money for another trip or two depending on their journey.

For now her priority was to survive the winter, she now somewhat desired to live underground like the rest of her people, at least they didn't have to worry about climate change.

Serene grunted under her breath as she had to take the long trip back home with only one passageway wide enough for her and the wagon to come across, hidden all the way north of the pocket forest they'd call home for now.

Once she had arrived, about seven days had passed since her trip into the city, what she found in their pocket paradise was not what she had hoped for. A bundle of roughly treated tree trunks thrown atop one another, a clear evidence of someone throwing a fit, Serene didn't understood the point until she finally moved out of the horse and walked towards the center of this chaos.

The first tree trunks at the bottom clearly had a set square pattern, the second row seemed to have toppled off of the first, then the third were simply a tangled mess of sharp wooden spikes.

"He tried his best, you best be thankful when he returns!" from behind her the fire spirit spoke out loud, as mocking and insulting as she ever did whenever she directed herself towards Serene, she simply looked back to her and acknowledged her presence, neither of them trusting the other entirely.

"So where is he?" Serene focused her eyes back to Diablo's abstract house plan and smiled fondly, imagining his frustration midway of his endeavor.

"I don't know, he doesn't tell me where he goes when he's all emotional, no idea." the fire spirit was clearly hiding something but Serene just didn't want to bother with the details, even demons must need some time alone.

There was nothing to do then but to clear away the mess.

Immediately, Serene's hands and tendrils latched on the top of one of the tree trunks she had climbed over to, and with one swift but clearly struggling grip she send the tree trunk flying away to the opposite direction of the wagon she had brought, just in case.

The ground trembled and the horse seemed to be startled by the sound of the tree hitting the rest of the forest. The one most surprised by it all was the fire spirit now watching in horror at the scene.

"H-Hey, what are you doing?! That's my master's work you're ruining!"

Serene didn't pay attention to her and quickly continued with the next one on top, carefully adjusting her position as this one was practically standing on. "If you don't stop now, I'll kill you! I really will, I'm really sick of you and how you have him around your finger, he should have looked my way instead of you!"

The fire's spirit words reached empty ears as Serene's grunts echoed around their small landscape, sending the tree trunk flying high to its destination. Diablo sure made it look easy back in the forest.

"That's it, maybe you forgot who put you in your place last time!" She ignored completely how Violeta was at her wit's end and snapped, her body flaming hot with enough strength to light a second sun in the sky, charging at full speed towards her.

Serene however simply turned her head and allowed Violeta see her tendrils escape her mouth, reaching towards the fire spirit, Violeta barely moved out in time because of her momentum, the tendrils only missing her by mere inches.

"Aaaaaaaargh! What are you trying to do, kill me?! G-Get that thing away from me, away!"

The tendrils seemed to move on their own, their craving for the fire spirit clearly on par with that of Diablo's, if not more. Serene enjoyed watching her cower and let go of all of her fire in one go, revealing once more the small fire spirit that she had grown accustomed to.

"But I haven't eaten a thing in over seven days, you know..." Serene faked a melodramatic tone of voice, her hand falling on her forehead as her stomach grumbled in approval, the tendrils over her forearms wriggling around in the excitement of consuming Violeta.

"Y-You don't have to explain it to me! I don't want anything to do with you!" Clearly startled by what she witnessed Violeta didn't wait to find out if it was true or not, disappearing with a pop in the sky.

Serene couldn't but giggle at the reaction she had managed to squeeze out of the one who had beaten her senseless once before. She had not noticed she had already outgrown Violeta's strength until now, it perked up her spirits and the tendrils inside her, giving her the extra boost of confidence and strength to continue dismantling Diablo's artwork until all the tree trunks were stacked over a single side of the landscape.

However strange their diet had turned into, it was clear it had benefitted them both, she noticed progress in Diablo's recovery and even felt some extra flesh on his sides.

Sweat had accumulated over her body, she had to untie her hair and get rid of most of her top clothing, leaving herself with a damp, skin-fit blouse that pronounced her body features while still keeping the boots and pants on when a lot more sharp chunks of wood still remained on the ground.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Diablo had floated in the water for some time now, being enveloped by the cool liquid was exactly what he needed. He had almost came to a peaceful trance before he was rudely interrupted by a shrieking ball of fire that came rocketing into the water, Violeta, whom now shifted into her human and violently splashing about, had been jumping between yelling and shrieking incoherently at Diablo.

With Violetas shrieking filling the very air around them, had confused Diablo greatly, with the most he could understand was 'Bitch monster' and 'back there'. Diablo, unsure of what was going on, had quickly retreated from the ocean, grabbed his bundle of clothes and darted towards the camp.

He deftly evaded the majority of the branches as he made his way though the forest, yet had managed to sustain a few scraps here and there. Once he reached the outskirts of the clearing, that he had called home not hours ago, was standing Serene, dismantling his horrid attempt at construction.

Water had still clung to his pale body, giving it a sleek shine to it as he smiled at the woman he loved and slowly made his way towards her. "Hey Darling, welcome back." His smile grew as his hand caught the trunk that serene had about to move and placed it with the pile she had made.

"Ill help, I did make the mess anyway." His embarrassment clearly showing as he proceeded to take one by one the trees he had been laying about and placed them into the pile "Sorry about that." He quietly scratched his head, averting his gaze as he nodded at Violeta, whom seemed to be literally fuming from her ears "My alarm rang, so i came to see what was up."

A light chuckle escaped him as he turned, letting his long strides to take him over to the nearby clothes line, to hang his clothes upon it, batting away the bits of tree that clung to it, and leaving them to dry, as they had soaked up some of the water that had covered diablo. A single hand would comb back his hair as he made his way towards the campfire.

Quickly he snapped his fingers and dug his hand into the bottom of the dry bundle of leaves and branches, soon afterwards the pile had taken to flame as Diablo quickly took his hand out. Absentmindedly he had tossed a few logs onto the fire as he took a seat nearby. By this point, nervousness had yet again, overtaken him as he began fidgeting with his fingers, with his gaze glued to the ground before him.

 

[Serene]

Serene watched an array of emotions wash over Diablo as he went from surprised to embarrassed to annoyed against Violeta to shy and defeated. Quite a spectacle Serene got to enjoy as he now sat all mopy next to the fire camp.

After clearing away the spot Diablo had clearly carefully picked for her welcoming surprise, Serene walked back to the horse, caressing his head gently, the first horse that didn't feel like a meal for monsters probably thanks to being around many before them. She released him off his reigns and allowed him to find comfort in his new home, then she made her way to Diablo who now played silly with the fire, like a child that had been caught on the act.

There wasn't much to say, she was already holding back her own laughter from seeing such spectacle of him, but the intention had reached her heart maybe for the first time.

Serene finally reached Diablo and slowly kneeled in front of him, crawling to him until she comfortable laid her weight on him, watching the fire as to give him a couple more minutes with himself.

She laid on him in relative peace until finally speaking with him, "You know... At least we won't have to worry about firewood for a while." a giggle finally escaped her, it was a mistake to even try to speak as it would soon turn into a full on laughter.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

"You know... At least we won't have to worry about firewood for a while."

Diablo had spent a long silent moment, doing his damnedest to keep a straight face, yet as he realized how silly he was truly being, was the same exact moment that he too, began giggling himself. It had taken Diablo a few moments before he could stop laughing, finally letting out a happy sigh while his hand came over his shoulder, and grasping Serenes soft slender hand.

He would take a couple moments to collect himself, knowing full well that he needed to man up and quit avoiding the subject. Disgust or not, he had to yet again, know. Carefully he turned, taking a stand with Serenes hands clasped in his.

"I do apologize for my behavior as of late, but..." HIs sentence had trailed of for a mere moment before he shook his head, his gaze locking onto Serenes "If we are to be.. ah.. mates, then i shouldn't be hiding things from you." With that he took a hesitant step away from Serene, while slowly, every so slowly Diablos body began to grow, and what followed was that of nightmares.

His feet and hands had turned into gnarled bladed appendages, his torso, donning off all flesh, leaving behind only sturdy pale bone, his head, a disgusting foul beast of nightmares with eight eyes embedded within its skull.

Diablo Finally reached his full height, his horns had yet again, split and grew largely, while his tail had sprouted a large stinger at the tip. And finally four large, thin wings shot out from Diablos spiked back. Finally finished, his eight dark sockets gazed towards Serene, fear, like times previous, had taken a hold of him as he took another hesitant step back before he stopped.

"This is I, my dear Serene. Behold my body, for it is whom I am. I can no longer run from my heritage, nor deny it. It is.... apart of me." His infernal, hollow voice had carried an immense darkness, immense intimidation, yet, it still held the undertone tinge of sorrow.

Carefully Diablo watched on for a reaction, as never in his life has he left as venerable as he was in this very moment. All the cards were down, there were no tricks he could use, no ace up his sleeve, no weighted dice. Just him, and his honesty.

 

[Serene]

Serene's eyes widened at his sudden need to show himself to her as the monster that he was, ready for any form of judgement she might have against him.

But her vision did not deviate, nor did her heartbeat hasted, she was still as calm as she was a minute ago, if only now with the images of their first time together in her head.

Slowly she walked up to him, closing the distance he had created, arms reaching for his body. Without the need for pleasure in the way she was now able to feel his body for what it was, the same composition that now made half her ribcage, a creature of nightmares as it now towered over her, any other person would feel the slightest bit of terror simply by the amount of eyes he now had on his skull.

Regardless of his lack of skin however, he was very clear afraid of her, a monster of incredible power now cowered at her every move, to her every word she could spout.

Serene yanked him lower to her height and carefully traveled her fingers up to his skull, counting each and every one of his teeth with her finger tips before finally spreading his sharp jaw open. His interior smelled almost like sulfur and burnt flesh directly thrown to her nostrils, yet she inhaled him entirely, her own way of showing respect to a demon that awaited her judgement.

Finally, she wetted her lips before leaning in to kiss him, a moan escaping her voice as her arms completely wrapped his head around, pulling him entirely in to her, not taking a no for answer.

Her eyes closed in tasting the demon that had stolen her every fiber of her being, her tongue finding its way in, teasing his own in return.

This was her response.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

The very weight of the heavens had lifted off his shoulders in response to Serenes bold actions. Diablo bore his very nature to her, and she took it all in, without batting an eyelash. No words were needed, no spoken affirmation, just the supple lips of his lover.

His entirety shuddered in pure bliss, real happiness had been attainable, and that happiness was within the woman that stood before him, Serene. Slowly Diablo eased himself into her kiss, his dark forked tongue, coming out in gentle lashes responding in his own way, his own territorial kiss that he laid upon her.

That very kiss had soon after caressed her tongue, invaded her being, finding its way into her mouth, memorizing each and every feel and taste that grazed against his large tongue. His massive bladed hands carefully lowered themselves to the earth, crushing it under the sheer weight of him, while he relished in the ecstasy that her welcoming taste had brought on.

No longer did he feel cowardice, no longer fear. A new pride had awoken, a strong confidence, that Serene unknowingly, had filled him with. She was was his, and he, hers. Unbeknownst of either, a small black emblem had slowly appeared upon Serenes abdomen, marking her, as his territory.

A quick breath had escaped his Jagged teeth, excitement had begun building within his abdomen, that slowly crawled its way through his body, which showed clear, as his tongue turned to to a more aggressive state, gripping. Lashing. Claiming. Covering Serene in his saliva, yet again.

Another breath, before he continued, he dared to go further, but with a clear mind, to etch this moment into his very soul. With his last, being of reckless abandon, Diablo was set on keeping the reins on his instincts, to enjoy this for himself. Truly betraying his nature, and deciding to be, exceedingly selfish.

 

[Serene]

Serene had to shake her head off a bit as the saliva she was being covered in stuck to her face hard, she couldn't but giggle under the kiss before finally pulling away with a loud lack of breath from her. She kept her hands on him for a minute longer, admiring the image she had in front of her, whether this would be his form from now own or he'd return to the one she was used to she had made it clear Diablo had not changed in her eyes, only their relationship had.

"You still have to chop off enough timber for the winter" she admitted, playfully kissing his teeth one more time, leaving herself covered in his saliva as she made her way away from him, keeping her eyes on him before finally turning her sight towards the flattened surface on the landscape. "We're gonna need a bigger home."

With those words in mind she ran for the wagon and slowly picked over some of the tools she has brought with herself; despite their already overwhelming strength she understood leaning on their power too much would simply undermine her muscle growth as would Diablo's, this proved true in the dungeon as even their strength came at a high cost in their endurance.

She picked up an axe fit for an orc and carried it to the outskirts of the forest, receiving some small help from her tendrils as she took the first swing that would mark their beginning of building off a home for them.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Diablo took a deep breath, allowing his hormones a moment clam themselves before he followed suit, following Serenes gaze like a hawk following its prey.

"We're gonna need a bigger home."

Diablo paused for a moment to ponder Serenes statement, followed by a nod in agreement. A small home for them would not do well as his transformed size alone would destroy anything they would build. Sticking to his overgrown size, Diablo had begun ripping trees from the very earth they latched onto, taking his razor bladed fingers and cutting them into workable chunks for the camp, and finally placing them neatly in a pile near the fire pit.

it wasnt an hour later than he began to feel fatigued by the strain his new power had placed upon his body, and with that, his body slowly shrunk into a normal state. As his flesh slowly grew back, he glanced down at himself, realizing that he had forgotten about his clothes.

"It seems I have an hour at most. Its not much, but its progress." He had said mostly to himself as he wandered over to the clothes line to retrieve his pants. After dressing his lower half, Diablo poked into the tent quickly, grabbing his boots and making his way back towards Serene, whom had been swinging away at the nearby tree with her large axe.

Quietly he watched her go to town on the tree until a few swings later, had made it topple over with a loud thud. Smiling Diablo had grabbed a hold of it and dragged it to the rest of the pile where he produced an axe from his bone and began chopping it up into smaller pieces. As he did so a thought had occurred to him, quietly he pondered as he chopped away at the tree.

After a mere moment of this Diablo would turn, facing Serene "Would it be possible to build our home with stone? I'm not expert in the field, as I'm more accustomed to combat." Diablo had shrugged as he finished up the tree he was cutting, resting his weight on the pommel of the axe "Its a thought in any case. What do you think Serene?"

 

[Serene]

Serene huffed out as the second trunk came down to the earth, tumbling around for a few moments. His words spoke truth as wood was easy to destroy, yet stone alone would not hold on its own, their skills were simply not in par with the task in mind.

Looking for hired hands would risk to make their position known, and they didn't owncurrently they were simply not strong enough to hold off against society as a whole when they did not even own a place to call home.

Serene laid her weight on the handle of the axe, then sighed out in frustration. It irritated her how the knowledge she'd be using was obtained by her time in slavery, but if it meant they'd finally stop moving around before winter she'd suck it up.

"You're right, you're right..." her voice was filled with poison against herself before coming off more naturally for Diablo. "... but we cannot do it of stone alone, we also need the proper amount of wood..."

Her voice trailed off, finding the information she needed by watching the horse pasture around the field, she just didn't know how to put it to action.

She stared to Diablo to find solace, then finally smiled one more time and went straight for the wagon, unloading its supplies.

"I need to go back to the city first thing in the morning, there's a few things we're going to need."

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

"I need to go back to the city first thing in the morning, there's a few things we're going to need."

A scowl had emerged upon Diablos face, the prospect of Serene going back to the city alone, yet again, made him nervous. Quickly the gears in his head spun, thinking of a way for him to come along without looking like a demon.

His eyes darted around as he continued to rack his brain for a solution, clothes? a hood? my jacket? my jacket! he thought.

Then his thought quickly came together in his mind "one moment." was all he said as he retreated into their tent as he focused on his horns, that slowly gave way to his whim.

Slowly Diablos horns had leaned down and wrapped around his head, while he reached his black jacket, donning it and putting up his hood, with the face of the wolf staring forward.

He took a step out smiling at Serene "Ill be coming, there's no way they'd tell I'm a demon like this." Diablos smile grew wider by his small victory of hiding his nature "What do you think?"

Diablo was surprised he hadn't thought of shifting his horns in the past, a boon that would have saved him many a time had he thought of it.

He shrugged and took off the coat as his horns sprang back to their original spot, his hands came up and grasped the pair. Happy with them returning without problems, he'd make his way back towards Serene.

 

[Serene]

There wasn't much she could say to convince him of otherwise, even Diablo was guilty of having a certain glint in his eyes that shower unyielding determination. There was only one condition, he had to hide the gems decorating his jacket if they wanted to pass off as deviants, how he'd do it it was completely up to him after he refused to cut them right off, like a child wanting to keep his favorite toy.

At the dawn of the next day they left an unfinished job of their landscape and saddled the horse, taking to their trip enough food to last all three of them until they reached the city gates. The travel was mostly uneventful, with only a quick run-in with some bandits that thought them easy pickings, the most fortunate thing for Serene's hungry belly, she'd have to finish this welcoming dish before reaching the city.

On the third day they arrived the city and once again had to wait in line alongside everyone else. The horse whined tiredly, clearly at his wits end just like Serene and Diablo were.

Hours later they finally made it to the entrance where the guard recognized the Drow yet looked at the demon with more disgust.

"You sure know how to stand out, don't blame us for what might come for you keeping him as company!" with that the orc guard threw at her the ragged black cloak of before and a separate dark red cloak for Diablo, not sparing him a second look. "Alright, move along!"

With that they entered the city, parking the wagon at a nearby rental stable that'd care for their horse for the right price. Their supplies were practically empty by now, and so she didn't bother with paying for the insurance fee when only scraps of bones were left in the wagon.

Finally on their feet, Serene took Diablo around the stable until finally reaching the main street, the city was open to them so long as their identities remained on the low profile.

"Alright... I don't suppose we're going to finish everything before sunset, we best find somewhere to rest and replenish."

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

"Mhm." Diablo grunted in response, glancing up towards the sky seeing as nightfall would soon be upon them. "Let's get started then." Taking Serene by the hand, Diablo had slowly weaved a way through the bustling town, and as always the din of the atmosphere had begun grinding on his nerves almost immediately.

"Fresh meat for sale Get! Get yer fresh meat here!" Called one merchant "yer one stop shop for all oddities!" Called another. People of all races and shapes wandering about, mingling, and coin trading hands.

Diablos nose crinkled in passive disgust as he watched in passing. To Diablos surprise however, they had managed to reach their destination in good time, with Serene directing him, should he make a wrong turn. It was a boon to have her guide him, since she was in town previously.

As Serene spoke with the shop keep, Diablo would take these spare moments to glance around their surroundings, thankfully no one had been truly eyeing them up in any regard, a glance or glare here and there sure. But nothing that had tipped Diablo off as suspicious.

A simple coin exchange and a nod, and Serene was back at his side. Diablo nodded and yet again, slowly weaved his way through the town, in search of an inn to rest at for the night. As they quietly walked, a ides had crossed Diablos mind "hey Serene, why don't you and I go to dinner before we retire for the night? I think we could use-"

Diablos sentence had been cut short as a broad figure had rocked into his shoulder "hey! Watch where your going!" Immediately Diablo spun around to face the figure "No! You watch-" He had paused, looking back at Serene, then back to the figure before him "...yeah, sorry"

A growl was threatening to come out from Diablo as he turned back around to leave. Before he could however, a bulky hand had grasped his shoulder, forcing him to spin around "hey now, cat got your tongue? What were you saying?"

Diablos temper was beginning to flare while a low snarl escaped him "I said, I'm sorry." By this point a few more figures had entered the scene, making this look less like an accident, and more like a set up.

Quietly Diablo eyed the man "take my advice. Just walk away." The man laughed in response and slapped one of his fellows on the back " Ya hear that, the little guy said to 'walk away'! Bah, you leave the slave here and sure."

Diablo went rigid, a deathly calm washed over him as the bone in his forehead extended a mere inch "I'm sorry about your broken nose." The man gave him a strange look "what? But my nose-"

Before he could get another word out, Diablo had leaned back and swung his head in full force at the man's face. A loud Crack could be heard before the man toppled to the ground.

"I told you, just walk away." Was all Diablo had stated.

 

[Serene]

Hot.

She had never been one for violence yet there she was eyeing up Diablo after he managed to lose it slightly, enough to make the man drop on the floor, grunting in pain as he struggled to breathe from his broken nostrils.

Some of the folk seemed to be riled up and got closer, circling them around. Serene took it as a sign to stand between Diablo and the fallen man, facing her lover with a hand under his mask, caressing his cheek in gentle motions.

"Dinner would be great." Serene whispered under his mask, cautiously lifting it up to plant a kiss on his lips, her way of showing she approved of what he did.

"What are you waiting... for?! Get them!" the man muffled under his heavy breath, his hand over his nose as to try to stop the bleeding from his face.

Diablo depended on raw strength to overpower his enemies, strength he could not show as per her agreement with the city guards. Just as the first of the several men charged forward, Serene simply let out some of the tendrils underneath her cloak and quickly enveloped their surroundings several feet around. The citizens not involved in the matter quickly took their leave as the vagrants were swallowed by the darkness that had spontaneously developed, their screams a mixture of confusion and anguish at their complete lack of visibility. By the time the mist had cleared both Serene and Diablo were just coming into the inn, having fled the scene entirely.

Serene was thrilled over her little play, having always wanted to see the shocked face of bullies over a simple slip, Diablo however seemed to have something in mind as his body was still stiffened by his restraint of control.

"I won't be long, find us a table." she left Diablo near the entrance and made her way to a nearby waitress who absentmindedly took her order, the inn was packing and only a few tables remained, a perfect cover up for their little escapee.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Diablo had taken a few moments to breath, slowly calming himself, while he stood near the entranceway of inn. The sounds of angry yell could be heard from the streets, giving him a playful smirk to start forming on his lips.

Casually Diablo moved about the inn, letting his gaze roam about. Quickly his eyes fell to an empty table near the back of the inn and slowly made his way over.

As he took a seat, Diablo had focused more on his horns, feeling them slowly retreat into his skull as he lifted off his hood, and took off his mask, casually placing it on the table.

Absent mindedly he hummed to himself, while he waited for Serene to return, closing his eyes, to further calm himself. For Serene he thought as he sat there.

He wasn't fond of crowds, but taking a woman to dinner was something he heard in his travels, was a nice gesture, and a way to make bonds closer.

And of course he wanted to treat his woman to something nice, she deserved it, after all the shit she's gone through it was the least he could do he thought.

 

[Serene]

She had to pick then and there the menu, she simply asked for a simple meal, porridge and meat with vegetables, some ale to accompany it all as water was somehow more expensive.

No matter, she would make the sacrifice to have ale by her own coin, in her own free will, rather than at the whim of her past contractors.

Keeping the positive attitude she found her way back to Diablo and sat right next to him, clearly intrigued by the gloom on the demon's face, his horns completely gone from his head.

"You know, you don't look so different from me without those" her finger pointed to his now empty head then smiled, cuddling him close as she remained hooded, her face would most likely be recognized as the city had been a frequent stopping spot for the caravan of old.

And while the prospect of finding news of the caravan and any potential survivor was tempting, there were simply more pressing matters at hand, more she wanted to do next to Diablo.

Dinner soon arrived to their table, the waitress clearly either too busy or too unconcerned by Diablo's appearance, she finished plating and soon ran off somewhere else, leaving the two alone on their small corner of the inn.

As much as Serene could live off from humanoid meat she could very well still enjoy the more common meat and pleasantries of sweet fruit, she didn't waste no time to dig in as this was only half of what she had ordered.

There was no need to hold back.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

"You know, you don't look so different from me without those"

Diablo had smiled in response "It would seem so." A casual hand had combed through his hair, a strange pang struck him with the absence of his horns. Quickly he shook his head and noticed a couple of unlit candles on their table.

A new idea struck him, as he casually snapped his fingers, a small flame would grow on his thumb. Carefully he dipped his thumb down against each of the wicks, lighting the candles.

As Diablo blew on his own flame, putting it out, he turn his attention towards the meal before him. The spread that Serene had ordered looked fantastic, much better then the pair had been stuck eating the past few months.

Meats, porridge, with some vegetables. Needless to say it was a well rounded meal. As he ate, a smile spread across his face "We might want to invest in our own cookware, this meal is certainly hitting the spot."

Disregarding the din of the inn, he had begun enjoying the time he was spending with Serene, certainly changing his attitude towards being in a town.

"I guess coming along wasn't so bad after all." He gave Serene a warm smile, as he casually took her by the chin, planting a gentle kiss upon her luscious lips, then returned his attention to the meal.

 

[Serene]

Their meal was a mixture of small talk and gobbling up the food like they hadn't eaten in their whole lives, clearly even their journey had failed to ruin their appetite. Before long both rounds of meals were completely gone and the plates were almost licked clean.

After drinking the last drop of ale Serene was beyond eccatic and leaned on Diablo's shoulder. To forget they were both fugitivesin one way or the other, to erase the bad memories they had shared in their journey, even if for a small amount of time, was certainly a soothing experience.

Serene almost forgot not to remove her cloak as she caught herself about to lift the hoodie off her head, and simply proceeded to comb her hair under it; she was beyond itchy and sweating, a bath would be welcomed.

But she just didn't want to move, her entire body weight now inclined entirely on Diablo's side, cuddling in closer as his body was unnaturaly warm, just as she liked it.

"I like this, being with you." she was proud of being able to admit it as such, the only thing that saddened her is that she couldn't reveal herself for him in front of so many. Maybe one day, but for now, a single kiss on his lower lip while caring for the cloak to hide her features well, would suffice.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

"I like this, being with you."

Diablo nodded quietly "As I love being with you." He felt comfortable around Serene now, making it easier to say what he felt. Gently he kissed Serenes forehead before glancing up towards the inn keeper. The din of the inn had taken a quiet turn, the bard playing a soft tune, as many had taken to bed, and others, asleep at their tables.

Diablo had a smirk play across his face as he quickly scooped up Serene, and made his way to the bartender " I'll need a room with a bath."

He said nothing more as he dropped his own coin purse and smiled "Theres plenty there, just make sure no one bothers us." The bartender nodded, quietly sliding over a key as he did.

Taking the key, Diablo carefully carried Serene upstairs and to their room that was at the end of the hall, once inside he would gently lay her down on the bed , kissing her as he stepped away and hung his coat and cloak on a nearby hook.

"Get undressed love, I'll run you a bath." His gentle gaze setting on her as he smiled "Don't take to long." With that Diablo disappeared into the adjoining room, starting her bath.

He quickly started the bath, carefully checking to make sure the water was comfortably hot, yet not too hot. He had noticed that Serene had been itching at her hair, and thought she would enjoy a nice bath.

He smiled to himself as he chuckled, he had never given as much care to anyone before, yet, he found himself wanting to do more, and provide more, just to see her smile.

 

[Serene]

She didn't know when it happened but after the first bucket of water splashed over the bathtub she had awoken, ten minutes of well earned rest sometimes carried more weight than several hours in one go.

Her drowsiness now gone, she did a quick job of the dirty cloak and her sweaty leather clothes, they needed a wash as badly ad her body did. Now entirely naked and fully confident no one would bother them she quietly made her way to the bathtub where a glossy yet equally dirty demon was awaiting him.

However modest the setting was, Diablo had a knack for making everything he did look like it was a profession. The way he kept the water's heat with his magic, how he carried the bucket of water to fill the bathtub to the brim, and when he finally knelt to leave it be...

Truth be told, however thankful he was of being with her, it almost made her fear how she had managed to fetch such a catch without there being a catch. She finally allowed her feet to take her into the steaming room and stop right at the front of her Diablo. Her body was naturally arching as to give her some extra height, a feature most drows learned only after years of experiences, she didn't even realize she was doing it nor did she care.

Her body was slowly accumulating both sweat and water over the high temperature of the room, her hair turning into strange curls due to the dirt accumulated to the roots. It was a difficult life they lived in, far from pleasantries or normal commodities, and yet in her eyes Diablo looked a natural in such environment, her hands traveling from his abdomen to his neck, admiring him in her own way.

Her eyes were filled with admiration the same as her smile was.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Diablo had smiled, feeling Serenes hands travel up his body, sending a small shiver to crawl up his spine in response, the effects she had on his body were astounding to say the least He thought. His gaze wandered however, regardless of the dirt and grime, the woman whom stood before him was that of natural beauty, and took a blissful moment to bathe in that beauty.

Gently he scooped her up, yet again, and turned to face the tub "You ready?" He didn't wait for a response as he eased her into the tub, gently laying her head on the edge of the tub to support her neck.

As he done so, Diablo reached for a nearby wash cloth and a small bar of soap, slowly lathering the cloth with a think layer of soap. Gently he began, he started with her neck, gently rubbing the cloth in circular motions, easily removing the dirt of their travels, his hands moved down, carefully washing the entirety of her bountiful breast, and placing a playful kiss before moving on.

Once Diablo had finished washing her stomach and abdomen, he'd reach into the water, gently easing out her legs and washing them, and just as carefully easing them back in the warmth of the water.

Lastly, Diablos gaze had shot towards Serene before his hand and cloth had sunk under the water, cupping her most intimate parts, being as gentle as he could as he washed her.

Slowly he took his hand out of the water, and placed the cloth down as he reached for the bar of soap, lathering up his hands and began scrubbing her long gorgeous hair. After a few moments of this, Diablo would sit her up, and lean her head back, as he used one hand to cover her face from the soap suds as he cupped water in his other hand and rinsed out her hair.

Feeling satisfied with his ability to wash, he'd sit back on a nearby stool, smiling "theres a towel over yonder, I'll be right behind you after I wash up myself" He had planted a kiss on her before he truly let her go from his grasp.

 

[Serene]

Despite saying this she could feel the tension on his body, his breath was heavy and his eyes seemed to travel around her body very well on their own. She had taken the towel from the counter but didn't use it, her mind set on what she wanted to do next.

The towel dropped from her hand as she slowly turned to see him on a small stool already showing his back to her.

Carefully she walked back and knelt behind him, stealing the soap from his hands and slowly taking her time caressing his skin with it, drawing small circles around the muscles from his neck all the way down to his waist. After he was well coated with soap she placed it on the floor and began washing off the dirt accumulated from their travels, bubbles and foam thickening on his back, giving him a strange mixture of colors that made her giggle.

She used this same foam to gently move to one of his arms, sitting right next to him as her hands extended themselves to fully envelop his flesh, massaging his muscles from the end of his shoulder to the very top of his fingers, all the way never taking her eyes away from him.

After she was done with both arms and half his chest in the process, she completely spread his legs wide open. She swallowed heavily as her own body was sensitive from all the bodily stimulation he had given her, she wanted to return to the favor.

Her hands traveled from his chest down to his abdomen, never yielding and never flinching as they went down to his engorged member. Her touch lacked list even if she actually gave it a squeeze and a stroke to supposedly wash away the impurities, her finger tips down as far down as his ballsack, giving it a gentle squeeze with her entire palm before finally moving her hands from that spot and continuing on with his thighs and legs, ankles and feet. By now she had already picked the soap again and scrubbed over his skin, her hands squeezing over his muscles and tendons, giving him a small massage albeit with not such an experienced touch as he.

Her body was still getting used to the touch of the opposite sex, but this bath had helped her take things slower now and fully explore the body of the demon she had been sharing a bed with for months now.

It wasn't long before she was finally done with the lower half of his body and fully stood up in front of him, her feet taking her to sit on his extended legs, making her do the same as she crossed them around his body, keeping her tightly close to him.

Her gaze fell down on his eyes as she fought off the need to have him then and there and proceeded to take the soap on his hair, circular motions again and again until a thick layer covered his raven hair.

Dropping the soap aside she took both hands to rinse and wash his head over, bringing her hands around his horns and down to his face and beard, her finger nails combing it down.

Lastly, she reached over the bathtub which he had filled with new water and slowly started to wash him off, still without taking her eyes away until she had to wash over his legs she was sitting on.

She was done before long, leaving both a soaking mess of water and sweat as their bodies had most likely overheated from the room's temperature and their proximity.

 

[Diablo The Betrayer]

Surprise rang true across Diablos face, he had never intended for Serene to wash him, yet as he sat quietly, waiting for her exit, he was met with a quick hand snatching the soap, and her, starting on his back.

The experience had left him speechless, from her gentle touch that spanned his entire body, to the massage she gave him, feeling the kinks in his muscles loosen to her touch.

Now, he stood before her, a combination of sweat and water dripping from his brow, notably from the high temperature of the small room the two of them were in.

"Ah, take the towel dear. There's only one." He smiled as he casually leaned back against the wall, taking in the view of his gorgeous lover.

Slowly he raked his clawed fingers through his hair, bringing it slicked back as he normally had it. Afterwards he'd produce a small bone razor and gently begin shaving his face, over the weeks he had noticed that his face had been covered with more and more hair, which to say the least annoyed him greatly.

Short quick strokes, is what he had made, until finally his face was clean of his scraggly dark hair, leaving only his goatee that he preferred.

After all was said and done, Diablo felt amazing, cleaner then ever before, and finally clean shaven, and with full belly. He was almost sad to know that when the morn came, they would have would have leave.

 

[Serene]

Serene's body was burning with desire, yet she didn't refuse to leave and pick the towel she had dropped. The setting and the mood was beyond perfect, she knew if she had pushed him he'd simply cave in and love her like only he could, but to truly let themselves go would mean to crush down the inn and everyone around it, and that simply would not do for now.

Disatisfied in a way, Serene wrapped the towel around her hair, allowing it to dry first before going for the remaining onf her body. The towel would remain wet as she exited, fully naked and leaving it close to the fire Diablo had made at some point during her sleep, keeping the room to a tempearture most suitable for her.

Just as she was going to head for the bed however, a rustle around the doorway caught her attention, it was subtle and with the noises coming from their neighboring patrons it wasn't easy to listen to this specific sound. Serene silently approached the wall next to the doorway, allowing her to place her ear against the frail wall dividing her from whoever was now trying to pick the lock of their room.

"You sure she's stacked as he? What if they simply didn't know how to use their money?" one voice whispered, mostly the thief.

"Do I look like I care? Hurry up!" the other man sounded a lot older if more stupid.

Serene didn't have to do much beyond waiting right where she stood, the fire lit on the bedroom was meant for heat, not brighting the place, they had no need for light when both could perfectly see in the dark. The lock clicked and the door opened, the men's feet making the wooden surface creak beneath their heavy footing, clearly dumber than they first sounded they didn't even bother to look to their side where Serene perfectly laid still, having learned to do so in the dungeon.

Seconds later they were in, closing the door behind them, knives at the ready. Serene didn't even give them a chance to see her coming, quickly she launched herself on the old man who was trying to find a light source, her hand quickly picking his own knife and stabbing him in the throat with it. Before his body even managed to react she pulled off the knive and threw it to the thief's neck, cutting his spine from its root, rendering his body useless as his voice gargled and choked under his own blood.

Serene watched them both fall almost systematically to the floor, their blood soaking the floorway under her feet. She had to roll her eyes in frustration, she had just taken a bath too. There was stomach left to eat them either, they'd have to deal with this the civilized way.

She felt Diablo suddenly rushing out of the bathroom, knives at the ready, almost a frustrating look on his face, it nearly surprised her how quickly he went on the defense despite his blush from earlier. Serene smiled at this and sighed, the only man who'd ever matter to her still wanted to protect her.

Truly, she was loved, just as he was loved.