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Davian’s apprehension was evident, though he forged ahead.
“I know this will be hard to comprehend, but the secret symbol you share with your father is that of a cross-breed. Somewhere in his—and consequently your—lineage, a demon impregnated one of Liam’s female, human ancestors. I don’t know when it occurred or to whom or whether the act was forced or by consent. My guess is it was many generations ago. But this explains your ability to heal yourself quickly, despite the fact that you are, indeed, mortal.”
Her eyes had to be the size of snowballs. She gaped again, at a complete loss for words.
Davian took advantage of her silence and continued. “I know this comes as a shock, but it really does shed some light on your physical strength, your fighting skills and your territorial tendencies.”
It seemed to take eons, but she finally spoke, latching onto a critical term. “Territorial tendencies? That’s your area.”
He grinned at her comedic timing. Then earnestly said, “You took me on without a second thought when Jinx died. You stand up for your rights and the rights of others.”
“Yes. I want what’s fair and just for the people in the village. But…” She still couldn’t grasp what he’d told her about her gene pool. And yet, their discussion earlier about her being an effective liaison between races came back to her.
She internalized the things she knew to be absolute truths—that humans had been, and still were to an extent, terrorized by demons and living in a repressed state because of it. Conversely, the king of those demons allowed her to open his eyes to life as a human and that having compassion in his heart hadn’t equated to empathy in reality, until recently.
Being a cross between the two species did, as he’d pointed out, clarify numerous convoluted notions she’d had since her childhood. Perhaps it also fed into her isolation. For someone who’d been viewed as a potential leader all along, she’d kept a wall around her.
Mentally exhausted and perplexed, she flopped down onto the bed and stared up at the cracked ceiling. “Why is it that every time I’m with you, something completely insane happens?”
“I don’t mean to make life more complex for you, Jade,” Davian said in a consoling voice. “But you have to admit, there really is so much more to you than an orphaned girl trying to survive from one day to the next.”
She sighed. “I just can’t fathom how something like this could come about.”
“It’s rudimentary,” he explained. “Were you and I to have children, they would be demi-demons. Although, because of my lineage, our children would have my dominant traits. Your demon blood is not as strong as mine, since you’re mortal.”
“Are you saying our kids would be immortal?”
“Yes.”
Her gaze drifted to him. She recalled their interaction following the chicken slaying and said, “When you found me in my bathroom… You didn’t seem the slightest bit upset or reticent about asking me if I was pregnant. But you had to be bothered by the idea, right?”
His hand cupped her face, his thumb gliding over her cheek. “Why would that bother me? I told you I love you and that I want to marry you. I didn’t make the proposal lightly, nor did I fail to take into account all it would entail. True, your comment about where a bird and a fish would live together caught me off guard, though I suppose it shouldn’t have.” He kissed her before adding, “I know you don’t feel safe in the castle, surrounded by demons.”
She searched his eyes as she asked, “Is that one of the reasons you’ve revealed my skewed genetics? Are you thinking that me being a demi-demon will make me more comfortable in the presence of other demons?”
“Perhaps…in general. However, what about how easily you and Sheena bonded? How strong the friendship was between Morgan and Liam—and that Morgan has concern for your welfare because of that relationship? How even Jocelyn sensed there was more to you than human flesh and blood?” He gave her a moment to process this, then asserted, “I knew you were different, but I couldn’t get past your suffering to pinpoint what set you apart from other humans I’ve met.”
Jade’s mind reeled, but more absolute truths infiltrated her jumbled thoughts. “Now that you mention it,” she said, “I once told Lisette the demons I encountered from time to time all seemed to watch me curiously. Not warily. But it appeared as though something about me perplexed and intrigued them. I almost felt as though…they were silently calling out to me.”
Davian nodded. “Your heritage isn’t common. There are very few like you, which leads me to believe the demon seduction way back when with your ancestor was by mutual consent.”
With a snort, she said, “Well, thank God they didn’t pass down horns from generation to generation.”
He kissed her forehead. “Love your humor…as always.” He winked.
Regardless of the levity she tried to infuse into the discussion and the reality she faced, her brain still churned with the how did this happen and what does it really mean? concepts.
And the very plain and shocking reality that she was part-demon.
Part. Demon.
It was all too much to decipher and digest at the moment, so she didn’t give into the dark side of the predicament Davian had brought to light.
“What else am I going to do,” she remarked, “if not crack a joke? Everything I’ve ever known and believed in has just been turned upside down. It’s not every day a girl receives this sort of news.”
“I can bring you the book I tore that page from, if you’d like. There’s a chapter on your kind. It might be informative.”
She eyed him closely. “You haven’t read it?”
