To Bewitch a Devil

99 I want to watch you eat

Zavian smiled when he saw her pink face. He could hear her heart beating fast as she tried to concentrate on eating her meal.

Some strands of her hair fell to her face as she ate, and he stretched his hand, pushing it gently to the back of her ear;

Neera looked up at him as her face got redder if that was possible.

“Watch your hair; ” he said, and she coughed, taking a cup of water, she gulped it down.

“Are you not going to eat?”

Neera asked him when she saw that he was just sitting and staring at her, and Zavian nodded;

“I will, but I want to watch you eat. ”

Neera stared at him; he was gazing at her unblinkingly with a small smile on his lips, her eyes fluttered as she looked down at her food, too embarrassed to look at his face.

Zavian grinned, he was just having fun seeing her blush because of him.

.....

The woman at the bar stood quietly as she watched the couple at the end of the room. Zavian had not put a spoon of food into his mouth, he just sat there with a grin, watching the girl.

It reminded her of Lilah, that was exactly how he looked at her; unwaveringly and passionately, like nothing else mattered in the world, just her.

...

Neera washed her hands in the bowl of water and patted them dry with a tissue when she was done. Zavian had barely eaten a thing, he just watched her eat all through, placing some of his meat on her plate.

They bade the woman goodbye before leaving the diner. As they stepped outside, Neera exclaimed when she saw that dark clouds had gathered;

“Oh my, it seems it is going to rain, we should hurry.” She said as she looked at Zavian. Zavian studied the clouds; the sky had darkened considerably, and the sun had set already. Zavian wondered how it got dark so quickly.

”Let’s go;” He said to her and they walked forward.

Neera followed behind him but she lagged behind as she had just filled her stomach with food. When Zavian saw that her steps were slow, he walked to where she was and took her hand, Neera held him back as she held her dress up with her other hand and hastened her steps; but it seemed the heavens were not on their side as they had barely reached the stables when it began to rain.

At first, it seemed like it was just a drizzle, but then it became a serious downpour.

Neera and Zavian were totally soaked by the time they reached the stables.

Neera laughed as they entered the shade, loosening her bun, she let her hair fall down her back.

She looked at Zavian who was soaked too and she laughed again, wiping the rain from her face. Neera was so excited; the rain was cold, but she did not feel it, she had not had this much fun in her entire life. Seeing her laugh, Zavian’s lips stretched to a smile.

“We have to wait for the rain to stop;” She said squeezing her hair with her hand.

“Your majesty, you’re back!” The stable keeper came out and bowed when he saw Zavian and Neera standing on the shade, it was already dark and almost everyone had retired home when the rain started. He had stayed back because of the king’s horse.

“It is quite a downpour, can you travel with it?” He asked, he couldn’t guess when the rain would stop, it was better they found a place to sleep before it gets too late in the night.

“We’ll be on our way when the rain stops,” Zavian said. The man hesitated for a moment, and then he suggested;

“The rain might not stop anytime soon, why don’t you find a place to rest and then continue on your way tomorrow. There’s a good inn a few blocks from here. I can show you.”

He said and Zavian thought for a second, it was a better choice, and also Neera would catch a cold if he rode just after the storm.

“Alright, take us there.” He said and the man nodded. The man went into the stables and brought an umbrella. It was all he had, so he gave it to the king.

“You must shield yourself from the rain, your majesty.” He said as he stretched the umbrella towards Zavian.

Zavian took it and opened it. “Let’s go.” He spoke and they walked out into the rain. As soon as they entered the rain, he covered Neera with it. Neera looked at the umbrella over her head and then at him; the umbrella wasn’t so wide, so almost half of his body was drenched in the rain.

Her heart melted as she looked in front of her, a smile tugging on her lips.

“We’re here.” The man said as they walked into a shade in a compound. Neera looked in front and saw a beautiful house, with lights lit outside. There was no one in sight as everyone must have retired because of the rain.

“It’s a pleasure serving you, your majesty.” The man said and lowered his head.

“I’ll be in the stables in the morning for the horse, keep it ready,” Zavian said and handed the man the umbrella so he would not get drenched going back home.

The man bowed again before walking away. After he left, they walked to the entrance of the inn and Zavian knocked on the door.

There was no response and he knocked again. After some time, they could hear a dangling of keys, and then, the doors creaked open.

A girl stood on the other side of the door, and she greeted them. The girl was a human so she did not recognize Zavian but she knew he was a demon. Moving to the side, she let them in.

As they walked inside, a woman in her fifties stepped out; she was human too.

“You’re welcome to our inn, how may I help you?”

The woman asked with a smile on her chin. Neera was especially happy that the inn belonged to a human, at least she was sure there would be no rumors after they left.

“We need a room, is there any available?”

Zavian asked and the woman nodded.

“Yes, there are good rooms available, of different price ranges, my lord.”

“I want the best,” Zavian said and the woman smiled;

“Yes my lord, Yen! Quickly prepare the master room. Tell your brothers to run the baths quickly we have visitors. Please sit down while they get the tubs ready.”

The woman pointed to a couch in front of the fireplace and they went to it and sat down. She quickly went in and brought a towel to them to dry their hair while they waited for their room to be ready.

Neera breathed out as she sat beside the fireplace. She had not been feeling the cold before because she was excited, but now the excitement had died off, the cold hit her ribs. Her teeth trembled as she dried her hair with her wet hands.