Rowan remembered the words that would save a life… "feed to survive." Dantalion had initiated demonic instincts in him to feed, drawing power from demon to demon… the very same power Rowan would give back to me.
He sunk his canines into my shoulder, claws tearing into my flesh, bring on my instinct to devour. Rowan's restraint was absent… no control like Dantalion's. It took four ex-demons to pull him off me.
"Master… you must refrain…" Vine spoke calmly.
"I don't know how he did it… control, I mean. Once you're out for blood… it just…. takes over," Rowan's voice trailed off.
"It's alright Master Rowan… remember, we all fed to survive once," Sitri added.
"He was able to control his demonic powers with her… they have some kind of unbreakable bond…" Rowan tried to shake off the empty feeling left in his core.
"Some demons, Master Rowan, have more restraint than others. Remember… Lord Dantalion was a condemned demon for two ages… and an 'Incubus'. That alone would require a magnitude of restraint. Some of our brother demons must feed, others devour, and still some of us, have yet to master the power of restraint when it comes to humans," Vine confided.
Rowan eyed him curiously. "You mean, some of the demons of the Goetia would take a human life?"
"Very few…" Sitri added.
Footsteps came barreling up the stairs and Sitri and Druitte motioned for Rowan to wait in the ransacked room across the hall.
"We came as quickly as we could… where is she?" Erin panted, eyeballing Sitri and Druitte standing guard at my door. When her eyes met Sitri's, her jaw dropped.
"You….. look…. Like him…. Dantalion."
Sitri shot a smile that made her lose her balance, and Lucia steadied her at the top of the stairs.
"And who might you two be?" Sitri answered.
"Well.. I'm Lucia Sanchez and this is Erin Delaney. You called us to come right over…seriously? Are you two for real? You're Laurel's cousins?"
"Allow us to introduce ourselves… I am Sitri, and this is Druitte… yes…. we're distant cousins."
"What the hell happened here? We were keeping an eye on the place after Spring semester, and up until now, thought Laurel was handling her personal life…you know.. with tall, dark and demon… Ohhh…I shouldn't say that huh?" Lucia covered her mouth remembering what happened the last time she put her foot in it. Erin shot her an annoyed look.