My Girlfriend’s a Demon Incarnate!

The alley grew colder as the shadows retreated before the encroaching dawn. Elen, the demon in human skin, stepped out into the early morning light, her horns casting an eerie silhouette against the damp cobblestone. She had grown accustomed to the whispers and stares, but the weight of her pregnancy made the hostility feel heavier than ever. The market's bustle was a cacophony of voices and smells, each one a potential threat to her unborn child.

Her eyes searched the crowd for any sign of William, her heart racing with each passing moment. The city of Bird's Eye had changed since their deaths and rebirth. The safety they had once known was gone, replaced by a constant undercurrent of fear and suspicion. The patrols had become more vigilant, their eyes peeled for any trace of the demonic.

As Elen made her way through the throng of people, she heard whispers of a gathering at the city square. The murmurs grew louder, and she felt a tug of curiosity mixed with trepidation. Perhaps William had found something important, something that could lead them to the one who had done this to them. She quickened her pace, her steps silent despite the weight she carried.

The square felt packed. A sea of faces turned towards a makeshift stage. The mayor, a portly man with a furrowed brow, addressed the crowd, his words a mix of comfort and warning. "We stand united against the monsters that threaten our home," he bellowed. "The guilds are working tirelessly to ensure your safety." Elen's eyes searched the periphery, looking for any sign of William's tall frame.

As the mayor droned on, a commotion broke out at the edge of the crowd. A figure stumbled into view, bloodied and bruised. It was William, his eyes wild and desperate. He spotted Elen and pushed through the throng, his voice barely audible over the din. "They know," he gasped, "They know about us."

"How? You were only gone for a few hours?" Elen whispered as she let him lean against her.

"I got drunk while looking for information at a tavern and caused them to question me." Will answered as he let out a ragged gasp. "You can see they tried to beat some information out of me concerning you." He pointed up to his face.

"What did you tell them?" Elen's voice was steady, but the tremor in her hands gave away her fear.

"I told them I knew a rather horny woman, and being that they were there for sex from the female patrons, I said my girlfriend has the most beautiful horns a demon can come by. They really wanted to know more after that," William explained with reddish cheeks.

Elen's brown eyes looked into his orange ones and found they had lost some clarity because of his imbibing of spirits. "Did you have to be so open about your personal information to gain some of nothing in return?" She demanded. Her fist flew forward, and she punched a hole through his stomach with a gut busting blow.

Blood trickled from his mouth as he replied, "Honey, I'm sorry, but do you wish me to die? That really hurt! Let me know when you do that."

Elen shook her head no but also whispered, "No, I don't. Your foolish actions may have put us in a real pickle, though."

"Then I suggest we remove ours from the area near the gathering mob," William suggested, while pointing back to them with a sparkle in his eyes.

Elen nodded in agreement, knowing that their time in the city was growing dangerously short. They slipped away from the square and into the narrow streets that branched off like veins from the city's heart. The crowd's murmurs grew distant, replaced by the more comforting sounds of early morning commerce. They ducked into a side alley, William leaning heavily on her as they moved deeper into the shadows. He suddenly stopped moving and puked on the ground.

Elen twitched at her husband's pain, feeling he deserved a break, and asked, "Hey, should we stop already here?"

William shook his head no. "We need to move further away," he gasped, followed by wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Okay, but you really sound like you're dying." Elen groaned as she pulled him along.

"I'm fine."

"You're sure about that?" Elen's eyes searched William's, looking for a flicker of doubt.

"More than ever," he replied, his voice a strained whisper. "We can't risk wandering around too long."

The alleyways grew narrower and quieter as they moved away from the market's chaos. The buildings leaned in, casting long shadows that swallowed the light. Elen felt a cold sweat bead on her forehead despite the chilly air. She was acutely aware of her condition, her swollen belly pressing against the constraints of her leather armor. The child within her kicked, a reminder of the urgency of their situation.

"We have to find a safe place," she murmured, her eyes darting around the deserted street. "There's got to be a place we can hide."

William nodded weakly, his breath coming in still as shallow pants. "The old abandoned church," he got out. "We might find sanctuary there. I scouted it out as a place to hide the next chance we got."

"Show me... It's better than risking staying in taverns in Bird's Eye like we have." Elen replied.

They stumbled on, the cobblestone path becoming a blur beneath Elen's feet. The pain in William's eyes was palpable, and she could feel the tremor of his fear resonating through his body. Finally, the silhouette of the church loomed before them, a silent sentinel in the shadows. Its once grand spires had crumbled, the stained glass windows now gaping maws of darkness.

With a final surge of strength, William pushed open the heavy oak door, and they stepped into the musty sanctuary. The air was thick with dust and the faint scent of incense, long since burned. The pews lay overturned; the altar desecrated. But amidst the ruin, there was a corner, tucked away in the shadows, that felt almost peaceful.

"It's weird you're stepping into a church with me being a demon and all." William said, as he sat in a pew. He let out a loud hiccup.

Elen rolled her eyes. "I'm not exactly human anymore, but we don't have a choice."

They settled into a quiet corner, William's head lolling against the cold stone wall as he fought to stay conscious. Elen examined his injuries, her own hands trembling with a mix of rage and fear. The bruises on his face were darkening, and there was a gash in his side that was deep and jagged. She ripped a piece of cloth from her shirt and pressed it against the wound, hissing as the fabric turned red.

"Did they try to stab you, dear?" Elen asked sweetly. "I can't believe you're hiding this from me. They did a terrible thing."

"Yeah, but I escaped," William answered.

Elen activated a skill, causing her hand to glow. purple energy formed at her fingertips as she uttered, "Repair," fusing the skin together with the power of a magic resource called Aether. It left her drained, but Will was wearing a smile.

"I suppose after this you feel hungry," William stated.

Elen's stomach grumbled. Her mouth watered, too. "I want flesh, human souls and other things to eat. Do you think I could eat your attackers if we find them?" Elen begged.

"That is the best way to replenish Aether since its life force that is traded to do dark magic in this world for demons. I can try to capture them for you." William remarked as he remained seated.

Elen nodded solemnly. "But we need to be careful," she said, her voice echoing in the desolate space. "If I'm caught consuming souls, the city will hunt us down even more."

William winced as he pushed himself up. "I know, love. But we can't let this go unanswered. I'll be more careful next time in gathering info. I promise."

Elen's gaze softened. "Let's just get you patched up first," she said, handing him a flask of water. "You need to clean up and get some rest. We can't have you passing out on me."

William took a long swig, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat. He nodded, and together they made their way to the back of the church, where a small room had ended up converted into a makeshift living space. It was sparse, but it had a bed and a table with a few supplies. Elen helped him strip off his shirt, and they both winced at the sight of the bruises and welts that covered his torso.

"I only saw your stab wound initially, but they even hit you here?" Elen blushed, her hands rubbing over his wounds and casting multiple Repairs on him. William could see her pupils shrink as she seemed to look hungrier.

"Elen, don't you think you should stop? You're consuming too much energy to save me." William complained.

Elen grabbed a roll of bandages nearby and told him, "No, I won't stop my magic usage because it's much faster than these and while it seems you made this into a genuine hideout who'd want to waste the fresh supplies you gathered on the first day here?"

William nodded, knowing she was right, and laid down on the bed with a sigh. He watched as she worked tirelessly, her eyes never leaving his injuries for more than a second. Despite her demonic nature, her gentle touch was soothing. She had become adept at healing in just a month, a stark contrast to the brutal methods she used when threatening lives. He hadn't seen her do that but once since they revived, however; he hoped she remained docile.

When they first revived, one thing they attempted to do was walk around town. They changed into their current attire and headed out, only to run across a small boy. The boy tried to take Elen's money from a small purse she carried, but found himself able to catch the boy with newfound agility. He was going to let him go with a good arm twist, but Elen stepped in and snapped his thieving hand in multiple places with her fingers.

The screaming from the boy caused a stir. The townsfolk came out of their houses to see what was going on. "It's okay folks, I'm just teaching the little rascal a lesson." William yelled with a charming smile. The townsfolk nodded, but the fear in their eyes was clear. William then directed him to go find a doctor and never appear before Elen again. He didn't notice that during this, though, Elen had also taken the boy's own gold pouch for herself until later when they used it to pay for an inn.

Back in the present, William said, "You've become more malicious since we revived, but remain sweet."

Elen stopped her work and turned to him. "We both have to survive, and the town doesn't seem to want to make that easy. After all, a demon like me is a threat, considering wherever I settle a dungeon could form and the monsters within it will become my army, my child in this horrid world of Terra Morte."

"You're right," William said with a sigh. "But we can't just take from them. We need to be smarter, to live without them knowing what you really are."

"I suppose so, but for now, I need food."

William nodded, understanding the hunger that was gnawing at her. "We'll feed you without raising suspicion."

"That's going to take too long. Feed me. Now."

Elen's voice was a low growl, and William knew she was on the edge of her control. He rummaged through the supplies he had gathered, his hands shaking with the effort of not reaching for her. Instead, he pulled out a small bag of dried meat. "Here," he said, tossing it to her. "It's not much, but it should hold you over."

Elen devoured it, then uttered, "I'm still hungry. I need more food. Perhaps it's time to invest in an emergency measure. Feed me with your blood. As a demon, particularly a demon with the class Dark Soldier, you, as a Demon Worshipper, can feed me."

William nodded, though he was unsure if it would work. They had not tested his newfound powers yet. He took a deep breath and sliced his palm with a small knife from the pack. "Here, take it," he said, extending his hand to her.

Elen drank the blood with her soft tongue and felt much better. "I hope I don't become some type of vampire."

"As far as I know, those don't exist."

Elen's eyes snapped up to meet William's, the hunger momentarily sated by the warmth of his blood. "What do you mean?"

"When I played the video game Terra Morte as a child, they never appeared in the game. Since Earth now has fused with Terra Morte, then it's safe to assume they don't exist or don't yet exist."

Elen nodded, her horns brushing against his face as she moved him onto a wooden bed frame. "I hope you're right," she murmured, her eyes half-closed with contentment. The child within her kicked again, a reminder of the fragility of their existence as she climbed in next to him. "We need to live without causing panic," she said, her voice a soft rumble.

"Well, then for now let's stay here until that mob I spoke of stops looking for us," William suggested.

Elen nodded. "But we can't stay here indefinitely. We need to protect ourselves, to find who did this to us and why."

"I'm going to try searching again tonight. Today we spend the day sleeping and the night looking for those hidden answers."

William nodded, his eyes closing as he leaned in to embrace her. The thought of going back out into the city was daunting, but the need for answers was stronger. They had to find out who had brought them back to this world and why. Was it a curse, a twisted game, or something more sinister?