Damian's Assassin

His freezing shower did little to calm his blood, and he was pissy before he saw the number of voice mails and texts awaiting him. He strode from the bedroom, tucking his gun at the small of his back. The condo smelled of breakfast, and he looked around, satisfied to find it clean again.

"Dusty, I made breakfast," she called as he passed the kitchen.

"I'm late."

"I made it to go," she said cheerfully.

He altered his path for the kitchen. She handed him a baggie with an egg, sausage, and cheese sandwich. Her eyes sparkled again, her face glowing. She didn't meet his gaze and spun away when he took the sandwich. He retrieved orange juice from the fridge.

"Do I have to stay here all day?" she asked.

"Yep."

She didn't complain, but he felt her disappointment. She was too lively to be trapped in the condo on her own. He remembered his cruelty from the night and glanced at the couch. For the second time in as many days, he almost felt bad. She'd been through hell at Talon's hands.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm okay. Still feel a little tired."

"I shouldn't have been a dick," he said. "The bed's big enough for both of us."

"I don't do one night stands, Dusty," she said, face red again.

"Bianca, I won't touch you," he replied, then added, "unless you want me to."

"I can't tell if you want to kill me or sleep with me," she said with a laugh.

"I do want to fuck you," he replied. "Still borderline on the killing."

She gasped and gripped her neck, as if fearing he was some sort of vampire out to suck her blood. Dusty fought back an amused smile. His sense of humor wasn't well understood by many. He hadn't thought it as harsh as it was, just like he thought nothing of killing anything in his path, but seeing the look on a normal human's face reminded him he'd been close to losing what humanity he possessed for quite a while.

"I feel like I should apologize for … whatever it is you're feeling," he said with what he hoped sounded like a sincere attempt to empathize. "I'm not used to dealing with humans."

"I kinda got that," she said. "You could try a little more not to scare me so much. This isn't exactly easy being ripped from my life."

"I imagine not."

"You've never … I mean, I guess you didn't go through the same thing?"

He was quiet for a moment, his thoughts going to the life he'd lived before the Schism. Damian found him just before and adopted him first as his servant then as his brother, once they were thrown from the immortal world into the mortal realm.