I woke to find Anton asleep, it was a rare thing to see. He was always awake before me, maybe even up doing things. I sat up and looked at him, he seemed so normal. Almost like a normal man. I could walk down the street with him and no one would look twice at us. Yet he wasn't normal.

Anton smiled, his eyes shut. I wondered if he could see me or if he just knew that I was watching him. Then the eyes opened and the smile became broader.

"Ahh, a mighty fine sight. Did you find rest?"

"I did."

"As did I. Maybe the relief of finally knowing how long relaxed me enough."

He looked at his watch, frowning.

"Well, we certainly slept for a long time. Maybe we should go and see what's happening at the shop."

I changed my clothes, not only because I had slept in them but because I needed to be free of them. When I emerged from the bathroom, Anton was ready and waiting in a completely different suit.

"Ready?"

Offering a bright and happy nod, I took his hand and walked out of the apartment. We were about to step out onto the road to cross it when Anton's phone rang.

"You go ahead, I'll take this and be over soon."

"Sure."

Pushing through the door with a happy face, I ignored Delano's look of distaste.

"Afternoon," I said and continued into the kitchen.

Igor was reading a newspaper, he folded it away when I walked in and offered an equally happy smile.

"Is good news, yes?"

"Five months from Monday."

"Ahh, so they say yes to the wedding. They have a heart after all."

We chuckled, his eyes darting to the door as the laughter slowly died away. Anxiety filled me when Igor stood from his chair and moved closer to me.

"Five months without him. That is cruel. I could imagine how difficult that must be. Especially for a demon."

"What do you mean?"

"Delano, shut your trap." Igor snarled.

She shrugged and leaned on the wall, her attitude smug and haughty.

"It doesn't surprise me that he hasn't told you. Demons love sex darling. They can't live without it. Five months without is asking a lot.

"Delano," Igor growled.

Delano waved her hand through the air in front of her, her grin widening as she rolled her eyes ever so slightly.

"Nonsense Igor, she has the right to know that there is no way that he can remain faithful to her."

"Is trick Sarah, you do not listen to her. Is a rule that you must remain faithful, she wants you to take a lover and break the rules."

She pouted and fluttered her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't do that. Just enlightening her to the ways of the demons. All of his former partners looking at him with carnal intent. Because you know that they aren't just former partners, they're current partners as well."

"You shut your mouth now." Igor snapped as he took another step forward. "Is bad form to talk about our master like this. You do not know what you are speaking of. Master has no concubines, just Sarah."

"Are you sure about that Igor? Have you gone into the underworld to check?"

Delano lifted her body from the door frame and took a step closer to me, her wicked grin shining brightly.

"I might even go back for another round."

And that was the kick in the stomach that I did not need. She'd had sex with him. Sure it was bad enough that he'd had a few women but to be faced with one and to have her so high and mighty about herself was awful.

"Is lies Sarah, master has not fraternized with her."

"That's entirely possible. I suppose I could return to my former placement and wait my turn, eventually he will pick me. Maybe it might even be after the five months. I couldn't imagine what you must be thinking." she grinned with so much attitude.

She was loving every single second of this, waiting for me to burst into tears.

"All those women, some of them still hang around the office in the underworld. Did you know that?"

My eyes darted to hers, the grin widened as she struck her final blow.

"Beautiful women who do their damnedest to get a moment of his time. How could he remain true with it offered so freely? He's lived for an eternity darling. Did you really think he would be a virgin?"

"Obviously not," I said rather shocked.

"An eternity is a really long time, even if he was to have sex once a year that's still a lot."

My heart sunk as the reality finally caught up with me. Did it matter that he was the king of the man whores? Could I hold it against him for having a libido and being as old as the earth?

I didn't have an answer but the thought of him having so many partners was crushing.

"Delano!" Igor roared. "Mind your tongue, wench. Do not speak of the master in such a way. He is true to his love. You are just jealous that he did not pick you."

"Indeed."

Delano gasped and turned around, Anton was standing behind her. The look of anger could not be seen. Betrayed by his own kind for nothing more than a jealous bitch and yet his face was plain.

"Igor, would you mind taking Sarah for a coffee at the end of the street?"

"Yes my lord. Come, Sarah, we go now."

"No."

I pulled my arm from his grip as the tears finally broke free.

"I want to stay."

"No, we go now."

Igor took my arm and no matter how much I struggled, I could not be free of him.

My last view of Anton was the same as before. He stood with his hands behind his back and his stoic gaze pinned to Delano. She stood rigid and offered no indication of what was going to happen. As the tears fell freely Anton looked at me and for a brief moment it was like I could feel his pain. That somehow he had transferred his emotions to me in a wordless gesture so that I could understand.

"Let me go, Igor."

"You walk now and not run back to the shop, yes?"

He stopped walking and looked at me, his brow furrowed as he waited.

"Yes, fine."

"Master is a good man, I tell you this."

"I know," I said quietly, wrapping my arms tight around my body.

"Delano is jealous, the master found his soul and she is not happy because it was not her. He has rid the underworld of all of the former's, you no worry about them anymore."

I nodded and stopped walking.

"Wait, what did you say?"

"Master does not have a soul Sarah, he had to find it. She is you, you are a lucky girl, yes?"

He smiled brightly at me, indicating that I should be pleased. But I already knew he didn't have a soul until me. That wasn't what I meant. I inwardly sighed and tried to find a happy place. This morning in bed was pretty happy, it was perfect until we left the apartment.

I smiled at Igor, it brightened his face and he smiled a little more broadly.

"Yeah, sure."

"When he find you he tell the ladies to go away. He has love now and he does not need them. They upset." his hand waved in a slight circle as he tried to explain it "They upset but they have no choice, complain and it is one way path to pit. No one wants that."

I looked back at the shop and wondered.

"You should not go back there, Sarah. Is not for us to see. Master will always be true to his soul, you trust him."

Turning back to Igor, his face was mildly happy but still, there was an element that he was not amused about the situation.

"Delano did wrong, she spoke badly about the master. Punishment is not for us to see, you understand this?"

"What's going to happen to her?"

"Death."

I began to panic, wondering if there was going to be a dead body in my shop and the people passing us would see it.

"He shouldn't be doing it in my shop Igor, people will see."

"No, they won't. They see brick wall and window to empty and closed shop. Nothing more. Come, we have coffee like master said. He will find us when he is done."

Igor led me to the coffee shop, one that was smaller than mine. We found a table at the back of the shop, notably, Igor picked one with two seats and pulled a third to it. I guess he really did believe that Anton will be joining us.

"You sit, I order. Do not go anywhere, we not upset master when he is already upset."

I nodded and sat down, waiting and doing little else.

Igor returned a minute or so later and put a big piece of chocolate cake in front of me.

"Is good, blondie recommended for healing the hurt heart."

It could be so tempting if only I had the inclination to eat it. I picked up the fork and started to eat it, only because I didn't want to offend Igor. His intentions were sweet and good.

"The past is where you should leave it, you will shed thousands of tears if you dwell too long. Everyone has a past, some good and some bad."

"That's fine Igor, I get that. What I can't handle is the fact that I might run into a demon and wonder about her. Wonder if she's been with him. How many will I face in my eternity with him? To know that they've been with him, it's like running into his ex-girlfriend a thousand times over. Worse yet, they still think that they can have him. How can I deal with that Igor?"

He sat back into the chair and waved his hand as if nothing mattered. Like this was normal life for him. It might be for him but it wasn't for me. I didn't think there was a single person on this planet that would have a previous partner list that had four or five digits worth. Maybe even six. That was a crushing thought.

"Do you trust him to be faithful?"

"Uh well, yeah I suppose so. You said he would be true to his soul so that means he can't right?"

Igor nodded.

"You love him?"

The thought swirled in my mind, I hadn't thought about it to be honest. After such little time I didn't know if it was possible. But considering that I felt so hurt over his past, then maybe it was possible.

"I'm not sure."

"He makes you happy, I see a smile that I never see before. I hear you laughing. You look at him like there is no one else that could ever compete. Your eyes brighten when he walks into the shop, you always look at him. I see love."

The waitress put the coffees in front of us, returning a few seconds later with a third coffee. Okay, so I guess Igor thought that Anton would be here sooner rather than later.

Igor leaned forward after the waitress left, lowering his voice.

"I see love in your eyes, Sarah."

Then his head turned as he sat back. I turned to follow the path of his eyes, seeing Anton walking across the room.

"Master," Igor said softly as he stood and tipped his head slightly.

"Thank you, Igor."

"I have finished my coffee, I go now and open shop."

His hand came out for the keys, Anton carefully dropped them into the palm of his hand.

"Have one of the others take over the duties please Igor."

"As you wish my lord."

His tone was low as always when in a public space, with a few strides the man was across the room and out of sight in seconds.

"Sarah," Anton said softly, cautiously taking my hand.

"It's okay, I understand you have a past. That's only a small issue that I have Anton. What I find more concerning is that the women are still there. That you work around them and they still think that you are available to them."

With a heavy sigh, he nodded. "They are not there anymore when I knew that I loved you I sent them all away. That is why Delano said what she did. She knew that it was final and that there would never be another chance."

Something tapped at my brain, making me sit up and take notice. Something he said.

"You love me?"

Anton nodded with a smile.

"Igor and I were just talking about it. I wasn't sure but he thinks that I do."

"I think you do too. Sometimes it can be hard to recognize, more so if you've never seen it before."

Yeah, like your parents sleeping in separate bedrooms. I'll bet they had sex twice in their entire relationship. Once to have me and then to have Allison. He was right when he said that I didn't know what love was because I had never seen it. The love between a man and a woman that is. I'd seen plenty of love between my parents and Allison.

I nodded to his statement, his hand smoothing over mine and gently prying open my fingers. They were fisted into a tight ball of anger, mostly due to my thoughts of my family. His hand was warm and inviting, I could not detract from the soft and supple skin.

My gaze lifted from the perfectly manicured fingernails, long and thin fingers to the suit. Carrying to the man himself. I smiled back at his smile, feeling the warmth of happiness flourish inside of me.

I knew that no matter what, we'd work through the difficult moments and come out stronger than before. It was then that I knew that everything was going to be alright.