The Demon’s Secret Baby

15. Volezimir

15

VOLEZIMIR

T he sound of her voice slices through the chaos, and time grinds to a halt. I turn, my blade still locked with the minotaur's axe, every muscle in my body tensed for battle. Sweat drips down my brow, stinging my eyes, but I dare not blink. And there she stands.

Zylpha.

My breath catches in my throat. She's even more beautiful than I remembered, her emerald eyes blazing with a fierce determination I'd fallen in love with years ago. Her auburn hair whips around her face in the wind, and I can see the slight tremble in her hands. But it's not just her. Cling to her is?—

A child.

My child.

The realization hits me like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from my lungs. My grip on my sword falters, and the world around me blurs into insignificance. The clash of steel and the bellows of the minotaur fade away. All I can see is them. Zylpha and our son.

His eyes—one gold like mine, one green like hers—lock onto me. I see my own features reflected in his tiny face, the slight points of horns just visible beneath a mop of dark hair. My heart threatens to burst from my chest. He's perfect. A miracle I never dared hope for.

I want to run to them, to scoop them both into my arms and never let go. But I'm rooted to the spot, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotions I can barely comprehend. Joy, fear, love, and a fierce protectiveness unlike anything I've ever known crash over me.

But first, I need to get us all out here.

Snapping back to the fight, I turn toward the minotaur Captain, more than ready to rip him to shreds now. There was always a slight doubt — a small fear — that Zylpha wouldn't even be here, and now that I know she is, I'm bringing this whole ship down.

The minotaur's hot breath washes over my face as we grapple, his massive form towering over me. I bare my teeth, channeling every ounce of rage and frustration from years of searching into this moment. My muscles strain against his inhuman strength, but I refuse to yield.

"You took her from me," I snarl, my voice barely recognizable. "You'll pay for every second she suffered."

The captain's eyes narrow, a sneer twisting his bovine features. "Your woman? She's been quite useful these past years. Perhaps I'll keep her around a bit longer."

His words ignite a inferno within me. With a roar that shakes the very planks beneath our feet, I summon a surge of demonic power. Shadows writhe around my arms, lending me strength beyond mortal limits. I shove hard, breaking his grip and sending him stumbling back.

I press my advantage, my blade becoming a blur of deadly precision. The minotaur parries desperately, his axe a clumsy defense against my onslaught. Each clash of steel rings out across the deck, punctuated by the sounds of battle as my crew engages the remaining pirates.

The Captain swings his axe in a wide arc, aiming to cleave me in two. I duck beneath the blow, feeling the rush of air as it passes inches from my head. In that moment of overextension, I lash out, my sword biting deep into his thigh.

He bellows in pain and fury, his free hand swinging in a massive backhand. I'm not quite fast enough to dodge completely, and his fist catches me in the ribs. The impact sends me flying, my back slamming against the ship's railing.

Pain explodes through my body, but I force myself to my feet. I can't fail now. Not when Zylpha and our son are so close. The thought of them gives me renewed strength, and I charge back into the fray.

The minotaur limps towards me, his injured leg leaving a trail of blood on the deck. His eyes burn with hatred, but I can see the first flickers of fear. He knows he's outmatched.

Our weapons clash once more, the impact sending shockwaves up my arms. We're locked in a deadly dance, neither willing to give ground. I feint left, then spin right, my blade seeking any opening in his defense.

Suddenly, a small voice cuts through the chaos. "Dad!"

My heart clenches. It's my son. For a split second, my focus wavers, and the minotaur seizes his chance. His axe comes down in a crushing blow, and I barely manage to bring my sword up in time. The force of the impact drives me to one knee.

The Captain looms over me, his massive form blocking out the sun. "Your family will watch you die," he growls, raising his axe for the killing blow.

Time seems to slow. I think of Zylpha, of the years we've lost. Of the son I've only just met. Of all the moments we could have shared. Rage and love and desperation surge through me, and I feel my demonic nature rising to the surface.

With a primal scream, I unleash every ounce of power within me. Shadows explode from my body, coalescing into razor-sharp tendrils. They lash out, wrapping around the minotaur's limbs and weapon, holding him in place.

I rise, my eyes blazing with unholy fire. The Captain's face contorts in terror as he realizes his fate is sealed. With a single, fluid motion, I drive my blade through his heart.

I shove the Captain back, letting him fall. Around me, my crew has already subdued the others, and everyone falls silent as I rise, my eyes fixed on the woman I haven't stopped thinking about for five years.

I approach Zylpha and Kaelox, my steps faltering. The deck beneath my feet feels unsteady, or maybe it's just my legs threatening to give out. My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear anything else. They're here. They're real. After all this time...

I reach out, my hand trembling. Part of me is terrified they'll vanish if I touch them, that this is some cruel trick of my desperate mind. But when my fingers brush Zylpha's cheek, I feel her warmth, the softness of her skin. A choked sound escapes me, somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

"Zylpha," I whisper, her name a prayer on my lips. "I found you."

Her eyes shine with unshed tears as she leans into my touch. "Volezimir," she breathes, and hearing my name in her voice again nearly breaks me.

I want to pull her into my arms, to never let go, but there's someone else I need to meet. Zylpha reaches behind her, undoing some kind of carrier. My breath catches as she shifts our son forward.

"This is Kaelox," she says softly. "Our son."

I stare at him, drinking in every detail. His eyes - one gold like mine, one green like Zylpha's - peer up at me with curiosity. I see hints of myself in his features, but there's so much of Zylpha there too. He's perfect. He's ours.

"Kaelox," I repeat, tasting the name. My son. The child I never dared hope for.

I bend down, bringing myself to his eye level. "Hello, little one," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm your father."

Kaelox tilts his head, studying me intently. Then, to my amazement, he reaches out a tiny hand and touches my face, right where my jaw meets my neck. His fingers are so small, so delicate against my skin.

"Dad?" he asks, his voice high and clear.

That single word shatters what remains of my composure. "Yes," I manage to choke out. "Yes, I'm your dad."

I pull them into my arms, my entire body shaking with the intensity of emotion coursing through me. Zylpha's familiar scent envelops me - a mix of sea salt and something uniquely her that I've dreamed about for years. It's home. It's everything.

Between us, Kaelox squirms slightly, his tiny body warm and solid. Real. My son. The thought hits me again like a physical blow, stealing my breath. I never dared hope for this, never imagined I could have a family of my own. Yet here they are, flesh and blood in my arms.

I bury my face in Zylpha's hair, inhaling deeply. Five years of anguish, of relentless searching, of hoping against hope - it all comes to the surface in this moment and in the end…it was all worth it. Just to have them back again.

"I'm sorry," I choke out. "I'm so sorry it took me so long to find you."

Zylpha's hand comes up to cradle the back of my head, her touch achingly gentle. "You found us," she whispers. "That's all that matters."

Kaelox shifts again, and I loosen my grip just enough to look down at him. His mismatched eyes stare up at me with a mixture of curiosity and something that might be recognition. Does he know me, somehow? Has Zylpha told him about me?

As I gaze at my son, something primal and fierce awakens within me. It's a feeling beyond anything I've ever experienced - a love so powerful it's almost painful, mixed with an overwhelming need to protect. I would tear the world apart with my bare hands if it meant keeping them safe.

In that moment, I make a silent vow. To the uncaring universe, to any higher power that might exist, to the very essence of my demonic nature - I swear that I will protect them.

With every ounce of strength in my body, with every shred of power in my soul, I will keep them safe. They are my family, my heart, my reason for existing. Nothing - no force on earth or beyond - will ever separate us again.

I tighten my embrace, careful not to crush Kaelox between us. "I will always come for you," I murmur, the words inadequate to express the depth of what I'm feeling. "Both of you. Always."