Kaia sat alone in the gazebo staring out over the lake. She still wore the sunglasses to shade her eyes from the full strength of the sun but had dispensed with the oversized hat that was always in the way. She sighed as she thought back to the way Gabriel had just stood up and left the kitchen without another word to her. She didn't know anything about men and couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. Both Cassiel and Marie had told her it wasn't her, it was Gabriel, but it didn't put aside her fears. It didn't help that when she told Cassiel what they had been talking about he started to laugh so hard tears rolled down his face. 

The fact she'd told Winston they were talking about making love, left the hybrid unable to breathe. She still didn't understand what was so funny. In her forest home if animals wanted to mate they just did. As for her year watching Heracles, he rutted with anything that would open its legs for him, male or female. Hearing how Cassiel spoke about women she assumed all men were highly sexed and open about it. 

Marie had been of more help than Cassiel. She had explained to the confused hind that some men were very reserved and far less open about their feelings and amorous activities as she'd put it. 

She was finding that she much preferred her life as a hind than as a woman. Animals were so easy, they didn't have all these complexities. They needed food, water, shelter and to procreate. Some were pack animals, some solitary, but that was as complex as it got in the animal world. This world of creatures was too confusing. Even trying to equate it to the animal world didn't help as all these creatures had such complex emotions. Kaia was giving serious thought to just disappearing to this Hidden Isle Rouge and Duncan spoke of and living as a hind in the woods. Duncan had said there was a small herd of deer on the island. Maybe they would accept her as one of them. Although she had a horrible feeling the wolf pack sometimes hunted them from the uncomfortable way he'd reacted to her delight at the idea. Maybe they wouldn't, with her there to protect the herd.

Hearing a noise behind her Kaia's head snapped round to see a tall dark-skinned creature approaching her. As she drew closer Kaia was shocked at her appearance. She was easily as tall as Cassiel, with deep ebony-coloured skin that appeared to glitter in the sun like she was covered in millions of tiny flecks of gold. Her large black eyes were fixed on the lone doe as her large muscular legs that bent back at the knee and ended with huge golden hooves instead of feet strode quickly towards her. Whatever kind of creature she was terrifyingly beautiful, with masses of black glossy ringlets bouncing around her face that appeared to have been dipped in liquid gold that gleamed in the sun. When the demoness reached the gazebo, Kaia could see she had small golden horns protruding from her forehead, not unlike her own in human form. 

Folding her arms and leaning against the door frame the demon looked Kaia up and down, her lip curling to reveal small pointed teeth and a pair of fangs. Golden clawed fingers smoothed non-existent wrinkles from the skin-tight red leather mini dress the creature wore. 

"Are you looking for the Angelus brothers?"  

"No." Purred the demoness in response, her long thin, gold-tipped tail twitching in agitation behind her. "I was looking for the creature that's been claiming so much of my Cassiel's time." 

"You must be his friend, Dita. He's spoken of you." 

Winston had been about to cross the lawn to see if Kaia needed anything when he spotted Dita leaning in the gazebo doorway. Shaking his head he turned quickly and headed back to the house. He would never understand why the young Master insisted on playing such dangerous games with that demon. He walked as quickly as he could to the youngest Angelus' room. Knocking he didn't wait for a response before opening the door and heading in. Cassiel was still in bed and just waking as the dwarf hurriedly tugged open the green velvet curtains and moved towards the wardrobe. 

"Winston. What are you doing?" Yawned the hybrid as he pulled the pillow over his face to block out the sunlight streaming in. 

"Miss Dita is in the gazebo with Miss Kaia. I thought it prudent you attend them. Sir." 

"Ah, shit." Cursed Cassiel as he leapt out of his bed and grabbed the proffered trousers and shirt from the butler. 

"Indeed Sir." Replied the unimpressed butler. 

"We are more than friends, little girl." The demoness brushed a curl from her face and let her hand rest on the hilt of a huge sword she wore strapped to her waist. "A lot more than friends. I would suggest you remember that if your hands ever feel like straying." 

"My hands?" Kaia's every sense was telling her to run.  This woman was dangerous, it exuded from her very pores. What did she think she was going to do with Cassiel? She had no interest in him. 

"I am not interested in Cassiel as a mate." Said Kaia simply, her eyes fixed on the demon's hand on the sword. 

"You better not be. You lay one grubby little hand on him and I'll use your horns as earrings." If only she had her bow, this creature wouldn't have gotten within ten meters of the hind. She assessed her chances of getting past the demoness but they were slim to none. It irked Kaia to have found herself trapped and weaponless, she needed to start thinking like the wild animal she truly was again and she needed her bow back from that pig Heracles. 

"I have other interests, they are not Cassiel. I'm fated to his brother." Her voice sounded calmer than her heart that was hammering in her chest. Her ears twitched as she debated if she could leap over the side of the gazebo before the demoness could draw her sword. 

"He wouldn't be interested in you anyway, your skin and bone and that dress." Dita laughed cruelly, there was no joy in the sound. "Stay away from my Cassiel and I won't melt down your nails to make a bracelet."

"Dita, my dear. I see you've met my friend Kaia." Cassiel slowed to a casual stroll before announcing his presence to the women. His bare feet made no sound in the grass to advertise his presence. 

The demoness turned sharply round and flashed the hybrid a seductive smile. 

"Cassiel. I was looking for you when I found this... child." Kaia snorted, child? She was likely older than the demon bitch. 

"Kaias not a child my dear." Chuckled Cassiel as he put an arm around the demon's waist. "I don't think she's much younger than your mother." Without waiting for the demon to respond Cassiel shot Kaia a look as if he was making sure she was OK? She half nodded back. "What were you beautiful ladies discussing when I so rudely interrupted?" 

"Jewellery." Replied Dita with a smirk. 

"Ah, of course, a woman's favourite thing. Maybe we should head to Zeus Square and buy you something, Dita?" She shot the hind a deathly glare then smiled at Cassiel. 

"I think we should go to your room first my love." 

"Spiffing idea." Shooting the demoness a seductive grin they turned to walk away. He shot Kaia one last look before taking the demoness off towards the house. 

Once they were near the steps to the front door Kaia let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. That demon was not someone she wanted to meet again unarmed. 

Letting her dress and glasses fall to the floor she shifted into a doe and took off at a gallop around the lake. On the other side was a quiet wooded area where she'd found a small moss-covered thicket that had become a favourite spot of hers. The dappled sun warmed her but the light didn't hurt her still sensitive eyes. It was the only place she felt like her old self, snuggled into the moss and ferns, surrounded by trees and the smells of nature she could forget the last few centuries and pretend her sisters were still with her and she was still a happy wild animal that had never lived through the miseries of the last couple of thousand years. 

Gabriel watched the golden hind as she ran from the gazebo and around the edge of the pond. He'd glanced out the window to check on Kaia, having seen Dita at the gazebo and felt his heart stop beating in his chest. If Cassiel hadn't of appeared when he did Gabriel would have run out there, sword in hand to take on the demon. He knew she had threatened Rouge years ago when she thought the witch may have been an interest for his idiotic brother and could see any other reason she would be disturbing Kaia in the gazebo. Cassiel needed to rid himself of the dangerous creature before she killed someone. 

His eyes followed the doe as she turned from the lake and disappeared into the woodland beyond. He'd noticed the last couple of days that was where she spent much of her time. He'd gone out there last night and found the tiny thicket she was spending all her time in. Her scent had been all over it and he couldn't stop himself from sitting on a nearby stump and letting it slowly destroy him. 

He didn't know what he was going to do. He wasn't going to be like his father. The hind was so old yet in her mind so young. She didn't understand at all what it was to be fated. That had been so obvious in the blunt way she'd spoken. He couldn't take advantage of her, he wasn't like Marcus Angelus, the cruel bastard who'd fathered him and destroyed his beautiful mother. It was better if he let Kaia go. Duncan had assured him she could live peacefully and safely on the Hidden Isle. It was the best thing for her. Now he just needed to convince his own heart and his demon of that.