Page 30 of The Demon's Secret Baby

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 mixtureof 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."

16

ZYLPHA

Istep through the shimmering portal, my heart racing as the familiar scents of Aurelius wash over me. Volezimir's strong arm steadies me, his presence a comforting anchor after years adrift. Kaelox clings to my leg, his eyes wide with wonder at the lush jungle surrounding us.

"Mama, look at the trees!" he whispers, tugging at my skirt.

Before I can respond, a joyous cry pierces the air. June rushes towards us, Lamain close behind. Their faces are a mix of relief and disbelief.

"Zylpha! Oh, thank the gods!" June throws her arms around me, nearly knocking me off balance. I return her embrace, tears stinging my eyes. It feels surreal to be back, to be safe.

Lamain's deep voice rumbles as he clasps Volezimir's shoulder. "Well done, old friend. We never lost hope."

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