Echo thought for a while before replying, "I can say the same… Who would have thought that being unique would be such a curse?"
"That's why you are supposed to be careful about what you wish for," Damon replied.
Echo sighed, "Everyone makes wishes to be unique. How many of them have come true?"
"Depends on what you mean by unique!"
Echo glared at Damon. Now, he was just saying things to annoy her. She crossed her arms across her chest. "You're just trying to annoy me, aren't you?"
A smile formed on Damon's lips. She was much smarter than he remembered. He turned his gaze to her, and saw a hint of anxiety in her eyes, "No matter how crazy things get… I'll always be by your side, love."
She almost choked on her breath. What was he saying? Was it because of the deal he made with her brother to keep her safe, or did he truly care about her?
Before she could react to his statement, Damon turned towards the door of the balcony, "We should probably go to sleep now. It's getting cold out here too."
"Huh?" Echo was still thinking about what he had said earlier, that she did not listen to what he was currently saying. He had a smile on his face. She felt his hand wrap around the back of her waist, and led her inside the house, locking the balcony door behind them.
She turned to him in confusion. Why was he suddenly so worried about going to sleep? Was he embarrassed by his words? Or did he not want her to ask questions because he did not mean it? Before she could ask him why he was in a hurry to get her to sleep, she found herself in her room… alone.
'What am I thinking? He's just being nice… But then he kissed me… He kissed me. He must care about me. Why isn't he asking me to be his girlfriend?' Echo slumped her shoulders, and fell back on her bed with a loud sigh.
"He didn't even let me eat!" Echo blurted.
"I'm hungry too!" she heard a voice. She whipped her head around, to see Hunter lying on the ground near the bed.
Echo sighed, and stretched her hand towards the tiger, "How long have you been here?"
Hunter raised her head, and yawned, "I didn't want to disturb your alone time with Damon."
"You are my familiar… or hellhound. Or whatever you are. That means you can disturb me at any time," Echo replied, staring at Hunter.
Hunter nudged her head on Echo's hand, asking, "Even if you are alone with Damon?"
"Especially when I'm alone with Damon," Echo replied. She pursed her lips and continued in a soft voice, "He's driving me crazy…"
She couldn't even think straight when he was around her. How could she not be going crazy? She's supposed to be killing demons, not falling in love with them. Echo sat up after that thought. She squished her hair in her hands.
"I am falling in love with him!" Echo's eyes widened as the words spilt out of her lips.
Hunter licked her paws, "I told you."
Echo glared at Hunter, "I-I… Ugh! I need to find out if he likes me back. He acts like he likes me, but he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend. What should I do?" Her eyes widened and a smile formed on her face. "I'll ask him. That would be a good plan, right?"
Hunter nodded her head, "Yes. You should talk to him."
Echo sighed, "I can't believe I'm talking to a tiger about asking a guy out." Her shoulders dropped, and she laid back down on the bed. First she had to sleep to make a plan, she was too tired and not thinking straight. Enough had happened today, and this would be put off to tomorrow. With that in mind, she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.
—
The next morning, Echo heard a knock on the door. She sat up, and wiggled her toes. Who was up so early in the morning? She got up from the bed, and walked to the front door, only to see Damon talking to someone.
"I think she's still sleeping," he explained to whoever was on the other side of the door.
"She's a warrior, she can't be sleeping this late in the morning," the commander scoffed. He ignored Damon, and stepped in.
''This late in the morning?' What is wrong with that guy? Doesn't he sleep?' Echo glared at the commander when he saw her standing in the living room.
The commander stared back at her, as he questioned her "Are you trying to avoid your duties as a warrior by telling your boyfriend to tell everyone at the door that you're asleep? It could have been an emer…" Despite how fast he was talking, Echo interrupted him.
"Damon is not my boyfriend!" Echo explained, earning a cold glare from the commander. She knew she made a mistake by interrupting him, but she needed to make things clear, and for now Damon was not her boyfriend.
The commander kept on glaring at Echo. How could she be a warrior and have no respect for her commander? He was even wearing his uniform, and she was still disrespectful. He could be her friend, but she still had to respect her when he was on duty, right?
Echo lowered her head, when the commander's gaze was unwavering. "Apologies for interrupting you, commander," she apologised.
The commander nodded, "And here I thought you must have been taught respect by the witches."
Echo gulped at his mention of the witches. They had always trained her to respect. If she lacked respect, she was punished by being given a training task to attack a demon that was stronger than her, and very often it ended with her getting injured.
Damon noticed the slightest changes in Echo's demeanour. He had heard about the witches, but the demons knew less about them since they barely got directly involved with the fighting. By the looks of Echo's reaction, they might be more violent than he thought.