Demi & Dio the Teiflings: Part Two (special preview)

Dio’s fingers swirled around the stubs of what remained of her horns. She laid down the hair brush as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had once thought that maybe, the horns would grow back in. But it had been a decade at this point and nothing had changed aside from the edges wearing down.

“Fine, be that way.” Dio dragged the brush harshly through her long hair out of frustration.

There was a knock on the front door and she set the brush down. “Who could it be so early?” Demi had been gone for a few days on a camping trip with some of Reverence’s guards. He was teaching them tracking and stealth techniques that he was a master at.

Ebert was at the door when Dio opened it. He was wearing a heavy cool coat and carrying a bag over his shoulder. “Good morning.”

Dio pouted. “You don’t have to keep checking up on me.”

Ebert dipped down and kissed her cheek. “I made a promise to Demi that I intend to keep.” He came inside and set his bag down upon the table. “How are you holding up?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s only been a few days, he’ll be home soon.” She pushed her hair back, making sure it covered the stumps on her head.

Ebert opened his bag, removing a few items from inside. “Rings is helping Reverence with the kids today, but she said she can come by later and spend the evening with you.”

“I don’t need to be checked up on, I’m fine. What are you doing here anyways?” She pointed to the wrapped items on the tabletop. “I have food. You don’t need to feed me.”

“Oh, this isn’t food. It’s something I’ve been whipping up for you.” Ebert took off his wool cloak and laid it over a chair back. “I noticed the other day, after our little night together, that you were worrying over your horns.”

Dio flinched. “What?”

“Demi told me,” Ebert said. He unwrapped a jar containing a clear liquid and strange objects at the bottom. “So I looked through some of my old books to see if there was anything on tiefling horns. Mostly their for magic spells, but I found something about regrowing limbs.” He opened the jar and poured the liquid into a bowl.

“They’re not limbs!” Dio fussed. “And this isn’t a concern for you! I’m fine. I’m used to it, no matter what sob story Demi tried to sell you.” She cupped her hand around a stump.

Ebert uncorked another jar, sniffed it, recoiled, then emptied the tincture into the bowl with the other liquid. “It’s a concern for me because you’re someone I care about. Even if this doesn’t work, I want you to know I’ll put it any effort for you, Dio.”

Dio’s cheeks warmed and she glanced shyly away. “You said limbs though. This isn’t a fucking arm.”

“I had to play around a bit with the formulation. But I did manage to make something that made the handle of my staghorn knife grow about three inches.”

“Then use it on your dick,” Dio scoffed.

Ebert laughed, grinning at Dio. “Very cute, but I think you like my dick the way it is. Don’t you, good girl?”

Dio tensed and bit down on her lip as her face darkened further. “So am I just a test subject?”

“Unless you can find me a bunch of bulls, bucks, and boars I can try this on.” Ebert added some sort of powder to the liquid which made it turn into a thick sludge when he mixed it. “Or now, it’s just going to be a small patch test. Just in case.”

Dio frowned. “And what if it doesn’t work?”

“Then I’ll go back to my research and try again.” Ebert pulled out a chair at the table. “Come sit down. If you’re a good girl for me, I’ll give you a reward.”

“Stop that.” She took the seat and Ebert used a small wooden spoon to scoop out a tiny dollop of the mixture. He rubbed it into the center of one of the stumps then laid a piece of cloth around it, tying it with string.

“We’ll leave that for a while then wash it off.” Ebert ran his fingers through Dio’s hair. “Hopefully, we’ll see some sort of result.”

“I’m fine if it doesn’t,” Dio grumbled.