“I don’t care what you think, a huge part of you had to still be in there when you were all Mr. Fallen, because you could’ve done that at any time and you didn’t.”

“I could. I did. There were demons I took out that way.” He looked down at his hands while I thought of that garbage human he’d killed. Had there been other humans? “But you’re right, because I didn’t want to when it came to you.”

“Thank God,” I said. “You’re...you’re badass, Zayne.”

His lifted his head. “I thought I was badass before.”

“You were. Like you were badass, but now you’re bad-period-ass-period,” I told him. “I’m kind of having sword envy right now.”

“It doesn’t really bother you, does it?”

“Does what?”

“What I am now. What I’m capable of. Because this is me.” He placed his hand over his heart as he walked forward, stopping in front of me. “But I’m different now. I can feel that. There’s this... I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s this coldness in me, and that need...that need to dominate is still there. It’s not directed at you. It will never be again, but I don’t know if there’s more about me that has changed.”

Staring up at him, I knew what he was saying wasn’t a case of him being overdramatic. He was different. How he spoke to the demon wasn’t like Zayne—like the old Zayne. There’d been a taunting quality to his words that said he was going to enjoy what he was about to do. The way he took out the Nightcrawler was another example. Old Zayne wouldn’t have chopped off an arm. He would’ve gone straight for the kill, and the old Zayne would’ve taken out Purson no matter what the demon claimed or tried to barter. There were differences and there could be more, but I also knew that I would always be safe with him. Hell, I was beginning to think that I’d actually been more safe with him when he was Scary Fallen than I even realized before.

And that coldness he felt? I wondered if it was the loss of his Glory he was feeling, which was sort of equivalent to a human soul. I had no idea what that meant for him long term, and that worried me, but I knew that no matter what, I would still love him and his lack of Glory didn’t stop him from loving me. We’d figure out whatever else may have changed together.

I met his gaze. “The only thing that bothers me is how unfair it is that you have two swords and I have one. That’s BS.”