Maybe he's a fool not to fear this demon. But he senses no danger directed at him, no threat. He gasps at the licks and shudders before sighing and curling around the other. It takes a moment to pull away from the ache in his body, the ache that wants.

"They couldn't kill me. I'd wounded their leader, left him bed-ridden less he die. I could reverse it, so they had to keep me alive. They weren't expecting me to still have loyal followers among them." He hadn't been either, truth be known. He'd just known his Lao Wen would come after him, and that had been enough.