A woman has never learned my name before. No one else has wielded the power to draw my cock from my form before either. They must be connected.
I tug on the appendage, finding it pleasurable—a sensation I’m not accustomed to. A sensation that feels empty now that Summer has vanished.
I need to see her again.
I catch sight of her through the windows and eye another branch with a better view, but before I move, I hear another vehicle down the road. Growling out in frustration, my body goes taut with a new type of tension. The vehicle parks alongside Summer’s and two men step out. I sense the older one is bloodkin to her, but my focus is drawn to the man at his side.
Adrial.
My tail wraps around the branch, stopping me from outright attacking.
He looks directly at me, a pleased grin spreading across his face, before turning back to the older man to tell him something. I bristle, enraged. He knows I won’t do anything with witnesses around.
And unlike him, I don’t have the luxury of hopping into bodies, the freedom of constant movement.
It takes excessive willpower to keep hidden knowing he’s now closer to Summer than I am. The older man lets Adrial into the house, and then they’re gone. My mind quakes as I drop from my hiding place and search for them through the windows. I’m lucky that in their isolation, this family finds no need for privacy, keeping the panes clear of shades.
They are not afraid of the outside world when they should be terrified.
There are far worse things than me watching from the dark. The colony of bats surrounding me whispers of many wretched beings.
Adrial looks out from the main bay window, and his toothy, triumphant grin expands unnaturally. Despite his human appearance, I would know his evil anywhere. The sneer falls from his face, morphing into a warm smile as an older woman greets him. They shake hands and laugh. They step out of view, and soon after I hear the faint sound of pleasant chatter.
Moving forward, I stop at the edge of the light.
Summer leans against a doorframe at the back of the room, her arms crossed over her stomach. She’s pale, nervous, glancing behind her and then out the windows, forcing a strained smile on her face that doesn’t reach her eyes. Those eyes widen as Adrial approaches her like they’ve… met before. Their greeting is awkward, which brings me some comfort.
If she is the demon’s pawn, she hides it well.
For some reason, I want her gaze on me. I want to shove my wings between them and rip Adrial’s new body to pieces before he can move any closer. They look too good together.
Her expression remains wary, and she takes a step back, fleeing the room and bounding up the grand staircase. She appears on the second floor and then vanishes deeper into the house. The older couple—who I assume are her parents—call after her, the woman following for a few steps before stopping, her features worried. She turns back and addresses Adrial apologetically.
I lift away from the ground, perch in a tree, and search for Summer above.
She reappears on the small third floor, holding a device against her ears and lips. She closes the curtains and vanishes from my sight.
That evening, I watch over them all, learning what I can. A cat prowls the lower floors, hissing occasionally and giving Adrial a large berth. Summer does not return to the main level, which pleases me greatly. I sense when she falls asleep, her emotions settling into placid slumber, her unease replaced with dreams.
Bats come and go as I wait for Adrial to come to me.
He steps out of the house while Summer’s father puts on his boots and jacket.
He stops at the edge of the porch. “You’re awake, my friend. Fancy that. I did not expect to see you so soon.”
“Adrial,” I snarl. “Stop your incessant games. They amount to nothing.”
“Which one knows your name? Save me the effort.” His laugh coils around me, airy with excitement. “I do hope it’s the young female, the shop’s clerk. That would be fascinating. Awoman.” He draws out the word like it’s delicious. “Or have you come out here for me?”
I don’t respond. I refuse to give him anything further. I only take—I onlyevertake from him. His power, his freedom, his perverse goals. Everything he wants, that he desires, is trapped inside of me.
He smacks his hands together, driving the bats to screech and worms to wiggle from the earth. “Either way, how fun this will be. I’ve been waiting.”
Despite the centuries since our last confrontation, nothing has truly changed. He needs my name, and I do not know how to destroy him. We will never be free of each other.
Chapter6
A Plea for Normalcy
