“What did you see?” I ask, since I wasn’t able to see it myself.
Asmodeus is quiet before shaking his head. “I don’t know. It was so fast I can’t even describe them, but I know they werethere. I can sense it.” The grip on his gun is firm as he pushes me back to the house, sending me inside. Then he acts like he’s going to head out without me, so I grab his wrist.
“Don’t.”
“I want to look around. While I do, contact Valerie and see if there are any registered supers who can teleport.”
“My illusions can look around. There’s no sense in you being unsafe.”
Asmodeus watches me closely with his calculating eyes and I can tell he’s thinking that it’s not enough. I know my illusions won’t see what his eyes can, but it’s safe, and right now, safe is what I want.
My grip tightens. “You know they’re gone by now. They’re always gone. If they wanted to hurt one of us, don’t you think they wouldn’t disappear so quickly?”
“They’re waiting for a moment I don’t see them,” Asmodeus determines.
“Or maybe they’re not a threat.”
“You think a stalker has good intentions?” he asks, sounding skeptical.
“I don’t know,” I admit.
He sighs. “You’re right, they’re gone. There’s no use in running around out there.”
And because he seems to think there’s no use in going out there, he decides there’s a use in staring at me. Like if he doesn’t look away, I will forever be safe.
It doesn’t work that way.
“I have some things for work to do. So… go watch a movie or something,” I say as I head to the table. I really should use my desk, but I’m fully confident that man is going to follow me wherever I go, and out here he has many more options for things to do.
Of course he chooses to also sit at the table and lean back in his chair while I open my laptop and look at the documents Valerie sent me.
I diligently start working as Asmodeus flips and flops and shifts and sighs. I do my absolute best not to say a damn word to him since I feel like that’ll invigorate his listlessness, but after a while it becomes hard to focus.
Have I ever been this unfocused working on a document?
“Asmodeus, you look rather filthy after you were smashed like a pancake by that ball of moldy yarn. Maybe a shower could be in your future?”
“Perhaps. But how would I stare at you in the bathroom… unless you chose to join me?”
“My house is locked down with the finest security system in place. No one is getting in.”
“Security systems do nothing to those who truly want inside, especially if they can teleport.”
“Don’t you think if they could teleport and wanted to kill me, they’d have already popped into existence right behind me and stabbed me?” I ask.
Asmodeus considers this for a second, but I feel like nothing I say will really appease him.
“Go take a shower and then grab a book from my room. You told Landon you enjoy reading; go read the same book as him so you can torture him with more possible spoilers.”
“Temptations run strong,” he says thoughtfully.
Then he gets up, pats my head, and wanders off.
Perfect, now I can focus and get my work done and be the best at my job that I can be… so then why am I overly focused on the pat he gave me? Like am I a dog?
I touch the top of my head then growl and realize I’m making noises like a dog out of some odd irritation.
I hurry back to work and somehow remain fully focused until the bathroom door creaks open. I hear the sound of Asmodeus’s feet on the stairs, telling me hewantsme to hear him. Normally, that man moves around like a fucking ghost, just appearing when he wants you to see him, but not this time.
