I didn’t notice her when I first got here, but somewhere around shot three and drink one, she pinged my radar, and reality came smashin’ right through the buzz I was tryin’ to chase.
The demon in the corner—or at least that’s what I’m assumin’ she is—hasn’t noticed me at all, which I suppose is good, since suction cup fondlin’ isn’t on my list of things I was hopin’ would happen tonight. But the fact that I can see her is just makin’ this afternoon’s revelations feel entirely too heavy and important.
Mama and Daddy and their unconditional love had me feelin’ like the demon bomb was really no big deal, but now that I’m starin’ at somethin’ I couldn’t see yesterday, I’m realizin’ that there might be more to all of this than I thought. I keep ignorin’ her, like maybe she’ll go away, but every time I turn around, there she is.
As Kiara and AnnaMae head right to the middle of the dance floor, I follow behind them. But as I look around at all the dancin’ bodies around me, everyone laughin’ and showin’ off like peacocks with their feathers splayed, unease bubbles in my gut, and I’m findin’ it harder and harder to ignore. Dancers roll their hips and sway seductively, lost to the matin’ ritual, while I question why I thought comin’ out here would make me feel better. I thought a distraction would be a good thing, but it turns out I’m not as good at dismissin’ things as I’d hoped.
I wave at the girls, signalin’ that I’m gonna go to the ladies room. Kiara and AnnaMae take each other’s hands and up the ante on the dance floor by grindin’ on each other and doin’ what they can to pull all available male eyes to them. I’ve seen this routine that they do a million times, and I smile at their brazenness.
They have no shame, and I love that about them. They take what they want with no apologies, and as I watch my friends work their magic and reel in two very eager, very good lookin’ guys, I realize I could do well to be more like that.
But the problem is, any time a cute guy smiles my way, I falter, because my mind immediately flashes back to two particular demons, one with yellow hair and one with marble skin. It’s been hours since I saw them, and yet, I can still feel their warm skin and taut muscles beneath my fingers when I ran my hands up their shirts. I can still feel Alder’s touch when his hand wrapped around my wrist. I can hear Flint’s flirtatious drawl; I can see their smolderin’ eyes.
I want them. Badly. And that’s probably a real bad idea.
As I walk away from the dance floor, my eyes land on the pink, tentacled demon again, and I reach for my phone in the back pocket of my jean skirt as a distraction. My skirt is tight and short, and the frayed ends tickle the backs of my thighs every time I move. I have a black bustier top on that’s doin’ wonders for my front porch, and I should be feelin’ fine and feisty instead of anxious and confused, but it seems there are only two males who I want to flirt with, and they aren’t here.
So instead, I’ve been goin’ over what Flint and Alder said and reviewin’ how that information changes the events of my life. So many things keep naggin’ at me.
Right now, the one I’m focused on is that they said the other girl this happened to was drawn to a gate or somethin’, and I can’t stop thinkin’ about that. Is that the pull I’ve felt about this town? Is Hell or whatever it is they were talkin’ about the reason I can’t seem to leave?
I’m not sure why that keeps pushin’ to the forefront of my mind, especially while I’m in a club where I should be gettin’ my find and grind on, but I’m just in the wrong headspace, which really sucks, because I’ve been lookin’ forward to lettin’ my hair down and goin’ out with the girls for weeks.
Seein’ that there’s a line for the bathroom, I stop at an empty table and unlock my phone to open my contacts. Alder’s name is saved right at the top, and I stare at it for a moment, debatin’. Maybe I can just text him real quick? Invite them down here to talk? My lips press in a thin line, because I know I’m just lyin’ to myself. Sure, I do want to talk more about this whole demon thing now that I’ve had time to ruminate on it, but the fact is, I just wanna see them.
To hell with it, I think, but just as my thumb goes to press the call button, I’m interrupted before I make contact.
“Come here often?” a deep voice asks me, cuttin’ through the din. I look up from my phone to see who the question belongs to.
My gaze widens when I find a pair of all-white eyes with the exception of a black slit in the middle for a pupil, set in a devastatingly handsome face that’s all olive skin and yummy angles, topped by long black dreads. A smile tilts his full lips, and I find myself matchin’ it with a welcomin’ grin before I know what I’m doin’.
“I’m sure you could do better than that for a pickup line,” I tease, but then on the inside, I start freakin’ out a little. I’m so completely out of my depth here. Flirtin’ with demons when I have no clue about anythin’ when it comes to them may not be the wisest idea. Flint and Alder did say that I needed to be careful, but it was never made clear why another demon would want to attack me in particular other than some power grab, and they didn’t say that it was a foregone conclusion and not just a possibility.
Maybe this guy is a nice demon?
I try not to scoff at that thought since it sounds like a complete oxymoron, but Alder and Flint have been nice, and I’m a peach on most days. At least, when I’ve gotten a full nine hours of sleep, have been well fed, and am not overheatin’.
I smile.I sound like a baby dragon.
The guy with the snake eyes assumes my amused expression is for him, and he smiles even wider. I swear I see a hint of fangs before he leans closer to me. “What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” he tries again, and I snort and shake my head. “Or how about, did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?” he asks with a twinkle in his unusual eyes.
I laugh, but a wave of caution moves through me, and I’m not sure how to feel about the way he’s lookin’ at me like I’m his next meal.
Shit. Do some demons actually eat other demons? Could that really be a possibility?
The itch to call Alder skates through my consciousness, but I don’t want to be rude, so I need to deal with this guy first.
“I’m Morax,” he tells me, offerin’ his hand. I automatically reach out and take it.
“I’m Bella,” I tell him, givin’ him the name I always use when I’m out havin’ a good time and I know I’m gonna blow off the guy tryin’ to chat me up.
There’s a part of me that’s kickin’ myself at the thought of passin’ up such an attractive specimen, but I’ve got a feelin’ that dealin’ with this guy might be bitin’ off way more than I’m ready to chew. I suddenly regret sendin’ Alder and Flint on their way before I got more information about the ins and outs of demonhood.
Morax’s brow furrows for a fraction of a second, and I can’t put my finger on the emotion that flashes through his features before it disappears, but there’s a verycat that got the creamvibe to his countenance as we shake hands.
I go to pull my hand back, but oddly, he doesn’t let it go. He simply brings his other hand up and runs his fingertips softly over the inside of my wrist. For a moment, I think about yankin’ my hand from his, but too many years of manners have me not wantin’ to offend this guy, so I don’t.
“So,Bella, tell me about yourself,” he invites, and the way he says my name makes me think that he’s not convinced it actually belongs to me.
