“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But why would I go see those masterpieces when there is one right here?”
I grinned at him and tossed one of the couch pillows, hitting him in the head.
He laughed, adjusted his glasses, and continued.
I lay there studying him. His hand moved nimbly across the paper. His grip on the pencil was firm but skillful. He swapped a few times between two different pencils, smudging the sketch with his finger and erasing parts of it.
“How does it look?”
He turned the notebook toward me, and I gingerly held it closer. There was that familiar face again. Maybe I was a narcissist for enjoying this type of attention, though I did not see the harm in this particular instance.
“If you keep drawing me like this, people may actually think I am pleasant.”
“You are pleasant.” He smiled. “I don’t know why you think yourself to be some distasteful spirit.”
“That is because you do not know me yet.”
“I know you well enough if I am spending myonly night offextracting bodily fluids and using you as my muse.” He leaned back on his palms as he sat.
Night.
It wasnighttime.
I sat up quickly and glanced at the timepiece on the wall. It was nearly seven thirty at night.
“Apologies. I didn’t realize that I’d kept you so long,” I said hastily, though I was more worried about him meeting my other admirer. I fear what would happen if my Creature saw another man in my home. I did not think his reaction would be any different from how he expressed his frustrations typically. What a mess he would make out of Viktor.
“It is no trouble.” He stood up, rolling his shoulders tiredly. “Do you have a curfew?”
“No, I just remembered I have an early start. I did get a lab time secured. Will you be free on Wednesday?”
“I can be free for you.” He winked, gathering his satchel.
“I will hopefully have samples. I will let you know how I do with the extractions.” I walked with him to the door, trying not to act too flighty. “Five o’clock on Wednesday. Understood?”
“Understood.” He tapped his temple. “I willremember.”
“Perfect.” I smiled, leaning up to hug him tight. “Good night, Viktor.”
I watched as he walked down the steps of my town house, only faintly illuminated by the streetlamps, before he became another shadowy figure in the street.
I closed the door and locked it behind me, sighing as I went back to the living room and plopped on the couch. He left his notebook on the tea table. Opening it again, I stared at that last sketch of myself. I was clearly having an identity crisis. I did not recognize myself if I was not scowling. Walking over to my bookshelf, I placed the sketch on the eye-level shelf. I tilted my head as I backed away, admiring the new piece of art. Maybe this was the first of many. I did not collect art, but maybe I should start.
24
THE POISONER
This was a bad idea.
My chest was tight, threatening to crush my ribs as the hour neared.
The clock only served to heighten my anxiety instead of ease it. Each time I checked, it was like less time had passed than before. The timepiece hand crept sluggishly toward that number three, slower than cold molasses.
Was it a mistake to make a deal with a demon like him? He was unnatural, a menace. It would be absurd to expect him to act decently enough to hold a deal. My word wasn’t much stronger than his, as he had already spat it back in my face,literally.
As of now, I believed it was safe because I had something physical to offer him. I thought the proposal went well, considering he could have cut me down right then and there in his home.
Rosiness burned in my cheeks and ears as I remembered our exchange, our less than formal “handshake” to seal the deal. I rubbed my face in an attempt to make the color retreat.
