“He doesn't belong to me,” I cry.
“If you don't stop swinging that thing around, I'm going to?—”
“To what? Disappear? Newsflash, I'm pretty used to that when it comes to you.” I sober and drop my hand to my side. “I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. You don't owe me anything. Thank you for helping me.”
“Don't do that,” he whispers. “You have every right to be upset with me. I didn't give you any warning before I sent you back. I thought it would be easier that way.”
“Was it? For you, I mean. Was it easier that way?”
“No, it wasn't.”
“Probably didn’t help that your magic wasn’t working. Seems to be fine now,” I murmur, then sigh. “I know you said it was because of you, but I think it was the book. Or rather, me using the book.”
“Worth it,” he breathes. At least, that’s what I think he said. Omen grips the back of his neck and sighs. A scowl takes over hisface, and he stalks past me. Irritation overrides my guilt, and I grit my teeth.
“You know, it's pretty annoying when we're in the middle of a conversation and you just take off. Which is what I was saying before. Seems like I shouldn't have to explain that to you.” I shuffle back to the bathroom and toss the plunger inside the shower. I'll deal with it later, once he's left and I need a distraction from the grief.
Omen's hand wraps around my arm and tugs me toward the front door. “We're not done talking, but I have to deal with Dimitri. Also, you're the one who summoned me.”
“To open a jar of spaghetti sauce,” I cry as I stumble down the stairs. He snatches me around the waist and lifts me clean off my feet.
“I mean today. I was outside because of Providence, but I wasn't going to bother you.”
I sputter, not sure how to respond, especially with the distraction. His heat seeps into me, and I don't know what to do with my hands. Serenity steals over me, settling in my bones and lodging into my heart—my soul. A missing piece clicks into place, but I shy away from it.
“So you only came because of another demon? You're not exactly helping your cause here, Omen.”
His lips brush the shell of my ear and I shiver. “Bold of you to assume I have a cause, little witch.”
“Omen, why are you manhandling a witch?” a deep feminine voice calls out, and my head snaps up.
Omen sets me on my feet, yet keeps his arm around my waist. “Providence, this is Clara. And I wasn't manhandling her. In fact, I was saving her from herself, which is entirely necessary.”
“I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much,” I snap.
“Sure you are, little witch.”
Providence scans me up and down. She towers over me like Omen and Dimitri. There isn't really a resemblance between Omen and her. Her black skin shimmers as if infused with glitter. Her eyes are completely silver, with a pinprick of gold in the center. Mesmerizing is the only way to describe her.
Providence tilts her head and narrows her eyes. It's highly disconcerting. “A witchy demon, I see.”
“I'm sorry, I'm not a demon.”
“No, but when you're soulbound to a demon, you take on some of their magic, hence, a witchy demon.” She says it so matter-of-factly, as if it's common knowledge.
Omen tightens his hold on me. “Time to go, Providence.”
She smirks. “So much for leaving things to chance, hmm?”
Dimitri grabs her wrist and they vanish. I didn't even notice him standing behind her I was so focused on Omen's sister. Her cryptic message doesn't mean anything to me. I have no idea what soulbound is or why it pertains to me. From the look on Omen's face, though, he does. Which means he's been keeping a lot more to himself than I thought.
“Want to explain all that?” I murmur.
He sighs heavily. “Let's go inside. Then you can banish me properly afterward.”
He trudges back to the house as I trail behind him. Every time I think we're making some type of progress, he pulls away, or a cat jumps into the mix, or a demon drops a random bombshell, or I get scared.
I'm sick of being scared. I'm sick of living my life afraid of someone else's reaction. I'm sick of pretending I don't deserve more.
