“I summoned you by being stupid.”
“That does not cancel a ritual.”
I opened my mouth to argue again just as the apartment door shook hard enough to rattle the picture frames beside it. I stepped back in shock. Then another heavy knock hit the door after, louder this time. The lights flickered twice.
The demon was already standing before me while my brain took a moment to catch up with the horrifying scene in front of me. One second he’d been stretched comfortably across the couch reading my book, and the next he was near the apartment door with his shoulders tense slightly beneath my hoodie.
The amused expression he'd worn all night had disappeared completely. Every trace of humor vanished, replaced by a focus that made the apartment feel too small.
That scared me more than the glowing eyes.
Nina opened the bathroom door while still wrapped in a towel. “…Okay no. I officially hate this.”
Another knock rattled the apartment door before a calm voice spoke from the hallway outside.
“You summoned one of ours.”
The apartment stayed completely still after the voice echoed through the hallway outside.
Then Nina moved towards me while tightening the towel around herself like she was preparing to face even death now. “I would just like it officially written down somewhere that this is your fault.”
“My fault?” I whispered back. “Why is this still my fault?”
“You bought ritual candles from a store with a goat skull wearing sunglasses.”
“That feels unrelated right now.”
Another knock hit the door, calmer this time, almost patient.
My demon stayed near the entrance without opening the door. The shift in him unsettled me more than the presence of thedemon near me. The sarcastic amusement from earlier was gone now, replaced by something colder that felt very real.
The hallway voice spoke again. “We know the bond formed.”
I looked at my demon. “The WHAT formed?”
His jaw tightened. “They are being dramatic.”
“That is not a denial.”
“It is close enough.”
“No it is absolutely not.”
Another voice answered from outside the apartment, sounding irritated now. “You are wearing her clothing. We can literally feel it from the hallway.”
Nina made a strangled noise beside me.
I pointed accusingly at my demon. “Take the hoodie off.”
He stiffened. “Absolutely not.”
“THAT IS MY HOODIE.”
“And it was offered sincerely.”
“I threw it at your face!”
“That does not lessen it’s significance.”
