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The demon studied his red face intently. “No.”

Evan opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.

For Celie. He had to live for his dear sister’s sake.

Looking away from the pale-faced pervert, Evan muttered under his breath, “Fine.”

“Mm?”

“I’ll…do it.”

“Do what?”

A vein throbbed in Evan’s temple as he turned back to the demon’s smug face. That look on his face said he’d already won, without even putting up a fight.

Which was exactly what had happened.

Once I get my hands on that relic, I’ll personally carve that smile off your face.

Evan relaxed his temper. “I’ll help you find…whatever it is you’re looking for. Fine? Now put me down.”

The demon’s eyes glowed brighter, grip loosening from Evan’s arms. As soon as his hands were freed, Evan instantly pushed them against the demon’s chest, putting some much-preferred distance between them, but there was no use. Evan was still straddling his knee like a bike.

“You will not go back on your word. Do you understand?”

Fuck you.

Evan nodded.

A hand slid around his neck and gripped his nape, pulling him close, too close. “Look at me and tell me you understand,” the demon rumbled.

Their eyes met, and—for whatever reason—Evan found himself incapable of looking away. He was pretty sure the demon was messing with his mind because being uninterested in people was probably the only thing Evan was an expert in.

But maybe because that gorgeous face wasn’t human, or because Evan was just registering how breathtaking the demon truly was from up close, or because tendrils of demonic energy seemed to reach out and caress his skin, his interest was unwittingly piqued.

“I understand,” Evan echoed, so tame that for a moment he doubted it was him who’d spoken those words.

Maybe it wasn’t. Because how many exorcists around the world had ever willingly formed a blood bond with a demon?

7. The Power Of A Name

The sound of slurping echoed through the house as Evan sipped his chocolate milk, eyes wandering everywhere. Anywhere but toward the man sitting across from him at the coffee table.

Aaron sat glaring daggers at Evan’s head as Evan stubbornly avoided his gaze. He had reluctantly revealed the truth about what had truly happened at the Greene Mansion and then about the meeting with Rhea, where he’d discovered the demon's origin. But of course, conveniently leaving out the part where he'd formed a bond with said demon.

After hearing it all, Aaron had gone quiet. Dead quiet.

Evan had never imagined there would come a day when he wouldwishfor Aaron to regain his chattiness.

He risked a glance at his friend. As expected, Aaron's narrowed eyes, brimming with disbelief, were locked onto him.

“What?” Evan asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Aaron folded his arms around his chest. “Is that the best story you could come up with to explain the fire at the mansion? Evan, you know how easily I believe your bullshit and evenIwasn’t convinced. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were writing a fantasy novel or something.”

See? He doesn’t believe me.

The first time Evan had met his future best friend, it was during a case of haunting outside town. One of Aaron's closefriends had been tormented by a spirit that had latched onto him during a night stroll through a trail.