Page 14 of A Soul’s Curse (Fallen Souls #1)

We made it to the end of the street before Ren asked me if I was really planning to walk the full five miles back to my home. I would have done it out of defiance, but my body was still aching from last night so I gave in and let him drive instead.

“If we’re going to be friends, I need to know why you were following me,” I demanded once we were both trapped inside the car.

I wasn't surprised that it was an older, more common model and not some luxury sports car. Ren, who cleaned up and changed into another dark and inconspicuous outfit before we left, wasn’t a man who liked standing out, even if he had the money to do it.

“Who said I want to be your friend?” Ren made a sharp right turn and the seatbelt dug into my chest.

“Because the alternative would mean you were stalking me, and seeing as I’m sitting in the passenger seat of your car and you’re driving me to my home, I’d really rather not believe that.”

“I am not stalking you!” He took his eyes off the road for a second to glower at me.

I had to suppress a giggle as his cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of red.

“Leon was telling the truth about you. Every demon around here knows your name—Theo Kingston: the amazing witch who’s best friends with the New Jersey Devil, the master healer with renowned knowledge of magic spells, a hero who stands up for demons and protects them.

You were already on the Syndicate’s radar, but I guess I just wanted to confirm your intentions were genuine and that you weren’t taking advantage of demons, or I would have killed you myself. ”

I couldn’t hold in the laugh any longer.

“Wait, you’re being serious? No way. You’re lying.

People don’t really say that about me, do they?

But there are plenty of others who use their magic to help out way more than I do.

I’m not some hero. I’m just an average person trying to do what I can to assist others.

But I am curious … Did I pass your test? ”

“That has yet to be determined,” he said, stepping on the gas to barrel through a yellow light.

“I don’t believe you mean demons any harm, but you said it yourself, that your kindness is going to get you killed and that can be a dangerous thing.

As I recall, you were pretty useless against Leon and my brother last night.

If the Syndicate is determined to get their hands on you, you will need my help to stop them and get your friend back.

I just don’t know how far you’ll let yourself go to do it. ”

My gaze snapped from the window to face him.

His eyes were on the road, but there was a stern look of determination etched into his expression.

He wanted to help me? I had spent most of my life supporting others, but no one had ever offered to help me .

It sent a flutter of excitement down my spine.

“Why do you care what happens to me? You got your brother back. You could just … disappear, and the Syndicate would never know that James was really you.”

“They’ll figure out it was me, eventually.

” Ren checked his mirror before switching lanes.

“But while I’m happy to have my brother back, they’ll keep tormenting demons and taking advantage of innocent people like you unless someone stops them.

Face it: You need me, Theo. I already have an in with the Syndicate, and you’ll never survive on your own without my help.

Call it a thank you gift for freeing my brother.

Plus, I’ve … done things as James that I’m not proud of.

If something did happen to the ‘savior of the demon community,’ I don’t want the blame for that. ”

I leaned my elbow against the doorframe, resting my head in my palm as I gave a subtle shake.

Did Ren really think he was fooling anyone with this standoffish attitude?

He clearly cared about people. He rented a house simply to make sure a demon had money to feed his family.

He put his life on the line to rescue a brother he had never met, and now was risking his cover to help me get my friend back.

He certainly wasn’t doing all this for his own benefit.

Silence blanketed the car as I played with a frayed edge on the bottom of the hoodie Ren let me borrow.

His neighborhood was on the outskirts of town, and while the houses were stacked on top of each other, they were much larger and more regal than my neck of the woods.

Money and power lived in this neighborhood.

Ren had money and power, and whether or not he was just teasing me, he was right …

I needed him. I knew nothing about the Syndicate or how to outsmart them.

I would be stupid not to accept his help.

“Alright then. I accept your offer. Let’s bring down the Syndicate together.”

Ren scoffed. “Ambitious are we? Let’s start with saving your friend first and making sure you don’t die.”

Roughly ten minutes later, we approached the colonial where my boyfriend and I lived.

The exterior had been recently updated by our landlord, the contemporary, neutral-colored vinyl siding contrasting with the older, historic homes often found around downtown Salem.

Several potted plants, ones I used for my herbal spells, decorated the farmer’s porch that extended across the width of the home.

Although the house had been converted into a duplex, no one currently occupied the upstairs unit.

He parked along the side of the road, waiting for me to exit the car. I unbuckled my seatbelt, but couldn’t bring myself to move.

“Hey, Ren?” I glanced out the window, avoiding the demon’s gaze. “Can I ask you something?”

He grunted a yes.

“What are the odds of us getting Ellie back? Is the Syndicate going to kill me too?”

Ren was silent for a moment before he answered. “I’ll do whatever I can to make sure your friend returns to you, and you stay unharmed.”

It was a cleverly worded response to my question, which meant he wasn’t confident we’d succeed.

“So, uh, what now?” I asked as I grabbed my backpack from the floor.

“Our best shot at coming out on top is to beat them at their own game, get one step ahead of them before they have you cornered. I could come inside and—”

“No!” The panic in my voice also made Ren panic, his hand gripping the door handle tightly but not opening it. “Sorry, it’s just … my boyfriend is probably home and he’s, uh, not the biggest fan of demons. It’s best if you don’t come inside.”

Ren snorted. “The man who spends all his time with demons is dating another man who hates them? That sounds like a healthy relationship.”

I dug out my phone from my pocket, looking at the photo on the lock screen.

It was a picture of me and Sly on our first date, about a month after we had met almost five years ago.

He wasn’t even Sly back then … just Gerald Pinkus, a nerdy kid from the suburbs who liked comic books and cheesy alien movies.

He had changed his name to Sylvester Knightfell when his career took off because it was, and I quote, “way cooler sounding.”

“It’s complicated,” I answered. “He’s a popular video game streamer and, well, you know how the internet works.

I think the fame gets into his head. He’s easily swayed by what other people think and will do whatever it takes to grow his following.

I … don’t think he really feels that way. It’s just for show.”

I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince more: myself or Ren.

I missed the old Gerald, the man I fell in love with, but I kept reminding myself that even though he might have a different name, the changes in his attitude were all for the fans.

The real Gerald Pinkus was still underneath the designer clothes, excessive partying, and obsessive skin products … somewhere.

“I have to work tonight, but how about we meet up tomorrow around 2PM at Emberheart Place? I’m assuming you’ve heard of it. I’ll be there for a couple hours with my sister to check in on a few people. It’s a safe place and maybe my best friend the New Jersey Devil will have some advice for us.”

Ren answered my sarcastic comment with an eye roll. Most demons knew of the shelter. If they didn’t end up sleeping there at some point, they likely volunteered their time, and Nick James Deville was one of the most popular names in this state, thanks to his relentless dedication to the community.

As I was about to get out of the car, Ren stopped me by grabbing my arm. “Do you have a ride to work later?”

Confusion scrambled my thoughts. “Huh?”

Ren let go of his grip. “I thought … we can meet up tomorrow, but maybe I could pick you up and we can chat on the way over to your work. The sooner we get started, the better chance we have at staying ahead of the Syndicate.”

I scratched my face to cover the awkward, lopsided smile.

I worried Sly might see him if he came to pick me up, but it beat having to walk or take the bus.

“Yeah. Let’s do that. I usually head in around three to help prep for the evening.

But … don’t come inside or honk or anything. I’ll be waiting outside.”

Ren narrowed his eyes, irritation flickering in his gaze. He might have never met Sly, but I could tell just from the few words I had spoken about him, Ren already hated my boyfriend.

“Fine. I’ll be here. But be ready. Don’t make me wait outside and hide like you’re a teenager sneaking out on a date.”

That elicited an awkward giggle from me, my cheeks radiating fire.

I was putting a lot of my trust in this demon I had officially met only a couple of hours ago.

I should have been skeptical, especially knowing the things he did and was capable of doing as James Whitfield, but on some level I understood where he was coming from and why he had done it.