Page 32 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse

What? Solar Blue Hudson lived in Queens? His kind belonged in the Upper East Side, not with the throngs of commuters that lived out there. And how was I going to drive all the way there?

—You can shift to second unless you want to damage the engine,Drevan suggested.

My confidence behind the wheel was growing. We had crossed several blocks already without me running anyone over. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have given a damn about the engine. I shifted gears. The engine seemed to sigh in relief.

—Turn right up ahead.

I did as Drevan instructed, while next to me, Solar kept rocking back and forth, his eyes lost in a faraway place as if he were catatonic.

“Why not go to the police?” I asked.

“No!”

—No!

Solar and Drevan snapped at the same time.

“O-kay,” I said slowly.

“They’ll hurt her.” Solar shuddered, hugging himself, then running stiff fingers through his messy hair, then hugging himself again. The dude was going to lose it.

“Who arethey?” I asked, but Solar only shook his head, his eyes wavering with tears.

I growled in irritation and thumped the wheel with the heel of my hand. “Some help here!” I peered up in the general direction of heaven, hoping Drevan could offer more than Solar. “Do you know whotheyare? Someone should help his sister.”

—Shh! He’s going to think you’re crazy.

“I don’t think he knows what’s going on right now.”

—Looks to me like he may be catching on.

I glanced sideways at Solar. He was frowning, starting to come to his senses.

“Um… Never mind me. I tend to talk to myself sometimes.” I stopped at a red light and stared straight ahead.

“W-who are you?” The panic and desperation in Solar’s voice quickly turned into suspicion and fear. His head swiveled all around as if he were searching for an escape. Slowly, his hands started to reach toward the door handle.

Shit!He was planning to jump out.

But before he took hold of it, the light changed and we lurched forward, getting a hefty dose of whiplash. “Sorry, I’m not too good at driving yet. Um, my name is Lucia Sunder. You just looked in need of help there.”

“Richie sent you, didn’t he?” Solar demanded.

“No! I swear I don’t know who Richie is.”

—Take another right at the light.

I nodded, eliciting another suspicious glare from Solar.

“I… I was having breakfast with my friend,” I said, hoping further explanation would calm him down. “We were sitting right next to you, remember? Anyway, I’m from St. Louis, and I’m a student at the League of Demon Hunters.”

—You are?!Drevan asked, a hint of glee in his tone.

Dammit!Why had I said that? How had the asshole devil caused me to do such a total one-eighty in under an hour? His demonic powers had to be involved. That was the only explanation. But even as I tried to convince myself of this, deep inside, I knew it wasn’t true. Ever since I’d left the league, I’d thought of little else but finding my way back. I’d done my best to convince myself otherwise, but it hadn’t worked, and I’d known that the future would bring nothing but regret for what I’d given up.

How was I going to explain this to my family?Witchlights!What if they got pissed and came to take me back? They had been the ones really vested in my alternate plan.

“I need you to stop and let me get out.” Solar pointed off to the side. “There, drop me off right there.”