Page 14 of Demon Heart: The Complete Series

I woke up just before seven, not as groggy as I should be, but requiring caffeine before I left the flat.

I almost fucked a demon.

Finding a fresh pair of shorts and a vest, I stepped out into the hall to see Darcy sitting beside my ruined clothes from the almost-boink.

“Do I want to know?” he asked, whiskers twitching judgmentally.

“It didn’t happen.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Tragically. “Want some breakfast?”

“Does a bear shit in the woods?”

“Obviously.”

On my way to the kitchen, I stopped by the living room. Peered inside, kind of hoping to see him sleeping on the couch.

“He left about an hour ago,” Darcy confirmed before running up to my shoulder.

“For the best,” I said.

“Amen to that.”

“Did he leave a note?”

“A verbal one.”

“What did he say?”

“Thanks for everything.”

Is that it? “Great.”

I got to work on breakfast, fixing some bacon for my furry little friend, some poached eggs on toast for me. I had an eight o’clock meeting with Her Majesty and wanted to be well fed and watered before I faced her.

Darcy scurried onto the countertop. “He was shaggable, though.”

I laughed. “True. But let’s not go there.”

“I miss my shagging days,” the rat carried on.

“I’m sorry.”

“So is my penis.”

I split the yolk on my egg. “Right.”

“I miss kissing men and women, giving pleasure. I slept around a lot, always keeping safe, never breaking hearts.”

“No hearts?” I questioned.

“Maybe a few. Mine’s worse off.”

That really hit home. Darcy often came out with things lamenting his past, the things he’d lost from being cursed like this.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I wish I could turn you back.”

“I’m not humping you, Roman.”

“Thank God! That would be weird.”

He moved closer and licked my hand. “Thanks for always trying.”

“One day,” I said, voice cracking slightly.

“Thanks for being a glass-half-full type of guy. Sometimes. Is that even a thing?”

“I guess so. Sorry for bringing a demon home.”

“It’s over now.”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry you never got a shag out of him.”

I tried not regretting it too much, clinging onto the fact I hadn’t crossed the line and let the queen down in the worst possible way.

Finishing my breakfast, I hit the shower, scrubbing myself squeaky clean. Back in my room, I dressed before the mirror, fixing my hair, slipping on a black T-shirt, a black jacket, and some slim-fit trousers. Smart and sharp, ready to face my boss.

Kind of.

Piper sent a car to pick me up, waiting for me a few streets away from my flat. The driver didn’t say a word, a tinted partition keeping us separate.

Fine by me.

I scanned through the news on my phone, finding nothing about last night at The Albert Hall. Piper deserved a medal for keeping shit out of the media. The top story was about a possible sighting of Clay Christmas and his lover somewhere in Brazil.

I guess it was a slow news day. The lovers were old news now, probably living their best lives in a testy world.

Pocketing my phone, I watched the city roll by on the short journey to Buckingham Palace, replaying the events of last night, trying to understand my actions.

Maybe I was bored, fed up with the same routine of my life. I mean, it was pretty empty of fun and friends. My family were all gone, and friends were a luxury. Sure, I had Darcy, but he’d be gone soon if he didn’t get out of that body.

If I were honest, Grandma’s death had shaken me up. Intrusive thoughts of the morality of my work often crept close, taking me by surprise. Thoughts I didn’t welcome, trained to obliterate. But they continued to tap on the walls of my mind.

I blamed grief. Grief took its sweet time to relinquish its chokehold. All these invading things would fall away in time.

Please fall away…

We were approaching the palace, pulling into The Mall. There were more tents than last night, humans and demons sharing breakfast and hot beverages as if they were tourists awaiting a royal parade.

Those days were long gone.

My phone buzzed, Keith’s name flashing on the screen.

Interesting.

“Hello?” I said.

“Where are you?” he responded brusquely.

“On my way to work.” Technically, that wasn’t a lie.

“I needed you last night.”

“Sorry. I was so tired. I actually thought I’d dreamt that phone call.”

“Bullshit.”

“Huh?”

“You were in Hyde Park.” A deep sigh. “I knew I’d seen you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Want to play dumb, do you?”

“I don’t?—”

“I’ve got a video of you killing those people,” he cut me off.

Ice swam through my veins. How did I respond to this?

“I came across some people looking for a demon. Asked them if the demon was with a human guy because I was sure I saw someone I knew dragging one through the park.”

“Keith—”

“I’m not done,” he spat down the line. “Interrupt me again and I’ll gut you.”

I couldn’t wait to draw my dagger across his throat.

“They took me to their leader, and he showed me a video.”

Beard Guy, the video probably filmed by the Flare Woman before she intervened.

Why did they both sound like lame superheroes?

Keith didn’t go into detail about this annoying leverage. “There you were on the screen, using Synth, slicing and dicing. You’re a witch, Lee.”

I kept quiet.

“And not just any witch.”

I waited for him to say my real name, to call me The Shadow. But he didn’t. Which meant he didn’t know every single detail right now.

“Keith—”

“What did you do to my friends?”

Had he got back inside the bunker?

“I can’t get in…” he muttered.

That would be a no, then.

“Meet me at ten tonight at the abandoned sports center in Anerley. You know it?”

“Yeah.”

“If you want this to blow over, bring the demon. Don’t show up, we’ll release the video and see what happens.”

He hung up.

Oh. Shit. Things had gone from murky to full on turd.

How to fix this one? There would be copies of the video, for sure. Anyone with a dose of common sense would back up such a juicy file.

Man, I’d fucked up royally.

The gates of Buckingham Palace opened, the driver pulling into the quadrangle where Piper waited.

I opened my own door before the driver could move out of his seat, greeting the princess with a bow.

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

“Roman.”

“Thank you for helping me last night.”

“Don’t mention it.”

She’d blow a gasket if I hit her with this new set of troubles.

I kept them to myself, determined to destroy Keith and his new friends. “Did you sleep well?”

“Not really.” She seemed extremely despondent.

“Me neither.”

She gestured for me to follow her.

“How are you feeling today?” I broke the silence on our journey to the queen’s chambers.

“Weird,” she answered. “How is it his birthday today?”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Then we’ve got the one-year anniversary coming in May.”

I sympathized with her pain. “It sucks.”

“I’m dreading the service. It’s going to be long and boring with hymns and so much reflection on his life. All the things Father hated.” She stopped before a painting of her dad at the foot of the grand staircase, running her finger along the frame. “I miss him so much.”

Next to the late king was a portrait of Prince Wilfred.

“At least they’re together,” the princess said, kissing her hands and laying them on each portrait.

I stood back, letting her have a moment.

She glanced at me, nodding at the stairs. “Let’s go.”

I followed, thinking of Grandma.

“I’m worried about her,” Piper said at the top of the stairs.

“The queen?”

“She hasn’t left her room since breakfast yesterday.”

“You didn’t tell me that last night.”

“I’m telling you now.” She folded her arms. “What happened with those people you killed?”

I told her, covering up the demon part again.

“They attacked you for not leaving quickly enough?” she said.

I nodded, hating myself for the lie. “Definitely up to no good.”

If Keith really did possess a video, and it somehow fell into Piper’s hands or into the public sphere, then that would be me done. Goose cooked.

“Strange,” she answered. “But this is the world we live in, isn’t it? Drama, drama everywhere.”

“It is, Your Highness.”

“What about this one guy left standing?” she asked.

“I’m dealing with it. Does the queen know?”

“Yes.”

Great.

“This is why you need to start dating,” she added. “Work out your issues with a hot guy, get your focus back.”

Not this again.

“Because you seem really off, Roman.”

“I—”

“Come on,” she interrupted. “You know she hates waiting.”

I really didn’t need Piper reading between my lines.

She left me at Her Majesty’s chambers after announcing me, disappearing down a corridor.

Queen Margarite sat in a chair by the crackling fire, dressed in an elaborate black gown threaded with glittering diamonds.

“My Shadow,” she said, standing to show off the outfit.

Expensive.

I bowed to her. “Your Majesty. Please accept my thoughts and sympathies on this sad day.”

“Thank you. Now tell me about last night.”

I repeated the lie to my queen.

“I see.” She sat back down.

“Today I will find this stray man and end him.”

“Forget him. I have a new task for you,” she announced.

“Your Majesty?”

Forget him? What happened to her fear?

She steepled her fingers, her diamond wedding ring dazzling in the light of the fire. “There are many witch kings and queens attending this service today, as you know. But there is one in particular I’m concerned about.”

“Concerned, Your Majesty?”

Shadows swam in her eyes. “Witch King Basile of France.”

I waited for her to elaborate.

“I do not trust him, Roman. He is brokering deals with demons behind my back, I am sure of it.”

Deals? Seriously? I didn’t ever question her, but this made no sense. What intel did she have?

“I feel it in my heart,” she added, tapping her chest. “Basile and I have always had our differences, but this is a terrible betrayal, if indeed it is true. I need you to spy on him, gather as much evidence as you can. If he is working with demons outside of the peace talks, he will be dethroned.”