Page 29 of Demon Heart: The Complete Series

I managed to stay awake the entire journey back to my flat, the taxi driver assuming I’d had too many vodkas.

“Oh my God!” Darcy squeaked while Xavier put me on my bed. “What happened to you?”

“Demon,” I replied, loving my pillow under my head.

“This demon?” He ran up to sit beside my ear.

“No,” Xavier responded coolly. “A different one. A cyclops demon. Her pet. She’s always enjoyed keeping them, no matter how destructive they can be. I think that is the point.”

I blinked up at him, locks of his platinum blond hair falling across his forehead. “I took balls to the face.”

Another squeak from my little buddy. “You did what?”

Xavier explained.

“Oh. For a moment I thought you’d been to some weird demon sex dungeon.”

“They’re closed on Sundays,” Xavier said.

Neither me nor the rat responded to that.

“What can I do?” Darcy asked. His little nose nudged my cheek. “You look hurt.”

“I just need some Synth pills and sleep.”

“I’ll get them,” Xavier said, leaving the bedroom.

“Do you need a hospital?” Darcy wondered. “I’m really worried.”

“Sleep and drugs.” I yawned.

“You better be right.”

“I am.”

“I’ll bite your nose off if there’s medical drama to come.”

“You’ve been watching Casualty reruns again, haven’t you?”

His whiskers tickled my skin. “It’s too good. They should remake it.”

I let out another yawn, Xavier returning with water and pills. “Are these the ones you take?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” I sat up, taking my dose, then settled back down.

“I’ll leave you to rest,” Darcy said. “I’m just down the hall, and I’ll check in on you every half hour.”

“Make it every hour,” I countered.

“No deal.” I listened to him scurry away.

“I should leave you to?—”

I drifted away before the demon could finish.