Page 172 of Evil Hearts

Drazon

I picked her up off the ground and helped her stand. “They won’t hurt you anymore,” I whispered. “What state are we in?”

“Kentucky,” she whispered. “Can I go back to my place? I just want to get out of this outfit.”

As I stepped out of the elevator, I shimmered back into my human form. Her fingers tightened around mine as we walked back into the bright light of day. “It’s a sunny day.”

“My car is over there,” she whispered. “Tomorrow will probably be a dreary day. One bright day in oodles of haze and fog.”

“The sun in my world is more orange and red. Everything is awash in the colors of fire.”

“Weird. But it’s not hell?” she asked as she opened her car door.

“No, just a blip of a bubble universe where we live. There have been movements to take over your world. Probably more deals and bets to ensure your downfall.”

She stopped and looked at me as she buckled her seatbelt. “What?”

“Where do you think things like revelations come from?” I replied. “Where you fell was the Deals and Bets department. It’s the bureaucracy that means you humans can get what you want from us. I hate working there. I was there as a favor to a friend.”

“So the world will end?”

“Lucky for you, there are other demons who don’t want the world to end. Earth is a playground and humans are playthings. Deals and bets on top of others, constantly dueling. Everyone’s battling for their own space.”

We pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. My eyes drifted towards her and she was absentmindedly tapping her thigh. “I don’t think my roommate will be home. She’d probably flirt with you if she could. I mean, she could. It’s not like I own you or anything. I didn’t summon you or anything.”

I laughed as we parked, and she stepped out. “I feel like I need to burn this entire outfit. It’s not lucky anymore. It’s cursed,” she muttered, then sighed. “It was supposed to be a good job. We looked them up, and they looked decent. How was I supposed to know they were doing weird occult shit?” She opened the apartment door and led me inside.

“Humans are flawed,” I said as I sat on the couch. Vena walked past me and down the hallway.

“It’ll be a few minutes.”

“You don’t have to burn your outfit. It looks nice on you.”

“Too bad. I don’t want to think of this day ever again. What would have happened if your friend Venus had been there?” she asked from her room.

I paused before laughing at her error. She was right. I don’t know what Veux would have done, but she may not have killed the entire coven. “Veux—not Venus—would not have saved you. Today was your lucky day.”

“I almost died. Or was I sold into sex slavery?” She stepped out of the bedroom in leggings and an oversized red tee shirt. A few stray strands escaped her half-ponytail, brushing against her cheek as she moved. Her green eyes were wide with unshed tears as worry etched her face. “What would have happened to me?”

“It would depend on the demon.”

Her frown deepened. “You said you wanted to take me somewhere?”

“Yes, let me take you to one of my favorite restaurants on Earth. You ready to pop?” I asked as I grabbed her hand. “I have magic and we can go anywhere in the world.”

Her eyes widened. “Magic? Anywhere?”

A red mist surrounded us as I transported us to the alleyway beside my favorite Earth diner. Once we had re-formed, she stumbled into my arms and I caught her. Our eyes locked and her lips parted. Her breathing increased in speed as she looked at me.

“I hope you are okay with a hole in the wall,” I whispered as I brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. This little human was absolutely delectable in every way.

Vena giggled. “I guess that’s fine. Where are we?”

“A few states away. I’ll take you back later,” I said as I walked her into the small diner. We sat down and grabbed the sticky, laminated menus. “I found this place a few decades ago.”

She nodded. “I guess you are immortal if you are a…” Vena looked around and whispered, “A demon.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I’m pretty old.”

The server came to the table, and I quickly ordered my food. Vena mumbled her order while tucking her hair behind her ear, avoiding eye contact. After the server left, Vena straightened up and looked back at me with a shy smile. “I guess I’m getting old in human years. I’m in my thirties. That’s old maid status, according to social media.”

“You didn’t tell me an exact age, though.”

Vena laughed. “Does that matter? You didn’t tell me yours either. I’m old.”

“Touché,” I replied with a grin. Vena had a small dimple on the edge of her lopsided smile and her eyes lit up whenever it appeared. Maybe Veux didn’t ruin my day after all. I got to kill some humans who didn’t deserve the air they breathed and I saved a cute and fluffy human.

“What do you normally do? You said you don’t work in the weird summoning department.”

“I guess it would seem pretty weird to a human. A good portion of us work there. I have some stocks in the human stock market. I have a few old bets that come in occasionally.”

“What do you mean by bets? You mentioned that.”

“It’s a game. Human life is all a game to our kind. Some of our kind have played and manipulated your humanity so much that a few of you have some…quirks.”

Vena blinked. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to worry about that sort of drive or need from me. It’s a long and complicated story.”

Her eyes widened as she smiled nervously. “Oh my god, you’re weird. Are you like a sex demon? They have those, right?”

“No. But I think a lot of us have urges .”

Vena cackled and covered her mouth as the server approached with our food. “Sorry, sorry. Thank you, looks great,” she muttered.

After she left, I leaned forward. “I know even humans have urges. When was the last time you answered them?”

Vena choked on the drink she was sipping on and coughed loudly. Her skin darkened deliciously. Maybe she had a naughty streak in her. “Oh my god. Manners!”

“What manners do you expect from a demon?” I asked. “Maybe I’m exhibiting excellent manners. Actually, for some of my kind, mild flirting is very polite.”

Her skin darkened further as she put a bite of her food in her mouth. “You’re bad.”

I grinned. “Maybe. Watch out or you’ll match your shirt if you keep blushing,” I whispered.