I returned to my duties behind the bar, my mind buzzing with anticipation.The night continued its usual rhythm, but there was an added spark in my step, a new energy that came from knowing something exciting hovered on the horizon.
ChapterThree
A few hours before dawn,I dragged myself up the stairs to my apartment.Pulling double shifts—first at the coffee shop and then at Wraith & Whiskey—had me feeling like I’d gone ten rounds with a hellhound.Each step was a test of endurance, and I often wondered how anyone—human or otherwise—managed this kind of grind without collapsing.Even in Hell, with its endless days of training and fighting, I hadn’t been this exhausted.One would think that after all this time, I’d be used to working such long hours, but sadly, I was not.
I fumbled with my keys, my fingers clumsy from exhaustion.After a few failed attempts, I finally managed to unlock the door.Somewhere between leaving the bar and hopping on the bus, my brain had turned to mush.It had taken every ounce of willpower I had just to keep my eyes open during the ride home.
Pushing open the door, the familiar and comforting scent of my apartment greeted me—a blend of vanilla and citrus candles.I liked to burn them to mask the lingering scent of cat, imp, and the earthy aroma of yarn.Dropping my purse with a heavy thud, I kicked off my shoes, sighing in relief as my toes finally stretched in newfound freedom.
I leaned against the nearest wall and closed my eyes, weariness seeping into my bones.I considered curling up right there on the floor.Even that sounded better than dragging myself the twenty feet down the hall to my bedroom.But I had to shower first.I was covered in booze, coffee, and who knew what else.Going to bed unclean was not an option.
Eventually, I pulled myself together and pushed off the wall.
“Purrgatory, Vol, I’m home!”I called out.
A slightly overweight ginger cat sauntered into view, his green eyes half-closed in disdainful judgment.Purrgatory, or Purrgy as I affectionately called him, clearly believed I existed only to fulfill his cuddle quota.He often vocalized his dislike of me going to work—regardless of the fact that my jobs kept him fed and living in luxurious comfort.Luxurious comfort being my rundown, one-bedroom apartment with thin walls and a perpetually leaky faucet in the kitchen that my landlord keptinsistinghe would fix.But to Purrgy, this was his kingdom, and I, the servant who fulfilled his every whim.
As I bent down to give Purrgy a scritch behind the ears, a tiny, high-pitched voice interrupted.“Hey, Meat Sack!Did you bring me anything fun?”
My focus darted to the source of those colorful words.A small imp emerged from behind the couch, his dark eyes gleaming with mischief.Vol stood six inches tall, with leathery skin the color of charred ash, and wore a jungle explorer outfit I’d stolen from a doll.Next to a pair of jagged horns were two tiny, pointed ears that twitched with every sound.He also had a tail that flicked back and forth like a whip.He bared his small but incredibly sharp teeth—ask me how I knew—in a grin that promised a whole world of trouble.
“Hi, Vol,” I commented with narrowed eyes.As far as roommates went, he was unapologetically the worst.It was rare for me to come home and find everything in order.Imps weren’t exactly known for their manners, and Vol embodied chaos to his devilish core—kinda like someone else I knew.
Straightening, I perched my hands on my hips and surveyed the apartment.Everythinglookedin order, but I knew better.Especially considering the diabolical grin on his little face.
“What have you been up to?”I asked.
“Nothing,” he replied with an exaggerated innocence, which I didn’t buy for a second.“Just…redecorating.”
I followed his gaze to the corner of the room where a pile of unraveled yarn sat—a pile of yarn that had previously taken the form of a half-knitted hat.And this, ladies and gentlemen, was why I said I couldn’t knit.Not for lack of trying, but because the little turd never let me finish a project.Vol had a nasty habit of destroyinganythingI made to fashion a new nest.Because, in his opinion, one simply wasn’t enough.
We’d been playing this game for the last eight years, ever since I’d stumbled across him huddled in a snowbank, shivering and half-frozen.Truly, it was my fault for welcoming the little toad into my life.But I hadn’t been able to walk away, knowing he would die if I’d left him there.So, I’d scooped him up, wrapped him in a scarf, and carried him home.Once he’d thawed out and realized I’d meant him no harm, his impish nature had taken over, and he’d quickly made himself at home.The very scarf I’d wrapped him in had become the first casualty.He’d shredded it to make himself a bed, because the cat bed I’d bought him apparently hadn’t been good enough.
Since then, none of my handmade projects were safe.I knew better than to continue knitting, but there was this niggling thought in my head, one that said better the yarn than my bedding, couch, or heaven forbid, Purrgy.For some reason, destroying my knitting projects quelled his destructive nature.So, I kept buying yarn and pretended like his antics pissed me off.Truly, I was just relieved he hadn’t demolished the entire apartment.I was pretty sure my pet deposit didn’t cover imps.
“Vol,” I grumbled, knowing he would appreciate my dramatics.“I needed that yarn for a project.”
He shrugged, perching on the edge of the couch and swinging his legs.“You needed it, I needed it.Let’s call it even.Besides, you weren’t even using it.”
Playing into my role, I glared at him.“No more destroying my things, okay?I can’t afford to keep replacing stuff!”As it was, tonight’s tips would likely go to replenishing the stash.Good yarn wasn’t cheap.
Vol snickered, clearly unrepentant.“Sure, Lily.Whatever you say.”
Purrgy, tired of us ignoring him, jumped onto the couch and plopped down in a huff.His green eyes followed Vol’s every movement, as if waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.The two had a love-hate relationship that mostly revolved around Purrgy tolerating Vol’s antics until he crossed a line, at which point the cat would swat at the imp.
No one ever said my life was boring.
With a crazed laugh, Vol leapt onto Purrgy’s back.The cat let out a yowl of protest but didn’t move.Honestly, I think he just liked the attention.They were each other’s constant companions, after all.
Vol cackled and gripped Purrgy’s fur like a tiny, demented jockey.“Giddy up, Purrgy!”
I rolled my eyes, suddenly regretting letting Vol watch a few Western films over the weekend.
After a lazy tail flick, Purrgy rose to his feet and jumped off the couch, which had Vol screaming like a lunatic.He whooped with joy and bounced on Purrgy’s back.“Let’s go!”
I laughed at the sight.“Alright, you two.Play nice.I’m going to take a shower.Don’t destroy the place while I’m gone.”
As I headed to the bathroom, the sound of Vol’s maniacal laughter and Purrgy’s disgruntled meows followed me down the hall.I slipped into the bathroom, stripped, then fired up the shower and hopped in.The second the icy-cold water hit my skin, I gasped and leapt back out.
