Page 132 of Demons Dig Donuts

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Mr. Heiss used his powers to speed up the ride back to his home so they arrived within seconds of getting settled in the limo. Indy wished it had actually been longer so he had more time to gather himself. He was eager to see Gammy and hug her close, not caring if it was going to be wispy like fog or a sneeze. He’d been truly terrified that he was going to lose her, but now he had a new fear taking up root in his stomach.

Technically, it was an old one.

The oldest one of all—dying.

He couldn’t shake how bitter his blood had tasted on his tongue or the agony laced with horror that his end was approaching faster and faster with no way to stop it. Whatever Gammy had done had certainly stalled it, but now it felt inevitable.

Which made things with Mr. Heiss…

Complicated.

Fine, yes. Indy liked the king of assholes who he thought might like him too or at least enjoyed having sex with him. That wasn’t enough to trust him with Indy’s future, much less his life. He had to hope Gammy could come up with something else and fast.

Or else…

Indy didn’t want to consider the alternative, but his smile felt particularly forced as Mr. Heiss helped him out of the limo.

If Mr. Heiss noticed, he gave no indication.

He did keep holding Indy’s hand, however, as he led him inside. He shut the door behind them, shedding his human disguise with a shake of his head. The sound of the door closing must have alerted the rest of the house they were back because Indy was almost immediately pounced on by a familiar wispy embrace.

“Oof! Hey, Gammy.” Indy closed his eyes and tried to hang on for as long as he could. “God, I missed you.”

“Are you all right? What’s going on?” Gammy demanded.

“Do you want the part about how my RuPaul’s Drag Race knowledge helped us track down a magical flower or the part where I punched a gargoyle in the balls?”

“You what?” Gammy shot Mr. Heiss a dirty look.

“It’s been a day.”

“Come on, sweetie. Let’s sit you down and you tell me all about it, hmm?”

Once they were seated on the couch in the living room, Indy told her everything. She continued to give Mr. Heiss hateful glares, as if everything was his fault, and she stayed solid enough to hold Indy’s hand the whole time.

“And then Mr. Heiss and I talked about science, we cuddled and did each other’s nails, and now we’re here,” Indy concluded. “That’s about it.”

Of course, he’d left out the whole coughing up blood bit.

Especially with Mr. Heiss hovering nearby.

“Well, I do think it’s very sweet that you were so worried about a maybe-me being harmed, but sweetie—” Gammy popped the top of Indy’s head. “That was very foolish! Even if I was separated from an object I’ve anchored myself to, I have thousands more! I would have been able to find my way back.”

“Well, how the hell was I supposed to know that?” Indy fussed. “I panicked, okay?”

Gammy gave him a firm hug. “I love you very dearly. So very dearly.” She eyed Mr. Heiss with a growl. “But all of this monster nonsense needs to stop. It doesn’t feel like you’re safe anywhere!”

“Yeah, but—” Indy waved at Mr. Heiss. “Mr. Heiss came to the rescue! Remember? Yay!”

“But he’s the reason you’re in danger!”

“Technically, it’s those bitches who won’t stop trying to get the ring.”

Gammy sighed. “I can’t imagine why they want it so badly. Yes, Dill is very powerful, but it seems strange.”