Page 18 of The Devil and His Ghost

His black hair fell into his narrowed eyes as his head peered around the doorframe once more. “What movie?”

“The Exorcist.”

He pursed his lips, nearly making his black septum piercing vanish, and cocked his head. “Tempting.” He disappeared back into the room. “But no. I’m going out with the boys to Hell’s Gate.”

Hell’s Gate was the demonic club in Hell that Xander frequented with “the boys,” a group of demons he was close to.

“But—”

My feeble argument died on my tongue when a chill ran down my back. Most people would have a tremor of fear that followed the sensation, but for me, that icy prickle was as normal as a person smiling and saying hello.

Unbothered, I turned around to see what presence had just appeared behind me. I came face to … chest with a figure. My eyes drifted up the broad torso to meet the black-and-red slitted eyes of the golden-haired man staring down at me.

When our gazes met, his brows rose. “Woah. Are you looking at me?” He looked down at his body and arms as though checking to see if something was out of place.

“Obviously,” I replied flatly.

The corner of his lip lifted, exposing a sharpened canine. “Wow. A Ghost Speaker, huh?”

He studied me, so I crossed my arms and scrutinized him back. Two black horns, shorter than Xander’s, stood in his golden curls, which were pulled back in a bun. A white t-shirt and dark pants hugged bronze skin.

“And what are you doing here?” the new demon asked.

The question made irritation prickle at my insides. This penthouse had become my home, a place of calm and safety. Here this guy was, barging in and stirring up that serenity.

I tilted my chin up and pushed my glasses higher with my middle finger. “I live here.”

He blew out a small laugh, noticing the finger I chose to use, and looked over my shoulder. “Xander, I didn’t peg you as a cradle robber.”

“I’m not,” Xander hissed. “Don’t be fucking gross.”

I turned as Xander joined us. He’d changed into a deep purple silk button-up and charcoal dress pants. His black hair was freshly combed, and as he crossed the room, his human features morphed so that obsidian eyes gave way to gold, and horns and claws were unleashed. Those golden eyes with their vertical black slit narrowed on me. Even with the pointed expression, my heart quickened at the sight of him.

“This is Kendyll, my pet fish,” Xander introduced with a wave of his clawed hand.

“Your what?” I asked with a frown.

“Shh.” Xander held a finger up to his lips before gesturing between him and the demon. “The adults are talking.”

“I’m—”

“A fish,” Xander smirked. “So swim along. We’re heading out.”

My aggravation and disdain for this stranger only increased. I’d been working hard on finding myself and what I was good at during my time alone, and Xander knew this. My attempt at a scary story, with its messy handwriting and numerous smudge marks from all the places I’d erased and rewritten, burned within my mind’s eye. Xander was just going to leave without even looking at it, without looking at me?

The golden-haired demon, ignoring his companion’s dismissal of my presence, held his clawed hand out toward me. “I’m Perseus, your owner’s friend.”

I curled my lip at his outstretched hand and crossed my arms. “Good for you.”

Perseus scoffed around a smile and glanced at Xander. “Your fish is a bit prickly.”

Xander glared at me while patting his pants pockets. “I left my phone in my other pants. Let me grab it, then we can go.”

The two of us alone, Perseus leaned down so that his face hovered in front of mine. “I assume you know all about demons.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me.”

His lip twitched with the threat of a smile. “Do you know what kind of demon I am?”