Page 68 of The Devil and His Ghost

“They’re driving to a building downtown, and the girls are going to distract Addie while one of the guys turns that building’s door into a door to here.”

Xander nodded. “Okay then. This should be interesting.”

“So Addie is dating one of the guys but doesn’t know he’s a demon?” I asked in surprise.

“Oh, no,” Eden waved the idea away. “She’s not dating anyone. She’s just one of our best friends. Only four of the guys have girlfriends. Coldin is single.”

“As is Xander,” I retorted with a firm glare shot in his direction.

Xander clutched his chest like I’d ripped his heart out and stared at me with wide, pitiful eyes. “Ghost! You’re wounding me.”

“If you break up with Xander, pick me!” Eden beamed. “I’m a better Mischief demon and better at eating pussy.”

I stared at the demon as my face flamed hot. Meanwhile, Xander’s teasing light faded, and he shot an icy stare Eden’s way.

The bubbly demon held up her hands in surrender. “Woah! Scary. I’m kidding, kidding.” She moved to skip away, but when Xander turned his back on her, she stopped and silently mouthed with a smile, “No, I’m not.” She blew me a kiss before happily sauntering off.

“Sorry about her,” Xander apologized as he scratched his septum piercing sheepishly. “I didn’t anticipate you having to deal with her bubbly energy right as you got here.”

I blinked and blew out a small, short laugh. “I feel like I just downed a dozen energy drinks.”

Xander laughed. “Yeah. She’s a handful but harmless, even for a demon.”

“Even for a demon? In my experience, demons aren’t anything to be afraid of.”

He slipped his hand into mine and guided me toward the bar. “Some are, Ghost. Some are.”

Xander pulled out a bar stool for me. Instead of taking a seat next to me, he remained standing with one arm around me and the other braced on the bar. It was like he stood at the ready to shield me from anyone who came too close.

He leaned down to hover his mouth near my ear, which made the warmth from his body wrap around me like a cloak. “There aren’t many drinks fit for humans down here, so I’ll order for you. Okay?”

His close proximity had a flurry of nerves stealing my voice right from my throat, so I merely nodded.

The bartender who took our order served as a good distraction. The middle-aged man was blue around his otherwise pale mouth. He moved fluidly behind the counter, wiping up drinks or serving demons as they approached. I quirked my brow, fascinated that Hell employed a ghost to work their bar. I wondered what the man had done to land himself in such a position in his afterlife. Was it punishment or a privilege?

Just as the ghostly bartender slid our drinks over to us, a new burst of excitement sounded from behind where Xander and I were.

“Be right back,” Xander announced abruptly.

I turned in time to see him intercepting a large group of people. Well, some were people. The four other members of Sinners Do It Better and a group of girls had arrived, though none of the guys came as demons; they were all wearing their human forms like a mask. With a quick nod between Xander and the guys, the band members continued my way while Xander hung back to talk to the girls. I couldn’t hear them from this distance, but as he spoke, the various female gazes glanced in my direction.

My face burned, and I quickly put my back to them to stare into the crystal clear liquid of my drink. Clearly Xander was talking about me. Was he giving them a warning about my personality?

See that girl? Yeah. She’s as cold as she looks, so just be careful around her. Don’t hold her attitude against me, ‘kay?

I frowned and tapped my finger nervously against my drinking glass.

“Long time, no see.”

At the sound of Perseus’s voice, I looked up. He stared down at me and searched my face the way he always did. His green eyes were slightly narrowed but lacked malice. Part of his long golden locks were tied back, and he wore a fitted gray shirt and jeans.

“Yup,” I responded, popping the end of the word. “I think the last time was a few months ago when we all filmed the season finale of Haunted Days and Nightmares.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. Right.”

Xander returned then, and the cluster of girls followed. I was already on edge, but seeing the girls up close made me even more so. They were gorgeous. Almost unbelievably so. A brunette with an innocent, doe-like face, a petite dark-haired girl who looked like a goddess come to life, a curvy girl who looked like she could’ve been a moon princess in another life, and a blonde-and-pink haired girl who practically oozed sex and confidence. They wore varying cute and trendy outfits, such as dresses or skirts tailored to their body types and appearances. Meanwhile, I sat here with tear-stained cheeks, messy hair, and fucking pajamas. I’d never wanted to crawl into a hole to die more than I did in that moment.

“Kendyll,” Xander began as he wrapped his arm between my back and the barstool. “You know the guys. Now meet the girls. Iyla—”