Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
“There’s no situation in which everyone gets to live,” Daemon said.
That was a harsh truth.
One I needed to hear.
“Okay,” I agreed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.
“Do you want to go now, or do you want to stay one more day? Let them get their rocks off with me one more time, then leave?”
“It will take them hours, if not longer, to find a human to replace you once they find you’ve gone missing. We could already be halfway to the warlock’s home.”
“Let’s get moving then.”
“We’re going to go get some help,” I told Nemesis, willing her to hear or understand me. “We’re coming back to get you out.”
I hoped for a nod, a smile. Something. But she just stared back at me.
“Maybe she can’t hear through that goo,” Daemon said, turning around and starting to squat down.
“I can walk.”
“I’m sure you can. But I’m gonna carry you until we’re out of the cave.”
I knew I probably should have objected. I’d already gotten a bit too friendly with the demon. But everything was still hurting, a deep ache in my muscles and bones that throbbed with each step.
Besides, he was warm. And I felt like I was never going to stop feeling cold.
So I climbed on his back, held on tight, and soaked up his warmth. Through the cave, out into the woods, right up until he lowered me down beside my car.
“How about I drive?” he suggested.
“Okay,” I agreed, handing over the keys.
“Can I ask you something?” he said once we were inside and he had the heat blasting for me.
“Sure.”
“Why is your hair full of leaves?”
My hand shot up, feeling through the strands. Sure enough, I came back with dried leaves, tiny twigs, and little brambles.
“I… fell asleep in the woods last night.”
“The woods? Why?”
“I was just going to sleep in my car. I was too tired to drive back to the motel. But… I couldn’t make it.”
“Oh, shadow girl. We have to figure out what’s going on with you.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” he said, reaching to close his heat vents, which made more blessed air come out of mine. “How about we swing by that motel of yours, get you a shower, change of clothes, and some food? Then we get moving.”
“We shouldn’t be wasting time.”
“Well, I’m gonna need a few minutes to figure out where we are and how to get to Arick’s place from here.”
“Okay,” I conceded, then gave him directions to the motel, enjoying just sitting there and warming up on the drive.
“This is where you’re staying?” Daemon asked when I unlocked my door.
“Yeah. There’s not a lot of money in trying to save humankind,” I told him. “Since I’m not working right now, I needed to keep expenses low. It gets hot water. Eventually. And the bed doesn’t have any creatures that nip at me in the night. I can’t complain too much.”
Though I did walk right into the bathroom to get said water running, since I knew it was going to take a while for it to heat up.
I chanced a look at myself in the mirror as I passed, my stomach twisting at the woman looking back at me.
I hardly recognized myself.
Not only was I pale and exhausted-looking, but I was starting to get gaunt in the face, my cheekbones hollowing out.
“That vending machine had nothing good,” Daemon declared when I walked back out. “How about I drive back to town while you’re taking a shower, get us something decent to eat, that way we’re not wasting any time?”
Maybe I shouldn’t have trusted him with my car when he could easily just take off with it, leaving me without transportation to take care of the hurt and dying humans, or to find someone to help me with Nemesis. But this was a man who willingly let me chain him each morning, who carried me on his back, who let me nap on him.
For a supposedly ‘evil’ creature, he’d been nothing but good to me.
So I tossed him my keys before gathering some fresh clothes and making my way into the bathroom.
The water was hot enough to scald, turning my skin bright pink. But it still didn’t feel warm enough to chase the chill out of my bones.
Eventually, I climbed out, dried off, wrapped my hair into a French braid to keep it out of the way, then slipped into my clothes. This time, I was careful to add on layers: a long sleeve under a sweatshirt, then a zip-up hoodie, leggings, and two pairs of socks.
It was still just barely enough.
But Daemon was knocking, so I made my way across the room to let him in.
The scent of pizza met my nose, making my belly let out an embarrassingly loud grumble. I couldn’t blame it, though. I hadn’t fed myself in over a day.