A Demon Made Me Do It(13)

For centuries, various demon factions had been at war with one another, each for their own reasons. Whether it was for control over a territory, personal slights, or just to fight, the tribes had been battling it out for years. But after decades of carnage with no end in sight, the Legionare—the highly skilled militia unit for the Demon Empire—separated the clans into territories. Now each is forbidden to cross over into another’s land without express permission. But only in Thiberoux…the world of Man is still fair game and open to all.

It has worked surprisingly well, with few skirmishes in recent memory. Anyone violating the treaty is dealt with by the Legionare, a punishment no demon wants to endure.

Still, I’m not bothered by Cody’s concern. Most demons agree the treaty is an unnatural act and it’s only a matter of time before it’s broken. Many of us, myself included, long for war; it’s in our blood. Having the Legionare come after a few of us is one thing, but when entire clans are involved it’ll be a whole lot harder for them to single out a few troublemakers.

I turn to the fresh glass of whisky Cody has placed beside me. One last drink and I’ll be ready to get my game on. Out of courtesy for Her—well, more like Tatiana’s strict orders—I have to limit my drinks to three, maybe four if I’m really fired up. And I always drink early in the evening so it has time to metabolize by the time she awakens. But I wish I could drink all night, like other demions do. Unfortunately for me, as soon as Liora turns human again the alcohol in our system will affect her the same way it would affect any other girl who is five foot seven and weighs one hundred and ten pounds.

Reason number ten thousand, eight hundred and thirty three why it’s so annoying having to share my body with a Sapie.

I let out a long suffering sigh. I couldn’t be any less amped about my evening. No Amazèa to hunt, and Tatiana didn’t even bother to point me in the direction of any other demons I could slay instead. I need to destroy something tonight, if only to take the edge off. Otherwise, if one of the dumb Sapies I collect the tolls from even so much as looks at me wrong he’ll become nothing more than a messy stain on a wall. And I try not to kill humans. Actually, Tatiana has forbidden it…says it would make stupid Liora go crazy or something.

Reason number ten thousand, eight hundred and thirty four…

Cody leaves to tend to some other patrons and I remember my mystery man in the back. I spin my seat around to get another look and my knees bump into something, stopping me mid-turn. A few drops of Jack splash in my lap, but I don’t care.

I don’t care because I’m looking into the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.

******





I have to hurry. The three moons of Illyria have nearly become one, signaling first dawn in Sapie world. I squeeze my legs tightly, urging Diablo on. He grunts and presses his head down.

After collecting the tributes, I’d managed to find some fun after all, killing a few rogue paranoia-demons working the streets of New York City. Afterward, I’d hit up an underground rave party to dance away some of my remaining aggressions. It hadn’t worked, but I love dancing and lost track of time.

If there’s one thing Liora and I agree upon, it’s to leave our body in a safe place for the other to take over. Of course, this is much more important for me to do than it is for her. I don’t really care where I wake up; I can take care of myself. But if I leave her somewhere unprotected, her frail human state could spell trouble for both of us.

But mostly, I just don’t want her wearing my clothes. All of my outfits are custom made for me, and there’s no way I’m letting her get her grubby paws on them.

I burst through the cabin door with seconds to spare. Tatiana sits on the floor with her eyes closed. “Hello, dear, how was your evening?” she asks without opening them.

“Super,” I say, still miffed at my rudimentary chore. I toss the sack of money on the table and rush to the bedroom, the first waves of coldness already flooding through me. With no time to hang them up, my clothes lie on the floor beside the bed. Naked, I toss myself on it just as everything goes black.





Chapter 3. Liora


I keep my head low as I maneuver down the crowded hallway toward my locker. It’s a conscious decision, one designed to prevent me from rubbernecking like an idiot hoping to catch a glimpse of Kieron somewhere. But I realize it’s not the smartest idea as soon as I crash smack into the backside of Cade Johnston, one of the school’s Neanderthal football players.

“Sorry,” I mumble and scoot around him.

His friends snicker; one dramatically recoils in mock horror. I roll my eyes and ignore their immature antics, but hear one of them say, “Better burn that jacket, dude. It’s probably jinxed now.”