Page 61 of Demons & Damnation

As soon as the words left her mouth, dread swirled inside her. She’d never spoken to her grandad with such a sassy attitude. She wouldn’t dare.

Barely two seconds passed by, but they felt like an eternity as she waited for his reaction. When the corners of his eyes creased upwards and his chest jostled with a husky chuckle, Kyla breathed a sigh of relief.

“Well, you’ve certainly got some attitude on you, girl. You definitely didn’t get that from your female lineage.”

Kyla shrugged her shoulders. “No point in beating around the bush. I don’t believe in politics.”

He flickered his eyes to her gran then back to her. “Well, in that case then, let’s not hold back any further. We know you’ve met Balthazar and Azazel. And we know this because your gran is a witch and I’m a former General of Hell.”

The laugh that burst out of her was nothing but instinctual. And a pinch of nerves. Deep down, she knew it wasn’t a joke. She’d been so consumed in her own mental war that processing Azazel’s true identity had fallen way down the priority list.

Silence fell around them, only saved a minute or so later when her gran’s old kettle whistled with its boiling water.

“Tea or coffee, dear?” she asked, giving Kyla the same loving smile she’d always known her to wear.

“I’m not thirsty, thank you.”

“Water? Juice?”

Kyla shook her head.

“Oh, come on now. How about one of my special hot chocolates you used to love?”

“Gran, I’m not six anymore,” Kyla said, her tone sharp and condescending. When she saw the flash of pain in her gran’s eyes, her heart twisted with guilt. “I’m sorry. I just...no, thank you.”

Lily glanced down at the floor and turned her back to Kyla, busying herself with making drinks for her and Malcolm.

“Sit your rude ass in that chair!” The unexpected bellow from her grandad made Kyla jump, sending her pulse racing. Fear grabbed her when she saw he’d stood up, knocking his chair over onto the porcelain tiles. “Don’t you dare speak to your grandmother in that tone of voice. EVER. Do I make myself clear?”

Kyla nodded and mumbled an apology. Scuttling to the chair closest to the door, she sat down and swallowed several times in a bid to moisten her dry throat. Malcolm went over to Lily, his long legs only needing two strides to reach her side. He slipped an arm around her waist, pulled her in close to him, and kissed the side of her head.

The sweet yet simple gesture tore open a new wound inside Kyla. Why didn’t she have that with someone? Why couldn’t anyone love her so much as to comfort her when the smallest of things upset her day? Kyla realised then that she literally had nothing and no one.

For the first time in her life, she realised she was well and truly alone. Through all the pain, heartbreak, and tears she’d battled through, Sam had been at her side, being her rock. But in witnessing intimate moments like this between a man and a woman, it dawned on Kyla that actually, her life was more of a mess than she’d been willing to admit. She’d been shutting everyone out for nearly ten years.

Dylan could give you that, whispered the voice in the back of her mind. Every day.

Kyla thought about that for a second, her resolve nearly breaking as she realised that yes, he would, without a doubt.

But how long would it last? she whispered back. Before he found someone else to give that to?

You’ll never know if you don’t try.

I don’t want to try if there’s no certainty at the end.

The voice quietened, leaving Kyla alone in her dilemma. How on earth was she supposed to get past this?

---