Page 42 of Gift for a Demon

Got lost yet, human?

“Shit!” He wasn’t so proud he wouldn’t admit to squealing.

Hand on his chest, he gave himself a minute for his heartbeat to slow down.

In hindsight, he should’ve one hundred percent expected the minions were up to something: scaring the shit out of him, to be precise.

Where are you even going?

Melchom is not going to be happy about this.

I bet you don’t know the way back.

Or did you come for our deal?

“There’s no deal.”

He ignored the way his breathing was becoming more frantic. He was definitely not sure he knew the way back, and he was certain there would be hell to pay once Melchom found out.

Pun one hundred percent intended.

Dave had just… needed to get out, to do this incredibly reckless thing. There was something calling out to him. He didn’t know what it was, but he wasn’t sure staying in the room would’ve been an option.

After another couple of turns, he found a set of stairs that traveled down into complete darkness. Dave chewed on his lip. At least now he knew there was a part of Hell that wasn’t engulfed in flames. Yay, knowledge.

Yay, to very quickly becoming the cliché gay character who dies in the first five seconds of a movie by doing something stupid.

“I’m really gonna head down there, huh?”

And now he talked to himself too.

Ohh, this is going to be fun.

Shut up, you’re gonna ruin it.

“Ruin what?” He almost didn’t dare to ask, one foot already edging onto the first step down.

Nothing, human. You keep going.

Yeah, just keep going.

It’s not that many steps, really.

“Yeah, okay, no.” Dave nearly jumped back, blinking. Whatever that had been, he snapped out of it and looked around. He was certain he had to turn right to head back to the room, but no guarantees beyond that. He’d been taking a bunch of random turns, following whatever had been trying to lure him down the stairs.

He shuddered. If it hadn’t been for the minions, he would’ve one hundred percent headed down. The thought made him scoff. What would they say if they knew they’d accidentally saved him?

I’m gonna tell on you.

“To Melchom?” Dave added a nonchalant tone to his words. “What do you think he’s gonna do?”

Maybe he should consider being an actor. From what he remembered, Melchom had a job, so that meant demons worked? He could contribute, and then… Dave paused. What then? Leave? Rent a studio for himself? Was rent a thing?

I always forget humans choose their jobs.

It’s stupid.

I don’t know, I’d choose my job.

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