Page 17 of My Silent Demon

“Got everything you need?” he asked. His black eyes flicked over me.

“Yeah, I think so.” I stared at him. I couldn’t help myself.

He ignored my stare. “Okay. Put your seatbelt on.”

I blinked in surprise. “Really? I didn’t think a demon would care about safety.”

Onyx smirked. “You’re my brother’s fated. You’re lucky if I don’t encase you in bubble wrap. Seatbelt.”

My breath caught at his words. Fated. Meant to be together. Was it really true? Could I deal with that?

Onyx waited until I buckled in before he turned the car on and backed out of the space. He drove forward and onto the private campus road. A short drive later, he pulled onto the main street.

“Watch out the window as we drive,” he instructed. “There didn’t seem to be many paranormal creatures on campus, but there will be between here and the apartment. Even if you didn’t know it, we’ve always been around.”

I turned out the window as Onyx drove. My eyes widened with surprise as I saw supernatural creatures everywhere. A sparkly woman with wings walked into the pharmacy, a furry man (a werewolf?) crossed at a crosswalk, and a purple creature sat on the library steps reading a book to a bunch of mini-creatures that sat on the stairs around it. These creatures... these beings... were living life as normal. Previously, I’d have never thought twice about what these beings were doing; they would’ve looked like other humans.

“We’ve always been all around you, in some species or another,” Onyx said. “You were fine when you didn’t know. Now that you can see us, we can teach you a few things about the less savory creatures so you can be more prepared.”

I looked back at Onyx. “Like what?”

Onyx frowned. “Like werewolves. Emotional assholes. It’s best to leave them alone.” He shook his head.

He clicked the lever for the turn signal and waited for oncoming traffic to pass before he pulled into the parking lot of the apartment building.

I needed to talk to Osian. He’d wanted me to see all this to make me safer. He was trying to look out for me, but I’d treated him like a monster.

Onyx parked the car and turned to me. His dark gaze flicked over my body analytically. “Wynn’s excited you’re here. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay. I swear to you, there’s nothing to fear from either Osian or myself. Feel confident in that.”

His words meant a lot. “I think I will.”

Onyx nodded. He turned off the ignition and opened the driver’s door. He was out of the car, had the back door open, and my duffel bag over his shoulder before I was even out of the car.

“I can carry my own bag,” I protested, closing my door.

“Yeah, no.” He shut the back door and headed inside.

I hurried after him. Something long and thin hung from his back. That was... a tail? He had a tail? I hadn’t noticed before. “Dude, you have a t...”

Onyx held up an index finger. “Hold that thought until we get in the apartment,” Onyx said as he looked around. “In public, you never know where there are ears.”

The lobby was empty.

Thinking back, Onyx had been careful not to say anything revealing about the supernatural world in the hallway at the dorms, either. It seemed like he avoided saying anything incriminating where there might be security cameras or where someone could be listening.

We rode up in the elevator in silence. When the doors opened, Onyx gestured to the ceiling in the hall. “The hallway has security cameras. Wynn and I live through the first door.” He walked off the elevator. “Osian lives behind the second door.”

He pulled out a key and unlocked the apartment door. Wynn perked up on the couch when we stepped inside.

Onyx shut the door behind us and set my duffel bag off to the side. He locked the door, including a deadbolt.

He said, “The apartment is private. You can say whatever you want here.”

Wynn approached me and wrapped me in a hug. “How are you doing?” she asked. “Do you need to talk?”

I hugged Wynn back. After everything, I felt better being wrapped in steady arms. I still needed to talk to Osian.

“I’m okay. Where’s Osian?” I asked.

---