Page 19 of Spookily Yours

“Oh, yeah,” I finally agreed. “Definitely friendly.”

You know, I could still bite you,Damien thought into my mind.I do have teeth.

I narrowed my eyes at him, unable to say anything back.

“I’ll have to bring Selene over for a playdate,” Luna gushed, oblivious to the conversation going on in my mind. Selene was her white, fluffy cat she’d gotten at seven years old.

What seven-year-old wasgoodat naming their familiar? I’d named mineBinx,after all. And Luna—named after themoon,well… she’d named her cat after the Goddess of the moon.

That was my sister for you.

I wondered how my sister’s familiar would react to my demon cat. Would she feel that something was wrong with him?

How did cats act around demons, anyway?

Especially ones that could turn into cats?

Still not a cat,Damien interjected.

They well warded Pleasant Grove against evil beings and regular humans, so I’d never met a demon before this. Probably why I was so hesitant to accept Damien’s status as one. How did he even get through the barrier?

“Well? What do you think?” Luna asked, drawing me back into the conversation, prying my eyes away from Damien’s black form.

I resisted rolling my eyes. If I had any luck, well… he wouldn’tbea cat after tonight. And definitely not my cat. “Maybe.” I agreed, not wanting to commit to anything. Especially if I couldn’t figure this out by the next coven meeting, I’d probably have to recruit their help.

We’re definitely not doing that.

I leveled a look at him.Get out of my head,I wanted to say. But it wasn’t like he could read my thoughts.

Sighing, I turned back to my chalk. I’d have to redraw the five-pointed star again later, since Luna’s arrival had messed up my focus.

Placing the chalk on the big table in the center of the room, I propped my hip against it, leaning back to watch my sister.

It was crazy how fast she’d become her own person. There was only three years between us, but she’d been my little shadow when we were younger—always wanting to help her big sister, to do whatever I was doing.

But before my eyes, she’d transformed, blossoming into herself. The witch who loved pastels and baking and preferred to surround herself with happy, bright things, instead of our sad, old house.

I knew why she moved out, wanting to live closer to the bakery, but still… I missed her. Though—maybe I was glad she wasn’t around right now. Not with what was living under my roof. Or who.

“Are you still lonely all alone in this big house without me?” Luna’s mind seemed to track the same way mine did, neither one of us having to say anything.

“It’s not so bad now.” I could feel my cheeks pink, and I knew Damien’s stare was on me without even having to look.

How can she be lonely,Damien thought to me, puffing up his fuzzy chest,when she has me?

Four days. It had been four days, and already, I felt like I was used to his presence. I’d known he could talk for half of it, and yet, it already felt weird not being able to respond to him.

“It’s not like your bedroom isn’t still here. You could always move back.” I pinned her with a stare. Her old furniture still sat in the room, extra dresses left in the closet. It still smelled like her, too, somehow, like freshly made pastries and icing.

The same scent that greeted me every morning at the bakery. If I was being honest with myself, it was the reason I was still there. Sure, I owned half—we’d started it with what our parents had left us—but I stayed because it was my connection to my sister.

She tugged at her overall dress as she stood up. “I’m twenty-five, Willow. You don’t have to keep taking care of me, I promise. I can take care of myself.”

“I just…”

“I know.” She sighed. “I know what losing our parents did to you. But I’m okay, really.” Luna squeezed my shoulder. “Now, I’ll let you carry on with your secret spell.” She winked at me. “Don’t go chasing after your soulmate without me, Wil.”

Barking out a laugh, I shook my head. “That’snotwhat I’m doing.”

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