Page 20 of My Demon Manny

Lux

On our way backhome from the park, we decided to take the long way since neither of us were quite ready to leave the warm sunshine yet.

The houses were all in a wide circle around the park, and as we passed each house, I wondered about its story. Who were the people who lived here? What did they do? Were they good people? Or would they find themselves burning in the Chasm in a few decades?

A sound caught my ear, a weird screech, and I stopped walking, which made Archer stop, his grip on Gunner's stroller tightening reflexively.

"Lux, what's wrong?"

Before I could answer, a car came barreling around the corner, and in the split second it took me to realize it was going to crash straight into Gunner and Archer, I slid between them, taking the full force of the car against my front and stopping it in its tracks.

Of course then I realized what I'd done, so I quickly magicked away the massive dent, acting like the car had just stopped on its own as I whirled around to check on Gunner and Archer.

"Are you okay?" My eyes shot from Archer to Gunner.

Gunner was crying, but it looked like it was mostly from shock, while Archer was staring at me with his mouth open in a silent gasp. I couldn't see or smell blood on either of them, and now that I knew they were okay, I stalked toward the car.

I almost ripped off the driver's side door in my anger, then glared at the woman inside. She was probably in her mid-twenties, and she still had her phone in her hand, a text screen open.

So many curse words fought to spill free, but I swallowed them all down as I glared at the woman. She looked to be in shock herself, but right then I had no mercy for her.

"Do you have any idea what you almost did?" I growled, and she jumped, her wide eyes flashing to me. "There's a baby over there. A baby you almost crushed under your car because you couldn't wait two bloody minutes to send that text!"

"Lux," Archer called from close by, but I ignored him, wishing I could punish this woman somehow. I wasn't allowed to hurt humans, though. It was the one condition of living in the human world, the only order I'd been given.

"Lux," Archer repeated, his hand clamping down on my arm, and I pulled away from the woman, turning to look at him.

Archer didn't look as shocked anymore, and I watched as he pulled me back and faced down the woman himself.

"Jessica, right? You live in 22A?"

Jessica nodded, her big blue eyes wide and teary. "I'm so sorry, Archer."

"I can't forgive you, not for this," Archer said with a shake of his head. "I'm sure you're shook up. I want you to remember this, okay? Always remember it, and make sure you put your phone away before you start driving. No text or video or anything is as important as someone's life."

I wondered how Archer could be so calm in a situation like this. I was boiling with rage, and yet he was calmer than ever.

Jessica nodded shakily, and Archer stepped back, taking me with him.

Reaching into the stroller, he picked up a now quiet Gunner, cradling him against his chest. Gunner hid his face in the crook of Archer's neck, and he exhaled shakily.

That was when I realized it. Archerwasn'tcalm. He was just pretending, for Gunner's sake, and maybe for my sake too.

Jessica drove off after another mumbled sorry—she hadn't been hurt since I'd used my magic to protect her, again, because of my orders and not because I wanted to—and Archer and I quietly made our way home, Gunner still pressed to Archer's chest.

I'd vowed to myself that I would protect these two with my life, but I'd never expected danger to be so close to home. I'd kept them safe, but I wished they'd never had to face something so scary at all, especially Archer.

Gunner probably wouldn't remember this moment, but Archer would. I hoped he wouldn't blame himself, because the only person at fault here was the lady who had been driving and texting at the same time. I'd never understood the human need to always be connected with someone, and this weird impatiencethey all seemed to possess. What mighty horror could've befallen her if she'd just waited until she was home to text?

When we arrived at home, I unlocked the door, and Archer walked inside, murmuring softly to Gunner. I had a feeling those two wouldn't be separating the rest of the day, and I completely understood that.

If I was closer to them, if I was Archer's partner instead of an employee, I'd have pulled them both into a hug too, and held on for as long as I could. I wanted to fuck the consequences and do it anyway, since I felt shaky all over, and I barely held myself back as I stashed the stroller and the picnic basket.

Trashing the sandwich wraps and putting Gunner's empty bottle in the sink, I returned to the living room to find Archer on the couch, Gunner now lying across his arms with his head leaning against Archer's shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Settling on the couch, I turned to face the two, unable to keep my eyes off them for more than a second without panicking.

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