Page 54 of Bad Demon

“Hungry?” Relic asked, and his gaze dipped to my mouth.

“Nope,” I lied.

There was a gnawing in my gut that was constant now, and it wasn’t for food. I needed blood. Exhaustion had settled in my bones in a way it never had before. I hadn’t been able to get off the couch all day today and it hadn’t just been about the rage and sadness I was feeling over losing nearly all of my worldly possessions—and I now knew there was only one thing that would cure it.

“So, I’m curious. Why do you work here? You guys own it, right? Why not just hire more people?”

“I’m not too good to work the bar, Fern. Plus, I like it. When we first left Hell and set up the clubhouse, then the garage and this bar, we had no choice but to work them ourselves. We got to know the people in this town. Good people—humans, not just others. So, we all still like to do the occasional shift and hang out.”

That kind of surprised me. “And I guess it’s a good way for you all to hit on females,” I said, my curiosity getting the better of me.

He frowned a little. “Sure.”

His big hands rested on the bar, and I had the crazy urge to slide my hand over his, to feel his rough skin, his warmth. Nope, that was not the kind of courage I wanted from my potion.

“It’s also a good way to hear what’s happening in the city, to keep tabs on things,” he added.

“You seem pretty popular,” I said, unable to help myself. I subtly motioned to a human down the bar, watching him. “I wouldn’t turn your back on that one. She’s barely looked away from you since she walked in.”

Relic glanced over his shoulder and frowned, then grunted when she perked up, her smile widening as she waved enthusiastically. He turned back to me. “Fixed her car a few days ago. When she picked it up, she asked me out.”

He was watching me closely, and that weird feeling filled me again—that tug in my chest. “So, you’re dating her?”

Relic frowned. “Fuck no. Turned her down.”

I winked. “Well, don’t look now because she’s headed this way.”

“Fuck,” he muttered.

She tapped his arm. “Relic?”

The sudden urge to grab that finger and snap it off hit me from out of nowhere.

He turned. “Hey, uh …”

“Bethany.” She giggled, her eyes sliced to me and narrowed before going back to Relic. “You said you were busy, so I thought I’d come here to see you instead.”

“I see that,” he said. “I’m working right now.”

Her gaze slid back to me, then up at Relic. “You have time to talk to her.”

Relic’s head jerked back, and his expression hardened. “Said I’m busy, and I’m busy. I also don’t owe you an explanation—”

“No, I just mean, you said you were busy, but I’ve been watching you, and you’ve been talking to that girl all night. So, maybe you do have time for me after all.” She licked her lips. “Just tell her to leave.”

“No,” he said to her.

“I don’t like people playing games—that’s all. Tell the girl to leave, and you can come home with me later.”

She looked at me again. When her eyes met mine, fear filled them instantly. Humans could sense darkness, danger. My rage spiked, and it was a struggle to stop my eyes from turning red. I didn’t know why, but I was barely holding myself back. Unfortunately, her horniness was overriding any sense of self-preservation, and she pressed her hand to his chest.

I gripped the edge of the bar when the urge to leap over there and scratch her fucking face off slammed into me—hard.

Relic swiped her hand away. “I didn’t fucking say you could touch me. And as for games? I’m not playing games with you, female. I don’t know you. I tried to let you down easy, but now, I see that isn’t going to work. Not interested. Don’t want to go out or hang, and I sure as hell don’t want to fuck you.”

“I gave you my number,” she said as if that actually meant something.

“And I tossed it as soon as you walked out of the shop.” He crossed his arms. “Time to leave.”

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