Page 22 of Higher Demon

“Unless you want Earth ravaged by demons.”

Marc perks up. “Is that an option? Because if that would be acceptable, I could just…” He makes a little gesture to indicate he’d leave.

“Not an option.” It sucks when I have to be the grown-up. When did that shit even happen, anyway? Adulting is bullshit.

He sighs and leans back against the booth. “Then you’d better help me make friends. For the good of stinking humanity.”

“Really?” Uncle Norval asks. “Him?”

“That’s not helping, Uncle,” I warn him. Matt gives me a funny look.

“You sure you don’t wanna be a dad, bro? Coz you got the dad voice down.”

“I hate you.”

“See, there.” Marc sits up again, pointing sideways at me. “Why is it you can say you hate him, but I can’t ask if we’re friends?”

“What is happening here?” Uncle Norval whispers.

“Matt and I have been friends since we were babies,” I explain patiently. “We can basically say anything we want to each other. We’ve surpassed the hierarchy of friendship and reached a place where we’re basically the same person. You, on the other hand, are onlyjustfriends with us, and by saying ‘We’re friends?’ in a tone that suggests that would be like finding shit on your shoe, you delivered an insult. Which you knew—that’s why you did it.”

“So we’re not friends, then.”

“Not good enough friends for you to insult us,” Matt says cheerfully.

Marc looks from him to me and back again. “When will that happen?”

My bestie shrugs. “When it happens. It’s different for everyone.”

“But how will I know when it happens?” the demon presses.

“We’ll tell you. Or we’ll insult you first. Hey, this could be fun.”

I kick him under the table, just because I can.

“Ow!”

“Oops. Was that your leg? Sorry.”

Uncle Norval is shaking his head. “We can never tell Connor of this,” he says. “Never. Hunters, friends with a demon? Not in a thousand years of life and death… Never have I seen anything like this.”

“It’s okay, Uncle. We’re doing it for humanity,” I remind him, and his eyes focus on me.

“For humanity. You’ll need my help then.”

Fuck.

Chapter10

Marc

“No,really, Uncle. It’s fine. We’ve got this. You should go back to Mannix,” Ian’s saying desperately. I’d be enjoying his panic a lot more if I didn’t know the stakes. After spending time with Norval in the past, I’m entirely supportive of the plan to get rid of him.

“Don’t be foolish, boy. It’s bad enough you’re making friends with demons. I’m not going to leave you alone to save humanity.” Norval nods as though the decision is final. “I’ll just pop back to Mannix and clue them in.”

“No!” Ian and Matt shout in unison, and the restaurant falls silent. Eyes turn our way.

“Shit,” Matt hisses, sinking down in the booth.

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