Page 30 of Higher Demon

Sighing, Ian texts something back to his friend—who clearly hasexcellentstyle, despite his taste in friends—and says, “I guess we stick with the shirt-and-pants trust fund baby look.”

“That’s acceptable. Now you can go home.”

“Who’s Charlie?” Norval demands, eyebrows drawing together. “I don’t know a Charlie anymore.”

“He went to college with us,” Matt says. “He’s a normie.”

Norval nods, and I turn that word over in my head. “A… what?”

They all look at me. “A normie,” Matt repeats. “How have you lived with us for this many years and not heard us say that?”

“I don’t ‘live with’ you”—for which I am forever grateful—“and you haven’t explained. Do so. Now.”

“Friends don’t boss their friends around.”

I raise a brow.

“Okay, fine, they do, but we’re not that good of friends yet.”

“That sentence was nearly as appalling as your hygiene. And youstillhave not explained.”

He clamps his mouth closed and gives me a snotty look.

“It means someone who doesn’t know about demons and Crmærdinesgh and the Collective. A normal human,” Ian says impatiently. “And we can’t leave until we finish planning how to find friends for you. Clothes were just the first step.”

“There are people who make a habit of sucking up to me,” I tell him.

“I’m sure there are, but none of them are on Earth, and if they are, they definitely don’t have any influence with the Collective.” He pauses. “I really hope, anyway.”

I hate when the humans are right.

“Tell me, then… how are you going to find friends for me?”

He looks around. “What, we’re going to stand in the closet to talk about this?”

“So… many… jokes…,” Matt mutters.

“If you’ll recall, you’re the one who invited yourself to my home to begin with. You’re certainly the one who invited yourself to inspect my closet. I’m not inclined to offer you a nightcap and a comfortable chair.”

Ian’s eyes narrow. For a moment, he actually looks like a worthy adversary. “How about a bed for the night, then?”

The breath freezes in my chest. I don’tneedit to keep this body functional, but I’ve become accustomed to breathing, and it’s rather uncomfortable to stop. But… he can’t mean what I think he means, surely?

“Bro… what?” Matt’s staring at him too.

Ian smiles. It’s not a friendly smile. My human body reacts again the way it did in the restaurant, but this time I completely understand why. Viciousness is so appealing. “Matt doesn’t want to go back to the compound tonight and be seen. A good friend would offer us his spare room.”

“Ooooooohhhh,” Matt says. “I get it. But, uh… seriously?”

Clearly Matt has reservations about sleeping under the same roof as a higher demon. That makes him slightly more intelligent than I’d thought.

“Seriously,” Ian says, looking me straight in the eye. “Marc wants to make friends? He needs to put his money where his mouth is.”

Norval starts sputtering and blustering about the stupidity of the idea, but I smile slowly at Ian.

“Sometimes you surprise me, human. Tell me, is this a challenge or a test of my intentions?”

Some of the certainty fades from his expression, but he sets his jaw. “Both.”

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