Page 46 of Higher Demon

“Outside the village of… hold on. It started with an L, I’m pretty sure.” He digs out his phone, swiping and tapping a few times. “Lavenham. The record says they were about half a mile south of Lavenham in Suffolk.”

“I’ll let Titus know. It may help him narrow things down.” It feels a little odd, letting a human know a demon’s name, but given the situation we’re in, I’m confident Ian can be trusted. Which is beyond odd and into bizarre.

Ian tucks his phone away. “Thank you. It’s not… I mean, it’s important, but I don’t feel as desperate about it as I did last week. I’ve been digging through everything I can find on the Highetts, and they don’t have access to any truly sensitive information. There’s no pattern of hunters they’re friendly with going missing or anything, either. Mostly they’re just… here.”

“How delightful,” I murmur. “I’m still more than happy to assist with a demonstration of their lack of power.”

He grimaces. “You might get the opportunity, as much as I hate it.”

At last, he’s managed to surprise me. “Oh?”

Sighing, he leans back in the armchair, avoiding my gaze. “That’s one of the other things I need to talk to you about—you’re not as intimidating as you thought.”

“I beg your pardon.” I can’t hide my offense, and helaughs, damn him. True, it’s short and not at all amused, but still.

“Yeah, that was my reaction. Kinda. Anyway, while some parents complained about your teaching skills, most of them thought it was a great idea to get the kids some exposure to a real higher demon in a ‘safe’”—he lifts his hands to make air quotes—“environment. And it turns out they have some questions of their own. So the Education Committee would like to officially request that you co-teach my class and also do some lectures for fully-trained hunters. They’ve offered remuneration, but between us, it sucks because they’re cheap-ass bastards.”

I recover the power of speech. “You must be joking.”

He shakes his head. “No, they really are cheap. The stipend they pay me is barely enough to cover the pizza and beer I always desperately need after teaching a class.”

“I was referring to their request for me to teach.”

“Oh. That was also what I thought, but nope. Turns out we hunters are fucking stupid.”

“I won’t argue with that,” I agree. “Fortunately, I’m not a hunter, nor am I stupid. Tell them absolutely not.”

Ian pulls a face. “No.”

What? I raise a brow. “I wasn’t aware you had the power to compel me. Is this a newfound talent? Or are you planning to draw a circle and hope it works?” I lean forward. “Let me tell you a secret: it won’t.” There isn’t a human alive who has the power to compel me, nor even summon me against my will.

“You know I wouldn’t do that,” he says reproachfully. “And we both know it wouldn’t work even if I had your true name. Which I don’t.”

He’s mostly right. With my true name, a strong enough hunter could probably summon me, but even then, I could likely break the compulsion and the circle. Higher demons who respond to summonings do so because they’re curious, and they comply with the summoners because they want soul energy or power—or both.

None of that is of interest to me.

“Well, then.” I adjust a cuff link. “Tell them no, and that’s the end of it.”

He sighs. “Marc.”

Not the end of it, then. “Yes?”

“This would be a really great way for you to meet people and make friends.”

I swallow bile. Another disgusting feature of this human body. “Are you certain?”

His nod is reluctant. “Yes. Especially if you toned the insults down just a little. It might start slow, but people would be talking to you and seeing you as more than a nightmare who could destroy us all at any moment. It would help them get used to you.”

As much as I very much donotwant people getting used to me or seeing me as “more than a nightmare,” he’s right. That’s what my goal is. That’s what I need to be doing as ambassador—cementing relations between our worlds. There are still humans summoning demons, and it’s hunters who are sent to deal with the resulting chaos. I need those hunters to be focused on punishing the humans and allowing the demons to return safely home. Even after six years, even with demons being counseled not to use undue force—and most complying—there are still hunters responding with violence. They’ve been trained their whole lives to do so, to strike before they can be struck. That’s still needed for rogue demons, but for those summoned? Those forced? There’s a better way.

And in return, I can assist them with the rogues. It would be far less dangerous for everyone if I did, but most hunters are still reluctant to call on me for help. They don’t trust me.

I need that trust. I need to start building it now so they’ll teach their children to trust me, and I won’t have to work so hard at being nice in the future.

“Ugh,” I concede.

“I know, right?” Ian’s tone is sympathetic. “It’s logical and sensible, but it still sucks ass.”

---