Page 59 of Higher Demon

“It’s necessary.”

“Necessary?”

I knew he’d react this way. It’s exactly how I would have reacted just a few short months ago. “This body…” I shake my head. “Being in it for so long and living among humans has caused it to… go native.”

“Go native,” he echoes numbly. “Marc, have you lost your mind?”

“It’s highly likely.”

“This goes against everything you believe!”

“I know.”

“You’re risking the truce!”

“Yes.”

“You—You’re—” He shakes his head sharply. “I don’t understand any of this. You’re not yourself.”

“Living here has changed me,” I concede. “I couldn’t resist the urges of this body.”

He studies me as though I’m one of his carnivorous plants, his sharp gaze taking in everything. “I don’t believe it was just your body to blame.”

Cold fear washes over me. “Of course it was.”

“Marc.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

He says nothing, merely stares.

“Ridiculous,” I repeat, desperately clinging to the delusion that it’s true.

Silence.

“Fuck,” I whisper, borrowing one of Ian’s favorite words. “Fuck.”

“Yes, that’s what you’ve been doing.”

“This is adisaster.”

“In every way.”

“What am I going to do?” When he doesn’t reply, I make a little growling sound.

“Stay calm. I’m thinking.”

“Think faster.”

“The way I see it,” he says finally, “you have two options.”

I seize on that. “Options are good.”

“You can end things with the human?—”

“His name is Ian,” I snap, every fiber of my being rebelling at the thought of never touching him again.

Titus nods. “And it sounds like ending things isn’t going to happen.”

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