Page 57 of Demons of Eden

Not for them.

Thisthingbetween us is just a mutually beneficial agreement,isn’t it?They were clear about being happy with their end of things, getting enjoyable sex with someone they found attractive. I also get that—and to not die from vitav drain, of course. I mean, we’ve become friends, I think. I’d like to hope they see me as more than a body to fuck and a customer for their hunting business…but it’s not as if we’re in a relationship. It doesn’t matter if my heart can’t help getting attached. It’s not likely they’ll ever want more from our situation than what is now.

How could they?

“Good fucking gods, save me. You’re as stupid about this as they are, aren’t you?”

“Excuse you!?” I snap. “I’m not stupid. You’re the one imagining more going on than what actually is. It’s just sex.”

“I know when those idiots are into someone, and they’ve both got it bad when it comes to you,” he replies, sounding not at all happy about it.

“You’re insane.”

“If I’m crazy, it’s your doing. You just had to show up like some ridiculous damsel in distress needing our help, and then you went and let them get attached to you.”

“I didn’t?—”

“I’m not done talking,” he practically shouts, cutting me off furiously. “That was bad enough. The way you batted your lashes at them, and now suddenly we’re helping a demon out instead of bringing them to justice. You made them like you—made them fucking care. Only now that you’ve found your baby’s father, you’re jumping right back into screwing him without even talking to either of them about it!”

“That was the plan! They were helping me out until they could find Ash. That’s what we agreed on. It was literally a life or death situation!”

“Fine. So why are you still messing around with their feelings now that you have him to keep you going? Why are you staying with us? Have you even thought about it at all, why they’d insist on protecting you?”

“I’m not—there are no feelings, okay!? And I don’t know, maybe it’s because they’re nice people? Unlike you.” I shove the bag of food across to him, letting it land on his lap as I throw open the door and get out of the car. “I’m not talking to you about this anymore. It’s not even any of your business.”

“Where are you going?” Rio calls after me when I pick a random direction and start walking.

“Away from you! Don’t worry, I'll call Ash to come get me instead of one of your brothers,” I yell back, hearing a car door slam a moment later.

The asshole is following me, isn’t he? Ugh.

I speed up, refusing to look back as I walk to…who the hell knows where or cares, so long as it’s away from him.

A hand lands on my shoulder, and I whirl around ready to chew Rio out for following me, but it’s not him holding my shoulder. It’s someone much worse. I can hear Rio running towards us, his steps loud and hurried, but I think we all know he’ll be too late.

“It was you,” I whisper, not quite believing what I’m seeing. He’d been the dark-haired person I’d glimpsed in the supermarket. He’s the reason I’ve felt like someone’s been watching me for weeks.

“Me,” the demon agrees, yellow eyes blazing as we’re suddenly transported away.

Fucking teleportation magic.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Ican’t see a thing; both my mind and body feel like they’re being stretched. I’m being pulled out in a million different directions all at once as I’m spun around and thrown through frictionless air. The only thing that feels steady is the tight grip on my shoulder.

He used the dimensional tunnelling technique—just fucking great.

The effects of teleportation vary greatly depending on the type of magic being used and the species of those being transported. For species such as demons and fae, the side effects of this particular form are negligible, while shapeshifters are meant to have the worst reactions to it. Regardless of the type of teleportation used, shifters generally experience discomfort and nausea, followed by losing consciousness almost immediately after arrival. Not to mention the intense resulting headache and ringing ears for hours once they wake.

When it comes to dimensional tunnelling, witches are said to fall somewhere between the extremes. A small amount of dizziness and nausea, maybe a slight headache after. Though if this is supposedly a little nausea, I feel bad for any shifters who’ve been through it.

Reaching our mystery destination feels like breaking through a water’s surface, yet somehow landing on my feet. Very unsteadily, in my case. As the hand releases my shoulder, I fumble blindly for a surface to keep myself upright, my eyes not adjusted to wherever we are yet. The light is far too bright after being in a total absence of it.

Shit. I’m not sure if I am about to fall over from the dizziness or vomit…

The nausea wins out. I bend over, throwing up all over the stupid demon’s shiny shoes. Well, now they’re not so shiny anymore. I sigh. What a waste of perfectly good fries.

“I forget how weak the constitutions of lesser species can be,” Paimon says, blatantly disgusted as he sneers down at the mess covering his feet and the surrounding floor. “No matter, your ability to hold your stomach will improve as you do.”

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