Page 12 of Unleashing Mayhem
“You’re real,” Matty conceded, his chest rising and falling steadily under Sarkaron’s hand. “And you’re here to keep me safe.”
Sarkaron’s lips tilted up at the corners, and after a moment he treated Matty to a full smile, all sharp teeth. “Yes, sweet. That’s exactly why I’m here.”
It was like the warmth on the surface of Matty’s chest went inward, filling his chest and stomach and sweeping down to his toes. He had no idea why Kai had warned him that this wasn’t a demon Matty would want to keep around after the contract.
Matty thought this demon waslovely.
“I’m not really sure what to do now,” he admitted. It felt safe to do so. Sarkaron wouldn’t scold him for it; Matty was sure of it.
And he didn’t. The demon shook his head slowly, his hand still on Matty’s chest. “There’s nothing for you to do, little human. You’re still weak from the contract taking hold. The body and spirit must adjust to losing a piece of your soul, however small.”
Right. Because Sarkaron had a piece of Matty’s soul now. One he was going to keep.
“Sarkaron.” Matty bit at his lower lip, then winced at the sting. “Does my soul— Is it all right? It’s not… It hasn’t gone bad?”
Matty wasn’t sure why he was asking. He already knew it had. When he pictured his soul, he always imagined it rotten on the inside, pockmarked and riddled with some secret disease.
Sarkaron cocked his head, dark-gray lids lowering over glowing white eyes. “Your soul is as sweet as your scent, Matteo. I would take the whole of it, if I could.”
Oh. Should that be frightening? It sounded…nice.
Matty grinned at his new friend, yet another weight lifting off his shoulders.
He should have summoned a demon ages ago.
He patted the spot on the couch next to him. “Would you like to sit with me? Have you ever watched a scary movie?”
Sarkaron didn’t move. “I’ve seen the shape of them in human dreams.”
“So it would be boring for you?”
Sarkaron stared at Matty for a moment, like he was studying him. His expression was unreadable, particularly with those strange eyes, but Matty didn’t mind. What right did he have to try to guess a demon’s motivations anyway? Sarkaron could be as mysterious as he liked.
“Not boring, no.” Sarkaron rose from his crouch and took the seat next to Matty.
“Okay.”
Matty was still grinning. He couldn’t seem to stop. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled so much. It hurt his cheeks, like his facial muscles weren’t used to it.
While Sarkaron sat still as death, Matty worked on getting settled for the movie. He’d tucked some sour Skittles into the couch cushions earlier, and he dug those out as well as the remote. He tucked more blankets around himself and then—after a moment of hesitation—draped a blanket over Sarkaron’s lap.
Sarkaron didn’t tuck himself in under it, but he didn’t object or fling it off either, so Matty left it there.
“Are you ready, Sarkaron?” he asked.
“Sarkaron is my true name,” the demon told him instead of answering. “But most call me Nightmare. You may use either, as you like.”
“Nightmare,” Matty repeated. He bit back a giggle. “So literal. I could just call you Mr. Scary Monster Man.”
He flinched as soon as the words left his mouth. He’d meant it as a little joke, but was that, like, mean to say?
But Nightmare only inclined his head. “As you like.”
He was so nice. The nicest demon Matty could have summoned.
Matty grinned at him again, holding up the remote. “Human slashers or creature feature? Just…” Matty bit at his lip, then winced again when he hit the little sore spot from his summoning. He needed to stop doing that. “No, um, torture. I won’t watch torture porn.”
He only had to look into his own memories to see that, and he had no interest.
