Page 5 of Halluci-Dating A Demon
“Oh.” I rest my hands on the counter, leaning forward. “Are you looking for something part time, because that’s all we have available right now?”
“Actually, I’m needing something with more hours.”
I nod in understanding, wishing I could offer what he was looking for, but we have enough full timers for the time being. “Unfortunately, I don’t have anything full time right now, but I think the bookstore across the way might. I heard the owner mention he needs help the other day.”
“The bookstore?” He searches behind him. “Cool, thanks. I’ll check it out.” His smile shakes and he bites his lip nervously.“And since I’m here, I guess I’ll go ahead and take an iced macchiato if that’s okay with you?”
“Sure. No problem.” I ring him up, and after he pays I fulfill his order. He takes the cold cup from me, shrinking in on himself a little. “Do you happen to know if the place across the way is accepting of . . . you know, more than just humans?”
Ah, and now the two different unique-colored eyes make perfect sense. I try my best not to make assumptions about anyone. Too many humans have been accused of being from the monster world when they aren’t. Not that being from there is a bad thing. Not in my eyes at least. “Yeah. Actually, the owner is an incubus. A super nice one too. You should have no problems.”
His eyes light up. “That’s perfect. Thanks again. I’m Zyn.”
He sticks out his hand and I stare at it too long before shaking it. I wish I could say I wasn’t always this awkward and didn’t second guess every interaction I made with other people, but I’d be lying. However, I did get worse after the accident. Since Brody complained about how closed off and antisocial I was before, I understand why it’s even more of a problem for him now.
“I’m Elias.” After worrying that I’m holding on to his hand for too long and being self-conscious about my palms being sweaty, I pull away first.
“It’s nice meeting you, Elias. I’ll definitely be back for more of these.” He raises his cup, slowly turning around and waving at me as he walks out the door. I help two more people who come in before Ian returns, and a slew of customers come in during our last hour, keeping us so busy we don’t realize how close we are to closing until a customer mentions the time.
Ian grabs the broom, and I clean the kitchen, wiping everything down. I refill all the bottles up front and take out the trash. The night’s swift breeze gives me a short break from the humidity as I walk out back to the garbage cans. A screechingvoice buzzes in my ears, and that’s when I catch myself dozing off at the back door, slapping my hand to my face to keep me awake.
The urge to sleep hits me out of nowhere sometimes. I don’t always have warnings, and when I get deep in thought, letting myself relax too much, that’s when it happens most. Or if I’m over-drained from too much emotion and guilt.
My short moment alone in the dark is enough for me to go back to over-focusing on what I struggle to bury deep down inside every day, and when I enter the front again, Ian’s random musings help bring me further away from my inner struggles. Then I get home, and I’m surrounded by what I wish I could stay away from permanently all over again.
Needing my usual distractions from the madness in my head, I turn on a comedy starring Adam Sandler and sit on the couch with my favorite sour candy, shoving one in my mouth whenever I need to be grounded. As much as I fight the wavering in my head, my heavy lids close and a sweet, soft voice hums. I’m not greeted with the accident or my brother’s distorted, bloody face. Instead, I’m greeted by a beautiful garden filled with pink roses. The ones my grandma used to have everywhere. They remind me of a simpler time, when everything was good and my brother was only a short distance away.
The sun is bright up above me and a butterfly lands on my hand. For a second, I swear the beautiful, colorful creature is smiling at me, and when I’m unable to move my feet, I glance down at the ground to where green strands of grass are wrapping around my shoes. They grow longer, pulling my body to the ground and creating a soft cushion underneath me. I try to hold onto the blissful place as my eyes peel open.
No. It’s too soon to see him again. I don’t fall asleep often at night, but when I do, I’m more restless, unable to sleep for longer than an hour at a time. I try to move my body, my noseand lips too, but no part of me budges. A light shines from my hallway and I wait for my brother’s face to appear. For those blameful, cold eyes to bore into mine. Then a man with soft blond curls smiles at me instead. His hair is very similar to Brody’s. His eyes are green too. He’s as slender as him, but with curvier hips and softer features, longer lashes, and rosy cheeks.
“Hi,” he says. He walks closer, light bouncing from the hall to his head like a halo. Little moon- and star-shaped charms rest in his hair. He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. His smile is infectious too, setting off a fluttery sensation inside me. I keep looking at him because it’s all I can do. Not that I’m complaining. He’s a breath of fresh air from what I saw in my home earlier, wearing . . . wait, is that my black hoodie?
“I’m sorry, I’m taking you away from your movie. How about we watch it together?”
Lowering himself beside me, he turns my head to face the TV. The movie starts over. His light laughter fills the space between us, and he lets out a cute little snort. Another funny scene comes on. I want to laugh with him, but I can’t do anything but watch and listen. Not only is his presence comforting, he also isn’t asking me questions I don’t care to answer or forcing me to do anything I’m not comfortable doing. He’s just here, watching a movie with me and keeping all my nightmares away. Like the visit I had earlier, this one feels so real, but this time I actually want it to be.
Three
Arien
My first night working with Elias went as well as I’d hoped. When I touched his pulse, it was regulating better the longer we sat and watched the movie. I tried to stop myself from laughing but I hadn’t watched a comedy in a long while. His expression went from frightened to relaxed in a matter of seconds, and when the other demon tried to surface, I fought against him, using his weaknesses to break him down until he gave up.
My kind hate being challenged when they’re seeking out what they assume will be an easy target. There are too many humans out there with trauma and fears to waste so much precious time on one—in most eyes at least. I have a goal, and I plan to see it through. The dark room and blanket wrapped around thehuman makes it hard to see his face, but I don’t need to see it to know how handsome he is.
His smile in his old pictures stuck with me. So did the two men standing at each side of him. Where one had dark hair, similar to his, the other had short blond curls, and bright green eyes that brought out the flowers in his shirt. I searched for him on social media, going through his photos on Facebook and Instagram. The blond man was kissing him in some of them. He must have been the boyfriend who survived the crash.
The article listed all their names, mentioning who they were to one another. I found it odd how affectionate a few of the blond man’s smiles were toward Elias’s brother whenever he joined them in later pictures. They all seemed so close. One of the posts mentioned them buying their first house together, but Elias is in a small apartment when I visited him last night, which means he no longer lives there. He was alone too.
What happened to his boyfriend? Elias hasn’t posted any updates in a year. Not since before the car accident. He was at fault after falling asleep at the wheel and losing consciousness. He crashed into a median, but no other vehicles were involved, and no alcohol or drugs were found in his system. I’d suspect there wouldn’t be after knowing his diagnoses.
So many people go years before knowing they have narcolepsy. Some may never know and just assume they’re low on vitamins and need to eat better. Elias might have gone longer without knowing if it wasn’t for the accident. Would they all have been better off if one of the others drove instead? Or would they have just been met by a different tragedy down the road?
“You can go on through now,” a guard dressed all in black, wearing a serious expression says.
I blink my eyes toward the widening portal and slowly step through, signing another tablet as I enter the human world. We’re inside what looks like some kind of warehouse, and twosecurity guards lead me outside two double doors. “There’s a car outside waiting to take you wherever you need to go. Make sure you’re back by eight p.m.”
Since I get out of work at five, that gives me three hours to explore a little. Or almost three. After seeing where I am and hearing the driver tell me the street we we’re turning onto, I know where I’ll go too. To see my good friend Kyvian. He owns a bookstore three streets away, and I haven’t seen him since the last time he visited the base. It’ll be nice to see a familiar face out here. Wanting to surprise him, I hold off texting him about where I am. I told him about the new job opportunity but never mentioned where and when I started.
