Page 45 of A Match Made in Hell
Well. My sense of victory didn’t last long. Now I’m a superhero that’s just been shrunk by a ray gun. ‘Why? What do you think my vice is?’
‘You’re impulsive. Hot-headed. Angry.’
Everything we’ve worked towards, gone, all over some tantrum about–
‘I am none of those things,’ I say loudly, over the memory.
‘Really?’ He arches a brow. ‘The demon with a cue in his eye would beg to differ.’
‘That was different.’
‘Always an excuse. If you can’t stop yourself lashing out, what’s the point in doing any of this?’ His eyes simmer, and maybe it’s my imagination, but I swear I catch the smell of burning.
‘Maybeyoushould get yourself under control first,’ I throw back at him. ‘Aric was a lapse of judgement. If a task was involved, I wouldn’t have . . .’ I break off.
I’ve no idea what I would have done.
But I’ve just proven I can do impossible things, and this is not the motivational pep talk I was hoping for. Would it kill him to saywell done, Willow, good job today?
Sath sighs, and the fire in his gaze goes out. ‘Let’s hope you’re right.’
‘Iamright,’ I inform him. ‘Maybe if you weren’t determined to be grumpy, you’d see that.’
‘I’m not grumpy.’ He rakes a hand through his hair, suddenly looking as exhausted as I feel. ‘Sloth is . . . difficult for me. Having to tempt you, it sets me on edge.’
I peer at him. ‘The idea of being lazy sets you on edge?’
‘Sloth isn’t about laziness. It’s . . . dereliction of duty, neglecting to take care of what one should.’ He laughs bitterly. ‘Something I know all about.’
The floor beneath us rumbles.
‘What’s happening?’
‘Nothing,’ he mutters, shoving shaking hands into his pockets. ‘I should go. I’ll see you next month.’
My chest constricts. I don’t want to wait another month to see him. I’m not sure what that says about me as a person. He’s possibly a demon and definitely a murderer. The Sath before me now could all be an act – and I don’t care. He’s the most interesting person here.
I should want to curl into a ball and sleep after the task, but standing near him has me wide-awake again, alert to every shift of his body as he tries to abandon me. Which can’t be good for him either, honestly, if he’s going to spend the whole time brooding.
Really, I’m doing him a favour.
‘Sath,’ I call after him. ‘Wait. Do you want to . . . Are you busy?’
He opens his mouth, then closes it again. This happens several times. Finally, he says, ‘Willow . . . that day in the cinema . . . I got caught up in the idea of being someone I’m not. I can’t make that mistake again.’
‘I’m not asking you to be someone you’re not. I’m asking tohang out with you, just as you are. Is that such a crime? We can go to your rooms if you’re worried about anyone seeing.’
Sath licks his lips. ‘It’s a bad idea. For many reasons.’
‘You’re talking to a girl who jumped off a cliff for fun.’ I check no one’s around before stepping into his space, forcinghimto press against the wall for a change. Flames spark along his skin. ‘What’s one more bad idea?’
He makes a show of studying me, as though deciding how bad an idea I am. Despite the fact that every inch of me is covered in thick clothing, he makes it feel like all of me is on show. My stomach tightens. Other parts of me tighten. The more he looks, the more I’m free-falling towards something I shouldn’t be, only this landing will split me open even more than the last.
‘Fine,’ he says, eyes gleaming. ‘We can . . . hang out, as you like to put it.’
His expression turns wicked, mouth curving into a dangerous smile, although not for the reasons I expect.
‘Tell me,’ he says. ‘How do you feel about Scrabble?’
