Page 60 of Demon Kissed
When they start chanting in Latin, a chill goes up my spine, and I really wish that Stacy was here to shriek with me and hold my hand. But she’s not. So I have to suffer with only a red velvet couch cushion, which I brutalize to the best of my ability, squishing and twisting it awkwardly.
Jason’s body lifts into the air and floats above their heads. It spins slowly, and I can’t take my eyes off of it. He spins faster and faster, like one of those merry-go-rounds at the park. Then all of a sudden, he stops and drops down onto his feet in the middle of the guys.
I gasp in surprise.They actually did it.I crane my neck, trying to see around their wings, make sure that Jason’s alive and well.
Akor’s the first to step aside, a wide, shit-eating, told-you-so grin on his face. “See? We fixed it!”
Jason is indeed standing in the middle of them on his own two feet. His eyes look a little wide and dumbfounded, but who wouldn’t look that way if they suddenly came back to life in the middle of a cave-like room full of demons?
Jason spots me and bolts across the room toward me. I’m not sure if he’s trying to protect me or wants to hide behind me. I don’t have time to do much more than give off a surprised squeak before Jason grabs my shoulders and gives my face a long lick.
What the fuck?
He steps back and starts wiggling his butt as he says, “Hey, Katrina. Wanna play a game? Tag? Chase? Fetch? Wanna rub my belly?” He lays down on his back at my feet and starts to wiggle.
I glance up at the guys as I swipe Jason-slobber from my face. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
Raz scratches his head, looking more confused than grumpy for once. “He’s a zombie. They normally come back a bit different. This is a bit extreme. But…”
“Reincarnation is tricky,” Van offers by way of explanation.
“Reincarnation is tricky? Reincarnation istricky? That’s your goddamned explanation for stealing Jason’s life and ruining it and then telling me you’ll make it better and turning him into a dog?” My words go from zero to sixty miles per hour in four point two seconds, which is exactly how long it takes my heart to speed up into freak out mode. My hands turn into claws. I want to throttle and punch them and cry and scream and yell. “Jason is dead!” Tears fill my eyes. My throat gets as clogged as Rapunzel’s shower drain.
Jason gives up on the belly rubs and gets back up onto his feet. He looks normal as he walks through the room, but when he goes to sit down on the couch, he jumps onto it, spins three times, and then lays down with his ass in the air and his face resting on his hands.
“He can’t go to school like this,” I say dully. He’ll never get to go to college. Never get married.
I run a hand through my hair. And while I want to rage and scream, I know deep down that this was an accident. I saw the footage. Akor actually didn’t do more than any other high school guy would have if someone had grabbed them.
Jason’s death was an accident.
But it still hurts.
My eyes connect with Akor, and I can see the tortured look on his face. Is his pain demon power just as unconscious as Van’s lust power seems to be? Does it waft off of him like cologne, and instead of causing orgies it causes…tragedies?
My thoughts are interrupted by Van’s response to my last statement. “Oh, no, he definitely can’t go to school. He’d try to eat everyone’s brains,” Van tells me, as if this should be obvious.
My nervous giggle turns into hysterical, terrified laughter. “What? You let him come lick me! What if he’d bitten me?”
“We obviously wouldn’t let that happen.” Zolroth crosses his arms and tucks his wings in as he stares at me like I’m overreacting. But can he really blame me for being a wee bit dramatic?!
Jason lifts his head, pushing up to all fours on the couch. “I wouldn’t eat you, Kat. You’re my person. Even though your brain smells delicious.” His butt starts to waggle again when I make shocked eye contact.
“What are we gonna do?” I whisper. Jason’s parents are going to wonder about him, and everyone at school will be worried.
“Hey, now, none of that. We’ll take care of it,” Raz orders.
I glare at him, and rage just bursts out of me. He’s so damn arrogant. And wrong. He can’t even back that statement up. I take a step closer and waylay him with words. “Like you took care of bringing Jason back? Like you’re taking care of me andmysummons? William left with Janie tonight, and we didn’t even notice! Howthe fuckis anything you do helpful? You’re not taking care of anything!”
Raz’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t respond, just stares down at me as I pant in fury. The only hint that he’s even heard me is the red that flashes behind his eyes.
Akor snaps his fingers, distracting me from my standoff, when a chew toy appears in his hands. It’s a bright red squiggly thing, and he squeaks it. Jason jumps off the couch and immediately lunges for the toy, snagging it in his teeth and growling playfully.
“We’re taking great care of him. See? He’ll be the most spoiled zombie ever.”
I want to facepalm. I want to laugh. And I want to puke. Simultaneously. “I swear to God, I think you guys are trying to ruin every aspect of my life.”
“Never, darling. That would counter the prime directive,” Zolroth says as his wings disappear and he sprawls out lazily on one of the red couches.
