Page 111 of The Demon's Pet

“Perfect,” he said.

Reassured, I sipped the tea slowly, and the warm liquid calmed me instantly. It was fragrant, like flowers. “What is it?”

“Honeysuckle tea,” he said. “I’m glad you enjoy it.”

We sipped tea for a few moments, just enjoying the quiet, the sounds of birdcalls in nature.

“Isn’t this nice, Cleo? Isn’t it better than following that demon around, watching him kill things?”

“He’s not a demon,” I said.

“He might as well be,” Zadis said. “Acts like a demon, so I’m going to call him one.”

“How does he act like a demon?”

“He enjoys killing,” Zadis said, shaking his head in disgust.

“Maybe he just knows killing needs to happen,” I said.

Zadis shook his head. “He enjoys it. There’s a difference. I’m not such a fan of celestials either, but they have morals and ideals. Sam… I’m not sure he thinks of anything but what will benefit him next. Yes, he walks with the celestials. But those of us aware of his history know he’s more of a merc than anything else.”

“Merc?”

“A mercenary. A killer for hire. Just because he has wings and celestial blood doesn’t make it better. He uses slayer swords.Usesthem.” He shuddered violently. “I can’t imagine.”

“Why is that bad?” I asked.

“Let’s talk less about him and more about us,” Zadis asked. “How pleasant life would be here, with me. I’d respect you. Court you. Love and take care of you. Bond with you. What can Sam do?”

I flushed, thinking about what Sam could do. What he did to me for hours.

Zadis caught the look before I could hide it. “You’ve already been with him, haven’t you?” He shook his head. “I’m too late. You’re tainted.”

I sat up straight. “Tainted? Excuse me?”

Zadis set his cup back on the tray and faced me seriously. “Cleo, if he has been with you, it means nothing. He has no honor. If you stay with him, you will fall for him. He’s handsome and charming. I’ll give him that.”

“Charming? Are we talking about the same person?”

“He charms people, regardless,” Zadis said. “But he doesn’t care for them. His heart is ice-cold. I promise you that. If you are starting to get feelings for that monster, Cleo, it’s all the more reason you should leave his side as soon as possible. Because he will only bring you pain.”

“I don’t think so,” I said, thinking back over our experiences together. “He hasn’t… done anything I didn’t want.”

Zadis’s cheeks flushed, and something I didn’t like flashed in his eyes. “Even if he makes you a slave to his body, you will never have his heart, Cleo. He doesn’t have a heart to give. Stay with him. Watch him slay, and you’ll see. But it will be too late by then. You’ll have fallen for him, and he’ll betray you. That’s all there is to it.”

He was probably right. My heart already beat fast just thinking about seeing him again. But was that fear or something more?

Besides, I had more than drama to think about. I needed to survive in this new world, and Sam was my only real ally.

And yes, he himself had said he didn’t have a heart.

I just didn’t know if I believed him.

“He told me all of this as well,” I muttered. “He warned me that he can’t feel for me.”

“Then leave him,” Zadis said. “Such a warning is only manipulation. He knows you’ll fall for him anyway, and by then, you’ll be stuck.”

“Why?”

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