Page 146 of The Demon's Pet

“You killed that void walker,” I said.

He frowned. “You know why I had to do that.” He started to sit up, then winced and immediately sank back down. He let out a raspy breath. “I don’t have the energy to argue with you. Not until a few of my ribs heal.”

I took another step forward, worry pushing me closer. “Your ribs are broken?”

He smiled at me. “My everything’s broken. Zarris was really unhappy with me for what I did to his brother. Not that I blame him.” He glanced out at the willow again, face slackening slightly.

But his gaze was sharp as usual when he looked back at me.

“So this is your brother’s place?” I asked.

He nodded.

“I’m guessing he’s your brother on the demon side,” I said.

He nodded. “Our family is quite complicated.” Then he looked out the window again. “I’m sorry, Cleo. I’m tired, and I need to rest. I just wanted to see that you were okay.” He flushed lightly. “Because, as you know, I still need you for something.”

“Right,” I said, twisting my hands together. “And that’s why you fought Zadis, right? Because you didn’t want him to take someone you wanted a favor from?”

Sam just stared at me without answering, his jaw jutting stubbornly despite all the bruises on it.

I probably wasn’t ever going to get an answer to what I truly wanted to know.

“If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, let me know. Since this is my fault, I want to—”

“I’ll have you give me a sponge bath later. You can scrub me down naked as punishment,” Sam said, grinning and then wincing as if the expression hurt. The desire to go to him, tend to him, was almost unbearable when he was hurt like this.

But I could tell from his stubborn face that he wasn’t going to let me in yet.

“I’m going to come check on you later,” I said. “Regardless of whether it’s for a bath or to see you’re okay.”

His lips firmed into a line, and his eyes narrowed in confusion. “So worried about me, even though you tried to escape my company?”

I moved back toward the doorway. “You scared me, Sam. I won’t pretend you didn’t. But I want you to know I trust you from now on.”

His eyes narrowed farther. “I don’t know if I would recommend that, Cleo.”

“Why not?” I threw my hands in the air in frustration. “You did this for me! You fought Zadis for me. It wouldn’t have happened if I had trusted you.”

He cocked his head. “It probably would have, just differently. I do blame you for some of this, but I knew I would have trouble, taking you on.” His eyes darted to my collar. “You aren’t a typical demon. I knew that when I found you.”

“You said you didn’t know what I was.”

“I’m not positive,” he said. “And what I suspect is something I couldn’t dare tell anyone. But now we’re in the mid-realm, where most celestials wouldn’t dare to tread. In the morning, I’ll have my blacksmith make you a more accurate restraining device. Those collars the celestials use are fairly weak.” He coughed, made a choking noise, then sighed, leaning back in the bed. “But as I said, I need to rest now.”

“Right,” I said. “I just wanted to thank you. Again. For saving me.”

I expected some rude comment in return, but instead, he simply nodded, and I bowed my head and reached for the door behind me. Then I realized it was locked.

Sam raised a hand, turned it sideways, and I heard a click behind me. “It’s unlocked now.”

I opened it and left because I had no idea what to say to this odd creature any longer. I knew what to do with angry Sam. With rude Sam. With violent Sam.

I didn’t know how to react to an injured Sam, sitting in his bed, staring at a willow with guarded eyes.

But I could at least give him the privacy he wanted so he could rest and get better.

The rest of what lay between us could wait.

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