Page 188 of The Demon's Pet

I nodded, and Simon grabbed my hand before I could say no to jerk me across the street with him.

An old wooden fence enclosed a pasture, and I saw the black unicorn with the purple horn I’d seen in Zadis’s basement, along with an odd winged tiger and several other creatures standing in the mist.

“The enclosure is enchanted so no one but me can open it.”

I looked into the mist. “What about the werewolf? I saw one when I was in Zadis’s basement.”

Simon nodded. “I took him to my keep. We like weres.”

I stared at him. “You have a keep?”

“Yup.” He leaned on the fence, looking at the unicorn as it grazed. The creature raised its head, looked at us, and scraped its hoof against the ground, making an angry huffing noise. Then it charged us.

I took a step back, but it rammed into something invisible that lit up with blue light when the unicorn hit it and went tumbling back.

It got back up, shook itself off, and took a jog around the enclosure, looking for openings.

“Was it trying to attack me or you?” I asked Simon.

“I don’t know,” Simon said, sighing wistfully. “Beautiful though, right?”

“Mm.”

“I’m sorry Sam left,” Simon said.

“It’s fine,” I said. “He saved me. He’s already done so much, and—”

“That boy was always coldhearted. Always a sullen little shadow following Cayne around. When he came into his powers, he became strong but conceited and even more closed off. An incubus who only fed by killing.”

I just listened, watching the animals move in the mist. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the water droplet creature approaching, little black shoes beneath it carrying it over to me. It was only about a foot tall.

Small black eyes looked up at me, floating at the top of the droplet. It began an elaborate dance, pointing its little shoes forward one at a time, and I couldn’t help smiling even as Simon put a hand on my arm and pulled me back.

“Water sprite,” Simon said, glaring at it. “Don’t let it complete its dance. It wants you.”

“What?” I blinked, turning away from the enclosure with a sigh. “Dang, so much to learn.”

“Did Sam say why he was leaving so abruptly?” Simon asked. “I was surprised. It’s clear he cares about you. And even before Cayne died, he pretty much cared about no one but his brother. Since Cayne died, Sam’s been totally closed off, until you.”

“He said it was because we were getting close,” I said. “Because he was getting possessive, which can’t happen because I’m the Morningstar.” Pain lashed through my heart. “He was hurt when his brother died, and I don’t think he ever wants to face that again.”

Simon let out a hiss of impatience. “We were all hurt when Cayne died, but he’d be pissed at Sam getting everything so wrong after his death. The lesson in losing someone is to hold on tight to those who are still with us, not let them go in order to avoid pain.”

Simon’s red eyes flashed with something and looked extra glassy. I remembered suddenly that Cayne was his friend, that they ran this place together.

He swiped at his eye with the sleeve of his black coat, then laughed. “Good thing vampires can’t cry, right?”

I put an arm around him and pulled him in for a side hug, and we stayed there for a moment, both taking comfort in having someone there when the one we wanted was gone.

“What happened to Cayne, Simon?”

“Murdered while working with the celestials,” Simon said. “No one knows how. They dumped his body here with no explanation. I don’t know if Sam knows more than me, but he made it clear he wanted to take things into his own hands. Both to continue Cayne’s work of trying to find the Morningstar and to figure out his death. I have no celestial in me, so I can’t even pass through the veil to investigate.”

“Ah.”

“I do think of him often,” Simon said wistfully. “That’s why I visit this place. It’s like I think he’ll show up and just be here if I come.”

I was quiet because I had no idea what to say. But I kept my arm around Simon’s shoulders because I could tell it steadied him.

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