Page 13 of Obsession

I think of the right words to say to get through to this vain she-demon. “Sonia, there you go. Damion isn’t a human male. He’s half-demon and always will be, regardless of whether I’m in the picture or not. But I am in the picture, so we can either be friends or we can be enemies. Continue on your current path and we become enemies. It’s your decision.”

Damion walks in. “Did Aubry get everything squared away?”

“I believe so,” Sonia says and nods to me. I nod back. Whether this is a nod between friends or enemies, I’m not sure.

“How is the incantation bowl translation coming?” Damion asks.

“Give me another day and I’ll have it for you,” she bats her eyelashes, switching back over to seductress mode; I wonder if she even realizes it.

As we’re leaving, I turn back to Sonia and say, “House Guest comes on at seven on channel three.” Does a friend recommend House Guest or is that an enemy move? It could be argued either way.

The next morning, Damion stands gloriously naked in his kitchen. I hop up on the counter to get a better view, and what a fine view it is.

“Are you cold?” he asks, turning on the stove eye, the muscles of his back bunching as he works.

“Not since I figured out where your thermostat is,” I reply sweetly.

“I need to ward my thermostat, I see.”

“Ha ha.”

“I was worried you were cold since ‘hell has frozen over.’ That’s the only way we’d be having naked breakfast together. Weren’t those your words?”

“How long have you waited to play that card?” I cross my arms. Yes, those were my words when he possessed me, insulted me, and then had the nerve to hit on me. And yes, it looks like I’m about to eat those words.

“I waited on you to play your cards right.” He looks over his shoulder and makes a kissy kissy face.

“I’d pay attention if I were you. Frying greasy bacon might not have been the safest choice for naked breakfast,” I say smartly.

We soon enjoy an amazing breakfast and then have an amazing time afterward, me spread out on his kitchen counter. So what if I played my cards right? And who cares if hell is cold? I hope the demons are enjoying the unseasonably cool weather, because crow tastes sinfully delicious.

After breakfast, we take a shower and Damion demonstrates his loofah skills. He boasted about them when we were cohabiting my body. Let’s just say he wasn’t exaggerating and leave it at that.

Sadly, the weekend comes to an end. We return to the shop, and he walks me to the private entrance.

“Try not to think about me too much today. I’d hate for you to get the Devil card in all your readings,” he says with a smug smile. He reaches behind my ear, pulls out a red rose and hands it to me, then vanishes.

Sighing wistfully, I realize I might be obsessed with this Cambion. I’ve gone from demonic possession to demonic obsession. It’s a real problem. No seriously, it’s the term for when a demon outwardly torments a person.

“Elvis, what do you think?” I ask, stepping inside the shop. “It’s a problem, right?”

Elvis opens one eye and then closes it, making it known that he is one hundred percent uninterested in this problem, or any other problem I may have in the future.

Later that evening, I’m brushing my teeth when my line of sight is gone—I’m now standing in an open field, with a large bonfire illuminating the night sky. There are women dancing all around the fire, but I can’t make out their faces. The scene vanishes, and I’m back to looking at myself in the mirror.

“Universe, I assume you’ll explain this one,” I say, rinsing out my toothbrush and turning out the light as I walk to my bedroom and crawl into bed. Because I don’t have a clue what it means.

Chapter 7

“Aubry, I can’t believe you’re still associating with the likes of this one.” Gabe joins Damion and me in the break room a few days later. He’s a tall man—I’d put him around six feet, three inches—with a heavy Mississippi drawl. Well, I say “man,” but really he’s a Nephilim—half angel, half human. He has dark, handsome features and is dressed smartly in a three-piece Italian suit. “I figured once you exorcised Damion to the curb, you would have warded him out permanently.”

“Charlotte is going to stop by soon. Maybe you can demonstrate more of your love magic, Cupid,” Damion ribs, and I try not to laugh. Charlotte totally blew Gabe off the first time they met.

“I still haven’t finalized the bill for when you and Aubry were bound together. Keep talking, and I’ll keep tallying,” he tosses back with a sly smile.

“Please stop talking,” I beg, not having forgotten Gabe’s obscene hourly rate. “And that bill goes to Damion. I never signed a contract with you.” I point to Gabe.

“God, it’s so fucking sexy when you talk contracts,” Damion tells me, his eyes flickering with power as they rake over my body.

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