Page 13 of Devour

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“Stop feeding off me.” Yet again, his attempt at scolding lost its edge when paired with amusement.

“You can’t tell me no forever,” I said with a lusty whisper. “Thirty-five and you’re mine.”

“I never agreed to that.”

“What is marriage but promising one’s soul? You know, until death do we part.” I broke into a wide grin. “Besides, we shook on it. That’s the oldest form of contract there is.”

Eli rolled his eyes. Deliciously unafraid, he made my senses buzz yet again.

“I’ll join the priesthood if that’s what it takes to get me out of it.”

“Then at least help a bitch out and let me snack in the meantime,” I grumbled.

Eli snorted to hide his laughter at my frustration. Glad he found my struggle amusing. I could smell that much on him, and I even expected him to relish it. The unexpected reaction was for him to shift his arm enough to let me crowd him. I didn’t often go back to the same person multiple times. Still, I couldn’t help myself. At least not around him.

Eli tugged me away only when I got too close for comfort once again. He and I weren’t touching, exactly. And it wasn’t sexual, technically. Yet, the smell of arousal intensified, and I knew—he indulged me only because he enjoyed this, too.

Knowing Rhory became an exercise in gaslighting. Over the following year, I began questioning everything I thought I knew and existence itself. Worst of all, I couldn’t even confide in my two closest friends, one of whom drifted further away the more Rhory stuck around. Asher joined us less and less, and now a few months into our senior year, I haven’t hung out with him even once. While I became accustomed to the isolation of secrets long ago, losing one of my two closest friends only made it even worse.

Even more frustrating, I risked sounding unstable if I discussed any of this with my one remaining friend. At first, I wondered why Rhory confessed to me what he did. Until I realized it didn’t matter what he told me—no one would believe me anyway. Somehow, I was the only one who noticed Rhory’s behavior. He was not subtle. He did not hide; so much as he perfected the art of blending so well, no one thought to even question anything peculiar.

Yeah, he slept around, but we were in college. Most people did. Oh, and no one ever knew what his major was or what classes he took, but he always seemed to be around. He gravitated to wherever crowds flocked, especially for some recreational activities on campus.

Conceited as it might sound, I swore he showed up where he knew he could find me—for no other reason than to annoy me with his presence. He was like the cat at a house party who sought the one person who didn’t love felines. Ugh. And just like a cat, he had everyone else charmed into believing he was defenseless by acting so damned cute. Everyone bought the slutty airhead act, and no one considered him an actual threat.

Perhaps the most infuriating aspect of this was how, despite everything I knew, I could not hate the guy. Logically—morally, even—this should be a piece of cake. Yet, aside from the whole wanting my soul bit, Rhory hadn’t done anything to warrant my dislike. How I wish he made this simple for me by acting how something evil should, even if he only reverted when no one else paid attention. In fact, Rhory went out of his way to be exceptionally decent—albeit mischievous—and oh, did that irritate me to no end, which he clearly enjoyed. Even outright ignoring him couldn’t work when he was friends with Ember. Try as I might, I could not get away from him.

So, with Asher still too bitter to interact with me, and Rhory the bane of my existence, I only had Ember to lean on. Which wasn’t so bad, really. She was the first friend I made in college and the only one who stuck with me all four years. I could depend on her, and she knew she could count on me. Now that we established we would never (and I cannot stress never enough) have a romantic relationship, nothing stood between us in said friendship. If she got trashed and needed a dependable friend who could take her home, I was her guy. If some jerk could not take no for an answer, I could be very convincing. And in exchange, she always gave me plenty of help and support whenever I asked and in whatever manner I needed some. She didn’t push. She didn’t pry. Ember would just be there, which was more than I could say for most people.

Some help would’ve been what I requested tonight, since I felt awful. Not quite the flu, but shivery, stuffy, and overall unwell. Once upon a time I used to get sick every winter, but I got lucky the last couple of years. I supposed nothing lasts forever. I picked up my phone and before I could even swipe the screen, a notification vibrated in my hand.

Any chance you want to go out tonight? Full disclosure, Ash already said he would be there with his new girlfriend.

Can’t. Sick.

You don’t need to lie. And an eye roll emoji.

Not lying. Was just about to text you. Feel like death.