Chapter 190 Chapter 190
“Hi, what are you guys doing here?” Valerie asked, noting Esther’s sly grin. Thorne also seemed a tad too amused, different from his usual self.
“We were in the area and wanted to visit,” Thorne explained. “Are you busy?”
“Not at all, I’m bored out of my mind. Come in, guys,” she said, letting them pass her. They gathered in the hallway while she closed the door.
“Actually, we wanted to ask if you were up for a little shopping trip,” Esther said.
“Huh? Shopping?” she asked and threw Thorne and Vaughn an astonished look. Why would the demons want to accompany Esther and her to go shopping? Wasn’t that boring to them? Valerie’s doubts must have shown on her face, so Vaughn saw the need to explain himself.
“I’m only here because—”
“Vaughn,” Esther interrupted, smiling creepily. “Why don’t you stop talking?” The wind demon cleared his throat and pretended nothing had happened, awkwardly crossing his arms. Valerie raised her eyebrows since their behavior screamed weird to her.
“Well, if you insist, I’ll come along,” Valerie smiled. “I just need a second to get ready.”
She didn’t keep them waiting for long, and they left within five minutes. Thorne had parked his car in front of the house, and they got in, driving towards the busy city center of New York. Valerie sat in the passenger seat and watched the tall buildings pass by.
“I wonder where Maxwell is,” she mumbled.
“Did you say something?” Thorne asked.
“I haven’t seen Maxwell since this morning,” she said, frowning. “What could he be doing?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Thorne said innocently.
“No… he just said he would be back this afternoon,” Valerie sighed. “I wonder if he’s up to something.”
“He probably went to hell,” Esther chimed in. “Don’t worry about him, okay? We’re going to have fun today, and it’s his loss if he misses it.”
Valerie couldn’t help but think how awfully convenient it was that all three of them had shown up by coincidence when Maxwell wasn’t here. However, she didn’t dwell on it for long, her attention captured by the cityscape surrounding them.
Thorne parked his car in a parking lot close to a mall on Fifth Avenue, and the group headed towards a popular shopping street in this area of town. It was crowded with people, among them some supernatural beings that stood out to Valerie. Neon signs decorated the facades of the tall buildings, and Valerie didn’t know where to look first. She wanted to use the opportunity to buy some new clothes for herself, and there were several different stores nearby.
“Where do we go first?” Esther asked undecidedly, making Valerie shrug helplessly.
“It’s impossible to choose.”
“We’re starting with the one over there,” Thorne decided for them.
“Good idea,” Esther grinned and took Valerie’s hand as they walked inside. She pulled her along to the section where the dresses were. “Why don’t we choose a pretty dress for you? Something you could wear on your birthday,” she suggested.
“I knew you were up to something,” Valerie laughed, curiously glancing around. “Sure, why not?”
Thorne and Vaughn followed them with some distance, watching as the women began to browse the dresses.
“I hope the idiot uses the time we’re buying for him,” Vaughn said. “It’s not every day that I agree to go shopping. This is bound to take hours. When Esther starts trying on clothes, it always takes ages, and when Valerie is with her, it’s probably even worse.”
“You’re so gloomy, Vaughn,” Thorne chuckled. “They’re having fun, let them enjoy it.”
“What is he even doing?”
“Maxwell? Oh, I sent him to a witch. She needs certain special materials for more elaborate spells, and some of them can only be found in hell. Since she can’t go there, she likes to ask demons for help,” Thorne explained.
“So she made Maxwell collect stuff for her?” Vaughn smirked. “That’s fucking hilarious. I wish I could see it.”
“He wants to buy Valerie a present, so he needs money. It’s kind of cute, if you ask me,” Thorne grinned. “He’s just as lovesick for her as you are for Esther.”
Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Of course, you had to bring me into it.”
“Always,” Thorne laughed.
—
By the time Thorne dropped Valerie off at home, it had gotten late. She thanked her friends for spending the day with her before she walked upstairs to her flat. After entering it, she kicked the door shut with her heel and dropped her shopping bags in her bedroom. She heard the sounds of the television in the living room, and not a minute later, Maxwell came into the bedroom to check in on her.
“There you are,” he said. “I thought I heard the door.”
“I went shopping with Thorne, Esther, and Vaughn,” she smiled. “What about you? I was a bit worried when you were gone for so long.”
He awkwardly scratched his neck. “I was in hell for a while, and it took longer than expected,” he said, his eyes desperately searching for a distraction. When his gaze fell on her shopping bags, he asked, “What did you buy?”
“Oh, just… stuff,” she said evasively.
“Huh, you don’t want to tell me?”
“No,” she grinned cheekily. “You’ll see soon. It’s a surprise.”
Maxwell’s lips curled into a devilish smirk. “Is it new lingerie?” he asked, prompting her to blush.
“Pervert.”
“You didn’t deny it.”
“Maybe you were right,” she teased.
“Let me see.”
“Nope,” she grinned and hid the shopping bags behind her. “You have to wait. Be a good demon now.”
“I don’t want to be good,” he replied and smirked. “What if I’m evil? Come on, Valerie. Show me. I promise you won’t regret it.”
She was about to answer him, but her attention was diverted when she heard a meow from the door. Mochi scurried into the room and rubbed its warm body against her legs, watching her with big glowing eyes. “Aww, hello baby,” she cooed and picked the kitty up, holding it and hugging it to her chest. She entirely missed the jealousy burning in the other demon’s ruby eyes, too busy petting the cat’s back.