Chapter 10 Chapter 10
“Could be about 50 years, yes,” Thorne answered, his eyebrows rising as he studied Maxwell and Valerie. They were quite the unlikely pair. “What brings you here? I always thought you preferred hell over Earth. And how do you know each other?”
Not being one for long explanations, Maxwell took Valerie’s left wrist and ripped the band-aid off to expose the shining star on it. She grimaced, struggling to free herself, but he didn’t let go until Thorne got a good look at the crest on her skin.
“I thought you didn’t like humans? You sharing a bond with a human is the last thing I ever expected to happen.”
“That’s because I didn’t agree,” he growled, glaring at Valerie. “This foolish human managed to do it by accident. Can you believe that? She accidentally summoned me to her living room a few days ago and bound herself to me.”
Thorne was unfazed by his old friend’s anger and ignored the office's flickering lamps since he was already used to the light demon’s bad temper. He put his hand on his chin and watched Valerie in thought, a worried crease appearing on his brow. “Are you okay, Valerie? This must be a lot to deal with.”
“It is. I barely understand what’s going on… until a few days ago, I had no idea that demons are real, and I still can’t fathom it. I’ve been trying to find a way to undo the bond, but so far, it has been fruitless,” she mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. “How do you two know each other?” She was reluctant and didn’t really want to hear the answer.
“We’ve known each other for centuries. I’m a demon too, but besides Maxwell here, I don’t mind being close to humans. This world is more entertaining and livelier than hell,” he explained.
“How many demons are there, hiding in plain sight?” she whispered fearfully, looking at the floor.
“More than you would expect,” Thorne said. “And don’t forget about other supernatural creatures. Demons aren’t the only ones, after all.”
“What?”
“Damn, Maxwell didn’t tell you anything, did he?” Thorne muttered to himself, glaring at Maxwell, his eyes flashing neon green for a second. “There are other creatures, such as ghosts, vampires, witches, nymphs, and fairies. They hide from humans, so it’s unsurprising you were unaware of their existence, Valerie.”
“I think I need to sit down,” she mumbled, falling into the chair in front of the desk and hiding her pale face behind her hands. “Why is this happening to me? I just want a normal life. I didn’t ask for this.”
“You know what, Valerie? How about you take the rest of the day off? Go home and rest until you feel better. You seem overwhelmed by all of this, which is understandable. Any human in your situation would be shocked,” Thorne suggested, a worried look darkening his green eyes.
The compassion swimming within their depths made him appear human—how could someone like him be a demon? “Maybe it’s best to stay home the entire week until you’re better accustomed to all this.”
“Is that okay?” Valerie bit her lip, and when he nodded, she let out a sigh. “Thanks, Thorne. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Maxwell, whatever you did to her in the past days, you have to stop! You’ve been mistreating her. She’s human, so you need to be gentle with her,” he then added and gave Maxwell a scalding look.
“Shut up, Nicholas Clarke,” he spat bitterly. “You don’t know what it’s like to be stuck with her.”
“Valerie is one of my closest friends in the world of the living. If something happens to her, I will make you pay.” The sound of Thorne’s calm voice shifted and became threatening—she had never heard him speak like this. Her boss was dead serious.
“You don’t need to remind me,” Maxwell snarled aggressively, losing his temper once more. “Get up, human. We’re leaving.”
“Hey, I have a name.”
“Not like I would ever remember it,” he countered, impatiently grabbing her wrist and pulling her after him when she got up. She managed to call a “See you,” over her shoulder to Thorne before Maxwell yanked her to the lift.
—
Back home, Valerie retreated into her bedroom, distracting herself with one of her favorite novels to drown out the conflicting emotions raging through her chest.
Her life became more confusing every day—discovering Thorne’s secret had initially scared her, but ultimately, it hadn’t shaken her trust in him. He might be a demon, but he cared for her safety and would never hurt her—unlike someone else.
Valerie didn’t reemerge from her bedroom until six o’clock. She found Maxwell sprawled on the sofa in the living room with the TV on. He seemed irritated, not that it was an unexpected occurrence, but she wondered what went through his head since he didn’t pay attention to the TV series.
When she closed her bedroom door behind her, he looked up, his steely eyes scrutinizing her. He stretched his arms and sat up. “Are you feeling better now, human?”
“Yes, demon. Thanks for asking,” Valerie retorted sarcastically, brushing past him. She went to the kitchen, sat at the table, and checked several new messages on her smartphone. Seeing one from Reed, a smile appeared on her face, and she immediately replied to him.
\[Reed\]: Do you want to go on a date later today? We could go to the movies.
\[Valerie\]: Great idea. When do you have time?
\[Reed\]: Want to meet at 8 PM? I’ll send you the address.
\[Valerie\]: Thanks. See you later.
\[Reed\]: Can’t wait to meet you, sweetheart.
She blushed, happiness blooming in her heart at the idea of seeing him again. It had been a while since she had last been in love—these fragile emotions were familiar yet different.
Putting her smartphone aside, she hurried to the bedroom to get ready for her spontaneous date. Valerie chose a cute light pink blouse and white jeans, pairing the outfit with silver earrings and a delicate necklace. Then she applied makeup, delighted about the look she had created.
Maybe Reed would like it too? The only thing left to accomplish was leaving the apartment without Maxwell noticing. An aggressive demon was the last person she needed on her date. He would love to ruin her developing relationship with Reed to spite her.