Chapter 30 Chapter 30
“If you knew, why haven’t you killed the bastard?” Maxwell yelled, seething in anger.
“Because it happened before I got to know her, and I have no idea where he is now. They already broke up when she began working for me, and she only revealed it to me much later,” Nicholas Clarke explained, scowling deeply. “This is why I told you to be careful with her, you dumb demon. Just hold yourself back for once.”
Maxwell grumbled something under his breath, not wanting to admit that this was his fault. He didn’t stay with Nicholas Clarke for long after his revelation and opted to walk home. He relished the fresh morning air and watched the sun rising over the city. The shadows of the night disappeared, and some of the creatures roaming the streets vanished with them.
Entering the apartment, he discarded his shoes and jacket, walking into the living room, where the light was still on. Valerie lay on the sofa next to the demon cat.
They were both asleep, but the cat stirred when it sensed him, opening its eyes to peer at him. His lips twitched. Taking a blanket from the end of the sofa, he draped it over them and snapped his fingers to kill the lights.
—
The next day started rather slowly for Valerie. She didn’t wake up until it was almost noon. When her smartphone made a sound, indicating a new message, she opened her eyes and checked the time.
The sleepy woman looked around in the dark living room, seeing that the curtains were drawn. She was sure she had left them open the night before.
“Huh, what’s going on?” she mumbled and rubbed her eyes. Mochi stuck its head out from under the blanket and meowed at her, its body glowing in the dark.
“You should have woken me up, lazy kitty,” she said, but it just yawned at her.
Valerie got up and took a shower, putting on a new set of clothes before walking into her bedroom to glance outside. It was a sunny day, perfect for going outside, but she wasn’t sure if she was in the mood, yesterday’s events weighing heavily on her mind.
“Maybe… I should meet my friends… I haven’t seen them in a week or longer,” she thought and entered the kitchen, where she found Maxwell.
“Good morning,” she mumbled, trudging to the coffee machine and pressing a few buttons.
“Hello,” he said. The demon sat at the table, resting his chin on his hand.
“Did you learn anything new last night?” Valerie asked when he fell silent.
“Not what I wanted.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Forget it,” he replied, leaning back in his chair. “That creep wasn’t around. I couldn’t find him even though I was sure he would reappear.”
“Maybe he’s not interested in men,” Valerie commented, trying to lighten the mood. The atmosphere between them was oddly tense and awkward.
“Oh, shut up,” he snorted.
She put her steaming coffee cup on the kitchen table, fetching a bowl for her cornflakes and some milk from the fridge. “Do you want breakfast too?” she asked.
“No,” he said. He was taciturn this morning, Valerie couldn’t help but notice. There was something in his expression she couldn’t quite decipher, and the caution in his eyes when he observed her was new as well.
He’d always known she was a fragile human, but he’d never treated her like this before. Valerie sat down opposite him and saw that his absentminded eyes were focused on the table's wooden surface. He didn’t pay attention to her, lost in his thoughts.
Normally, he would have teased or mocked her by now and started a senseless conversation about the superiority of demons. Valerie preferred their usual bickering over this crushing silence.
This was her fault. She should have had a better grip on herself, but her emotions had overwhelmed her, and she had been unable to suppress them.
Valerie held back a deep sigh and began to eat, mindlessly scrolling through the social media feeds on her phone. It was a failing attempt to distract herself from this endless silence. She took a sip of her coffee, burning her tongue on the hot beverage, but to her surprise, Maxwell didn’t comment on it; he didn’t even flinch. Frowning, Valerie put her coffee cup down and lowered her head. She would lose it if he kept acting like this. The young woman needed to get out and find someone else to talk to.
“I’m planning to meet some friends later,” she said quietly, prompting him to look at her. His eyes were sky-blue but brimming with an unspoken conflict.
“Fine.”
“Uh, okay?” she mumbled, not expecting such an easy answer. Shouldn’t Maxwell have objected because he hated humans, or at least whined and complained like he usually did? She bit her lip and looked down, her body slumping slightly.
“Bring the cat,” he suddenly said.
“Huh?”
“The cat,” he said, and nodded his chin towards the cat demon that sat on the ground and watched them. “It’ll protect you.”
“Won’t you accompany me?” she asked, her eyes widening in confusion. How could this cute little kitty protect anyone?
Then again, it could be hiding another side she hadn’t seen yet if he deemed it strong enough to handle this task.
“No,” he replied, and now she wasn’t so sure anymore if she wanted to leave the house. After all, that creep was still running around, and she didn’t want to risk getting on his radar again. She would not go anywhere near Manhattan.
She sighed, texting Hope and Naomi, asking if they wanted to meet later today. It didn’t take long for them to answer her. They were both students at university, and since they didn’t have any lectures or classes this afternoon, they agreed.
Valerie put the dishes in the dishwasher, leaving the kitchen with one last glance in Maxwell’s direction. He didn’t look at her, his eyes staring into space.