Shattered Reality | Book Two

Chapter X

His cheeks look rosy from the cold weather and his knuckles are red as he leans across the door to look at me closer. He looks even more threatening than before. His eyes are like lasers as he stares at me, daring me to make a sound. I can tell the best way to go about this is to cooperate with anything he says.

I suddenly find myself wishing I let Azrael in my pocket.

"Well, are you going to invite me in?" his head tilts. I try to find my voice, but I wonder if he's somehow keeping me from speaking on purpose.

Somewhere in my mind, I hope that demons are like vampires and he can't enter my house until I invite him in. Only that thought gets shut down when he steps one snowy boot onto the rug in my house.

I don't know what spurs me into action, but I am suddenly pushing him backward with begging eyes.

"Not here, please," I look up at him. He looks down at me and raises a dark eyebrow before rubbing his jaw. There's a slight stubble lining his jaw, making him look older than he is. Hell, maybe he is older.

I remember asking Grim something once about why he wasn't able to sense Rowl was Turner. Grim said he did not know and neither did Azrael. So I really wonder how the hell Turner went unnoticed by Grim for years.

And even Zeuxis. If Zeuxis was truly watching me for years, he has to know of Turner. How come he didn't sense the demon stalking me like everyone else apparently was?

"Where do you want to go, pumpkin?" Rowl stares at me for a moment before letting his blue eyes turn to a black, matching the color of Grim's eyes. I look down at the realization and swallow down my nerves before glancing back at my house.

"Anywhere but here. If you're going to kill me, make it in a warehouse or something," I beg. His eyes show surprise but also are lined with caution. I hope he actually does decide to take me to a warehouse because there, no one else will notice me dying. Therefore, Rowl won't have to hurt any other innocent human.

Besides, the quicker I get home away from my house the safer my family is.

"Get in," Rowl points to a classic looking car and I furiously nod before scrambling into the back seat behind the driver side. The most inconvenient place for him to try and grab me. He notices this but doesn't comment on it and instead slams his door as he gets in. The car growls to life before he is suddenly peeling out of the driveway, not caring about how the salt will eat away at his car.

I grimace as I watch Uncle Ricky come to the front door and look out curiously. I had forgotten to close the door. That's when I notice something else. Azrael.

He's perked up in my window and staring down at me. I can practically feel the rage pulsing off of him from where he is and pray he'll come to my rescue.

"No matter how many times I told myself I couldn't come for you, I couldn't stop myself this time," Rowl purrs from the front seat. I look over at him and almost gag as he licks his lips. Grim told me something about my soul being intoxicating, so I'm hoping he means he's attracted to my soul.

"Why me?" I ask even though I think I know the answer. My voice breaks and I instantly get angry at myself for sounding so vulnerable.

"Because cupcake." I try not to notice how much relief washes into me as he calls me something other than pumpkin.

That name is reserved for Grim.

"You have the power to destroy the God of Death. Someone who I actually hate," Rowl shrugs. So even the demons heard of the prophecy. I know it's a weak game, but I try to convince him to turn around and go back home.