Page 78 of Spit

I searched his face for signs of adoration. Of lust. Of the endless Gluttony that made men rip and tear to get what they wanted, but Legion was a closed book.

“You’re acting strangely.” He said slowly.

My lips thinned as I shook my head. Legion stepped forward, and I stepped back.

“For fuck’s sake, Alexis!” Legion barked. “What did I do?!”

I held my hands up in a disarming fashion.

“I don’t—”

“Your heart is fluttering hard enough to take flight.” Legion interrupted, pushing his shoulder-length inky hair out of his eyes. “What spooked you? What did I do?”

My tongue was too large for my mouth. I cleared my throat, but it didn’t help. “I need to go.”

I stepped to the side to walk around him, but Legion followed me. I flinched as he reached for me.

“I’m sorry.” I couldn’t look him in the eye. “Maybe you should summon Mr. Bub. He can help you.”

Legion scoffed. “Help me with what?”

I didn’t answer. The rain continued, heavy and hard, as I walked the path. Legion did not follow. The gravel crunched with every step, and a minute later, I glanced back.

Legion hadn’t followed. He hadn’t stayed on the path either, watching me walk away.

He’d started walking to the house.

I stopped. Confused.

There was no way.

My curse didn’t work like that.

Somehow, my magic shadow hadn’t worked to drain Legion, and my curse hadn’t affected him either.

Why had he kissed me then?

I started walking back to the house. “Legion!” I called out.

He stopped and turned, blinking through the heavy rain. He said nothing.

I jogged back to his side, and Legion waited for me. I kept looking at him, waiting for him to grab me, to beg and plead for a taste. Anything. But he didn’t.

“How do you feel?” I asked after a moment, eying him as if he might strike at any moment.

“I feel like I have been run over by a large truck,” Legion told me. “Also, an unhealthy amount of confusion, though I’ll attribute that to my general understanding of the feminine animal.”

“Hint: maybe don’t call women animals.” I winced.

Legion considered my words before nodding. “I haven’t spent much time as a woman.” He noted.

My brow furrowed, and he continued without prompting.

“Demons can affect whatever gender they choose,” Legion told me, facing the house as he spoke. “It might be more accurate to say that I don’t understand the human mind, rather than just the female mind.”

“But, aside from the physical pain, you feel okay?” I pressed, pushing a lock of my wet pink hair behind my ear.You don’t feel like your free will has been taken away, and you need to pledge your life to me?I bit my tongue to keep from answering.

“I feel well,” Legion said.

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