Page 3 of My Best Friend is a Demon

He seems a manifestation of the dark. His eyes are so deep that they look black. His firm mouth barely quirks when he smiles. Mostly he’s like a dog chasing prey. Focused. So damn focused that it’s scary.

I touch his skin and my whole body fires up. A flame lights in my belly and flashes out into my fingers, tingling up and down my arms and legs.

I back away and eye him uncertainly. “I need to get back home. I’ve got work in the morning.”

“What do you do?”

“I work in the coffee shop in town. You should come in sometime. I’ll take good care of you.” I hesitate and my smilefades when he doesn’t smile back. “Well, for old time’s sake anyway.”

He nods his head but says nothing.

I turn and hurry away from him but the whole way home, I sense him out there following along behind me, his soft steps barely shifting the leaves around us.

And when I go inside my little house and stand at the window, closing the curtains, the glow of eyes pierces the night and I shiver, unsure if I’m terrified or intrigued.

No human has eyes like that. And yet, somehow I know it’s him. He’s watching me, waiting.

But what for?

ANDERS

Ineed my mate. My whole body is on fire. I can’t think and I can’t be more than a few feet from her and not want to tell the whole world apart to find her, take her, claim her.

That’s the only damn reason that I’d be sitting here in this cafe among the humans that my father wants to destroy. Laughter and clinking dishes grates on my nerves like the worst kind of torture. My jaw is killing me from gritting my teeth and I’m seconds from decimating every damn loud one of humans in this loud place.

I just want to sit in peace and sip my dark espresso brew, stare at my gorgeous mate and wonder how long I can be this close to heaven and not have my master figure out what’s going on. Hell, for all I know he already knows and he’s seconds from taking her and ensuring that I never free myself from him.

For years, I’ve fought and struggled to get free from him. I’ve done what he’s asked. Every damn time. But I do it in my own way, in my own time and it pissed the lord of the underworld off so bad that I know he’s considering punishing me badly.

But how? I’m a demon. There’s nothing he can do to me that he hasn’t already done. My parents being the main temptation when he first took me.

He promised me over and over again that he’d set them free. I mean, they weren’t the best of people but they weren’t that bad. And the hell that he put them through just to make a point with me was bone-chilling. He destroyed my humanity. Any little bit that was left. I thought it was gone for good. Until I saw her.

Then I knew that if I could get away from him, I’d do it for her. I needed a plan. But what? He is always three steps ahead of me. Ahead of anybody.

I need help. I need her. My mind spins out of control and I growl under my breath, hissing when I see her standing there and her soft, light eyes turn towards me, smiling shyly.

She’s so innocent. So pure and sweet.

I shudder to think what hell would make of an angel like her, so pure and simple. So perfectly innocent.

Hell loves nothing more than breaking good people. Demons, humans, shifters, doesn’t matter. If you’ve got a weakness, the devil’s got you by the short hairs and he’s gonna play a symphony on your bones and take your soul…just for fun.

Soft and light. Floral and sweet tickles my senses, my mouth watering like I’m starving to death. She smiles at me, her pale blue eyes shimmering with happiness. “I’m done soon. You want to come see my place.”

I should tell her no. Should keep my distance and let her go. But if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s good. I have no intention of letting any time with her go to waste. I’m gonna win her over. I’m gonna claim her and then I’m gonna keep her and find a way to get the devil off my back. A way to play the odds and get my freedom to love who I want. My fated mate. The one who’s meant to be mine. My soulmate.

“I would love to see your place.”

“Do you have a place in town?” She asks.

I shake my head and smile. “No. I’ve just arrived. Barely had time to take care of a few things that my boss wanted done.” Not that I’ve completed it or even care at this point in time.

I’ve got my own plans and I don’t care about the Devil’s desires right now.

Fuck him. I’m gonna take what I can, heaven help the devil if he attempts to get in my way.

She finished up her shift and grabs her purse and sweater. I stand and help her into the pretty pink garment. I glance over and see our reflection in the mirror. My dark hands on the pale pink shoulders of her sweater, her pale skin against my dark. Her light hair gleaming like a beacon in the night. My own dark hair and dark eyes pulling the light in, claiming it and destroying it. My eyes glow with an otherworldly fury, flames licking at my pupils. I can see the talons of my hand and it looks wrong on her softness.

---