Page 10 of Hellish Witch

They tightened, refusing to budge. The feel of being trapped sharpened my breaths.

“Eeeeeve!” A tall demon barrelled through the writhing crowd, her squeal loud enough to pierce the music. “It’s our song!”

Shanlir’s silver eyes were just as unfocused as Joachim’s, but the shrewd demon plucked my wrist and yanked me away from the guy I was apparently dating.

His eyes narrowed, lip curling enough to bare a fang. “I’ll find you later.”

It sounded more like a threat. My brittle smile only stretched wider as I waved goodbye with my drink, grateful for my oldest friend tugging me through the gyrating bodies to the edge of the room.

I winced as I stepped on a white bone-kin fur rug, now stained with various colours.

At least it wasn’t my house.

My friend halted right between two stuffed sofas overflowing with drunk demons.

I breathed a relieved sigh as I escaped wandering hands and a lapping tongue.

Shanlir booped me on the nose. “Silly witch, if you don’t like him, why don’t you just turn him into a frog?” She cackled at her own joke, clearly flying as high as a phoenix.

Under the dim lighting, her pale skin looked almost a plain ivory, but in the daylight, she’d sparkle like crushed pearls.

A snort broke through my forced grin. “He’s fine. A good snack in a pinch.”

Sometimes the screaming in my head was so loud, a distraction was the only thing stopping me from completely losing it.

Even if his touch could turn my stomach.

It was cheaper than therapy, I supposed. Not that we actually had a counsellor in our small kingdom, despite how many of us clearly needed mental help.

Shanlir shook her head, sending her frill-tipped antennae swaying around her waved horns. Her glazed eyes turned knowing, and I finally noticed the staining along her lower lip. It looked like she’d snaffled a whole bushel of darkberries.

“Onto the strong stuff, I see.” I jerked my chin at the telltale darkness.

She grinned wide, showing off her elegant dagger-like teeth, perfect for tearing flesh. Subconsciously, my tongue ran over the two short fangs I possessed, crowded by flat human teeth.

“I’m sure your big brother won’t kick me out of his kingdom for having a little fun.” She reached out to twirl one of my red waves around her finger and give it a playful tug.

I couldn’t help a real smile. “No, I guess not. For all I tease him for acting like a boring old uncle, he’s actually pretty chill.”

The hybrid demon king had taken me in when I was fifteen, practically raising me even though he was barely five years olderthan me. I loved Rex like a real brother. He was protective and funny, and he cared about us outcasts more than anyone.

My happy thoughts of Rex soured. He and his new witch queen had almost died trying to rescue me from the human realm a couple of months ago.

Guilt ate through my stomach like acid, mixing with the alcohol already sloshing around in there.

“Hey now, turn that frown upside down,” Shanlir giggled, smushing my cheeks together with her hands. “You’ve been such a grump lately.”

Probably because I was drowning in nightmares and committing accidental murders.

I swatted her hands away with a snort.

Someone knocked into my back, spilling my drink onto the floorboards.

The dark liquid splashing across the floor was a caged demon’s blood gushing out as a madman sliced right through his throat. As I was forced to watch. Unable to help. Trapped in a cage of my own.

Knowing I was next.

A burst of laughter nearby yanked me back to the present, and I swallowed down the jagged memory before it could choke me.

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