Page 27 of Taken to the Deadlands

She looked over her shoulder at me. From the expression on her face, I wasn’t sure if she would, but she surprised me by nodding and turning back.

“I can smell your fear.” She closed the door and came to stand at the foot of my bed. I gripped my night slip nervously.

“Sorry,” I murmured. “I’ll try to turn it down.”

“No.” There was a slight growl in that word. “It’s not that it’s feeding my frenzy. It’s uncomfortable in a different way. I don’t like you to feel this way.”

Oh god, please don’t say things like that.

Things that made me like a demon far more than I should. I already felt bad enough for everything she had gone through, and now this?

I shouldn't feel like this about her. I shouldn't feel bad for a creature who could tear my kind apart with her teeth. I shouldn't feel bad for the demon who almost did the same to me.

But as I sat there, crisscrossed on my bed while she stood, her eyebrows pulled together tightly and a frown on her face, I couldn't help the emotions that swirled inside me.

“Talk about something,” I all but begged. Trying to distract myself from her. Trying to stop my eyes from moving to her chest again.

She seemed to have no qualms about her nudity, but it was making my stomach warm.

Another emotion I couldn’t chance.

“What do you want me to talk about?” she asked. When she cocked her head to the side, her long hair fell off her shoulder.

She usually kept it braided back and out of her face. This was the first time I was seeing it down.

“Her,” I forced out, even though I wanted nothing to do with the other human that took up space in her mind. “Tell me about the human you want to contact. Maybe if it is her, I can use the connection.”

Lie. Lie. Lie.

But it was what I needed. A reminder of why I was here. It made me feel like a completely shitty person, but that was the point. So that I wouldn’t let my mind go wild with thoughts of Aris.

"I'd rather talk about your payment instead," she said, her frown deepening.

“You’d treated me well enough,” I replied. “And if you want me to get this done, I need you to tell me more about her.”

She shook her head.

“I have treated you as I would any other human, but that doesn’t change the fact that what you are helping me with is something worthy of payment.”

“I told you I don’t need it.” I forced out a sigh. “You’ve been very good to me. Taken me out, given me delicious food, even clothes! I literally could not ask for a better demon.”

“You could,” she said, her voice filling with venom. “You could ask for a demon who wouldn’t hold you hostage. For a demon who would save you. Save your human friends. Just because I am treating you as a guest and not a pet doesn’t mean you should get complacent.”

Yeah, it would be fucking nice if you just let me go. But I'm also lying about seeing your ghost girlfriend, so I’m not one to talk here.

I knew there was something hidden in those words. Something about how much she loathed herself, but I didn’t let myself dwell on it. I couldn’t. Because if I did, I might never get out of here. And in order to convince her I was the real deal, I needed to know about this goddamn human.

If we were in the human world, I would have gone on social media. Stalked her a bit. Googled her. Tried to piece her life together.

But in this realm, I had to rely on Aris. And she wasn’t giving me nearly enough for me to sell it.

“Fine. I’ll let you know when I think of some kind of payment." I offered her a smile. “Buttruly, it would help me if you told me more about her."

She let out a huff and crossed her arms over her chest, slightly covering her self.

"You can't just see her walking around or something?" Aris asked.

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

---