Page 15 of The Music Demon

“Yeah.” Lyric turned to Shivaun. “What do you mean?”

“He’s lyin’. I can tell,” she said, still staring at Gray.

“How?” Lyric asked.

“Yeah. How?” Gray added.

“Shut up,” Lyric snapped at Gray.

“Whoa,” Gray protested, pulling his chin in.

Shivaun shook her head ever so slightly. “I do no’ know. I can just tell.”

“Is this new?” Lyric demanded.

She bit her bottom lip as she appeared to be turning that over in her head. “Maybe. I think so.”

“You’d know if you had lie detecting ability. Right?” Lyric asked.

“Then I guess ‘tis new.” She shrugged.

With a proud smile, Lyric noted, “Your abilities are expanding.”

“What is going on?” Gray asked.

“Is your name Gray Darby or not?” Lyric demanded.

“YES!” Gray insisted.

Lyric looked at Shivaun. “You’re gonna need to work on that.”

“Unless…” Gray started.

The two demons looked his way and said in unison, “Unless what?”

“My given name is Dougray. Dougray Darby.” He turned a lopsided grin on Shy. “It’s Irish.” It was evident she wasn’t impressed. When there was no further response, he told Lyric, “I don’t even remember a time when people didn’t call me Gray.”

Shivaun nodded confirmation at Lyric. “Aye. Rings true.”

Lyric shot her an indulgent smirk. “Like I said, needs work.”

“Can we get back to the thing about me bein’ a project?” Gray said.

Lyric turned to Shivaun. “Honey. Can you get me a beer?”

“I have beer,” Gray began. “I can just…”

Shivaun held her hand up to quiet Gray at the same time she turned to Lyric with wide eyes. “CanI?”

Lyric crossed his arms over his chest which stretched the knit Henley tight over biceps and defined muscles in a mouth-watering way. He waited without saying anything. It was answer enough.

After a deep breath, she looked around, closed her eyes and said, “Lonestar.”

The demon was secretly pleased that she remembered the brand of beer he’d enjoyed at Wet Willie’s. He was even more pleased when his prize student produced an ice-cold long neck. Since she hadn’t expected to be successful, she was completely unprepared to find an ice cold slippery beer bottle slipping from the grasp she’d never had. Luckily her innate athleticism coupled with demon-quick reflexes helped her catch it before it hit the ground.

Lyric grinned.

Shivaun practically shrieked with excitement.

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