Page 50 of I Summoned A Demon For A Date?!
We sat in comfortable silence after that, watching the sunlight dance across the water's surface, our legs gently swaying beneath the surface. The world felt simpler here, suspended in this quiet moment where nothing existed beyond the two of us and the warmth of the sun on our skin.
"Do you regret it?" I asked suddenly, needing to know. "Any of it?"
Aldaine's gaze when he turned to me was steady and sure. "Not for a moment. Whatever complications arise, whatever explanations I owe you, the only thing I regret is not being honest from the beginning."
I leaned against his shoulder, the solid warmth of him reassuring. "We'll figure it out."
His arm slipped around my waist, drawing me closer. "Together," he promised.
For the first time since I'd summoned him from that dusty old book, I felt truly at peace. Whatever supernatural bond existed between us, whatever it meant for my future, I wasn't facing it alone. And after a lifetime of feeling like an outsider in my own family, that certainty was more precious than any guarantee.
He was my home.
The moment of contentment was shattered at the sound of heels clicking sharply against the concrete pool deck.
"Well, isn't this cozy?"
I tensed, recognizing Stephany's voice before I even looked up. She stood a few yards away, arms crossed over her chest, her expression a mixture of contempt and something darker, more calculated.
"What do you want, Stephany?" I asked, not bothering to hide the weariness in my tone. After the emotional roller coaster of the morning, I had zero patience for whatever barbs she'd come to throw.
Her perfectly painted lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Just checking on my dear stepsister. Making sure you're not causing trouble before my big day."
Aldaine's arm tightened almost imperceptibly around my waist. "I believe the only one looking for trouble is you," he spoke mildly, though I felt the tension radiating through him.
Stephany's gaze shifted to him, her eyes narrowing. "Yes, about you," Her smile widened, turning predatory. "I know what you did, Rosie."
My stomach dropped. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, please." She waved a dismissive hand. "Drop the innocent act. I know exactly what you did. How desperate do you have to be to actually summon a demon just to make me jealous?"
The blood drained from my face. How could she possibly know? I'd been careful, had kept the book hidden, had performed the ritual in private.
Beside me, Aldaine stood in one fluid motion, water droplets cascading from his feet as he positioned himself slightly in front of me. His posture was casual, but I recognized the coiled tension in his body, a predator ready to strike.
"I don't know what fantasy you've concocted, but it sounds like you might need professional help if you're seeing demons where there are none."
Stephany's laugh was sharp, cutting. "Nice try. But I have proof."
"And what proof would that be?" Aldaine's voice remained calm, but I could hear the dangerous edge beneath the words.
Instead of answering, Stephany smiled and snapped her fingers, the sound cracking like a whip in the still air.
The space beside her shimmered, reality seeming to bend and warp before my eyes. Then, with a sound like fabric tearing, a figure materialized at her side.
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. Where moments before there had been empty space, now stood a creature from nightmares. Taller than any human, with skin the color of midnight and eyes that glowed like embers. Two massive horns curved from its forehead, and when it smiled, rows of needle-sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight.
"Rosie Thompson," the demon rumbled, its voice like stones grinding together, "what a pleasure to finally show you my true form. Aldaine has been keeping you all to himself."
Aldaine's posture changed instantly, his casual stance giving way to something predatory and unmistakably inhuman despite his human appearance. The temperature around us seemed to drop several degrees.
"Blackwood," he snarled, and the name sounded like a curse. "What are you doing here?"
Chapter Twenty-Two
CHAPTER 22: ROSIE
My feet were still dripping pool water as I scrambled to stand beside Aldaine, my heart hammering against my ribs. The demon, Blackwood, towered over us both, his midnight skin seeming to absorb the sunlight around him. Unlike Aldaine's magenta coloring in his demon form, Blackwood was like a void given shape, darkness made flesh.
