Page 112 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
Kat took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and stared at the Bible on the bed. “I’ve never pushed my faith on you. I’d appreciate it if you respect that I have faith, even if you don’t.” She stood and faced him. “You need sleep. It’s been days, Nex.”
“You think I can sleep right now? Someone needs to do something more than pray to a being whoisn’t listening.”
“You don’t know that.” Kat’s hands fell to her sides. “You’re angry, and I understand why, but—”
“The being you’re praying to would’ve let you die! It’s their angels that are here.”
“The God I believe in is a God of love.” Kat clasped her hands. “Maybe I didn’t die because you were there. The timing worked out a little perfectly, don’t you think? If the demon killed me instead of throwing me off the bridge, you wouldn’t have gotten to me. If you’d come a few seconds later, I would’ve died. What was it that made Lucian suddenly aware of the angels’ presence so you could get to me in time?”
“How can you still be so fucking naïve?”
“Nex.” Kat covered her face with her hands. “I’m sorry everything’s a mess, and I’m sorry you’re scared, but how is getting upset with me going to help? Do you want me to sit by the windows and doors like you do, waiting for something bad to happen? How does that help?”
“How doesprayinghelp?”
“I don’t know. Except that I have faith.”
“Faith.” Nex’s laugh held no humor. “That’s certainly helped in your life so far.”
Kat’s face crumpled. “Don’t do this. Don’t fight with me and say mean things because you don’t know what else to do. Don’t push me away because you’re scared. Do you think pushing me away is going to make it hurt less if something happens?”
Nex ground his teeth. “It’s not anif. It’s awhen. Somethingisgoing to happen. Lilith doesn’t make empty threats.”
“Okay, somethingisgoing to happen.” Kat’s shoulders slumped under the weight of exhaustion. She didn’t know what to do, but she did know that she didn’t want her possibly last moments with Nex to be like this. “You can’t do anything. And neither can I. It’s out of our hands and getting upset—”
The doorbell chimed. Nex tensed and pulled her against him. A few seconds later, there was a knock. Kat tried to move, but Nex held her back. “No one comes in.”
“Nex.” Kat wiggled out of his hold. “If it was an angel or demon or someone here to hurt us, do you think they’dring the doorbell?”
“It could be a trap.”
“Can’t demons walk through walls? Uriel was strong enough to force the other demons to take a knee. Do you think us not answering the door is going to stop a supernatural being from getting in here?”
Nex opened his mouth to argue, but she was right. Though, it didn’t stop his suspicions of what was on the other side of the door. A knock echoed through the house, and Kat walked into the living room with Nex following close behind. She peeked out the peephole, and Nex set his hands on her hips in case he needed to pull her away.
“It’s a friend.” Kat glanced back at him. “Give me a minute, okay?”
“What? No.” His grip tightened. “Demons can take different forms in case you’ve forgotten the one who almost killed you.”
“My previous point stands. If it’s a demon, me not answering the door won’t stop anything from happening.”
Nex whimpered. “Katherine . . .”
Kat turned toward him. “We’ve been locked in this house forelevendays. I’ve called into work, missed church, haven’t spoken to anyone, and everyone is worried about us. And for what? If I’m a target, I’m a target.” She dropped her arms in defeat, not because she didn’t take it seriously, but because her reaction wouldn’t change the outcome. It would only make her miserable until it happened. “There’s nothing I can do about that. But I will not spend my last moments alive fighting and bickering with the man I love, isolating from the people I care about, and waiting to die.”
She slipped out the door, closing it behind her. Nex tensed and pressed his ear against the door. Muffled talking. No screams. Peeking through the peephole, he bristled. Kat was with a man as tall as Nex but admittedly more muscular. To make matters worse, they hugged. A long hug with no end. Jealousy bubbled in his chest.Who the fuck does he think he is?Nex twisted the doorknob at the same time Kat turned it to come inside.
She stepped in and gave him a small smile. “See? It was nothing.”
Bloodred irises replaced Nex’s usual amber. “Nothing?”
“What’s wrong?” She rubbed his bicep.
“Who was the man?”
“Outside?” She earned a curt nod from Nex. “Jeremiah.”
“That’sJeremiah? The one you mentioned about helping Bernice move the couch. The marine.”
