Page 19 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
Kat took a deep breath and removed her spinach from the fridge. Nex meant to speak again, but there was ascratchat the back door. The noise pulled a smile out of Kat, and she grabbed dog treats off the top of the fridge. Opening the back door, she found two German shepherds.
“You have dogs?” Nex asked.
“No.” Kat gave them each a treat. “They escape my neighbor’s yard. He’ll be here in a couple of hours to get them. He knows they always come to me.” She scratched the smaller one, Billie’s, ears. “I missed you, puppies.”
Nex snorted, and Kat looked back at him questioningly. He continued laughing an exasperated sort of laugh, shaking his head.
Kat stood. “What’s so funny?”
“Your life. I mean, you don’t even have your own dogs. You borrow someone else’s. It’s incredibly pathetic. You do realize how pathetic it is, don’t you?”
Kat inhaled sharply, her eyes stinging.
“Your life is pitiful. You live alone, have no friends, go to church to fight off loneliness, leap at the chance to date a douchebag, let the first person who touches you leave you a needy mess and drunkenly asking for more,andyou have treats for someone else’s pets.” He cackled. “Fucking wretched, kitten. I’d be horribly depressed if I lived like you.”
Never one for violence—unless in self-defense—or cursing, Kat’s smack across his face was uncharacteristic. “Youasshole.”
The slap snapped Nex out of it, and he finally noticed her wet eyes.
“That’s it.” She stalked out the front door.
Nex shook off the sting of her slap.Idiot.Outside, he caught up, but she didn’t look at him. “I’m sorry, kitten. I didn’t mean that. I had a shitty day, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”
The only evidence Kat had noticed his presence was that she walked faster, feet stomping on the sidewalk.
Several people on the street cast glances their way while Nex tried again. “Come on. Let me make it up to you. I’ll cook a great dinner.” He matched her pace. “A great,healthydinner.”
Silent, she rounded a corner.
“Katherine, come on.” Nex moved in front of her, but it was as if she didn’t see him. “I’m sorry. I am. Let me fix it.” Unable to take her ignoring him, he grabbed her arm, but she jerked free.
After wiping tears, she turned to face him with a glare that made him step back. “I’ve tried to be nice about this because you’re right. By some freakish accident, it’s my fault you’re here. I’m trying to help the nice way, but it’s abundantly clear the nice way isn’t going to work because you’re a demon, and you’recruel. I’m not playing nice anymore. You crossed the line.”
“I don’t know what that means, but whatever makes you stop crying.” Nex reached for her cheek, where more tears streamed.
Kat smacked his hand away and stepped back.
He followed, but it was as if he stepped into a wall. He frowned and tried again, then realized where they were. “Fuck,” he spat, sneering at the church. “Don’t hide. You can’t stay in there forever. Work this out with me, kitten. I promise I’ll be better.”
Kat shook her head. “I’m getting you out of my life once and for all.” She turned and marched toward the church.
He muttered increasingly creative curses the closer she got to the entrance. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but I doubt it’ll work,” he called. “Come home with me, Katherine. I’ll be nice.”
The church’s heavy wooden doors closed behind her with athud.
Nex scowled and tried again to get through the invisible shield, but it didn’t work. “Fucking holy ground.”
All attempts to find a way around the barrier failed, so he returned to Kat’s, pacing in the kitchen. Hoping she wouldn’t be as angry when she returned, he tried to make himself useful by cleaning. However, she was so neat there wasn’t anything to clean. Making dinner was his next idea.
He was turning on the stove when Lucian appeared out of thin air.
Lucian’s nearly white hair hung past his shoulders, his eyes a pale pink, and his posture rigid. “You’re still here.” Lucian’s gaze swept over the house. “The human won’t budge?”
Lucian was a demon who frequently moved between realms like Nex used to. If it weren’t for Kat summoning Nex and catching him in a blood bond, he’d be able to leave easily, but now he couldn’t until his purpose was served.
“No. She’s still trying to find ways around it.”
“Have you thought any more about my suggestion?”
