Page 46 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
Flying
Withthelastbookshelfin the store dusted, Kat glanced at the clock on the back wall, counting down the seconds until closing. Gusts of strong winds and colder weather made the day pass slower. That, and it was Monday. Mondays were always slow, which was why she resorted to dusting. There wasn’t much else to do.
The bell over the front door chimed, and Kat strode to the end of the bookshelf to greet the customer. “Welcome to Connie’s. How can I—” She glanced around, but no one was there.
It wasn’t a big store, so it wasn’t as if there were a lot of places for someone to hide. Kat walked to the front, checking the empty aisles on her way.Didn’t the bell go off?She searched the store one last time. Completely quiet.
“Excuse me,” someone said from behind her.
Kat jumped and spun, knocking into a display she’d arranged earlier. Embarrassment burned her cheeks as books toppled to the floor. Kat brought her gaze to the culprit—a tall, beautiful woman with black hair and eyes so dark Kat wondered if they were black.
“Sorry, sweetness.” The woman’s voice was smooth, and she had a wide smile on her face. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No apology necessary.” Kat put on her friendly employee face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Crouching down, she gathered the fallen books. “How can I help you?”
“Where’s your romance section?” Her eyes swept Kat’s body. “Preferably the erotic titles.”
Kat let hair fall in her face, hiding the blush that intensified under the woman’s scrutiny. “Um, yes, we have those in the romance section.” She stood and returned the books to the display. “Is there a specific author you’re looking for?”
The woman’s eyes fixed on Kat like she was committing every small movement to memory. “Whatever you recommend, sweetness.”
Despite how uncomfortable the woman made her, Kat mustered her best smile. “Okay.”
Kat led her to the romance section and pointed out the books. Intending to leave the customer alone to browse, Kat turned away, but the woman grabbed her hand. The action sent a strange, unsettling sensation through Kat, and she jerked back, but the woman didn’t release her.
The customer smiled, taking her time letting go. “Thank you, sweetness.”
Kat nodded and hurried away, wiping her hand against her dress in the hopes it would erase the peculiar sensation. The woman still stared, so Kat retreated behind the safety of the counter. While the stranger was odd, Kat wasn’t surprised. The bookstore was downtown, and it wasn’t the first time she’d encountered an unusual person. This stranger wasn’t as bad as the man who claimed to be some king who required many young wives and graciously chose Kat as one. Thank God for the alarm button Connie, Kat’s boss, installed.
Holding her phone below the counter, Kat read a text from Nex. After Jason, Nex decided she needed a way to contact him if they dared bother her again. He’d obtained a human phone. Kat wasn’t sure why it was necessary because he’d hardly left her side.
Nex: I’m caught up with Lucian. I’ll be late. Don’t walk without me.
Kat rolled her eyes, typing a response. He wasn’t keen on her going anywhere without him for the past two weeks, though she wasn’t as depressed as at first. She wasn’t sure how to take his sudden intense protectiveness. It would be a lie to say she didn’t like the way he spent time with her and checked in when he wasn’t around. But she didn’t want to be a burden, especially given the fact she hadn’t found him a way home.
Kat: I’m used to walking alone. Don’t worry about me.
The bell chimed again. Kat’s head snapped up, and she frowned. Outside, the woman passed the window. The stranger gave her a small wave and smiled before passing out of view.
Guess we didn’t have what she wanted. Kat’s phone vibrated.
Nex: Do not walk without me, Katherine.
Without responding, Kat slid her phone into her pocket. Nex was demanding, and the best way to handle it was by ignoring him. Eventually, he’d learn she wouldn’t do something simply because he told her to.
The clock’s hands finally moved to closing time. Kat had already cleaned everything and shut the register in preparation. She slipped on her coat, grabbed her bag, and slung it over her shoulder before setting the alarm.
Two blocks down the street, Nex materialized at her side. “Which part of donotwalk without me did you not understand?”
“Oh my God.” Kat’s hand flew to her chest. “Seriously, stop just appearing. What if someone saw you?”
“On this incredibly busy street?” He gestured to the deserted street. “The only people out at this hour on this street,after dark,might I add,” he narrowed his eyes, “are drug addicts, and they don’t know what the fuck they see or don’t see.”
Kat sighed and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, continuing into a less friendly part of downtown. Lights flickered, only some of the broken windows were boarded, and the ground was littered with trash.
Nex kept stride beside her, his gaze surveying the run-down section of the city. “Please tell me you don’t do this regularly.” He made a face at an alleyway full of people unconscious from their vices of the day. “This is dangerous. Do you have any sense of self-preservation?”
“I’m not going to get hurt.”
