Page 18 of A Beginner's Guide to Demonic Possessions
“Yes, I’m fully aware,” Paz snapped. “I’ve listened to quite a bit of screaming over the centuries. Trent is a lovely host, however, and I’d really like him back. Now.”
“Yup. Ready to go back. I’m not feeling this whole astral plane thing, so maybe you can put me back in my body,” Trent agreed. “And I’m totally demanding to drink all of the coffee after this shit,” he added.
“He lets you control your body?” Cassius asked, and the look of surprise on his face seemed out of context considering a demonic possession and astral version of Trent hadnotsurprised him.
Trent just couldn’t help the blush that overcame him, because of course controlling his body made him think about last night. It was also very weird that he could feel the heat flooding his face even though he wasn’t really there or whatever.
“Interesting…” Cassius mused, looking back and forth between them.
Trent was beginning to think Cassius had a one word vocabulary. He was about to snap at the guy when he grabbed Paz’s wrist and then grabbed Trent’s wrist (which was also super weird, because Trent kinda didn’t have an actual physical wrist), and then he pushed his hands together, and Trent was moving again even though he wasn’t, and then he was staring out of hisown body once more. He tried to look down and couldn’t, and he sighed in relief.
“Trent, you’re back?” Paz asked.
Yup. All good. That was weird as fuck though. And I wanna taste all the coffee AND the muffin after having to be on the astral plane or whatever. That was not an appropriate early morning activity, Trent complained.
Paz chuckled. “Yes. All the coffee and the muffin. We’ll even sit and eat it so you can recover.”
I don’t know. This guy might try something again, Trent muttered.
Paz looked at Cassius, who was staring at them like they were bugs under a microscope.
“Very interesting…” he muttered. Then he reached out, touched… something? And Trent felt a faint tug somewhere inside him.
“Stop that!” Paz said, swatting his hand away. Although he hadn’t touched their body, Paz must have felt something too.
Cassius smiled then, looking quite pleased.
I’m sort of worried by that look, Trent grumbled.
“I’m sure it’s fine and the nice astral plane walker here will give us our coffee and muffin. On the house even, I bet, for the inconvenience,” Paz replied, staring at Cassius.
Cassius just smiled even more broadly, then laughed. “Yes, you can have them on the house, and you can sit and enjoy them, and I promise I won’t bother either of you.”
He cheerily went behind the counter to finish making the coffee, and he even hummed a bit while he did that and grabbed their muffin. When he came over with both, he was again smiling happily at them.
He’s creeping me out, Trent mumbled.
“He’s probably just a morning person,” Paz answered, but he seemed a little unsure as well when he took the coffee and muffin.
Cassius just laughed at them. “You two… Well, I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised. It’s quite the trend lately. I’ll look forward to seeing more of you guys!” he beamed.
“Or maybe he’s just weird,” Paz whispered as he turned away to bring their drink and muffin to a table.
Cassius clearly heard them, however, since he just laughed before walking over to unlock the door, where a man was repeatedly trying to open it even though it was locked.
All the coffee and muffin, Trent reminded Paz, and then Paz was lifting the cup, and the sweet, chocolatey, peppermint flavor was filling his mouth, and he moaned in enjoyment.
They sat at a table, and Paz did let him have all the coffee and muffin, despite Trent urging him to have a little taste for himself. Cassius greeted all his customers but ignored them, which Trent was quite happy with. The guy occasionally did something weird, like whispering to empty air, saying something odd to a customer, or looking off into the distance and nodding, but Trent and Paz mainly ignored that, because obviously the guy was some kind of… Trent didn’t even know what.
They sat and people-watched and enjoyed their drink and muffin, and they had that nice kind of quiet, like they were just comfortable with each other.
Trent realized how happy he was. He was thankful he’d summoned Paz and not some other demon. He’d really lucked out, because he really did like Paz.
Chapter
Eleven
PAZ’S IDEA OF FUN
