Page 105 of Demons In My Head: Exposing the Exiled
Chapter twenty-four
Palmer
Idrifted back to consciousness slowly, like swimming up through dark water. The first thing I noticed was warmth surrounding me—not oppressive heat, but a gentle cocoon of comfort. I sensed Jasper curled protectively around me, his presence more solid than I’d felt, aside from when we bonded.
My eyes fluttered open to find a fluffy tail sprawled across my face. I smiled, gently removing Snake’s tail, trying not to wake him. That was pointless. The little creature jumped to attention the moment I moved my hand, sticking his little nose against mine.
“Hi, baby boy,” I whispered to my familiar. He nuzzled against me, sending the tightest of nudge hugs to my brain as he could. I scratched his tiny head, on the furry side, and his little eyes fluttered in ecstasy.
Felix was slumped in a chair beside the bed, his hands loose in his lap, dark hair falling across his face. On the floor, Talon was sprawled out like a giant ginger starfish, snoring softly. The sight of them all there, watching over me, created a lump in my throat I had to swallow past.
"Welcome back," Jasper whispered, his voice sounding stronger, more real, making my skin tingle.
"How long was I out?" My voice was rough from disuse.
"Just over twenty-four hours." His fingers brushed my hair back from my face. "You needed the rest after what you did."
What I did. The memories hit me like a freight train. Asrael's smug face as he possessed Scorpio's body, the way he'd tried to manipulate me one last time, the vengeful spirits that had torn his soul apart. My parents...
"Fuck," I breathed, pressing my palms against my eyes. "It really happened."
"All of it," Jasper confirmed. "You ended him, Palmer. He can't hurt anyone else ever again."
I let that sink in. The man who'd raised me, trained me, was gone. The betrayal still stung, but there was a hollow sort of victory in knowing I'd turned everything he taught me against him in the end.
"The veil," I murmured, remembering the way it had responded to me, alive and vengeful. "I've never felt anything like that before. It was like..."
"Like it recognized you," Jasper finished. "You're stronger than any of us realized—thanherealized."
Movement caught my eye as Felix stirred, blinking at me. A slow smile spread across his face when he saw I was awake. "There's our warrior witch."
"Some warrior," I snorted. "I passed out for a day."
"After absolutely demolishing one of the most powerful demon lords in existence," Felix pointed out. He stretched, his shirt riding up to reveal a strip of skin that I definitely didn't stare at. "I'd say you earned the nap."
On the floor, Talon let out a particularly loud snore and rolled over, mumbling something about pancakes. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up, though it made my head spin a little.
"The others will want to know you're awake," Felix said, pulling out his phone. "We've all been taking shifts watching over you."
My heart did a weird flip. "All of you?"
"Of course all of us," Jasper said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're ours now, remember?"
The possessive note in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. There was still so much to figure out: this thing between all of us, my new powers, what happened next. But for now, I was content to lie there in this cocoon of safety with my squirrel, my ghost, my artist, and my sleeping chaos demon.
"I remember," I said softly, reaching for Felix's hand while staying pressed against Jasper. "Though someone might want to wake Talon before he starts sleep-fighting again."
Felix grinned wickedly. "Oh no, let him. Last time he tried to roundhouse kick Rhodes and ended up face-planting into a wall. It was beautiful."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile. These ridiculous, powerful, protective demons were mine. And for the first time since I could remember, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Now, if we could just get Talon to stop snoring...
The door burst open with enough force to startle Talon awake, sending him scrambling to his feet in a defensive crouch. I couldn't help but laugh at his wild-eyed confusion, though the sound died in my throat when I saw who had arrived.
Misha's massive frame filled the doorway first, a glass of ice water clutched carefully in his huge hand. Behind him, Rhodes and Ashland crowded in, their faces a mix of relief and concern. My heart did that weird flutter thing again.
"Here," Misha said, his deep voice soft as he approached. He helped me sit up, one hand spanning my entire back while theother offered the water. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until that first cold sip hit my tongue.
