Page 106 of Demons In My Head: Exposing the Exiled
"Slowly," he cautioned when I tried to gulp it down. His quiet authority made me shiver, remembering all the times he'd taken care of me before. Before everything went to shit with Scorpio and Asrael.
"How are you feeling?" Ashland asked, settling on the edge of the bed. His ice-blue eyes studied me intently, like he could diagnose any lingering issues just by looking.
I considered the question while finishing my water. "Like I went ten rounds with a demon lord and then slept for a day straight." My attempt at humor earned me five very unamused looks. "I'm okay, really. Just... processing."
"Your power levels are still elevated," Rhodes observed, his analytical mind clearly working overtime. "The veil energy hasn't fully dissipated yet."
"Is that bad?" I asked, suddenly worried. The last thing I needed was some kind of magical hangover.
"No," Jasper answered, his form shimmering slightly as he adjusted his position beside me. "It means you're adapting. Growing stronger."
"Speaking of stronger," Misha rumbled, taking the empty glass from my hands. "You need to eat something."
As if on cue, my stomach growled loudly. I felt my face heat up as several amused smirks appeared around the room. "Okay, yes, food would be good. But first..." I swung my legs over the side of the bed, determined to stand up.
Five pairs of hands reached for me at once. "Whoa there, little witch," Felix cautioned, but I waved them all off.
"I need to pee," I announced bluntly. "And I can manage that on my own, thank you very much."
They reluctantly gave me space, though I could feel their tension as I stood. My legs were a bit shaky, but I made it to thebathroom without incident. When I caught my reflection in the mirror, I had to do a double-take. My eyes seemed to glow with residual power, tiny threads of silver swimming in the purple. My dark hair was a mess, but my skin looked... luminous? Like I was giving off a subtle light.
When I emerged, they were all exactly where I'd left them, watching me like I might disappear if they blinked. "Okay, mother hens," I sighed, though secretly their protectiveness made me feel warm inside. "What's for breakfast? Or dinner? What time is it anyway?"
"Just past midnight," Talon supplied helpfully. "So technically breakfast."
"Perfect," I said, heading for the door. "Because I distinctly remember hearing you mumble something about pancakes earlier, and now I can't think about anything else."
Their laughter followed me down the hall, along with their footsteps as they all moved to escort me to the kitchen. I might have rolled my eyes at their hovering, but truthfully? After everything that had happened, having them all there, solid and real andmine, felt exactly right.
Even if they were being ridiculous about it.
The kitchen in Haunt's underground maze looked different now—less threatening, more like home. I perched on a stool at the center island while Talon worked his magic at the stove, humming some song I didn't recognize. The others arranged themselves around me like protective sentinels, though they tried to act casual about it.
"So," I began, watching Talon flip a perfectly golden pancake. "Are we going to talk about the fact that I can apparently command armies of vengeful spirits now? Because that seems like something we should discuss."
Rhodes cleared his throat. "Your power has evolved beyond anything we've seen before. The way you manipulated the veil..."
"It was fucking hot," Talon interjected, earning him several eye rolls.
"It was dangerous," Ashland corrected, but his ice-blue eyes held a hint of pride when they met mine. "You could have been lost to the void."
I shrugged, trying to ignore how his concern made my chest tight. "Better me than letting Asrael continue torturing souls. Speaking of which..." I turned to Jasper, who had materialized beside me. "You're different now. More solid."
"A side effect of your connection to the veil," Rhodes explained, his scholarly tone barely masking his excitement. "I think it has to do with the fact that you two are mate bonded, it makes it easier for him to use that connection to stay solid."
"Which means?" I prompted, already suspecting the answer but needing to hear it.
"Which means," Jasper said softly, his hand ghosting over mine, "that I might not have to be just a spirit much longer."
The implications of that hit me like a punch to the gut. Before I could process it, Talon dropped a massive stack of pancakes in front of me, drowning in syrup and butter. I opened my mouth to say something, I wasn’t even sure what, when Misha grumbled, shaking his head no.
"Eat first, plot resurrection later," Misha ordered, always the one most concerned about me eating.
I didn't need to be told twice. The first bite made me groan embarrassingly loud—when was the last time I'd actually eaten? The demons exchanged knowing looks while I devoured half the stack.
"What about Scorpio's body?" I asked between bites, because apparently I had no sense of appropriate dinner conversation. "After Asrael's spirit was destroyed..."
"Taken care of," Misha rumbled from where he leaned against the counter.
