Page 50 of Demon Queen
“Asking questions always hurts people. Don’t you know anything? No, you don’t. Heaven is a land of immortals who never die, never sleep, just live on in one long miserable state of boredom. The only thing other than boredom is the Queen’s wrath. Boredom, as horrible as it is, beats the Queen’s wrath, because then you’re in pain, but also still bored.”
“That makes no sense. I’d never be bored. There are an infinite ways to decorate a candy store. People have things to do with their lives, however long they are.”
“Sure, like how the Mad Hatter loves to make his hats. And put them on people, and then remove the hats along with the heads. He’s great fun.”
“Well, if it didn’t actually kill you to have your head removed, it probably wouldn’t bother you too much. Just a slight trauma.”
“Stupid, stupid,” Wilkie said, knocking over my mini monster with a swish of his tail.
“My queen is never stupid,” Dorian said from the top of the steps, standing there like he was looking over his kingdom. Yes, I’d have him do it just like that, wings spread, looking like a drama king. Drama king, demon king, what was the difference?
“I’m glad you think that, because the things I’m going to dress you in may strike you as slightly idiotic. There may be tights.” I gave him a wide smile and batted my lashes up at him.
He smiled in return and then launched over the balcony, swooping down to land gracefully beside me. He bent and helped me to my feet. “And yet I remain resolute. My queen is never stupid.” He nudged Wilkie with his tail. “Try to remember respect. One wouldn’t want to lose one’s wings just when they were starting to be useful.” He refocused on me, eyes soulful and magnetic. “You’ve been working too hard. Would you like to play with me?”
I glanced at Wilkie because this wasn’t a conversation I wanted my young demon child to hear. I’d woken up with him in bed with me, but he hadn’t ever pushed me for anything more. Also, how could I think about letting him under my skin when he might leave me the second he found out I was an angel?
Dorian laughed and kissed my hand, sending a shaft of happiness through me. “Baseball, my heart. Let’s go to the baseball game. There will be hot dogs.”
“Dogs?” Wilkie said, looking interested. “They throw dogs?”
“They eat dogs, but only hot ones. We can all go together.” Dorian grabbed Wilkie around the shoulders, one enormously terrifying demon to another.
Wilkie blinked at me with big eyes, uncertain what was going on there. Me too, but like I’d turn down a family outing, even if I was the only one who knew that’s what it was.
“Could we?” A bright bubble of hope welled up in my chest as I gazed at Dorian.
He nodded, glance falling to my lips for a moment.
And that’s how we came to be sitting in the stands above the baseball game, in the good seats.
“Wasn’t there a zombies vs. vampires war here?” Mixl asked, peering at the baseball diamond before turning to look at me. “I’m pretty sure that’s what Straldi said. Why isn’t he or Regis sitting with us? Isn’t Regis supposed to be your bodyguard? It’s not good that he’s five rows back.”
Dorian took my hand, sliding his fingers over mine. “You don’t think you can be an effective bodyguard for our queen?”
Mixl rolled his eyes and shifted, leaning over to see the dugouts. “Against humans, sure, but that isn’t what keeps you working so hard. A demon court in this world? It’s ridiculous, and yet here we are. The Queen isn’t going to let that go. She’ll challenge you, steal your soft human, and eradicate everyone that trusts you. You should go home where it’s safe.”
Wilkie sounded terrifyingly confident in the abilities of the Zombie Queen.
Dorian laughed, rubbing my shoulder and tugging me until I was against his side. Strong, warm, safe. “Paranoia is the hallmark of an excellent bodyguard. The rest will come in time. Watch the game. We’re going to play catch afterwards.”
Wilkie shot him a look like you’d give a psychopath, but Dorian only stroked the back of my hand with his thumb.
It was basically the best day of my life. The weather was perfect. Wilkie eventually got into the play and started yelling at the players for being so slow. Every once in awhile Dorian would explain a rule or two while I beamed at him and soaked up the beautiful life I’d stumbled into. Family. Dorian was trying to give me the normal family existence, because I’d always said that’s what I’d wanted.
If I really was a demon-angel, normal hadn’t ever been in the cards for me. This felt so right, surrounded by my demons, Regis a few rows back, all of us eating more hot dogs than was humanly possible while the sun soaked into my skin, but not warming as much as the demons beside me.
It was dark when the game ended and we left along with the throngs of people, spilling out of the stadium and into the streets towards our car. Wilkie jabbered about the game, reciting every play like it might be life or death later. He was so cute. I beamed up at Dorian who gave me a slow smile. Everything was just perfect.
We were a block from the car when the shadows came alive, and then a rotting creature with fetid breath lurched in front of me, grabbing my arm and ripped my red cardigan.
Zombies weren’t real. Someone must have dressed up like a… Dorian slashed the zombie’s head off with one hand, sending it rolling down the street away from us while Wilkie shoved his clawed hand into his chest and yanked out a crystalline heart.
Oh. Right. Zombies were real. Really real. And we were in the middle of a literal horde. Although what was the specific definition of a horde? Was there a numerical amount, or did it just translate to—A dozen zombies attacked at once, and Wilkie pulled me back and spun me behind him so I was pinned between him and Dorian.
“And the batter’s at the base. His current record is…” He was still talking, reciting the game while he danced with thedemons. He was fast, graceful, and never hesitated even when one of them kind of exploded yuck all over me. A deluge of yuck. I was burning my sweater. And my hair. It got in my mouth. I sputtered and spat while Wilkie and Dorian continued their fighting.
There were so many of them. The darkness seethed as far as I could see. How could we not get swept under the undead rotting tide?
