Rick says we don’t have to answer the call of all the dying people that we hear in our minds, but it does sit well with “The Boss” to be a good little solider—like I’ve ever been good at that. An eternity is a long time to do the same job.
I instantly wonder about Stew, and how he’s doing after everything. Without thinking, I head around back. The round moon shines proudly, lighting up my back yard like a spotlight, and allowing me to see Stew lying out in his hammock across the fence—the place I first saw him at the beginning of summer.
When he sees me trudging up my back porch steps, he rises up and gives me a little wave.
I smile and I wave back. That must be enough to invite him over, because his feet swing out, and he starts toward me.
“Hey,” Stew says.
I give him a fleeting smile. “Hi.”
He runs his fingers through his hair as he looks away from me. “How’s Rick?”
“He’s okay. The wound healed up before the squad even made it there to pick up my mother, so now he’s perfect.”
He nods. “That’s good. Demon powers are crazy, right?”
“Yeah, they’re pretty screwed up.” My body grows cold as I think about all the trouble demon shit has caused me over the past couple of days. I even killed someone I knew in order to save my own skin which ended up not mattering anyway, because in the end I still became a fucking demon. A single tear slips from my eye and I quickly bat it away.
Stew reaches out to touch my face, but it just feels wrong and foreign to have his touch now. The connection I used to feel towards him is gone. Maybe Rick was right, all we ever really had was his demon side seeking out my soul.
I step back. “I’m sorry. I’m with Rick now.”
His brow creases and he draws his lips in tight. “But I love you, Nat.”
Taking another step away from him, I wipe a tear away from my eyes. “Are you sure? Our connection doesn’t feel as strong anymore.”
He nods. “Just because the pull is gone doesn’t mean I don’t still have feelings for you.”
I turn to dash in the house before I say or do something that will betray Rick.
“Nat, I’m leaving tomorrow.” He says behind me and I freeze. “My dad, he finally broke down and told me the truth about what I am.”
I whip around. “He knows you’re part demon?”
Stew frowns, practically making his dimples disappear. “Yeah, he does.”
“How would he know that?”
“Because my mother was a demon. Dad said Mom never died either. He told me that was a lie that he had to tell everyone because she had to leave. She didn’t want to put me in danger.”
I gasp. “She’s alive?”
“Yes.”
I tilt my head to the side. “What kind of danger?”
His gray eyes meet mine. “If I’m a around demonic energy, I become a monster myself. Mom left so I could have a normal human life”
That’s how he never knew what he was. “So being around me and Rick…”
He nods. “Turns me evil, which is why now that I know what I am, I’m going to find my mother. I’ve been without her long enough. And I was hoping you’ll come with me.”
I frown. “I hope you find her, Stew, but I can’t go with you.”
Not wanting to wound him any deeper with a detailed explanation on how I may not fully be in love with him anymore, I turn around and head for the house.
I belong with Rick—the love of my past life. Somehow I can just feel that he’s who I’m supposed to be with.
Rick says with time, I’ll get the memories of my past life back. According to him, it’ll be gradual, with certain things triggering a memory—like a person with amnesia. It’d be nice to know what kind of love we shared before, but from the look on my face in that picture, we were happy, and I would give anything to feel that free again.
My future as a demon isn’t really clear. I mean, Rick said he would explain things in time and he’ll always be by my side, but it looks like I’ll have a lot of rules to learn about the soul collection game. Stealing souls for the devil was never part of my plan, but somehow I have to learn how to make this work.
This is going to be a hell of a year.
Acknowledgements
With every book I write I meet more and more amazing people. Thank you, dear reader, for embracing this book and giving an underdog Indie author like me a chance to entertain you with the crazy stories that spill out of my brain. I appreciate every single one of you from the bottom of my heart.
Next comes some of the best writing pals I comes my writing partners. I couldn’t have a better support system even if I wished for one with a magically granted wish. Emily Snow and Kellie Maine have been by my side through thick and thin and I am thankful each and every day that I have you two to lean on!
Katie Ashley has always assisted me in editing all my novels to this point, so I want to thank you for reading twenty thousand versions of this book and not complaining. You’re edits are amazing.
Kristen Proby, you make me laugh on a daily basis. Thank you for brightening my days with your wicked sense of humor.
To romance blogging community. Thanks to you all Google can now find my books. ;) Thank you for always supporting me. I would name all of you, but that would take up most of the page, just know if you are reading this that I have much love for you and want to thank you for all the pimpage you do for me and my novels. They would seriously never be read if it weren’t for you guys. Keep doing what you’re doing. Us authors need you.
Christine Bezdenejnih Estevez thank you for EVERYTHING. Thank you for organizing the book tour for this novel. I know it takes a ton of time to do that and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the work you’ve put in. Thank you for your keen eye and helping me catch all those pesky werid/inccorect words. You rock so much!
Holly Malgieri thank you for your words of encouragement when I’m down in the dumps. I couldn’t ask for a better cheerleader!
My beautiful ladies in the Rock the Heart Discussion Group, you all rock so much it isn’t even funny. Thank you for the laughs.
Jennifer Wolfel Thank you for helping me out with this novel. I know beta reading takes time, so thank you for helping me out and making this book better.
Nikki Sparks and Nichele Reese, what can I say but thank you for reading the rough draft of this book and cheering me on to publish it. Nikki, it’s because of your love of the book that it’s seeing the light of day. You got me excited about it again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Last, but never least the two men in my life--thank you for putting up with me. I love you both more than words can express.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Acknowledgements
Michelle A. Valentine, Demon at My Door
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