Convoke

Chapter 21

The pub remained stained in tension, despite the demons being respectful. They paid Ezra no attention, didn't rise to the locals who muttered at them on their way to the bar or to the toilet, and they were polite to Tom who served them with ease the longer they stayed.

But still, in the pit of his stomach, he knew that being wary was the safest option. Rumours were flying through the demon community that he and a soul stripper were working together to banish demons. The pub was a perfect excuse for all the attacks. A demon's composure was frail at best, but a drunk demon's composure vanished completely when provoked. And drunk humans were provocative.

The longer they sat together drinking, the drunker the locals became. One person loudly threatened to smash a glass over one of their heads. A few demons turned with scowls, but Tom demanded he give his pint back, or be kicked out.

Shamefully, the man gave back his pint and Tom poured it into a plastic cup.

"If you want to act like a child, you will be treated like a child," Declan declared, taking the time to look each local in the face. He was anxious too. If five demons lost their temper, people would get seriously injured.

The group remained peaceful and stayed for another hour. When they left, they returned their glasses and each nodded at Tom or mumbled their departures. Tom felt more perplexed than fearful, though his relief didn't go unnoticed.

The moment the door shut behind them, Ezra stood by the bar so quickly, Tom couldn't recall whether he walked or appeared. "I'll follow them," he whispered, taking another pint back to his table, sitting for a few minutes, and vanishing when the pub's atmosphere returned to normal.

"They're getting used to the soul stripper," Declan observed. "It's like he's not even there when he's buried in the corner of- oh, he's gone."

Tom chuckled and left for a toilet break. But he didn't go to the toilet. He stood in the stall and breathed deeply until he was in control of his own body. He had been scared, and he knew Ezra could somehow tell. Something in his stare was left unspoken. He didn't hunch over his book, he sat up, flicking from page to page, eyeing Tom's whereabouts before reading a sentence, then repeating his movements.

There's something very attractive about that, Tom thought, smiling. Ezra was ready to throw himself over a table to protect him, and that meant he cared.

Ezra didn't approach Tom for the rest of his shift, nor did he return to the bar for another drink. He sat reading his book and left when the pub rang the bell and called for last orders. Tom helped close up and dragged his tired body to his bedroom. The room was dark, then pitch black when he shut the door. He reached for the light and slammed a hand to his heart when a large figure stood by the window.

"Ezra!" Tom gasped.

"Oh, sorry. Should I have waited to be summoned?" he asked, staring through his lashes like a guilty child.

"No, no, don't worry. I'm just a little on edge. It's fine. You're always welcome here." He sat on his bed, rubbing his eyes. Instead of sitting opposite him on the desk chair, Ezra sat next to him on the bed. Their knees brushed lightly before Ezra shuffled away.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think I was just overreacting."

"You weren't. I followed the group, and they were there because of the rumours." Ezra saw the panic and lifted a hand to his shoulder but clenched it to a fist and put it down again. "The demons said they were surprised by how nice you were to them, and how quick you were to defend them against humans. They had visited to see if the rumours were true. Now they're very unsure, which is a good sign. But we don't want demons arriving looking for trouble on purpose."