The Demon King of Lust

Chapter 14

"What do you mean I was the mission?" My eyes dart between Kieran and TJ, waiting for answers.

"Victor was a good soldier for Asmodeus for decades," Kieran says. "Then right around the same time he leaves without a trace, he shacks up with you. It's possible it's a coincidence, but more likely... whatever happened between you changed the course of his mission somehow."

"And this mission was to what... kill me? Kidnap me? Eat me?"

"Possibly," TJ says with an unfazed expression. "It's hard to say. Asmodeus always kept his motives to himself. He only told us on a need-to-know basis."

"That's not ideal," Kieran says, his eyes narrowing. "Why would Asmodeus want a human girl dead anyway?"

"You know how he was. If you offended the king in any way, everyone around you would pay the price. Since she'd probably remember if she had wronged the Demon King, she was probably just collateral damage. I assume she kept company with the wrong person—a parent, a friend, a lover?"

Kieran tenses and squeezes the back of his neck with his hand.

I narrow my eyes as I sift through memories, trying to recall anyone I know who could've possibly had anything to do with a Demon King.

My dad has always been the buttoned-up, pretentious type—not exactly the kind of person I imagine Asmodeus would hang with. My mom died when I was four, but from what I know of her she was pretty mild-mannered. Most of my friends and I aren't that close, except Zahra, but we met long after I dated Vic.

Grams? Maybe... but it would have to be a pretty old grudge.

"Did Victor tell you anything about it?" Kieran asks.

"No. I'd definitely remember if he mentioned that he was sent by a super-demon to murder me."

"The better question is: why didn't he just kill her?" TJ says. "Unless that wasn't what he was there for."

Kieran rubs his chin and goatee in his palm.

"He might have been told to get close to her... I'm not sure why."

It figures.

I didn't know Victor was going to turn on me. I didn't know he was a demon. I didn't know he was cheating. So why would I have known that he was only dating me as part of some weird evil demon plot?

I cross my arms on the bar and lay my head down.

"I clearly should have gone for a hard drink tonight," I mumble.

I feel a cold hand graze my elbow and I look up to see Kieran rubbing my arm with his thumb.

"It's gonna be fine, Doll. Asmodeus is gone, okay? And your ex is no match for me." He gives me a flirtatious grin and I can't help but smile slightly in response.

All of this is entirely beyond what I'm capable of processing right now, yet somehow Kieran is still managing to make me feel better.

I let out a heavy breath and try to calm myself by rubbing my thighs with my hands.

"Be right back, Red," Kieran says, stepping away to talk to the other bartender.

I look at TJ and give him an awkward smile.

"He's right," he says. "He's no match for Kieran. Even the strongest demons in large number couldn't take on the King of Lust."

It's kind of sweet that he's attempting to comfort me, even if he's doing it in his own stoic, demon-y way.

Kieran slides back into position across from me and flashes another charming grin my way.

"So... You hungry?" he asks.