The Demon King of Lust

Chapter 16

I walk into the living room and see Zahra curled up on the couch playing games on her phone.

"Oh, look who it is! It's past your curfew young lady!" she teases, setting down her phone and sitting up. "Does your tardiness have something to do with a certain handsome bartender?"

"I'm not that late. We went to grab some food, that's all."

Plus a bit of fooling around outside the bar.

"I thought you were just visiting him at work. How did that turn into a dinner date?"

"It was just tacos. He took a break and we got some food."

"Tacos are definitely dinner, babe. That is absolutely a date, and it's adorable!" She squeals and claps her hands. "Did you kiss him?"

"Yes, but don't get too excited. It's not serious between us."

"Why not?"

"Because he's not the relationship type and I'm taking a break from boyfriends after the glorious failure that was Vic."

How could she possibly understand that he's a demon who hasn't even considered a monogamous relationship in decades? Or that I can't let myself get too involved because I don't trust myself to choose a non-psycho partner?

I like Kieran—I like him a lot—but I liked Vic when I met him too. Hell, at one point, I thought I loved him. And it turns out he was just using me for some kind of bullshit demon quest.

She raises an eyebrow and scrunches her mouth to the side.

"You know that's what everyone says right before they get into a serious relationship, right?"

"Not me. Kieran and I are just having fun."

"Have you slept with him? I mean, I know you say you weren't doing that when I saw you two in your bed, but..."

"No, we haven't slept together."

"Interesting." She taps her index finger on her lower lip.

I know there's more she wants to say, but I'm probably not ready to hear it.

After I settle in to sleep, I find myself back in the dream version of my room with Kieran casually leaning against the doorframe. He's wearing a light pink henley with short sleeves that fit tight around his biceps and burgundy jeans.

"Long time no see," he says as he walks in and sits down on the floor beside my bed.

I sit up and do my best to comb my hair with my fingers.

"How was the rest of your night?"

"It was good. A little chaotic, and I was missing a certain redhead, but other than that, alright."

"Were you able to handle the problem? The rowdy customers or whatever?"

"Ha—yeah, that was pretty entertaining, actually. She wasn't kidding about that couple on the pool table. By the time I showed up, the guy was unzipping his pants. I had to pry them off each other and drag them outside. I consider myself pretty easygoing about PDA in the bar, but I draw the line at having to clean jizz off the pool table." He shivers dramatically and cringes.

"Eww." I wrinkle my face. "Tell me that hasn't happened before."

"Not off the pool table." He laughs as I pretend to gag.

"For my own sanity, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. So wait... was that the same thing that happened at the bar the first time? When you said your powers got out of control?"