Shadow of the Day (Wolf Moon Sequel)

Chapter 45: Polite

The doorbell rang and Ivy immediately turned to me. "You promise you'll be nice?"

"For the thousandth time, yes. I will be perfectly polite and nice," I said, heart jumping in my chest as I realized who exactly was at our doorstep.

"Good, then go answer the door," she said, finishing up with the last of our dishes, putting them in the cupboards as I walked off to do as I was told.

"Hello Lila," Devin said as soon as I opened the door, with a bright grin  that didn't fit Joe's haggard face and natural frown lines.

"Hello," I said stiffly, stepping to the side to let him in despite how everything in me was screaming to grab him by the front of his jacket and toss him out onto the lawn.

"Very hospitable today," he remarked, hanging up that ugly tattered coat that stunk of cigarettes.

"Don't get used to it," I said, slamming the door and locking it. Ivy came over then, flashing a smile and a quiet "hey". He returned it with an awkward bob of his head, eyes clear and blue for now.

I couldn't even feel relieved at the sight of them. Devin would be back, no doubt he was deciding when would be a good time to reappear. After all, he had a limited amount of energy to take control with. Why waste it on Ivy when he could torture me instead?

We followed Ivy into the living room and Joe picked the end of one couch. As much as I hated to do it, I made sure to sit next to Joe. That left Ivy on the opposite couch, a decent enough distance away. Not enough for my liking, but it would do for now. 

We sat in silence for several painfully awkward moments. Joe picked at an imaginary thread on the couch while Ivy shot me a look like "go on already!".

My brain was completely empty. All concepts of small talk and polite chitchat were gone. I wanted to make an effort, to show Ivy I took this seriously, but I was at a complete loss.

"How was your week?" She asked, looking a touch exasperated with me. I shot her a helpless look back. Talking to strangers was not my forte regularly and making nice with a demon hellbent on ruining our lives definitely ranked lower.

"Fine. Been a touch under the weather, but otherwise the same," he said, still plucking at nothing.

A touch under the weather? Understatement. He probably wasn't coughing up blood yet, but that was definitely on the very near horizon.

"That sucks. Flu?" She said, looking sympathetic.

"I think so," he said gruffly, but from the way he shifted around in his seat, that was either a lie or he didn't want to talk about it anymore. Or both. "It's nothing."

She frowned. "If you were feeling sick you should have said so. We could have done this another time when you were better."

Yeah, another time! Like never.

"Its nothing, really," he insisted, eyes darting to me. His eyes flickered for a moment, growing dark. "I wouldn't miss an opportunity to get to know your lovely sister better."

My hands curled tight and I focused on keeping my breathing even and normal. He was not going to rattle me.

"Okay, but let me make some tea at least," she said, scrambling up immediately and leaving us alone.

I scooted down a few inches, widening the space between us.

"Is that really necessary? What do you think I'll do?" He said, tutting disapprovingly.

"You reek. My nose needs a break," I said. That wasn't a total lie; between the sickly sweet smell of demon mixed with the sour acrid smell of cigarettes, my nose was burning.