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“What?” I pushed.
Vi pulled her lip in between her teeth as a deep crease knotted the space between her brows. “I had the craziest dream.”
Imani looked at her, her own eyes wide before she dropped them to the table and busied herself adding some sugar to her coffee.
Alicia nodded slowly. “Darkness and demons.”
What. The. Fuck?
5
EDEN
The silence in the room was so thorough, I was sure I could hear a pin drop as Alicia uttered words that hushed the group. Even Sarika looked affected by the admission. Knowing that only turned my stomach.
Sarika was the one who waved away our nonsense with a huff and a patronizing look. That she stood silent with the word demon hanging in the air made bile rise from my stomach.
“The lights went out, the book glowed red, and he just stood there on the book,” Alicia continued. “Dark and haunting. He looked at us like we were… I don’t even know. Then I woke up with Vi’s thigh pressing down on my throat, choking the life from me.” She lifted her shoulders like what she told us wasn’t a big deal.
Was she out of her mind?
That was the biggest deal!
“Red flesh and black horns…” Vi nodded.
Imani’s fist slammed against the table, rattling the dishes. “Will you guys shut the fuck up? You can’t be serious. We aren’t little kids. We are grown-ass women and we know there is no such thing as demons… no matter how much our grandparents try to tell us there are. We had too much to drink… that’s all there is to it. Too much wine and weird nightmares.” She lifted her mug, taking an angry sip.
“The same dream?” Vi questioned. Her voice was low and full of guilt. Now sober, she likely remembered everything we did the night before was at her urging. It was a bitter pill to swallow, especially since it was clear to all of them Imani was seething.
“I wasn’t even drunk,” Sarika added, confusion darkening her features. “Look, I get this isn’t your thing, Imani, but you have to admit this is weird.”
Vi brought her mug to her lips when Imani shot her a look that hinted at consequences.
I pressed my hand to my brow, dropped my chin to my chest and tried to think. “So what are we saying here? Are we saying we actually summoned a demon last night?”
Alicia looked to Imani and then to Vi before she looked up at Sarika who still stood leaning back on the kitchen island. Everyone seemed to look around, waiting for someone to step forward and say the thing no one would dare.
Imani shoved away from the table. Her hangover was forgotten as she paced, her hands clasped behind her neck as she looked up at the ceiling.
“People have similar dreams all the time. We were all pretty amped up. Vi was waving a knife around and chanting like some weird cult leader. Of course, we passed out and all thought about what would happen if her weird shit panned out and we ended up bringing some dark shit out of that book. That doesn’t mean it happened.” Her breathing was laboured as she looked at all of us with bloodshot eyes.
Sarika frowned.
I was frowning too. I would be the first to admit I wanted what she was saying to be true. I wanted everything to be a dream brought on by shenanigans and too much wine because that would make the day so much easier to handle. Still, something bitter coated my mouth as I sat there, the weird dream still haunting me.
“Okay… last night when I came out of the closet in the hall, you guys were all just passed out. There was a… man… thing standing on the table and—”
“Shut up!” Imani interrupted. “Repeat after me: there is no such thing as demons.”
“There is no such thing as demons,” Vi repeated easily.
I exchanged glances with Sarika and Alicia.
Imani stalked to the table. Her fists came down hard again before she rested into them, leaning over the table. “There is no such thing as demons,” she repeated.
“There’s no such thing as demons,” Alicia repeated reluctantly.
“Imani,” Sarika started.
