Page 7 of Demon Food

Oh, no. Was I?

“Not to mention evil. Just a wicked, wicked human.”

Wicked? Evil? I snorted to myself as I slung open his door, letting it shut behind me in a theatrical slam as I strolled down the hallway.

That sure was rich coming from a sex demon.

3

“Get up,” I said, nudging the new guy from where he’d fallen asleep on his sofa.

“Hmm?—oh.” He grunted, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. “Oh, goodness, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Your name is Lennox, right?” I crouched to a squat before him. “Look at me, Lennox. I need you to hear me.”

His eyelashes were short and tangled, and the dark half-moons beneath them made him look sickly.

“Life is going to be very difficult for you here. I’m going to tell you something that I wish someone had told me.”

He blinked hard.

“You will not survive by following the rules.”

His throat bobbed as he stared back at me, all young and helpless.

“But you cannot get caught breaking them, either. They do not do second chances. Do you understand?”

He nodded. “I think so.”

I peeked over my shoulder and slipped the three coins from Terrek into his palm, curling his fingers around them. “These are yours.”

His big brown eyes widened even more as he gaped down at them. “Where did you get⁠—?”

“Shh, doesn’t matter. You’re to spend them on food and nothing else, are we clear? It’s not much, but it will buy you time. Now, listen up because this is important.”

He sat up taller.

“In the dressing room, you’ll find a sack. It’s made to look like a sandbag weighing down a stool, but it’s actually filled with rice. Don’t make a habit out of it, but if you ever find yourself in a pinch, go grab a cup. Make sure no one sees you. It’s gotten me through some tough moments.”

He nodded excitedly.

“You didn’t hear that from me. And no one sees you do it.”

“I understand.” He showed all his big teeth in a hopeful smile that further melted my overtaxed heart as he brushed his fingers over the pitiful coins in his palm. “You’re some kind of an angel in disguise then?”

I supposed he meant it figuratively. Angels went extinct during the Great War, but I wasn’t convinced they ever existed in the first place. How was there ever a creature so benevolent as to risk their lives delivering messages and prayers to the gods? It was ludicrous to think anyone cared that much about human prayers.

But it also wasn’t the first time someone had made that comparison, and it wouldn’t be the last. It said more about how disparaged and hopeless people were than anything about me personally.

“Incoming V,” someone shouted.

Lennox and I both twisted toward the front door as all the people on their lounges who weren’t already too drained from a lover sat up a little taller.

“Oh, this is perfect,” I said, nudging Lennox’s knee. “Get up. Whoever that is, you’re going to take them upstairs. Maybe you’ll even get a contract out of them.”

His eyebrows lifted. “A contract? Me?”

“Not if you don’t stand up.” I hauled him up by his elbow. “Come on.”