The Teddy Bear’s Prize (A Date with a Demon #1)

Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

Mia

Without Tobias, the house is more empty than before. I leave out the candles in the same pattern, unlit, hoping that somehow they would act as a beacon to bring him back to me, even if in my dreams. That’s the only reason I fall asleep, cuddled up in the fetal position with the teddy bear he used to inhabit. It still smells faintly of cinnamon.

I think that if I could talk to him again, to tell him I love him and that I am trying to bring him back, then things would be okay. The summoning ritual broke before I could say those three words, the ones that I fought against foolishly in fear that he didn’t feel the same. Now he’s out there in the demon realm, however it might be, without knowing.

I wake up, make coffee and check my emails, hoping that my hold was ready, to no avail.

Frustrated, I sit down at my computer and go onto the library’s website, searching the database only to find my hold is gone completely.

“Dammit.” I check the time and call the local branch, leaning back in my chair.

The phone rings twice and someone answers.

“Hi, I’m trying to track down a book and my hold was just lifted. It’s Shades of the Occult by Michael Albert Hughes.”

The sweet librarian places me on a brief hold then returns after a few moments, “I’m sorry, that book is no longer in our database. We usually have a thirty-day window for them to return it before we cancel all holds.”

I sit up, my chair squeaking, “Lost? Is there a chance you could order one?”

In the silence, I can hear the click-clack of her keyboard. She hums, “That title is out of print. Even if you were to fill out a purchase request, we cannot fill it.”

“Thanks for checking.” I hang up, staring blankly at my monitor, my eyes going to the folder on the corner of my screen titled “Galloway Carnival”.

Clicking on the folder, I bite my bottom lip and start scrolling through the photos. There’s at least two clear images showing the circle that Erika identified as part of the summoning ritual.

I reach for my phone and shoot her a quick text to make sure she’s awake. She responds almost immediately and I pull up a video chat.

The tears start the moment I start to explain to her what happened. She stares at me bare faced, her blonde hair piled on top of her head with her brows drawn in sympathy. Her hand goes to her chest while I recount my last moments with Tobias.

“Will you help me?” I ask, my mouth is dry and I feel like I just ran a mile.

“Just to be clear, you’re asking me to help you summon a demon, ”

A shadow passes behind her, and I frantically wave my hand, “Wait, is Paolo home?” I ask, my voice low. There’s a burning pang in my chest realizing that I might have just outed my best friend as a witch.

Erika laughs, “Oh, don’t worry, he knows.”

“He knows Tobias is a demon?”

Through the connection, I can hear Paolo’s surprise, he pops into frame, leaning over Erika’s shoulder.

“He does now,” she chuckles and turns to her partner, whispering something under her breath that her mic doesn’t pick up. He smiles and kisses her forehead, then walks away. When she turns back to me, she fixes me with a stare, “I’m going to tell you the truth, babe, this is completely out of my depth. You will be stumbling through the ritual without the text to guide you.”

It hits me like a punch to the gut. Of course, my best friend can’t just up and summon my demon boyfriend.

“But,” she pauses, “that doesn’t mean we can’t create a new ritual.”

“Will that work?”

She shrugs, “It should. Most of those summoning spells are archaic and useless unless you want to wade through the Latin. Their only purpose is to stroke the ego of the witch who wrote them. Magic has progressed in the last hundred years, much like the rest of the world. The top scholars have confirmed it’s all about intention, and not the spell itself.”

I let out a sigh, “Great, when can you come over?”

Erika shakes her head, “This one is on you. Whatever spell you choose will draw on your connection to call him to you. Just be aware of the price if you make a deal with him.”

Well, that sounds ominous.

After Erika and I exchange goodbyes, I gather up a few supplies and pad into the kitchen, since it’s the only spot in the house large enough to summon a demon. Or at least that’s what logic tells me.

Using my favorite kohl pencil liner, I get onto my hands and knees and begin plotting out the design, based on the original summoning circle. I start by working on the main four points at the center, then slowly expand out with every ring. Thirty minutes and half of an eyeliner pencil later and I’m finished.

The whole thing looks vaguely satanic, so it might work.

Now, I just need a spell. Is it supposed to rhyme? It feels like a summoning spell should at least be a little poetic. Too bad I don’t have a poetic bone in my body.

Instead, I settle for the only summoning spell I know by heart. It shouldn’t matter if what Erika said about intention was true.

“Tobias.” I say, holding onto the way he looks, his smile. “Tobias.” I pause, then repeat one last time. “Tobias.”

It feels stupid the moment I try it, but it worked for Beetlejuice.

The lights flicker overhead and when I look back at the circle, shadows begin to gather around the outer ring, twisting and building until they nearly reach the ceiling before forming a familiar dark silhouette.

When they fade, Tobias is standing there in the demonic flesh, dressed in a dark red button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black pants and boots.

Fuck, and I had him in jeans and a t-shirt. It almost feels like a travesty.

“Mia?” He asks, his eyes going wide. “How did you summon me?” He reaches for me, the air rippling as his fingertips graze the barrier of the circle.

Right, he’s still bound.

“I believe this is where we make a deal.” I fold my arms against my chest.

He watches me, tilting his head, “And what do you desire?”

“I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, and when I die, I’m going with you to the demon realm.” I lift my chin. “That’s my final offer.”

“You would hand over your life and brave the demon realm. . . for me?”

“I love you. I’d walk through hell if it meant that you would be by my side.”

Tobias’ eyes flare and he punches through the barrier, the magic raining down onto the vinyl floor in tiny sparks, and closes the distance between us, his finger catching the underside of my chin.

“Does that mean we have a deal?” I take a step back, the edge of the counter digging into my hip.

“There’s no need to bind me, my little doe. I have always belonged to you in a way that is stronger than any magic.” He places my hand on his chest, “You have me, mind, body and soul .”

“We’re soulmates?” I choke out a laugh, “My soulmate is a literal demon? I just can’t?—”

Tobias laughs, his hands going to my waist and lifting me onto the counter, he steps forward, notching his hips between my thighs.

I cross my ankles to cage him in, tugging at his collar.

“So, about these clothes.”

He gives me a wicked smile.