Chapter 13 Chase #2
My cheeks flushed. The memory was still vivid and fresh, and despite our argument, I had to stop thinking about it before I got aroused.
“I don’t understand any of this,” I mumbled. “Aren’t you a demon?”
“Uh huh.”
“But... you don’t like sex?”
“Yes, dear.”
The puzzle pieces clicked. “You’re a goddamn asexual demon?”
“Pretty much.”
I stared at the wall as I processed this new fact. Faust, the demon possessing my body, was asexual. That was why he’d vanished all day yesterday.
“You’re telling me that you, what, took a vacation or something?” I asked sarcastically.
“Hmm... More like I stepped out of the house for a bit.”
I let out a scoff that turned into a bitter laugh. “I can’t believe I was actually worried about you.”
“You were?” he asked, sounding surprised.
He genuinely didn’t know. Did that mean he couldn’t read my mind when he wasn’t present?
“Yeah, but I take it back,” I grumbled.
“Come now, Chase, don’t be so moody.”
“You just got me fired. Sorry that I can’t be happy about it,” I ground out in a low hiss. “Look, can you just leave me alone for a while?”
“But I already gave you two a generous amount of alone time,” he whined.
“Not us. Me.”
Faust went abruptly silent, but it wasn’t because of my plea.
“You’re being watched,” he warned.
I stilled. The last time he said that, Sagitta’s scary younger brother had been hunting me down like prey. I risked a glance over my shoulder, but didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. It was just a boring corner of the mall populated by a phone kiosk and a failing clothing brand.
Still, a telltale itch crept along my spine.
Faust was telling the truth. I didn’t want to find out if it was Cygnet or not.
At this point, I just wanted to go home and wallow.
And as much as I wanted to simmer in my feelings alone, it would’ve been rude to leave without my roommate, so I headed back to the food court to find Sagitta.
Besides, if Cygnet was stalking me, I wanted Sagitta by my side.
“Chase?”
I spun around at the familiar feminine voice. “Lily?”
She beamed, running towards me with multiple bags hanging off her arms. “Oh my god, hi!”
I gave her a quick hug and asked, “What are you doing here?”
“That store is going out of business, so they’re having a big closeout sale. I got so many cute dresses,” she chirped. “What about you?”
“Uh, it’s a long story, but I got fired today.”
Her face fell. “Oh no! Why?”
I hesitated. Sagitta said I should keep my possession a secret, but if anybody deserved to know the whole story, it was my best friend.
We sat down on a nearby bench and I told her everything. The possession at the party, the failed exorcisms, Sagitta moving in for a week, our intimate tryst, and finally, the shit show at my job earlier.
Lily listened intently, never looking judgmental or doubtful. When I finished, she asked, “Wow... So now what?”
“I dunno. I’m out of work, I just got in a fight with Sagitta, and I’m still possessed.” I let out a weary laugh. “Do you actually believe all the shit I just told you?”
Her eyes were soft. “Chase, of course.” She put her manicured hand on top of mine. “You were the only person who believed me when I first came out as a woman. Now it’s my turn to support you.”
Her comforting words washed over me, soothing and kind.
“Oh, hang on, that reminds me,” I said, then reached into my pocket for the pin. “I got you something.”
When I handed her the gift, she beamed and threw her arms around me. Her skin was soft, and lightly perfumed.
“You’re sweet, Chase. Thank you,” she said as she pulled away, smiling.
My crappy mood dissipated like mist in the morning sun. Now I felt embarrassed for my outbursts.
Sagitta was right. I was acting childish earlier. I grimaced when I remembered his hurt expression, the pain in his eyes that I caused.
Lily glowed with curiosity as she ducked her head and quietly asked, “Okay, but are you in love with Sagitta?”
I snorted. “You can’t just ask that.”
“But I need to know.”
My cheeks flushed. Just to sate her nosiness, I muttered, “Ask me again in a week.”
“Mmhmm,” she said, clearly doubtful. Figures she’d believe my story about demonic possession but not whether I was in love with my new roommate or not.
“She’s fun. I like her,” Faust remarked.
I skipped over my immediate urge to tell him to shut up. For one thing, he’d said something agreeable. Also, the last time I’d done that, I got fired, so I was learning the hard way to control my tongue.
“By the way, he says he likes you. The demon, I mean,” I told Lily.
She grinned and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Um, okay! Is he single?”
“You are not dating the demon in my head. Besides, he’s asexual.”
“That’s fine by me. We don’t have to fuck. It’s just hard to find a nice man these days.” She winked. “I’d hang onto yours if I were you.”
Strange giddy warmth swirled in my chest. Sagitta wasn’t mine to hang onto... was he?
“I should go find him,” I said, standing up from the bench. “I kind of ran off in a huff and abandoned him in the food court.”
Lily gave me a playful shove. “Go get him!”
I said goodbye to her and trotted back to where I’d left Sagitta. But as I got closer, chilly nerves crept in like ice. What if he wasn’t there anymore? What if he got sick of my shit and walked away?
My dread was realized when I got to the food court. Our table was empty. Not even my drink or half-eaten pretzel remained. Sagitta had cleaned up the mess I left behind, which somehow hurt more than if he hadn’t bothered.
My heart sank.
I didn’t have his phone number or any other means of contacting him because we’d been attached at the hip since I first sought him at the temple.
How the hell was I supposed to find him?