Chapter 18 Sagitta #2
I paused mid-step, then turned to face him. “Why did you stop me from hitting my brother? And for that matter, why did you stop him from killing Chase?”
Faust blinked. I swear, he’d elongated Chase’s eyelashes while in control. They were long and fluttery, on top of being an unnatural shade of purple. It bothered me that a powerful demon could alter his host’s body at will—but that was the same power that Faust used to protect Chase.
I just didn’t understand why he did what he did. Demons always had selfish desires. What did Faust have to gain from any of this?
“Answer me,” I ordered.
Faust shrugged casually. “I don’t want Chase to be hurt.”
“Because he’s your host,” I accused.
“No. Because I like him. And I like you, too.”
He was speaking nonsense.
“Stop wasting my time. Tell me the truth,” I demanded.
When Faust smiled, the tips of his fangs poked down from his upper lip. “Naughty Sagitta. You’re not a very good listener.”
“Excuse me?”
Faust met my gaze. His vivid red irises smothered the blue of Chase’s eyes, and a shiver ran down my spine at his intense expression.
It was inhuman. It reminded me that I was speaking to a demon right now.
We were conversing. Yet, he wasn’t trying to rip my head off, or eat my entrails, or reduce me to ashes.
He was just... talking. Like a person. Like a mortal.
“I said,” he repeated, softly, “that I like Chase, and I like you.” His tone flipped back to a sassy one. “Is that too difficult, dear? Should I say it in smaller words for babies?”
I wasn’t sure whether to be confused or offended. I landed somewhere in between, too baffled to make sense of any of this.
“But... why?” I asked.
He twirled a piece of Chase’s hair. “Why does anybody like anything?”
I felt like I was in a really weird dream, talking to some cryptic being. I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyelids for a second.
Faust had saved Chase’s life because Chase was his vessel.
That was all. There was no deeper meaning to his actions.
Now that Faust was on our side of the veil, he could do anything he wanted.
Chase’s body should’ve been meaningless and disposable.
But Faust didn’t let Chase die because he liked him? It didn’t make sense.
“Are you in love with Chase?” I asked, fishing for any iota of explanation.
Faust threw his head back and laughed. “No. That’s hilarious.” His eyes glittered as he grinned down at me. “But I know somebody else who is.”
My face turned hot. “I—I’m not—”
“Ugh, please don’t even try to lie. It’s so embarrassing when humans do it.”
I flushed for a multitude of reasons. And I still couldn’t believe we were having this conversation.
“What’s your end goal here? Just to mess with people’s lives?” I asked.
Faust sighed. “I really thought you were smarter than that, Sagitta.”
I ground my teeth. Being called stupid by my younger brother and a demon in short succession was starting to piss me off.
“By the way, I don’t really care if you punch your brother or not,” Faust continued, his tone as casual as ever.
“I thought you’d regret it later. But, not my problem, and not my choice to make.
That’s my bad. I hate sex, but I do like violence.
” He flashed a brilliant, fanged smile. “Please punch your family to your heart’s content. ”
“Thanks,” I said sarcastically. Then the gears turned in my mind. This was as good a time as any to seek answers. “Why do you hate sex?”
“Oh my. What a rude and invasive question.”
I blushed, but I couldn’t muster too much shame over a demon’s sensibilities. Besides, I didn’t think Faust actually cared that much.
“Sorry. But let’s not beat around the bush here. You know I’m trying to exorcise you, and you dropped the hint about the dildo store. Why bother if you’re not going to leave Chase’s body even after we... you know?”
Faust tapped his chin and put a hand on his hip. The flamboyant gesture looked out of place on Chase’s body. “I didn’t say I’d never leave.”
I straightened up. Was he considering it?
“What do I have to do?” I demanded, growing frantic. “Is it sex? How much of it do we need to have?”
For all his apparent sex-hatred, Faust certainly looked amused when I brought it up. “Why don’t you keep trying and find out?” he teased.
“Damn you,” I said, scowling.
Faust let out an airy, carefree laugh. “You flatter me. Now dear, I think it’s best you go rest. You’re looking pale.”
I huffed. “A demon is worried about me? Now I’ve seen everything.”
“Yes, yes.” He shooed me away by waving his hand. “Go take a nap. We’ll talk later.”
I raised a brow at his overly familiar tone. It had to be another one of his tricks. Faust wasn’t actually worried about me... was he? Because that would be ridiculous. A demon, concerned for a human.
But truthfully, I really was tired. The adrenaline had long left my system, and now I struggled to hold back my fatigue. Fighting an imp, getting stitched up and drinking Hartford’s weird medicine, arguing with Cygnet, and nearly watching Chase die... it all hit me at once. I was exhausted.
“Maybe I’ll take a nap in my quarters,” I conceded. “But what about you? You can’t just walk around. For one thing, you’re a demon. And for another, Cygnet’s trying to kill you.”
“I know,” Faust said, totally unbothered. “How about I return the body to Chase, and he comes along with you? Sound good?”
I squinted. “Yes. Too good to be true.”
He groaned, flagrant and loud. “Ugh, you are so stubborn! Fine! Take him.”
Chase’s eyes rolled back. He stumbled forward, unsteady on his feet. I rushed to catch him.
He blinked a few times. When I saw that his eyes were blue again, relief swept over me. Faust had returned control, just like he promised.
Why? What is his purpose?
Chase rubbed his head. “Hey.” He sounded groggy but lucid.
“Did you catch any of that?” I asked.
“Yeah, I heard it all. Nap time at your place?”
I nodded, then shot a scrutinizing glance down the hall. I didn’t see Cygnet anywhere, and he hadn’t followed us. I wondered if Hartford instructed him to give us space after that fiasco in his office. If my brother listened to anybody, the ornery doctor was probably at the top of the list.
We passed the heated outdoor pond on the way to my quarters, paused to feed the blue betta, then reached my room.
The first thing I did inside my room was shut all the blackout blinds. Then I stripped out of the clothes Chase lent me, and in an uncharacteristic display of laziness, left them on the floor. I was too tired to bother putting anything else on.
Chase eyed me as I slipped under the covers in my underwear. “Is this a mostly naked type of nap?”
When I grunted my agreement, Chase stripped down to his boxers and joined me in bed. It felt odd to have another person next to me, but it was nice, too. Comforting.
I shut my eyes and sighed, trying to let go of my thoughts.
Chase’s head nestled against my chest. I threaded my fingers through his soft hair. The gentle rhythm of his breathing finally lulled me to sleep.