Page 48 of Misfit

“Where do you keep going? I feel like you’ve been avoiding me, Monty.” It was blunt and full of hurt.

“I’m doing what I can to keep you alive. Playing two sides of a war isn’t easy and half the time you’re walking right into danger,” I said. She blinked up at me.

“I don’t—” I cut her off with a harsh laugh.

“Third-floor-staff hallway?” She grimaced at my words.

“There was no other choice,” she defended weakly. “I can’t just let you guys do everything for me all of the time.”

“You’re human and extremely fragile, Harlow. If I lost complete control, I could break you. Us demons and gargoyles are not the same breed. We can handle the fighting. You cannot. Which is good because I like you soft and a bit reliant on me. It makes me feel like I have a purpose.”

“You have always had a purpose, Monty,” she argued. “You’re a commander of Helheim. And you’ve always been my best friend. I wouldn’t have survived without you.”

“When you were first on the run. The first night on the streets. I killed two men for you,” I admitted with a grin.

“What?” she gasped. “While I slept?”

“You were having bad hallucinations and didn’t know I was there. When you passed out in the park, two men found you. Their thoughts and words sealed their fate. No one will ever find them.”

“Did you burn them to ash?” she asked, not at all put off by the fact I’d admitted to killing someone for her.

“No. I killed them and took their souls to Helheim. They’re currently spending eternity wondering the frigid wastes.” The thought has my grin widening and she shook her head.

“You’re a twisted demon, Monty.”

“I’ve never claimed to be otherwise. I’m not this soft demon who will be able to work out your complicated emotions. But I will always make sure you’re safe.”

“You love me,” she joked. But there was a question in there. It was hard. Love wasn’t an emotion demons knew well. The truth was, I was devoted to Harlow and had been for years. She was who I thought of always and would defy my queen for.

“Don’t tell anyone. It would ruin my credibility.” She grinned wider at that, and her smile almost warmed my nonexistent heart.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

ChapterEighteen

Harlow

Sunday Night

Dark Haven Courtyard

Two days later, the demons were still trying to escape the grounds. Once again, Monty and Kol were MIA. After my last encounter with Monty, I wasn’t sure how to feel. It was hard to wrap my head around. He was my rock and friend, and I knew he needed to fuck it out the other day. It was a way for him to get out his own frustrations, and I wasn’t against it, I just hated that he wouldn’t talk unless I forced him to. What he had said was exactly what I needed to hear.

It was now way past time to confront Hel, and I somehow snuck off the third floor alone for the first time in who knows how long. In fact, I made it all the way to the courtyard without a single person stopping me. I hadn’t realized how much I need alone time until now, except I didn’t intend to be alone for long.

As I moved through the courtyard toward the portal, I yelled, “Hel, it’s time for you and me to fucking talk! I think I’ve been patient enough!”

She didn’t respond as I paced back and forth, waiting for her to show up. I knew she could hear me, and I would stand out here like a psychopath, screaming into the void for as long as it took for her to come. “I’ll keep calling you out until you answer!” I screeched. I bordered on hysterical and didn’t give a single fuck anymore.

“You’re bold.” Hel’s voice echoed out into the night. I was suddenly in her throne room, though I could feel the night air still blowing on me.

“I’m only bold because I’m done doing this little fucking dance with you. I’m done with having no answers and your adviser and warden can fuck right off, they’ve been useless.”

She regarded me with a smirk on her face. “I was wondering when we’d see your fire,” she teased. The human side of her mouth tilted up while the skeletal side remained as stoic as ever.

“Someone is sacrificing humans and making them look like me and my men. You can’t tell me that we’re important and then allow this to go on. The demons are escaping into the human world even thoughyourpeople are fighting their asses off whileyouare doing nothing.”

Anger flared in her eyes and her hair billowed angrily around her, but she didn’t attack me. Maybe I really was important to her.