Page 50 of Corrupt Shadows
“Don’t disappear for too long.”
Evie’s brow creases. The demon drops his hold, the woman’s french-manicured nails lightly scraping the underside of my witch’s wrist. Evie quickly walks behind the long counter and tries to keep herself busy by marrying ketchup bottles.
My shadows writhe along my skin, tracing each tattoo as my temper slips my hold. Godsdamn it, I cannot wait to tear the flesh from Solomor’s bones. The slimy fucker was presumptuous enough to touch what is mine.
Too soon, Evie is hustling back to the demon’s table with a tray, the plates atop it overflowing with food. She sets it on the edge of the table and unloads the dishes, then snatches up the empty tray to leave.
“Enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything,” Evie says with a practiced smile.
“Actually, would you sit with me for a few minutes?”
“No,” she blurts, then sighs. “I just mean I’m not supposed to.”
“Come now. I don’t want to eat alone, and the place is dead anyway. I’m your only customer,” Solomor states, raising a brow and gesturing with a hand toward the empty booths.
She scratches the back of her neck. “Uh.”
“I’ll leave you a bigger tip.”
Her shoulders slump. “Okay, but only for a minute or two.” Evie sits rigidly across from the demon and places her tray beside her.
“Evie, is it?”
“What gave it away?” She jokes, plucking at her name tag above her right breast. “What’s your name?”
“Stephanie May.”
Silence descends between them, awkward and thick with tension. Solomor clears the woman’s throat delicately. “Where are you from? You have an accent I just can’t place.”
The color drains from Evie’s face, and she struggles to respond. “Uh… It’s nowhere really, just a small town in Washington.”
“Interesting. What town?”
Evie twists a ring around her finger. “You wouldn’t know it.”
Solomor speaks before she can voice the excuse to leave that is forming in her thoughts. “So, do you have a boyfriend?”
She tries to suppress a laugh, but her lips curve at the corners. Her thoughts come through quickly. Why, thinking of asking me out? she thinks, but instead, she drums her fingers against the table. “No boyfriend.”
“That’s too bad. You’re so pretty. What about friends?”
Her brows draw together. “Just the one. Rosa. But that’s about it. I’m really not that interesting.” Evie places her hands flat on the table and scoots from the booth. “I’ll let you get back to your meal. I have to… clean.”
“Sure thing. I’m sure I’ll see you around, Evie.”
I growl, the rumble deep in my chest. I’m going to obliterate what’s left of his fucking soul.
TWENTY-TWO
Evie
Rosa clicks her tongue as we reach our destination, and darkness envelopes Darkwood Asylum. “You can’t live off iced coffee and books alone.” She points a bright-green nail at the book under my arm and the coffee in my other hand. “Have you eaten today?”
I scoff a laugh and meet her discerning stare. “I’m about to summon a demon, and you’re concerned if I’ve eaten.”
“Yes. Ever since Jay…” Her voice cracks and she trails off. “We need to look out for each other.”
Gravel crunches under my boots as we reach the creaking iron gates. “I did eat,” I say quickly, although I doubt half a protein bar counts. “I’m okay, really, or I will be.”