‘Spur of the moment,’ he reprises, a taste of anger at his lips. ‘That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.’
‘Well, I’m sorry I’m so stupid.’
‘You nearly died. What about that do you not understand?’ He moves from the archway to the lounge, unable to keep still. ‘And then, you stepped in front of a dagger.’ He shakes his head. ‘This isn’t a game, Siara. You’re human. You’re not the same as us.’
‘I know that already; it’s not like you guys don’t remind me of that every day. If you came here for an explanation, I can’t give one to you – I did it without thinking. Marxel had the knife, or dagger, or whatever it was, and I just did it. It doesn’t matter. I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re all fine. I didn’t die. Just drop it, okay?’
William gives out a humoured chuff. ‘Ah, I see. So as long as you’re fine with it, that’s all that matters? What about Xander? What about how he might feel about you sacrificing yourself? What about the people who care about you? What about your parents?’
I don’t know what to say. I’d be lying if I said that I thought of anyone else at that moment and that reality irritates me more. ‘What about them? They can’t remember me anyway. And who are you to criticise me? I wouldn’t have done it if you weren’t injured to begin with. You figured out Marxel’s plan when I did. You knew. I could see it in your eyes. In the canyon, his attack with the fire – why didn’t you move?’ Instinctually, I nod to his healing arms, burned patches encompassing his hands and forearms. ‘I know you’re fast enough.’
‘You would have died if I had moved out of the way. Would you have preferred that?’ he retorts sharply, and for just a moment I see it: the slightest wince in his cheeks, a flutter of blinking below his furrowed brow and the shaky breath that draws in unnaturally. Will’s stoicism takes hold and before I know it anything I thought I saw is gone.
‘You’ve never cared about that before.’
‘You have no idea what or who I care about.’ William falters for a few moments. He sighs. ‘This is not how I imagined this going.’
‘You don’t need me anymore so it really shouldn’t matter whether I die or not.’
William’s voice rises in protest, his body alight with defiance before halting and dropping back, defeated. What does he want to say? What do I want him to say?
The familiar shadow appears in my peripheral. My body drops to the ground. I bring a finger to my lips as I hide crouched in front of the couch. Will stares at me with an absent look, not quite sure what to say. His lack of reaction stems from a familiarity of my antics that I find somewhat comforting. ‘Care to explain?’
My frantic hand successfully beckons the vacant demon over and I grab his cold fingers tightly, pulling him down to the floor beside me.
A broad body with blonde hair passes by the window. The rhythmic knocks on the front door follow moments after. The demon’s blue eyes dance over with smug amusement. ‘Have you forgotten that humans can’t see me unless I want them to?’
I roll my eyes. ‘Get up then – or have you forgotten that this particular one can?’
‘Right. That had slipped my mind. I had almost thought that you didn’t want to see me leave,’ he teases, peering down at our hands still intertwined. Heat flushes to my face. I snatch my hand back with a glare, holding it tight to my chest.
Rye knocks once more, guilt tugging at my insides. I glance over; William hasn’t moved. Instead, strangely, he has decided to get comfortable. The demon sits on the floorboards beside me, leaning against the couch cushions, one long leg crossed over the other.
‘Well, I’m already down here now,’ he says when he notices my stare.
‘Can you at least be a little useful and tell me when he’s gone?’
William holds my eyes for a moment, evaluating whether to help. Eventually, he turns his head to look.
‘Oh, would you look at that. He’s peering through the window as we speak, looking so very distraught,’ he says. ‘Shouldn’t you humour him at least once? You know that boy has been coming here every day, rain or shine, for three whole days now.’
‘How do you know that?’
William sucks in a sharp breath. ‘I just know.’ I want to ask him if it was him that had been here these last few days, not Xander, but the moment escapes me. ‘He’s gone,’ Will says, his voice brash as if sensing what I wanted to ask. The demon turns back around, his hand brushing against mine. I flinch. His hand is so –
‘That’s rather cold.’
‘What?’ Is mind-reading a demon thing now too?
‘That was cold,’ he repeats, more slowly this time – intentionally patronising. He gives a small nod to the window. ‘If I didn’t find his existence excruciating, I might even feel sorry for him.’ My breath releases. William picks himself up from the ground seamlessly, no effort exerted from his inhuman body. Surprisingly, he reaches out a hand to mine. With barely a thought of reservation, I reach to take it.
‘I’m assuming you haven’t yet told him you’re not interested?’
The demon reveals my feelings so flippantly that I can’t help but slap away his opened hand. His eyes momentarily brighten as I confirm his suspicions.
‘What’s it to you?’ I snap, holding a glare and getting up clumsily. I don’t want to talk about Rye with him. It sits uneasy. William watches me, the smallest glint in his eyes is all that’s needed to convey his smug attitude.
‘So abrasive. That’s a no then, I guess,’ he chides. There’s entertainment in his expression as he watches me stammer, no doubt some sort of sadistic joy gained from watching the poor human struggle. He’s messing with me. If he can’t torture me physically, it seems he’s found a way to do it emotionally. A thousand thoughts scramble in my mind – none of them give me the ability to refute him. If excuses are all I have to offer, I’ll offer nothing.
‘Even if that’s the case, you should at least let him know that you’re alive,’ he continues, and something about it makes my insides prickle.
‘I really don’t need relationship advice from you,’ I say, sweeping the dust off my pants. ‘The same person who somehow misplaced their girlfriend, an entire person, for a century.’
William laughs and it nearly causes me to shriek with fright. I didn’t know he could laugh. I thought maybe his insides had dried up and if the day came where he ever did try, he would break apart and disintegrate.
Catching my horrified stare, he lifts a quizzical eyebrow. I make sure to close my gaping jaw but my stunned expression is harder to change.
‘I’m not condemning you.’ He pauses, misinterpreting my expression as anger. ‘I’m well aware I’m not in any position to do that.’
Ah, so what Xander eluded to was correct. The thought gives me a bizarre sense of happiness. Was it because he had previously been so smug? Was this pleasant feeling due to the opportunity of sweet revenge? The words fall out of my mouth before I have better mind to rein them in.
‘Xander says you’ve been avoiding her. Is that why you’ve been coming here to visit me so much? I know it was you and not Xander.’
William’s body stills. His eyes darken and the cold momentary silence warns me to back off.
‘Aren’t we observant?’ he murmurs. Evidently, I have made an error. Although said in jest, I mustn’t be too far off from the truth. The small moment of familiarity that we had shared has dissipated into the chilled space between us. The hypocrisy strikes a chord.
‘What, so my relationship is fair game but not yours?’
