ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖
Finn and Kieran are sitting beside each other on the couch as Kami walks up and sits down on a nearby chair.
"I'm gone for about a week and you're all off getting duped by doppelgängers, killing the Demon King, getting amnesia, brawling with demons..." Finn says, popping the cap off of a beer bottle and taking a sip. "Nothing is ever boring with you lot these days, is it?"
"I could go for some boring right about now," I say, slumping onto the armchair. As Ava walks past me I scoop her into my lap and wrap my arms around her waist.
After the scares we've had lately, I'm never letting this woman out of my sight again.
"So your memory is back?" Kieran asks Ava.
"It would seem so," she says.
"Coolness," Kieran says. "Mine too. That lethe stuff is wild, isn't it?"
"That's one word for it, I guess," she says. "I don't think I'll be trying it again any time soon."
I have half a mind to pour the rest of that bloody bottle down the drain. This whole experience has been way too close for comfort.
"Then I'm sure you'll be happy to hear I cleared every last drop from the house," Kami says.
"That's probably a good idea," Finn says, taking another sip of beer.
"So what's all this with the demons, now?" Ava asks.
"Ahh, yes, that," Kami says. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. According to my sources, they're all leaving town."
"Now, when you say all..." Kieran says.
"I mean all. They're leaving—collectively—all at once."
"Well, shit," Kieran says. "That can't possibly be good, can it."
"But don't we want them to leave?" Ava asks.
"Sure," I say. "But it does make you wonder, why now? What happened to make them suddenly pack up and move?"
"And if they're not here," Kami adds. "Where are they going?"
She's right. It reminds me of mass animal migrations, like when the birds suddenly migrate off-season before a hurricane or when the fish disappear before a tsunami. Whatever it means, it's probably not anything good.
"Does that mean it's dangerous?" Ava asks. "What about Jen? Do we need to keep her safe?"
"It should be safer than ever in town," Kami says. "If anything, it's probably less safe around us right now."
After the Kieran debacle, it's probably easier to keep Jen away from the house anyway—otherwise I'll have to charm her every five seconds.
"Less safe because demons are after you?" Ava asks.
"Maybe," Kami replies. "We're not sure right now, but I've been making a few calls, and it would seem that a few Sirens have gone missing."
"Missing?" I ask. "When were you going to tell me this?"
"When I thought you could handle it," she says, giving me a glare.
"This is exactly what I mean," Finn says. "Never boring."
"So what do we do?" Ava asks. "Do we have to kill another bad guy?"
"She's got a taste for blood now," Kieran says with a laugh.
I shoot him a scowl.
"No, no," Kami says. "We stay put and be vigilant for now. Nobody's coming to kill us or anything."
She says it very confidently, but I hear a hint of worry in her voice.
Deep down, none of us really know what kind of wrath killing a demon king could bring upon us, because no one has ever done it before.
𝔸𝕧𝕒
Kieran, Finn, and Kami say their goodbyes before Zane closes the door behind them. He lets out a heavy sigh and leans back against the closed door. His usually neat curls are tousled and unruly, his eyes sunken and bloodshot.
Even with his superhuman good looks, his exhaustion is obvious.
"You need sleep," I say, walking up to hug him, my head resting on his chest.
"You're probably right," he says with another sigh, wrapping his arms around me.
"I'm right?? Uh oh..."
"Why uh oh?"
"You must be another demon because there's no chance you're Zane," I say with a giggle.
"Oy!" he says, laughing slightly. "Okay Miss Cheeky, that's enough from you."
He grabs my butt and hoists me up. My legs instinctively wrap around him and I let out a surprised yelp as he carries me to the bedroom. In a quick motion, he places me on the bed and lies down next to me so that we're both facing each other. I laugh softly as he brushes my face with his fingertips, his eyes locked on mine as a broad smile stretches across his face.
"Why are you so happy?" I ask.
"Seriously, love? You're alive, you have your memories back, what's not to be happy about?"
"Oh, I dunno, just some unexplained disappearing Sirens and the town demons going south for the winter?"
"Of all the things that scare me, those don't even crack the top ten."
"Okay, then, macho man."
"Want me to show you just how manly I can be?" he asks with a shameless smirk, wrapping his hand around my waist and pulling my body up against his own.
"Not tonight, Romeo," I say, swatting his chest. "You are officially on bed rest. You look like you've hardly slept all week."
His eyes fall slightly and he bites his lower lip.
"You have slept, haven't you?" I ask.
"I've slept some."
"Zane... what's some?"
"I tried. I got a couple hours."
"You only slept a couple hours last night?"
"Er... this week."
"Holy crap, Zane! No wonder you seem so worn out! Why haven't you been sleeping?"
Although that does explain why I found the TV remote in the toothbrush holder last night.
"I just couldn't," he says with a sigh. "Those first few days, I thought you were never going to get your memory back. Then, when it started coming back, you lost consciousness. I was worried. Plus, I can't really sleep anymore without you in my arms."
His eyes dodge my gaze and he chews nervously on his lip.
"Aww," I say, nuzzling into his shoulder. "You could've told me—maybe I could've helped."
"You had plenty to deal with."
"Well, you don't get to decide what I do or don't get to deal with, okay?" I say, kissing his cheek.
"Mmm-hmm..." he hums, his eyes falling shut.
"I'll get you your pajamas," I say, attempting to stand up, but Zane's arm tugs me back into bed with him. "Zane, I have to get ready for bed."
A soft purring snore radiates from his chest as Zane snuggles deeper into his pillow with a faint smile on his face.
"Zane?" I whisper, but there's no response.
I lay down beside him and watch him peacefully drift into a deep sleep.
*****
My phone buzzes on the nightstand and I reach for it. The time reads: 10:42 am.
Crap. I guess we really slept in today.
The phone vibrates in my hand as a call comes through from the building concierge. I step out of the bedroom, treading softly across the floor to avoid waking Zane. I close the door behind me and walk out into the living room before answering.
"Hello?" I say, bringing the phone to my ear.
"Hello, Miss Reynolds?" the concierge says.
"Yes, this is she."
"We have a visitor at the desk asking for you," he says. "A Mister David Reynolds. Do you know this person? Would you like us to let him up to your floor?"
My stomach sinks and twists just hearing his name.
David Reynolds—my dad.
"Um..." I say, pausing to process what he's just told me. "No. Don't let him up."
"Alright, Miss Reynolds..." the concierge says.
"I'll come down to meet him."