Something in the Shadows

by Elle Beaumont

  It didn’t.

  It was worse.

  Matrada demons, or Mate demons, are one of the few non-hostile demons that exist. While not hostile toward humans, that doesn’t mean they aren’t destructive in their own right. Most are peaceful, their only desire to be summoned by the witch that will be their mate as there are no female Matrada demons and they are compatible with human witches. It has not been recorded whether offspring of either kind may come of this union, though it is assumed if there is offspring that females are witches and males are Matrada demons. They are also the only demons which cannot be sent back to the demon dimension. Once they have been summoned, the demon will survive until his witch Mate passes, at which time he disappears. No one knows whether they return to their dimension or if they cease to exist once their lover is no longer present in this world.

  My eyes were reading, but my brain was having a difficult time believing what was written on the paper. I had to read it over three more times before the truth of the situation started to sink in. By then, Izzy was starting to stir.

  The little girl lifted her head and stared at me before her eyes shifted to Cass while I could only sit there with my mouth hanging open. No words of explanation came forth, likely because I was still piecing the whole thing together myself. Just how was I supposed to tell my little sister that I’d accidentally summoned a demon, a demon who was supposed to be my mate?

  Mate? Who even used that term anymore?

  “Izzy...I can explain,” I stammered when she turned wide eyes back on me. “I think.”

  Gaining strength, I lifted Izzy into my arms and sprinted for the bathroom where I flipped on the light, set her down, and locked the door behind us. It wouldn’t stop Cass if he decided he wanted in, but perhaps it was enough of a message I wanted him to stay out that he’d do it. How much of human and Earth life did he know about and how much was I going to have to teach him?

  The bathroom was brightly lit and as clean as the rest of the hotel room, which was nice as I crouched before Izzy and took her hands. Her eyes still searched mine for an answer as I tried to think of the right words to say that wouldn’t scare her. How could I have been so stupid as to even speak a spell out loud?

  “Iz, I made a mistake last night, but I didn’t know it.” I took a deep breath and squeezed her hands, her grip on me almost painful. “Last night, after you went to bed, I was reading through a book on demons, and I happened to murmur a spell. I didn’t think anything of it because they’re usually complex spells. Well, apparently this is one of the easiest spells, so all you have to do is recite it.”

  “Meeps, what happened?”

  I was avoiding the truth for as long as possible, but it was only upsetting Izzy further. Taking my hands back, I wiped my face and heaved a heavy sigh. This was it.

  Meeting Izzy’s terrified face, I confessed my sin. “Last night I summoned a demon.”

  Her mouth popped open. Even young Izzy knew better than to do that. It was dark magic and forbidden by our coven.

  “I didn’t plan on it,” I urged, wanting my baby sister to understand what was happening. “It was a mistake. How was I supposed to know?”

  “Is he going to kill us?” Izzy squeaked, her body starting to tremble with the news.

  I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. He’s not that kind of demon.”

  Eyes widening further, Izzy gasped softly. “There’s more than one type of demon?”

  “Apparently so, which is exactly what I was looking at last night,” I muttered. “All the spells were so incredibly complex. I just happened to pick the one that wasn’t complex to whisper.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  I deflated as a fist banged against the door in a solid knock that made us both squeak, and I grabbed Izzy, keeping myself between the door and her.

  “If you didn’t want me to hear you,” Cass called through the door, “then you should have gone farther away. Why don’t you come out and we can discuss this situation together.”

  There was no hiding my cringe. He could hear me tell Izzy I’d summoned him by mistake? That could only mean he was aware I didn’t want him as a mate, that I’d never meant for this to happen. The tension in his tight voice was proof of that.

  Izzy and I locked gazes. We didn’t really have a choice. Eventually we’d have to make our way out of this bathroom, if only to eat.

  After gathering my wits around me so I didn’t scare Izzy further, I twisted the doorknob, disengaging the lock. One of us had to be brave, and I refused to let it be the six-year-old. She wasn’t the one who’d summoned this demon.

  Cass leaned against the wall opposite us beside the counter, gaze dark. I swallowed hard. It wasn’t just because of those eyes boring into me, but it was much more the expanse of blue-ish tinged skin that was exposed. There was a lot of it from the waist up. Thankfully a pair of black jeans hugged his waist, even if they did ride low on his hips.

  Mouth dry as cotton, I averted my gaze, eyes landing on Izzy’s small suitcase on the counter. Mine was shoved underneath out of the way, right next to the demon. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d feel much better about the upcoming conversation if I was fully dressed instead of in my skimpy sleep clothes.

  “If you don’t mind, Cass, I’d like to clean up before we talk.” My words were slow, timid, and soft, like I was waiting for the demon to explode with his wrath at me.

  Cass nodded, crossing his arms over his chest, his biceps doubling in size. I swallowed hard at the sight, both terrified and turned on by them. This was ridiculous. There was no way I should be drooling over a demon.

  I gave Izzy a nudge back toward the bathroom, and with her gone, I grabbed clothes for both of us. Once the door divided us from Cass again, Izzy and I changed. Since I finished before the girl, I also brushed my teeth and ran a brush through my hair. I’d help Izzy finish cleaning up later.

  The demon had moved since I’d shut us back in the bathroom. He sat on the bed where I’d slept, so I led Izzy to her bed, and we sat across from him. The beds were so close, and his legs so long, there wasn’t much space between our knees. There was a gap, but I could still feel heat radiating off of him.

  Neither one of us said anything, each staring at the other. So, who would break the silence? What would I even say if I did?

  In the end, it was Izzy who spoke first.

  “What are we going to do, Meeps?” Tears slid down Izzy’s cheeks as her body shook with suppressed sobs. “They’ll kick you out of the coven for this. What will happen to me?”

  I wrapped my arm around Izzy’s shoulders and tugged her against my side. “Hush now. Nothing will happen to you. Do you remember that idea you had last night about us moving here?” She nodded. “Then let’s say we do that, shall we?”

  It was the only plan that I could think of. She was right in that both sets of our grandparents would seek out the coven leader to banish me from the coven, effectively separating me from Izzy. I’d never let that happen, even if that meant not returning for the rest of our belongings. Nothing in this world was more important to me than Iz.

  “Your name is Meeps?” Cass’s voice reminded us of his presence, the real reason we were having this conversation. I gave him my full attention and he tilted his head.

  “No, not Meeps. It’s Izzy’s nickname for me. My name is Destiny.” I squeezed my sister’s shoulders. “Izzy, this is Cass.”

  Cass’s eyes narrowed on me in a dark look. “Your daughter?”

  My heart squeezed. Of course he would see it like that. I hadn’t given him any reason not to.

  “No, my sister. Our parents were killed in a car accident, so I’m raising Izzy.”

  He nodded, his gaze softening. “That is noble of you.”

  “No, it’s what’s right. I love her and don’t want anyone to take her from me.”

  “I heard what you told her,” Cass hedged, voice slow and cautious. “You didn’t mean to summon me.”

  �
�No, and I’m sorry for that. I thought-.”

  “Like I said, I heard you explain it to the child. However, I can’t return to my dimension while you yet live.”

  What the-? Did he mean? I swallowed hard, Izzy wrapping her arms around me. My other arm crossed in front of her to provide more meager protection.

  The demon tipped his head again, watching us with open curiosity. “Why the sudden fear of me?”

  “Why? You can’t return to your dimension with me still alive. That means you plan to kill me, right?”

  This time, his eyes flew wide. “I...that’s not what I meant. I’d never kill my mate, even if she didn’t want me. Why would I do such a thing?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. You are a demon.”

  “I’m a Matrada.”

  “That’s still a demon, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but our craving for blood and violence is nothing compared to our kin. If you asked me never to kill, I would never do it. If you asked me to protect both you and Izzy, I would until my dying breath. If you asked me to think of her as a daughter and help you raise her, I would gladly do so.” Cass ran fingers through his unruly, spiky hair. “You think me a monster just because I am a demon?”

  His words stunned me into silence. He was looking for an answer, but I had none to give until my brain digested what he’d said. Growing up, I’d been taught that all demons were to be loathed and hated for their violence and evil ways. Never had anyone mentioned that there were demons who would ever be willing to protect...and be willing to raise a child.

  “I don’t know what to think,” I finally admitted.

  I wasn’t sure how he’d react to the statement, but the tension in his set jaw didn’t ease. It didn’t grow worse, but it definitely wasn’t any better. This was not how I’d planned to start the day.

  Rubbing my forehead, I squeezed my eyes shut. “We were raised being taught that all demons are evil. Heck, until last night I only thought there was one kind, and we were meant to believe that they were monsters. It’s mind boggling to understand that we were taught wrong.”

  “You were taught it, yes, but also naive enough to not question it,” Cass spat.

  His words caused my spine to straighten and my skin to flush with growing anger. “I’m not telling you this so you can insult me. I’m telling you this so that you can understand why I don’t know anything else about demons. Our parents taught us about demons, perhaps it was all they were ever taught as well since we were banned from practicing dark magic.”

  Cass’s nose scrunched in disgust. “Dark magic? There’s only magic. One kind. Whether or not you use it for evil is up to you. Summoning a Matrada demon is hardly dark.”

  “Because you aren’t evil?” Izzy asked, and I stiffened, her six-year-old mind trying to keep up with the conversation.

  My fear-filled eyes met Cass’s, and his eyes softened, turning his attention on her. Even his voice was gentler when he spoke to Izzy. Perhaps it was because she was so young.

  “I am not evil, Izzy. Destiny didn’t tell you what a Matrada demon is, did she?” Izzy shook her head and for a moment I was put out that it sounded like he was throwing me under the bus. “I believe that’s because she’s still unsure herself. A Matrada is a Mate demon, which may give some connotations Destiny isn’t comfortable with.

  “We are not evil. While we wouldn’t mind killing someone, it’s only in defense of the witch who summoned us, and in this case, her family. It means that I am her companion, a friend, a loyal ear to listen to her secrets. I don’t have to be anything more than that if she doesn’t want me to be. To you, I could be as a father, or a brother, or a friend.”

  Izzy smiled, her hold on me loosening. “I like that.”

  I fought not to roll my eyes. Sure, she liked it. The demon hadn’t claimed her as a mate. I’d only ever had one boyfriend, and even that hadn’t lasted long. Boys were complicated and irritating. Demons couldn’t possibly be any better to deal with, especially the half-naked type.

  This conversation was giving me a headache. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed.

  “Cass, do you mind if we finish cleaning up and then head to my aunt’s house to keep sorting through her things? If we’re going to be staying here and moving in, I’d like to make it livable soon so we don’t go broke staying in a hotel.”

  Plus, I needed to order new furniture, check out the appliances, buy food for us, and make some sort of plan. I only had a week off from work before I needed to return to it full-time, and then there was college. So far, I wasn’t behind, but I would be soon if I didn’t keep up with the schedule. How was I ever supposed to do all of this in a week? Less than a week now, actually.

  “I will help you,” Cass stated, rising from the bed, answering my internal question. “You may not want me as a mate, but perhaps you would allow me the opportunity to prove I am worthy of being a friend?”

  There was no way this man was a demon. He was far too sweet. Perhaps I had judged him too harshly for what he was, or what my prejudice against him told me he was.

  “Thank you, Cass. That would be acceptable. I could use the help...and a friend.”

  “Then tell me what it is that you need me to do, and I will do it.”

  Half an hour later, we piled into my car and headed toward Aunt Cecilia’s house. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would be sandwiches again as they were easy to make at the hotel room. I’d need to buy more bread, though, since I hadn’t counted on feeding a demon starting partway through the week.

  I cringed at the sight of the lawn and landscaping yet again when we pulled up the driveway. The house sat on three acres of land surrounded by trees, which had also belonged to Aunt Ceclia. However, all three acres of grass resembled a hayfield of tall grasses. It hadn’t been mowed all summer, and there were likely dozens of snakes living in it. Since we were out of town and on a back road no one ever used, there were no ordinances that said this mess had to be mowed at all.

  “Okay,” I sighed, cutting the engine, “let’s do this.”

  Ignoring the bare chested demon beside me, I climbed from the car and helped Izzy out with her bag. More books, coloring pages, and toys would soon litter the ground inside. What greeted us first was the mess from yesterday. Cass stared at the various piles and closed the door behind himself.

  “Aunt Cecilia was a bit of a hoarder,” I explained, worming my way through the piles and clutter to the kitchen. If we were going to stay here, then I needed to make the most important areas habitable first.

  “Yes, it appears that way.” Cass followed me, taking in the junk around us. “What would you have me do first?”

  Stopping, I pivoted and gave him my full attention. “How is it that you know so much about Earth? This dimension, here, whatever you call it.”

  “Unlike your witches and warlocks who appear too willing to silence knowledge of the other dimension, we seek for any scrap of information we can find. Some use it for dark purposes, planning for the day they may be summoned. Others, like the Matrada, are curious, and wish to be ready for the time that we are summoned as a mate, or in this case, a friend.”

  “How do you gain your knowledge?”

  “From demons who have been returned and...other ways.”

  That was not comforting. I didn’t even want to ask about what other ways demons gained knowledge from a different dimension. My mind was too busy making up its own. None of those were good.

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  With my curiosity settled for now, I focused on the fridge, cringing and ready to tackle the worst case of growing food and leaking containers of my life. Sucking in a deep breath, I held it, peeking inside. Much to my shock, the fridge was practically empty.

  The air I’d held rushed from my lungs and I inhaled deep again as I tugged the fridge door open all the way. Pickle jars lined one of the door shelves, with some sticks of butter crammed in a compartment. A few containers sat on shelving inside, and all were growing, but none had
leaked or somehow cracked open. Even the drawers were empty.

  My sigh of relief didn’t go unnoticed.

  “Is all well?” Cass appeared beside me, staring at the fridge’s contents with me.

  “Yes, it’s fine. Can you grab that trash can and throw everything in here into it? I’ll find a clean cloth and wipe it out. Maybe tomorrow morning we can go shopping for real food to eat.” I cast his wide chest a pointed stare. “And perhaps find you a shirt.”

  Cass chuckled. “I’ve heard your rules about being fully clothed to enter a building. I find them odd, but I will comply.”

  They weren’t my rules. I didn’t mind drooling over the demon cleaning out the fridge. He was a male and he was willingly helping me clean. It didn’t get much hotter than that. Neither did those back muscles. I’d never considered that the back could be so toned.

  The question of whether or not all demons were as muscular as Cass hovered on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it. That might give him the wrong idea. Friends, we were only friends. So, instead, I busied myself with finding a clean cloth and checking on Izzy. The girl was in the same spot as yesterday, coloring.

  When my eyes landed on Cass again, I froze, sliding to a stop. His back was still to me as he pulled the last few items from the freezer, which was also clean. However, it wasn’t the fact that he’d taken initiative to check the freezer that stunned me, though it was impressive. Nope, it was the fact he now sported a gray t-shirt over those impressive muscles.

  “So, where’d you find a shirt?” I asked, flipping the sink handle to hot water and letting it run until it was warm.

  Cass’s grin was wicked as his eyes shone with mischief. “Do you remember the ‘other ways’ I mentioned we received information in the demon dimension? Well, that’s how, and no, I’m not telling you. It’s a demon secret.”