In fact, she was pretty sure she had never been in love at all… until now.
18
Mad House
Lily allowed Mist to talk her into going to his apartment, mostly because she was curious to see where he’d been living. While she didn’t fully believe she was in grave danger, and definitely not that she was part of a prophesied witch power duo, Mist was genuinely concerned, so she agreed for his peace of mind.
Should she have been worried about walking into a flat full of powerful demons? Maybe. But she was with Mist, and she hadn’t lied when she told him she trusted him.
Iris would have sworn this was all part of some elaborate ruse, but Lily had always trusted her gut. And when she looked into his eyes, she saw their connection. She felt it in her bones. She knew it was real, and she was going to fight for it. She was going to do whatever it took to help him.
It was another reason she’d agreed to his plan. She was hoping she could ask the other demons if they knew anything about the brands. She hadn’t forgotten that Mist had saidBelial’sapartment, but surely she’d misheard. Still, whoever the tall blond guy was, he had to be powerful. Maybe he knew a way to get rid of them.
Mist took human form to accompany her on the walk, but he still drew a lot of attention since he had no shirt or shoes to wear. If he hadn’t been so strikingly handsome, people would likely have thought him homeless. But he walked with purpose, as if he had every right to be doing what he was doing, and as a result, people seemed to accept him at face value. Though she wouldn’t be caught dead walking around the city in bare feet, his confidence inspired her.
When they finally reached his building—an old, brick warehouse that had been rebuilt into trendy businesses and elegant apartments—he stopped outside the buzzer and stared at it.
“Don’t you have a key?” As soon as she asked, she knew the answer. Of course he didn’t. He had nothing except a single pair of pants.
“I usually go in the window.”
“Well, you can ring the bell, right?”
“Yes.” He scratched his chin. “I think it’s this one.”
Her heart melted a little at his puzzled expression. He pushed the button, and a bell sounded. A moment later, a female voice said, “Hello?”
“Eva?”
“Yes…?”
“I have pushed the wrong apartment number.”
There was a pause. “Mist? Is that you?”
He shifted on his feet. “Yes.”
“Mist!” The door buzzed as it was unlocked, and the phone disconnected. He hesitated and then opened the door, gesturing for her to go inside. Lily stepped past him, fighting back an irrational surge of jealousy.
The second she heard that female voice, she remembered how she’d met Mist in the first place. He’d been at the dep buying ice cream for his friend on her period.A friend that is a girl, a girl friend, but not a girlfriend.
How close was he with this friend? Did she know what he was? Did she have a different definition of their relationship?
“Is that the friend you live with?”
“No. She lives on the floor below.”
Yet he remembered her flat number and not his own. Her stomach lurched.You’re being stupid, she told herself.Yes, I know, but I can’t help it.
“Will we go to her place to ask for the number?”
He shook his head. “I’ll know which one when we reach the floor.”
They rode up the lift in silence, but it didn’t escape Lily’s notice that he seemed tense. She reached out and took his hand, and he stared down at it like he’d never seen such a thing before. Their gazes met, and she offered a smile. He didn’t smile back, but his fingers tightened around hers.
When the elevator doors opened, he led her down the hall and knocked on a door at the far end. It opened a moment later, revealing the demon with face tattoos. When he saw them, he grinned. His red eyes were slightly unfocused, and it was immediately obvious he was drunk.
“You don’t have to knock, bro. You live here.”
