His shadow knows my name

CHAPTER FIVE

The Demon’s Truth

Her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing at first, she tried to ignore it she lay there, staring at the pale morning light cutting across her room, the silver thread of shadow still fading on the pillow like it had burned itself into the fabric. Her hands refused to stop shaking. Her skin felt too tight. Her mind still thrummed with the aftershocks of him, of what he’d done, of how real he had been in the darkness Then the buzzing grew frantic one call then another three in a row her friends She swallowed hard and forced herself to sit up. Every muscle ached as though she had run miles in her sleep like his presence had drained something from her while filling her with something else entirely she answered on the fourth call Where the hell were you last night?” Mina’s voice cracked through the speaker sharp, frantic, accusing. “You just disappeared. We waited for you for an hour, and then Elias said he saw someone following you I’m fine,” she said too quickly It was a lie. They heard it. But how could she explain what had happened? How could she tell them that something not human had touched her, claimed her, left his mark where they couldn’t see Fine?” Jace snapped from the background. “You’re not answering texts, you’re not home when we check, you’re just what, vanishing into thin air now She opened her mouth, but another voice cut through her thoughts Low. Silky. Amused little liar Her pulse stopped. The voice wasn’t on the phone. It was behind her she turned slowly He stood at the foot of her bed, as if he’d always belonged in that space Raven, shadow-wreathed, eyes gleaming with that impossible darkness that seemed to swallow all the light in the room. His presence made the air vibrate, thick and heavy. A reminder. A warning. A claim she clutched the phone tighter I’ll call you later,” she whispered, and hung up before her friends could protest Raven smiled not kindly, not gently, but with a quiet satisfaction that curled under her skin like heat You wake beautifully,” he murmured. “Shaken. Marked. A little ruined her breath faltered He stepped closer, each movement soundless, unnatural, a predator gliding through its chosen territory They’re worried about you,” he said, tilting his head.

“They should be She tried to form words. “Why… why are you here You called me,” he said simply. “With your fear. With your body remembering mine. With the thread I left beside you His hand lifted, fingers brushing the air above the pillow where the shadow had been no contact, just proximity, but her skin reacted as if he’d touched her directly You belong to my world now,” Raven continued softly. “And I do not share Her heart pounded so hard she felt dizzy.She thought of her friends calling, panicking, looking for her. She thought of the night before. She thought of him. What do you want from me?” she whispered Raven’s smile deepened, darkness gathering like a living thing around him The demon’s truth,” he said, “is simple He leaned in close enough that his breath ghosted over her ear, the same place he had breathed into last night, the place her body still remembered too vividly She couldn’t breathe.Not with him standing so close, not with the weight of his words sinking into her like hooks.

Raven watched her with that unreadable, hungry calm so certain she wouldn’t run, so certain she couldn’t. A soft vibration buzzed from her phone again. A text this time. Mina: We’re coming to get you. You’re scaring us, her stomach twisted Raven’s eyes flicked to the screen, and something darkened behind them not rage, not yet, but a simmering displeasure. They come for you often,” he murmured. “They cling. They pull. They think they matter. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched without meaning to His voice dipped, quiet and dangerous.

“Do they She swallowed. They’re my friends, friends?” he echoed, as though tasting the word. “A fragile label humans use for those they wish to keep close His tone sharpened And yet you didn’t call them last night when you were shaking in the dark she froze at the realization You called me,” Raven whispered. “Whether you meant to or not A loud knock shattered the moment She jumped. Raven didn’t Hey! open up!” Jace’s voice boomed from outside the apartment door. “We’re not leaving until you answer Her heart seized Raven’s gaze slid toward the door, irritation blooming in the shadows around him like storm clouds gathering Jace knocked harder.

Mina’s anxious voice followed. We’re serious! If you don’t open this door, we’re calling the landlord or the cops Raven’s head tilted, slow and predatory cops, he repeated softly. “Humans love to summon threats they don’t understand. She rushed toward the door before he could react, but Raven’s arm shot out, barring her path. Not violently just effortlessly, like blocking a fleeing kitten You would let them in,” he said, while I am here, they’re worried!” she whispered fiercely. “If I don’t answer, they’ll break the door down The shadows around him shivered.

For a terrifying second, she thought he might simply erase them snuff out their interference without hesitation Open it,” he said. A dangerous softness coated the words. I want to see them Her blood ran cold. “Raven… don’t. But he stepped back into the darker corner of the room, his form dissolving just enough to hide him from human eyes. I will not interfere,” he said. A pause for now.

Another knock shook the frame. She forced her hands steadily and opened the door. Mina nearly fell inside, eyes wide. Jace pushed in after her, scanning her pale face You look like hell,” he muttered, gripping her shoulders. “What happened? Why didn’t you answer? We thought He cut himself off as his gaze darted past her into the room. He did not see Raven. But he felt something. Jace stiffened. “Is… someone else here?”Mina shivered. “The air feels weird. Behind her, from the shadows, Raven smiled. She felt it like a cold finger down her spin Tell them you’re fine,” Raven murmured into her mind silk threaded with steel. “Or I will remind them why they should fear knocking on your door She forced her voice out. “I’m okay. I… just had a rough night Jace didn’t buy it. She saw suspicion tighten his jaw. He stepped closer to her. Too close Raven’s presence sharpened like a blade pressed to her thoughts. Move him,” Raven ordered silently. “Now. But Jace didn’t move. His hand lifted touching her arm gently, protectively, unknowingly provoking the worst possible creature. And from the shadows behind her, the air thickened. Raven did not like it Not even a little.