All The Wrong Signs
It Comes at a Price

Riley’s POV

It was nightfall before I managed to pull myself out of the chair that still smelled faintly of Blaze. I hadn’t even realized he had a smell until he wasn’t there anymore. One would think a demon would smell of brimstone and fire, but he smelled of cedar and maybe a tad bit of mint.

I tried to rationalize with myself as I watched the sunset. The way I was feeling was a side effect of the sigil branded into my skin. Without it, I would have been happy he was gone.

It couldn’t be me crying for a demon.

Luna and Shadow were the only reason I had even pulled myself out of the chair. They had been whining for the past hour and I knew if I didn’t want an accident on my hands, I needed to let them outside. Perhaps the fresh air would help me too.

Sitting down in my chair, I watched the two dogs run to the corner, disappearing into the darkness to relieve their selves. Looking up, I searched the sky for the moon and when I couldn’t replace it I thought how fitting it would abandon me too of all nights.

Tears still stung my eyes. I wasn’t even sure if I was crying for Blaze or myself at this point. I was numb. Lakyn had tried calling me, but I had turned my phone on do not disturb. I wasn’t ready to talk to her. I was afraid I would take out my anger on her, and she had only been trying to help.

She had sent me a text telling me she was sorry, but I didn’t respond.

Closing my eyes, I kept telling myself that this was not me. This was the sigil causing me to feel this way. It made perfect since.

Why hadn’t I kissed him?

The thought popped up so fast in my mind it made my eyes flash open. He was a demon, that’s why. I had no desire to touch any part of him. Or for him to touch any part of me.

Only for a short period of time, I had allowed him to hold me. To comfort me, and it felt so damn good that I was ashamed. I thought I had been happy before replaceing out about Collin. The truth was, I had been alone for far longer than I realized.

Fidgeting with my necklace, I looked out into the darkness. “I need you Blaze.”

It was no more than a whisper. Something I probably would never admit, I said, but I felt it so deep in my heart that it ached. He was gone, and I was never getting him back.

His entire act of sympathy was probably just that. An act. At least it was a good act. He could lie to me, as long as he didn’t betray me. I knew in time it would come. After he got what he wanted from me, he would have probably killed me or tried to claim my soul. Wasn’t that what demons did?

Only I would have fucking sympathy for a stupid demon prince who was annoying as the day was long. Only I would replace said prince to be the most beautiful man I had ever laid my eyes on, no matter what form he chose at the moment. My favorite was him, with his silvery white hair and icey blue eyes.

Hearing a noise, I turned to look toward the house. I had left the sliding glass door open, and I swore I heard something. Getting up, I walked, feeling weak to my knees, when I heard my doorbell ding again.

Collin.

He was back, and Blaze was gone.

I wanted to scream. Dread pooled up in my stomach and it took everything in me to make it to my front door. I had no intention of opening it. I needed to bolt it down as securely as possible.

Peeking through the peephole, I expected to see his eyes glaring at me, but instead I saw the silhouette of a woman in a long red coat and a big floppy black hat. Swallowing, I wondered who she could be. Nobody wore anything like that anywhere except in the movies, and I didn’t know any movie stars.

Slowly, I opened the door with shaking hands. “Can…Can I help you?” I asked nervously, afraid that the woman would somehow turn into Collin.

The woman looked up at me. Her dark blue eyes boring into mine. “What have you done?”

My mouth dropped. “Excuse me?” I asked. Did she know?

The woman pulled her hat off, letting her long blonde hair flow down around her shoulders. “What have you done with my brother?”

I could only stare at the lady, her icy hair reminding me of Blaze. How did she know? “I…”

“Are you going to invite me inside, or do you intend to have this whole bloody conversation on your front porch for the entire neighborhood to hear?”

Yep, she was definitely Blaze’s sister.

“No, umm. Please come in.”

Sweeping in, in pure demoness grace, I watched as she sat her hat down on the hallway table. Her fingers swiftly unbuttoned her jacket. “He is gone, correct?” She asked once her jacket was off and folded neatly beside her hat.

“I..I didn’t mean to. My friend, she…” I didn’t know why I was couldn’t form a sentence. The woman made me nervous. Finally, I swallowed. “You are his sister?”

Rolling her eyes, reminding me way too much of the golden-haired demon, she sighed. “Yes.” Holding out her hand, I shook it awkwardly. “My name is Petra.”

“I’m Riley,” I said stupidly. If she knew how to replace me, she sure as hell knew my name. “Would you like some tea or coffee?”

Petra glared down at me. “I suppose if it will calm you down to have a task at hand, you may make me some coffee.”

Walking to my kitchen, Petra sat at my bar, watching me start a pot of coffee. “You were saying,” she started. “Your friend did what to Blaze?”

Hearing his name stung. “She thought she was helping,” I said, looking down. “She x’d my make with a permanent marker. I washed it off as quick as I could. But…but he was gone when I made it back.”

Tears stung my eyes again. This time, I angrily wiped at them. I did not need his sister, of all people, to see me crying over him.

Petra laughed.

Was she laughing at me?

“He never gave you his true name, did he?” As I shook my head, she snorted. “And here you are, crying over him like a fool.”

I shook my head. “I’m not crying over him.”

She tilted her head, eyeing me. “I’m really not interested if you are, or if you are not. See, the problem is his prison has a curse on it. The longer he is there, the more we will forget about him.”

“I will never forget him,” I blurted out.

Petra shrugged. “You human won’t, but I will.”

When I frowned at her, she smiled. “Little witch, isn’t that what he likes to call you? I’m the only one who can help you.”

“You will tell me his name?”

Petra sighed, “I can’t remember it.”

My mouth fell open. “But… but you came here.”

She nodded. “I came here because I’m the only one who cares what the hell happens to him. I will not fail him again.”

I rubbed the mark on my hand. “I will do whatever it takes to help you get him back.”

Petra’s eyes moved to meet mine. “Do you really mean that? Because I can pull his name from your mind, but it will hurt.”

“I owe him,” I said confidently. If I could help him, I would.

“Blaze is not a very forgiving person. He will be furious with you when you summon him back…”

“But it wasn’t my fault. He…”

“He will see it as a betrayal. Your fault or not. You should have protected his sigil better.”

I looked at her angry face, “but I didn’t know.”

Petra didn’t look sympathetic, even as I placed her coffee in front of her. I frowned. “Why can’t you just draw his sigil on you and summon him yourself?”

“If it was that easy, human, I would have done it years ago. Demons don’t use sigils to summon each other. I can’t reach him. I can’t feel him. I know he is still alive, but I can’t replace him.”

Petra’s voice broke toward the end, and I realized all of her anger was a front. She truly wanted her brother back. He was someone important to her.

“If he tries to kill me, I can send him back, right?”

Petra looked up at me, nodding. “You just tell him he is dismissed. As easy as that.”

She had given me more knowledge in that sentence than I had gotten from all the books I had read. “And I can summon him back with just his name?”

Petra nodded.

“Then let’s do it.”

“You need to prepare yourself. Eat, get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow you will wish you had chosen death.”

I swallowed, but I knew I had to bring Blaze back. He deserved that much.