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For several seconds, Evelyn simply stared at him.

Lucian stared back.

Neither of them spoke.

The refrigerator hummed quietly behind him. Somewhere outside, a dog barked.

Evelyn tightened her grip around the hairbrush.

"One question."

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"Are you actually a demon?"

"Yes."

"Not joking?"

"No."

"Not some guy who thinks he's a demon?"

"No."

"Not mentally unstable?"

Lucian considered it.

"I suppose that's subjective."

Evelyn sighed.

"Great."

She turned around and walked back upstairs. Lucian followed. She spun around immediately.

"Why are you following me?"

"You're going upstairs."

"Yes."

"So am I."

"No."

He stopped.

Evelyn pointed toward the kitchen.

"You stay there."

Lucian looked around.

"At least give me a chair."

"You're a demon."

"And?"

"You don't need chairs."

"That's not how chairs work."

Evelyn stared at him. She wasn't sure whether to be terrified or annoyed.

Annoyed was winning.

She continued upstairs. Lucian followed anyway.

"Why are you still following me?"

"You're my responsibility."

"I didn't ask you to be."

"You literally did."

Evelyn opened her bedroom door. She pointed at the hallway.

"Stay."

Lucian looked at her. Then at the bedroom. Then back at her.

"You're treating me like a dog."

"I trust dogs more."

He smiled.

"That hurts."

"I'll survive without a demon."

"So will I."

Evelyn closed the door in his face. She locked it. Then stood there, breathing heavily. She leaned against the door.

"Okay."

She whispered to herself.

"Think."

There was a demon outside her bedroom.

A freakin demon!

She had summoned him.

Apparently.

Her life had officially gone insane. She looked around her room. Nothing had changed. Her books were still stacked beside the bed. Her clothes were still scattered over the chair. Her laptop was still sitting on the desk.

Everything looked normal.

Which somehow made everything worse.

Evelyn walked toward her bed and sat down. She picked up her phone. Her fingers hovered over the emergency call button.

What exactly was she supposed to say?

Hello, there's a demon in my house.

They'd either send someone to arrest Lucian or someone to arrest her or maybe send them to an asylum.

Neither option sounded ideal. She put the phone down. Maybe she should wake up her mother.

No.

Absolutely not.

Her mother would come upstairs. She'd see Lucian. Then Evelyn would have to explain why a strange man was standing in their house at three in the morning.

And somehow, saying I summoned him with my blood sounded worse.

She rubbed her face.

"This is a nightmare."

Evelyn stood in the middle of her room. Her hands were shaking.

"Okay."

She grabbed her laptop and typed.

HOW TO GET RID OF A DEMON

Clicked on search. Nothing useful appeared.

A thousand horror movie articles. Religious websites. Forums written by people who seemed far too enthusiastic about summoning things.

She tried again. This time she typed:

HOW TO SEND A DEMON BACK TO HELL?

Better result. Still terrible tho.

One website suggested holy water. Another suggested salt. Someone on a forum recommended chanting. Another person insisted that demons couldn't cross a line of rice.

Evelyn stared at the screen.

"Rice?"

She tried another search.

CAN DEMONS ENTER YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT PERMISSION?

Some said, yes.

Other thread replies said, no. Only if summoned. Depends on the demon.

Evelyn groaned. She closed the laptop and threw herself onto the bed.

Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe she'd wake up soon. Maybe tomorrow would be normal.

Maybe...

A knock came from her bedroom door. Evelyn sat upright.

"Evelyn?"

She froze. It was Lucian. Of course.

"Go away."

"Are you awake?"

"No."

"You answered."

"I was sleep talking."

Silence.

Then he spoke again:

"That's impressive."

She rolled her eyes. A minute passed. Evelyn finally got up and opened the door.

Lucian was sitting on the floor outside. His back against the wall. His legs stretched out in front of him. He looked almost comfortable.

Evelyn stared.

"Why are you on the floor?"

"You told me not to enter."

"I meant don't enter my room."

"You were very specific about the room."

She sighed. Then remembered something.

"are you even a real demon?"

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"I'm beginning to take that personally."

"I mean...Prove it."

"How?"

"Tell me something."

"What kind of something?"

"Something nobody knows about me."

Lucian looked at her.

"You'll have to be more specific."

"A memory or maybe an incident."

He smiled faintly.

"Everyone has memories."

"One that I never told anyone."

Lucian was quiet for a moment.

Then he said:

"When you were eight, you broke your mother's blue ceramic vase."

Evelyn's expression changed. He continued.

"You didn't break it by accident. You were trying to reach a biscuit jar from the top shelf."

Evelyn's eyes widened.

"And when it fell, you blamed the cat."

She stared at him.

"We didn't have a cat."

"I know."

Evelyn's mouth opened. Nothing came out. Lucian's smile grew.

"You cried behind the curtains because you thought your mother would hate you."

Evelyn swallowed.

"How..."

"You eventually confessed."

"I never told anyone that."

"I know."

Her heart began beating faster.

"That could still be a coincidence."

Lucian looked genuinely amused.

"A coincidence?"

"Yes."

"You want another?"

"No."

He continued anyway.

"You have a tiny scar underneath your left knee from when you fell off your bicycle at eleven."

Evelyn's face went pale.

"You have two moles along your right shoulder."

Her eyes widened.

"Two near your ribs."

"Okay."

"And one..."

"Stop."

Lucian looked at her.

"You asked."

"I changed my mind."

He smiled.

"You have four on your back."

Evelyn's face heated.

"Why do you know that?"

"You asked me to prove I know you."

"That doesn't mean you need to catalogue my entire body!"

Lucian shrugged.

"I've seen every one."

"Shut up."

He laughed.

Evelyn crossed her arms.

"You're disgusting."

"I don't understand."

"What?"

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"Because you're talking about my body!"

"They're simply marks on your skin."

"That is not the point!"

Lucian frowned slightly.

"Humans are strange."

"You're the demon."

"Exactly."

He said it so casually that she didn't know how to respond.

Lucian looked at her for a moment.

"I don't understand most human reactions."

"Clearly."

"You cry when you're angry."

"Sometimes."

"You laugh when you're uncomfortable."

Evelyn's smile disappeared.

"You lie when you're afraid."

She looked away.

"And you pretend not to care about things you care about more than anything."

Evelyn said nothing. Lucian tilted his head.

"Why?"

"Because that's what people do."

"That isn't an answer."

"It is to humans."

He looked genuinely puzzled.

"Humans make everything unnecessarily complicated."

"Demons don't?"

"No."

"What do you do?"

"We want something."

"And?"

"We take it."

Evelyn stared at him.

"That sounds healthy."

Lucian smiled.

A few minutes later, Evelyn sat on the floor opposite him. She still wasn't convinced that any of this was real.

Unfortunately, the childhood memories had made that argument significantly harder.

"So..."

She hesitated.

"If you're really a demon..."

"I am."

"How old are you?"

Lucian laughed quietly.

"Old."

"I knew you'd say that."

"You asked."

"Give me an actual number."

"That would be difficult."

"Why?"

"Because human numbers aren't very useful when you've existed for that long."

Evelyn stared.

"How long?"

He looked toward the window.

"A very long time."

"Hundreds of years?"

"More."

"A thousand?"

"More."

"Two thousand?"

Lucian smiled.

"You're getting warmer."

Evelyn's mouth fell open.

"You're ancient?"

"Yes."

"That is horrifying."

"Why?"

"Because I'm twenty two."

"And?"

"You're literally ancient."

"I've met older."

"That's not comforting."

She hesitated.

"What's your real name?"

Lucian's smile disappeared.

"No."

"Why?"

"You couldn't hear it."

Evelyn frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"My real name isn't meant for human ears."

"Why?"

"Because human minds aren't built for it."

She stared at him.

"So... what? I'd go insane?"

"Possibly."

"Possibly?"

"It depends on the human."

"Could I die?"

Lucian considered it.

"Possibly."

"Fantastic."

He leaned his head against the wall.

"Lucian is easier."

"So Lucian isn't your real name?"

"No."

"Then why Da'vil?"

He looked at her.

"Because humans enjoy irony."

Evelyn snorted.

"You're telling me a demon deliberately chose the surname Da'vil?"

"I didn't choose it."

"Then who did?"

"A human."

"That's somehow worse."

Eventually, Evelyn remembered the most important question.

"How do I send you back?"

Lucian looked at her.

"You don't."

"What?"

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"Because you already made your wish."

"I didn't agree to anything."

"You asked for a guardian."

"Yes."

"And I answered."

"That doesn't mean you get to stay."

Lucian's expression became almost sympathetic.

Almost.

"That's not how it works."

Evelyn frowned.

"Then how does it work?"

"A wish creates an exchange."

"What exchange?"

"An eye for an eye."

She stared at him.

"What do you want?"

"Not what I want."

"Then what?"

"What is owed."

Evelyn didn't like that answer.

"Owed by who?"

"You."

Her stomach tightened.

"I didn't agree to pay anything."

"You didn't have to."

"That's convenient."

Lucian shrugged.

"Demons aren't known for convenience."

"What exactly do I owe you?"

He looked at her wrist.

"The ritual took your wish."

"And?"

"Something has to be given in return."

"What?"

Lucian was quiet.

Then he smiled.

"A little time."

Evelyn frowned.

"Time?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Not much."

That sounded reassuring. Until she remembered who was saying it.

"How much is 'not much'?"

Lucian leaned closer.

"That depends on how long you intend to live."

Evelyn stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

"You'll understand."

"I don't like that answer."

"You weren't supposed to."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Are you trying to trick me?"

Lucian smiled.

"I don't need to."

"That's exactly what a demon would say."

Evelyn sighed.

"Fine. I want you to be my guardian. For the rest of my life."

Lucian's eyes flickered. There was something strange in his expression. Almost surprise.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Think carefully."

"I have."

"Your entire life?"

"Yes."

He studied her. Then held out his hand. Evelyn looked at it.

"What?"

"Agreement."

"I don't have to sign anything?"

"No."

"That's suspicious."

"Very."

She almost laughed. Instead, she placed her hand in his. The moment their palms touched, the mark on her wrist burned.

Evelyn gasped.

Lucian's fingers tightened around hers. For one brief second, something dark moved beneath his skin. Then it was gone. The pain disappeared.

Evelyn pulled her hand back.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"Yes."

She stared at him.

"You really are a demon."

"I've been trying to tell you."

Evelyn finally stood up.

"I'm going to sleep."

Lucian nodded.

"Good."

She walked toward her bedroom door. He followed. She stopped at the doorway and turned around.

"You're not staying inside."

Lucian looked at her, then at the door behind her.

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good."

He stepped outside and glanced at the hallway.

Evelyn stepped back and reached for the door. Before closing it, she looked at him one last time.

"You're not coming in while I'm asleep, right?"

Lucian's expression softened slightly.

"No."

She studied his face, trying to decide whether she believed him. For some reason, she did.

"Okay."

She closed the door. The lock clicked. Evelyn leaned against it and exhaled.

On the other side, Lucian remained standing in the hallway.

A few seconds passed.

Then he heard her footsteps move toward the bed. The lights went off. Silence settled over the house.

Lucian lowered himself to the floor beside her door, resting his back against the wall.

He closed his eyes. He didn't need sleep. He didn't particularly enjoy it either. But he'd made a promise. And, unlike humans, demons were very particular about promises.

Especially when they involved souls.

Inside the room, Evelyn pulled the blanket up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling.

She still didn't know whether she was more afraid of the demon outside her door...or the fact that she somehow felt safer knowing he was there.

Eventually, exhaustion won.

Her eyes closed.

And for the first time in months, Evelyn fell asleep without checking the lock on her bedroom window.