The Demon's Deadline (Demon's Assistant Book 1) Read Free Page A

remind me of whom I’ve lost. Like I could forget. Like it’s not a constant dull ache in my chest.
    “So,” Mel says, looking determinedly out the window despite the fact that the only thing across the street is a condo development that’s been fenced off and unfinished for years. “I hear Cam’s throwing a little shindig tonight.”
    “And?” I prompt, pretty sure I know what’s was coming.
    “Can you please make sure Brian’s invited?” Brian is a friend of Cam’s whom Melissa has had a massive crush on since school started in September. She’d met him several times before, but the infatuation is new. She claims she’s going through a strong, silent-type phase, and Brian is definitely silent. He rarely says more than three words, unless forced by a teacher.
    “Brian’s always invited,” I say. And he is, but he rarely makes it to any parties. I think he prefers his video games and solitude. When I’m the only sober person in a room full of Cam’s friends while they act like drunken idiots and play music I loathe, I totally understand why.
    Melissa looks at me. “Have Cam ask really nicely. He likes Cam.”
    “No, he worships Cam,” I say, taking a large bite of buttercream frosting. Along with being on the basketball team with Cam, Brian is a member of a million clubs, a straight-A student, and Senior Class Treasurer. The only person at school who’s even competition for valedictorian is Cameron Walters, Over-Achiever Extraordinaire. But given the way Brian seems to defer to Cam, I’m pretty sure he’d happily hand over any honors the school tried to thrust upon him. But he always seems miserable at parties, sitting alone while the rest of the guys get drunk, and lately he’s stopped coming all together. I can’t tell if he likes Mel because, besides Cam, I can’t tell if he likes anyone. He barely speaks.
    “Please, just try?”
    “I will,” I say. “But you have to promise to help me take control of the stereo.”
    “Deal.”
    I lift my latte to my lips and see the familiar flash of auburn spikes outside. I take a large swig as if the caffeine and sugar will chase Azmos away. When I put the cup down, the demon is still standing across the street, hands in his coat pockets, looking nonchalant. He grins when he catches my eye. I give him my best death glare.
    “Crap, I have to go,” I say, picking up my phone like there’s some message calling me away.
    “What?” Melissa asks, eyeing my unfinished cake. “What’s the rush?”
    I sputter. I’ve gotten really good at lying my butt off, but in that moment, absolutely no excuse comes to mind. After a moment of floundering, I just point out the window. Azmos waves.
    “Who’s he?”
    “Cousin,” I say. “My cousin. He’s here to check on me while my dad’s in California.”
    “Your dad just left. And that guy barely looks older than us.”
    “Sicilian blood. We all look young,” I say, pulling on my coat. “See you tonight.”
    “Right. Sure.”
    I ignore the guilt that snakes its way through me. Melissa’s not an idiot, and I’ve pulled more vanishing acts in the past seven months than Houdini. She knows something’s up. But how do you tell your best friend that you’re only alive because after the accident that killed your mom, a demon offered you a deal and a part-time job in exchange for your life? I know how it sounds. Like maybe I hit my head harder in the accident than anyone realized and the brain damage is just now starting to manifest.
    The accident was three years ago, but apparently, demons have a lot of rules. One rule is that mortals aren’t adults until they turn sixteen, so they can’t enter into a contract. I know Azmos broke that rule for me, keeping me alive before the contract came into effect, but I don’t know how or why. All I know is that, for years, I’d thought he was a hallucination born of trauma and medication. Then he showed up on my sixteenth birthday last March and shattered that