The Dominant Demon (Finished)

18. Welcome Back

For at least half of the time that I was in the demon realm, I feel like I was blacked out, so when I return home, I can't really tell how many days I have been gone. Two or three, maybe? Either way, when I return home, Jade is in a frenzy.

"Where have you been?" She shouts, hopping up from the kitchen table. "It's been days since I've heard from you. I've texted, I've called, and I was about to file a freaking missing person's report! The only thing that stopped me was Rory getting a text from Colvin saying that you were feeling a little better!"

I grin. "I missed you."

She stares at me, confused, and my heart sinks in my chest, knowing that I can never tell her where I have been, and now, what I am. I'm hiding a whole new side of myself from my best friend.

Colvin walks in behind me, shutting the door. He shoots Rory a smile. "Hey, man."

Rory nods. "Hey, Colvin."

"You!" Jade snaps, pointing her finger up at Colvin. "Why couldn't Salem use her phone when she was with you?"

He throws his hands up in defense, and I glance over to Rory who has the same amused smirk on his face that I do. "Mercy!" Colvin says, jokingly. "There's no service at my house. It's not in the city." I've noticed that he is pretty good at not lying, and not telling the truth at the same time.

Her hand falls. "How did you text Rory then?"

"I went to the store to pick Salem up something to keep her hydrated." He's too good. It makes me feel guilty.

Jade's shoulders slump, and then she nods. "I'll let you live this time," she mumbles.

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, Jade?" I ask, giggling.

"She hasn't eaten breakfast, yet," Rory says, grinning. We both know how she is when she is hungry.

I reach over and pull Jade into a hug. "I really missed you," I say, still smiling.

Her arms wrap around me. "I missed you, too Sale."

"I'm going to go up to my room and get cleaned up, and then I'll be back down, and we can catch up, OK?"

She pulls away. "Sounds good! I'm about to make breakfast."

"I missed your food," I reply, knowing that eventually, I will be spending more and more time in the demon domain as queen. I won't be able to have as many meals with her anymore.

She grins. "I'll make your favorite. Sound good?"

I tell her I'd love that and then Colvin follows me up to my room. As he shuts the door behind us, I try to make my way over to my closet, but I feel two, strong, arms pull be back and spin me around so that I am pressed against Colvin's warm chest. 

His eyes glance down to meet mine, and he gives me a small smile. "We need to talk, Love."

I nod. "OK, about what?"

"A few things, actually. First, I feel like you have been really distant since-" He trails off, his eyes flickering away from mine.

I take a deep breath. "I have. You're right, and I'm sorry. I've been wanting to talk to you about that, too. I just-"

He cuts me off. "I'm upset. I want to ask you why you never told me the day I found you that you knew him. I want to ask you why you never mentioned it when you were living with me. The thing that makes it so frustrating though, is that it's you that I'm upset at, but it's not you, all at the same time. It was Thara."

"I would be a little upset, too," I say. "But there is nothing I can do to change what one of my past selves have done. I apologize on Thara's behalf, but there is nothing I, as Salem, could do about it."