Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 48

**OZ**

I feel sick. Like the guilt is rotting me from the inside out. I can still hear her voice in my head, cracking with rage, heavy with betrayal. ‘I don’t trust you anymore.’ That sentence hit harder than any physical blow I’ve ever taken. And I’ve taken plenty. But nothing like that. Nothing like this. It’s not just regret. It’s this gnawing, stomach twisting ache that won’t go away. I want to claw my own skin off, rewind time, do something differently. But I can’t. The damage is done. Kacia’s gone, and I’m the reason why. And the worst part? She’s right. I lied. I kept secrets. I took the one person who showed me kindness, who made me feel safe, and I betrayed her. I tried to tell myself I was doing it to protect her, that the truth would hurt more, but that’s bullshit. I didn’t tell her because I didn’t want to lose her. Because I was selfish. And now I’ve lost her anyway. I don’t think that could’ve gone any worse if I tried. And the worst part is, I didn’t try. I didn’t try hard enough at all. I never even got the chance to properly explain myself. Not really. And the truth? I don’t blame her. Not for yelling. Not for throwing things. Not even for telling me to leave. She’s scared for her life, rightfully so, and I broke her trust for reasons that, if I’m brutally honest, were entirely selfish. I should have told her the night she saved me. Or after the basilisk incident. Or literally any of the times she looked me in the eye and trusted me with her fears. If I’d come clean then, before it got this messy, I honestly think she would’ve listened. She might’ve been angry, sure. Hurt. Maybe even furious. But she would have heard me. She would have looked at me the way she used to. But now? Now the only thing in her eyes was betrayal. Still, I haven’t given up entirely. Not yet. Her adrenaline was high, she was overwhelmed and cornered and in shock. Maybe, maybe, when she’s back home, when she feels safe again, when the danger feels a little more distant, she might be willing to hear me out. It’s not a lot of hope, but I’m clinging to it like a lifeline. I could tell just by standing there that my presence was only making things worse. Every breath I took near her made her angrier, more upset. It was like watching her unravel from the inside out. She isn’t alone though. Dave is with her. And Izzy… Which, yeah, okay, unexpected. But there’s always been something strange about that ghostly kid. The fact that she showed up now, at that moment, doesn’t surprise me half as much as it probably should. I just hope they can look after Kacia, at least long enough for me to regroup. As for me… Well, good news, I don’t think my wrist is broken. Bad news, I’ve got nowhere to go. I mean, technically I know people, but they’re all Kacia’s friends. Which means they’re not going to stay neutral for long. I give it maybe an hour before word gets out and suddenly everyone who once smiled politely at me is ready to string me up for lying to her. Which, again, fair. But still inconvenient. Making new friends isn’t exactly my strong suit. Kacia was always the one who softened the edges, made people laugh, assured them that I wasn’t quite as scary as I look. I DO have a bit of money stashed. Enough to find somewhere to crash if I need to. But the idea of disappearing right now feels… Wrong. Because as much as she wants me gone, I can’t just walk away. Not when I know someone wants her dead. She doesn’t want me near her. But wanting isn’t the point. I’m bound to help her. By the bargain. By the life debt. By every single part of me that cares about her more than I should. I want to fix things between us. Desperately. But I can’t do that if she’s dead. So that has to be the priority now, protecting her. Whether she knows it, wants it, or not. Step one? Talk to Mikey. He’ll be pissed. I’m fully bracing for that. But I think he might still hear me out. He’s rational, protective and used to taking statements from people he probably doesn’t like all that much. If I can warn him, tell him the fae is binding supernaturals, forcing them into contracts they can’t refuse, sending more than just me, he’ll understand what we’re up against. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get to him before Kacia does. Before she tells him to shoot me on sight. Or worse, before she convinces him I deserve it.

It doesn’t take me long to reach Amy’s house. The moment my boots hit the driveway, the front door bursts open like it’s been straining to contain her. Amy barrels out, still in slippers and clutching a half empty mug of tea. Mikey follows close behind, sharp eyed and already frowning. She must’ve been waiting by the window, pacing, worrying, watching for a shadow to appear down the road. 

“Oz? Is it just you? Where’s Dave?” Amy’s voice cracks with barely contained fear.

“And Kacia?” Mikey adds, stepping forward, more controlled, but there’s an edge to his voice I don’t miss. 

“Dave’s fine. He’s with Kacia. I swear. They’ll be along shortly.” I hold up my hands in a gesture of peace. Amy lets out a small gasp of relief, her shoulders slumping.

“But…” I glance at Mikey. 

“There were other... Developments. Things that explain why the troll came after her. I need to talk to you. Privately. Before Kacia arrives.” I ask awkwardly. Mikey stiffens. 

“Before she gets here? Why before she gets here?” The suspicion in his tone is immediate and earned. I let out a heavy sigh, already bracing for the fallout. 

“Because there are things she needs to know. Things that affect her safety. But… She’s not exactly inclined to listen to me right now.” I admit. Mikey’s face darkens. 

“What did you do?” He demands. No time for delaying, Kacia could get here at any time. I dive into the facts.

“I was sent by a fae, a binding contract. I was summoned to kill her. That’s why I came here originally. But I didn’t know who she was at the time. I didn’t even know her name when she saved me. And after that… I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.” I say quickly. Mikey’s jaw tightens, but he lets me continue. I tell him everything. The bindings. The twisted deals that trap us. The way I can’t return home unless the job’s done. The scent of the fae who summoned me, sweet and cloying, like syrup. The voice, male, cold, precise. I describe the tattoos, the magic, the language. I even mention the troll and his matching marks. I don’t leave anything out, not even how terrified I am now that more of us are being sent.

“Even without the debt… From the moment I met her, I knew. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t ever hurt her. I didn’t tell her the truth because I didn’t want to lose her, but I lost her anyway.” I finish. Mikey listens in silence, his expression unreadable. He’s jotting things down in that damn little notebook of his, methodical, precise and infuriatingly calm. When I finish, I glance toward the street again. Any second now, she could walk around the corner. See me here. Hate me more. Mikey finally lowers his pen.

“Are you done then?” He asks. I nod. 

“That’s everything. All the important stuff I needed to share.” I confirm. He rolls his eyes. 

“That’s not what I meant.” He says, clearly annoyed. I blink. 

“What?” I ask. He folds his arms. 

“I meant, are you done with Kacia?” He explains. The words hit like a slap. 

“What? No. Absolutely not. I’m not walking away. I don’t care how hard she pushes, I’m going to fix this. Somehow. I swear.” I say sincerely. Mikey stares me down, like he’s measuring the weight of my soul. Then he gives a small, sharp nod.

“Good.” He says firmly. Then, with no warning, he punches me. It’s a clean right hook to the jaw, and it rocks me backward a full step. My head snaps to the side, and for a second all I see are stars. No magic. Just a fist. And a very pissed off human.

“That, was for making her cry.” Mikey says, shaking out his knuckles like it’s a routine exercise. I blink, jaw aching, and slowly straighten. He picks up his notebook and tucks it under his arm like nothing happened. Then he looks me dead in the eye. 

“Now get the hell out of here. Don’t come back. Don’t call. Don’t try to pass messages through me. This isn’t high school and I’m not your damn emotional courier pigeon. When she’s ready, you talk to her. But until then, stay out of her way.” He says with narrowed eyes. I nod, throat thick. 

“Understood.” I respond. Mikey nods once, curt and final, and turns to head back inside. I linger for just a breath more, long enough to watch Amy peek around the doorframe, confused and worried. Long enough to feel the echo of that punch remind me, you earned this. Then I turn, and walk away.