Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 86

**OZ**

Elias is making it REALLY hard to hate him. Which, frustratingly, is pissing me off more than if he’d stayed the cowardly little parasite I wanted him to be. The guy helped drain me. Helped hurt me. Helped make me a target. My anger is supposed to be righteous. Justified. Easy! But he’s anxious and twitchy and clearly guilt ridden, and now he’s sitting beside me in the back seat like a kicked puppy trying not to cry, and I HATE that it’s working on me. I hold onto my anger anyway. I clutch it like a shield all the way through the drive toward Mandy’s place. Elias bounces nervously in his seat, filled with nervous energy. 

“Would you stop that?” I snap, harsher than I mean to. He flinches like I hit him. Great, now I feel guilty for being mean to HIM. Damn it.

“Sorry, sorry…” He mutters quickly. 

“It’s just… I broke up with her. In a text. I don’t think Mandy’s going to be very happy to see me.” He explains guiltily. Kacia glances at him through the rearview mirror, unimpressed. 

“A text? Seriously, dude?” She asks flatly. He cringes, pulling his hoodie sleeves over his hands. 

“It was the only way I could do it. If I saw her in person, she would’ve seen through me in two seconds. There’s no way I could’ve gone through with it if she’d looked me in the eyes.” He insists. There’s a pause. And unfortunately, I get it. I really do. Part of me even feels PITY for him. The other part remembers the feeling of hands holding me down, being chained to the wall and the sting of stupidly large needles punching into my skin. That part of me is petty and just wants to remind him just how badly he’s screwed up. Still, I can’t help but compare. I basically rejected Kacia right to her face when I didn’t want to. Sure, she didn’t exactly accept it, but at least I didn’t just walk out on her or leave her a note or some crap like that. What kind of a person even does that? Coward. Then again… He DID try to walk away for her sake. I can’t fault that part. Not really. Kacia, though? She is not feeling as generous.

“Asshole…” She mutters. 

“Why would you do that? Actually, why did you dump her in the first place?” She demands. 

“To keep her safe!” Elias blurts, clutching his hands together.

“Safe?” She repeats, eyebrows rising toward her hairline. 

“Clearly that worked splendidly.” Her sarcasm drips like poison.

“Question.” She continues, not slowing down. 

“Did she ASK you to be all noble and crap? Or did you just make that decision for her? And what I really don’t get is why you didn’t just load her and the kid in the car and go straight to the cops.” She lectures. Elias blinks at her, overwhelmed.

“B-but I didn’t think they’d believe me…” He stammers. 

“About magic and everything. I didn’t have any proof. I thought they’d laugh me out of the station…” He trails off. Kacia groans and thumps her hand against the steering wheel.

“The cops know enough.” She grumbles. 

“And for the stuff they don’t know, they have people like me. Besides, they were already looking for a group kidnapping and draining people. You really think the magic part was going to throw them off?” She asks bluntly. Elias slumps in his seat. 

“I… I don’t know. I panicked. I screwed up.” The words are small, barely audible. Kacia exhales slowly, her irritation flickering into something softer. Not quite forgiveness. Just resignation.

“Well… At least you’re doing something about it now.” She decides. And that’s the truth, isn’t it? He’s here. Talking. Trying. Still, that doesn’t undo what he did. And it doesn’t make it okay. 

We pull up to a small house in a quiet street that could best be described as…  Modest. Not run down, not dangerous, just tired. The kind of place where people work hard and hope harder. Compared to the dump we just left, it might as well be a palace. Elias looks like he’s going to be sick. His leg bounces. His hands keep fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie. His breathing’s shallow. I’m honestly surprised he doesn’t bolt before we even get out of the car. 

“Well. Go on.” I mutter, climbing out of the back seat. I don’t follow right away. I hang back, half-shadowed near the edge of the drive, not wanting to make this more difficult than it already is. The last thing this poor woman needs is her ex showing up in the middle of the night flanked by a sarcastic half fae and a demon with a murder glare problem. ANd I’m still cranky, so I’m sure I look extra unfriendly. I’m not exactly what most people would describe as comforting, and I know better than to pretend otherwise. No sense in looming behind Elias like some kind of enforcer while he tells the mother of a toddler that some psychos want her dead. Kacia takes the lead, of course. She gives me a glance, silent, steady, and then steps up beside Elias, ready to play the buffer. He walks stiffly to the door and knocks, awkward and too gentle for someone this nervous. A few seconds pass. Then the door opens. And there she is. Mandy. She’s small, smaller than I expected, and soft around the edges, with dark hair tied up in a messy bun and eyes that look both tired and kind. She’s wearing pyjamas. She probably just got the kid to sleep. And now this. She blinks when she sees Elias. Her face doesn’t close off. It doesn’t twist into rage. It just… Falls. Quietly.

“Elias?” She says softly. 

“What are you doing here?” She asks. Her voice is a blend of hurt and disbelief. Not anger. Just confusion and pain. Like she hasn’t decided if this is a dream or a memory or a mistake. Elias looks at her like she’s made of starlight. And damn it, my anger softens. Just a little. His mouth opens. No sound comes out. His throat works once, then twice. Completely useless. We all stand there in awkward, painful silence for a moment too long. Then Kacia, as always, steps in to salvage the situation. 

“Hi. Mandy, right?” She asks gently. Her tone is calm but firm, friendly without being too familiar.

“I don’t want to scare you, but there are some rather nasty men who’ve been threatening Elias by threatening you and your daughter.” She starts. Mandy’s eyes widen slightly, and Kacia keeps going.

“He’s been keeping his distance and doing what they asked because he was afraid. But people are getting hurt, and we can’t let that go on. Elias wants to go to the police, but he’s worried about your safety. Would you be willing to come down to the station with us while we get everything sorted out?” She asks politely. Mandy stares at her for a moment. Then turns her gaze back to Elias. He gives her the tiniest nod. Not a word. Not an apology. Just the silent plea of someone who wants to do something right for once. Mandy swallows hard and gives a panicked little nod in return. 

“Okay. Just… G-give me a minute. I need to wake Mia.” She says shakily. Then she turns and walks inside, leaving the door open behind her. Elias doesn’t move. Just watches her disappear down the hall like she’s taking a part of him with her. And I don’t say anything. Because what the hell is there to say? He may be a coward. He may have screwed up.  But right now? He’s trying to fix it. And I can respect that. Even if I’m not quite ready to forgive it.