On the way home, I was gratefully wrapped up in Alexander’s warm, woolen peacoat as I watched our breaths turn to fog. It hadn’t been warm when I had left my apartment, but, to my disappointment, it had only cooled down further since then. I would beat myself up later over forgetting to at least bring a scarf, but right now, I had been too preoccupied with enjoying the moment.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s with the sunglasses?” Alexander asked, breaking the silence. “It’s three in the morning, I doubt you need them at this hour.”

‘Because I don’t want to accidentally hypnotize you into doing my bidding like some evil demonic overlord. Like, the disco lights at the club should have provided more than enough interference, but you’re on your own now buddy, and these specs are the only thing between my eyes and scrambling your free will to a pulp,’ was what I wanted to say, but of course, I couldn’t tell him that.

“Hm? Oh, sometimes the lights and the music give me migraines. This is the best way to keep my head from exploding when I walk home.” I smiled, once again lying through my teeth.

“Whoa… Are you sure you shouldn’t get that checked out?” Alexander asked again, genuine worry in his voice.

“The doctors always say I’m a-ok, so I don’t worry about it too much,” I said, waving it off. “How are you holding up yourself? Aren’t you cold?”

“Not really, no. Not with a hot guy like you to keep me warm.” Alexander smiled as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, making me blush like a lovestruck middle schooler. Oh man, how I missed this feeling.

Usually, I liked to be the one in control, keep my friends, coworkers and partners at an arm’s length to keep my heart from breaking every time they would… you know. This guy, however, had me wrapped around his finger.

“Would you at least come inside with me, though? I’d feel horrible sending you on your way without at least getting some coffee in you,” I said, looking up at the other man. Though slightly obscured by the thick frame of his shades, the worried frown on my face should be quite to make out.

“That sounds great, actually,” Alexander mumbled, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. And oh, I was gone. Off imagining a distant future with this man I’d just met a few hours ago. I liked to think I wasn’t that easy, but something about Alexander just felt right. He seemed to exude some kind of… Hell if I knew, was charisma the right word? Whatever, that wasn’t important right now. What was important right now, was that we continued our walk. Arms linked in pleasant silence, only to be broken by a soft, friendly chuckle from Alexander when I fumbled with the keys to my apartment. Well, maybe I would be able to unlock my front door like a normal person if you weren’t so damn charming!

The second the door of my apartment closed behind us, I was shoved against the wall. I closed my eyes, expecting a pair of hot lips on mine, a cold, wandering hand pushing up my shirt and another gripping my ass, but instead, I felt a cold hand wrap around my throat, crushing my windpipe with sheer, brute force.

“Wow, this really was too easy. Did you think you could fool me, you filthy incubus?” Alexander said, mouth distorted into a sadistic smirk and glaring at me as if I was the scum of the earth.

What the fuck was going on? Why was he suddenly so mean to me? What did I do to deserve this?

I kicked and thrashed as I was singlehandedly lifted off the ground, trying and failing to call for help while Alexander muttered something in a dead language I didn’t understand. The cold hand on my throat started to burn, but then it dawned on me. The man wasn’t just trying to murder me in cold blood, he was trying to exorcise me.

I was only a half-demon! He wasn’t supposed to be able to exorcise me! I mean, I think? But the more his hand burned my skin, the more I realized that it was within the realm of possibility. Tears welled up in my eyes, further blurring my vision as it grew black around the edges. I shook my head as much as I could. Until finally, my sunglasses flew off my nose. It took all I had left, but I glared down at Alexander, forcing him into a trance.

I hated it. All my life, I had known that hypnotizing humans was wrong. I felt dirty for doing it, but at this point, it was do or, potentially, die. Only when I was sure it had worked, when Alexander’s grip started to loosen, I began to command.

“Put me down and let go,” I said in the most authoritative tone I could muster, which was weak at best with what little air was left in my burning lungs. But it worked. Alexander lowered me back to my feet. Unmoving, he waited for his next command as I slowly caught my breath. “Get out of my house, and never hurt a peaceful demon ever again,” I told him hoarsely as I generously shoved the man’s coat back into his hands. That took him out of his trance, but the message would stick. Or so, I hoped. I had never done it before intentionally, after all. The man immediately fled my apartment, hopefully never to return.

I sighed as I slumped against the wall, slowly letting myself slide down until I was seated on the floor of the narrow hallway. How could I have fallen for that sickeningly sweet lie? How could I have been so gullible? He had been too good to be true. But hindsight is always 20/20, wasn’t it?

It wasn’t your fault.

I winced in pain as my finger traced over the tender flesh where Alexander’s hand had been. Walt. Shit, I should probably call him. Reluctantly, I dragged my phone from my back pocket and dialed his number and put the device to my ear. I buried my face in my knees, a sob shaking through my entire body as I heard the older man had picked up his phone.

“Walt? Hey, it’s me... Listen, would you mind if I moved back in with you for a while? I don’t... I don’t really feel safe here anymore.”

It’s not your fault.