Free Almost Demon (The Sigil Cycle) by AJ Salem Page B

Allison out of my head and remembered what I had originally wanted to ask Charlotte. “How was the concert? You weren’t here yesterday.”
    “Super! But I totally needed to catch up on my sleep.” She put the cap back on the tube. “Oh, and I got to meet the band. How cool?”
    She scrolled through the pictures on her phone and gave me a play by play of the entire night. 
    “Maybe you could trip on some free pedicures next time.” I laughed.
    “I’ll see what I can do. Just. For. You,” she replied, tapping my nose to the beat. The bell rang and I watched Charlotte falter a bit on her five-inch platform wedge booties. There had to be sensible shoes somewhere in her closet .
    Thing didn’t get interesting until lunchtime. Charlotte had rescheduled a test she missed while nursing some post-concert laryngitis, so I was left to fend for myself. 
    “There’s my girl,” Ian said, taking the seat in front of me.
    My girl. Ohmygod.
    “Hey, yourself.” 
    Could I play cool or what ?
    “I was thinking,” his voice was dark and playful, “that we could take another trip soon.”
    “I’m in,” I said, sounding a bit eager. I chose to ignore the entire conversation with my dad from this morning and instead focus on the way that Ian’s black-collared shirt made his neck look extra delicious. 
    “How’s tomorrow sound?” he said in between bites of his pizza.
    “Great.”
    “So what’s the deal between you and Queen Bee over there?” he said, motioning to Allison who was busy exercising power over her table full of subjects.
    “She was my brother’s girlfriend.” I left it at that.
    “There’s got to be more to it than that.”
    “Well,” I cleared my throat, “Allison, like everyone else in town, my father included, thinks that the car accident that killed my brother and my two best friends is my fault.”
    “Why would they think that?”
    “I was the one driving.” I kept busy with the salad I had gotten in an effort to eat healthier.  
    Would dousing it in Ranch dressing be okay ?
    “And do you think it was your fault?” he asked.
    I shrugged my shoulders and didn’t answer. He didn’t look very convinced by the story.
     
    Senior year was on its own collision course, losing most of its purported luster on the first day. My thoughts were caught in a constant tangle of Ian’s smile and worry over what evil intentions the smoke-filled spirits of the Dybbuk had for this town. 
    Alone again with Mr. Flynn, or should I say Thom, I decided to make a case for the angel I had picked. There was no way I was going to summon a demon if I could get out of it. Visions of red-skinned, horned creatures taunted me at the mere thought.
    “So, after reading through the book and doing some research online-” I said.
    “Are you daft?” he interrupted, his vowels becoming longer creating a more brogueish accent. “Was this in between searching for Katy Perry’s favorite color and pictures of Brad Pitt’s arse?”
    “Listen.” I smacked the desk and stood up, meeting him eye to eye. “I have had with people either telling me what to do or telling me off. I am trying to help. So we’re going to lay some ground rules.”  
    Stay strong Gem. Don’t wimp out, no matter how scary angry he gets.
    His pupils dilated and his jaw became stiff.
    This was becoming a showdown. 
    Don’t flinch. Don’t flinch. Don’t flinch .
    The line of his mouth began to curve into a smile.
    “Go ahead, Gemma. Tell me about your rules.”
    Teacher. Teacher. Hot Teacher. Not really. He’s just a sub and, technically, he’s still in college .
    For a moment, I lost myself in the endless pools of Thom’s dark eyes but the smirk on his face reminded me that he had just dissed me for my unconventional demonic research methodology. 
    “One, you have to take my work seriously. I know I’m kind of new to this whole magic thing but I’m at least giving it my best shot.”
    “Keep going,” he said. 
    “Two, you need to