“Demi-demons,” Jake answered, sitting on the beige-tiled floor next to the patio door.
“Demi-demons. In my backyard?” He nodded. “Oh.” I wasn’t sure how to respond. I wasn’t even sure why I was surprised. They’d told me what to expect.
“What’d you see in your vision?” Chay’s gaze held mine.
I shrugged a shoulder. “Probably some kind of hobgoblin like you said. I don’t know.”
Yeah, keep dreaming. There’s no way that thing was related to one of those crazy, red gnomes.
“What’d it look like?”
“Gray face, wrinkled skin. Two curling horns on its head. They looked like ram’s horns. Um, long, black fingernails.” I rubbed my neck. I could still feel it clutching me, its fingernails poking my flesh. “Black eyes.”
“It wasn’t a type of hobgoblin, Milayna. It was a demon.”
Four weeks, six days until my birthday.
The nightmares were getting worse. They kept me up most nights. I’d pace my room, waiting for something to happen. The closer my birthday drew, the more anxious everyone became. It scared me.
At six o’clock, I heard my mother moving around in the kitchen. I wandered downstairs and sat at the table, watching her make coffee.
“You look like you didn’t sleep at all last night,” she said.
“I don’t think I did.” I rubbed my hands up and down my face, inhaling the smell of the freshly brewed coffee. I’d always loved the smell. It reminded me of Saturday mornings, eating breakfast with my parents and little brother Ben. It was one of my favorite family traditions.
“You should let Doctor Preston give you something to help you sleep, Milayna.” My mom cupped my face and ran a finger over the dark purple smudge under my eye.
Doctor Preston was Jen’s father. He knew of our situation, since Jen’s mother was an angel. He’d offered to give me something to help with the nightmares. I didn’t want it.
“I can’t, Mom. What if something happened?”
“We’d be here. Muriel and Chay are close. The others don’t live that far away. You’d be protected.” My mom kissed my cheek and squeezed my face to hers before turning to the coffee maker to pour herself a cup.
“I’m not worried about me. Well, I am, but I’m worried about everyone else. Dad said that until I turn eighteen, everyone is in danger.”
“They’ve been dealing with this a lot longer than you. They’ll be fine. Besides, you can’t help if you’re so tired that you can’t think straight. You can’t keep this up. The visions drain your strength. You need sleep to recharge.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged a shoulder and grabbed the apple-cinnamon oatmeal out of the cupboard.
“I’ll have Doctor Preston drop something by just in case you change your mind.” She looked at me over her coffee mug.
“Okay, but no slipping it in my food.” I narrowed my eyes at her and smiled.
“Me? I’d never do such a thing.” She winked at me.
“Yeah, right.” I smiled at her and stood next to the microwave waiting for it to nuke my instant bowl of oatmeal goodness.
A good night’s sleep would feel so good. Maybe I’ll try the pill. Just for one night.
***
“You look like dog shit baked in the sun,” Muriel said on the drive to school.
I turned and looked at her. “You’re so lucky you’re driving. I might have hit you for that comment. Besides, you sound like my mother. You two are so great for my self-esteem. If I didn’t have any issues with my physical appearance—and who doesn’t, by the way?—I sure do now.”
Muriel smiled at me. “You’re beautiful. You just refuse to see it because you’re incredibly humble.” I snorted at that. “Okay, make that half humble and half stubborn. So, you’re having nightmares, huh?”
I nodded. “Occupational hazard,” I mumbled.
“I know, right? So, do you want to go to the mall after school for some retail therapy? We could ask Jen and Shayla to come with.” Muriel stopped at a red light and looked at me. “You can buy the place out.”
“I won’t be buying it out too much since I’m officially unemployed. Except for the wicked deal I struck with my dad. He felt guilty about making me quit the bakery, so he’s paying me to do stuff around the house.” I grinned at Muriel.
“Geez, Milayna. You could sell a dentist a lifetime’s supply of candy if you tried. How do you do it?”
“I say please?” I shrugged. “Anyway, what about Lily?”
Muriel made a face. “She has to work.” I waited for the rest of the story, but she didn’t give it up.
I poked her thigh with a pencil. “What’s with the look?”
“What look?” Muriel didn’t look at me.
“When I asked about Lily, you made a face. What’s going on?” I braced my ring finger against my thumb and put it near the side of her ear. “I’ll flick your ear if you don’t tell me, woman!”
Muriel raised her shoulder to protect her ear. “Okay, okay. She’s just been weird lately.”
“How so?”