Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Seth slammed the milk down on the table. The Raisin Bran followed suit.

“So tell me about the demons,” he said. He sounded frustrated.

I smiled to myself and scattered some Cheerios on Lydia’s high chair tray. She chirped and dove for them with pudgy hands shaped like stars.

“It’s such a lovely day, big brother. Why do you want to botch it up with talk of the dark side?”

“The dark side?” He flopped down in his chair and rubbed his hand over his unshaven face. Not a bad looking guy, all in all, but he was looking particularly harsh this morning. Worn out. Maybe he had more dreams about the Elusive Miss Sparkles. Like I said, I think the nightmares were hereditary.

I sat down next to him, stole the milk for my own bowl of cereal. “Seriously, Seth. You haven’t believed me in years. Why the sudden interest now?”

He leaned back in his chair, covered his eyes with his hands. “Gar. Just tell me already. I might never ask again.”

I sighed and pushed my bowl away. I was never into Raisin Bran anyway. Too soggy. And it tried too hard to be good for you. Pretentious.

“Well. What do you want to know?” I crossed my hands neatly on the table and tried to look helpful. Secretarial, even.

“Is there one in the house?”

My friendly smile stuck to my teeth. “Right now?” I asked. Seth looked at me.

“Yeah, right now. Is there a demon hanging around here now?”

I shook my head. “Inside, no. They can’t come inside. Not usually, anyway. But outside . . . that’s different.” I pointed to the demon that had its featureless faced pressed to the kitchen window. “There’s one there.”

Seth looked. The demon looked. I studied my fingernails, which were a bit ragged.

“I don’t see anything,” Seth complained.

“Don’t worry. Neither does the demon. I made sure of it.”

“I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.”

I scattered more cheerios for Lydia. “Well, it’s hard for demons to come into your home, right? They can’t just waltz in. They have to be . . . ”

“Invited?” Seth interrupted. “Like vampires?”

“Don’t be stupid,” I said. “Vampires aren’t real.”

Seth grit his teeth. “Keep talking, Luna. I’m trying to be serious and supportive for once.”

He was, and it was killing him. “Thanks, Seth. I appreciate it. Really. So anyway, I guess they have to be invited, in a way. Demons can’t just wander into random homes so much. I mean, they can, but it’s really rare. And if they do, they tend to be the really dumb ones who don’t know any better.”

“Dumb demons?”

“I know, right?” I said, and Seth grinned. “Demons are like everybody else, at least from my experience. You have your smart ones and your dumb ones, and ones that are worse than the others. You know. Just like us. So it’s bad news to wander into somebody’s house if you have no reason to be there. They tend to get in trouble.”

Seth washed Lydia’s hands with a washcloth. She squirmed when he reached her round face. “Get in trouble by who? Demon Patrol?”

I almost laughed. “I’m not really sure. They get in trouble by somebody because I’ve seen it. They look all panicked and explain themselves to somebody, but I have no idea who. I don’t see or feel anything. It’s like they’re talking to somebody who isn’t there.”

Seth raised an eyebrow at me. “That’s what you look like a lot of the time. For your information.”

I blushed. I knew this. I worked really hard on not having conversations unless I was alone, but I slipped up. A lot.

Seth noticed my face and tried to smooth things over. “No, you’re okay, Luna. It’s really not a big deal. I just tell people you’re practicing lines for a play or something. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Well, great. My dorky brother has to cover for me. Now that’s just embarrassing.

Now Seth looked embarrassed too. “Okay. So usually demons can’t come inside. And they can’t look inside too, right?”

I nodded. Then I thought and shook my head. Then I kind of bobbed my head in a half nod, half shake.

“Explain,” he commanded.

I took a deep breath and looked up, thinking. I didn’t know the best way to approach this.

“Well, usually they can see inside, and it isn’t so much of a big deal. But . . . ” I paused. Seth glared at me.

“Spit it out.”

I did. It just seemed easier. “Okay, so there was a demon in the house and I saw it and it was a mean one and I didn’t want it to come back so after it was gone I did a sort of special thing and now none of them can see in the house anymore.”

He was staring at me like I’d gone completely off my rocker. Which it sounded like I had, I’m sure, but I couldn’t stop talking. I babble when I’m nervous sometimes. It really sucks.

“And maybe I shouldn’t have made it so they can’t see in because they’re really curious, and now they’re here all of the time, but since she left—”

“She?”

“—it just seemed like the safest thing to do to keep her out. Forever, you know. Because she was bad news.”

I snapped my mouth shut. Seth’s eyes were completely goggled. Lydia looked at him and laughed.

“Is Daddy doing a silly face?” I asked her. She laughed again.

Seth blinked. “So not only do you see demons but we had a Princess Demon in our house. A particular nasty one and you performed some sort of a magic spell so they can’t be Peeping Toms? Is that what you’re telling me?”

I frowned. “Now that sounds absolutely ridiculous.” I reached out for Lydia, but he swept her out of her highchair and away from me.

“It does. Utterly ridiculous. I’m sorry I asked.” He walked carefully up the stairs, adamantly refusing to stomp.

Right then, I was pretty sorry he had asked as well.

I was still stewing when the phone rang. “Talk to me,” I said, picking it up.

There was a silence and then a haughty voice. “Who is this?” I recognized it immediately.

“Ah, Sparkles, we were just talking about you.”

Silence again, and then she spat out, “Luna. What are you doing at my house?”

Oh, this was going to be good.

“Your house? I’m sorry. I thought when you moved out and abandoned your husband and child, you forfeited your claim to this house.”

Sparkles laughed. It was hard and cold. It made me want to shut my eyes and turn my face away. I felt like her laugh could shred bits of skin off of my face. I had to admit it: This woman scared me.

“Ah, sweet girl,” she cooed. There was nothing comforting about it. I curled my toes to keep the chills away. “I am afraid you misunderstood. I never abandoned anyone. I just needed some time to think and . . . clear my head. Surely you can see that.”

My face felt like rock. “I’m not the one you need to be explaining your actions to, am I?” Immediately, I wished I hadn’t said that.

“You’re right,” Sparkles fairly purred. “Is Seth around? I would so love to chat with him.”

“He’s not here.”

Her voice cooled even more if that was possible. “Are you lying to me, girl?”

“Maybe. Why don’t you stand out on the front porch and take a peek inside? Tell me whether I’m lying or not.”

Sparkles hissed, and I nearly slammed the phone down in fear.

“So it was you,” she said, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. I sat down and put my head between my legs, still holding the phone up to my ear. This is crazy. She doesn’t have any power over me.

I took a deep breath and made myself smile. I wanted her to think I was as calm as possible.

“Well, that’s that,” I said. “Thanks for calling.” I pushed the button on the phone and touched my fingers to my forehead. I was sweating.

“Who was that?” Seth asked, walking into the room. He was dressed for work and pressed a happy Lydia into my hands.

“Nobody. Telemarketer,” I said quickly. Lydia looked at me, and her lips turned down.

“Really? You look awfully upset for somebody who just got off the phone with a telemarketer.” Seth put his hand on his hip, studied me up and down. I rubbed my forehead again and forced a smile.

“You know how it is with them these days. Nothing but scare tactics.”

“Right-o,” he said and turned to go. He paused.

“I won’t, uh, hit anything with the door when I open it, will I?” he asked me. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“Nah, they can’t touch our stuff. Not unless they have a pretty firm foothold on somebody or if I help them materialize. You’re good.”

“Okay. Bye, then,” he said and threw the door open with extra exuberance. It passed right through the demon, who grabbed half-heartedly for the knob. It shut itself with a click, and the demon stood on its toes to peer in through the window.