My Demon by Lisa Hinsley Page B

telling off?” Alex fumbled with her words. Clive grinned, his teeth Hollywood white, his black hair flopped across his forehead in a neat foppish wave. She wanted to rip his head off and smash those sparkling ivories one-by-one. “Aggie yelling at you. I’d have taken a swing at her.”
    Clive sauntered up and sat at the end of her bed. “I didn’t take the money, you did,” he said, his face a bland attempt at honesty.
    “I don’t know. I guess the shock of being yelled at and fired made me speechless,” Becky said. “You try and do better when it’s your turn.”
    “Look, Bec, can we meet up? You sound like you need a friend.” Alex needed time. Her thoughts muddled between murder of invisible entities and collapsing under the guilt of getting her best mate fired. “I’ve got to go into town later and pay some bills. We could meet up at the post office.”
    “Will you buy me an ice-cream at the Häagen Dazs cafe?” Becky asked. “Sweeten the day?”
    “Sure, Bec. Sounds fine, I’ll meet you in…” Alex checked the clock beside the bed. “Give me an hour and a half. I’m still in bed.”
    “Oh I forgot. You went home early yesterday. Are you feeling better?”
    “Much. Just needed some time to recover.”
    “And a little bit of theatre sex?” Becky laughed, her voice still croaky and emotionally charged. “Look, I’ll catch you later, lazy bones.”
    Alex hung up the phone and sat motionless for a moment, silent as she examined Clive. He had a magnetic attraction, something that drew her to him, despite all his manipulating. His eyes, they were the worst. The blue appeared multifaceted, light at the surface, but expansive the deeper she peered. She didn’t want to fall in.
    “Will you tell me what’s going on?” she asked.
    Clive laughed, got up from Alex’s bed and headed for her wardrobe. He opened the doors and fumbled about at the back of the top shelf. Alex stared open-mouthed as he pulled out an old wooden box. When she was little, Alex called it her magic box. On the front was a secret panel, when pushed to the side the lid opened. Alex had kept what she’d considered important things, mostly trinkets, inside. As Clive placed it on her dressing table, Alex tried to remember the last time she’d seen the box. Stumped, she shook her head, and craned her neck to see what the demon was up to.
    “What are you doing?” she asked. Clive grappled with the box, searching for the secret panel. He was holding the box wrong, and Alex opened her mouth to say so when the top popped open and a pile of cash poured out.
    “Huh. Look at that. You’ve got lots and lots of money hidden away.” He put the magic box back on the desk.
    “No! I didn’t steal anything. You did this. You’re evil!” Alex felt her face heat up as she lost her temper. “Hell, you’re a demon. What else would you be?” She spat the words at him. “You’re the worst thing ever to happen to my life. Do you hear me?” she shrieked, and jumped out of bed, aiming a kick in the demon’s direction. Clive dodged easily, laughing at her anger.
    “Hey, don’t blame me. You were stealing from The Closet long before I showed up, babydoll. Becky didn’t steal a penny.” He leaned forward and pointed at her. “It was all you.”
    She grabbed three Stephen King books, and chucked them at him. Clive leapt around the room as she threatened another handful. His cat suit seemed to make him more agile. He moved like a dancer, flowing with ease past the missiles. “Mmm. There’s hate pouring from you. Tasty.” He licked his lips.
    “I’ll give you tasty!” Alex snarled, and grabbed the duvet off the bed and tried to throw it over Clive. She figured if she caught him, she’d pummel him properly, like he deserved.
    BANG, BANG, BANG.
    Alex released the duvet and froze.
    “What in holy fuck is going on in there?” The door flew open. Lily staggered in from the hallway, blonde hair frizzed in an unruly halo surrounding her