The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,77

vertical line. Only then did she finally look up at me. "Yeah, I think I could use a really stiff drink right about now. Mac’s sounds perfect."

"Then I think you should put on something cute, maybe a little makeup, even fix your hair if you want. Personally, I don't care if you stay in a T-shirt and a ponytail, but I want something a little better than this." And I gestured to what I was wearing.

Then I held out my hand for her to pass over the pregnancy test. I watched as her brow wrinkled in confusion for a split second, and then she handed it over. I'd handle throwing that away, because she didn't need anything else to stress about. It also meant she could worry about making herself feel pretty. Personally, that always put me in a better mood.

Less than half an hour later, I was sitting in our living room watching the news when she walked in. For a split second, I forgot to breathe. Sia looked amazing. She had on a pair of jeans that showed every single curve in her legs. It was paired with a loose-knit sweater that hung slightly off one shoulder, revealing the tank she was wearing beneath. The sweater was black, but the tank was almost a coral shade that made her hair look like living fire.

And that wasn’t all. She’d painted her eyes just dark enough that the vibrant blue color stood out, and I didn't even know what color to call her lips, but right now, it was my favorite in all the worlds. Saying she cleaned up well would've made it sound like she wasn’t exquisite all the time. And yet, the way she could transform herself with nothing more than a little makeup and a new hairstyle always took me by surprise.

"You ready?" I asked, making sure no hint of my appreciation was audible.

She nodded. "We driving or slipping there?"

My lips curled in a smile. "You have your ID?"

"Unlike you," she teased, "I know how this bar thing works on Earth. You also didn't answer the question."

"Slipping," I decided. "I'll meet you beside the tree in the parking lot."

Then I pushed. I didn't even bother getting off the couch to do it. Just as the veil washed over me, I saw her mouth drop open in surprise, and it made me laugh. One more push and I was there, stepping back to Earth just to lean against the tree we'd talked about. Sia arrived only a few seconds later.

"Asshole," she hissed.

"I've been called that before," I pointed out, and then offered her my arm like a real gentleman.

Together, we walked around the building and waited in the short line to get in. I honestly didn't know what day it was, so I pulled out my phone to check. The screen told me it was Monday, January 6th. No wonder there wasn't really a line. I was pretty sure classes started in one week, so people were still in the process of getting to campus and moving in.

Although, when we stepped into the bar, it wasn't exactly empty. There was just enough of a crowd to give it the perfect ambiance. Voices hummed, most of them with laughter. With Sia on my arm, I led her straight to the bar, where the girl behind it was smiling enthusiastically.

"Hey, Sienna!" she said. "Are you back this semester?"

Sia moved to lean her elbows on the counter. "No, not yet. I had some other things that came up. I just decided it was a good night to get a drink."

Moving to lean beside her, I reached up to press my hand between her shoulder blades. I knew it was a rather possessive gesture, and most likely, the girl behind the bar would get the wrong impression. Let her. The ego boost wouldn't hurt Sia at all.

"I would love a traditional martini," I said, "and whatever Sia would like."

"I think I’ll have an appletini," Sia decided.

The girl immediately turned to begin making those, and I reached into my pocket for the cash I'd slipped in there. As I was flipping through the folded bills, Sia grabbed my other arm. I quickly selected a twenty, then turned to look at her as I put the rest away. Her eyes were locked on the wall at the side. A piece of paper had been stapled to the bulletin board there, and on it was a picture of someone who'd gone missing.

"Chris is missing?" she