Convoke

Chapter 32

Ezra looked handsome in his smart black trousers, a black shirt, and a black waistcoat with a radio attached to the left side of his chest. He stood with his arms linked in front of him, staring vacantly at the locals who couldn't stop pointing at him and whispering to each other.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Finn asked Declan, turning to look at Ezra as if he was coated in poison.

"More than sure," Declan replied. "Ez has saved many locals by always coming to help when there's trouble. The least he deserves is a bit of trust from you all."

Tom agreed and did his best not to stare. Though their breaks synced, and they met up by the side of the pub to hug whenever they could.

The pub was still busier than usual. Ezra was four hours into his shift when a demon entered. She wore a dark grey vest, showing how her demon mark didn't just stop at her neck, but coiled over one shoulder and down the top of her chest.

Of course, a demon would visit on his first shift, Tom thought, trying to stay hopeful.

Instead of hustling through the locals with a scowl, the demon double glanced in Ezra's direction. She approached him with surprise, examining his uniform. "You work here?" she asked, and Ezra nodded. "I heard tales but . . . I didn't expect this."

"What tales?" Ezra asked.

"I heard that a soul stripper was getting rid of demons on purpose. When I heard the soul stripper was you, I believed them."

Tom was clearly straining to listen, but he didn't care. Other demons seemed to have bad blood with Ezra, and he wanted to know why.

"Where did you hear the rumours?" Ezra asked.

"People talk when a large number of demons die in a small country pub."

"Then stop listening," Ezra muttered. "I'm in this village because of other reasons."

"Ah, because of history repeating itself?"

Ezra scowled darkly, so Tom shouted over the bar, "Hello, can I get you a drink?" She turned towards him, smirking. Tom flashed Ezra a look that made him remember where he was. "Hi, what can I get you?" he asked again when the demon approached the bar.

She wanted a double vodka and lemonade, with ice to the brim. Declan made it, so Tom could keep an eye on her. He glanced to her demon mark, wondering if Ezra's also went beyond the neckline of his tops.

She paid and sat next to Finn at the bar, who stared as if he had gulped sour milk.

"What?" she snapped.

"There are empty tables love, you could've sat at any of those."

"She can sit where she wants," Tom said calmly, despite his eyes warning Finn to shut up.

Finn muttered something and moved to sit at one of the empty tables instead. With nobody but Tom around her, she stared at him for long enough to make him uncomfortable.

"What brings you to Wileshire village?" Tom asked politely.

"Rumours." Judging by the cautious stare, she had not only heard about Ezra spending time in the pub, but about him too.

"Oh yeah?" Tom asked casually. "What are they about?"

"Fifteen demons had their souls stripped in your pub last week. And many more lost their lives before that. This pub is not demon friendly at all."

"What an odd thing to say when we have just hired a demon to work for us." Tom frowned. "Our pub nearly got shut down because of last week. We were told to ban demons, but we said no. I get that the amount of deaths are unusual here, but it's not demons who start the fighting. Humans are far more to blame. Maybe you should focus your energy on why that is."