Star Eater
Chapter Twenty-Five

Kai was the perfect amount of warm, where the air outside the blankets was cool, and under the blankets was cozy. He was wrapped around a firm pillow, his leg thrown carelessly over a soft curve. He couldn't remember owning a body pillow but this one was awesome.

The air smelled like musk, of maleness, like a hint he got when Link had leaned in close. It aroused him, just enough to send pleasant thoughts his way without sending him over the edge. He was comfortable. Kai couldn't remember the last time he was this comfortable. Which probably meant he wasn’t in bed. As his mind ascended to consciousness, he wondered briefly if he really wanted to finish waking up or sink back down and remain in this wonderful warm, safe place.

Someone sighed nearby. Kai ascended a little further and frowned. It hadn’t come from Akuma. Akuma never sighed out loud. Then the body pillow shifted next to him. Wriggling, Kai moved closer, hooking his heel into the pillow to make it hold still when he heard a familiar voice shout.

“What the hell?!”

Kai shot awake as someone shoved him out of the bed. He fell with a soft grunt onto a hard object. Eyes wide, he tried to get his bearings as his entire body poised to run. Dirty laundry. Karate uniform folded neatly on the desk. Philadelphia Eagles gear on the walls. Ikea furniture. Something hard still digging into his butt.

“What are you doing here, Kai?” Link demanded.

Kai snapped his face up to Link, who was on the bed, and borderline furious.

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Link snapped.

Kai stood shakily. He’d landed on a BB gun and he rubbed where there was sure to be a bruise later. Checking himself, he found he wore street clothes from yesterday though his shoes were missing. That’s right, they were in his schoolbag. Where was his bag? He patted himself absently, no wallet. That too was in his bag. In the science lab at school. That was the last thing he remembered. Damnit, Akuma, Kai cursed. He ran a hand through his hair. It was shaking. It had been a while since he’d had such a rude awakening.

“I sleepwalk, remember?” Kai said finally. He was proud his voice didn’t tremble. That was something. Lifting his feet, he found dried blood staining one heel of his left sock. The sock itself was a dingy grey. The right sock was soggy and black with dirt. He must have stepped in a puddle.

“Are you okay?” Link asked, spotting the blood.

Kai shrugged. “It’s normal,” he said. His heart rate was slowing. The adrenaline had already subsided. The demon hadn’t spoken a word, which Kai had noticed.

“How’d you know where I live?” Link asked.

Good question, Kai thought but shrugged.

I followed him home, Akuma said, breaking his silence. Kai blinked. He wanted to ask from where but then a voice called, “Link!”

Both boys froze, Link turned to the closed door. His eyes slid back to Kai and he mouthed ‘closet.’ Leaping over a pile of clothes, Kai phased through the door without thinking, then grimaced when he realized what he’d done. Kai whirled and looked through the slats on the door but Link’s back was to him as he fumbled with something on his nightstand. Clearly frustrated, he gave up and jumped back into bed, covering himself with blankets.

The object he’d been fussing with was a clock radio. Kai saw it was off, though he could also see it was plugged in. He glanced around for another electronic to tell him that the clock was broken, but there was nothing he could replace. His stomach fluttered with anxiety. Then the bedroom door opened.

A man with Link’s physique and green eyes walked in. Kai recognized him from a fleeting glance at the principal’s office. Knowing Link’s feelings on their differences, Kai catalogued them. Most obvious, was that Mr. Palmer had a nose permanently crooked from being broken too many times. Where Link had flawless toffee skin, Mr. Palmer had a farmer’s tan that stood out against his tank top. His shoulders and neck were muscled and there was a military tattoo on his bicep, an American flag with the star logo of the Army underneath and in the background camouflage pattern. It rippled as he glanced around suspiciously, and Kai thought it wasn’t conscious but habit that made him suspicious. Upon seeing no one, Mr. Palmer gave up and took in Link pretending to rub sleep out of his eyes.

“Time to get up,” Mr. Palmer said. “Get dressed and be ready in ten minutes. Oh, and the electricity is out. Apparently, it’s affecting the whole damn block.”

Kai’s stomach went from fluttering to full-on sinking at the last bit. He had a feeling he knew the source of the power outage. Akuma’s satisfied silence confirmed Kai’s fears. His last memory from the night before had been freaking out about not replaceing the right chemical to feed the star.

It is safe now, Akuma said confidently as if his earlier silence meant nothing. Fully fed. We can face the daemons if need be.

What happened after I passed out? Kai demanded. Before the demon could answer, Link opened the doors. Mr. Palmer had left while Kai wasn’t paying attention.

“That was terrifying,” Link whispered.

“Sorry,” Kai said. “I really don’t have any control of where I end up.”

“Whatever, listen you got to go,” Link pulled Kai out of the closet.

“Where am I exactly?” Kai asked.

“What do you mean?” Link said as he opened his window.

“Like what’s your address? I don’t have my phone or my wallet, and I don’t know where I am.”

Link turned around mystified. “You really don’t know where I live, but you found me?”

“Sleepwalk me gets me into a lot of trouble,” Kai evaded. “Remember the jewelry store?”

“Right,” he said. “This is weird.” But Link told him the address.

“Thanks,” Kai said, heading towards the window.

“Wait,” Link hissed. “Your feet.”

“I’ll be fine,” Kai assured him. “I have like seriously thick skin.”

“Wait,” Link insisted. He stared down at Kai’s feet in consternation, then turned towards his closet. “Your feet are small,” Link said. Kai sighed. He really wished he would start growing soon.

After rummaging around, Link emerging with a funky pair of shoes. “Rock climbing shoes are super small and tight. Best I can do.”

“I’ll take it,” Kai said, grabbing them. They were still way too big, but it was something.

“Here,” Link said, opening his desk drawer and pulling out a twenty.

“Thanks, I’ll pay you back later,” Kai said, taking the money and shoes out the window. He moved out of sight of the window and then leaned back in. “I am really sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Link said. “We’ll talk later,” and closed the window.

Kai watched Link and his dad pull away from the bushes. Well, it didn’t get much more embarrassing than that. What the hell, Akuma? he demanded.

You were cold, the demon said.

Kai was still cold. Though the sun had peeked over the horizon, it was early enough that the dew hadn’t burned off yet. The temperature was probably in the fifties and, though Kai was wearing normal clothes versus pajamas, the hoodie was nothing compared to that sweet warmth he’d felt just before waking. God, that had been nice.

Sharing a bed with someone, sharing heat and blankets and air. Kai blushed to think of how shamelessly he’d entwined his body all over Link. How long had they been like that?

Where did you follow him home from? Kai asked. The demon was silent. What happened last night?

I fed the star, Akuma said, his voice cagey. There was more to it. Kai could almost feel the demon vibrating with energy.

And you took me to Link to butter me up, Kai said.

The demon didn't say anything, which was answer enough. Kai frowned and slunk from the bushes. It wasn’t like Akuma to avoid answering. Usually, they shared thoughts and if the demon ran into trouble or scared off a mountain lion on one of his forays, he’d tell Kai about it the next day.

Kai decided not to push the issue. It was in the range of six or seven in the morning and he still had to stop in at school to grab his bag. He tried to appear totally normal in the too-big shoes as he reached the sidewalk and got his bearings. From what Link told him, Kai was in Sherman Oaks, but was he above or below Ventura? He made a wild guess and turned left towards where the ground sloped up. He guessed correctly and found himself in Beverly Glen Park. He cut around the side of the lake, angling southwest towards the boulevard.

As soon as they were under cover of the trees, Akuma slithered into Kai’s shadow. With most of the demon in his shadow, Kai could feel the radiance of the star much stronger, even through the buffer of Akuma’s lower half. The morning chill dissipated. Kai was once again warm all over. He realized he hadn’t felt this warm in a long time.

What happened, Akuma? Kai demanded. I need to know.

There were complications, Akuma said.

What complications? Kai demanded.