"There, that will hold Eros," Kate informed us as she finished the complex chalk circle around the demon's head, which was now in the middle of the kitchen table. "I don't need magic for a protective circle."
Demie chuckled. "Good, then I won't have to keep swallowing him." Eros stuck his tongue out as Kate headed back to her bedroom.
I looked at Demie's brother. "I can't believe you perverted one of my favorite childhood cartoons. Fuck you, asshole."
He leveled his Fabio-like gaze at me. "You can't tell me that you didn't enjoy the adventure, bro. You figured out the mystery and set up a trap to catch the bad guy, just like in the show."
I couldn't deny that...it HAD been exciting. Still: "You aren't my bro, guy."
He glanced over at Demie and back to me. "She's my sister, so you're my bro-in-law, right? We're family, bro." He winked at me.
"What's he talking about?" I asked Demie.
She rolled her eyes. "Well, you know how a marriage contract is supposed to be until you die? A deal with a demon's forever. After you kick it, you'll be in Hell with me, for all time. Of course, it'll be a lot less pleasurable for you down there." She licked her lips.
I felt faint. "So, it's like we're married but there's no way to get divorced, and once I die..."
She nodded. "Yep, straight to Hell. That's The Deal, capital T, capital D, signed with your soul."
I ran out of the room.
"What's up with my bro Tom?" Eros asked, grinning.
---
Monday knocked on Kate's bedroom door. "So, um..."
Kate was still wearing Tom's shirt and the brown Velma skirt. The glasses were long gone. She turned from putting Kate into her crib. "Monday! How are you doing? You sort of lost your dog and your girlfriend again..." she frowned, "...also sort of, on the same day."
"Er, yeah, I'm okay, actually," he responded. "Seeing Zee at the B&B, and then on the couch with another Tom when we got here was a freakout, until he explained she was Tillie and you all explained him." He shook his head. "Guess I'm getting used to all this crazy magic shit. At least I didn't end up in the hospital this time." He suddenly looked uncertain. "Um, I wanted to talk about you and me in the freezer..."
She looked uncomfortable. "Monday, I love Tom...we were sharing warmth in the freezer...we're friends, right?"
"Uh, yeah! Yeah, okay..." He turned to leave.
She took his hand. "But thank you for saving me from those men." Then she pulled him into a hug.
Monday paused for a moment, and then returned the hug. Despite the warmth, he felt very lonely. "Umm, I'm gonna..."
They pulled apart and Monday headed home.
---
"So how do you send him back to Hell?"
"Kill his summoner, just like with Bilson," Demie calmly responded, referring to her mother Eudora's previous summoner.
"Who?"
"Oh...right, you're Other Tom," she realized. "Otie, yes," she quickly amended as he raised a finger to correct her. "I'd best go talk with Tom." Then she headed into the bedroom.
Eros turned his head to Otie. "So, changeling, eh?"