Deal with the Demon: Loved by the Demon, #1

By Chace Verity

As a single mother working two jobs, Heidi Murphy can barely keep her head above water on the best of days. When her full-time job fires her and her kids get in trouble at school, Heidi begins to drown in stress. She needs help--and help arrives in the form of a QR code that summons an unexpected visitor.

Heidi's world gets turned upside down when she meets Drystan, a demon from another realm. Upside down in this case, however, is for the better since Drystan is supposed to bring her success. His visage is strange and almost frightening, but he quickly becomes a valuable member of the household with his excellent cooking skills and devotion to making sure the Murphys are happy.

Heidi has twenty-eight days to find success before her contract with Drystan ends. Four weeks seems like plenty to find another job, but as Heidi starts to fall for Drystan, there doesn't seem to be enough time in the world for what she really wants--him.

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Deal with the Demon is a standalone paranormal romance novella.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chace Verity
• Release date: Dec 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223836353

Book preview

Chapter 1

Success will come to you.

A snort escaped Heidi as she read the ridiculous words. She rarely read her junk mail, but the flyer for Mysterious Business was oddly eye-catching. In a deluge of colorful advertisements for dentists and outlet stores, the solid white postcard stood out. The predatory promise—probably from some multilevel marketing scam—was inked in small, black print above a QR code.

She checked the back. No name or logo of the business anywhere.

All right, she said to her pile of useless mail. Into the recycling bin you go!

Heidi knew that success didn’t magically materialize. Success came from a tremendous amount of passion and perseverance. Time and dedication reaped rich rewards.

Of course, if one started life with enough money, then one could skip all the hard parts of finding success. Heidi knew that too.

Which was why she had to finish getting ready for work and see the kids off to school. Today was Tuesday. She had her day job as customer support for Tethered Mobile, which was a quick bus ride from the kids’ school, and then she had to take the train across the city for a shift at the convenience store.

Success would be easier to find once she had saved up enough money for a car. More opportunities were available away from the public transit lines, and she wouldn’t have to waste hours of her day on her commute.

After she got a car…

Ow! Shit!

Savannah looked up from her breakfast. Did you stab yourself with eyeliner again, Mom? I told you that you shouldn’t do your makeup while you eat.

Heidi shot her mouthy thirteen-year-old a tear-filled glare. Look at how you’re making me cry.

That’s the foreign matter in your delicate sense organ.

You’ve been studying for your science test? Heidi dabbed her eye with a napkin and gazed into her makeshift mirror—the front-facing camera on her phone.

Uh-huh.

And you’re keeping out of trouble? It’s been three weeks since your principal last called. You’re steering clear of that Lily Price? I really don’t want child protective services called on us.

Savannah flashed her a sweet smile, one that worried Heidi more than it reassured her. Savannah had a temper, and she often got into fights. Usually for good reasons, according to Sebastian, but the school rarely saw it that way.

Speaking of whom, her son had yet to come downstairs. They needed to leave in six minutes.

Sebastian! Heidi called. Hurry up!

She nibbled at her toast, debating if she should go into work with smudged makeup or clean her face. There wasn’t time to redo everything.

There wasn’t time for much, really. Though she and the kids had moved into the three-bedroom rental after the divorce four years ago, she still hadn’t done much with the house. The walls, windowsills, and shelves had zero personality to them. Sebastian had anime posters taped by his bed, and Savannah had some fairy lights strung above her desk, but the kids’ rooms were fairly void of their individual personalities.

One day, Heidi would find time for that.

For now, she decided to sport smudged makeup. Not like she had to wear makeup, but she had some attractive co-workers at both jobs. Since the kids were older, Heidi had started toying with the idea of dating again. It was probably time to find a stepparent for her kids since their dad wanted nothing to do with them.

And, well, it had been eight years since she had last had any bedroom adventures with a partner. She didn’t miss sex so much as she missed intimacy.

But first, she had to get a car.

Sebastian tumbled down the stairs with his hair still wet. The fourteen-year-old had finally discovered showers, much to Heidi’s delight. She didn’t mind the increased water bills from his new relationship with good hygiene, since that meant the house didn’t smell anymore. Savannah suspected her brother had a crush on someone at school.

Looking at the kids put a bright smile on Heidi’s face and reminded her of why she worked so hard. Both of her kids resembled her with their pale skin, dark brown hair, and golden brown eyes. They had inherited their father’s sharp nose, thick lips, and shellfish allergy.

Even if they didn’t look like a family, Heidi would still love them just as intensely. The three of them had been through a lot over the past several years, but they protected each other. Sebastian always had his sister’s side at school. Savannah often stayed up at night until Heidi came home from work.

She would do anything for her family, and her kids shared the same values.

Nothing would ever break them apart. All Heidi needed was her family.

Chapter 2

Excuse me? Heidi stared at her manager with his greasy mustache and days-old stubble. You said what?

I’m so sorry. He rubbed his eyes. Higher up had to make some cuts for each team. They picked you based on your past six months’ performance. I tried to argue for you, but they weren’t satisfied with your consistent tardiness.

Anger shot through Heidi. She gripped a handful of her skirt to keep herself from doing anything irrational. Savannah hadn’t inherited that temper from nowhere.

You said it was okay if I was sometimes late because of the bus, she said in a strangled voice. Even a simple action like breathing had proved so difficult suddenly. I always stayed past my scheduled shift to make sure I worked a full eight hours.

Her manager sighed. Yeah, but those time cards aren’t pretty to the people up top. You know they don’t understand how the world really works. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing else you or I can do now. You still have a job here for three weeks, in accordance with Alberta labor laws. Just look for another job online in between calls, okay? I’ll pretend I won’t see it.

But you said it was fine if I was late as long as I worked a whole eight hours. You said that’s what corporate cares about.

Corporate cares about appearances. If you aren’t logged into the system at nine sharp, then there’s a hole in the team. We explained that during your orientation. I shouldn’t have let you get away with it as much as I did. I’m sorry, Heidi. The decision’s been made.

Didn’t you tell them that you said it was fine?!

Her manager pointed to the door, avoiding her eyes.

This.

Was.

Bullshit!

For the past two years, she had endured so much abuse from angry customers with a smile in her voice. Not once had she been offered a raise. Not once