Page 344 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Everyone stopped moving.

Every single competitor and student went still.

Like zombies.

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

“No,” Orion mouthed. “That’s not what I meant.” His eyes filled with sadness as his perfect features became crestfallen.

He was so lovely I wanted to tell him I didn’t mean it.

Like a switch had been flipped, everyone resumed talking and moving about like they hadn’t just been frozen.

Goose bumps exploded down my spine, and my feathers fluttered.

The power the kings had was obscene.

It was ghastly.

Instead of taking the hint, they walked toward me like they were going to attack.

Sadie squeaked in my arms and wailed dramatically, “Protect me, Aran.”

“Really.” I pushed her off me.

“What?” she asked. “Technically, you’re the only one who can protect me from them.”

“Go bother your mates. I need to deal with the psycho devil men.” As soon as the words left my lips, Cobra swooped in and grabbed Sadie by the back of the neck.

Her mates piled around her protectively like they’d just been waiting for us to stop hugging so they could grab her.

“You know we can hear you?” Scorpius sneered.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s the point.”

“She’s pretending to shoot you with a finger gun,” Orion whispered, and Scorpius snapped back, “I don’t need to know that.”

I pretended to shoot him faster, with both hands as quickly as I could.

“Now she’s shooting you rapidly,” Orion said.

Scorpius’s eye twitched.

“Aran!” John shouted, and I swiveled toward him, grateful to have a buffer between myself and the kings.

He jogged over with Luka following behind. “Sorry for the delay. Luka and I just wanted to confirm before we came and asked.”

John’s easygoing grin wobbled, and he clutched onto his twin’s shoulder for support. He blushed a deep red as he gazed at me intently.

I arched my eyebrows back at him. “Hit me with it. I mean, it’s not like we just found out we’re leading a realm-wide war.”

John relaxed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe, Aran.” He grinned and trailed his fingers across my back where my wings were retracted underneath the skin. My knees wobbled.

Pleasure spiked.

Then pain.

Scorpius cocked his head to the side with a scowl while Malum and Orion stared at where John’s fingers were skating across my back.

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