Page 12 of Dark Souls Academy: The Sacrifice

“Shut up and get in bed. I want to hear all about it tomorrow.” Just as I climbed into bed a flash of magic caught my eye on the floor next to the door. The room was mostly bare just the bed, nightstand, and dresser, so the pile of fruit cups stacked high stuck out like a sore thumb.

My communicator buzzed with a message. I clicked on it before I let the exhaustion take over. My body was finally ready to relax being so close to two of my mates earlier.

Dex: “I’m sorry the night ended the way it did, but I’ll never be sorry for loving you. Here are my daily gifts for you. The refrigerator is getting too packed. Oh, and I can feel you’re bone tired, so Trigger made sure they’ll stay fresh until morning with a spell. He comes in handy sometimes.”

I snorted but couldn’t control my eyes from drooping. Before I drifted into sleep land Lilah curled around my arm and whispered. “Let yourself be happy, Ivy. You deserve the world.”

I’ll try.I couldn’t say it out loud. I just prayed to Goddess Nyx that we all had a future to be happy in because we all deserved happiness.

The morning came too soon.My beeping alarm was the worst fucking sound. It thrummed against my brain, demanding I listen. If I moved, I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, so I closed my eyes again.

A smack sounded around the dark room, startling me, but not as much as the stinging pain that blossomed on my cheek. The little brat hit me. I swear, she was becoming more like a demon every day, which only made me inwardly smile. It was too early to smile for real, but I was so proud of her.

When I didn’t move, she let out a little growl. “If you don’t turn that shit off, I’m going to make you sleep in the living room.”

That did the trick. I smacked the beeping alarm off with a groan. Ark stayed in their living room, so I wasn’t surprised to see him sleeping on the couch. He was a new incubus at the academy, and I’d woken up more than once to find him groping me. He didn’t take no for an answer. Raised in a Hellish village where “no” wasn’t an option, his persistence was relentless.

It was weird as shit, and I wasn’t taking any chances. If Dex scented him on me, it would end in blood. Dex was sweet, but he was vicious around other Incubus. The first one that came to the Academy, after I was outed, almost got his head ripped off for shaking my hand. He practically had to pee on my palm before his demon could calm down. So, I got my grumpy ass out of bed.

The dark room reminded me of a cave, but it felt good on my sleepy eyes. I was too tired to shower. I got dressed, brushed my hair and teeth and left.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Ark said as he stretched.

“Fuck off and die,” I snapped. The world could suck my metaphorical balls. I needed more sleep. I missed my coffee-making Incubus.

Ark frowned but just shrugged and turned around. Good. I couldaccidentallykill him. His blue hair and perfect dark complexion annoyed me. Incubi always were too fucking pretty. The fact his skin had a tinge of ethereal blue made him popular for feedings.

He was also the go-between for the other Incubus Demons who were slowly trickling in, hoping to find a Queen. A few low-level Succubus Demons had heard my unintentional call when Dex was dying at the Demon Trials, so the Sex Demons actually had a chance at finding their mates. Who knew, maybe I had an act as a match maker.

I didn’t fucking care about that while I was sleep deprived, though. I missed sleep. My whole body hurt. Even my brain. Getting some cold water from the fridge, I gulped the liquiddown like it could save my life. Professor Pain said it was a great energy drink. It would wash the grogginess from the brain as if I took it out and scrubbed the crevices. I needed that this morning.

My communicator buzzed. I finished the bottle and grabbed another. Lifting my arm to my face, I answered without checking the screen. Only one person called at this ungodly hour—the Headmaster. My mates knew better than to disturb me at such a horrendous time.

“What the fuck do you want?” I growled.

“Uh, uh, uh, you’re a delightful demon with a sparkling personality, remember.” The Headmaster’s red face appeared on the screen, his expression a blend of menace and mirth. His hard lines and slicked-back black hair screamed danger.

My scowl deepened. “I’ll cut your head off and carve it up like a pumpkin.” He burst into laughter. The high-pitched giggles gave him a more childlike aura, which just weirded me out. A behemoth of a demon with large goat legs should never have that kind of aura. It reminded me of my childhood boogeyman.

My mother’s sweet voice echoed in my mind as she sang the riddle to me.Lamia is watching. Her eyes are dark and hungry. Her rooms are bright and funny. Beware of her smile because it hides sharp teeth that go on for miles. Don’t trust the light, for she might be pretty, but she’ll kill you without even a fight. So, be good because she sneaks into bad kids’ rooms late at night.

I shivered. Would that boogieman ever stop haunting me?

I didn’t have time to deal with past traumas. There was work to be done. Since my bitch-ass mates couldn’t stop with their caveman shit, I had to do it alone.

“You know the drill, miss sparkles. Meet me there.” He hung up.

Ark noticed I was getting ready to leave and sat up. He said something, but I ignored him. I didn’t want to talk to him.

I used a teleporting potion to take me to the dungeons before I got caught up in a conversation with Ark. My last five potions were on my belt. I would have to make more tonight. I messaged Lilah to have the things prepared for me since she used them as much as I did, and she didn’t have to go to class for a couple more hours.

As my body appeared in the dungeon’s entry way, I stiffened. This place was all shadows and dark brick. The beginning of the cells were open cages with bars. I slowly moved through the levels, scanning the prisoners. They yelled or pleaded with me, but I ignored them. They all deserved to be here.

The deeper I went, the more secure they were. All the rooms were heavily locked and closed in. I knew when I was almost at my destination because the insane asylum vibe. I’d had no idea there were several layers under the academy, but it made sense, and the worst of the demons were living down here. It helped out for moments like this.

The dungeon was all shadows and dark brick. The beginning of the cells were open cages with bars. The deeper you went, the more of an insane asylum vibe came into view. These rooms were heavily locked and closed in. I’d had no idea there were several layers under the academy, but it made sense, and the worst of the demons were living down here. It helped out for moments like this.

Before I made it to the last section of the dungeon on foot, since no one could teleport down there, Ark came running through the hallway. I could still hear the prisoners shouting for him. He didn’t use the word no, so I guess I understood why he ran like a three headed hellhound nipped at his ass. Ark would get trapped down here pleasing these prisoners forever. The snarky part of my brain snickered.

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