Page 19 of Foxes of Legend

I couldn’t shake the feeling, sensing someone behind me, but those who lingered all minded their own business. My feet itched to pick up the pace, but running would only draw attention to myself. After a few more innocuous turns, I found myself at a dead end.

When I turned to go back, a shadowy figure blocked the narrow alley. “Little fly, caught in a web,” the figure said.

I fingered my dagger, “Who are you? Why are you following me?”

It was against our laws to kill a human, but if he tried anything, I wouldn’t hesitate. The man stepped forward. His stout figure stood out. I breathed a limited sigh of relief, resting my hand against my side and nodding in acknowledgment.

Vince, fourth at the academy.

“You know it’s dangerous out here all by yourself.” He looked around. “You aren’t here alone, are you?”

“No, Seven’s here,” I lied, not entirely sure why. Maybe because I wished that Seven had been with me the past couple days. Or maybe because Enko and Kairos’ warning about Vince had actually gotten through. Ormaybeit was the way that disgusting slimeball leered at me.

Yeah, that was definitely it.

Vince’s mouth formed into a sick smile, his eyes freely ogling me. “Is he now?”

He stepped forward. Each time he advanced, I retreated, and when my back hit the brick wall unexpectedly, the breath slammed out of my lungs.

Vince stalked forward, closing the distance until his wet dog stench entered my nostrils.

“You’d think with so many mates, you’d have at least one to protect you.” He inhaled deeply. “Especially with that sweet aroma you leave behind.”

“Back off,” I said, using all the courage I had within, pulling the knife and placing it against his throat. “They know I don’t need their protection.”

He laughed, not intimidated by the weapon. “Attacking another student is against the code of conduct. Automatic expulsion. That is, unless you can go rogue and finish the job. If you can win against me. I doubt that, though. On the other hand, a fresh first-year, skinned down to the bone by a demon. Left to rot. Wouldn’t be the first time an accident happened in Lethe. Nobody would suspect a thing.”

He reached for my cheek and I flinched away from his touch, but he kept me locked in between him and the brick wall. “Come now, everyone knows what a slut you are. Three matesand all. What’s one more? Give me what I want and you’ll leave unscathed.”

Vince grabbed my arm roughly, showing off his strength as he pushed my own arm back. The edge of my own dagger touched my own throat.

I drove my knee upward. He crippled over and I twisted my wrist out of his tight grip. My elbow flew into his face, my bone crunching against his hard skull.

I darted around him, his groans following me down the alley. I rounded the corner out of his sight, snapping my head around to look behind me every few seconds. I listened for footsteps, which was nearly impossible over the thundering of my heart and breath. With his tails, he’d be able to scent me out well before I made it back to the academy.

I checked for the pervert once more and slammed into something. Hard. Really fucking hard.

12

Dove

“Ow,” I groaned, reaching up to my head as I backed away and stared up at the boulder who had stopped me.

It wasn’t a boulder. It was a handsome grinning man. His shaggy blond hair partially covered his surprised gray eyes. His hands steadied my shoulders, his mouth opening to speak.

“Sir.” One of the bouncers by the door strode forward, reaching for me.

The mysterious blond man glanced over at the bouncer, jerking his head back toward the door. The massive bouncer nodded, returning to his guard position without exchanging another word between them.

“Sorry.” I gasped for breath after the run, keeping an eye out down the alley.

A cambion—half demon, half human—in a skimpy outfit exited the door, lighting up a cigarette as she leaned against the wall. I stilled. The man in front of me looked directly at her. Cambions were a common type of demon, Tier II or III, depending on their lineage. Most had never been to Hell.

The man in front of me could see the demon, which meant he wasn’t human.

I had bigger problems than a club that housed stray demons. When I glanced back down the alley, a figure in the distance stomped my way. Vince. “I need to hide,” I told the man desperately.

His expression hardened, cocking his head toward the entrance. The guards opened the door as he approached. Music pulsed from within as he guided me through the narrow hallway of strung-out club-hoppers to a staircase blocked by yet another large bouncer who unhooked a red rope.

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