Page 21 of Beauty's Monstrous Demons

“What is going on here?” the professor asks, her face scrunched in disgust.

“Valaria, a world in which I have to explain myself, doesn't exist,” Samael says. “Go on about your day.”

“It’s after six,” she complains. “Your behavior is inappropriate.”

“Revisit my previous statement for how much I care,” he says in a bored tone. “You’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. If you aren’t careful, it’ll get bitten off.”

Samael flashes his fangs at her while she flinches, still scowling.

“You should take my advice and leave,” Valaria says, sniffing. “You have only yourself to blame for whatever comes after this.”

The sound of her heels along the ground are sharp as she walks away, her huff as she slams out of the building judgemental.

“I don’t know that this is such a good idea,” I sigh looking up at him.

Samael smirks as something wraps around my waist, and I gasp as I look down to find that it’s been his tail touching me this entire time.

“Don’t overthink this,” he says. “Valaria is a dried up old cunt and a killjoy.”

“Well, I could tell,” I mutter.

“Are you hungry?” he asks. “Phenex is an excellent cook I hear.”

“I’m starving. I’ve been eating at the oddest hours because I’m trying to avoid my roommates,” I admit, my feet trying to keep up with Samael’s as he walks.

“You live there, so why would you avoid them?” he asks.

“First it was my scent that I was worried about, but they also make me nervous,” I explain, shrugging. “Thorley seems to be nice. Adares has a hint of meanness to his words, so I never really know where I stand with him. I haven’t actually met the professor who lives in my dorm outside of his banging on the bathroom door while I’m showering. I’m trying not to be in the way but it’s inevitable.”

“Lorelei, you’re not in the way, you live there. They’re going to need to get used to you,” Samael grumbles.

“I think I was a surprise to them, so they’re trying to make the best of it,” I say. “The dorm space has never been as clean as it is now because I need things to be a certain way. There could be many factors.”

“Or you could be overhyping it a bit in your mind,” he mentions. “Now that you’ve figured out your scent, see what happens if you actually cook something or hang out on the couch. I don’t think you should need to hide away.”

While he’s right, I’m still not sure if I will. I feel so tiny around them. Not needing to worry that my scent is going to make things difficult will help a lot, though.

“Maybe,” I say noncommittally as he knocks on Phenex’s apartment door.

“That wasn’t very believable,” he says, chuckling under his breath.

His tail is still wrapped possessively around my waist, and Phenex appears amused when he sees it.

“Did anyone stop you on the way in?” he asks, swinging the door wide for us to pass through.

“Valaria,” I grunt, missing Samael’s tail as it unwinds from my waist.

“God, she’s such a fucking busybody,” Phenex says. “The woman isn’t tenure, has only been at the university for less than twenty-five years, and believes every student is out to sleep with their professor.”

“I mean, in my position, maybe I am,” I tease him as he shuts the door, ignoring the way his body falls into it.

“Is that so?” he growls, making me shiver as he turns the lock.

“Food first,” Samael says, smirking. “Our girl is hungry.”

“Good idea, I just pulled dinner out of the oven,” Phenex says, striding into the kitchen.

“Do you need any help?” I ask, trailing after him.

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