Page 71 of Higher Demon

“Marc,” I remind him. “I thought human brains didn’t begin to deteriorate until later in life?”

That gets a grin from Ian. “Heisgetting closer to forty.”

“I’m thirty-seven!” Connor sputters indignantly.

“Whatever.” Ian hefts his duffle. “Show us where our rooms are. And then I guess we should get to the school for the first session with the students.”

How delightful.

* * *

The Illinois compoundis smaller than the California one, and thus the number of students attending school is much lower. Connor and Gabe broke with tradition and opted to have children attend traditional schooling with locals in the nearby town, then have extra classes to educate them on the things they’ll need to know as hunters. Ian informed me that they’d had to fight hard to make the Collective accept that choice, but that it’s allowed them to integrate better with the local community. There are still murmurs about the “hippy commune cult,” but Connor’s and Gabe’s relationships with locals and the fact that the hunters play an active role in the town keep that from becoming more than just rolled eyes.

I’m not certain if it’s that or these children are more intelligent than their Californian counterparts, but for whatever reason, the quality of their questions has been better.

“We’re trained to respond to any demon as though it’s a threat and exterminate on sight,” one girl is saying. “Based on what you’re saying about most summoned demons not wanting to cause harm, would we be better off trying to negotiate first?”

From the corner of my eye, I see Connor’s gaze narrow as he waits to see how I’ll answer this.

“Not right now,” I say finally. “Eventually, yes. If the demon is trapped in the summoning circle when you encounter it, and if it’s rational and not already driven to a state of violence by its captivity, then I would encourage you to concentrate on the summoner. See if you can have them send the demon home, and then prevent them from ever being able to summon again. But your priority at all times should be your own safety. There are very few demons against whom any hunter has the upper hand without a circle.”

Ian smiles, and Connor’s disgruntled frown tells me that was the correct answer. I suppose it’s a good thing I didn’t go with my preferred option, which was “kill the scum who summoned them and then cross your fingers and run.”

There are a surprising number of questions about living and eating habits, and nobody asks anything about the best way to kill a demon. Then a boy asks, “Is there any crossbreeding between species of demons?”

“Are you asking about inter-species relationships?” Ian interjects. “Let’s remember that demons are sentient beings with intelligence.”

The boy blinks. “I’m still getting used to that.”

One of his friends elbows him. “Rude.”

“Oh.” A deep flush overtakes the boy’s face. “Sorry, Mr. Marc. I knowyou’resentient, of course.”

Trying not to wince at being addressed that way, I cut to the crux of the matter. “Yes, demons have inter-species relationships. There have even been inter-species relationships with non-demon species. Spirits and higher demons get along very well.”

“So, theoretically, demons could have relationships with humans?”

Connor straightens so fast, I hear something crack, but Ian grabs his arm, leaving me to reply.

“Perhaps we should focus on getting things between our peoples to the point where it’s not safest for you to assume that any demon is a danger. Then we can discuss interspecies dating.” I try to sound as diplomatic as possible.

“Besides,” his friend chimes in, “demons have wicked awesome powers. What would they want in a human?”

Connor steps forward to end the class, and I let him, glad I didn’t need to reply to that question. What, indeed? My own delicious—if still grubby—human is grinning as he joins me.

“That went well.” He pitches his voice so I can hear him over the clamor of students leaving. “Though I wasn’t expecting that turn at the end.”

“Me either.” There’s a thread of laughter in Gabe’s voice. “I think it might take Con a week to get over it.”

“Only a week? I should have answered it, then,” I remark, glancing past him to where Connor is talking to two students.

“Be nice to my brother,” Ian reminds me. “We’re having dinner with him and Kieran tonight, before your first Q&A.”

Gabe coughs lightly. “Uh, yeah. I… I think I’m gonna call Kier and ask if Tom and I can join you.”

“Ian has already made me promise not to kill his brother, no matter the provocation,” I assure him. “Although… he never said anything about more minor injuries.”

Ian kicks me, and I examine my trousers. “You’ve scuffed the fabric.”

---