Page 102 of Demon Found

So much for congratulations.

Turning to face Farrell, I stiffen. He’s glowering, fists clenched and nostrils flared. He’s entirely ignoring Chano, like this is all my doing. Within seconds he schools his expression and the cold, detached Farrell I’m so used to returns. It cuts more deeply than I thought possible.Fuck.I should be angry with him for spoiling this, but I’m just hurt.

Burying my face in Chano’s shirt, I inhale slowly. His dark oaky scent surrounds me like a caress, and I take a few more steadying breaths. Rubbing angrily at my leaking eyes, I turn to face the others. I can’t and won’t undo this thing between Chano and me.

“Just say it. Say you’re done with me,” I grit out.

Zephyr’s eyes fly to mine, and my heart seizes. He looks so fucking lost.

“Are you insane?” Farrell snarls and I flinch. “We arefive. We have an aether elemental. We have the potential to be so very powerful. You might be happy to risk it all for this meathead, but don’t think the rest of us will throw it away so recklessly.”

My hammering heart settles, and I let out a puff of air.

“Do you want to give up on us?” Zephyr’s voice is thin and strained.

“What? No. I thought, with all my shit, maybe this was one issue too many.” I shake my head, and before I know what I’m doing, I’ve paced toward him, gripping both his hands in mine. “I am not giving up on you, Zephyr. On us, on any of us.”

I mean it so deeply it hurts. My best friend and these three guys. They are everything to me. Even without the damn allegiance.

Farrell stalks out of the room. He’s pissed but he’s holding it together. That has to be good. Doesn’t it? Unless, what if he’s onlytoleratingme? He needs to ascend, and he needs his allegiance to do that. He doesn’t give a flying fuck about me. I press my fingertips into my temples and screw my eyes tight shut.

I care about him.

The realization steals my breath away. He’s a cold, unfeeling asshole, but I care for him.

Chapter Fifty-one: Lorelei

Ican’tbelievethedean is making me sit demon specialization. I’ve missed most of the damn year and yet, I’m what? Supposed just to pick it up because apparently now I’m a demon? I don’t know the first thing about the curriculum. I tried to read the textbook but half the words weren’t even familiar.

Wiping my sweaty hands down my skirt, I slip into the back of the classroom. I slide toward a free chair, only to find a pile of books quickly moved onto it.

“Seat’s taken.” The imp glares at me. My gaze lands on a desk close by, but the slim raven-haired girl there shakes her head and growls. An actual growl. She’s a demon, not a damn shifter.

I squeeze between the chairs toward a nearly empty row. Before I can dump my bag at a seat the toss of familiar blonde hair catches my eye.

“Go back to harpy class, you little slut. There’s no room for you here,” Belinda says. “No room for you in Chano’s life either. Whatever spell you’ve cast on him will fade. He’ll come crawling back to me, you’ll see. It was me he asked for help, remember? You’re just his flimsy obsession, for now. It’ll change.” Belinda’s eyes glitter, and the seat I was about to take is engulfed in flames.

You have to be shitting me. I’m half tempted to reveal my damn Aeternum band, just to shut her up. A familiar tingle breaks out across my skin. Without even looking down, I know I’m on fire. The warmth cascades over my arms and down my back, and with a snap, my wings pop out. Belinda takes a startled breath, nostrils flaring. With a single flap her pitiful flames are extinguished. Ignoring the bitchy succubus, I throw myself into the still-smoking chair.

My ass hits the seat, but I don’t stop moving as the chair topples sideways and I land sprawled on the floor. The room erupts in laughter, and a blush races across my face. Shit. I was not expecting the weight of my wings to overbalance me.

“Demon wings a bit much, chica?” A familiar voice chuckles beside me and I look up into Chano’s face. He reaches down, grabs my arm and tugs me to my feet in one fluid movement. I bare my teeth.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” I hiss.

“I’ve always got your back. Even when you’re doing your best to flail around on it.”

“Settle down, students.” Professor Hannya’s voice is barely audible, but everyone immediately shuts the hell up.

I slide into my seat, tucking my wings away. A tiny, elderly lady in an immaculate trouser suit stands at the front of the class. She’s more wrinkle than skin but the power rolls off her.

“You’re glowing,” Chano mutters, kicking the leg of my stool. With a deep breath and a moment of intense concentration I pull my fire back under control. I can’t break out in flames whenever something excites or angers me. I must seem like a damn toddler to the professors.

“We have a new student today. This is an excuse to demonstrate the skills you have learned this year. Open your textbooks, we will start from page one, exercise one, and work along the rows. Each student will demonstrate the demonic ability in the exercise or lose a mark. Lorelei, you will attempt to copy. Any you succeed in will gain you a point, no deductions for you, for today.”

The room breaks out in a grumble, quickly silenced by the smallest of coughs from the professor.

“Manifest horns and tail or tails,” Prof reads out, and the giant at the front of the class whips a humongous tail from side to side before popping his horns out of the top of his head slowly, one at a time.

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