Page 9 of Demon Found

“Stupid little . . .” She grabs my arm, and we pass through together. The ground buckles under my feet and my head spins as if I just downed several shots in quick succession. The buzzing reaches deafening proportions, and acid shoots up my throat. I dry heave, bent over, leaning on my knees. Slowly, the world stops moving, and I gasp out a few shaky breaths.

“The portal doesn’t know you, you stupid bitch. If I hadn’t grabbed you, you’d have been chewed up and spat out hellfire knows where. Then how would I have explained it to the dean?”

Dusting myself down, I school my face to show none of the adrenaline racing through my body. I’ve never traveled by portal. Who in Venez ever has? There’s no damn way I’m letting this bitch know that though.

“Glad you could keep up. Now, how about you show me where I’m supposed to go, then buzz off, you overgrown fly?”

Her glare could melt concrete, but seconds later it’s replaced by a smile so wide it might split her makeup-caked face open.

“Dean, I was just escorting the scholarship to your office.”

“No need, I’ll take it from here. Thank you for accompanying her through the portal. Oh, and Camille? Use Miss Smith’s name, referring to her as ‘scholarship’ isn’t polite.”

Camille simpers, batting her eyelashes. “Of course. It’s just that she didn’t introduce herself. We had an argument, got off on the wrong foot. I... I’ll try to remember her upbringing in future and take it into account.”

The dean’s eyebrows shoot up, and he sighs heavily. “I’m sure you did your best, Camille. There’s always a period of readjustment for scholarship students from Venez. Then significant further work to reach the standards of decent supernatural society.”

He glares at me. “Come along, Miss Smith. It seems I shall have to go over the basics of deportment on campus, aswellas everything that comes with missing several weeks of term.”

Camille smirks before turning away.Bitch.

I have to trot to keep up with the asshat dean. Talk about making assumptions. Maybe it won’t be as easy as I thought to keep my mouth shut and my head down.

By the time we reach his office, the dean’s icy attitude hasn’t thawed. He quickly flicks off the wall of monitors showing security footage from across campus, then gestures at a seat in front of his desk. That’s ahellof a lot of cameras. I guess mommy and daddy need to be sure their precious little angels are well protected.

The dean follows my gaze to the monitors. “We take our security seriously. The campus has a very low crime rate.”

He looks at me over the top of his horn-rimmed spectacles. Does he think I’m about to make off with his damn paperweight or something? Granted, that thing looks like it might fetch a few dollars but . . . I’m here to learn.

Settled behind his oak desk, he shuffles a file of papers with my name on it and regards me in silence for a long beat.

“I am Dean Emrick. It is my somewhat dubious honor to welcome you to Fates Academy, Miss Smith.”

Cheeky sod.My face remains passive, and I hold out my hand.

“Lorelei Smith. I’ll dubiously accept your welcome.”

I could swear his left eye twitches, but he continues as if I hadn’t called him on his bullshit.

“I’ll keep this brief, you’ll need all the time you can garner to catch up with the first few weeks of term. I am aware of your background, and your record. Your criminal record.” His voice is clipped as he thumps my file on the desk. “Despite our academy’s portal being in Venez, we are aprestigiousinstitution. If you can’t stick to the rules and etiquette expected, then you will be expelled.”

My nostrils flare and I bite my tongue so hard a small trickle of blood runs down the back of my throat. The dean’s tongue flicks out, running over his teeth before he pulls his mouth into a thin line.

“I’m not here to cause trouble. I want to learn.” I force the words out, hard and flat.

He was never going to be falling over himself to meet me, but something less than outright disgust would have been nice. He shouldn’t be judging me just because I can’t pay my way here. That scholarship was hard to win, it should count in my favor.

“I am avampire, Miss Smith, as are several of the professors here. Do not expect to get anything past us.” He sits back, steepling his fingers, and regards me for a long moment. “That being said, your scholarship sponsor is the Virrey himself. He feels you are a promising young lady. You will have a guidance counselor assigned to ensure you make the most of whatever small talent you possess.”

I don’t trust myself to do anything other than give a curt nod. Ignoring me, he cocks his head to one side. Several long moments pass before we hear a sharp rap on the door.

“Your brother has arrived. Take note, Miss Smith, despite his background, your brother has made something of himself here. Be like your brother and you might just survive your first year.”

Jeez. Be more Seth. Right, I got it. Nothing like forcing your estranged half brother down your throat to make for a happy family reunion. I’ve notseenSeth in years. He got in touch out of the blue last year. And he’s texted sporadically since. But he’s not winning any prizes for being a supportive big brother figure.

I press my lips tightly together and tug irritably at a loose thread on my top. He is all I have left though, and he did try to find out why I hadn’t turned up on the academy’s intake day. I’d never have known I had a place otherwise. I should cut him some slack. He was just a kid when we were split up. All that empty loneliness, it wasn’t his fault. How’s a ten-year-old meant to stay in touch with his kid sister when the shitty foster system separates them?

“Enter.”

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