Page 117 of Demon Found

Before the crew has a chance to swing back to us for our reaction, we’re surrounded by a group of Maveriks. My heart races at how quickly they swarm us. Where the hairy hell did they all come from?

Alarick throws me a wink, looking so calm that the thudding in my chest slows slightly. He and Raff flank us while the rest fan out and, before I can think to protest, we’re swept away in a flurry of growls and bared teeth.

“Fuck!” Chano roars, punching his wall with lightning speed.

Alarick lets out a small whine, patting Chano’s arm repeatedly.

“It’s agoodthing boss. You’ll be more stable with an Aeternum. More respected. More powerful.”

Chano snarls at him, teeth bared, and instead of flinching Alarick fawns closer, virtually rubbing his head on Chano’s arm. Fuck, wolf shifters are weird.

“I wasn’treadyto announce it. I wasn’t ready for the tios to know.”

“We’ll spin it. Tonight. My pack runs NewsShift, we’ll do a piece and get our sister corporations to run it too.”

Chano nods slowly. “Let’s make the most of this. Lori? You on board? We remove the suppression on our Aeternum marks, make statements to friendly press with no fucking mention of Belinda or your damn stepbrother? We broadside my tios. Hopefully they take enough time to regroup that we get through the exams before they come up with a plan.”

“Okay.”

It’s not okay. I’m not ready. No one ever taught me how to deal with this crap. With reporters. Why did Chano have to be such big news in Venez? Why did he have to be from a fucking Mafia family that’s at war with itself?

Please don’t let Chano’s uncles come for us now. I can’t deal with another enemy.

Chapter Fifty-nine: Lorelei

“Wedidit!Examsare over!” Naeve flings herself down on Chano’s bed beside me, all smiles.

“Piss off, Sparkles,” I grumble. “I’m shitting myself.”

“Not in the bed, please,” Chano calls from the doorway. “I’m into kinky stuff. But no shit in the bed.”

I give him a halfhearted smile, then launch a pillow at his face. He cackles, catching it with ease and launching it back.

“That’s better, chica. We know Seth’s got three years schooling on you. But he doesn’t have three elements. You’re going to smoke him.”

I bury my face in the pillow. If I use my aether, Seth won’t know what hit him. I’ve been training, hard. I’d have a very good chance of winning. But then I out myself to the students and their parents. What genius thought it was a good idea to sell tickets to see students beat magical shit out of each other?Andif I do that, I show my cards to the Virrey. He’ll realize that I’m not suppressed anymore. That Farrell’s being lying to him.

“What can the Virrey possibly gain from forcing this?”

“Aren’t you tired of asking the same question yet?” Naeve says. Her expression softens. “Youknowthat by being Chano’s Aeternum you dashed the Virrey’s plans for Farrell to have an aether wife. Before, he just wanted you malleable, easily controlled. He probably wouldn’t have allowed you to graduate, to ascend. But now . . . it’s worse. His plans have changed, he wants the threat eliminated.”

“Threat to what?” I groan. How can one small girl who happens to have aether be such a threat to the damn Virrey? I just want to live my life. “How is getting me expelled eliminating the threat?”

Naeve shifts uncomfortably. “Zephyr’s pretty sure that if you’re thrown out, the Virrey will have the Collectivo swoop in and ship you off to one of their labs. Just because you can’t play the well-behaved little housewife doesn’t mean he won’t find another use for your powers. You’d vanish, like the missing crossbreeds.”

“Over my dead body,” Chano snarls, stomping across the room and scooping me up like he’s scared someone will charge in and kidnap me right now.

Shit. The image of the Collectivo bundling that guy into the back of their van still haunts me. His girlfriend watching on . . . I felt so damn helpless.

“So. I just have to win. Simple. Then the Virrey will need a new plan.” I pat Chano’s face reassuringly, scrubbing my hand over his stubble. “I’ll win.”

I have to.

Chapter Sixty: Lorelei

Thesmellofbloodand sweat lingers long after the previous competitors have been escorted off the field. Row upon row of supes sit in the tiered stands, chattering quietly, buying ice cream, taking selfies. My stomach roils. How the hell can they act like this is just some show put on for their entertainment? This affects our lives, and they’re watching like it’s a soap opera.

I turn away as the garishly dressed cheerleaders take to the field. A hand hesitantly squeezes my shoulder. Hewie . . . he’s up next and here he is comfortingme.

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