Page 109 of Angel Lost

Isla trips to a stop. “Although, technically I’m imagining you. So does that make me powerful?”

Inwardly, I sigh, towing her on. My demon senses aren’t as strong as a shifter’s, but I’m pretty sure there’s been no dog in this building for quite some time. “Let’s just find Tiny, huh?”

We step outside into the weak winter sun.

“I’d have thought I drank enough water already. But you’re still here. Not that I don’t like your company. It’s better than hunting for Tiny alone.”

By the time we’ve been around the gardens twice we have an entourage. My allegiance, minus Zephyr, who I still have to go visit in the infirmary. And we’ve acquired the four demons. Something about these guys sets my teeth on edge. Their auras are so powerful it’s like being smacked in the face. Every single second.

“So, when’s the party?” Flirty pipes up. For such a big guy, he’s whiny. Irritation prickles my skin.

“After we find the fucking dog,” I grumble.

“Really?” He twiddles a button on his shirt, eyes alight.

“Okay, yeah, fine.” Dammit, I want to crawl into bed, not throw a party for the underworld. “We can have a partyifyou help find the dog.”

“And will there be females?” Flirty asks. “Human females?”

Grumpy strides forward, putting himself between Flirty and Isla. “Leave the human,” he snarls.

Isla absently pats his arm, and he peers down at her hand in confusion.

“Supes, not human,” I say. “I’ll invite the seniors; men and women.”

Flirty grumbles under his breath until Broody slings an arm around his shoulders. “We are superior beings, brother, the males won’t match us for female attention.”

Dammit, I can’t deal with their weird arrogance. Not now, not today. I keep walking, letting their bickering blend into the background. I steer us into the dorms next.

As we reach the seniors’ floor, a roar rattles the windows. Isla freezes, clutching my arm so hard her nails leave marks in the skin. Around the corner bounds a giant hulk of stinky dog, clutching an obsidian stone in its jaws.

Isla runs full-tilt toward the mutt. “Tiny!”

Hard on Tiny’s tail is Camille. I assume it’s Camille. The beast is all scales and fangs. The wyvern doesn’t make the corner, crashing into the wall, making the whole hallway shudder. It scrabbles to turn in the small space, beady eyes locked on Tiny. Huffing smoke, the wyvern heads straight for the dog. Tiny drops his stolen stone at Isla’s feet, and it rolls behind her with a clatter. The dog nudges Isla back, then whirls on the spot, snarling. Fearless. The wyvern is ten times his size and pissed. It scoops Tiny up in its jaws with a shriek of triumph.

“Drop the dog, Camille,” I shout.

Isla pushes past, rushes the wyvern, and smacks it on the snout. Camille, in her wyvern form, whines, pawing her nose with a giant claw. Then sneezes. A hysterical giggle escapes me. This human is going to get herself killed. Camille tilts her head, one dinosaur-like eye surveying Isla. Her tail lashes side to side, cracking the plaster, smashing a window.

Shit.

I gather my tired limbs under me, ready to launch myself at her. I nearly fall on my face when Grumpy beats me to it. His demonic tail wraps firmly around the wyvern’s neck. He forces his arm inside her mouth, prizing her jaws open.

Flirty steps up and yanks Tiny out, handing him to Isla. “For a beautiful human,” he announces.

Isla staggers under Tiny’s weight, beaming at Flirty. She quickly clips the dog on a leash as equally hideously pink and tartan-y as the collar. Grumpy swings around, towering over them both, scowling down at the dog. “Fucking hellhound,” he says, then points a finger at Flirty. “Stay away from the human.”

The wyvern’s form ripples around the edges, and seconds later Camille is in my face. “You. This was your fault.”

I hold my hands up

“Your friend, your fault!”

“Camille, calm the fuck down.”

She snarls almost as loud as if she were still in animal form.

I bend, scooping up the stone. “Look, here’s your rock back. With extra drool. Now, these guys are here to party and you…you’re way better at social shit than I am. Can you help?”

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