Page 35 of Hell’s Flame

“I’m sorry. I—”

I stand. “It’s fine… I just need some time, Oz. Falling in love isn’t my priority with anyone.”

“You can’t tell me that what you have with Hazen or Ledger isn’t love.”

My eyes are glued to him. Love? Me? The Princess of Hell? I have room for my family, nothing more. I care about Hazen and Ledger. I would never want to see them put in harm’s way because of me. It seems like who I love always gets hurt. “Goodnight, Ozzie.”

“Asura,” he says with a sigh, but I’m already shrugging off his jacket and moving back inside where my hounds are.

The day before going back to school.

My eyes look up at Ledger through the sweat-damp curls. Without another thought, I rush at him, jumping up and reeling back a fist. He reaches to grab my fist, like I knew he would. I reel back a kick and land it against his side, landing and then twisting to kick him square in the chest.

He gets knocked to his ass, not expecting the kick. His red, wide eyes look up at me. “Damn, Asura.”

A smirk curls on my lips. “Am I good or am I go—”

He cuts me off by swiping his foot and climbing on top of me to pin me to the ground.

I wheeze, eyes wide and on him.

“Never celebrate too soon.”

I smirk again, pulling my thigh up and over his. “Can I celebrate now?”

He inhales sharply as I grind myself against him. Instantly, he starts getting hard.

I give him the innocent doe eyes as if I have no idea what I’m doing to him.

“Enough,” Khazon orders, rolling his dark eyes. He’s been staying here too, per my father’s request. As if there’s not enough men. But him, I avoid like the plaguethathe is. I can tell he hates it more than anything. I ignore him, almost as if he doesn’t exist.

Ledger picks himself up, leaving me cold on the ground. I pout, sitting up.

No fair. All this work and no reward.

Hazen snickers at my pout, earning a glare from me. I love the way his smile makes his eyes sparkle, but then Ozias’s voice enters my head and I quickly look away from him.

Ledger hooks his hands under my armpits and lifts me to my feet. I look up at him, seeing his crimson eyes on me. I’ve grown to love them a lot, especially when they are blazing red when he’s mad.

Khazon and Inarian often make him mad.He can tell that it turns me on when he gets mad because he calms down very quickly when we look at each other. Tomorrow, we go back. The academy is rebuilt, and the students are getting anxious about another Hell Storm. It’s been declared that there will never be another in the Shadow World. Of course, no one understands that someone put it there, or it was only there to attack me.

I’m excited to go back. Inarian has been keeping me at an arm’s length while the distance between Jigsaw and I is getting growing by the day.

“I think I’m good with training now,” I say, pushing my messy hair back.

“You can’t even pull out your telum,” Inarian snarks at my remark.

I roll my eyes. The only time he talks to me is to remind me how behind I am, and that if I just shift into my true form, I’d be ten times more powerful. But I’m determined to do it without Circe, even though doubt is creeping in.

Khazon can half-shift into his demon and grab his telum. His demon gives him speed and wings, but without shifting completely he only has half of his full potential. And that alone is powerful. I’m not Khazon, although Circe is more powerful than Death and the Grim Reaper combined. But if she’s in control, I’m not, and I don’t like not knowing what she says or does. Last time she could have hurt Hazen’s feelings.

“Eat a dick, Inari,” I shoot back.

His dark eyes meet mine. I stare back at him, waiting for him to say something smart, as if I won’t kick his teeth in. I’m stronger and faster, but that doesn’t mean I can take him down.

Not yet at least.

I want a rechallenge, but I need more time. He almost beat me last time, and probably would’ve, if it wasn’t for the Hell Storm. I’m kind of glad that happened, although I’m pretty sure it happened to kill me or draw Circe out—and it did.

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