Page 5

Nex

I ’d just fallen asleep after leading my group of new students to their dorm when my phone rang. I wish it didn’t happen as often as it did—being woken up by my phone, I mean—but I’m fairly used to it by now.

I wasn’t surprised when it was Wraith calling me. I was surprised by his request to come and speak with Audrey. I get why he wants me to.

My story is one that would make most people give up their path to vengeance, but Audrey? I highly doubt I can change her mind now that she’s decided on it.

I’ve never met a more stubborn woman in my life than Audrey Maddox.

Or more beautiful.

No. I can’t think about how beautiful she is or how desirable she is.

Shaking my head, I quickly pull on a pair of sweats before making my way to Wraith’s house.

This is the last thing I want to be doing in the middle of the night when I have a class in the morning, but it’s not like I’m going to say no to Wraith. Not just because he’s my boss but because he’s my friend.

He’s freaking out—as he should be—and he doesn’t know what to do. I still don’t think I’m going to change Audrey’s mind, but if it’ll make Wraith feel better, then I’m willing to rip off that particular bandage.

Who knows? Maybe she’ll use my story as the cautionary tale it is.

Unlikely, but maybe.

Once I’m outside, I let my demon form out and flap my wings, lifting into the air. I don’t spend enough time in my demon form since Wraith thinks it’ll scare the students. He’s probably right, but I need to start making time outside of class to do so. It’s been entirely too long.

It doesn’t take long for me to make it to his house, lowering myself to the ground. Before I land, my ears pick up on a quiet sound from the porch. My head snaps toward it, and my night vision reveals Audrey staring at me in shock and awe.

Right. She’s probably never seen a demon in this form before. Hell, she probably doesn’t even know it’s me.

“Miss Maddox,” I say with a tilt of my head as I climb the stairs.

“Professor Novak?” Her eyes are wide as they rove over my body, and I have to fight from preening beneath her gaze. “I’ve never seen a demon in this form before.”

I shrug. “Most haven’t, and how about we drop the ‘professor’ title? You’re no longer a student, so I’m no longer your professor. My name is Nex.”

“Oh, umm…Nex. Got it.” Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and I can’t help following the movement. “What are you doing here?”

“Wraith called me,” is all I tell her, stepping past her and into the house.

She trails behind me. “Seriously, how did I forget you were a demon?”

I smirk as I glance over my shoulder at her. “Not just a demon, but a lust demon.”

“A fucking incubus? I knew that. How could I forget that?” she mumbles to herself. “That’s why he’s so hot.”

I snicker. “No, that’s just genetics.”

She flushes, eyes widening. She hadn’t meant for me to hear that. Too bad for her that demons have amazing hearing. But I’m not going to call her out on it.

“Where’s Wraith?”

“Right here.”

Turning my head, I find Death descending the stairs toward us. “Thank you for coming, Nex. I really appreciate it.”

“Why did you call Profess—” She cuts herself off. “Nex. Why did you call Nex over?”

Wraith’s eyes narrow on her blushing face before returning his attention to me. “Why are you in this form?”

I shrug. “I flew over.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re still in this form. The last time I allowed you to have your wings out in my home, you destroyed a vase.”

Behind me, Audrey scoffs. “And why would you care about a stupid vase being broken?”

“It was a vase from 3000 B.C.E. Sumer—what you would know as Mesopotamia—in pristine condition. I met the potter myself on a trip earth-side. It was a one-of-a-kind piece that was irreplaceable,” Wraith tells her softly as he glares at me.

I roll my eyes. He’s never going to let me live that one down. “Fine. Fine. I’ll put away the demon.”

With nothing but a thought, I return to my usual human form.

“That still doesn’t explain why he’s here,” Audrey says, annoyance painting her words.

“Patience, trouble. Patience.” Wraith waves for me to follow him into the living room, where Donovan and Brenden sit with a woman who’s clearly Audrey’s twin. The only difference between the two women is their hair. It’s the same vivid red, but Audrey’s is straight, while her sister’s is curly. It must be natural because if she’d just curled it, it would’ve reverted back to its natural state when she died.

I hear Audrey huff behind me, and I have to bite back a smile. She really hates not knowing what’s going on. I saw it time and time again as she stumbled her way through my classes.

“Hi, I’m Nex Novak,” I tell Audrey’s twin, leaning over to offer her my hand. “I teach here at the academy.”

She smiles, but it’s clearly forced as she shakes my hand. “Wren Nathaniel. Audrey’s twin, obviously.”

“Okay, enough with the pleasantries. Will someone please tell me why Nex is here?” Audrey’s frustration is clear for all to hear as she stomps over the couch, sitting between Donovan and Brenden.

“As I told you before, trouble, I want someone who went down the vengeance path to explain just how badly things can go.” Wraith is just as frustrated as Audrey—there’s no missing that—but he’s also worried.

Audrey’s eyes find me once more. “You?”

“Me, Miss Maddox.”

“If I’m going to call you Nex, then you need to call me Audrey,” she says before I can continue, and I incline my head.

“Okay, Audrey. I don’t know how much you know about demons, but there are only seven main types of demons—pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Within those main categories, there are usually multiple subsets.” I grin. “While you were correct in calling me an incubus, cubis aren’t the only lust demons, but that’s neither here nor there. We do not mate outside of our demon type. For example, a lust demon cannot mate with a sloth demon. We’re just not compatible. That doesn’t mean we can’t be with one another, but there will be no children.”

Audrey shrugs. “I actually didn’t know any of that, but I don’t know what it has to do with me.”

I sigh, reminding myself to have patience with Wraith’s mate. “I was getting there. Each type of demon has powers that deal with their demon type, and we’re not meant to seek out something that falls under another demon type when it comes to humans—what we do with other demons doesn’t matter. It’s basically to keep everyone on task. As a lust demon, vengeance isn’t within my realm of expertise as that falls under wrath demons.

“I come from a large family. I have seven fathers and seven mothers—all cubis—so they have many children, but I was their first. I had four sisters born within twenty years of me, and they were mine to care for. This wasn’t something my parents told me I must do, but it’s what I felt needed to be done. They were my responsibility.” Wraith hands me a glass of whiskey, which I’m grateful for. This isn’t an easy story for me to tell—even if it’s been over 2,000 years since it happened.

“Demons gain their strength and power from humans. We would often go earth-side to fill up our power by, you guessed it, sleeping with humans. At the time, it was just the five of us kids. It was my youngest sister’s first time earth-side as she was only twenty-one, which is when we receive our powers. I made sure she was all set up with a man and his wife in Mycalessus, who were very interested in what she had to offer before I sought my own meal. It should’ve been easy.

“Only there was no way for us to anticipate the Thracians massacring the entire town on the day following our arrival. My sister was too young to protect herself, and she was killed alongside the husband and wife she bedded. It didn’t matter to me that my other sisters survived. All I could focus on was Allegra, who I’d allowed to be killed by not being more vigilant. I vowed vengeance on those Thracians—knowing I might have to spend years finding them all and hunting them down, but I didn’t care. They needed to pay for what they’d done to my sister.”

I lift the cup to my lips, finishing the contents before forcing my eyes upward to meet Audrey’s. “My parents warned me there would be a price to pay. My sisters begged me to give up my vow, but I refused. I managed to kill each and every last man who was in Mycalessus that day. Upon my return to the underworld, I found Lucifer waiting for me—though he was known as Hades then. He informed me I’d stepped out of the boundaries laid forth for my demon type and would need to be punished for my crimes against humanity.”

Audrey blinks at me, a frown marring her face. “What did he do?”

“Well, my punishment was three-fold,” I tell her, leaning back in my chair. “As the first part of my punishment, I was sent to work for the four horsemen—basically being their little bitch. I was also banished from my homelands on Elysium, never allowed to return. The only way I was able to see my family and meet each of my new siblings that have come over the years was by them visiting me. First on Ephonia, where we lived before the academy was created, and then here on Bristix. The final punishment was the curse he placed on me.”

I rub my hand against my chest, hating the pang of longing shooting through me. Usually, I’m able to ignore it—push it down so far I forget about it—but telling this story is bringing it all up again.

“A curse? What kind of curse?” It’s Wren who asks, though my eyes never waver from Audrey.

“The worst kind for someone who lives as long as we do—to never find love. To only be able to sleep with people but never to care. Because if I allowed myself to fall for them, something would happen to rip them out of my life.” I sigh. “You can listen to me or not, but as someone who chose to follow the exact path you’re planning, it’s not worth it.”

I push to my feet and head for the door. I’ve said my piece, and now it’s time to get the hell out of here. The last thing I need is for Audrey or one of her mates to notice the way I watch her. The way I feel about her.

Because Audrey Maddox is my fated mate, and she’s here. But I’ll never be able to have her. I won’t even chance it because I won’t take her away from her other mates, and that’s what will happen if I allow myself to love her. She’ll be ripped from my life and theirs.

“Nex! Wait!” I hear Audrey calling after me, but I’m at my limit. I’ve bared my soul to them—to her—and I’m afraid of what else they’ll see.

I need to get the hell out of here.

I throw open the door and rush down the stairs, having to pause for a moment to shift forms. Before I can take off, a small hand grasps my wrist, and I curse.

Damn it. Of all the times for her to touch me, of course, it has to be right now—at the worst possible time. Because demons confirm their mates via touch when they’re in their demon form. We’re usually able to tell before then, but it’s the only way to confirm it.

And from the gasp I hear from behind me, I know she’s felt it too.

Fucking hell. This is not what I needed right now.