Page 12 of Demon Reform Academy, Term 3

12

PANDORA

B lack clove mingled with Jenni’s passion fruit scent as she dropped down into the seat beside me, and my jaw dropped. “You and Dad mated?”

Jenni’s blue-green eyes filled with tears as she bobbed her head up and down. “Yes! Oh my Fates, Pandora! Daddy Death is fucking perfect! Just like I knew he was. I’m so, so happy!”

“It’s about time!” I grinned, pulling my tablet from my bag and setting it on my desk. “I’ve been telling you both that I was fine with it.”

“We just needed to be sure!” She grinned wildly. “But seriously, it was perfect ,” Jenni gushed. “I?—”

“I’m happy for you both,” Reed interjected, leaning forward and smiling at her before she could say something that would be too much information. “Congratulations, Jenni.” His hand found my thigh.

We’d claimed the seats on the end of the middle row in the classroom for Demon Capital History. We were also one of the firsts to arrive since once we sat in a spot, it was basically ours until the end of the term, and we wanted to scope out the best ones.

“Thanks.” She beamed, pulling her tablet out of her bag and planting it in front of her. “I actually ended up putting my tail up his ass to bond him. He wasn’t sure at first, of course, I mean, who’s not nervous about something going up your ass for the first time? Nobody! That’s who.”

My mouth fell open again as horror washed over me.

Ew.

“Uh, Jenni,” Reed pleaded with a wince. I appreciated that he attempted to save me from that information—even if it didn’t work. “Remember that your mate is also your best friend’s dad.”

Her eyes widened as she turned to me. “Oh Fates, I’m so sorry! I mean, I didn’t think about that! I was just gushing with my best friend. Guess we found the not-so-great part of this, huh?”

I winced. “It’s not that I’m not happy for you. I’m so happy you’re having…a fulfilling love life, but he is my dad. You can keep those details to yourself. Please. ”

“Totally understand. Intimacy details reserved for telling my mom only. Spare the best friend of her dad’s naughty love life. Got it,” she babbled, nodding her head. “Oh! You know how your soul burn mark is white? Well, Death’s is black. It’s so pretty, too!” She unbuttoned a couple of buttons on her shirt and showed me.

It was black. A soul burn that looked almost like a star exploding rested above her heart, and it was pretty.

“Woah. I love it. It is different than mine, but it suits him and you,” I complimented her.

“We sort of match,” Reed chuckled. “Mine’s white, but still. It’s always been interesting to me how the same supernatural types can have the same mark in a variety of colors while some supernaturals are mostly the same in color but vary in size.”

“That is pretty cool.” I glanced at him and felt heat rush to my cheeks as I remembered when I marked him.

“Thanks, guys. Sorry about the TMI there.” She reached back and scratched the back of her head. “I really wasn’t thinking.”

“You bonded your fated mate.” I shrugged it off. “I’m happy for you both.”

“How are your other mates, by the way?” Jenni tilted her head. “I know Hunter’s doing all he can to help out Joel, but what about the other three?”

I nodded, a frown forming on my lips. “Yeah, you’re right. Hunter’s been overworked with Demon Council and counselor duties, but that’s to be expected right now. I know he’s been talking to Joel a lot about everything whenever he has time to. It sounds like he’s really struggling. I just wish I could’ve done more for him.”

“You saved his life,” she told me with conviction. “Joel is so grateful for that.”

“Even though I wasn’t able to save his magical essence?” I rasped, wincing at the dryness of my throat. I reached down to grab my enchanted bottle out of the bag and took a drink.

“Yes, even with that. He’s just happy to be alive. Sure, it’s an adjustment, but he’s alive to make that adjustment,” she said, narrowing her blue-green eyes at me. “You did amazing, Pandora. Thank you.”

“Good.” I shifted in my seat, placing my hand on top of Reed’s. “Um, and everyone else is doing okay.”

“What about Bram?” she prompted eagerly.

“I…”

“Good morning, students!” Respa strolled into the classroom with a bright smile on her face. She swept a hand through her black pixie cut and scanned her yellow eyes over us. “Welcome to term three! I’m proud of you for surviving the dark magic attack that ended last term. Not many demons could survive something that catastrophic—and we lost about a fourth of our students. So, if you’re sitting here, well done for surviving.”

I couldn’t hide my flinch, but I wasn’t the only one. Other students flinched, too.

I knew if the other demons at the academy were as affected as I was by what happened, it meant Dark Veil had succeeded in traumatizing demons. Demons were practically built for trauma, and Dark Veil fed off that.

This entire cult was more of a problem than I thought was possible, but it wasn’t surprising, either. It was a dark magic cult.

Reed’s hand tightened on my thigh.

“It was s-scary,” Fester stuttered. He sat in the middle row, just a couple of seats in front of us.

“Yeah, it was fucked up,” another demon called out.

“I lost my best friend!” another said. “There’s not even a trace of her!”

“Dark Veil’s the embodiment of evil in Kalista. No one can convince me otherwise,” Jenni added, crossing her arms.

“I agree with you, one-hundred percent,” I muttered.

“They’ll get what’s coming to them.” Reed started to ghost his hand up and down my thigh, sending warm tingles through me. “I’m sure of it.”

Fester turned around and locked his brown eyes on me and Jenni. “Are you guys okay? I heard about what happened. You were taken by the dark magic cult, right?”

Jenni gave him a tight smile. “Fine.”

“As good as we can be,” I added.

“Woah, what?” another demon shouted. “What the fuck? How are you two alive?”

“Shut up,” Reed growled.

“Hold up, did you see the others that were taken?” another asked pleadingly.

I shook my head with a sad frown. “Sorry, but no. We didn’t see anyone else where we were held.”

“We would like to hear more about it,” Nightwind spoke up, sliding his gaze to Fester for a split moment before focusing back on us. “I mean, what the Fates happened? How were you rescued? Isn’t the dark magic cult responsible for the dark magic plague all over the Demon Capital? How aren’t you infected at the very least?”

“Her dad is Death,” another demon reminded him. “Let’s not question her, yeah?”

“True.” Nightwind frowned.

Fester twisted his fingers together. “I’m sorry I brought it up. I’m really sorry that happened to you both. Glad you’re back.”

“Thanks,” we said in sync.

Reed scooted closer and inhaled deeply.

Worry shot through our bond, and I glanced at him.

“You okay?”

“It’s nothing,” he murmured. “Just glad you’re okay, dream girl.”

“Let’s not get off topic, okay? Now, let’s talk History! We can’t exactly talk about the history of the Demon Capital without talking about the Demon Council,” Respa giggled. “Can anyone explain what the Demon Council is?” Her eyes scanned the class and landed on me. “Gravesend?”

My eyes widened, and a jolt of surprise shot down my spine. “Um, the Demon Council is made up of each subtype of demon, and it’s there to maintain order in the Demon Capital.”

“Correct.” She smiled. “Since your dad’s the council head, do you know why each type of demon is on the council?”

“For a voice,” I explained. “They represent their subtype and are their voice.”

“Good.” She nodded. “The Demon Council has members who have stayed on for decades or more, such as Death and Everglow. But there are newer members. The newest being Craven, the incubus representative. It’s always good to stay up to date with demonic politics. Can anyone explain why?”

“Because the council can’t control the dark magic plague in the capital and don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” a demon answered with venom.

She hummed. “See, that’s why it’s important to pay attention to what’s happening. You need to be aware of what is happening to our territory, and you need to be aware of what the council is doing to handle these things. If you’re unhappy with the way it’s being handled, you need to reach out to your representative on the council. You can reach them through email or by calling the Demon Council Headquarters within the capital to make an appointment.”

“We shouldn’t have to reach out. They should protect us,” someone murmured.

“I understand how you feel.” Respa’s expression clouded for a moment before she shook her head. “But the council is doing everything they can. Dark magic is running rampant. In all of Kalista history, there have only been two documented cases before last year. That number is climbing into the high two hundreds, now. They’re doing their best.”

“Since when has the Demon Council ever done their fucking job?” someone spat.

“So glad you asked.” Respa’s yellow eyes gleamed with excitement. She didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by their attitude or disdain for the council. “They’ve done their job when dealing with demonic serial killers. As you know, demons are very… apt to murder. Which is fine when someone wrongs you or someone you love. Does anyone know the problem with demonic serial killers? What does one need to do to be dubbed a demonic serial killer?”

“They kill without reason,” Fester answered. “To be exact, they’re prone to killing innocents.”

“Exactly.” She snapped her fingers. “Justifiable murder is common in the Demon Capital. The Demon Council won’t punish you if you can present a valid case of why you murdered a demon. However, serial killers that murder for the fun of it see judgment by the hands of the council. Do you know where these serial killers end up if they are not sentenced to death?”

“Apex Penitentiary,” someone answered.

She nodded. “Yes. Though, some haven’t been caught and have a wanted status. I can think of a few off the top of my head. Demons with the wanted status are wanted all over Kalista, not just in the Demon Capital. Do you remember a few Incubus Representatives ago, we had one who murdered his soon-to-be-paired-mate, not to be confused with a fated, with his pheromones?”

“Rhett Everhart,” I rasped, remembering reading about that incident from Fate Hollow Academy. “He was found guilty but justified because the demon he killed had orchestrated the death of his friend and left her head in his bed.”

“Yes, and the woman who he was paired with was not his fated. He didn’t even want the arranged mating, but she and his parents forced him and took his choice of the matter away. He was brought to his limit, and the price that woman had paid was death.” A flicker of sadness passed through her gaze.

“The Demon Council always takes into consideration the relationship of the murderer and victim,” I rasped.

“Yes, they do. Death, your father, is also a killer,” she stated. “He’s killed countless times. Maybe too much. Do you know why he isn’t sentenced to death or locked away in Apex Penitentiary?”

“Because he kills for the betterment of demonkind,” I said simply.

“Very good. On the other side, there is a malicious active serial killer at large in the Demon Capital. They haven’t been caught, and we’ve known about them for about a decade and a half now. That killer has killed two nobility families. They killed the children—the innocents…” She took a shaky breath. “They aren’t killing at a rapid rate, though, and that’s how they haven’t been caught yet. Can you imagine how many killers like that we would have without any regulation?”

“A lot,” a student admitted. “But they still should’ve caught that fucker by now.”

She nodded in acknowledgment. “Demons kill. That much is fact. The problem comes when demons kill for fun and kill innocents like the one that is currently active and unknown. These criminals are swiftly dealt with—one way or another. That is only one of the reasons the Demon Council is necessary. They work in tandem with the Supernatural Council when needed. They do protect us, even though they are having a difficult time with what’s happening now, they are trying.”

“Not hard enough,” the same demon scoffed.

“You need to think of what would happen right now if the council wasn’t fighting back against dark magic. The plague would’ve already spread through the entirety of the capital. Demons would be lost to dark magic. The Demon Council is the one thing stopping the spread. You need to be grateful to them instead of blaming them for things out of their control.”

The class went silent, and we listened as Respa went on to discuss certain points in our history where the Demon Council had stepped in to save us. She included the time the capital was attacked by dragons in Kalista’s Second War. She detailed everything they did to keep us safe, including calling the Supernatural Council for backup.

It did bring about the conversation of why they didn’t ask the Supernatural Council for help now, and Respa didn’t have an answer for that. Honestly, neither did I. If I had to guess, it might have boiled down to demonic pride.

At the end of class, Fester made a point to tell us bye, then we left the classroom and headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

“When did Fester start talking to you guys?” Reed tilted his head.

“Oh, he was in Demon Instincts with us last term,” Jenni told him. “Seems friendly enough.”

“When Hunter and I sealed the bond, he asked about it. He seems lonely,” I explained. “Maybe he just needs friends.”

“Agreed. Besides—” Jenni cut herself off with a piercing scream as we ascended the stairs to the cafeteria.

Dex slipped out of the shadows and fell in step with me. “Hey.”

I jumped against Reed as his shadows dissipated. “Fates!”

Jenni placed her hand on her heart. “What the Fates?”

Reed wrapped his arm around my waist to keep me from falling over. “It’s just Dex.”

“Sorry.” Dex reached back and scratched his neck. “I didn’t mean to scare you, trouble.”

“Where’s my apology?” Jenni grumbled.

“Sorry to you, too.” He flashed her a big grin before his fog gray eyes slid back to me. He held out a piece of fabric. “I brought you something.”

The familiar fabric reeked of birthday cake as I grabbed it. It was a ripped piece of a black silk skirt.

“Was that Dreadful’s?” Jenni’s face paled. “Ew.”

Dex’s lips curled into a smirk. “Yep. Sure is. I stole it from her dorm room when we came back.”

“Why?” Reed asked, blinking at the fabric.

“When Skel and I dropped Comet off at Pandora’s room, I saw the photo album of Skel’s apologies and the scrap book for Bram’s poems.” He pouted at me. “I want to give you things to keep, too. So, I’ll now be giving you souvenirs from the assholes I put in their place for you.”

“You felt left out, didn’t you?” Jenni supplied.

Dex nodded his head, flicking his tongue ring on his teeth. “I did.”

A giggle broke free from me as I tucked the skirt piece into my bag. “Well, the skirt was actually mine. Dreadful must’ve stolen it when we roomed together. Thanks anyway, though. I’ll put your souvenirs on my other shelf.”

“It was your skirt?” A sad whine pulled from his throat. “Do I need to get something else?”

“No. It’s perfect, Dex.” I waved my hand back and forth. “How many times have you hurt others for me?”

“Uh…” He paused and tapped his chin. “A lot?”

Reed chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“I’ll be around if you need anything, trouble.” Dex grabbed my chin and ghosted his lips over my cheek before melting into the darkness again.

Jenni’s mouth fell open. “Are you like with Dex now? Oh my Fates! Have you kissed yet?”

My cheeks flamed with heat. “Yes. I kissed him when we were in the cavern.”

“You did?” Reed’s brows shot up.

I nodded.

“You’ve kissed all your mates, then.” Jenni grinned. “The only one you haven’t forgiven yet is Bram, right?”

“But she has kissed him,” Reed reminded her.

“True, but that was to get the dark magic out of him,” Jenni said as we entered the cafeteria.

“Still, her lips were on his, and there was tongue.” Reed kissed my temple. “It counts.”

“Tongue?” Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “So it does.”

“Do not tell my dad.” I wagged a finger in her face.

Shooting me an innocent smile, she put her hands up in defense. “He’s my mate. If you tell me, you tell him. Besides, he was there for the Bram kiss. Wasn’t he?”

“Jenni!” I groaned as she ran away toward the lunch line.

“Let her go.” Reed tangled his hand in my hair and tugged me against him before sealing his lips over mine.

Possessiveness flooded the bond as his lips moved against mine, and I couldn’t believe how much the Fates had both blessed me and cursed me.