Page 30 of Demon Reform Academy, Term 3

30

PANDORA

“ I thought you didn’t have to smoke around Pandora as much?” Reed asked as Skel inhaled the fae magic through his pipe.

“I didn’t until she was taken. Something inside of me broke when that happened.” His green eyes flicked to mine as he stepped in front of me. “Though, every time I smoke, I remember your lips around my pipe.”

“Skel…” My lips parted just enough for him to place it between them.

“Suck, princess,” he encouraged, saying the same thing he said that night I smoked with him.

Just like then, I listened.

I took a deep drag, inhaling the fae magic into my lungs. I felt it spread through my veins.

“Good fucking job,” he purred, pulling the pipe out with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

His praise fueled me with desire, and our matebond pulsed between us.

I wanted Skel, desperately.

Acting on instinct, I fisted my hands in his shirt and tugged him closer. Pressing up on my toes, I sealed my lips to his and blew the smoke into his mouth in a slow, deliberate exhale.

His eyes widened a fraction before fluttering shut. His tongue slipped against mine, and a burst of fruity fae magic exploded on my tastebuds as he inhaled deeply.

We broke apart, and he smirked wickedly. “ That was a pleasant surprise, princess.”

“Yeah?” I rasped, feeling my arousal gather between my legs.

“ Fuck . You smell so good,” Dex muttered in a strained tone.

“She really does,” Reed squeaked from beside me.

“Fates,” Bram hissed.

“Damn.” Jenni whistled. “For free?”

My cheeks heated as I moved back from Skel only slightly. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” Jenni grinned wickedly. “My reserves are all filled up now thanks to your sexual tensions.”

“There is a lot of sexual tension between us, huh?” Skel’s tongue rolled over his lip ring.

“Between all of you,” she corrected with a wink.

Nightwind gave an overly dramatic fake gag with a group of nobles a few feet away from us. “Fates, I feel so bad for her. Low-class demons and a half-human. Like, she could’ve done better.”

“Shut up, Nightwind.” My bond with Hunter flared as the part of his vengeance magic that I could access after mating sparked my fingertips. It was the first time I’d managed to manifest it, and it felt like a storm raging beneath my skin.

“Come make me,” he pleaded with me, pouting.

The group of nobles around him laughed, except for Voidfire and Shadeberry, who just glowered at me.

“Gladly.” I pointed a finger in his direction, sending the current of vengeance his way. It struck him in the bladder, forcing it to empty until he had pissed all over his pants.

His face turned bright red, but his eyes hardened. “I was just joking!”

“Were you joking when you went after Reed the other day? Or when you were making fun of my fated mates?” I dropped my arm. “I don’t think you were. Consider this retaliation.”

“Back off, Nightwind.” Dex’s gaze flashed with magic.

Nightwind stumbled back, holding a hand over the eye Dex ruined, and he rushed out of Serpentine Stadium without another word.

The nobles that had gathered around him now scattered in different areas.

At the same time, Bram, Dex, Reed, and Skel adjusted themselves in their pants.

Jenni cackled in amusement.

“What? She’s hot when she gets all vengeful,” Dex muttered.

“Seriously,” Bram agreed.

“By far the sexiest thing in the world,” Skel added.

“I’m in love with her,” Reed murmured, lacing his fingers through mine and squeezing. “Thanks for standing by me.”

“I’ll always stand by you—all of you.” I felt the scorching heat of my embarrassment streak across my face and down my neck. “It was my first time channeling the sliver of vengeance magic Hunter embedded inside me.”

“You must die!” a disembodied male voice roared just as excruciating pain funneled down my arms.

My mind whirled, and panic burst from Reed’s matebond.

Fester had transformed, his horns curved from his skull and his tail flicking wildly behind him while his claws pierced the flesh on my shoulders. His demon form wasn’t what was surprising. The black veins webbed over his skin, and blackened, pupil-less eyes stared back at me.

Hot blood poured from the punctures, soaking the fabric of my blouse.

“Pandora!” Reed, Bram, and Skel screamed.

I didn’t jerk away, not wanting his claws to tear into anymore muscle than they already had. Numbness spread down my arms until I couldn’t feel my hands any more.

Fester’s soul was crying out for help. He felt helpless, and he wanted to help more than anything but didn’t have the power to.

“Get the fuck away from her!” Dex’s shadows lurched toward Fester, wrapping around him.

But just as he went to yank him away from me, I shouted, “Stop!”

My power surged to life, barreling down Fester’s throat and separating the dark magic from his soul with ease.

A low dim orb flickered in his chest as his eyes filled with black tears. “S-Sorry.”

Fester hadn’t been infected for long. The dark magic that I’d consumed lost the fight to my magic almost immediately as it entered my body. I didn’t even have to puke. Overwhelming sadness poured from his soul.

His demon form receded, and my magic healed the wounds his claws had made.

Fester’s arms dropped as he fell back onto his ass as sobs wrenched from the depths of his belly. “I…I was falsely put on house arrest by the Demon Council because of dark magic involvement earlier this year. My mom was killed by dark magic when she was in custody. I was almost killed by it. You took it from me. You …destroyed it!”

“I did. You’re not infected anymore,” I rasped as Reed’s arms bound around my waist from behind.

“You okay?” he murmured in my ear.

I nodded.

Dex and Skel stood at my sides, their fingers brushing my arms.

Bram moved slightly in front of us. “Why did you attack her?”

Fester’s brown eyes were bloodshot. “They told me to! D—Dark Veil wants her dead! All infected demons were instructed to kill on sight.” He began to wail, loudly, running his hands through his black shaggy hair as he rocked back and forth. “Your mates…so many. And they care! Mine doesn’t care! Nightwind went and rejected me! All because I’m not a noble!”

“Shut the fuck up, Fester,” Voidfire hissed, disgust curling her lip. Most of the nobles around her looked amused, but some had the decency to look sympathetic. “You’re not good enough for Nightwind. He talked to you about this. You don’t have a chance. He doesn’t care what the Fates were thinking. They were wrong. ”

My eyes widened at her blatant disrespect of the Fates.

“He said it himself to you.” Shadeberry rolled her eyes. “Get a hint, scum.”

“Dude, that’s fucked up,” Dex whispered.

“No kidding.” I found myself nodding in agreement.

Snot trickled out of Fester’s nose, not his best look, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand and rubbed it on his pants. “Dark Veil found me after he rejected me and gave me a purpose…but it wasn’t the purpose I wanted.”

“I can kill him for you,” Dex offered, not paying mind to anything Fester said. “He did attack you. That means I should kill him. What do you like? He has a nice necklace.”

“You don’t need to kill Fester,” I scolded Dex with a soft sigh. “He was infected. You know firsthand that dark magic infections make demons act in a way they wouldn’t. Besides, his soul is filled with sadness—not murderous intent.”

“True.” Dex pouted, but darkness flickered in his gray gaze as he stared at my arms where he had grabbed me.

“Let’s go,” Skel muttered. “We’re not sticking around for class after that shit went down.”

“I am hungry,” I mumbled, placing my hand on my stomach as it rumbled.

“Sorry I’m late.” Ashenfell strode in and clapped his hands to make sure he had everyone’s attention. “Today, I want everyone to—” His gaze widened as he stared at a sobbing Fester and the blood dripping down my arms. “What happened here?”

“He was infected with dark magic and tried to kill my mate,” Dex snapped.

Dex called me his mate.

“But she killed all that dark magic inside him,” Skel explained.

Skel sounded so proud.

“Thankfully, she’s all healed up,” Bram muttered.

Bram was protective.

“And now, we’re leaving because she’s hungry,” Reed said apologetically.

Reed was as sweet as always.

Dex’s shadows enshrouded us. I found myself feeling thankful that shadow-traveling didn’t scare me like shadow tendrils did. It was a different feeling completely, and maybe it was because it was Dex.

Either way, when he shadow-traveled us to the cafeteria—he was my hero.