Page 43 of Demon Reform Academy, Term 3

43

HUNTER

I sat at my desk with my chair turned to the side so I could stare at the map of Kalista on my wall with way too many red Xs.

"I just...I don’t fucking know, Hunt,” Joel muttered, his voice cracking over the tablet. "It’s like—what's the point if I can’t even use my magic? I can’t even do the basic stuff to be able to feed. Even when sexual energy is in front of me, I can’t feed on it without it feeling like I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel."

“This might be temporary, Joel. You’ve been through worse.” I ran my hand through my dark blond hair. “You’ll get through this.”

“It might not be temporary,” he sighed. “I can’t even help anyone on the council if I can’t fight infected demons anymore. I’m a worthless demon right now. I’m basically fucking human.”

“You’re not worthless. You’ve still got your brain and your experience.” I leaned up and grabbed my coffee cup, drinking the caramel macchiato down. “Besides, you’re the only other one on the council Death and I trust right now. We’ll figure this out.”

He grunted. “Also...I think I might have a thing for Jenni.”

I barked an uncomfortable laugh, setting the cup down and leaning back in my chair. “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“I know, I know. It’s stupid.” He paused. “She’s already mated.”

“Do I need to remind you that she’s mated to Death ?”

He groaned. “What the Fates am I doing?”

“You’re falling for her because she was there during one of the hardest times you went through, that’s what. You’re trauma bonded.” My voice softened. “She’s not just mated to anyone, Joel. She’s tied to Death ,” I repeated. “You need to stop before you get your soul eaten.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered. “I know that. It’s just—sometimes, I feel like I’m...less. Jenni makes me feel like I’m worth something.”

“You're not less. But I get it.” I frowned. “Feeling useless—it’s a demon’s worst nightmare. It goes against our instincts. Especially for a demon with ambition like you.”

Before I could say more, the door opened and Pandora stepped inside.

“Pandora,” I murmured, a smile spreading over my lips.

Joel perked up instantly, his voice cheering up. “Hey, savior of my life!”

Sadness flickered through our bond as she greeted him. “Hi, Joel.”

“I’ll catch you later, Hunt. Enjoy your time with your mate,” Joel said, hanging up.

I shook my head, turning to Pandora as she sat down on the sofa across from my desk. “How is it that you always seem to make my heart want to burst when I look at you?”

She gave a small giggle. Her dark hair was tied up in a bun, showing off all of her beautiful features. But I could also see the tension in her posture, the weight of everything she’d been through shining in her pretty red eyes. The assassination attempts, the near-death experiences...it hadn’t left her unscathed. Even for a demon. Not even close.

Vengeance magic burned in my veins. I wanted to destroy anything and anyone that left a mark on my mate.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she replied, leaning back slightly as she placed her hands in her lap. “It’s... just hard. I mean, it’s not just me Dark Veil is after anymore. I think they’re coming after my mates, too.”

“We don’t know that for sure,” I whispered.

“I do,” she stated. “It’s terrifying. You five are a part of me. I wouldn’t survive if something happened to any of you.”

“Dex was almost decapitated during a fight with an infected demon,” I reminded her. “But he wasn’t the target. Then, Reed was infected because of his mother’s contract with them.”

“Bram was attacked after his water was spiked,” she whispered.

She had me there.

“We’re going to be fine,” I assured her. “You were almost blown up by an elemental fire fae trap, and you were shot in the chest. You are still standing. You’re strong, and so are your mates. Have faith in us. We’re all going to be just fine.”

“I hope so.” She let out a heavy breath.

“What about the others?” I asked after a moment, sensing she needed a subject change. “Dex and Bram?”

She sighed, her gaze dropping to her hands. “I’ve slept with Dex. Kissed Bram. I forgave him. That’s a big step, right? I mean, they’ve both changed. Skel, too. I think they’ve all really seen their mistakes and owned up to them.”

“It seems like they really have.” I grabbed my cup and took the last gulp of my drink before placing it back.

Her expression faltered, and she hesitated. “I know they have. But, to be honest, Hunter, it’s weird. I feel...like I’m supposed to be with all of you. Like I need to be. When you’re all here, I know I love you. But when I’m alone, it’s like...I can’t feel anything.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” I said, frowning. I hadn’t noticed a lack of feeling in our bond from her. “What do you mean you can’t feel anything?”

“It’s like the matebonds are the only thing keeping me going. When one of my mates is with me, it’s fine. But when I’m alone...” she trailed off, shaking her head. “I just feel...numb.”

I leaned forward, trying to piece what she was telling me together. “It could be a stress reaction. You’ve been through absolute torture, starlight. Your mind’s probably clinging to the matebonds as a way to cope. It makes sense.”

“Maybe,” she muttered, but I could tell from our bond that she was unconvinced.

“Less than a year ago, you were at your mother’s mercy, enduring unspeakable abuse…” Vengeance flared through me at the thought. “But you have grown so much, magically, emotionally, and physically. You haven’t had it easy, but you’ve grown through all of this. I’m so fucking proud of you, starlight.”

She waved it off like it was nothing. “Enough about me,” she said suddenly, standing and rounding my desk, placing her hands on it and hoisting herself up to sit on the edge of it right in front of me. Her black flowing skirt hiked up with the action, and my mark was stark against her skin. “What about you, Hunter? How are you doing?”

I blinked, caught off guard by her actions and words. “What do you mean?”

She gave me a look, and our bond surged with a fierce love. “I know you’ve been dealing with a lot. You and your dad’s vengeance business, the dark magic plague, the Demon Council—it’s all wearing on you. You need to talk to someone, and I’m your mate. Talk to me.”

My lips twitched at the corners as I ran a hand across my jaw. “It’s exhausting, to be honest. The Demon Council’s a mess. Your dad and Joel are the only members I can trust. Dark magic is spreading like wildfire in the Capital. I’m worried about Joel. He’s depressed over not having his magic. I don’t know what to do about that.”

“I figured as much. The Demon Capital is in a whole uproar at the moment. I’m just sorry you’re having to deal with all of it.” Pandora slid her foot up and down my leg in a comforting gesture, but desire went straight to my cock seeing her on my desk like this. “I think I might be able to help with Joel, though.”

“What?” I croaked, locking gazes with her. “What do you mean? How?”

“Dad talked to me about it.” She gave me a shy smile. “Evidently, I can do something that could possibly help him reconnect with his demonic essence. I need to practice more, though, so don’t tell him yet. I don’t want to give him false hope.”

I stared at her in awe. If she could do that, it would fix the root of his problems. “You really are amazing, you know that, starlight?”

She smiled, sliding off the desk and into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I admire you, too, Hunter. You’ve been there for me and for all of the others when we need it. You’re incredible.”

I leaned in to kiss her, and the warmth of her lips against mine made the desire I held for her surge to the forefront.

My hands slid down her waist to grab her ass, and I lifted her up as I stood, sitting her back on my desk. I stepped between her legs, not once breaking our kiss. My fingers trailed over my mate mark, and she trembled under me.

A sudden, sharp pain shot through my neck, and I jerked back, gasping as something serrated drove into my shoulders, again and again.

White-hot pain blinded me as I stumbled back from Pandora. The pain continued, and only then did I realize I was being stabbed by daggers.

“Hunter!” Pandora screamed, her magic flaring violently out of her mouth as she unleashed her power.

The dark smoke seeped between the infected demons’ lips who had appeared out of nowhere.

Four of them—infected, twisted with dark magic, and I hadn’t sensed them at all. Not until they attacked me.

Me. Not her. And for that, I was fucking grateful to the Fates.

But also, we really needed a drake scale on the wards of this fucking academy. I had to get Rowan Clearwater to expedite the process.

It was the worst time for drake scales to be a world shortage.

My vision blurred as I felt my consciousness slipping away. Dex materialized from the shadows, decapitating one of the demons with a sharp tendril. Before its head hit the floor, all of their bodies turned to ash.

Pandora’s magic slipped back into her before coming back out, entering my mouth. I tensed, falling back into my chair with a gasp.

It was the first time her magic had been inside of me like this. She jumped off the desk and cupped my face, her power flowing into me, pulling the dark magic from my body.

The daggers must’ve been embedded with the dark magic. The agony finally ebbed, replaced by a sudden surge of my own power. My magic flared to life, healing the wounds almost instantly with the warm tingling.

Reed, Skel, and Bram burst into my office a moment later, their faces pale with worry.

“What the Fates happened?” Reed demanded, looking around at the wreckage. Books had been knocked off my shelves, and the cabinet that once held fae wine but now held milk and caramel sauce was cracked open. My blood was all over the place.

I chuckled weakly, leaning into Pandora’s palms. “It’s been a while since I’ve been stabbed.”

Pandora choked on a laugh as her power slipped back inside of her, even as tears streamed down her face.

She didn’t puke, even after consuming all of that dark magic.

She was right—Dark Veil wasn’t just after her. They were coming for her mates, too. And none of us were safe.