Page 1 of My Professor is a Demon (Demons for Hire)

Oscar

I adjusted my tie in the reflection of my office window, scowling at the perfect Windsor knot. The summer sun had set hours ago over Midnight Creek College, leaving Blackwood Hall's gothic architecture in shadow. Behind me, stacks of research papers sat on my desk—publications containing the depth of my knowledge compressed into a human timeline, attributed to the identity I now wore.

Three months as a visiting professor, and I still felt like an imposter. Not because my knowledge was fabricated—I'd spent centuries accumulating it—but because I'd never before attempted to transmit that knowledge to students.

My reflection stared back at me: dark hair artfully tousled despite the late hour, sharp jawline with carefully maintained stubble, piercing eyes that fashion photographers had once described as "hypnotic" during my brief stint as a model—one of many covers I'd used over the centuries.

The air shifted behind me, growing heavy with sulfur and smoke. I didn't turn around.

"You're late," I said, continuing to stare at my reflection.

The shadows in the corner of my office deepened, forming into a figure that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. "Time is different in Hell, Professor." The title dripped with mockery. "Or have you gone native in your little academic playground?"

I finally turned, keeping my expression neutral. "Vorthazul. What an unexpected displeasure."

The demon liaison smiled, revealing too many teeth. "The Board is concerned about your progress. Or lack thereof." Vorthazul glided across my office, trailing wisps of darkness. "Three months observing the ley line anomalies, and your reports grow increasingly... vague."

"Thorough research takes time. Something your employers seem to have forgotten."

"Patience isn't the Board’s virtue, Oscar." Vorthazul ran a shadowy finger across the spines of ancient books lining my shelves. "Especially not when other... developments have surfaced."

I kept my posture relaxed despite the sudden tension coiling in my chest. "Developments?"

A folder materialized in Vorthazul 's hands, the edges smoldering. He tossed it onto my desk. "Charlotte Evers."

I maintained my carefully cultivated neutrality, but internally I flinched. I'd been hoping to keep her off my boss’s radar a little longer.

"The human graduate student?" I asked, voice deliberately casual as I picked up the folder.

"Is she, though?" Vorthazul circled my desk. "Human?"

I opened the folder, revealing a photograph of Charlotte—blonde curls escaping a messy bun, a bright smile illuminating her entire face as she gestured enthusiastically to someone outside the frame. She looked so innocent. So unaware of the darkness gathering around her.

"Her energy signature during the ritual disruption last month was... unexpected," Vorthazul continued. "The Board wants answers."

The ritual disruption. I suppressed a grimace. I'd played my part carefully during that crisis, helping disrupt the blood magic ceremony while maintaining my cover. Charlotte had been there too, assisting Elowen and that wolf she'd mated with. I'd noticed there was something even more special about Charlotte then—impossible not to, with her energy signature flaring like a beacon amid the chaos—but I'd hoped Hell had been too distracted by the failed ritual to notice.

I should have known better.

"She's one of my students," I said, closing the folder. "Bright and dedicated to her research on magical theory. Nothing to concern Hell."

"Then you won't mind making her your priority." Vorthazul 's smile widened. "Discover where her power comes from and whether she poses a threat to our interests in the ley lines."

I kept my expression neutral. "And if she does?"

"Then you'll bring her in, of course." Vorthazul said it as if discussing the weather. "For proper examination."

The thought sent ice through my veins. I knew what "proper examination" meant in Hell's terminology.

"Consider it done," I lied smoothly.

"Good." Vorthazul moved toward the shadows. "The Board is watching your redemption effort with great interest, Oscar. After your last... indiscretion... this assignment is your final chance." His form began dissolving into darkness. "Don't disappoint us again."

The shadow vanished, leaving only the lingering scent of sulfur behind.

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my perfect hair, deliberately mussing the style I'd spent no actual effort creating. My demonic nature allowed me to manifest any appearance I desired—one of the few perks of my species.

I stared at Charlotte's photograph again. Those bright blue eyes held no guile, just enthusiasm and intelligence. Whatever she was, whatever power had drawn Hell's attention, she had no idea of the danger circling her.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Dr. Katz?"

I hastily closed the folder, sliding it into my desk drawer as the door opened.

Speak of the devil. Charlotte Evers poked her head in. "Oh good, you're still here! I was afraid you'd left already."

She bounded into my office with irrepressible energy, her petite frame practically vibrating with excitement. She carried two takeout coffee cups and a messenger bag overflowing with papers. My eyes involuntarily traced the curve of her hip where her simple sundress clung to her figure, the material thin enough to hint at what lay beneath. I quickly redirected my gaze to the coffee she offered.

"I brought reinforcements," she announced, placing one cup on my desk. "Triple espresso. You looked like you needed it during our research meeting earlier."

I found myself smiling despite my dark thoughts. "That's... thoughtful of you, Miss Evers."

“What’s that odd smell?” she asked. “Like sulfur?” “Nothing to be concerned about,” I said with a wave of my hand. “Oh, okay.” She dropped into the chair across from me with casual familiarity, seemingly unaware of how many students found me intimidating. "And I had a breakthrough on those eastern campus energy patterns you asked me to look into."

I reached for the coffee cup at the same moment she pushed it forward. Our fingers brushed, and a visible spark of energy arced between us, blue-violet and unmistakable.

Charlotte yanked her hand back, eyes wide. "Static electricity! Crazy, right? This building is terrible for that."

But I had felt what it really was—her supernatural energy signature responding to my demonic essence, reaching out instinctively before either of us could control it. I'd never felt anything quite like it.

"Must be the carpeting," I agreed, taking the cup without further comment. The coffee burned my tongue, but it was nothing compared to the heat that had flashed through me at her touch.

Charlotte was already digging through her bag, pulling out hand-drawn maps covered in annotations. "So I cross-referenced the ley line fluctuations with lunar cycles, and guess what? The eastern quadrant's energy spikes correspond perfectly with the moon's perigee! That can't be coincidence, right?"

She leaned forward, gesturing animatedly as she spread the papers across my desk. The movement caused her sundress to dip slightly, revealing the delicate hollow between her collarbones and a hint of cleavage. I forced myself to focus on the maps, disturbed by how easily this human, or whatever she was, distracted me from my well-honed control. She was too young for me, I tried to tell myself, but I was intrigued regardless.

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself leaning forward despite my better judgment, drawn in by her genuine excitement for the research.

"That's... actually quite insightful," I admitted, examining her work. The patterns she'd identified had taken me weeks to notice, and I'd been studying ley lines for centuries.

A shaft of moonlight cut through the window, illuminating Charlotte as she bent over the maps. For a moment—just a flicker of supernatural sight—I saw beyond her human appearance. Something ancient and powerful shimmered beneath her skin, like light refracted through crystal.

I blinked, and it was gone. But the impression remained. Whatever Charlotte Evers was, "human" didn't fully cover it.

"What exactly led you to focus on lunar influences?" I asked carefully.

"Intuition, mostly." She shrugged. "Sometimes I just... know things about magical energy. It's why I chose supernatural studies. I can feel the patterns."

I'd built my academic reputation on decades of careful, methodical research—though I'd had centuries rather than decades to accumulate that knowledge. Charlotte's approach was all intuitive leaps and creative connections that somehow landed precisely on target. It both fascinated and unnerved me.

"Intuition is valuable," I said, "but it needs to be backed by rigorous methodology."

"That's why we make a good team." She smiled up at me. "You've got the methodology part nailed down."

A strand of golden hair had fallen across her face. My fingers itched with the inexplicable urge to brush it away.

I stood abruptly, putting the desk between us. "It's getting late, Miss Evers—Charlotte. Perhaps we should continue this tomorrow."

Disappointment flickered across her face before her sunny smile reasserted itself. "Of course! Sorry to keep you so late. I just get excited about breakthroughs."

She started to gather her materials, tucking them haphazardly into her bag.“Can you leave them for me to review?” I asked. “Sure,” she said, setting them down again.

"I'll walk you to your car," I found myself saying. "The campus can be... unpredictable after dark."

"Such a gentleman," she teased, apparently unaware of how unusual the offer was. After my visit, I wanted to take a few extra precautions. "But I'm parked right outside Blackwood. I'll be fine."

"I insist." Something protective stirred in me, an unfamiliar and unwelcome feeling.

The hallway outside my office was dim, the old building's lighting inadequate after hours. Charlotte chatted about her other classes as we walked, seemingly oblivious to the way shadows shifted unnaturally in the corners. But I noticed her instinctively avoiding the darkest patches without breaking her conversational flow.

Outside, the summer air still held warmth despite the late hour. The parking lot was nearly empty, her ancient blue Honda looking forlorn under a flickering streetlight.

"Thanks for the coffee," I said as we reached her car. "And the research insights."

"Anytime! That's what academic partnerships are for, right?" She fumbled with her keys, dropping them in a very Charlotte manner.

We both reached for the keys at the same time. Our hands touched again, and the energy sparked between us again, briefly illuminating the darkness around us.

Charlotte stared at our hands, then up at my face. For a moment, her expression shifted from surprise to something deeper, more knowing.

"What are you?" she whispered, so quietly I almost missed it.

I blinked, desperately trying to think of an excuse.

But then her sunny smile returned, the moment broken. "Wow, that static electricity is really something tonight! See you tomorrow, Professor!"

She slipped into her car before I could respond, the engine coughing to life after two attempts. I stood watching until her taillights disappeared around the corner, my hand still tingling where we'd touched.

Vorthazul 's orders echoed in my mind: Discover what she is. Bring her in.

"Not a chance in Hell," I murmured to the empty parking lot, already knowing I was risking everything by choosing her safety over my redemption.

But as I walked back to my office, the memory of her energy signature calling to mine haunted me. Charlotte Evers was a mystery—one that could either save me or damn me completely.

Either way, I was already falling.