Page 6 of My Professor is a Demon (Demons for Hire)

Charlotte

T he night air held a hint of autumn as we made our way toward the eastern quadrant, though summer officially had weeks remaining. The moon was high in the sky, lighting our path. Oscar moved silently beside me.

The knowledge that he was a demon should have terrified me. Instead, it created a strange sense of clarity, pieces falling into place to create a picture that felt right despite its inherent impossibility.

"The energy disturbance is stronger tonight," Oscar observed, his voice low. "The boundary symbols are amplifying."

I nodded, feeling the discordant patterns even without instrumentation. "It's like they're trying to get our attention. Becoming more insistent."

We reached the small clearing where we'd placed monitoring equipment during our previous visit. The devices were still there, but clearly tampered with—components rearranged in patterns that matched the boundary symbols from my research.

"Someone's been here," I whispered, crouching to examine the altered equipment.

"Not someone," Oscar corrected, his eyes scanning the darkness surrounding us. "Something. These arrangements weren't made by physical manipulation, but by direct energy interference."

A chill ran through me despite the mild night. "The boundary entities themselves?"

"Perhaps." His expression was grave, more serious than I'd ever seen it. "Charlotte, we should reconsider this. Direct interaction with dimensional entities can be dangerous, especially for someone who’s mostly human. Deadly even if the surge hits wrong."

"We need answers," I insisted, straightening to face him. "About the ley line corruption and about these symbols. Running away solves nothing."

He studied me for a long moment, conflict evident in his expression. "Your courage is admirable, if occasionally reckless."

"Part of my charm," I quipped, trying to lighten the tension.

Something softened in his eyes. "Indeed. One of many parts."

The unexpected warmth in his voice sent a flutter through me that had nothing to do with supernatural energy. Before I could respond, the air around us thickened, pressure building as if a storm approached. The monitoring equipment began emitting urgent signals, lights flashing in erratic patterns.

"Something's coming," Oscar said, moving protectively closer to me. "Be ready."

I wasn't sure what "ready" meant in the context of potential dimensional entities, but I nodded, focusing on the strange energy building around us. It felt different from the corrupted ley lines—purer somehow, more deliberate in its manifestation.

The clearing before us darkened, shadows coming together into a form that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Not human-shaped, but not entirely abstract either—a presence that existed somewhere between defined and undefined reality.

"The anomaly and the contract-bound," a voice spoke, though not with sound exactly. The words resonated directly in my mind, ancient and powerful. "An unexpected pairing."

Oscar tensed beside me, his energy and his appearance shifting in a way I hadn't felt before—becoming more clearly demonic, though still distinctly his own.

"We seek understanding of the boundary symbols," he said, his voice carrying a resonance I hadn't heard before. "And the purpose behind the ley line corruption."

The shadow-entity rippled, something like amusement emanating from it. "Purpose requires context. Context requires identity. Identity remains unacknowledged."

Its attention shifted to me, an almost physical weight of awareness that made breathing difficult. "Boundary guardian blood flows dormant, and awakening requires a catalyst."

"Boundary guardian?" I repeated, the term sparking recognition though I couldn't place why. "What do you mean?"

"Guardians maintained balance between realms," Oscar explained quietly. "Beings created specifically to ensure no single supernatural power could dominate across dimensions. They were thought to have disappeared centuries ago."

"Not disappeared," the entity corrected. "Dormant because the bloodlines are diluted. Powers remained latent until needed."

Understanding dawned with shocking clarity. "You're saying I'm a boundary guardian?"

"Potential exists, but verification requires testing and the testing requires corruption." The entity's form rippled again. "The contract-bound serves Hell yet protects the guardian potential. Contradiction creates possibility."

Oscar's expression remained carefully neutral, though I felt his energy signature pulse with surprise and concern. "The corruption was deliberate," he stated. "A catalyst to activate dormant guardian abilities."

"Correct," the entity acknowledged. "Purpose was served if the guardian awakens. Balance restored if contract breaks."

The cryptic statements swirled in my mind, pieces of a puzzle I couldn't quite assemble. "You corrupted the ley lines to trigger my abilities? To wake up whatever guardian heritage I might have?"

"Necessity dictated the method. The boundaries are thin, and”—it gave a nod toward Oscar—“Hell expands influence.” Then it seemed to turn its attention back to me. “But balance requires guardians and guardians require awakening."

"And what of the contract-bound?" Oscar asked, his voice tight with controlled emotion. "What role does Hell's servant play in your calculations?"

The entity's attention shifted to him, shadows swirling with increased intensity. "Balance requires opposition in harmony. Guardian and demon. Restriction and freedom. Order and chaos."

"That's why our energies connect the way they do," I said, realization flowing through me. "If I have boundary guardian heritage and you're demonic, we should be natural opposites. But instead—"

"Harmony creates power," the entity completed. "Connection defies conventional limitations and potential exceeds expected parameters."

Oscar's hand found mine in the darkness, our fingers intertwining as if by instinct. The now-familiar energy surge flowed between us, stronger than ever before—violet-gold light spiraling around our joined hands, illuminating the clearing.

The entity's form seemed to expand and contract, absorbing and reflecting our combined energy signature. "Test progresses. Potential confirmed. Interference required."

The cryptic pronouncement was followed by a surge of power that made the ground beneath us tremble. The ley lines pulsed with sudden intensity, raw energy flowing upward in visible streams of light.

"What's happening?" I gasped, feeling the power rising around us.

Oscar pulled me closer, his arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders. "They're accelerating the process. Forcing your guardian abilities to manifest fully."

Before I could respond, darkness surged between us and the entity—not the boundary presence's shadows, but something different. Heavier. Sulfurous.

"Contract-bound," a new voice hissed, this one harsh and grating compared to the boundary entity's resonance. "The Board is displeased with your deception."

Two figures materialized from the darkness—humanoid in general shape but with distorted features, radiating infernal power that made my skin crawl.

"Hell's agents," Oscar murmured, his body tensing beside mine. "Vorthazul has tired of waiting for my report."

"The anomaly will be collected," one of the figures announced, its gaze fixing on me with terrifying intensity. "The contract-bound will face judgment for his betrayal."

Oscar moved in front of me, his form shifting subtly—still human in appearance but somehow more, power radiating from him in waves I could feel against my skin.

"She is under my protection," he stated. "By ancient right and freely chosen bond, I claim sanctuary."

The Hell agents hesitated, clearly surprised by the declaration. The boundary entity remained present but separate, its shadowy form observing without intervention—as if this confrontation was part of the test it had mentioned.

"Your contract binds you to Hell's service," the second agent reminded Oscar. "Your claims hold no validity. Your protection offers no sanctuary."

"Then I renounce the contract," Oscar said simply.

The words fell into sudden silence, their impact evident in the shocked stillness of the Hell agents. Even the boundary entity's shadowy form seemed to pause in its constant motion.

"Impossible," the first agent hissed. "Contracts with Hell cannot be broken by mere declaration."

"Not by declaration alone," Oscar agreed, his hand tightening around mine. "But by choosing a higher purpose. By acknowledging a deeper truth."

He turned to me then, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that took my breath away. "Charlotte Evers, boundary guardian in awakening. I choose you over Hell's dominion. I sever all bonds except one—the connection freely formed between us."

The power in his words was palpable, a declaration that seemed to resonate with the ley lines themselves. Our joined hands glowed brighter, energy spiraling upward to create a protective dome around us.

The Hell agents advanced, their forms rippling with fury. "Your choice condemns you to eternal torment, contract-bound. And fails to protect the anomaly."

"I am contract-bound no longer," Oscar replied, his appearance shifting more dramatically now—darkness and light intermingling around his form, wings of shadow materializing from his shoulders. "And she is not merely an anomaly, but a guardian awakening to her birthright."

The boundary entity's form expanded suddenly, interposing itself between us and the Hell agents. "Balance shifts. Guardian awakens. Contract breaks. Pattern completes." Its voice resonated through the clearing. "Hell's agents have no authority here. Retreat or face dimensional banishment."

The agents hesitated, clearly unprepared for resistance from both a boundary entity and a demon breaking free of Hell's control. Their forms rippled with uncertainty and barely contained rage.

"This isn't over," the first agent snarled. "The Board will not surrender its interests so easily."

"Perhaps not," Oscar acknowledged calmly. "But they will respect boundaries properly enforced."

With a final furious hiss, the agents dissolved back into darkness, their presence fading from the clearing though the lingering scent of sulfur remained.

The boundary entity turned its attention to us once more. "Test completed. Guardian emerges. Contract-breaker aligns. Balance begins restoration."

Its form started to dissipate, shadows thinning as it prepared to depart.

"Wait!" I called, still trying to process everything that had happened. "You can't just leave—I have questions! About what I am, about these abilities—"

"Knowledge comes through experience and power grows through necessity." The entity's voice grew fainter as its form dissolved. "The guardian and the contract-breaker begin a new pattern."

With those cryptic parting words, the entity vanished completely, leaving us alone in the moonlit clearing. The ley lines beneath us pulsed with renewed harmony, the corruption that had concerned us apparently healed by whatever had just transpired.

I turned to Oscar, who had returned to his human appearance though something about him seemed fundamentally altered—his energy signature stronger yet more balanced, no longer carrying the chaotic undertones I'd sensed before.

"You broke your contract with Hell," I said, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of what he'd done. "For me."

"Yes." The simple acknowledgment carried weight beyond its brevity.

"What does that mean?" I asked. "What happens to you now?"

"I don't know," he admitted, a hint of wonder in his voice. "No demon has successfully broken a contract in recorded history. I am... something new now. Neither what I was nor what I pretended to be."

His hand remained joined with mine. I looked down at our intertwined fingers, the glow of power finally fading though the sensation of connection remained.

"Boundary guardian," I said, testing the words. "That's what I am? Or what I'm becoming?"

"It appears so." His expression softened as he studied me. "It explains your intuitive understanding of magical energy, your connection to the ley lines, your ability to perceive patterns others miss."

"And this—between us?" I squeezed his hand gently. "Why our energies connect instead of conflict?"

Oscar considered the question carefully. "Boundary guardians were created to maintain balance between realms. Demons embody chaos and change. In traditional supernatural theory, those forces should oppose each other. But perhaps true balance isn't about opposition but integration—finding harmony between seemingly contradictory elements."

"Like a former demon and a newly awakened boundary guardian," I suggested, a smile forming despite the seriousness of our situation.

"Precisely." His own lips curved slightly, that rare almost-smile that transformed his features. "A partnership unlike any in supernatural history, if the boundary entity is to be believed."

"Partnership," I repeated, liking the sound of it. "Is that what we are, Oscar? Partners?"

His expression turned more serious, something vulnerable flickering in his eyes. "If that's what you wish us to be."

The careful phrasing, the respect for my agency even after he'd sacrificed his very existence for me, melted something in my chest I hadn't realized was frozen.

"I think," I said softly, stepping closer to him, "that 'partners' is a good starting point. But perhaps not the complete definition."

His free hand came up to touch my face gently, fingers tracing my cheek with a reverence that took my breath away. "What definition would you suggest, Charlotte?"

Instead of answering with words, I rose onto my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. The kiss was gentle at first, a question rather than a demand. Then his arms wrapped around me, pulling me against him as the kiss deepened into something that answered every unspoken question between us.

Our energies exploded into brilliant harmony, violet-gold light surrounding us as boundary guardian and former demon found a connection that transcended supernatural categories. Power flowed through and around us, the ley lines beneath our feet pulsing in synchronization with our joined energies.

When we finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Oscar's expression held a wonder I suspected few had ever witnessed.

"That," I said with a smile, "is a much better definition of what we are."

His laugh—genuine and unguarded—was possibly the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. "As usual, your intuition proves remarkably accurate."

The energy between us continued to build, the harmonic resonance intensifying rather than fading. Each point of contact between our bodies sent shivers of power through my awakening guardian senses. I could feel Oscar's restraint, honed control battling against something new and powerful.

"Oscar," I whispered, my hands sliding up to frame his face. "Take me home."

His eyes darkened, the carefully maintained humanity in his appearance wavering slightly to reveal something more primal beneath. "Charlotte, you don't understand what you're asking. What I am—what I'm becoming—it's still unstable."

"I understand perfectly," I insisted, pressing closer to him. "I'm not afraid of your true nature. I never have been."

He studied me for a long moment. Then he gathered me into his arms, his power wrapping around us both like a protective cocoon.

"Hold tight," he murmured against my hair, and the world dissolved around us.

When reality stabilized, we stood in Oscar's apartment, the transition so smooth I barely felt it happen. Teleportation—another ability he'd kept carefully hidden until now.

"That's handy," I observed with a breathless laugh. "Much better than campus parking."

His smile was brief but genuine, his eyes never leaving mine as he slowly released me. "Last chance to reconsider, Charlotte. What's happening between us—it's unprecedented. Unpredictable."

I took his hand and placed it directly over my heart, letting him feel its rapid beating. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

That was all it took. His control—the careful restraint he'd maintained since the moment we met—finally broke. His mouth claimed mine with an intensity that stole my breath.

My back hit the wall as he pressed against me, his body hard and unyielding. At the contact, his control slipped further. The air around us grew heavy, charged with power as the walls of his human disguise thinned.

Our energies surged together, creating visible patterns of light that spiraled around us, casting the darkened apartment in violet-gold illumination.

“Charlotte," he groaned against my mouth, his voice rougher, deeper than I'd ever heard it. "Your energy—it's intoxicating."

"Then let yourself get drunk," I challenged, my hands finding the buttons of his shirt and tugging them loose.

He caught my wrists, holding them gently but firmly above my head, pressing me back against the cool surface of the wall. "Slowly," he insisted. The shadows in the room responded to his emotions, stretching and curling around us in protective layers. "I've waited centuries to feel this way. I won't rush it."

The declaration sent heat pooling low in my abdomen. Oscar Katz—unbound demon, reluctant professor, being of immense power—wanted to savor me.

While one hand held my captured wrist, his other hand moved downward, tracing the line of my throat, his fingers possessive, reverent. Wherever he touched, my skin illuminated with boundary guardian energies—luminous patterns appearing and fading like ethereal tattoos marking his claim. He mapped every inch of my skin as if claiming me, his touch setting my nerves ablaze. The friction, the anticipation, made me ache for more, but he kept his pace deliberate, savoring every reaction, every sharp inhale and breathy moan I let slip.

His lips followed the path his fingers had blazed, lingering over my pulse point, his tongue flicking over the sensitive skin. "I've imagined this," he murmured, his voice a low rasp of desire. "Since the first time our hands touched over coffee. Since I felt your energy call to mine."

"Show me," I gasped. "Show me what you've imagined."

He released my wrists. His eyes darkened, something ancient and primal flickering behind his human mask. Then he stripped me, leaving me standing naked. Lifting me with supernatural ease, he pressed me against the wall. He cupped my thigh and spread me wider.

I gasped as his fingers found my folds, spreading me apart, dragging through my slick heat with an aching slowness that had me arching against him. He pressed his thumb to my clit, circling with just enough pressure to make me whimper.

"Oscar, please," I begged, gripping his shoulders, nails biting into his skin as he worked me with deliberate skill.

"Not yet," he said, voice thick with restraint. "I want to feel you come apart first. I want to see you lost in it."

His fingers plunged into me, curling in a way that made my whole body tense, pleasure coiling tighter with every thrust. His thumb never stopped its torturous rhythm against my clit, driving me higher, his mouth capturing every moan, every desperate plea.

I shattered, my orgasm rushing through me in waves, my thighs trembling as I clung to him. He groaned against my neck, as if he could feel the way my release pulsed around his fingers, as if it was feeding his own hunger.

He withdrew his fingers slowly, bringing them to his lips to taste me, his eyes dark and possessive. "Perfection," he growled, then pressed his forehead against mine, breath ragged. "And now I need to be inside you."

I nodded, still breathless, and reached for the waistband of his pants, anticipation making my fingers tremble. When I freed him, I inhaled sharply. He was thick, larger than I even thought I could take, his length hot and heavy against my palm.

He caught my chin, forcing my gaze back to his. "We'll make it fit," he assured me, his voice a wicked promise. "I'll make you take all of me."

I whimpered at his words, heat rushing back through me.He shed the rest of his clothing, and then he lifted me again, positioning himself at my entrance. Slowly, he pushed forward, stretching me inch by inch.

My eyes widened as I saw more of his true form emerging—subtle ridges along his shoulders, those shadow wings becoming more substantial, the planes of his face taking on an otherworldly sharpness that was both terrifying and beautiful.

"You see me," he whispered in wonder, his voice layered with otherworldly resonance. "Truly see me—and still want me."

"All of you," I confirmed. My fingers traced the supernatural markings appearing on his skin, leaving trails of violet light wherever I touched. "Everything you are."

He stilled, letting me adjust, his jaw clenched as if restraining himself from thrusting too soon. "You're perfect," he murmured, reverence in his voice. "So tight, so warm."

I shifted my hips, encouraging him to move, and he groaned, withdrawing slightly before pushing in again, deeper this time. He found a rhythm, slow but devastating. The pressure built again, pleasure winding impossibly tight as he drove me toward another peak.

"You feel like you were made for me," he rasped, his movements growing rougher, his control slipping further. The shadow wings fully manifested now, curving protectively around us both. "Like the universe designed you to fit me."

"Yes," I gasped, nails raking down his back, leaving trails of light across his skin. "More, Oscar, please."

His grip tightened on my hips, and he gave me what I begged for, each thrust deeper, harder, pushing me closer to that edge again. The friction, the stretch of him inside me—it was too much, too perfect. The boundary between our energies dissolved completely, demon and guardian powers merging into something entirely new. I shattered for the second time, his name a cry on my lips, my release squeezing around him like a vice.

He followed moments later, burying himself to the hilt, his groan low and guttural as he spilled into me, his whole body trembling with the force of it.

The energy between us surged, violet and gold light exploding outward in a shockwave that momentarily transformed the apartment. Books levitated, furniture shifted, and every electronic device in the room briefly activated as the power flowed outward, connecting with the ley lines beneath the building and sending ripples of harmonized energy throughout the campus.

For a long moment, we simply held each other, bodies still joined, the aftershocks pulsing through us both. His wings slowly faded back to shadow, though they remained partially visible, curled protectively around us both. He pressed a lingering kiss to my temple, his breath warm against my skin. "You've unmade me, Charlotte. And remade me into something I never imagined I could be."

I smiled. "Then we're even. Because you've done the same to me."

Outside, the ley lines still hummed with the aftershocks of what we had done. But inside this moment, inside his arms, the only thing that mattered was us.

"That was..." Oscar began, then shook his head slightly, apparently at a loss for words.

"Supernatural?" I suggested with a small, satisfied smile.

His laugh vibrated through both our bodies. "Indeed. Though I suspect even supernatural beings rarely experience such perfect resonance."

"Lucky us," I murmured, nestling closer to his warmth.

Oscar lifted me and carried me into the bedroom. Soon, we were both settled in the bed, still wrapped in each other’s arms.

He stroked my hair gently, his expression thoughtful. "The boundary entity said our connection was part of a pattern. That we were creating something new together—a different kind of balance."

"Mmm," I agreed sleepily. "If that's their plan for restoring dimensional harmony, I highly approve of their methods."

His smile was soft as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Rest now. We have much to discuss tomorrow."

"Together," I murmured.

"Together," he agreed, the word a promise and a future in one.

As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about the unlikely journey that had brought us here. From suspicious professor and curious student to demon and boundary guardian to whatever new category we were creating together.

My professor was a demon. And somehow, impossibly, perfectly, he was mine.