Page 18 of Satanic Shadow

“Harder.”

I throw it again, missing him.

“Harder.”

Dane is watching us as he spars with Orsen; they’re both punching each other and using their powers to battle. Orsen whips him with a wave of water, and Dane nearly burns him toa crisp before a black mass of shadows shoves his friend to the other side of the arena.

Typical that he doesn’t follow the rules. We aren’t to use powers, since everyone is training to fight as a human.

We have our fighting uniform on. The girls are wearing shorts and tops with the academy logo, and the boys are wearing black sweats with tanks. Everyone is sweating, and the space around us is full of trees and buildings and objects to mimic a battleground, despite being a class where students must learn how to fight without powers.

For some reason, the teacher wants to work with me again. I initially thought he was taking pity on me for not having powers and all, but the attractive man has done nothing but put his hands on me, floor me, and grab at my hair.

My back slams into the ground, his hand pushing on my chest. “Focus.”

I blink away the shock and windedness.

After getting back to my feet, I take a blow to the ribs, then something shoves me to the side. Valin’s fist misses my face by an inch, and I glance over at the twins to thank them, but none of them are looking at me.

But Dane is watching us. So much so that Orsen gets a good hit in.

Valin continues his lesson, and by the end, I’ve been pinned beneath him more times than I can count. There’s growing frustration, but not on my part. It’s almost suffocating.

“Who is your partner?” Valin asks while we pack up our weapons and head for the changing rooms. “For the security measures.”

“Oh,” I say, capping my bottle of water. “Dane.”

He flattens his lips. “That’s unfortunate.”

“Yep.”

“A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t be around the likes of him.”

I stop walking. “Should you be speaking to me like this? I’m a student.”

“There are no rules, little Seraphine.”

My cheeks heat.

A wave of annoyance hits me from behind, and I already know who it is, even as he says, “The mortal is needed at the main office. Perhaps try to fuck someone else you’re supposed to be teaching.”

Valin smiles, but it’s fake. “Of course.” His blue eyes find me again. “No rules. Remember.” And he winks before walking off.

He even has power over the teachers.

I watch Valin’s muscular back then spin to glare at Dane. “Really?”

Dane crosses his arms. “We have a lot of work to do, and I refuse to sit in your room while it smells like him. He’s fucked half the students here. He’s just flirting with you because he knows you’re easy.”

“I want to slap you.”

He chuckles deeply. “You would only hurt your hand.”

I sneer. “Fuck you.”

“Unfortunately, you might have to.”

I pause, staring at him, before I shoulder into him and get the hell away before he sees how red my cheeks are.