Page 19 of My Demon Teacher

We unwrap from each other and fly home, holding hands, like we’ve been doing it for years, not seconds.

When we’re home, I find some pajama bottoms for both of us and serve him my kimchi stew.

He eats and, at the same time, uses a wet cloth to wipe the blood off me.

“That bastard is going to pay with his life,” he growls as he tends to the deeper wound, the first one Ryan used to invoke the eldritch creature now nestled inside me.

“Yeah, but first, I need to know where he got that book.”

Lucian looks at the table and the book appears in a blaze of fire, unscathed.

“It’s old and very rare. The only way he could have gotten this is through the black market.” He opens it and leafs through it.

“Well, I guess his daddy’s money took care of that problem.”

“But how did they know about you? You didn’t tell them, did you?”

His eyes grow wide and serious, and I can’t help the flutter in my heart.

“No. It was Mason. He told them I come from a line of eldritch witches, and Ryan must have done his research. Maybe they were planning to do it together once I got my powers? I don’t know. I guess we’ll never know.”

Lucian makes his hand into a fist and slams it on the table. The spoon jingles against the bowl.

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“You should probably get on with that. I mean, talking to the dean. You sent him there, didn’t you?”

Lucian nods.

“But I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“You’re not. I’ve got the creature inside me, remember? No one can hurt me.”

He sighs.

“I hate that this world won’t leave you alone. I’ll burn everyone alive until they do if I have to.”

I pull him in for a kiss. This one tastes spicy.

“Let’s hope you won’t have to.”

Lucian takes a deep breath, takes another mouthful of stew, and stands.

“You like it?” I ask as he opens his wings.

“I love it, my darling boy. I love everything you make me.”

My heart flutters again, and I give him another kiss before he puts a T-shirt on and flies back to the academy.

I place the bowl into the sink and collapse onto the bed. Exhaustion fogs my brain almost immediately. I was hoping to wait for Lucian to get back, but I don’t think I can keep my eyes open any longer.

I close them. It’s dark. So dark.

When I open them again, Ryan is above me.

“Hello, Taylor. Miss me?” He chuckles like a villain, but I sit up and puff out my chest.

“How did you get in here?” I ask him.

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