Page 49 of Royal Havoc

My phone rings just as I glimpse the demon himself appear, noticing us right away.

“Hi, Nolan,” I answer.

“Are you at school?” he asks.

“Figured I’d give a full day a try,” I joke, enjoying the sound of his familiar voice.

“Good,” he answers shortly.

“What did you —”

“She can’t talk,” Vex growls into my phone after ripping it from my hand. “Go away, Carney,” he warns angrily, shoving my phone into his pocket.

Silence falls around us, sealing us in our own bubble as I shove from my chair.

Ignoring the tantrum that’s about to be thrown by the wobbly jaw twit. “Give me my phone,” I grit, clenching my jaw so tight I fear it might lock up.

“I told you not to talk to him,” he reminds me evilly.

I’ve hit my limit for the day. “He’s theonlyperson Iwantto talk to. Now, give me my phone and get the hell outta my way.” Holding out my hand, the rage pumping through me, causing it to shake.

“Promise to be a good girl, and I’llletyou have it back,” he taunts wickedly.

The madness wins, swallowing me in its darkness. My palm connects with his face, and the clapping of our skin rings out, cutting the silence surrounding us. Someone gasps, and I think he growls, but I’m too lost to care.

A cut from one of my nails shows on his cheek. He touches it, smearing a drop of blood. He licks his finger clean, smiling down at me.

“Welcome home, little spade,” he chuckles, strolling away with my phone.

I’m gonna rip his demon heart out and spit on it.

twenty-six

Hot Pink Penis

Vexen: 2024

We all flip a switch sometimes, shutting down our emotions to handle a situation… I get it. Turning off fear to face a phobia. Even that’s legit. Numbing yourself because someone’s broken you…

Opal ran off with Onyx and tucked her away somewhere she didn’t belong. Over the years, she chipped at her until the version she sculpted was barely recognizable.

Everything Onyx cared about, the heartless bitch took. Leaving Onyx alone and fractured, forcing her to be afraid to feel anything.

She’s mine now, and no one will ever take her away from me again. I’ll remind her who she really is, no matter how hard I have to push. She will feel every tiny insignificant speck of her life by the time I’m done with her, just like I’ve been forced to feel everything while she’s been gone.

Somewhere in that demented brain of hers, she thinks I hurt her, which isn’t the truth. It’s too soon to make her believe me. For her to see the reality, she’s altered. Eventually, things will become clear to her, but not until she wakes the fuck up and stops living in Opal’s fucked up universe she created for her.

Lunch was the first real emotion I’ve seen from her in years. So, I’ll take a million more hits to the face if that’s what it takes.

“I’m out,” I tell Zeke, slamming my locker.

“You still meeting with Hendrix tonight?” he asks, walking beside me down the hall.

“He wants to talk over dinner,” I inform him, scanning the crowded hall for her.

The closer we get to the doors, the more apparent it becomes that something is happening. No one hangs around at the end of the day unless they’re forced to. Zeke notices, too, side-eyeing me while we maneuver the crowd.

“Babe,” Kee calls, motioning for Zeke as soon as we step out the doors.

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