Page 12 of Quiet Burn

“Salem’s meeting us inside, right?” I ask, hoping to cover up my new mini panic attack.

Oriel stops making silly faces at my animal and grins. “Hopefully. But you know how he is… he could have fallen asleep and lost them for all we know. We may have to fight off more of your admirers to claim them.”

Admirers… right.

“Ha, ha. You’re so funny, Oriel. A real laugh riot,” I grumble as we reach the huge doors. “You should do stand-up on Netflix or something.”

He snorts and shakes his head. “Oh, no. There’s a crossroads demon with a really ugly deal in place regarding those, and I can promise you, not being funny but still making money isn’t a coincidence.”

Huh. I guess that confirms everyone’s suspicions—selling their souls is the only way those idiots can make a buck.

Puttin’ On The Ritz

Xerxes

This day has been a major buzzkill: no classes with Kit, edging Headmaster keeping info from us, and the OG caliphate chat going bonkers with Jasper fretting about us ‘keeping up appearances’. I’m still pissed that Darkstar canceled all the extracurriculars for this nonsense, as Drama Club is one of my main outlets for my creativity that isn’t tied to a grade.

Hopefully, Kit survived Dark Age Lit with Salem and Oriel. I know Romero is a fun professor—surprising given her status as a Fallen—but dealing with those alone in the afternoon can’t be easy. By the end of the day, Oriel is usually fidgeting, aching to find things to steal, and the bear falls asleep. It has to be like baby-sitting more than getting educated.

Perhaps I’ll steal him away for a tour of the costume lab? I bet he’d like?—

The squeal of magic precedes a loud boom intended to get our attention and the campus-wide announcement system stops everyone in the quad in their tracks. I roll my eyes, hating theinsane dramatics of the fucker who runs this place; this could definitely have been a mass email or text.

“Attention, loyal demons of Hell and Discordia students! There will be a caliphates-only meeting in the Triclinium in five minutes. If you are in a caliphate, your class, studio, or lab is now canceled for the evening so you may attend. Make your way to the Triclinium in an orderly fashion, but do not be late.”

“Fuck,” I mutter as I reverse the direction I’m headed to go straight to the cafeteria without freshening up first. “Ihatebeing grubby around food.”

Stomping across the last half of the quad, I climb the stairs, noting Kit making his way up with Oriel and Salem. Anton and Zav will have to finish whatever they’re doing in their labs, so they’ll be cutting it close. A quick glance behind me to the open area I came from lets me find Jasper and Slash tromping over with veritable lines of steam coming from their heads. This last minute bullshit is pissing everyone off, and if Lucian doesn’t show again, they’re going to have a riot on their hands.

Not the smartest move when gathering the strongest demons on campus in one place.

By the time I get to the door, Kit and his bodyguards are even with me, and we form a group as we march into the big room. I hold up my hand, pausing for effect so the demons in the room before us note our presence. Oriel snorts, and Kit arches a brow, but once I’m satisfied, I move again. We have to make an entrance, even if these two think it’s stupid, and I know the Prince would agree. The other groupsneedto fear us and what we might do if they disrespect anyone in our caliphate.

“X, I know we’re supposed to?—”

“Shh, KK. Let me work this. Tell one of them what you want from the line before we get to the table. Make it look good.”

He makes a face, but turns to Salem, laying his hand on the big bear’s arm. “You know what I like, so you also know what else I haven’t tried that might work. Just… grab me whatever you think is good.”

I roll my eyes. Not quite the display I’d hoped for, but good enough when Salem beams and peels off to head for the food and drink lines. It’s easy to forget Kit doesn’t know everything about our history or food or whatever because outside of pissing Jasper off, he’s slipped into our lives without a hitch. It’s like he’s a perfect fit, and the thought makes me a little giddy.

Fuck only knows why it tickles me so much, but I don’t question my instincts.

We ascend to the high table slowly, and Oriel shakes off his derision to pull chairs out for both Kit and me. I give him a dazzling grin, pleased with his compliance, and sit in the seat to the left of our newest member. He left space on my other side for Anton, though it means he’ll be next to the Prince. Salem is going to pout for sure—the crow shifter is sitting on Kit’s other side with a grin of satisfaction.

“You know, I’m starting to think this entire thing is a big mind fuck,” Kit says as he lifts Dottie out of his bag to let her perch on the table. “That dude is going to take away shit everyone likes, yank our chains frequently, then come up with some lame excuse for not having the Games that’s our fault.”

I grin at him. “Nowyou’re thinking like a demon, dude.”

He snorts, pulling a baggie of some Salem-created mix to start feeding the kinkajou. “Nope. Feels like something authorityfigures would do in my world, too. Humans are definitely as devious and manipulative as demons, just in different ways. I don’t know if that’s a chicken or egg thing, but it’s true.”

“It’s not likeanysupes—even deities or primordials—are any less inclined. We all came from somewhere, man. Down here, we’re grouped into lineages that reveal what our darkest desires and greatest weaknesses are, which levels the playing field somewhat.” Oriel shrugs and pushes his dark hair out of his eyes. “Humans aren’t, which makes them much more dangerous than they look.”

Kit scoffs as he tosses a dried berry to the small animal. “Duh. You don’t have to remind me of that, O. If I met a goddamn lion shifter, in theory, I’d know what to watch out for. With people, you have no idea what lurks behind smiles and pretty faces. Being able to tell how shitty people are is a blessing.”

Salem walks up, frowning at the seating as he sits across from Kit. He slides the plate of roasted black cow, veggies, demonic gravy, and grains over, but doesn’t release the delicious looking desserts. “Now, Kit Kat, I promised Slash I’d make sure you bulked up with protein and nutrients before the sweet stuff. He was very specific when he texted me.”

Kit’s eyes narrow as he swivels his head to glare at the approaching Prince and his shark companion.

---