Page 3 of Quiet Burn

“I’m okay, big guy. Thanks for asking.”

A huff bounces off the walls, and Oriel’s low tones get closer to my door. “I wanted to give you space, so I’m notbotheringyou, Kit Kat.”

“Same,” X and Anton chorus in unison and I blink.

What the hell is with all of them this morning? This isn’t the Sound of Music.

Shaking my head, I go back to scrubbing until my skin is pink and angry, then I finally give in. I close my eyes, sinking into my mind to push the fear and fury from the attack into a closet until I’m alone. I can’t allow anyone to know how affected I am, even the guys, because we don’t have the luxury of time. The announcement this weekend opened up a whole different can of worms that we’ll have to face, plus this harebrained scheme makes my ass twitch.

How am I supposed to pretend I’m a guy dating these guys? I don’t even know how to be a girl dating them.

I let that question roll around in my mind while I finish washing my hair with cold water. The icy blast helps neutralize my stinging skin as I think about how I’m going to play this shit. If I wasn’t even a tiny bit attracted to them or pretending to be a boy, this wouldn’t be a big deal. But alas, that’snotmy situation so I can’t let this playacting get too realistic. After all, even if some of them did find me appealing, I’mnota guy. They’ll be furious when they find out my secret.

“Okay, Kit, you just need to be careful and cautious. Don’t let them get to you,” I whisper to myself as I grab the towel to dry off.

“What was that?”

The growl makes my eyes widen and I wrap the luxe bath sheet around me tightly as I tiptoe over to peek through the crack in the stall. I was right—that was His Royal Pain-in-my-Assness, Jasper. My breath hitches as he passes by only clad in a smalltowel barely clinging to his hips. His tatts and scales are on display with water trickling down his huge, muscled back.

I’m gonna pass out, no lie.

When no one notices my peeping, I cut my gaze from the huge, impressive dragon bully to the others. X’s lithe form is willowy with compact, cut muscles on pale skin like that vampire on Buffy. They’re hot in a way the others couldn’t dream of, while Salem and Slash are beefy and stacked. Wiping my mouth just in case, I scan for Anton, noting he has an oddly athletic form—like a swimmer, and Zav is smaller, but definitely built for speed and stealth.

Oriel’s swirls of tattoos are even more gorgeous than Jasper’s and every inch of him is covered in art that would make a tattooist on Earth weep. He looks like an avenging angel of darkness now, so I can’t imagine what he looks like half-shifted.

I am so fucking screwed.

A thought occurs to me and I back away from the crack, dropping my towel to look at myself with a frown. I’m okay, I suppose. My boobs are decent when unbound, but I’m not a model, and I have a lot of scars. They’re from a lot of different things, including theincident,but I know this look isn’t conventionally attractive. I won’t get any open-mouthed gapes from guys, regardless of whether they’re demons or humans.

But that’s not why I’m here, nor is it why we’re doing this stupid game of pretend. I just need to survive, not hook a sex partner. It doesn’t matter that I’m damaged goods because they can’t see through my damn clothes anyway.

“Fuck, Kit,” I grumble as I pull on my boxer briefs then wriggle myself into my binder. “You’re losing your focus.”

The sound of a palm slapping against my door makes me jump and without thinking, I slam my palm back on my side angrily. The intake of breath from the demon outside my stall is quick, but then comes out in irritation. “What are you in there talking to yourself about? Why does it take you so damn long? Do I need to send Oriel in to help?”

“No!” I shout quickly then realize how insane it was. “I mean, I’m fine. Go away, Jasper. I can talk to myself if I want. It guarantees I hear less bullshit, anyway.”

There. That should teach him.

The huff of indignation makes me grin, but his feet on the floor give away his path. “Fine. But you havefive more minutesbefore I send someone in after you. Pray that it’s not me.”

“Fuck off.”

My retort is full of resolve, but his words make me move quickly despite the aches it causes. Icannothave some well-intentioned demon come bursting into my stall to find my boobs hanging out. Yanking my clothes on, I get everything back in my basket and open the door, slowly moving toward the sink like a little old man. Salem blinks, rushing over to help me despite my batting him away.

One peek of that barely clad set of guys is enough and now I have to look them all in the eyes—fuck my life.

Lean On Me

Salem

“Kit Kat, take it easy. Dr. D said you can’t over-do it for a couple of days, dude.” He gives me a sulky look that I have a stupidly hard time not reacting to as I guide him to the counter. “It’s not a sign of weakness to need help when you’re injured. Is this a human thing?”

My gaze cuts to the rest of our caliphate and they shrug, obviously not sure, either. Oriel tilts his head, watching Kit pull items out of his basket carefully. Once he’s got what he needs, the crow shifter frowns a little. I want to ask him what the hell his problem is, but the expression on his face tells me to keep my big yap shut. I guess he doesn’t want Prince Prickface to hear his question, and I don’t blame him.

Jasper’s behaving for the moment, but most of us don’t trust that to last as the day goes on. His churlishness is too ingrained as a defensive mechanism.

“Why is everyone staring at me? That’s going to draw attention, you know,” the smaller human grumbles as he preps his toothbrush. “You can’t study me like I’m a damn bug under a lamp all day.”

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