Page 91 of Quiet Burn

Dream

Kit/Kat

Slash is giving me a mixture of irritated and concerned looks and I honestly have no idea what to say to him. He’s definitely the type of dude who would put the wellbeing of his caliphate before his own, but somehow, it’s not okay that I did it. I don’t get why not, nor why Jasper was being such an asshat. I did the same thing any of them would have done for the others—in fact, it is what some of them attempted to do.

Boys are stupid and if they were left to their own devices, procreation would cease entirely.

“Kit Kat, you have to stay still while the doc examines you.”

I blink, realizing that Dank will have to remove the shirt sticking to the wound. Panic sets in as I try to figure out how I’m going to kick the rest of them out when I just made a point to only block Jasper. “Ummm…”

“You’re hurt, man. It’s no time to be weird about who sees you. Besides, you’ve seen Salem and I?—”

The Universe favors me for once, and Dank makes a clicking sound as he removes the mask. “Master Kit is quiteuncomfortable with being undressed. He will require me to draw the curtain, and Master Slash will have to exit the space as well.”

I duck my chin, not wanting to look at any of them when he saves my bacon. Thank fuck Dank did because I was floundering; however, now I feel bad. I don’t want the guys to think I don’t trust them to behave. The big secret I’m keeping demands that I continue to shy away from exposing bare skin whenever possible. It’s just not an option until I’m able to divulge the truth to all of them.

The big guy looks frustrated as he moves to leave, so I reach out, grabbing his hand tentatively. He blinks, looking surprised, and I squeeze lightly. “This is just the past stuff, you know? It’s not about you or them—don’t think it’s because I don’t trust you guys around me.”

His face lights up and he nods. “If you say it is true, I will believe it, little demon, even if your magic fooled me before. The truth is always preferable to a lie, even a kind one, with our caliphate. We have our own issues from before you arrived.”

Shit. I may have triggered their bad parent trauma with my selflessness. Way to go, Kat.

“I’ll remember that.” I let go, giving him a small smile and the shark shifter trudges out of my sickbay. When I turn to look at Dank, I murmur, “Thank you. I didn’t know how to address it.”

“It is my job, Master Kit. Now, lie back and allow me to examine this wound so I can assist. You have been brave for long enough.”

Leave it to the flaming skull demon to call me out without calling me out.

The gardenaround me is lush… nothing in Hell looks like this, so I have no idea where the fuck I am. The last thing I remember is Dank starting his work to heal me and feeling very tired. I guess I passed out from the pain, though that seems pretty far-fetched for me. I might freak out and have panic attacks, but I’m fairly good at keeping my shit together when I’m injured, even without magic concealing it.

Biting my lip, I look around cautiously, not enjoying the stab of fear that being in a place I don’t know brings. The world of paranormal and demonic stuff is new to me and I am not dumb enough to believe that anywhere—even a land in my mind—is safe for me to simply wander about in. There are plenty of demons at Discordia whose powers reside in dreams and nightmares, so this could be something insidious made to look friendly. That happens in nature in the human world, so it follows it sure as fuck could here.

The only sound I hear is water rushing somewhere, so I use my other senses to reach out before I move. It smells like a fragrant garden, so that doesn’t help me. I’m definitely nottastinganything because that seems like a terrible plan. The ground beneath me feels like regular old grass when I touch it. All I see is some gorgeous Garden of Eden-type set-up and it makes me huff in annoyance.

No other option but to explore, I suppose.

Rising to my feet carefully, I notice that I’m in some sort of hospital garb. Dank must have disappeared the torn and bloodied activities uniform, which means I’ll have to figure out how to get more. I’ve already lost two to that damn class, and I’m down to the last one. No way that’s going to survive long enough to get through the next month, much less the year.

“Okay, Ka—iiit,” I say to myself with a grimace. Normally, I use my real name when I’m talking to myself, but since I don’t know whose fever dream this is, I probably shouldn’t risk it. I already have a target on my back from asshole classmatesandthat dickface Lucian. No need to give them more ammunition.

I look around, seeing nothing but a fairytale-esque landscape close by. There has to be a point to being here, but which way do I go? It’s not like a friendly woodland creature is here to—oh, damn. Dottie. I hope Salem and Oriel are keeping her calm because she’s probably flipping out if I’m unconscious in the doc’s office. Damn demon drama distracted me and I completely forgot to make sure she’s nearby.

What a bad mama, I am. Sheesh.

Feeling like a jerk, I head towards the sound of the water since it’s the only thing that stands out in this weird place. I walk through the beautiful foliage, frowning when I don’t recognize a lot of the plants. I’m not a botanist or anything, but these things don’t look like anything I’ve seen before. The smell is amazing and the colors vibrant, but they’re all alien to me. Either someone has a vivid imagination, or I’m really in another realm.

“There you are!”

I blink at the sound of the voice, whipping around to trace the source. My eyes land on a perfectly set table next to a waterfall and the pool below it in alarm. That wasnotthere a minute ago and who the fuck is this person? I can’t make anything out because they’re in a cloak with a full hood, revealing nothing but the delicate hands that clapped as I came into view.

Female? Maybe? The voice sounded like it, but I know better than to assume given my current disguise.

“Uh… not to be rude, but who the fuck are you and where the hell am I?”

The hooded person laughs, the sound musical as they gesture towards the empty seat at their table.“Don’t be afraid, Katarina. You are not in danger here; I promise.”

How the fuck does this person know who I really am?!

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