Page 64 of Quiet Burn

“Fuck no,” I reply as I drop my bag on the floor by my usual seat. “But Salem knows that they’ll sense we’re changing and come barging in to interrupt because they’re tools.”

Kit looks at Salem for confirmation, and he nods. The panda hybrid looks a bit shy as he adds, “I don’t want you to be overwhelmed since you let us talk you into it, and we know that Jasper especially won’t make you feel comfortable.”

“I know. He’s not doing it to be mean, I don’t think, but his bullshit is so damn distracting.” KK lets Dottie scramble down to perch on the chair arm, then puts his bag next to it. He’s serious as fuck about catching up and he never goes a night without doing homework or studying before and after dinner. It’s mind-blowing, especially since he probably doesn’t need to worry about his scholarship now.

Our caliphate doesn’t pay for this shit and adopting him cleared that obligation, though I doubt anyone actually told the poor guy.

“Do you care if I go change first? I have an easier time feeling comfy if I’m in my ‘home’ clothes.”

Salem and I shake our heads. I strip my jacket off and hang it over one of the stools at the island. “Absolutely not. You should do whatever makes you feel safe because… demons are a little less cuddly than animals?”

“Speak for yourself,” Salem says, winking at the guy.

“Good. Okay. Then I’m going to change and when I get back you can… do it.”

Watching as he heads for his room, I turn to Salem. He’s coming back from the fridge with a small snack for the kinkajou, andonce he gives it to her, he joins me. The jacket is tossed and his bag is plopped by Kit’s chair quickly so he can run his hands through his hair. He’s more energetic than usual, especially at this time of day, and I get why.

He’s really falling for his roommate and I’m not sure if he totally understands that.

Of course, I’m not sureIunderstand what’s happening, either, but I’m at least aware enough to know there’s something going on. The path to figuring this out starts with moments like these, though, because it helps Kit integrate more fully into this world and our lives. If he can accept the animals and the demons, then perhaps in time, he can accept the men beneath all the forms.

“Fucking shit, O, what is with the poetry shit?” I mutter to myself as I grab a drink from the fridge.

Salem stops his nervous tics and looks at me. “You talking to yourself now, dude?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Everyone talks to themselves, and if they say they don’t, they’re lying. But yeah, I was trying to tell myself that this is a good thing. I mean, I believe that, but none of us has it… easy? You know?”

“Money-wise, maybe, but not anything else,” Salem agrees. “The families suck, everyone around us is either looking to use or top us, and we’ve only had each other since we were kids. I get it.”

Arching a brow at him, I tilt my head. “Do you? Because this feels like a ‘crossing the Styx’ moment. Are you ready to become important to someone other than us?”

“Dude, I hate to break it to you, but we’re already important to someone besides each other. Kit Kat is ours—Jas did theceremony and it’s done. But if you meanmorethan that, yeah. I’m not nearly as clueless as people think I am.” He smirks as he rakes his hands through his hair again, making it wild and spiky. “Just because I sleep a lot doesn’t mean I miss shit.”

Fair enough, I suppose.

“Okay. Just making sure. Cause I—well, you know.”

“You what?”

We turn to see Kit coming out of his room in the black Discordia sweats he likes to lounge around in. It occurs to me that he was moved here with very little luggage and he wasveryconcerned about the outfit for the ball.Holy shit, he probably doesn’t have much outside of the uniform stuff.That makes my eyes widen, but I don’t say anything. I’m not going to make the kid embarrassed by asking. No, I’ll just… figure out how to resolve the problem quietly and without a fuss.

“He was saying he was excited about this. It’s like a… rite of passage,” Salem says lamely and I have to cover my mouth to avoid a snicker.

He’s really bad at improvisation; I should remember that.

“Oh, well, I’m kind of excited, too.” Kit heads for his chair, flopping into it and sighing happily. “I mean, I don’t know if it’ll be scary or just freaky, but I want to know. You guys are like… the closest people to me here and… I like the thought of knowing all the parts of you.”

Maybe not all of them, but eventually, Kit Kat. Eventually, you’ll see everything.

“Thanks for saying that,” I say softly, hoping he can see how much I mean it in my eyes. I’m a means to an end to my parents—the thief to take their place in line with the crown—and besides the guys, the rest of our line could give a shit less. They’re all just waiting for me to screw up to vie for my spot. But Kit doesn’t give a flying fuck about our lineage or our money or any of that shit. He just likes us even though most people shy away from Salem for being weird and snoozy and me because I’m a spy.

“Who’s first?” he asks, looking at us curiously. “And should I… like, expect anything big like flames or sulfur or something?”

I snort. “Not unless we’re doing magic. I’ll go first this time. Sound good, Salem?”

The panda shifter nods, standing a bit away from me to give me room. I take up more space horizontally in demon form than him, so it makes sense. Taking a deep breath, I let the blackness slip through me, making my eyes glitter with dark starlight and the wings unfurl from my back as the black color and feathers cover my form. In demon form, I have wings that spread out like an enormous dark angel and feathers in specific places. The deep pitch color of my skin makes me look evil, I know, but the real attention grabber is the long devilish tail with feathered adornments at the pointed tip.

“Oh,wow,” our new member breathes as he sits up in his chair. His eyes roam over me, moving from foot to the top of my head where the u-shaped horns sit. They’re black, sharp, and have feathers at the base. “That’s pretty fucking cool. Can you fly or…?”

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