Page 15 of Fortune Academy: Year Three
Orion ignored them all while he scooped me up, ripping me from Kaito and Logan in the process. “Little star. How are you feeling? Are you okay?” He held me aloft while his other hand ran over me as if checking for injury, although he spent too much time checking my breasts. He smiled as he squeezed.
“She’s more than okay,” Hendrik commented as he glared at Kaito. “And I’d say the counselor has some explaining to do. I know dark magic when I feel it and that was some pretty dark shit.”
I squirmed in Orion’s crushing grasp as I tried to kick him. “Put me down, you oversized hornsickle!”
Orion chuckled, but obeyed. I spotted the demon on his throne watching us all with an amused expression. He bowed his head in respect. “Princess. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Huh. A polite demon, go figure.
“I assume you’re Luc?” I asked, shaking free of Orion’s groping hands to approach the throne. The rest of my Virtues watched in silence, but I sensed their tension.
Will you all calm down?I said, sending out the thought into their minds.I can take care of myself.
I didn’t need to remind them that until recently, I’d had no one to protect me fromthem.
Their emotions quieted as Luc rose from his throne. I didn’t like the smile on his face that said he knew exactly what was going on. “I can’t hear you, but your powers stem from Hell itself, so please be aware that I can sense when you’re having a telepathic conversation with your…” he glanced at my males, “guardians?”
“Virtues,” I corrected. “I may be a princess, but I’m no damsel in distress.” I released my claws, showing them off for his benefit. “I don’t needguardians.”
He chuckled. “I can see that.”
“We totally didn’t mean to intrude,” Jess interrupted, rudely shoving between me and Luc. She grabbed onto his massive forearm and giggled in that flirty way of hers when she was putting on the charm.
She was good at it, too, which I had always written off due to her experience as a succubus, but now that I knew she wasn’t a succubus at all, I had to admit, I was a little jealous of her ease around males.
Jess tugged Luc aside, making sure she had his full attention. To my surprise, he allowed it and his massive, gorgeous wings fluttered before folding to his back. “You’re not intruding,” he said with a wicked grin. “You know how I love new prisoners.”
Dante banged his chains against the floor. “This is a fucking courtesy, you asshole. Lily needs something from you and we’re respecting your turf, but we’re not going to be staying. You can count on that.”
Luc pouted as he glanced at me. “Is that true, Princess? If you want to vouch for these…” he twirled his wrist, “mongrels, then I’ll permit their release.” He glanced at Orion. “Even if they tend to disrespect this realm’s hierarchy.”
Logan snapped his teeth. “She’s the fucking Princess of Hell. How’s that for hierarchy?”
Luc smirked as if he knew something we didn’t, then he raised both hands in surrender. “Who am I to argue with a nude shifter?”
I waved Logan to stand down. I wasn’t sure if I preferred my guys being assholes to me, or assholes to somebody else. Either way, they needed to chill. “Sorry about them,” I said, giving the handsome Demonspawn my best apologetic smile. “What they’retryingto say is that I’ve come here for my mother’s help. I’m the Champion of the Third Echo of Calamity and it’s going to be coming after me.”
Luc lifted an eyebrow. “Calamity? The vortex of death, destruction, and chaos is after you, and you want to trap it here?”
Well, when he put it like that I wouldn’t buy what I was selling either. “It’s not like that—” I began, but Luc burst out in a wicked grin.
“Why didn’t you start with that, Princess? Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve had a decent battle to defend the lower realms?” He snapped out his wings, startling me. “Centuries!”
“So you’ll let us stay?” Jess asked with a sparkle in her otherwise dark eyes.
“Stay?” Luc responded. “I’ll do better than that. You all can use the barracks as honored guests and when Calamity comes knocking, you’ll have Hell’s power in your reserves, and my armies ready to fight.” He clapped his hands. “Alright. No time to waste, then and it’s getting late. The next low tide of Hell’s pit won’t be for another twelve of your hours, so I suggest we all get some rest. You’ll want to be at the top of your game when it’s time to make the run to the next level.”
“Tide?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Princess of Hell and you don’t even know your own realm. Cute.” A tail I hadn’t noticed twitched around his ankles with excitement. “Hell’s layers beyond this one overflow with fire from the pits, so if you want to go down, you have to go during low tide and get yourself to a stronghold before it comes back up. It runs in cycles every twelve hours, so as long as you don’t get lost, you should be fine if you want to get to the Royal Courts.” He fluttered his wings. “Now, sleeping arrangements. I trust you all to work that out. Guest bedrooms are down the hall and my underlings will show you the way, as well as free your… Virtues, from their shackles.” He pinched Jess’s chin, making her blush. “And you. You’re coming with me. We have some catching up to do.”
Her eyes lit up and her tail flicked. “Oh. Um—of course.”
We all stared after the Demonspawn pair as he took Jess around his throne and through a door in the back.
“Jess seemed nervous. Should I go make sure she’s okay?” I asked.
Hendrik huffed. “Not unless you want to see them humping like bunnies. I have a feeling those two have a history and it’s best if we stay out of it.” He glanced at the Demonspawn underlings who surrounded us. “Can you all kindly fuck off? We have our own sleeping arrangements to work out.” The Demonspawn blankly stared, so Hendrik added. “Your master already said we’re free. His orders, yeah?”
