Page 2 of Chaos
“Thanks, Felix.”
The Library of the Profane was my sanctuary. I’d always been a book nerd, and I fought hard for this job. I had apartments inside the library that were pretty plush. I knew every single regular and their reading preferences, no matter how bizarre.
I didn’t trust most people that made deals with demons, even if it was for vain purposes like Dorian. I’d summoned demons for information only, and I helped other people in the library if they had that level of clearance. Every sane person who dealt with demons knew they were just as tricky as the Fae when it came to deals. Sure, they’d give you precisely what you wanted, and they’d let you have it for a good long time.
Except payment would eventually come due, and you’d always lose. I didn’t want Dorian Gray anywhere near my library when a demon came to collect what was owed.
Chapter 2
Ripley
M
inerva Krauss was my advanced curses professor at the Academy of the Profane. She was a hard ass and refused to give me an A on a single one of my papers, no matter how long and hard I worked on it. Still, I fucking adored this woman. She was a super talented witch who had written a ton of books in the Library of the Profane both on cursing people and breaking curses.
She was alsosuperinto the werewolf porn.
“Ripley, dear. Is it in yet?”
“Yes, and I saved you a copy. I had a chance to read it last night, and you are going toloveit. I won’t spoil it for you, but the pack dynamics are amazing in this one.”
Yeah, I’d bonded with my old curses teacher about a book series we both liked, and she was a lot friendlier to me now than when I was at the Academy. I also didn’t peg her for being into this kind of fiction because she was this prim older lady who always had tea and stale cookies out during her office hours, and her collar was always buttoned all the way up.
“We’ll have to have tea in the alcove and discuss it when I’m finished, dear.”
I slid the book out and handed it to her. I’d love to be picking her brain about all the books she’d written on curses, but I didn’t mind discussing werewolf erotica with her either.
She was honestly one of the most brilliant professors I’d ever taken classes with, and I totally fangirled when I saw I was in her class.
A total stranger walked into my library next. I didn’t just have a problem with the pretty men. This guy was my type too. He was massive, tattooed, and dressed in leather. I was dying to know if there were other piercings on his body I couldn’t see besides the rings in his eyebrow and lip. I definitely would have noticed him if he was here before; and I definitely would have flirted.
“Hey, beautiful. Bram Knotley. How does one go about getting a library card here?”
“Hey, cutie. You cut your finger into that bowl, and magic tells me if you’re worthy of a card. It’ll also tell me which sections you’re approved to look at.”
“Just like that, huh? So, I guess there’s no way of cheating your way into the Library of the Profane.”
Unless you’re Dorian Gray.
“Nope. Care to give it a go?”
Most people just pricked their finger. The test only needed a drop of blood. Bram dragged the athame across his entire palm and held his hand over the bowl. The blue text instantly floated up. What the fuck? Bram was a Hellhound. We didn’t get a lot of those here. They mostly stayed in Hell unless they were on a job. What would a Hellhound want with my library?
The magical system here was foolproof and didn’t lie. Itonlyapproved people who wouldn’t abuse the contents. I think the only reason Dorian got approved was that he couldn’t technically use any of the books in here because he had no magic.
The system approved Bram with access to all areas. That was almost unheard of. Almost everyone had a place that was off-limits to them. It wasn’t just that there were sections with things they couldn’t access because of their species. Some areas had weaknesses that weren’t common knowledge that could be used if a magical species war broke out. Why was a Hellhound given all access?
“Well, that’s certainly unusual,” I said, leaning back in my chair.
“Going to share it with the class?”
“We don’t get a lot of Hellhounds in here.”
“Well, that’s just racist.”
“That’s not what I meant, and I wasn’t finished! You’re the first Hellhound I’ve ever seen in here. Not only are you approved, but you have access to all sections. You aren’t intending on causing trouble in my library, are you Bram?”
“With such a pretty librarian? I wouldn’t dream of it. I know you librarians like to shush people and hate messes. I’ll be clean and as quiet as a mouse.”
