Nerd Rage
Kit/Kat
E veryone acted really fucking weird at lunch after I devoured my dessert, so I backed off my blunt assessment of their critical thinking skills. Dottie kept sniffing around and giving me looks I couldn’t interpret; I have no idea what got into her. The entire thing was so damn bizarre, and it didn’t get any better after Anton arrived. He looked at everyone, then at me, and dropped his tray with a clatter that even made O jump a little.
Satan help me with a pack full of fucking dudes, man.
I blink when I realize they’ve got me switching my colloquialisms already. If only the snot ball people at my old school—including the stinky twins—could see me now… No one would believe it; Kat Camponella being social, eating, and not slinking around trying to be invisible would be too far-fetched. Still, I don’t feel like anything is changing for the worse, so it’s okay. Everyone has to grow up at some point, and this is my new era.
“Keep telling yourself that, Kit,” I mumble to myself as Zavida walks beside me. The kitsune was assigned to walk me to Ancient Demon Lineage—another class I have on my own—and he’s been quiet as a mouse.
“What did you say?”
My head turns and I feel heat crawling up my neck when he catches me talking to myself. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
He frowns, scratching his chin. “You can talk to me, you know. I know I have shit to make up for, and I will, but I’m not going to do anything bad.”
Oh, we’re going there, huh?
“Zavida, I appreciate that sentiment, but trust has to be earned. You’re in the negative in that column because of your dumb shit, so it’s going to take time.” I see him wince and sigh, feeling a pang of pity for the guy. “That doesn’t mean you won’t get there. Just… start thinking for yourself and stop letting that fuckwad lead you around by the dick.”
This time he turns red and my eyes widen when I realize I’ve probably hit on something very private. He coughs, then finally nods. “I know what you meant. It’s not an excuse, more of a reason, but Jasper has been a big support system. He’s rough in public, but he’s… not the same when we’re alone. That makes it hard to separate, but I’m determined to do it.”
We come to the doors for the academic building and I grab one before he can get to it. He frowns, trying to communicate something to me with his eyebrows that I don’t get. I roll my eyes at him and point to the open space. “Dude, just go in. I got it.”
The huff he lets out is puzzling, and I follow him to the elevator with a puzzled expression. Sometimes, I think males of every species are so damn odd that no one should be expected to figure what the hell is up their ass. They’re so fucking sensitive about the weirdest shit that it’s impossible to know what the right move is. He fidgets as we wait for the car, then we pile in with a group of other students. The bulk of them get off on the second floor, so we’re alone after they exit.
That’s when the small fox shifter pushes the button, jerking the elevator to a stop abruptly.
What the fuck?
“I’m going to be late,” I grit out. “The professors are not exactly forgiving with me like they might be with you dipshits.”
Zavida walks closer to me, looking at me seriously. “You have to let me do things.”
“Huh?”
He rakes his hand through his rusty locks, looking frustrated. “I know you don’t know how all of this works, so I’m trying to be patient. But… people already see me as weak.”
I frown, making a confused face at him. “So? Who the fuck cares? Random people’s opinions don’t mean shit. The only people you should worry about are your family and friends, Zav.”
My words seem to agitate him more, and he throws his hands up in the air. “That’s not how this world works, Kit. Appearances, reactions, and emotions are how you’re measured, especially now that the Games are in play. Notice how Lucian was supposed to make some big announcement and then didn’t ?”
Damn, he’s right. The guys were being so strange that I forgot about it.
“He did that to get everyone’s attention. Failing to follow through means it could come at any time , which will put him and his power on every demon in Discordia's mind all day. He’s toying with our perceptions and emotions, especially the fear some of the lower level guys are feeling.”
“Ohhhhh…” I say as it hits me. “Fuck, that asshole is smarter than I gave him credit for.”
“Pit demons always are, Kit. They were created to torture and extract things from demons for the King. Lucian is ancient as hell and he knows how to do his job extremely well. This won’t be the last time he manipulates the entire student body for his own entertainment or gain.”
I scratch my forehead, muddling through his words carefully. “I badly need to catch up on demon types. Like, I have to learn their powers, their strengths, their weaknesses…. everything. I’ll be a hindrance if I don’t know how to think around these idiots.”
Zavida smiles and I see the hint of color surrounding him perk up. “I could help with that. Studying is one of my less unsavory skills. Maybe I could make some flashcards?”
The excitement on his face is kind of cute, so I lick my lips, considering his offer. After a moment, I nod slowly. “Okay. You make some stuff up and maybe some of you can quiz me? I think Salem and Oriel would help if you make them a set.”
He stabs the elevator button, starting its progress upward again with a bright grin. “I’ll make enough for everyone. Colorful, laminated, maybe with pictures… Yes, this will definitely work! We’re going to get you up to speed so fast.”
I love the enthusiasm, but the guy is delusional if he thinks their pissy prince is going to do a damn thing.
Kindervelt is a pompous asshole, but at least he treats everyone the same. His demigod half is probably from a Roman or Greek, I’ve decided, but he refuses to tell anyone. The weird ethereal glow I’m seeing around him is why I landed on the Mediterranean pantheons—he seems to glow slightly gold around the spotted skin of his shifter side. I guess a giraffe shifter isn’t any weirder than a panda, but damn, looking up at the guy makes my neck hurt.
“How was class?”
I blink at Oriel as he materializes out of nowhere. “Shit, man. You’re going to give me a heart attack.” His slow smirk makes my body tighten and I have to take a second before I answer. “Fine. Kindervelt’s an ass, but he doesn’t single me out.”
Before I know it, he’s draped an arm over my shoulders and is guiding me to the elevators. “I guess you can’t ask for more than that at a demon school. We’re not exactly known for being soft.”
I’m too busy waiting for my typical reaction to being this close to a guy to kick in to refute his statement. It doesn’t happen, just like with Salem, and we walk into the car together. People crowd in around us and I take a deep breath, causing my escort to tighten his hold by pulling me to his side. Again, it doesn’t trip my wires and I internally high-five myself. My brain might still be locked in danger mode, but my attack didn’t set me back to the beginning of therapy.
Fuck, yeah.
“Are you okay, Kit Kat?” Oriel whispers in a ridiculously low tone.
Dottie moves around in my bag, making soft sounds as she finds a spot where she can press against me through the material. My lips curve up and I look at my feet so he can’t see my goofy smile. “Yeah. All good. Thanks.”
A cough echoes in the quiet elevator—one combined with a word that isn’t any nicer in the demon world than it is in the human one. Oriel tenses next to me, and I feel a zap of dark energy fill the air. The demons around us shift uncomfortably, some of them pulling at the collars of their shirts and others digging into their book bags like they’re looking for something. The fidgeting increases as we continue to the ground floor, and I frown as the crow shifter moves me until I’m standing in front of him out of their reach.
“Shhhh…” he says with a wink.
Once I’m settled, he puts his chin on my head, and I watch the boys continue to search for things, their movements getting more frantic until the bell dings and the door opens. They spill out into the lobby, looking around the room briefly before lunging at one another.
“You stole it!”
“No, you did!”
“I’m going to kill you. Give it back!”
The shouts echo off the marble and within seconds, the entire group from our ride starts pounding one another in a pile of limbs and snarls.
“There’s a lesson here,” Oriel says as he leads me around the mass of dudes beating each other with wild abandon.
I snort. “Don’t piss Oriel off?”
“Well, yes… but a deeper one.” He grins darkly as the shitty demons keep wailing on each other even though staff members are arriving. “Greed isn’t just about physical items. Sometimes, it’s about status or power. Those who try to take others down to elevate themselves are open to more manipulation than they think.”
Ducking my head as we head out the doors to the steps, I mutter, “I didn’t care about the slur, man. Guys are idiots, especially spoiled rich ones, and calling me gay isn’t the insult that douche thought it was.”
“It’s not, but that doesn’t mean he gets away with using sexuality that way. For fuck’s sake, Kit Kat, it’s 2024. Humans might be that far behind the times, but demons aren’t.” He arches a brow as we walk towards the library building for Lit class. “He only said that shit because everyone still thinks you are human. And that’s un-fucking-acceptable on another level entirely.”
“O, I’m not worth?—”
“Stop that sentence. You’re part of our caliphate, which means, you are special and they should fear you. Magic or no, we don’t allow disrespect like that to stand.”
I have to swallow hard again, trying to distance myself from emotions I haven’t had in a very long time. Actually, I can’t even remember how long it’s been since I felt like someone cared enough to do that, so it’s messing with my head.
Gotta back away, Kit.
“Thanks. I’ll… try to remember that. It won’t be easy, though. Be patient with me.”
That said, I turn my gaze on the path to the library. I don’t think I can look at him right now. My heart is doing weird flip-flops and my gut is churning with anxiety. Dottie pokes her head out of the bag, waving a paw at me as she scrambles out to sit on my shoulder. The little rodent is so attuned with my emotions that I’m not even surprised anymore.
“Ooh, there’s the pretty girl…” Oriel coos and my head whips around. “What? She is. Dottie’s a pretty girl, isn’t she?”
Motherfucker, that was scary as hell—what am I going to do about this shit?
“Salem’s meeting us inside, right?” I ask, hoping to cover up my new mini panic attack.
Oriel stops making silly faces at my animal and grins. “Hopefully. But you know how he is… he could have fallen asleep and lost them for all we know. We may have to fight off more of your admirers to claim them.”
Admirers… right.
“Ha, ha. You’re so funny, Oriel. A real laugh riot,” I grumble as we reach the huge doors. “You should do stand-up on Netflix or something.”
He snorts and shakes his head. “Oh, no. There’s a crossroads demon with a really ugly deal in place regarding those, and I can promise you, not being funny but still making money isn’t a coincidence.”
Huh. I guess that confirms everyone’s suspicions—selling their souls is the only way those idiots can make a buck.