5. Chapter 5
T he next day, Eden made her way down the hall with phone in hand. Confused, she looked around trying to find her last class. It was then she realized her next class was upstairs and across the building. Well, that’s inconvenient . Switching directions, she went up the stairs to the magical studies section of the school. Every specialty was mostly separated into its own areas Humanity courses from the Magical courses. Quickly, she found the right room, Magical Practices, and their applications.
Pulling her bag a bit closer to her she stepped through the door. Eden blinked in surprise as she discovered that she wasn’t the first one to arrive. A young man was already sitting at one of the desks distracted by his phone until she walked in. Eden remembered him from the previous year. He was someone close to Lennox and Felix. Last year the two hadn’t spoken more than a handful of times. Wyatt was one of the many Crossroads Demons but was among the more popular ones that attended the school. He had the traditional crossroad markings on his cheekbones, several tattoos, mostly on his neck; what she could see of his arms, and dark as coal hair.
She didn’t stop walking as she went over everything she knew about the man. Demon, past Curse Creator in Hell, Graduate as a Crossroads Demon with a current major in Necromancy, a minor in Witchcraft, and member of Kappa Theta. His long waves were tied back into a messy bun. His leather jacket slung over the back of his chair. His gaze lifted to meet hers. She only allowed herself a moment to scan his reaction to her entrance, stormy eyes glinting with curiosity.
He leaned back in his seat, seeming deep in thought for a moment as she moved to a desk a few seats away. Eden pulled out one of the elemental magic books stashed in her bag and started to read. That was, until a voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Ahhh- Good morning Sunshine, I must say you are almost glowing. Is that a new moisturizer?” He asked in a charming, slightly raspy voice.
Surprised someone was suddenly calling her sunshine, she looked up and raised an eyebrow at the demon. “Must be the lights in here.”
“No darling, I know lights and this-” He waved his hand in a circular motion at her. “Is it a new cream or what is it you ladies call it? Ah! Foundation! Though your beauty is far beyond skin deep if I do say so myself.”
“You hardly know me and if I recall the last time we spoke I’m pretty sure you were wasted. I’m surprised you even remember my face.”
“Oh, I could never forget someone like you, Eden Miller.” He put his chin in his hand.
“Did you get here early to harass the first girl to walk in?”
He leaned in his chair a little to see the book she had pulled out. “Actually, I was waiting for my destiny to show up and here you are! The one and only Little Miller.”
Turning towards her in his seat, he let his blueish-gray eyes drift over her. Destiny? More like blind to the truth… But if he was human, I might actually consider him. She fought off the disgust at the thought of a being with a demon. Admittedly, he was attractive. Piercing eyes, inviting smile, and sharp jawline only pulled her in more. If only he knew who she actually was. He would avoid her like the plague knowing she could be his end.
“I don’t believe that destiny is the word you’re looking for.” She attempted to return to her book.
“How’s the cult- I mean family? Kinda seems like a fae trap. One of you is always just around the corner.”
She pulled her sweater around her legs suddenly self continuous about the way her skirt fell when she sat. Her hardened exterior dropped a little when he called her family a cult, she had never heard anyone refer to them in such a way. For a second, she imagined tossing him into the basement simply for the cult comment. The whole thing had been renovated into something close to a jail with two holding cells and multiple hooks with demon chains. Finished off with a weapons vault in the corner to contain and get information out of creatures like him. As much as she wanted to, she only had personal reasons to do it. That wasn’t enough, yet.
“Miller is actually a very common last name… Besides, fae travel together, remember?”
“Ah yes, but I would assume after the third Miller that maybe mommy dearest would slap a condom on the old man.” Wyatt stood, leaving his bag at the desk and sat beside her.
Her obvious distaste for him seemed to egg him on rather than get him to stop. At this point, it was a game of cat and mouse. Eden kept her eyes on the pages as he joined her. Her heart fluttered at the proximity and the hair on the back of her neck automatically stood on end. He’s a predator. She kept her face expressionless until she felt his hand slip into hers. Ever so gently he slid the book down.
Eden’s eyes hardened as she fought to contain her anger. “You think insulting my family is a good way to flirt?”
The smile on his face faded ever so slightly as he seemed to realize he had started off on the wrong foot. Everything in her screamed to rip her hand away. However, warnings about demons played like a broken record in the back of her mind. No sudden movements. She stayed still but glanced down as his grip tightened slightly. Her hand looked so small inside his. She was met with a traditional style black rose tattoo on the top of his hand. Something within her stirred as her eyes traced the tattoos she could see leading into his sleeve.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” Wyatt apologized. “I’ve been told my humor isn’t the best at times. Let me make it up to you with a drink.”
She scanned his face for lies but found none. “No, thank you.”
“What’s wrong sweetheart? You are far more attractive when you don’t look like you want to kill me.”
A scoff escaped her as his fingers slowly started to walk up her arm. “Trust me, I could.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second. Honestly, I’d be interested to see you go for it.”
“Just tell me when and where, beautiful.” Eden shook her head and tried to ignore her stomach doing somersaults. A sigh escaped him. “I would think eventually your cold, mile high iron walls will fall… It seems I just have to be patient enough for that to happen.”
Anger reared its head.
When his fingers reached her shoulder, Eden grabbed his wrist. Her grip tightened hard enough to leave a light bruise. She moved fast, the smirk on his face replaced with surprise. Her amethyst irises cut into his with piercing anger, sizing him up for a fight. Within a few seconds, the room dropped a few degrees. A spark of understanding lit in Wyatt’s eyes as her threat clicked.
“My walls are stronger than you think, Wyatt. I wouldn’t waste your time on me. In all honesty, you would probably regret meeting.”
His eyes darted to his wrist as she was still holding it up and away from her. As he spoke, Eden could see his breath in the air. “Careful sweetheart, your bark may be big but I promise you my bite is bigger.”
“Is it? Are you so sure about that?” She challenged with a small smile. He was playing a more dangerous game than he realized. One that could potentially end with a dagger to the chest.
He jerked his arm back from her grip and rubbed the spot. Leaning in he was inches from her face and his eyes grew dark for a second. “You really shouldn’t underestimate me. I’m very good at getting exactly what I want. What I want is you, my Little Viper.”
Eden’s expression didn’t change when he leaned toward her once again. Instead, she shifted her leg closer to her hand where she could take out her knife if need be. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would be enough time to knock him out. Wyatt didn’t know it, but after the discovery of Lennox being her birth mother, Crossroad demons held a special spot in her anger. They had been the reason Lennox hadn’t reminded human. Alive . Lennox was stupid, they could have lived out a happy mortal, normal life. Instead, she had to be selfish, leave her child and end up here. She was determined to never end up like her.
“See! I knew there was something about you, you have spunk. Besides, lucky for you- I am immortal and all.”
“Lucky me.” She reached for her bag trying to put some space between them, but his leg was blocking her from it.
His eyes followed her hand down. “Are you wanting something, Little Miller? You could ask nicely, I think the word you’re looking for is please.”
“I think the words I’m looking for are ‘personal bubble.’” Her hand twitched toward her leg to sink her knife right into his chest. Maybe that would get him to leave me alone.
“You have entertained me, darling, there is no personal space now.” Wyatt slid his foot aside. “You should know one thing about Crossroad Demons. Once we grow an attachment, good luck shaking us. Unless you’re willing to make a trade, but those are only for my customers. You are more of a guilty pleasure now.”
“I would never make a deal with a crossroad demon. I’ve heard about too many sideways deals.” She opened her bag and pulled out one of her books, Crossroad Demons and Deals.
Wyatt leaned over a little more, peering over her shoulder when a laugh escaped him. She jumped in surprise as he snatched the book from her and reached into his pocket. Her hand was inches away from the hilt of her knife when he pulled out a pen. A cocky smirk appeared across his lips as he cracked his knuckles and started to flip through the pages.
“Now, where is it?” He muttered to himself. “If you wanted an autograph all you had to do was ask. I’m all about giving back to my fans, after all. You know, this whole game was unnecessary if that’s what you wanted.”
Eden’s mouth stood agape for a second before twisting into anger. “What the hell are you doing? I am definitely not one of your fans. If you have so many of these so-called fans, shouldn’t you be flirting with one of them?”
“Why would I? They aren’t the ones I’m interested in. Wait, there it is!” He clicked the pen and signed his name and phone number on a page that featured him. He closed the book and handed it back to her. “Take care of that number, you never know when you’re going to want to use it.”
She snatched it from his grip, her face burning. He was so irritatingly into himself, thoughtlessly confident yet there was something about him that drew her in. Her thoughts drifted to the family gatherings with every member of The Salvamari. All the times one Heir specifically would catch her alone. Their flirtations, secret meetings, a strange draw to each other neither could explain before things got too complicated due to their training. Wyatt reminded her ever so slightly of him- Eden shook the thought away.
“I can’t think of any reason I would want to text you.”
“Give a man mercy, Little Viper. Maybe you’ll need a date to one of the house parties, or maybe the big party tonight at Club Crossroads?” He raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t drink and I don’t go to parties. I prefer to use my time productively.”
“Don’t do parties? That just won’t do, especially when you have the party master as your date!”
“You sound like my cousin, besides, you’re being very presumptuous, soul digger.” She lied about how she was related to Bastien and shot back the insult. It was something she had picked up last year, knowing it was a common slur when it came to Crossroad Demons specifically and would hit where she needed it to.
“Ohhhh- Ouch, that one hurt a little,” Wyatt teased. “But I forgive you. That is if you agree to let me take you out.”
Tilting her head down a little, she eyed him incredulously. His eyes studied her for a few seconds. The storm in his eye burned into hers as he searched for what she didn’t know. Taking a moment to check the guard around her thoughts Eden didn’t look away. His gaze was unyielding as she put a mental hand on the walls around herself. Not even a whisper of any attempts. Before she could say anything, his smile fell a little into a look of seriousness.
“Tell me, why are you so hell bent on pushing me, and I imagine others like me, away? What did my kind ever do to you, Eden Miller?”
Caught off guard by his question, she opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before giving out more information than she was willing to. “That’s a story for another day, Steele.”
“That’s fine, just gives me more time to steal your heart. I will show you I’m nothing like other demons.” He dropped the question. “Now for that date you owe me, how about I come to your place. Since you don’t like to party. Have a little party of our own and get to know each other? Eight thirty on Saturday?”
“I don’t owe you anything. Even if I wanted to go on a date with you I’m not sure my place is appropriate. Besides, I have to study for the papers I’ve already been assigned.”
He leaned back again, peering at her thoughtfully. “You’re right. I don’t mind a little drunk study session. But there is one thing you should know about me, I don’t give up easily.”
“I don’t crack easily, Mister Steele.”
“Good! Then I’ll see you Saturday to hit the books!”
“Now hold on, I didn’t agree to-“
It was then the door to the classroom opened once more. A group of students followed by the Elder teaching the class entered. The sounds of low muttering filled the air. Eden let out a small breath finally relaxing a little. Saved by the bell.
“I’m not done winning you over yet, my little viper. I’ll see you at seven.” He whispered beside her ear before returning to his original seat before she could even tell him no again. Dammit.
The other students made their way to their own seats, a few of them peering over at the two. Elder Alden, a vampire with magical capabilities made his way to the front and started to set up. Writing quickly on the board, elemental magics and their everyday applications.
Eventually, the class ended and Eden was eager to get out of the room before Wyatt could try to talk to her again. As soon as the Elder dismissed them, she was out of her chair and half way out of the room. She pulled out her phone to text Bastien. Her fingers danced as she told him she had met Wyatt and he seemed to have taken interest in her. Only to receive “Lol” in response minutes later. Luckily, she could head back to her dorm to have some dinner before dragging herself out to the party at Club Crossroads.
Making her way back down the halls, other students went about their days. She swore she could feel someone slowly making their way up behind her. A Elder approached her. Alaric was looking right at her with a bright smile, his shoulder-length dark hair in a tangled messy bun. She relaxed slightly when she saw her fellow hunter.
“Hey there, cousin!” He beamed. “Good to see you. How was your summer?”
Thankful for the save, she stopped to talk to him, feeling the person behind her stop too. “It was good, how about you?”
She leaned over and gave her ‘cousin’ a side hug, taking the opportunity to see who was following her. Wyatt was standing five feet away and opened his mouth to speak. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the look given by the Elder. He swiftly turned the opposite direction. Alaric watched the boy walk away from them and peered back at Eden, now alone in the hall.
“I see you have a shadow,” he teased once everyone was gone.
“Unfortunately- but I don’t think he’ll be much trouble. He’ll get bored.”
“Good. Can’t have any distractions this year, Eloise made that clear.”
“Ew- Like I’d ever get with one of those creatures, Alaric. Besides, what about your little adventure with the security team? What did my mother say about that?” Eden crossed her arms over her chest.
“I was just trying to be helpful, see what they know.” He shot back.
“What are they going to think when they ask to see your wolf form then, hmmm?”
“Eloise says she can make a potion to help hide the whole human thing for a few hours. Do what I gotta do I guess.”
“Yes, since you got yourself into that situation. Making friends doesn’t help keep a cover.”
“I see we disagree on that subject.”
“Remember, getting attached can only lead to trouble… Remember who these people are- I’m sure your fiance wouldn’t forget.” Eden walked past Alaric making her way out into the courtyard and to the path that led to Omega Alpha.