Chapter 13
“I’m going to kill him,” I growled as I stormed through the forest.
Logan had tried to come after me, of course, but I sensed the rejection in our bond when he gave up.
He thought I was angry with him.
I hated to leave it that way, but it was better than knowing the truth.
Cole was one Virtue who wouldn’t fall in line and I couldn’t help but feel like it was my fault.
I’d called a freaking demon to my side, Lucifer’s brother, at that. He wasn’t like Kaito where he could be reasoned with.
No, Cole was a lock of Hellfire, a Virtue that would make or break me. I didn’t need a key to unlock him, I needed a hammer.
Maybe that would destroy him, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Slapping a branch out of my way, I ignored the tinge of burning wood as flames bled from my clawed fingertips.
Yeah, I was letting Cole’s rage infect me. It didn’t matter, because when I found him, he’d feel the full force of my wrath.
And he would fall the fuck in line.
My uni-hare popped into view, chittering at me in complaint.
“Sorry for leaving you behind,” I said, honest about it. I hadn’t wanted to leave so suddenly, but there hadn’t been a choice.
My uni-hare sniffed the air, then tilted its head. He seemed to understand I was pissed, so he followed me as he hopped along.
“I’m going to find the most painful death a demon can imagine and kill him slowly. Then bring him back and do it again.” I kicked at a fist-sized rock in my path so hard, it shattered.
That made me paused a moment. Looking down at the ground, I found another rock, this one heftier. I picked it up and hurled it. It flew far out of sight.
I picked up another rock, this one smaller. Slowly closing my fingers around it, I tightened my fist.
Dust drifted to the earth when I uncurled my fingers.
“Better yet,” I decided. “I’ll chain him to a wall somewhere and use him for a punching bag.”
There had to be magical chains that would hold even a rage demon.
The erotic image he’d offered me entered my mind, because even now, imagining him chained up brought other things to mind that I could do to him that would torment him into submission.
I’d make him hard, tease him, but never let him come for me. I’d fuck my Virtues in front of him and let him feel my ecstasy through our connection until he begged to be let go.
Until he submitted to me.
The intensity and fury of my thoughts should have scared me, but I wasn’t human. I was something else entirely that even Hell feared.
I was the Princess of Hell, a Champion of Calamity.
And because of that, Cole would kneel.
I broke into a run with my uni-hare easily keeping up with me.
Leaping over a fallen tree, I hit the ground only to gasp in pain as the unfamiliar wings caught on something. Bright pain tore through me but I ignored it, jerking forward.
“Lily!” came my mentor’s voice.
I plowed into Kaito even as a groan of pain escaped me.
“Stop!” he bit off, voice full of authority.
I hesitated, resisting the urge to bolt.
He was a demon, too. Perhaps he would understand.
He caught my upper arm, his fingers curving around it a smooth—and unbreakable—grip.
“You’ve hurt yourself,” he said in a far more gentle voice than I deserved.
“I don’t care.” I hated how my voice shook.
“I do.”
Through our bond, I felt just how much he did care. Maybe it soothed some of the raw, jagged edges inside me. Sucking in a breath, I went still.
His grip around me tightened.
“Don’t worry, Kaito,” I said, my voice ragged. “I’m not going to take off.”
“Yet,” he responded. He gently squeezed my arm, then released me, moving so he could untangle my feathers from the snare of branches and vines I’d tangled myself up in.
“I hate these damn wings,” I said. I sounded like I was four. I didn’t care.
“You’ll learn how to use them,” Kaito said. “This will hurt.” He hesitated then added, “I’m sorry.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I said, “Do it.”
Welcoming the bright, tearing pain, I focused on it, on fresh injuries now making themselves known as Kaito freed me.
I felt battered in ways that had nothing to do with my injuries.
“Nothing permanent,” he said finally, coming around to stand in front of me. He rested hands on my shoulders.
I could feel him willing me to look at him.
“Cole’s done something,” he said, a statement without surprise.
Jerking my head up, I stared at him.
“It’s not hard for me to guess.” He hitched a shoulder up and offered a side-long smile. “All of us can piss you off—and most of us have. But you’ve got red hazing your eyes in a way I’ve never seen.”
He stroked a gentle finger along my jawline.
“This look… It’s as if somebody crushed everything that makes you who you are.” He cupped my chin. “It makes me want to do ugly, awful things to whoever is responsible.”
We both knew who that person was.
His eyes began to glow and a whisper of danger came to me along our bond.
He took a deep breath and the glow faded, the danger retreating.
“That’s a part of me I haven’t released in a very long time. It’s best I keep him caged.”
Looking away, I stared into the growing darkness of the forest around us.
I didn’t need another demon on my hands. As much as I wanted to confide in Kaito, I couldn’t risk it. “Thanks for the help.”
Cutting around him, I started walking again, but I wasn’t heading for the campus.
Deep inside me, there was a pull and if I followed it long enough, it would take me to Cole.
And once I found him…
My claws slid out a little further, my anger pulsing inside me once more. Anger was much better than feeling broken.
Kaito appeared in front of me and I slammed into his chest.
Wow, he’s fast when he wants to be.
He caught my arms, staring at me with urgency in his gaze. The flames licking through his hair burned brighter and the silver in his eyes glowed.
“You are not going to confront Cole right now.”
Going rigid, I glared at him. “Excuse me?”
“Lily…” Kaito closed his eyes and dragged in a breath.
When he opened his eyes again, the vivid glow of silver remained with a sense of calm.
He worked hard to push Cole out, and he wanted me to do the same.
“You can’t. You’re not ready. This is precisely why I suggested to the Dean that you attend classes.
After your first class, you’ve already submitted to your rage. ”
“It wasn’t the class,” I snapped. The uni-hare chittered at my feet in agreement. Kaito was lucky he hadn’t been gorged by the thing.
Kaito gave it a raised brow.
“I’ll explain later,” I said.
He sighed. “I’m serious, Lily. You’re not ready to face Cole, not like this.”
“The fuck I’m not.” My voice came out ragged, but I didn’t care. Kaito could already feel how my heart was twisted into a tight knot. “I’m going to make him submit,” I growled. “He’s supposed to be my Virtue, be on my side.”
To my surprise, Kaito gave me a chagrin look.
“Think back, Lily. Were any of your Virtues as you expected them to be? Calamity is only getting stronger and gaining momentum, which means you have the short end of the stick. You need powerful Virtues, ones who might not have been willing to submit themselves to the Champion at first, but all of us have found our place in your heart. Believe it or not, Cole has been trying to help.”
“Help?” I screeched, throwing off Kaito’s hands. “Are you defending him?” After what Cole just pulled, I didn’t care if he thought he was helping.
He wasn’t.
Kaito let out a harsh breath. “Look, I’m not saying I agree with his tactics, but I am a demon. I can understand his side of things. He’s been testing us and if he feels we haven’t passed that test, he’s going to try and take you for himself because he believes that’s the only way to serve you.”
I growled, my teeth sharpening to points. “Cole doesn’t get to play judge and jury.”
“I know,” Kaito agreed. “Which is why you need to play his game, Lily. You’re letting him get under your skin.
That’s what he does, Koneko-chan.” He cupped my cheek and ran his thumb over my skin.
He wasn’t afraid of my appearance, no matter how much I converted into my Demonspawn side, or whatever other supernatural species lingered in my veins.
“Just give it a few minutes, at least.” He waved his arm down the quiet path.
“I wanted to show you something after your class today. Will you go with me?” When I stared at him, he sighed.
“If you still want to go to Cole afterwards, I won’t stop you, but please, indulge me in this. ”
Turmoil twisted me into knots, but I couldn’t walk away from another one of my Virtues. Kaito’s gentle voice called to me, promised me kindness and understanding.
“Okay,” I conceded, unable to deny him a simple request. “I’ll go.” My fingers curled into fists. “But afterward, I’m facing Cole.”
I had to.
“Very well,” Kaito agreed and held out his hand.
I took it.