Chapter 8
The building that housed the Academy’s staff was disturbingly quiet. Some doors remained open, although the lights were off. Others were closed. Only a few showed any signs of recent occupation. I guess most of the teachers had been called to help against Lucifer’s recent incursion.
The pulse in my chest quickened and I hastened my steps, feeling the answering tug that was Kaito’s presence. Rounding the final turn in the hallway, I hesitated.
The door was closed. I knew he was there, knew he could sense me. I felt him.
The twins murmured behind me, but I ignored them, the frustration inside me morphing to anger in a flash. Striding to his office, I tested the door.
Locked, as I’d expected.
Rapping on the door with my knuckles, I shouted, “Kaito, it’s me.”
Silence.
This time, I punched it and shouted louder. “I know you’re in there. I feel you. Open the damn door!”
There was still no response, but the echo in my heart whispered of Kaito’s misery. He was hurting, just like me. And he blamed himself. For what? I had no idea.
“Perhaps this Kaito is supposed to help Lily sign us up for classes,” Azra suggested.
“Lucifer is on a rampage through the realms and you think we’re going to start taking classes?” Sam asked, a note of dry amusement underscoring the words.
“It’s only logical.” Azra sounded annoyed. “We’re finally reunited. After being apart for so long, it makes sense that our beloved understands our need to be with her every waking moment. Don’t you, Lily?”
Every waking moment?
Azra moved to stand next to me, taking my hand so I couldn’t beat on the door anymore. He uncurled my fist and lifted my fingers to his lips, offering me a smile. “Everything about you is perfect,” he explained. “Worshipping you is addicting. May I demonstrate?”
I stared at him. I couldn’t tell if I was still stuck on the every waking moment comment or the fact that he looked like he was about to suck on my fingers.
“You can keep banging on the door with your other hand,” Azra offered. “It doesn’t bother me.”
Gently, I tugged my hand away. “I might need both hands in a minute.”
I went to knock again. Sam grabbed my wrist before it made contact, his free hand going to his shoulder. A burst of brilliant light formed as he summoned his blade.
His nostrils flared.
“Sulfur,” he growled, then glanced at me, instantly dismissing his weapon. “I will hold to my vow, but I sense a powerful demon on the other side of that door, Lilith. Be careful.”
“Hmm,” was all I said when the door finally yanked open. My knees went a little weak with relief. Then they went weaker as I laid eyes on Kaito and his gorgeous face.
Harsher than angels, but no less beautiful.
My heart lurched to a quivering halt as I took in the changes—the blue flames dancing around his horns burned so vivid, I could almost feel the heat.
His eyes glowed a brilliant silver as he locked gazes with me.
I had to remind myself to breathe when he finally looked at the twins with a note of distaste.
Azra grabbed me and shoved me behind him. “Stay back, Lily!” he shouted. “I’ve never seen one that ugly!”
“Azra!” I snapped. “I can take care of myself!”
“Take care of yourself?” Sam murmured, summoning his blade again. “That means you intend to fight this demon. My vow does not hold, swine. You’ve seen the last of your days!”
Sam’s blade caught on fire—blue fire, the same blue as the fire that danced over Kaito’s horns. He snarled at Kaito and lunged, swinging for him.
“No!” I shouted, panic giving me the strength to yank free from Azra.
I shoved Sam only a split second before the angel went for a second strike. Kaito had deflected the first with a wall of blue flame and mocking laughter. Thanks to my hurried interference, Sam’s blade ended up lodged in the door frame.
As he yanked on the stuck weapon, I shoved in front of Kaito and held up my hands.
“Stop it!” I shouted.
Azra went to grab my wrist and I smacked his hand away.
He yanked his head back, giving me a wounded look.
“If you try that again, I’ll rip out your feathers and you’ll look like a plucked chicken until they grow back in,” I warned him.
He grinned as if he would love every second of misery, as long as I was the one to dole it out. “I’d do anything to bring you pleasure, my beloved. Unfortunately they would grow back too fast, but I’d be willing to try.”
Not only sadists, but masochists too, apparently.
I pointed at Sam’s blade. “I’m about to shove that up your ass if you don’t dismiss it. Kaito is one of my Virtues. Stop trying to kill him.”
Sam and Azra gaped at me.
Azra was the first to speak and he sounded shocked to the core. “What? I mean, you spoke of your other Virtues. But… you never mentioned a demon.”
“I wonder why,” I said, my tone flat.
“This can’t be right,” Sam said, waving a hand as he dismissed the blade. “You mated… a demon?”
“You can bet your fucking halo she did.” Kaito gave Azra a smug look then shifted his fiery silver gaze to Sam. “Now, you can try to slice my head off again and see what happens, or I can have a chat with my mate. Alone.”
Azra’s smug amusement vanished, replaced with a quiet stillness that I didn’t like.
Sam just looked pissed as he muttered, “This Academy needs to deal with its demon problem.”
Kaito flipped them off with a cold smile, then, taking my hand, he tugged me into his office and slammed the door.