“I know, but things are different now. Everyone knows who—and what—you are, and both angels and demons will want to use you.” His mouth twists. “Or they’ll want you dead.”
Chapter Five
Olivia
It’s the first day of school…and time to face the Princes.
Araceli and I moved back into our dorm room yesterday, and then went to Uriel’s orientation, where he went over the rules and introduced us to the new teachers. I was relieved to see I’d never slept with any of them this time.
As I head outside into the sunshine and breathe in the crisp air, I glance at the bell tower. It’s a habit to look for the Princes’ shining metallic wings, even though I dread the idea of seeing them. Luckily, the bell tower appears empty.
Unfortunately, my first class of the day is Combat Training, which means I’ll have to face Callan. The one saving grace is that Araceli shares the class with me, so I don’t have to walk into the danger zone alone.
I keep my head high and my shoulders square as I walk into the gym with my friend at my side. I spot Tanwen first, who is playing with her straw-colored ponytail, and she gives me a little nod. It’s unexpected, and I’m not sure what to do in return. Then my eyes land on Callan.
Somehow over the last few months I forgot just how incredibly handsome he is, and I nearly stumble as it hits me all over again. Short golden hair. Bright blue eyes. Muscles for miles. He’s delicious. And I should know—I’ve kissed him twice now.
My eyes narrow as I remember how he played the video of our second kiss to the entire school to show I was a succubus. The bastard betrayed my trust and revealed my deepest secret in an attempt to get me expelled. He said it was for my own good, that he was doing it because my brother told him to keep me away from the school, but I don’t buy it. He did it because he wanted me, and he couldn’t handle wanting a demon. Even one who’s half angel.
His eyes are hard as he stares back at me, and he crosses his arms. It feels like a challenge, but he should know by now that I’m not going to back down. I move to stand along the wall, still meeting his eyes, and only look away when Professor Hilda’s voice announces the start of class.
"Welcome back, Second Years," Hilda says with a grim smile. She’s one of the Valkyries and looks like she could tear a man in half with her bare hands. I pity anyone who would try to mess with her. "This semester, we're learning weapons."
She indicates the far wall, where a myriad of different types of weapons are displayed on several tables. "Callan is going to help me demonstrate the proper use of each of these weapons over the next few classes, and then you're going to try each of them out. Over time, you’ll find an affinity for one of them. By the end of the year, I expect you to be able to pick up any weapon and use it without injuring yourself in the process, and to be well-trained in the weapon of your choice.”
Callan walks over to one of the tables and picks up the first weapon, a huge two-handed sword. My mouth waters a little as he lifts the heavy blade with ease. Hating him would be a lot easier if he wasn’t such a perfect specimen of masculinity.
"Sit,” Hilda says. “Get comfortable."
The wrestling mats are on the ground, and Araceli and I settle down behind the Valkyries. Tanwen shoots me a look as I pass by her, and I wonder what her deal is this year. Is she preparing her next verbal attack, now that she knows I’m part demon? I realize she wasn’t behind the notes and vandalism last year, like I initially suspected, but it’s not like she’s ever been nice to me either—and that was back when she thought I was half-human. How much worse will it be this year?
Hilda talks about the proper use of the sword, including stance, grip, and footwork. I try to pay attention to everything she says, but it’s hard to keep my eyes off of Callan. Every time that asshole swings his sword, he makes sure to do it while looking directly at me. As if he's imagining thrusting the blade into me with every strike.
Or maybe he’s thinking about thrusting something else into me.
I shift a little on the mat at that thought, trying to ignore the growing heat between my thighs. It’s hard though, when Callan keeps swinging that sword like some kind of sexy barbarian warrior. I’m a modern woman who doesn’t need a man to save her, but sometimes it’s pretty hot knowing a guy could save you if you were in danger. Even if I hate him.
He glares at me like he knows what I’m thinking about, and I give him a seductive wink in return because I know it will annoy him. He practically seethes, and I only smile wider. I can’t wait ‘til he sees what I have planned for him.
By the time class is over, I could use a cold shower. The good news is, I’m pretty sure which weapon I’m going to focus on this year—the dagger. It’s a weapon of stealth and skill, perfectly suited for me, whereas Callan is more attuned to weapons that require brute strength. Maybe Hilda will be the one training me, instead of him.
As the class heads out of the gym in a big group, someone moves past me and bumps my shoulder hard.
"Sorry,” I mutter, the apology coming automatically.
"Why don't you watch where you're going?" The guy that plowed into me jerks away and stares at me as if I've just vomited on him. "Don't touch me again, demon filth."
I blink at the guy as he rushes away, and it takes me a second to remember his name. Jeremy. He was in my Flight class last year, and I never really paid him any attention. He didn't seem interested in being my friend, but he wasn’t particularly rude or anything. He never gave me a reason to think badly of him, until now.
"Whoa," Araceli says. "What was that about? He's never acted like that before."
"He obviously has a strong opinion about demons, and I’m sure he’s not the only one." I push the door open to go out toward the lake and pretend the encounter didn't hurt my feelings. I'm still the same person I was last year, but not everyone is going to see that. They were already standoffish before when they thought I was half human, and I imagine it will only get worse now.
"Don't sweat it," Araceli says. “Not everyone will be a dick, I promise.”
Probably not. But if I expected my second year at Seraphim Academy to be any easier than my first, I’m already being proved wrong.
Chapter Six
Olivia
I’m relieved to see Raziel is teaching Fae Studies this year, and even happier when he gives me a kind smile as I step into his classroom. He looks exactly the same as he did last year, with his friendly face, salt and pepper hair, and quirky bowties. Today’s is white with black Scottie dogs on it.
I got an A last year in Demon Studies, naturally, and I’m hoping to do just as well in this class. Thanks to my research over the summer, I know more than the average angel or demon about the fae. I’m hoping this class either reinforces that knowledge or teaches me something I don’t know already. I trust that Raziel will keep things fairly unbiased, like he did in Demon Studies, even though the things I most want to know probably won’t be covered in the class. Like what the fae do with their prisoners, and how to rescue one.
I take a seat at the front of the classroom and get out my notebook, then groan out loud when Bastien walks in. I should have known I’d share this class with at least one of the Princes.
He doesn’t even give me a glance. We might as well be strangers, except he sits at the desk beside me even though most of the classroom is still empty. I arch an eyebrow at him, but he ignores me as he pulls out a black Moleskin journal and a pen. As he slowly flips to a blank page, I glimpse very precise handwriting in black ink, with no doodles or anything else. It’s all so very Bastien.
“Welcome to Fae Studies,” Raziel says in his cheerful voice once class starts. “I’m so happy to see some familiar faces here. This year we’re going to learn all about the reclusive fae, along with the world they live in, Faerie. Though most of you probably won’t have any encounters with the fae other than at the school’s sports games, it’s still important to learn about them, because you never know when things might
change.”
I lean forward, pen poised, greedy for whatever knowledge Raziel can impart upon me—and not just because I hope it will help me find Jonah. Surprisingly, I’m actually really curious about the fae. The Olivia of a year ago would have laughed at the person I’ve become. I never cared all that much about school before coming to Seraphim Academy.
“Just like there are different types of angels and demons, there are different types of fae,” Raziel continues. “They’re divided into four Courts, based on the seasons. Each Court has its own king or queen, but they’re all ruled by the High King of Faerie, who united the courts after the Faerie Wars. We’ll talk more about those wars in upcoming weeks, but first let’s go over some basics. What do you know about the fae already?”
Jeremy raises his hand. Ugh, he’s in this class too? “They have pointed ears.”
Raziel nods. “Yes, they do, and a few of them even have wings, although that’s pretty rare and mostly found in the royal families. What else?”
“They’re weak against iron,” another student calls out.
“They can’t lie,” someone else adds.
“All very true,” Raziel says. “Although they’re very good at misdirection and twisting their words, so that even though they’re speaking the truth, they’re not actually being honest. You must be very careful to never make any bargains with them, especially since they’re famous for being tricksters. They’re also known for being cruel and inhuman, mainly because they see themselves as better than all other races, which makes them somewhat callous.”
I could say the same thing about some of the angels I’ve met so far, like the ones in the Order. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are demons like that too. Then again, even among humans there are people with superiority complexes and hatred of people who are different. Discrimination and prejudice seem to be universal traits, unfortunately.
Raziel continues giving a basic introduction and overview of the fae, until our time is up and the students begin to file out. I’m starting to think Bastien and I might ignore each other forever, but as we exit the room he gives me a little nod. “See you in class tomorrow.”
Before I can reply, he turns on his heel and stalks away. I check out his ass again, because hey, why not. A succubus can look, can’t she?
My next class is Ishim Training, taught by Nariel. I met him briefly last year, and he tested my Ishim abilities about a week ago. I debated playing inexperienced again, but decided I didn’t want to get stuck in the First Year class with the newbies. Thanks to my father’s training, I suspect I could have been placed with the Third Years in skill level, but I’m happy to be in this class with the other Second Years.
When I enter the room, I’m surprised to see Grace there, since she’s a year ahead of me. Her normally pale skin has a nice tan, and her strawberry blond hair seems especially bright, like all the Florida sunshine over the holidays made her even more beautiful.
She gives me a kind smile and a light hug. “How have you been?”
“Good. How was your trip to Disney World?”
“So much fun,” she says. “My little brother loved it, and it was a nice distraction from everything that happened last year.”
Grace was my brother’s girlfriend, and she seemed to really care about him and worry about his disappearance. However, she’s also a member of the Order of the Golden Throne, so I can’t entirely trust her, even though I wish I could. She knew he went to Faerie, and knew I was his half-sister, and didn’t tell me anything until I found out on my own. I can’t forget that, even though she might have had her reasons.
“What are you doing in this class?” I ask.
“Nariel let me test out of the Third Year class, and now I’m working as his teacher’s assistant in the hopes of becoming a professor someday. With the way the school is growing every year, they’re going to need a lot more teachers soon.”
“That’s great. It’ll be nice to have a friendly face in the class.” The only other student I’ve heard of testing out of classes is Callan with Combat Training. I bet it helps that Nariel is Grace’s uncle. I don’t see any resemblance between the two of them though. Nariel almost looks like an albino, with very light hair and very pale skin. He must have lathered on the sunblock while in Florida, because he didn’t get even a hint of a tan while they were there.
Ishim class goes by quickly, and after a small lunch in my dorm, I head to my fourth class of the day—Angelic Studies. Kassiel gives me the subtlest of nods when I walk in, and I raise my eyebrows at him. Last year he only taught the 101 class, but now he must be teaching this one instead. Did he switch to 102 because I’m in it? It feels arrogant to think so, but it feels right too. I’m pretty sure he did it to be close to me, even though it would be a lot easier for us if he wasn’t my teacher anymore—no more sexual tension distracting me in class, for one thing. But at the same time, I’m relieved to see him standing at the chalkboard. He’s a good teacher, and I like being around him, even if it’s torture of the best kind—his classes are always a mixture of barely contained desire and interesting stories.
I sit in the front row and cross my legs, and his green eyes drop down to them. He swallows hard and looks away for a moment, but then he looks back, like he can’t help himself.
Oh yeah, he likes the torture just as much as I do.
Light Control is my last class of the day, and it’s out by the lake, probably so we can soak up the sunlight. They chose this mountain in northern California for Seraphim Academy because it’s one of the sunniest places in America, and today doesn’t disappoint. My angel side wants to stretch her wings and soar over the lake, but I settle for taking off my sweater and letting the light sink into my skin.
The teacher, Eileen, is a red-haired angel with freckles on her nose, and her eyes widen with a hint of fear when she sees me. Great, even a professor is scared of me now.
“Angels and demons both use life force to fuel their powers, and they need to recharge that in different ways,” she explains. “Angels use light, and demons have different ways of doing this depending on their type. The Fallen use darkness, vampires use blood—”
“And succubi use sex,” a Valkyrie I don’t know says with a smirk.
Eileen’s face turns bright red and she glances at me quickly before looking away. “Um, well, yes. As I was saying, in this class you’ll learn how to best recharge yourselves, and how to use your light magic in ways you might not have thought of before.”
Like my other classes, this one is mostly an overview of what to expect during the year, and I find my attention wandering. My gaze drifts over the lake, watching the breeze make tiny ripples in the water, and then I spot Marcus standing on the other side. Looking directly at me.
I’m going to have to face him soon—and I’m so not ready.
Chapter Seven
Marcus
I'm going to be late to my Human Studies class, but I can't keep myself from stopping to watch Liv in her Light Control class. It’s outside next to the lake, and her dark brown hair shines under the bright sun as she listens to the professor. She’s so beautiful it makes my chest hurt, and I long to go to her and beg her to take me back.
I managed to stay away from her over the winter, even though it was hard. Especially when I found out she continued sleeping with Bastien, even though she’s still pissed at him. I understand why she did it, but they both know she needs to feed on more than one person, and dammit, it should be me helping her, not anyone else.
I’m filled with guilt at the thought. Now that I know she’s Jonah’s sister, I can’t look at her the same way without feeling like I’ve betrayed my best friend somehow. Jonah would kill me if he knew what happened last year, although maybe he’d cut me some slack if he knew I slept with her to keep her safe and healthy. Does that make it okay to sleep with your best friend’s sister? Could he ever forgive me?
Of course, that’s not the only thing I’m going to have to answer for, if we ever find Jona
h. In a moment of weakness, when it was clear Jonah wasn’t coming back, I slept with his girlfriend, Grace. It was a monumental mistake and we both regretted it immediately and swore we’d never bring it up again. I’ve avoided Grace ever since then, but I'll have to own up to that with Jonah, and tell him how sorry I am.
I head to my Human Studies class, but I find it hard to concentrate on anything the professor says. Callan is in it too, but I shoot him a cold look and sit on the other side of the room. I haven’t spoken to him or Bastien after they betrayed Liv, and although I miss them, I’m still pissed at them too.
Afterwards, I head back to my dorm to get ready for soccer practice. It’s going to be intense, because the fae always kick Seraphim’s ass at the sport, but I consider skipping it anyway because I just don’t care. Ever since school ended last year, I’ve been feeling…lost.
I step into the elevator to my dorm, the one I still share with Jonah even though he’s been gone more than a year. I hate going back there. It’s too empty, and every time I glance at his door, I’m reminded that he’s gone and probably never coming back.
Olivia steps into the elevator just before the door closes, and she stiffens when she sees me. For a few seconds we’re alone, and I have to say something. I have to try.
“Liv,” I say. “I missed you.”
She doesn’t answer, but just stares at the elevator door. It’s going to open any moment now and she’s going to leave. Before I know what I’m doing, I hit the STOP button and the elevator jerks to a halt.
“I’m sorry,” I continue. “I never meant to hurt you, and everything I did last year was to protect you.”
Her unusual green eyes cut to me sharply. “Trashing my room was protecting me?”
I cringe, but at least she’s talking to me now. “Yes, in our own way, or at least we thought so at the time. It was stupid though, and I should have stopped Callan and Bastien. We should have been honest with you from the beginning.”
Seraphim Academy 2: Sinful Things Page 3
