24. Skel

My magic reserves were overfilled to the point that I thought I was about to fucking combust. Fear clogged this damn closet, and my own fear of dying mixed with Gravesend’s residual fear lingering. Dex’s fear was very faint but also mixed in there since my fear magic spilled from me in buckets.

Who knew what he was fucking seeing at this point. I wasn’t just losing control. I was completely out of control.

I fumbled in my pocket, yanked out my pipe with shaky hands, and inhaled intensely a few times. The warm and velvety magic filled my lungs and extended through my body. My heavy eyelids shut, and I focused on the way my tongue was coated with the familiar sweetness of honey and fruit from the fae magic.

Dex’s cursing fell away, replaced by a gentle ringing in my ears, like crystals on wind chimes in a gentle but steady breeze. The magic did its job, tuning out reality until there was nothing left.

Every fiber of my magic rolled back into me as I sank further into the magic-induced serenity that the pipe offered. This fucking pipe saved my ass in more ways than one. The fae sure knew how to make enchanted items.

My fear magic plugged up, for now.

I cracked open my eyes and exhaled the rainbow smoke that swirled and glittered before dissipating, and my mouth fell open at the sight in front of me.

Dex, fucking Dexter Shadowheart, had Gravesend scooped up bridal style in his arms, staring at her with fucking glitter in his eyes. Glitter.

I took another hit, exhaling another plume of rainbow smoke that danced like a specter of color before fading out. When I focused back on Dex, I realized I had seen what I thought I’d seen.

Dex’s face was turned down toward hers, and I could see his expression shimmer with a softness I didn’t think he was ever fucking capable of.

Gravesend lay limp in his arms, her long obsidian-black tresses spilling over Dex’s arm like water.

I pushed up off the ground, the fae magic coursing through me beautifully to make sure I wasn’t losing control of my fear magic again. That shit sucked.

I flicked my gaze to her face and took in her full red lips that looked stained by the blood of her victims, and they were parted slightly as if she were beyond exhaustion. Her rosy cheeks were the only sign of life against her porcelain skin.

She was prettier than anyone or anything I’d ever seen.

Not that I’d admit that. She was Death’s daughter, and I wasn’t going to give in to her allure.

We hadn’t come here to gawk at her; we’d come here to teach her a lesson about talking shit to Bram. He was fucking sensitive to the word bastard, and I didn’t like anyone using that against him.

But honestly?

He probably said something pretty shitty to her first. I mean, he was a drunk bastard. But he was my friend, too.

And…Bram wasn’t afraid of me. He didn’t look at me with fear ingrained into his skull the way other demons did.

Dex dipped his head closer to her, and I stilled.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I hissed. “Don’t be a creep.”

“I’m not.” His shadow magic danced and twisted around him, but one tendril shot out and ever so carefully caressed her cheek. “She’s really fucking pretty, Skel. Can’t we keep her?”

“Bram would lose his absolute shit, dude.” I thinned my lips at him. I originally thought he was joking, but not so much now that he looked like I kicked his puppy.

“But she’s really fucking pretty,” he mumbled, another shadow tendril gliding over her thigh wrap. “I really want to know what’s under here.”

“Don’t.” My voice was sharp like a whip, and I stormed over to one of the two of hims I could see and glared. “She deserves her privacy just like you did.”

His eyes hardened, and he took an audible gulp and called the tendril on the wrap back to him. He knew damn well I was referring to when he wore a bright purple scarf to hide the scar around his neck. Now, he wears nothing, and his large scar is on display. But there was a time when he was ashamed of it.

I’d been ashamed of the scar sliced across my right eye my entire fucking life, but I never got a chance to hide it. When I was this high, I started seeing doubles, and I had a suspicion it had a lot to do with how deep her shadow tendril dug into my cornea that day.

I could remember the fear on her face when she stared down at me, but instead of nurturing me, she…

“I wonder…” His other tendrils moved around them both almost possessively. “How pretty would her tears be?”

“You’re a fucking psycho, Dex,” I spat, but I couldn’t even feel my face anymore from the pipe’s magic.

“Pretty sure it’s called having an antisocial personality disorder, actually.” His lips curved into a wider grin.

“That’s totally why you voiced wanting to know that.” I attempted to roll my eyes, but I ended up blinking weirdly. “You…my dear Dex, are a fucking sociopath.”

Fates, I was so high.

At least my magic wasn’t leaking.

He shrugged. “Or a psychopath…or it’s just because my head has been cut off so many times.” A rough chuckle burst from his chest. “Let’s go. I’m not about to get my ass chewed out by Darkmore again.”

Darkmore had taken a liking to the little soul eater, apparently.

He reached out and snatched my wrist with a tendril, and I stumbled along with him through his shadows until we came out in front of Sunstone Revive.

The sun blazed overhead, casting golden rays onto the large sunstone that rose from the sands like a platform. It was circular, and a subtle hum emanated from the gemstone. It was the sound of raw power, the vibration of the enchantment to boost the powers it already possessed woven into the stone.

I much preferred this inanimate stone to a healer. It didn’t ask questions, and with Gravesend unconscious, we didn’t need anyone asking questions. All we wanted was to fuck with her a little bit.

Dex strode over and carefully placed Gravesend down on the shimmering sunstone’s surface, and a spectrum of furry oranges and reds rippled from underneath her. His gaze was so fucking soft, softer than anything I’d ever seen in his eyes before.

I inhaled a breath, and a dry, mineral aroma filled my nose. “You sure this is going to work? We don’t even know what’s wrong with her.”

“It’s supposed to heal anything except those dying, and I don’t think she’s dying, so.” Dex shrugged, stepping back off the stone as it hummed with energy. “Yeah, I think it’ll fucking work.”

“Her fear is the most filling I’ve had, and that’s as dangerous as Blezen for me.” I took another hit, letting the magic calm the hunger in my reserves for more. “I’m never in control, but being around her makes my fear magic slip more.”

“Interesting.” His gaze glittered with interest as he stared at her prone form on the gemstone with her hair fanned out around her. “I lose control around her, too.”

Her chest rose and fell gently as if she hadn’t just brought out her powers to kill us.

Fear splintered in my chest as I remembered just how fucking close we were to dying, and I clenched my jaw tightly.

Why had she turned on us so fucking violently? It wasn’t like we were there to hurt her.

Her fingers twitched first, brushing against the gemstone we’d placed her on.

Then, she inhaled sharply, and her eyes snapped open. Her bright red irises darted to Dex and me as she pushed herself to sit up. Her fear rolled off her, mixed with what looked like…anger?

Dex smirked at her, strolling over and squatting down in front of her. “Please tell me what’s under that wrap, trouble.”

Her breaths came in short, ragged pulls, but she didn’t answer as she stared at him like he was crazy. Which, I guessed, he was.

“No,” she croaked. “What in the Fates happened?”

Dex’s head tilted as he leaned closer, and it reminded me a whole lot of a predator closing in on prey. “You’re like a fucking buffet of negative emotions.” He drew in a deep inhale. “Why does a pretty demon like you have so much pain?”

“Pretty?” She brushed a few stray strands of her dark hair from her face with trembling fingers. “You think I’m pretty?”

Dex tossed his head back with a barking laugh. “Of course I fucking do!” He reached out his hand to her and stood back up. “I think you’re stunning.”

Her hand timidly reached out and closed around his. “I…thank you.”

“No thanks needed.” He hauled her to her feet, tugging her off the platform and onto the sand. “I’ll tell you how pretty you are every chance I get. Right, Skel?”

“Skel?” My name tumbled from her lips, and my spine clicked ramrod straight.

It sounded like fucking Heaven from her, and even though I didn’t give her permission to use it, I didn’t want to correct her.

“For a noble, you’re alright,” I settled on saying, smoking my pipe and enjoying the blush blooming on her cheeks. “If you call me Skel, I’m calling you Pandora. Got it, princess?”

“I, um, yes. That’s fine.” Her posture straightened, and her pretty lips twisted into a scowl. “Wait, what were you thinking sneaking up on me like that? Don’t you know cornering a woman in a dark closet isn’t right?”

Dex faltered, his expression smearing with confusion. “We—uh, we were…” he stumbled over his words.

“We were trying to tell you not to bitch at Bram like that again,” I interjected, shooting a glare his way. “Calling him a bastard was low.”

“He called me a slut,” she snapped, fire simmering in her red eyes. “I’m not, and you all seem to really hate me for no reason.”

“I don’t hate you,” Dex mumbled, crossing his arms and pouting. “I just really love your pain.”

Her eyes widened.

“I don’t hate you for no reason,” I added spitefully, poking a finger in her direction. “Bram hates you because you’re a noble, but I hate you because of what you represent.”

She flinched, frowning deeper. “What do I represent?”

“Death, princess,” I told her. “You represent death.”

“But…I can’t help either of those,” she rasped, her voice thick with sadness.

I hesitated at the sound, but I jerked my head to the side and refused to make eye contact with her as I smoked my pipe.

I didn’t care that she was sad.

She tried to eat my soul.

“Your powers went fucking crazy, you tried to kill us, then you passed out,” Dex explained to her.

“Oh, Fates, I tried to…”

“Eat our souls, yeah.” Dex bounced his head up and down casually.

“Thank you for bringing me here, then,” she murmured softly as Dex and I drew close to her. Her caramel scent was as fucking intoxicating as her fear was. “The gemstone’s healing helped.”

“Anything for you,” Dex purred, swiping his tongue out and flashing that piercing of his.

“I should get back before Ashenfell notices I’m gone.” She glanced around before panic struck her eyes, and fear spiked from her. “Where’s my bag?”

“He won’t notice,” Dex assured her cockily, slipping his hand through the shadows before pulling back with her black bag dangling from his fingers.

“Thank you, Dex.” She grabbed the bag and checked it before sighing in relief and slinging the strap over her shoulder. “I failed at getting my power to take an animated soul.”

“You almost took ours instead,” I spat, my fear rising inside me at the memory of her black eyes with no fucking horns. I took another deep hit. “You know your demon form is just black fucking eyes?”

“It is?” She blinked, pain passing through her gaze as she shook her head. “I’ve never actually been in demon form before. Well, at least, I’ve never really noticed it. Even when my powers activate.”

“That’s fucking weird,” I drawled, inhaling more fae magic to make my blood tingle. “A demon with no horns.”

“Kind of hot.” Dex bit down on his bottom lip, and the look she swung him was almost comical.

“Dude.” I groaned, rubbing my hand down my face.

A group of demons passed by at that moment, and a nasally, judgmental voice pierced the air. “Gravesend? Why are you hanging out with the scummy demons?”

Gravesend looked down at her hand, and I noticed the ring on her finger turn from white to black.

She tensed before glancing between us and them. “They aren’t scummy.”

My brows shot up. She was defending us again? Why the fuck was that? No noble usually defended the lower class with shitty families. It just didn’t happen.

“You don’t understand basic class rules,” her blonde roommate snapped at her. I thought her name was Dreading or something.

“I don’t have to, Dreadful,” Gravesend snapped back.

Ah, I was close.

Dreadful’s gaze glittered with malice. “Not only are you fighting back against basic demonic nature by trying to befriend these pieces of shit, but your best friend is a fucking kitten skull you sleep cuddled up next to. Not to mention, your hair can’t even hold magic highlights. Something’s wrong with you.”

“Wrong with me?” Gravesend’s fingers wrapped around her throat as if speaking hurt her. “I don’t understand you, Dreadful. You’re just…you’re mean.”

Dreadful reared back with a gasp, and the nobles with her looked surprised. “Alright, Gravesend. I’ve tried to be nice to you, but not anymore. From here on out, you’re enemy number one, regardless of who daddy is.”

I took another hit, mildly entertained by the exchange.

A growl tumbled from Dex before Gravesend could reply as he stepped up to the blonde noble. “You’re declaring war on her? Might as well call it on me, too. I’d love to gut you and prove that even nobles have normal fucking demon guts. Nothing makes you special like you think it does.”

Fear clung to the air around Dreadful as her shoulders shook. “Looks like you’ve fucked one, huh?” She attempted to mask the fear and cross her arms as she glowered at Gravesend. “Fucking and liking are two different things. This is more than fucking, Gravesend.”

“No, I didn’t.” She darted her gaze to her feet. “I, I don’t…”

Dex visibly fucking flinched. “Right, because I’m not worth fucking.”

Gravesend’s head snapped up with wide, confused eyes. “What?”

“She’s still a noble,” I reminded him with another draw of my pipe. “They’re all the same. This one is just less shitty. Doesn’t mean she’s not still a bitch.”

“She’s a weirdo, don’t worry, Shadowheart,” Dreadful cooed mockingly. “She’s always drooling after you. I know she wants to fuck you, but now I think she has feelings for you. The way she defends you and the other weak demons is pathetic.”

Dex’s expression hardened, but he moved his gaze to Gravesend with hope.

“This is stupid. Remember what I said.” Dreadful flicked her hair over her shoulder and strode away.

The rest of the nobles flocked behind her as they shot seething glares toward us and one of their own.

“You have feelings for me, trouble?” He leaned closer to Gravesend with a devious smirk.

Her entire face flushed red. It was kind of cute, but I didn’t miss the spike of fear as he got close to her.

“Don’t forget that she’s still a noble.” I blew out the magic I’d been holding in. “I’m not falling for this shit. She’s fucking terrified of you.”

I turned and stalked away, leaving the two of them together to be awkward or whatever.

Dex had a crush on a noble. And not just any noble. Death’s daughter.

I rolled my eyes as I strolled toward Rapture Cavern, a cave about half a mile out from campus surrounded by dunes.

The scorching sun was at its peak in the sky, casting a relentless fucking blaze on me as I walked. A slight breeze ruffled the fabric of my shirt, only slightly cooling me off.

Why would Dex choose her of all demons to take an interest in?

A flash of her face flickered into my mind, and my heart clenched.

I stopped at the edge of Rapture Cavern; the sounds of campus and the two of them had faded a while ago, replaced with a soft whisper of sand shifting with each step.

The cave mouth loomed over me, a patch of shadows in the dry and sandy landscape. The cave was rumored to be infected with dark magic, but I called bullshit on that. I could already hear the scuffle of paws echoing within from the cavern’s inhabitants, the pride of cats that had claimed it as their own.

I shifted the bag on my shoulder, knowing I’d had plenty of leftover fish inside. The fish were a rare treat for the feline residents, a break from their usual diet of whatever small creatures they could catch, I was sure.

Granted, I’d only found them a week ago when I wandered too far one night after a call with Dad. He had told me that Katherine wasn’t ready to talk to me yet, but that was fine. The cats and I became fast friends once they realized I would feed them. They reminded me of Katherine since she had a special power to shift into a common black cat, so being around them made me feel close to her somehow still.

As I approached the cave, the temperature dropped significantly, and I thanked the Fates for the shade against the afternoon heat. Quite a few of the cats noticed my arrival, curious eyes watching me from the safety of the cavern’s mouth.

They weren’t used to my visits yet, but they would be.

I knelt down and dug into my bag, pulling out the fish in the bags I’d brought from the cafeteria. Carefully, I began to distribute pieces of fish onto flat stones near the entrance.

The scent of food must’ve convinced them because they started to emerge, their lithe forms scurrying for the fish in pairs.

One by one, the little furballs accepted my gifts—their sounds of content purring mingled with the chewing of the fish.

When we were kids, Katherine had first come into her gift of shifting into a cat when we were out playing. I’d come home with her curled in my arms, and Dad didn’t believe me that the cat was my sister. It took her two fucking days to shift back, and I’d hidden her in her room in the closet.

Dad apologized to both of us profusely after learning the truth.

I smiled at the memory.

About twenty minutes of bliss passed before the cats started to hiss at random spots around the area, and I realized that my fear magic was leaking and scaring the shit out of them. The majority of them tucked tail and ran to the safety of their home. A few brave cats swatted at the images of predators around them, illusions made by my magic.

Eventually, all the cats abandoned me out of fear—and it was my fault.

I brought the pipe to my lips and took hit after hit until I saw fucking stars and heard the cats come back and start talking back to me.