32. Hunter

Pandora Gravesend was special; I knew that much from the moment I saw her. But if what she had claimed was true, she would be a target for a lot of supernaturals…maybe even humans.

I paced the length of the meeting room within Reform Hall, unable to sit still.

The Demon Council sat around the large wooden table with Blackthistle, our headmaster, at the top.

We were all equal members of the council, but lately, he seemed to take on a leadership role that nobody was comfortable with.

The air was filled with the scent of sandstone and the subtle aroma of each council member”s unique smell, blending into a mass scent pool of demonic heritage.

We had called a meeting over the dark magic plague haunting the Demon Capital, and I had to inform the council about what happened last night—a painting filled with dark magic and Pandora, Death”s freaking daughter, who had absorbed it without becoming infected.

“Pandora, Death’s daughter, is remarkable,” I murmured. “Not only did she survive her mother”s cruelty, but now she”s purged dark magic from an ensorcelled painting. It’s possible she purged the dark magic from inside of an infected demon, too.”

Murmurs filled the room.

Death lounged in his chair, his black eyes as unreadable as usual. “Penny Bones, her mother, kept her hidden from me…from anyone,” he sneered. “I know little of her. She was a one-night stand, and I’d regretted it for so long, but I got Pandora out of it, so it was worth the mistake. But one thing I will not tolerate is using my daughter in this fight unless it’s absolutely necessary. We have a relic that can absorb dark magic as well. I suggest you count on that alone.”

The council murmured, their intrigue obviously piqued on more than the task at hand.

I watched them, noting the flickers of concern and curiosity that danced in their eyes, but no one asked the questions on the tips of their tongues.

“The Shadowheart family is under investigation,” Bane, the shadow demon representative, interjected. Her green eyes were sharp, and her tobacco scent tickled my nose. “Their involvement with dark magic cannot be overlooked. Since it was their son, Dexter Shadowheart, next to the painting, it’s safe to assume he’s working with them.”

“I disagree,” I told them, feeling the surprise roll into the room. “He is being abused by his parents, and his sister was most likely murdered by them. So even if he is doing things on their behalf…it’s definitely not something he wants to do. Besides, I can’t confirm or deny that he brought that painting. Though, I find it odd that it would be him because it caused him immense pain around it. There’s no way he could’ve carried the painting and held back the reaction that long.”

“The Shadowheart family is definitely hiding something,” Joel murmured, tossing a file on the table. “We just need to find evidence of it being dark magic.”

Grimes, the drude representative, spoke next, her voice as soothing as the lavender that perfumed her presence. “We”ve recovered a letter from a secret society named Dark Veil, addressed to Cass Nyx. It appears she has ties to it.”

The room tensed, the news of a secret society sending ripples of unease through the council members, including myself.

Uncovering the existence of a secret society was ominous news, and unease rolled through my gut.

Gloria Everglow, the dream demon representative who, for some reason, liked us using her first name, added, “We must investigate the secret society, Dark Veil, and their intent. The plague of dark magic in the Demon Capital is no coincidence.”

A silent agreement passed between us as I plopped into my seat next to Daryl and Joel.

“Bring her in,” Blackthistle called, his lips twitching in pure irritation as he sat at the head of the table.

Cass Nyx, a woman I recognized as Reed Nyx’s mother, was then escorted into the chamber by his assistant, her human aura a stark contrast to the demonic energy that filled the room.

“We know all about your involvement with Dark Veil. You will answer our questions about them,” Malice, the fear demon representative, demanded, his purple eyes unyielding.

She bobbed her head, Afro moving with the motion. “I don’t know much.”

“You know they’re responsible for the dark magic plague in the Demon Capital, do you not?” Death raised a brow at her.

Her brown eyes filled with fear as she nodded. “Yes.”

“Do you know why?” he asked.

She wrung her hands together as she stood before us, and I noticed the bags around her eyes. Reed and I had spoken about her a lot in our sessions. She’d been a statue after his dad died, but recently, her behavior had become odd. I couldn’t be more disappointed in her as Reed’s mother.

“Dark Veil worships the Veil, where dark magic is thought to exist. The worshippers use shadow rituals of demonic curses to bring the dark magic here, and when it’s here, they infect demons to help the demon wield the dark magic. Once this is successful, a new demon species will be born that can wield dark magic. The demon species would be the most powerful of all the supernaturals,” she rattled off without so much as blinking.

“But you’re human,” Gloria said gently.

She nodded, and a dreadful swirl of reality slipping was in her eyes. “But my son is a dream demon, and once infected, he can bring my fated mate, his father, back from the dead.”

“You will not infect Reed Nyx with dark magic,” I growled out, feeling fiercely protective of my student. I’d kill her before that happened.

“But you don’t understand, he?—”

“I understand that if you infect your son with dark magic, he will die an unbearable death.” I slammed my hands on the surface of the desk, and she jumped.

“But they said he would be stronger, more perfect.” She cast her gaze downward.

“You will serve as our informant,” Blackthistle told her.

She jolted again, and when her eyes flew to the headmaster, she froze. I wasn’t a fear demon, but I knew for sure Link was having a feast on hers. “I—yes. Whatever you say.”

“I will send you to your husband if you so much as think about infecting your son, got it?” I growled at her. “I’ve seen those infected. They rot from the inside out. I knew you were a shit mother, but you are worse than he alluded to.”

Her mouth fell open as shock enveloped her expression. “He…you spoke with my son? He thinks that?”

“I’m his counselor,” I informed her before turning to Joel, specifically because he was an incubus and could perform the specific demonic curse we needed him to. “Make a demonic pact with her to make sure she understands the terms of her being an informant. Make sure not infecting Reed Nyx is in it.”

He nodded, and with a few incantations, he bound her with a demonic curse, ensuring her compliance and silence, or she’d die a poisonous death.

As the meeting ended and Cass Nyx was escorted out of the office, Joel nudged my arm. “Talk to me, Hunter. Honestly, you have fucking stars in your eyes. But they’re also haunted. I’ve never seen that look on you, and it’s weird.”

“What look?” I frowned.

“Like you’ve been given a puppy with a demonic curse to die in three days,” he deadpanned, crossing his arms.

“Pandora is...perfect,” I admitted, my voice a low murmur in hopes that Death didn’t hear me talking about his daughter since he was in a deep conversation with Link about something. “But she”s freshly freed from a lifetime of shackles, literally. She needs time.”

Joel’s blue gaze widened. “You have feelings for her, though.”

I glanced away, watching the council members discuss a few more last minute details about the dark magic cases in the capital. “Yes. But her path to healing has to come first. I can’t hurt her, and if I share my romantic feelings for her too soon, that’s what it would do.”

He clapped me on the shoulder, a very welcomed show of support. “You’ll be able to share soon. Demons bounce back from trauma faster than any other supernatural. You’ve told me that.”

“That’s true,” I murmured. It was proven after countless studies that demonic energy helped us cope with serious traumas. The theory was because demons were so cruel, our energy had to make us malleable to cope with it.

“But remember, others don’t have the same concerns as you,” he said, squeezing my shoulder before dropping his hand and getting to his feet. “You might not be the only one who likes her.”

My lips parted at the realization that if someone did have feelings for her, they probably wouldn’t hold them back because they didn’t know she was healing from something.

My thoughts shifted to Reed Nyx, and I knew he had feelings for her that were more than friendship—and I’d encouraged him to get closer to her.

An ache bloomed in my chest as I watched the other council members disperse, but Blackthistle lingered by the door as if he had been listening to Joel and I.

The headmaster had always been nosy, and he’d always set off alarms with my instincts, but nothing could compare to the chill down my spine when I met his gaze.

A heavy coat of dread hung in the air, and I knew it was a sign of the dark magic that was out to destroy everything that we, as demons, knew.