Chapter 1

Erica

The alarm on my phone blares and I curse under my breath as I hurry around my room collecting all the stuff I need for study group. I can't believe I managed to lose track of time. It's not an academy mandated thing I'm attending, but with the Supernatural Psychology exam just around the corner, I can't afford to miss it. Especially when I didn't do as well in my coursework as I'd hoped to.

I stuff my tablet into my bag, along with a bottle of water and a snack bar. Ideally I'd stop for lunch before I go to the library, but I don't think it's going to be possible.

I check I'm not wearing anything that should be relegated to the bin and grab my phone from my desk just as it lights up and my sister's name appears on the screen. I switch my bag to my other shoulder and press the green button.

"Someone better be dying," I say as I leave my room, fumbling with my keys to lock my room.

"Erica! Do you always answer the phone like that?" she admonishes.

"I rarely answer the phone," I point out. "I'm only doing it this time because I know you're really busy right now."

"That's why I'm calling. Will you cover the shop on Saturday?" Even over the phone I can hear the pleading note in her voice.

"Where are you going?" I smile at Sunil as he holds the door open for me, grateful that my flatmate isn't making me go through it while on the floor.

Danielle sighs on the other end of the line. "On date. Please don't tell Mum, you know she'll pry."

"My lips are sealed," I promise, heading out into the slightly chilly day. It's nearly June, I have no idea why it's so cold. I suppose that's the British weather in a nutshell, it rarely does what it's supposed to.

"So, will you?" Danielle asks.

"Will I what? Tell Mum? Of course not," I promise. It's not like I haven't had my share of things that I want keeping quiet from her.

"No, cover the shop on Saturday."

I sigh, entering the library and checking whether any of my psychology study group members are in the coffee shop already. Mandy raises a hand to wave from where she's standing by Darius, and I respond in kind, glad I don't have to have a conversation with my sister while trying to order the whole group coffee. "If I can study while I'm behind the counter. I have exams coming up," I say down the phone.

"Fine."

"And I want commission," I respond. "There are going to be loads of students coming to get dresses for the end of year ball, I want commission on what I can sell."

"You drive a hard bargain."

"I'm your sister, it's what I do," I point out.

"What do you want?" Danielle asks, and from her tone, I can tell she's going to give it to me. "I can offer you double time."

"I don't need double time. But I do want the pink backless dress from the window."

She laughs. "That's it?"

I shrug before realising she can't see me. "It's more than I can afford on a student budget. But you still have to pay me." The only advantage to me working in my sister's dress shop is that I can get a good dress out of it when I need one.

"Consider it yours. But I'd probably have given it to you anyway, you know the winter stuff will be coming into stock in the next couple of weeks."

"Then you're getting a great deal."

"I definitely owe you one."

"You do. But I need to go now, I'm about to go into study group," I say.

"All right, I'll message you about Saturday," she responds.

We say our goodbyes and I hang up the phone. I let out a sigh and push open the door to the study room so I can go inside. I guess working on Saturday will mean that I actually study, rather than risking getting distracted by my flatmates who have already finished their exams and are just hanging out and having fun.

And it'll mean I get the dress I've been eyeing up for weeks. And considering I have no idea what I'm wearing to the end of year ball yet, that's a good thing.

Or I guess I do know now.

I sit down and lean back in my seat, checking the notifications on my phone while I wait for the others to arrive. An email pops up from the head of the Ball Committee and I click on it, unsurprised to find that there's a meeting tomorrow evening, though I am surprised that there's a new member being introduced this close to the event. Either someone left, or they just thought they needed more help. I type out a quick response so they know I'll be there, then drop my phone onto the table just as Mandy comes inside and puts a tray of drinks down on the table.

"Thanks, Mandy," I say to the succubus.

"Oh, don't thank me, Darius got them this time." She smiles over her shoulder at the cupid entering behind her.

"Next ones are on me, then," I respond as they sit down opposite me, leaving the final seat open for Carlton, who isn't normally late, but seems to be running behind right now.

Darius reaches out and puts his arm on the back of Mandy's chair in a gesture of casual affection. They've been better about that in the past couple of weeks, and Mandy's looking a lot healthier than she did when we first started having study sessions. Which isn't saying much considering she collapsed at one once. I don't know enough about succubi to know if the change is due to her relationship status, or if it's just a coincidence, but it doesn't seem like one.

I push that to the side and focus instead on what we're here for. Revising an entire term's worth of lectures so none of us fail our exam.