I did.
A dark, sensual pleasure came from crushing one of those ants. And the more, the merrier. It’d been too long since I’d wreaked havoc.
I eyed Damien’s frat brothers. They seemed like idiots who c
ould be easily pulled a certain way. Maybe I could get them to sell their souls to a demon, have them go back on their deal, and I could be sent after them? Or hell, I’d just go after them. I’d turn vigilante for my kind, no problem.
No demon would care.
“Shay’s coming.”
Right. Fuck.
I slammed my shields in place. I’d kept them down, but I needed to fortify them now. Shay had been distracted. She’d been in class, but now all she’d need to do was walk toward me, and she’d be able to tell something was up.
I kept her out when I was feeling extra murder-y. That vibe tended to upset her, and who could blame her? That was the messenger side of her. Also, that was just Shay. I loved her. I couldn’t pick her apart. She accepted me, so I wasn’t a hypocrite. That’s something non-demons were, but not us. We demons were upfront and honest about our dark side.
“What’s going on?”
I bit down a curse because that was her—her voice in my head—and I could feel her concern. She’d connected to me, so she knew something was up.
I added a second and third layer of walls, keeping her out.
I could sense her internal gasp. “Why are you doing that? What’s going on?”
“It’s finals, sis.” Damien had picked up on our dialogue. “Brings out the evil side of all of us.”
Shay rounded the bend in the hallway, coming from her building to where we were standing. Damien and I both watched, waiting.
His friends looked between us, then down to where we were watching.
One’s eyebrows furrowed together. He’d been drunk the night of Halloween, but me appearing from the black mist in front of him must’ve stuck. He knew something was off, but he didn’t ask any questions today. Instead, he just paid attention. The other friends were ranking girls as they walked by.
“That’s a five, but man—those tits. Good handful. I could make them bounce. They could jiggle so good—”
I tuned out his thoughts, and Shay turned the corner.
I felt knocked back on my heels. It happened whenever we were in the same room. Our connection sizzled, strengthening as she approached, and I felt her nudging at my walls. “What’s in there, Kellan? Why am I concerned?”
I gently moved her back. “Just the holidays. I’m okay.”
She frowned, still coming toward us. Other students were walking around her, passing in front of her, but I only had eyes for her. She was the boat in the waves. She came to a stop in front of me, ignoring her brother’s presence as she looked into my eyes.
She lifted a hand, caressing the side of my face with her fingers.
Her touch was soft, loving.
“What’s in there? Why are you keeping me out?”
I shook my thoughts clear, feeling the last of the rage slipping away, and I lowered the shields. As I did, she came in, looking around. I reached for her, my hand going to her waist, and drew her to me. I leaned in to touch her forehead softly with mine, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was still looking in my head, reading my thoughts, feeling my emotions.
Finding nothing—or nothing I hadn’t wanted her to know—she pulled back a little, still frowning. She tipped her head back and dropped her voice. “I don’t like secrets.”
I shook my head. “No secrets. Not from you.”
“That’s a lie—”
My mouth was on hers, and as I knew it would, the kiss pushed her little resistance aside, distracting her completely.