Wicked Wings

39

“Hmm, there’s a book we don’t have.” Marcus shuffles through the books on the table. “It’s about the darkness of imps, and how they’re seen as the more innocent of demons, but it outlines the atrocities some of them committed. I know I’ve seen it before.”

“That could be useful.”

He snaps his fingers. “I know! It’s in Uriel’s private library. I’ll get it next time I’m there with Bastien, and I’ll bring it next week when we meet again to finish up the research.”

“Uriel has his own private library?” I ask as I help gather up the books on the table, keeping my voice casual. I still need to steal something for my first trial, and I have less than a month to do it. I remember seeing a bookshelf when I met with Uriel before, but I was pretty distracted and overwhelmed at the time.

“Yeah, in his office. Mostly stuff that’s considered dangerous or not fit for students to read at their leisure. Dark magic kind of stuff. Old demonic tomes.”

We put the books back on the shelf, and I peruse some of the other nearby books on demons. One of them looks interesting, and I pluck it off the shelf and flip through it.

“Same time again next week?” Marcus asks.

“Sounds good,” I say, closing the book. I’m going to check it out and take it back to my room, because it has a section about Lilim that looks interesting. Surely I know all there is about my kind, but given what I’ve discovered I don’t know about angels and demons, there might be something in the book I could learn too.

He leans against the bookshelf next to me and I catch a whiff of his scent. Sandalwood. “This was fun. We should hang out more.”

My succubus side wakes up and purrs, and I’m tempted to bury my face in his chest and breathe him in. I clutch the book to my chest to stop myself. “I don’t think your friends would approve.”

“That’s their problem. I want to get to know you better. Maybe over dinner sometime. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a really bad idea.” By now, my hunger has grown considerably and all the s****l tension with Marcus doesn’t help in the least. “I’ll see you in class.”

I spin on my heel and start to head out. Why is Marcus suddenly being so nice to me? Is this some new angle to trick me into trusting him, then deceiving me? I’ve seen plenty of high school dramas on the CW, I know how this stuff works. Or am I being too suspicious? Maybe he actually…likes me? But that’s a problem too. I can’t have a boyfriend. Long term relationships are not possible for a succubus. I’m destined to be alone for the rest of my immortal days. Letting Marcus get close is only going to cause problems for both of us.

“Liv,” he calls out. I turn to see him walking toward me with my planner in his hand. “You forgot this.”

“Thanks.” I hold out my hand, and Marcus places the planner in it, his fingers brushing mine. Desire shoots through me, strong and potent. I haven’t felt anything like this since the night with Kassiel. This is different, though. I’m not sure in what way, yet.

Sucking in a calming breath, I pull my hand away and put the planner in my bag. Walking away with my desire stoked and hunger gnawing at me is one of the most difficult things I’ve done in life.

I

find Kassiel by the lake again that night. I’m not sure why I come back, except perhaps because I believed him when he said he wouldn’t expose me. He must have figured out by now that I’m half demon and half angel, a creature forbidden to even exist, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. It’s a relief to be around someone who knows what I truly am. For the short time with him, I don’t have to pretend.

I sit beside him in silence, unsure what exactly to say. By coming here, I’m acknowledging that I do want to talk with him and that he’s right about me, but I won’t admit it out loud either. There’s also the unspoken tension between us as two people who once had mind-blowing s*x together, but can’t do it again…no matter how much we want to.

“What’s your favorite class?” he asks. “And don’t say mine, I’ve seen your eyes glaze over when I talk about things that happened thousands of years ago.”

I laugh and relax a little on the bench. “Flight, obviously. Isn’t that everyone’s favorite?”

“Okay, other than that one.”

“Probably Demon Studies.”

He chuckles. “Because you’re so well-versed in the subject already?”

Well, yes, but… “No, because Professor Raziel is funny. He wears the silliest bow ties.”

“That he does. And I’ve never seen him wear the same one twice. He must have dozens of them.”

“One for every day of the year, maybe?”

I find myself grinning as we talk about classes and professors until the moon is high, and we only stop when the air changes and the sky starts drizzling on us. We both laugh and stand up, holding our hands out to the tiny drops. While we’ve been sitting here a spring storm has gathered above us, and could unleash at any moment.

“I’m going to fly back before it starts pouring,” Kassiel says, as he rises. “I suggest you do the same.”

I nod. “Good idea.”

“See you soon, Olivia.”

His wings appear, as black as the night itself, and almost identical to mine. Except when he turns his back to me, I notice his feathers have shining silver tips, and when he extends his wings wide it’s like looking at the night sky sparkling with stars. They’re so beautiful they take my breath away as he launches into the air.