Sinful Things

14

“We will meet again soon,” the leader continues. “For now, we must welcome the new initiates in the woods. They should be there by now, and we will form a circle around them. Do not speak. I will address them and assign them their first test."

He turns and walks up the pathway to the exit, and the circle follows in single-file silence. Once outside in the cool night air, we move through the forest to surround the initiates in their white robes. I have no idea who they are, but they peer around the clearing and wring their hands. I remember exactly what it felt like to be in their shoes.

Our leader gives the same speech he gave last year, and ends with giving the initiates the task to steal an important object from one of the professors. We’re all dismissed, and we disperse silently into the shadows, slipping away like eels into the dark night.

I attempt to follow one of the other members for a short time, hoping to uncover who they are, like I did with Cyrus last year, but they turn invisible and I lose them. And when I get back to my room and remove my mask, only then do I realize that I didn’t really learn anything new at the meeting. Dammit.

Chapter Ten

Olivia

O

n Sunday, the school’s yoga classes on the lawn start up again, and it feels good to settle into the familiar poses. The combination of yoga and sunlight help keep my hunger to a low simmer, which is easy to ignore as long as I don’t let my gaze settle on Kassiel…or one of the Princes.

Tanwen’s in my yoga class too, and I cringe a little as I remember our big fight last year. I keep expecting some of her bitchy commentary now that she knows I’m a demon and has even more material to work with. Surely she must hate me—she’s a Valkyrie, after all. They’re raised from childhood to fight in the Angelic Army against demons, and she probably considers me an abomination, like many others do. My very existence is forbidden, after all.

I wait for the insults or taunts the entire class, but all she does is give me a little nod at the end, when we all grab our things and walk away.

Odd.

I spend the rest of the afternoon doing my homework and reading, which is light since classes just started. Araceli and I order in pizza from Angel Peak and watch old episodes of Friends. Every time I spot the purple streak in her hair—which I know now is not dyed, but part of her fae heritage—I’m reminded of what the Order said and how they want to use her. I’m doubly glad I’m her roommate again so I can protect her from them. I’m not letting anyone hurt my best friend.

After we say goodnight, I glance out the window toward the bell tower. Are the Princes up there tonight? Do they still gather there to lord over the rest of the school like kings? A pit hardens in my stomach at the memory of being up there with them. When they found out I was a succubus. When they threw me a birthday party. When they betrayed me.

It’s time to begin my revenge.

I throw on a hoodie and slip outside, using my Ishim powers to go invisible. The necklace my mother gave me protects me from any Ofanim who might see through my angelic powers, but it hardly matters because there isn’t another soul out tonight. Not at this late hour. Angels are definitely not night owls…and I definitely am.

I stroll toward the parking lot with a bag over my shoulder containing the means of my revenge. This is only stage one, my opening shot, and after tonight, they’ll know its war between us.

My poor, battered Honda sits on one end of the parking lot. Last year, Callan broke my windshield and left me a note telling me I didn’t belong at Seraphim Academy. It wasn’t cheap getting it fixed, and now it’s time to get even.

Callan’s convertible Audi stands out from the rest of the cars, with its ostentatious red color and shiny silver rims. I slowly run my hands along the side of it, knowing no one will see me, not even the video cameras that are trained on this lot. Is Bastien watching them now, wondering if I’ll sneak out again for a quick meal? Probably. But he won’t see anything tonight.

I remove the canister from my bag and put on a mask over my mouth and nose. Still invisible, I begin my work, and can’t help but grin as it comes out even better than I expected.

It takes me hours, but it’s worth it. So very worth it.

I can’t wait to see Callan’s face in the morning.

“Y

ou’re up early,” Araceli says, when she exits her room in the morning to grab a cup of coffee.

I’m already dressed and getting my bag ready. “I want to get to the cafeteria early. Care to join me?”

"Sure," she says. "Any particular reason why?"

"It might be entertaining,” I say with a sly smile.

Araceli raises her eyebrows. "You started, didn’t you?”

“Maaaaybe.”

She lets out a whoop and runs back into her room to throw on some clothes. Five minutes later, we’re heading out of our dorm, and I’m pleased to see there’s already a crowd gathering in the parking lot. We join it, along with other students who can’t help but be drawn to the spectacle. No one is outright laughing, but I see a lot of grins and hear hushed whispers and giggles, like we’re all sharing an amusing secret. And in the center of the crowd is the thing we’re all staring at—Callan’s convertible Audi, no longer bright red, but now a glittery hot pink that sparkles under the morning light. Across the top of the windshield, pink and white letters spell out PRETTY PRINCESS. It looks like a real-life Barbie car.