Sinful Things

6

Kassiel opens the office door and stands to the side so I can enter. As soon as I get a view of the room, my blood runs cold. Uriel isn't alone. Sitting across from his desk in one of the wingback leather chairs is a man so coldly handsome it takes my breath away. With long black hair casually draped around his broad shoulders, piercing blue eyes, and sharp cheekbones, he looks like the kind of man who’d haul you over his shoulder and take you back to his evil lair.

“Please come in,” Uriel says, and indicates the chair beside the other man. “This is Baal, the headmaster of Hellspawn Academy.”

My eyes widen. Baal is the Archdemon of the vampires. Whatever this is, it can’t be good.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Olivia." The vampire stands and holds out his hand. Like Kassiel, he has an English accent, except his sounds more formal. Older. Ancient.

I reach out and shake his hand. I expect it to be cold and clammy, like a dead person’s, but then remind myself that just about everything in movies and TV shows about vampires is wrong. They’re not dead, they can go out in sunlight, and garlic does nothing to them except give them bad breath. It’s only his eyes that are cold as death, even as he gives me a charming smile.

"Please, have a seat. I don't bite." He winks at me with those ice-blue eyes.

Oh, yes you do. I'm reasonably sure he won't do that in front of Uriel though, so I sit at the edge of the leather chair. Kassiel moves to stand directly behind me.

Baal lifts his gaze over my head and narrows his eyes. "Kassiel."

“Baal.” Kassiel’s voice is flat, and I glance back to see him crossing his arms and staring the Archdemon down. I wonder how they know each other, and if it’s safe for Kassiel to be here with me. I appreciate his support, but I don’t want him to get in trouble on my behalf.

Baal’s gaze returns to my face. “Olivia, I'm here to secure your enrollment at Hellspawn Academy."

I nearly fall out of my seat. "My enrollment?”

"As the first angel-demon hybrid, it's only right you spend half your time at Hellspawn Academy." He smiles at me, but it’s the smile of a lord looking down at one of his minions and expecting them to drop into a bow.

"I appreciate the offer…" I swallow. How can I word this delicately? “But I’d prefer to stay here.”

"I'm not sure you have a choice." Baal is still the epitome of polite, but he's got a strong undercurrent of darkness too, and it’s clear he expects to get his way.

I don't look behind me to see how Kassiel reacts, but he shifts and his hand brushes against my back. I'm pretty sure he's gripped the top of the chair.

Uriel clasps his hands in front of him on his big mahogany desk. “If Olivia wishes to stay here, then she shall. We can assure her safety here.”

Thank you, Uriel.

Baal leans forward. “She will be perfectly safe at Hellspawn Academy too. I can promise you that. It’s important she learn about her demon side, as much as her angel side. Not only so that she can know our history from our point of view, but so that she can learn to control her powers and not be a threat to others.”

"I've been trained,” I interject. “My mother spent a considerable amount of time with me when I came of age so I could learn to use my succubus powers safely.”

Baal arches an eyebrow. “And your mother is…?”

I shrug casually, and hope my necklace protects me from lying to Archdemons too. “A succubus named Laylah. I don’t know much about her.”

“Hmm.” Baal’s face turns thoughtful. “Nevertheless, there are many things we can teach you that the angels can’t.”

I’m intrigued, I will admit. I do want to learn more about my demon side. But I need to stay here to find Jonah and take down the Order. I can’t do that from Hellspawn Academy. “Sorry, but my place is here.”

“Would it be an acceptable compromise if a demon taught her about your kind here on campus?” Uriel asks. “I already have one of the Fallen in place who can do that.”

Kassiel adds, “It would be my honor to teach her about our ways.”

Baal doesn’t look happy about this, but he doesn’t object either. He shifts in his seat and crosses his long, muscular legs. He really is hot, but his age radiates off of him like a heatwave. He's thousands of years old, as old as my parents. Not for me, thanks.

“Fine,” he drawls. “Kassiel can teach her about our history and our laws, but I want a succubus to test her to make sure she is properly trained in that area, as well.” I start to protest, and Baal shoots me a hard look that instantly renders me silent. “Even though you say you’ve been trained, let us be the judge of that. We cannot have an untrained succubus draining humans dry all over California. You’ll meet with a succubus of my choosing, or you’ll attend Hellspawn Academy. Your choice.”

I want to argue that it hasn’t been a problem for that last four years, but I guess I understand his need to be cautious. I’m not super excited about more classes with Kassiel either. It's going to be a lesson in restraint for both of us, at least.

"All right,” I reluctantly agree. "Anything else?"

“That will be all.” Baal stands to his tall height and flashes me a dangerous smile. "It has been an absolute delight, Ms. Monroe. Archangel Uriel.” He purses his lips. “Kassiel.”

“An honor to see you again, Archdemon Baal,” Uriel says.