Demon Kissed - Katie May Page 0,69

I spent all day yesterday rationalizing away my stupid dream self who’s so obsessed with love, she can’t tell the difference between demon pals and lovers. Clearly, I’m not that important to him. Clearly, we aren’t to the level of sharing things yet.

See? I tell my heart. William’s the far better choice. He wouldn’t shove me away if I was just being concerned like a decent human being.

I stomp back to my locker, certain I’m going to be late for my next damn class and furious about it.

As I walk through the halls, I see David, Stacy’s boyfriend, talking with a few of the guys from decathlon. David’s such a nice guy. Doesn’t really care about the stupid social hierarchy. Unlike some people. Who are gym teachers.

I’m still seething that he wouldn’t tell me what happened. These assholes butt into every aspect of my life, but when I show the tiniest bit of concern for theirs, this is what happens?

I get the brush off. And not just the little lint brush, I get the push broom of brush offs. “Fucker,” I mutter under my breath.

“Hey, Katrina!” David notices me and fist bumps my study buddy, Tim, before striding over. “Guess what happened!”

“Mr. D got mugged,” I parrot glumly, not ready to make eye contact with him. He’s too much of an enthusiastic guy and makes me feel like Eeyore in comparison. But I want to be Eeyore. I want to pout just as much as I did when I found out William had a date.

Maybe more.

Nope. Scratch that.

No more pity for the asshole. If he got himself kicked in the teeth, then he probably deserved it.

I try to hold on to that thought as I look up at David, who’s patiently waiting for me to pay attention to him. Damn. I’m an asshole.

“Sorry. Bad morning. Did I ruin yours by already knowing about Mr. D?”

“Nope. Cause I just heard that Jason Brett got recruited to a modeling agency.”

“What?” My jaw literally drops. Which of those idiots came up with that lie?

“Dude. He got discovered on the street, and supposedly, they flew him out to Los Angeles.”

I shake my head. “Impossible.”

“I know, right?” David shakes his head, eyes still on me. “Hard to believe.”

“Totally hard.”

“I mean, what are the chances?”

I don’t respond because I see my backpack in the distance. At first, I’m surprised to see it there on the floor, undisturbed. I thought for sure that it would get stolen. Or maybe messed with, but then I realize Akor is sitting on the windowsill across from it, wearing a leather jacket and an earring that dangles, cleaning his nails with a switchblade.

And there it is. Demon interference for the win.

Ugh.

Knowing them is such a double-edged sword. Bad and good. Good and bad. It keeps spinning like a quarter caught midair.

I release a huge sigh. “David, I’m gonna be late to class. That’s really cool about Jason though.” I have to force the next words out while I try not to picture what Jason actually might be doing now—lapping water from a dish on the floor. “I’m…happy for him.”

David laughs. “Yeah. Right. It’s okay to say you’re jealous like the rest of us, Kat.”

I shrug, letting him think what he wants to think. He waves and heads off, which is probably a good idea, considering Akor is glaring at him. I grab my books, minus Calculus, and fill my bag, waiting for Akor to speak.

“I came to check on you, Katty. You didn’t come out to play yesterday.”

I roll my eyes as I heave my huge bag onto my back. “I was grounded. And how the hell did you get in here? You didn’t enroll too, did you?”

“They won’t let me. They say I have to babysit the zombie.” Akor pouts with a frown that’s so adorable, I strangely want to pinch his cheeks.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I had to double-check that you’re not mad-mad at me,” he explains with a shrug, hopping down from his perch and striding over to me. He lifts his hand, and the back of his fingers slide down over my cheek. “Say you’re not mad. Please.”

Why does the drag of his fingers light me up brighter than a spotlight? I shove aside that reaction as I say, “I told you I wasn’t the other night. But if you aren’t at home, I’m pretty sure your new ‘friend’ is gonna pee and shit everywhere.”

Akor claps his hands together and takes a step backward. “Right. Crap.