Devil Incarnate (Boys of Preston Prep #4) - Angel Lawson Page 0,158

pat. “Come on. Get comfy.”

“What’s with you and this ‘comfy’ thing?” I mutter, even though I obey, taking the bottle of champagne when she passes it to me.

We’re quiet for a while, passing the bottle back and forth as we watch the flowers of pyrotechnics in the sky. I have no way of knowing if she realizes this was meant to be a date, but it doesn’t seem so bad. Slowly, I find myself unwinding.

She lets out a soft, “Hey,” eyes sparkling with the reflection of the fireworks when I meet her gaze. “Thanks.” She isn’t smiling when she says it, and it comes out sounding weirdly serious. I touch the side of her neck, drawing her close to press a kiss to her mouth.

“Any time.”

Over the lake, the sky explodes in a flash of vivid colors—dozens of them, maybe even hundreds.

But all I see is the green of her eyes.

25

Georgia

“So we’re all decided?” I look around the bunker, waiting for everyone’s nod before sealing the black envelope with our Devil nominees.

Vandy and Caroline are on the desk, clearing out the spreadsheet—best not to leave evidence—while Heston leans against the wall by the door, hooded eyes tracking me. I really wish he wouldn’t look at me like that here. It makes it nearly impossible to ignore him, which is exactly what the girls think I should be doing. Instead, I’m antsy for later, fully intending to show up at his apartment so I can finally climb him like a tree.

There’s one more order of business, though.

I pull another black envelope from my bag, drawing their attention. “This came last night.”

Vandy’s eyebrows climb her forehead. “The rites? Already?”

I shake my head, passing her the card. “Not exactly.”

A Devil’s allegiance cannot be allowed to decay.

The time will come for the new to prove themselves, but not before you renew your flame.

“I think the devil will not have me damned, lest the oil that's in me should set hell on fire.”

Elvatio Infernum

Vandy reads it, passing it to Caroline, who reluctantly passes it to Heston.

“Fire, huh?” Vandy asks, sounding unbothered.

I nod. “We need to make an effigy and burn it in the middle of the lake.”

Heston rolls his eyes so hard that it looks like he’s having a stroke. “This is brainless. When I was a Devil—”

Vandy and Caroline both burst with frustrated groans, mocking, “When I was a Devil!”

Caroline fake-whines, “We just bullied up underclassmen, and it was so easy!”

“We humiliated girls for sport!” Vandy goes along.

“No one cares what you did when you were a Devil,” Caroline says, glaring at him. “The Devils belong to us now. Deal with it.”

Already sick of playing mediator between the three of them, I cut in, “Actually, this isn’t just a test for us.” I jerk my chin at Heston. “The old Devils are going to be invited, too.”

Vandy frowns. “Like Sebastian and Em and everyone?”

“Yes,” I answer, adding, “Plus people like Hamilton, Xavier, Ansel…all of them.”

Caroline’s face screws up. “But why?”

“If I had to guess?” All I can do is shrug. “Devil connections are an earned privilege? Since it’s happening around Thanksgiving break, I assume some of them will be in town.”

“Don’t look at me,” Heston says, looking rankled at the daggers Caroline and Vandy are glaring at him. “You think I want to burn some glorified doll out on the lake? Please. I actually have better things to do than piss off Collins and whatever rival school is the flavor of the year.”

He might actually be telling the truth about that. I know Underworld has had a lot of problems lately. It seems like he’s always over there dealing with them, instead of being here. With me. In his bed. Naked. We had that really nice night watching fireworks, but not much ever since.

It’s super annoying.

After the girls and I decide to go effigy craft shopping this weekend, Vandy tries to get me to come with her and Caroline to The Nerd. “Come on, it’ll be fun! We’re going through the Homecoming pictures.”

I just barely stop myself from pulling a face. “I have to do a paper for History. Maybe next time?”

She pouts, but she and Caroline leave.

I stop Heston before he can follow. “Hey, you doing anything today?” There was a time I’d feel embarrassed at how hopeful I sound, but the way he winds an arm around my waist, bending to kiss me, makes me feel anything but.

“Plans today, Little Red.”

“You’ve had plans all week.” Now it’s my turn to pout. “More