I reached out a hand and placed it on his cheek, turning him to face me. “I’ll be okay. Trixie’s a strong witch. I am safe with her.”
He let out a heavy sigh before nodding. “I’ll be back.”
My bottom lip rolled into my mouth and I bit down as I smiled. Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to his.
Groaning, he kissed me back in a slow rhythm before resting his forehead against mine. “My little bird.”
He faded into the shadows, leaving a tendril of a shadow swirling around my throat before it dispersed.
My tongue felt thick and I swallowed hard. Something about him really drew me in.
Trixie cleared her throat, and I blinked a few times before gasping. “Oh! I’m sorry. I got—”
“You’ve gotit bad for Damien, babe. But even more than that, he has it bad for you.”
“Isn’t that good?” I tilted my head.
She hesitated, scratching the top of her head. “Well, it depends. Damien is a shadow demon. He feeds off pain and negative emotions. You’re just very sweet. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Reaching across the books splayed on top of the table, I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Thank you, Trixie. I really appreciate your concern for me. But I have a lot more pain than I think anyone realizes. Damien sees that. He sees all of me. I trust him.”
She nodded, squeezing my hand back.
“Well, looks likeLittle Miss Rejectis cozying up to the demon who tortured her poor fated mate.” The blonde that hung around Grayson, Mirella, scoffed as she stood in front of our table with a short-haired brunette that I recognized as the girl who was sitting with her at lunch yesterday.
I pulled my hand back and straightened in my seat before slamming the textbook I was reading shut. “Grayson told you about the rejection.”
She flung her blonde braid to her back. “Of course he has. He’smyboyfriend, after all. And that demon”—she spat the word as if it was scum—“hurt him.”
A stab of pain shot through the bond, and I growled. I didn’t care that Damien hurt Grayson, but the bond made everything involving Grayson hurt.
“Aww!” She placed her hands over her chest as she cooed at me. “Did the poor fox get her feelings hurt?”
“The bond with Grayson makes me feel emotions I wouldn’t feel without it.” My fingertips dipped grooves into the hardcover of the book.
Grayson didn’t deserve my pity, empathy, or anything else.
Her confident smirk fell for a moment before it seemed to be forced back on her lips. “You’re lying. Grayson said the bond broke when he rejected you.”
Easing off the pressure, I started rubbing my fingertips back and forth as they traced the deep grooves. “Grayson’s a liar. I rejected him back, but the bond is still annoyingly in place. I’m Wren, by the way, since we haven’t officially met.”
She thinned her painted fuchsia lips into a thin line before her friend spoke up.
“I’m Nora,” she supplied before Mirella elbowed her in her side, making her whimper. “What?”
“Back to the point at hand.” Mirella sent a warning look to Nora before looking back at me. “Tell your demon to stay away from my boyfriend, and if you don’t stop making up lies about him, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Screams of frustration were stuck in my throat. I just told her he was the one lying. Why would I make up such a ridiculous lie anyway? I didn’t want anything to do with Grayson.
“I’m sorry, but was that a fucking threat?” Trixie stood up and whisked herself between where I sat and where Mirella and Nora stood. “I surely hope not. Or I’ll tell thatdemonabout our little conversation and see what he thinks.”
Mirella’s face leeched of color, and she faltered a few steps.
“That’s what I thought. Back off. Wren has done nothing to you.” Trixie stepped forward, swishing her hand in the air.
Different species of mushrooms began sprouting from Mirella’s glossy braid, and Nora covered her hands over her mouth as she stared at her friend in horror.
“Mirella,” Nora squeaked.
