?I notice Thorne is behind him with a similar frowned expression, though I ignore them both and focus on what the devil councilman is yelling at Varian for.
?“ – you could have taken this whole school down with you, boy! We told you not to conflict her emotions because this could have happened! Stupid, insolentchild! You would have thought teaching would have matured you but you are still behaving like the troublemaking brat you were when you were a student. I’d expect this behavior now from Castiel.”
?“What?”
?The scowling sneer that had been pointed at Varian gets turned on me and I glower at it.
?Clapping his hands together and closing his eyes, the blood demon takes a deep breath before approaching me.
?“Ms. Tsukkenai. . .” He opens his eyes and gives me a serious expression. “You understand that some magic can be tied to emotions?”
?He waits as if he’s actually expecting me to answer.
?I nod, feeling like this could be a trick question. “Everyone knows that. Emotions can give strength to power that is virtuallypowerless depending on how strong the emotion is. Usually it’s associated with rage or hatred.”
?He gives me a sharp nod. “Yes. Good. Esmirra said you could influence such things – use your anger to further your magic past certain limits?”
?I straighten my spine and shift my weight. “. . . Yes. I can control my emotions to funnel through my magic.”
?He gives me another sharp nod. “Good. Good. You’ve practiced with such emotions, that’s what Esmirra said too. But there is one strong emotion you have not practiced with. One that could garter even more power than anger or hatred.”
?Oh fucking hell.
?My cheeks feel like they’re on fire as I clench my jaw and glance at Varian. I didn’t think –
?Fuck!
?“Lust,” the demon states bluntly. I squeeze my eyes shut and clench my fists because this is completely embarrassing. “Which is what we told you, Varian,” he ends on a growl.
?“They said it was a possibility, not something actual,” he rumbles back.
?The demon hisses, “But it was ahighpossibility. You heard what Elaycia said! And you thought what. . . seducing the innocent fated death blow wielding vampyr was a good fucking idea?”
?I wince when he saysinnocent. Technically – from a religious, popping your cherry, penetration aspect – I am innocent. I try not to think about all the things I am not innocent in.
?“Father – “ Thorne starts but something cuts him off. Then someone sighs heavily and I wish I was back in front of my door walking in on Asher and Jullia.
?Actually –
?I wince again at myself. I’d prefer none of this. I’d prefer to be home in my room waiting on Ana to finish her next batch of fruit tarts.
?I hum to myself as I think about them. The raspberry and blackberry mixed one is my favorite. With the buttery, flaky crust that just melts in your mouth. Then, rather loudly, my stomach grumbles and I’m back to being embarrassed.
?I can feel a presence coming at me and stopping just before me. Crackling embers and cedar. My soul tugs and I finally crack my eyes open to softened black ringed gold ones.
?“Firecracker. . .”
?My shoulders drop and he pulls me into his chest now.
?Wow.
?How fucking weak.
?But I’m so tired, and now I’m hungry, and I thought I would be able to go home but now I’m once again stuck here. So much stress and anxiety could kill a girl. Plus the fact that it felt like I had been right on the edge of combusting just to be ripped away.
?The whiplash has my body protesting.
?And Varian touched my face.
