Page 112 of Dancing With Demons

Charlotte smiled at her. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Come now, Kama. You’re the princess of lust. Don’t you know better than to rush the climax?”

The girls busted up laughing again, but behind Charlotte’s back, Kama shared a displeased look with Ursula.

I picked up the pace, drawing closer.

“So, what did your witchy sisters think of your mother giving birth to Lucifer’s spawn?” Eris flung, going right for the jugular. “If they hate supernatural beings so much, why didn’t they smother little Adora in her crib?”

Charlotte didn’t skip a beat. “Because my mother didn’t give them a chance. She took Dora and went on the run, hiding from the coven. I was raised by my father and given my birthright.”

“Hmm.” Eris frowned. She clearly thought she stumped her there, but Charlotte was too slippery. “So why were you so attached to her if you didn’t even grow up together?”

“Who the fuck cares about things like that?” A hard, dangerous edge bled into Charlotte’s voice. “She was my sister. End of. I was happy to be reunited with her. And she...” Charlotte tossed her head, clearing her throat. “I don’t share my coven sisters’ hatred of supernatural creatures. Another one of the reasons I was chosen to come here over everyone else. Meeting Dora was the best thing.” Charlotte whipped around, spearing her glare through my chest. “And losing her was the worst.”

“Gods,” Eris muttered. “Well, you’re fuck sure not lying about being a mortal—talking like that.”

“Of course she’s not lying.” Raven squeezed Charlotte’s shoulder. “She’s not because she knows exactly what would happen to her if she is. So, let’s focus on finding those hallows. My girls are talking to the Others’ Spawn as we speak,” Raven confessed. “They’re impressing on him just how wealthy we can make him if he shares what he knows with us and only us.”

“What was that about anyway?” Ursula snapped. “Why’d you fucking say the clues for anyone to hear? Why’d you lie about letting the Others in on it?”

“I didn’t lie about anything. Because I put everything I said in the mess hall in DeadDrop and posted it while Kama was feeling me up,” she dropped. “Everyone who didn’t know will now.”

“What!” Ursula shrieked. “Why’d the fuck did you do that!”

Charlotte laughed. Again, I heard its fakeness like a ringing gong. Her laugh—her real laugh—was nothing like that harsh, mocking sound. “Why do you think? I did it because we all know that even as we chat and laugh right now, you five are devising a way to steal my power, kill me, and keep it all for yourselves.

“But, lucky for me, there are more than a few species down here who want out of hell more than anyone’s ever wanted anything. They’re now highly invested in making sure that happens without power-hungry demons messing it up, so they’re now watching my back like the map to Atlantis is on it.” Charlotte tapped her ears. “The vampires especially will be listening real close, making sure no one’s plotting anything naughty.”

If I thought the look Kama and Ursula shared was displeased, it was nothing compared to the hateful scowls that were passed behind her back as the group headed into the Great Invasion lecture hall.

Even though she didn’t see their glares, Charlotte must’ve sensed them because she veered off and claimed a seat between two feline demons.

Raven and Sauda simply grabbed the demons by the collar, hauled them up, and tossed them away. That done, they plopped down next to her—taking out their textbooks and notebooks like nothing happened.

I went to the five of them asking for help to save Charlotte, but how could I know with one conversation, Raven would sink her hooks this deep into her? Deep enough to birth a new sixsome and a new sin.

They were sitting near the front, so I took a seat in the back. I had one eye on the hand Raven had hanging off Charlotte’s shoulder.

I scoffed. Raven probably told her the maze story, and spun some bullshit implying she was sad about being forced to kill her adopted sisters.

No doubt she left out the rest of the story. That Lord Zuriel actually adopted twenty-five young demon girls in the hopes of weeding out the most ruthless, and Raven murdered thirteen of them—unprompted and unprovoked—long before they were dropped in that maze.

I snapped my notebook out of the air, flipping open to the first page. Getting Charlotte away from the princesses would only happen if I won her back, and that flea-ridden mutt told me how.

Groveling 101

Step One: Gifts That She’ll Love & Shows You Care

I went up to Kazuya, Bruno, and Pravat after class let out. They snapped to attention like the sloth sluts they were.

“What’s up, boss? Did you change your mind?” Kazuya asked. “Now that the mortal bitch hates you, can we have her?”

“We’ve been dying to fuck her up since that wart-faced impostor rolled in here,” Bruno added. “Even better that she doesn’t want it. I love it when a filthy whore screams.”

Smiling, I clasped their shoulders. “’Fraid I’m not quite ready to give up on her yet. That’s why I’m here,” I heard myself say. “I need you three to help me get my future queen back.”

“Oh, cool.” Pravat shrugged. “So, same as last time? Putting on a show?”

I gestured for them to follow me. “I’ll show you what I have in mind.”