Page 30 of Fatality on the Field

She walks over slowly, letting the distance close without looking aggressive. The rainbow-haired demon’s face is still overwrought, but he doesn’t complain. When she finally gets to him, Kat gives him a gentle smile as she bends to pick the animal up. Oddly, it allows her to cradle it in her arms as she holds it up for Anton to see. He swallows hard, watching it as if it’s going to vomit on him.

“This guy is adorable. See? He’s just a baby, and I didn’t get to raise Dottie from the baby stage. That’s pretty cool because he’ll imprint on you more easily, I bet. And um… you get to name him anything you want, obviously, which is fun.”

Jasper snorts as he mutters, “This should be good.”

Glaring at the prince for a second, the peacock demon turns back to Kat and says softly, “This… is a lot… of change. I don’t… do well. With change, I mean. It’s…”

“I know,” she says as she continues holding the black roo-thingy within his reach. “And I know you’re already struggling with my thing, but… I think this would be good for you. Taking care of something that depends on you, often makes it easier not to get swallowed up in your issues. I know that from my experience coming here with Dottie.”

He blinks, tilting his head to look at her questioningly. “You worry more about Dottie than your anxiety? That doesn’t seem probable.”

Kat chuckles and shrugs. “Ask anyone who’s been around when bad things happen, Annie. I often ask about her before anyone’s seen to me. And finding her unharmed helps me calm down, too. Salem definitely knows I’m not lying, don’t you?”

That’s when she turns to the panda demon, and he grins. “Yep. Why else would I spend so much time making sure the little gal is taken care of? Hell, even Slash is careful with her, man.”

I don’t know the dude well enough to comment, but it hasn’t stopped me so far during this trip. Grinning, I walk over and rub a knuckle on the little black creature’s head. It makes a weird squeaky sound and then shoots a tiny flame at me. My eyes fly open wide, and I look at the girl and the peacock in shock. “Your kangaroos spit fire?!”

“Technically, much of Hell’s fauna have some feature related to heat or fire,” Jasper says with a pleased smirk. “After all, they live here. It’s not a bug—they are around fire, lava, and such all the time.”

Kaspar nods when I look at him, though I think it’s more about dragons than hell beasts. “Seems logical, cub. The environment dictates evolution, just as above.”

“Well, I think it’s cute, even with the fire breath,” Morgana says as she joins me to squint at the little joey. “I will not touch it, though, because it seems to be keyed to you two. I mean, everyone loves this goofy guy, and it blew fire at him.”

I duck my head when she says that, enjoying her praise. “Aw, Lady M…”

Archie snorts from the crowd behind us. “Man, take the ‘W’. You’re pretty easy to get along with, and you know it.”

Turning her head, Morgana’s friend wrinkles her nose as she looks up at me. “They’re definitely right. Unlike some grumps in my group, you’re friendly and accepting. Which is what Annie needs a little of so he can take our new caliphate member back to the dorms. I could carry him, but I think they need to bond. Dottie never left my side, even if she had to hide in a bag for the first few days. This guy probably needs that comfort, too.”

“What I don’t get is… why?” Anton studies the animal in her hands as if it’s an alien. “Every single one of us in the caliphate is far too old for this sort of thing. Arces must have records that show how much younger the few demons who get familiars have been. It’s very bizarre that I have found one so late and that it is part of his menagerie, and it happened while we had guests. The probabilities are staggeringly against this.”

“Life doesn’t always follow logic or math, kid,” Kaspar says as he shrugs. “Do you think I expected to run into this group of mine this late in life, especially after the things I’ve seen? Not a fucking chance. That’s part of why I spent so long fighting it, like the nosy bear and lion have so kindly pointed out.”

Morgana grins. “I literally swore off men entirely after I killed Magnus and went through the trial. I was going to live my life angry and alone until the sentence ran out when I got to State U. I didn’t want friends and definitely not five fucking men to complicate my life endlessly.”

“You know I didn’t want anyone around me when I got here,” Kat says with a small smile. “But Salem wiggled his way in and the others followed, even you.”

Anton’s eyes widen again as he looks down at her, and I’m not sure if he’s running numbers on the roo, the rest of us, fate in general, or what the girl demon just said. Whatever it is, he’s serious as a heart attack as he nods. “Okay. I will… allow you to help me adjust. And Xerxes, who will… oh, no.”

Kat giggles, and I smile broadly. I like that sound, but only because it’s happy and I think she probably deserves it. However, every one of the demons has a different look on their face when she does it, and not a single one of them isn’t transmitting that they're smitten as fuck. “Annie, they’re going to flip their fucking lid! X will adore this little guy and I can not wait to see their face when they find out.”

“Satan and all his helpers save us…” Jasper says as his wings recede into his back. “The screams are going to puncture my eardrums. I’ll need to ask Zavida for the fucking magical plug things.”

I arch a brow as I look at him curiously. “Magical plug things? Please tell me they’re for your ears. Otherwise, TMI, royal bro.”

My joke lands and everyone laughs except the pissy prince. I grin at Morgana proudly, glad I could help again, and she grabs my hand to twine our fingers together. Once the laughter stops, the demon prince gives me a wicked smile.

“Perhaps I’ll give your prince information on all the delights he can find in Hell—including something that would work for either of your suggestions.”

Liam blinks, but his expression quickly changes to one of curiosity. “Isn’t that interesting? Perhaps we will find common ground, Jasper.”

Oh, I’ve done it now, and I have no one to blame but myself.

The walk back to the dorms is longer than the walk there felt, especially because Liam and Morgana are whispering to one another like gossipy hens. Kaspar is giving me smug looks as they do it, and I have to veer off to hang with the lion to keep from having conversations I know the poor demon girl isn’t comfy with yet.

I’d prefer to respect her boundaries, even if she’s survived most of the innuendo so far.

Plus, Kat is still holding the cacodemaroo as she and the avian shifter walk together at the front of the group. I think she’s probably the best one to talk to the nervous dude about it because she has a familiar and anxiety. That means she’s got the closest experience to what he’s going through, and it will probably be comforting.