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T R O Y A N A X W E L L
No substituted letter. Just his name.
The social site loads, and I’m inundated with a scrolling mass of photos interspersed with blocks of text. I smile to myself and settle in for some digging.
I go through everything. Her posts, the posts that mention her, photos, and even visit the clubs and pages she’s a part of.
And that’s where I find a whole page devoted to the Auction.
My stomach turns as I read about last year’s debauchery. The sex and drugs and magic all intermingling into some kind of school-sanctioned orgy.
How is this OK?
I catch a mention of the wolf shifter nearly abjured from her pack last year for participating. Does that mean the Auction is for witches and demons and vampires only?
“I see your doing your due diligence.” His smooth voice slides through me like silk, stifling my startle response.
Axe sits across from me, leaning over the table between us. “I’ll keep it between us that you hacked Olivia’s profile to do so.”
I shove the tablet in my bag and stare at him. “And what do you want in return, Axe?”
A winsome smile stretches his face, beautiful but still too cruel, too hard. “Just you, angelcakes.”
“Don’t call me that,” I say without thinking.
Axe lets out a slow breath. “News travels fast around here. But I gotta say, it’s probably better if you don’t go pissing Karloff off.”
I roll my eyes. “That guy needs an attitude adjustment. I don’t know how he even got a position here if I’m honest.”
“And what makes you such a good judge?”
It’s out before I can stop it. “I was schooled by the very best my plane has to offer. I know a small man with big insecurities when I see one, and Karloff shouldn’t be teaching.”
Axe nods, smooth and slow, like he’s giving my words serious consideration. “He’s the best in his field.”
“I don’t care if he’s the inventor of Alchemical Arithmancy, he treats his students like a lesser species.”
Another slow nod. “Yeah. That happens when the school hires demon lords from other realms to teach here. The Lords of Blackwood had to file a special dispensation just to get him here.Dislike him all you like, but I wouldn’t push my luck with him. Not unless you’re trying to get wifed up by him.”
“Excuse the fuck out of me! What did you just say?”
Axe smirks, and I’m overcome with the urge to smash his face so he can never smirk at me again. “Going toe-to-toe with a demon, especially a demon lord, is like foreplay, especially for the older ones.”
It’s an effort to keep breakfast down. I actually gag a little. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Another broad smile splits Axe’s face, though this one reaches his eyes. “I knew you didn’t know. And I knew your attitude was natural. Fuck, Dove, you get more appealing every day. And Bastian owes me a grand.”
“Wha—you bet on whether I knew I was flirting with Karloff?”
“Mmm, not exactly. We bet on if you were intentionally leading us on with your antics or if it was natural.”
“What? I would never?—”
“I know that. I’ve seen my fair share of demon chicks try to win us over, here and back home, by being cocky and arrogant because they think that’s what it takes.” Axe stands and circles the table to sit right next to me.
I can’t lie, his nearness has the tension in my neck loosening. My jaw unclenches.
He takes my hand, and my shower question gets answered.
