Page 22 of Dancing With Demons

“Abaddon was once the finest institution in hell, and now look what it’s come to. Leeches given positions of power over their betters where they’re free to spew all the lies and propaganda that falls from their empty, rotting skulls.”

I frowned, instinctively recoiling at the quiet hatred laced through every word. What the hell’s wrong with this guy?

“On top of that, you’ve all been besieged by violence and distraction these last few months that’s resulted in fundamental changes being made to the school’s charter all for the benefit of one”—his red eyes latched on to me—“misplaced student.”

I tensed. I couldn’t say for sure what he meant by calling me misplaced, but I knew it wasn’t good.

“No more,” Connard said clearly. “From this moment on, you will receive the proper instruction required for you all to become the strong and powerful leaders”—he tipped a nod at Ronin and company—“and soldiers,” he said to the rest, “that hell needs if we’re to take back our world from the filth who’d dare to change our way of life.”

I couldn’t help it, my lips peeled back from my teeth with every word that dropped from his empty, rotting skull. Like I said before, everyone spoke hate in the same language, and I knew a racist when I heard one.

Or maybe it’s speciest in this jerk’s case. But whichever one it is, this guy has me wishing my sexually assaulting, imprisoning, blackmailing, vampire stalker professor would come back.

“You,” Connard barked, zeroing in on me. “Have you taken such issue with my speech that you’ve decided others can’t hear it, girl? You take your disgusting hands off that demon, or I’ll remove them for you.”

I didn’t move a muscle. “First, I’m a woman, not a girl. Second, my hands are not disgusting. Third, if this demon has a problem with it, she’s more than capable of asking me to stop.”

Said demon was happily writing away, not in the least bit concerned about either one of us.

“And last, all bigotry is stupid at all times, but don’t you think it’s taking the idiocy too far to have a problem with me just because I’m alive?” I asked his purpling face. “If you really think my red blood sets me apart too much, then that’s even more reason you should be able to get along with vampires. At least you’re both dead.”

Rage stole over his placid face so quickly, I didn’t have time to think before his fingers flew up and snapped.

A pale greenish beam of light shot across the hall—directly at my head. I shrieked when it struck an invisible barrier—bursting apart on it like fireworks and raining sparks on Kazuya’s friends’ bellowing heads.

“Tsk, tsk.”

All eyes swung to Ronin. Even Dora stopped writing to gape at him.

“Now, now, Professor,” Ronin drawled, his eyes still heavy-lidded as if he was talking in his sleep. “If it’s against the rules to attack a professor when provoked, it’s certainly against the rules for a professor to attack a student unprovoked.

“Make that two students,” Ronin said, drawing everyone’s attention once again to the meerkat demon who was currently passed out on his desk. “Didn’t you say you were against violence, distractions, and rule-breaking? And yet here we are ten minutes into class, and instead of teaching us a fucking thing, you’re distracting us with two prohibited acts of violence.” Ronin laughed out loud. “Quite the hypocrite, aren’t you, Professor?”

Connard’s face darkened deeper with every word from Ronin’s mouth. His hand flew up—thumb and pointer fingers a hair’s width apart—

—and then he slammed his hand on the desk, spinning away. “What are you all waiting for!” he roared. “I told you to have your textbooks memorized by tomorrow! Get on with it!”

We got on with it. Even Kazuya stopped drilling a hole in my skull long enough to pull out his ripped and tattered textbook and get to reading. Seriously, it looked like he played soccer with the thing.

Turning away from him, I cut a look to Ronin and found him looking back at me. Heat stupidly filled my cheeks as those grinning lips filled my vision. As if hearing my wordless thank you, he winked.

After class let out, I grabbed my stuff and Dora and made quick for the exit.

Something hooked around my ankle, pulling my legs right out from under me.

“Ahh!” I hit the stone hard, bouncing off my chin and reverberating pain through my skull.

“Oh no,” Dora cried. She knelt beside me, patting my head. “Are you okay, Jehoshaphat?”

Who the heck is that?!

Winding his leg back in, Kazuya stood up—laughing his tail off. Stepping over his handiwork, he turned back and spat on my head.

He and his buddies laughed louder.

“This is going to be easy.”

Chapter Four