Void(66)

“You’re right. I should stop caring if people hate me,” I replied before changing the subject. I didn’t want to go into my chronic insecurities with my risk demon father. He’d probably just convince me to go streaking through campus or some crazy shit. Speaking of… “Shouldn’t you be off persuading some poor sap to take a second mortgage out on his house for a poker bet or something?” I crossed my arms over my chest, pretending to be unamused by his job. Truth was I used to wish he’d steal me away and let me go with him.

“I wanted to check on my favorite daughter and see what all the fuss was about. I heard you put on quite the performance. Switching powers? Impressive.” I looked down at the grass beneath my boots and frowned. It didn’t feel like anything impressive. If anything, I was starting to question if it had even happened at all.

“How’d you hear about that? And why don’t you sound surprised?” I asked while peering at him. He smiled at me; I always pleased him when I questioned things.

“I always knew you’d be special, Devicka. I’ve had hundreds of children over the millennia, but you’re different.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel good to hear my father is a manwhore?”

Dad laughed, his booming chuckle echoing over the dark woods surrounding us. “I know you resent your mother for sending you to be with the humans, but she’s just a washed-up, bitter woman. Don’t waste your time on her. You have much bigger things to worry about.”

My brows wrinkled, and I took a step closer to him, smelling the burning sulfur on his skin. “What do you mean?”

“The Void is a powerful thing. You can’t escape who you are. I’m glad you’re finally embracing it.” He paused as if choosing his next words carefully. “But there are people that will want to use you up. You need to be careful. Learn what you came here to learn, but don’t plan on staying long. And trust no one.”

My brows raised at Dad’s melodramatic warning. “Am I in danger?”

“Most powerful people are, kid. Just keep diligent.”

Dad never warned me. Ever. So the fact that he was now, made me take him seriously. I nodded. “Okay.”

“Here, let me top-up the power in your amulet.” Dad walked over and picked up the amulet from my neck, cupping it in his palm. He closed his eyes and blew orange power into it, his demon abilities filling it to the brim with reinforcement. It felt like the iron bars I was always forced to be behind were slamming shut on my Void and cementing it with concrete. I’d always felt relieved when he filled up my amulet, but now...it felt more like a cage.

“That should do it,” he said before dropping it and giving me one final hug. “Call me if you need more. And if you need an escape, call me. I don’t like you being stuck in this hell hole.”

“Will do,” I promised.

And of course, because my father had a knack for theatrics, he snapped his fingers and disappeared. Just like he always did.





Chapter 16





“Please don’t hate me,” I whispered at the phone as I dialed. Reed picked up on the third ring, and as soon as I said hello, he replied back with a slew of very colorful curses.

“Goddamn, Devi, you bitch! Where the hell have you been?” The sound of a slamming door reverberated on the other end of the receiver. “One minute, I’m high as fuck, pretending that life is all grand and colorful and shit, and then the next, I’m hearing that your cunt of a mother transferred you to some college in America?”

“I’m so sorry,” I said while cradling my head in my hand as Cheddar crawled up my shoulder and nestled against my neck. I was perched on the bed with my back resting against the wall, my eyes running over all the shredded and splintered furniture. All that work that Hyde’s zombie animals had done was ruined from that damn bobcat. He’d sent more animals to fix it up, and they were currently chopping wood outside, but it would take a couple days to have things back to normal. “I didn’t even have time to grab Betty or my cell phone.”

“No shit! Didn’t even say goodbye to your best friend!” Reed was angry, and rightfully so. I felt bad for not finding a way to reach out to him sooner. The guy had abandonment issues in spades, thanks to his mother, and I’d just added to it.

“You know how my mother can be. Once she makes a decision, it’s like a whirlwind. Believe me, this place is no picnic.” I’d opened up about my mother’s issues to Reed, dodging the topic of our powers, of course. Reed had a good enough idea about what I’d endured though, and I hoped he understood.

“Yeah, I understand. Still scared the shit out of me, though,” Reed said, blowing out a breath. “How can she make you attend more school, anyway? You’re eighteen! Just get on a flight and meet me in LA. I’ll be there in a week.”

It was tempting. Running away with him to LA sounded like the perfect way to escape the issues of Thibault Academy and the paragons who made me question everything. But despite always hiding away, I wasn’t a coward. I wasn’t going to run. Besides, no matter how far I went, they’d always search for me. The council wouldn’t let me go. So, it was either comply, or risk running away to Reed and having him get caught up in my mess. I wasn’t going to let that happen.