Chapter Five: The Heartthrob Boys
Leona was still staring at the space where Alaric's bed was. Seraphine snapped her fingers, breaking her out of her trance.
"Damn, he's even hotter and more charming in person. I almost had a nosebleed staring at his back. Imagine his chest. How hard it must be for you girl…"
Seraphine sighed and went to her bed. She swayed her fingers, making a chair appear. With another motion, books floated from the shelf.
"Okay, these are all the books I have about the project. Bring whatever you've got. I'm going to the bathroom. Don't touch anything and don't go near my bed." Seraphine warned as she stood and headed for the bathroom—because her dad was calling.
The moment she stepped inside, her body went limp. She blinked and found herself sitting opposite her father, who was glaring at her.
"Why are you associating with so many Lux? The least you could do is stick with Umbra like yourself!"
"Why was I summoned? Just get to the bloody point. I can't have anyone else know whose daughter I was cursed to be." She rolled her eyes.
"Seraphine, look—I know we don't agree on a lot of things, but you have to face reality. I am your father, you are my daughter. Whatever happened between you and your late mother should be forgotten. Just promise to be better, and I'll unbanish you…"
"Stop! Please just cut the crap, okay? I'm never going to accept being heir to Hell's throne, I'm never coming back here. And I like the school I'm in, so stop this talk about—"
"NO! NEVER! YOU WILL COME BACK, AND YOU WILL ACCEPT THIS THRONE!" His voice boomed like fire cracking through stone. "You think I don't have access to your school? There are shadow-users surrounding it. Controlling one of them and putting you in enough trouble should get you expelled."
Seraphine froze, staring in shock. He wasn't lying. If the academy discovered her father's influence, she'd be expelled—and if anyone learned she was the Devil's daughter, she'd risk being killed.
She sighed, vanished, and snapped back awake in the bathroom. With a wave of her hand, her body cleaned itself and she slipped into a black nightgown.
When she stepped out—
"Oh, I've been shaking, I love it when you go crazy, you take all my inhibitions, baby there's nothing holding me back…"
Leona's voice was pure honey as she twirled her waist, lost in song. She didn't even notice Seraphine's presence until the demon asked flatly:
"What are you doing?"
Leona froze, blushing. "Well… I love singing. Besides, I was bored. You took almost thirty minutes in there."
Seraphine nodded and collapsed onto her bed, leaning against the headboard.
"So, what species are you?" Leona asked.
"A demon. Kinda."
"Oh… well, I'm an angel. A choir angel, to be precise. That's why I love singing."
Sera only nodded and picked up a book.
Leona grinned. "Back to what we were discussing before you left. How does Alaric look with his bare chest? Everyone's been talking about it. I don't mean just Alaric—I mean the heartthrob boys."
Sera raised a brow.
"There are three," Leona continued, squealing. "One is Alaric Vale—your ridiculously hot roommate. Then there's Prince Damien, the vampire prince. No one's seen him yet, but I'm sure he's gorgeous. And finally Seth Wade—we don't even know what species he is, but he's arriving tomorrow or the next day. And they're all scrumptious!!!"
Well, she's an interesting character, Vex said.
She sure is, Sera replied, glancing at Leona.
"Alright, let's begin. The assignment is on supernatural weaknesses. So let's start with that."
"Geez, you're so boring," Leona yawned. "But fine. Since you're a demon, you take that part. We'll split the work and compare."
"Wasn't that my idea in the first place? Okay, just start."
Leona opened her bag and spread out books and notes. Then she pulled out her phone and queued up Spotify, blasting Rema's Bout U.
"Gurl blazing, girl ten, girl a-list…" she sang.
Seraphine raised an eyebrow.
"What? I really love music, okay? And who doesn't?" Leona said with puppy eyes.
Let her be. Besides… it is kind of catchy, Vex murmured.
"Fine," Seraphine muttered, and Leona squealed, turning the music up louder.
They worked, reading through weaknesses of three different species, quizzing each other.
Alaric eventually returned and started exercising, which completely distracted Leona—and earned him a cold glare from Seraphine. Scoffing, she flicked her fingers and the lights went out.
"Nice try, sugar," Alaric said smoothly, waving his hand to bring them back. He winked, and Leona's jaw dropped.
Seraphine flicked her hand again—this time sending him crashing into the side of his bed.
Groaning, he sat up. "I'm sorry, bse. I won't call you sugar in front of your friend again." He chuckled and slipped into the bathroom.
"Oh. My. GOD!" Leona screamed, leaping onto Seraphine's bed. "I thought we were friends and you didn't tell me he's your boyfriend? I've been ogling him all this time! No wonder you looked like you wanted my head."
"First, we're not friends. Second, he's not my boyfriend. Third, ew. Fourth, I shouldn't have to explain this, but apparently I am. Fifth, it's late. Time for you to leave."
Leona pouted, clearly determined to win Seraphine's friendship before the week ended. She waved her hand, sending her books into her backpack, then smiled.
"G'night."
"Night. Now beat it."
Leona beamed and left, shutting the door.
Seraphine sighed, collapsing onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Hey V, what do you think about making friends?
You mean you like the wild angel?
No. Okay… maybe. But yeah, friendships. I want to be friends with her. And Alaric too.
Hell no. Not him. Forget him. Never.
Come on. Apart from the guilt I sometimes smell in him, he's funny. And he keeps staring at me. He might like me.
I highly doubt that.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom—Alaric had already disappeared.