Burn

CHAPTER 25

TRIGGER WARNING: fire-related violence
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Carter and Margo had often joked about the questionable morality of certain substitute teachers.

Once, Margo had even declared one evil.

"That Ms. Harkins is a right old troll!" She'd snapped one lunch, slumping into her seat. "She's not even my regular teacher, and yet she still thinks assigning ten chapters is perfectly reasonable!"

Carter had stifled a laugh, but he'd been unable to hold back a snicker when Margo had scrunched up her nose and added, rather acidly, "She's evil."

But now Carter was quickly realising that all of them, including Ms. Harkins, were perfect angels.

Because unlike Mr. Croak, Ms. Harkins had never peeled off her entire face and revealed herself to be a red-eyed, sharp-fanged demon with a lust for human souls.

The new demon was menacing in ways Ryu had never quite managed; he was broad where Ryu was gangly, rough where Ryu was smooth, and there was a ruthless quality to his eyes, his smile.

Every inch of him spoke of violence and bloodshed, and Carter could feel every fibre of his body begging him to run.

They were the instincts of prey in the clutches of a predator.

Behind him, Anthony whimpered.

"I looked for you," the new demon purred, eyeing Ryu as though he were a particularly irksome bug. Each word was a vocal caress, strangely smooth in the face of its terrifying appearance.

A long black tongue snaked out to moisten the skin about its mouth, and Carter shuddered.

"Finding you was child's play," the demon continued, taking a step forward. It's eyes slid briefly to Anthony, and as it edged closer, Ryu seemed to freeze in place, as though running wasn't even a tenth of an option. "I was drawn to this puny mortal, and I thought, maybe, if I waited long enough-"

It's jaws clicked with sadistic satisfaction. "You've woven quite a web here, Ryu. And yet, you haven't retrieved a mortal soul."

Carter couldn't bit back a gasp as the demon hooked a finger under Ryu's chin and lifted it, claw piercing the soft skin at his jugular.

Fury coursed through Carter, and the need to protect clanged through him like a war drum. He rushed forward on shaky, adrenaline-fuelled legs, but as he reached striking distance he found, much like in Margo's house, that he could barely move. Something was pressing him down, so that the barest twitch took inconceivable energy.

"Not so fast, little mortal," the demon sang, smug satisfaction practically roiling from it in repulsive waves.

As it returned its attentions to Ryu, Carter swore under his breath.

Useless, he thought furiously at himself. I'm so useless against a demon.

The demon, for its part, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the terror quivering through Ryu's every muscle, evident in every breath he took and twitch he made. "You're a failure," it breathed in his ear. "That soul would've sustained us for weeks."

Now the demon looked smug, all curved mouth and sharp grin, and it made Carter's stomach churn. "If you cannot collect a soul to sustain us, then you will have to sustain us."

Cold realisation washed over Carter. His mind quickened even faster, racing as he thought of Ryu, of his desperation to make another bargain-