Deacon’s purple eyes did that pretty starlight twinkle thing. He pulled his lollipop out of his mouth and pointed at his magic. “How ‘bout now?”
I pursed my lips and eyed his magic floating around us. “I am both terrified and turned on, sooo…”
Deacon high-fived himself and cheered. Then he turned to the rest of the group, still laughing and shaking his head. “All right, today we’re out here to practice killing demons because you all need to learn. And we felt that classroom learning wasn’t the best way to really get the feel of it.”
“Wait, hold up.” I pointed to his red mist and lightning. “Did you just summon demons?”
“Get your weapons ready, my friends.” Deacon shoved his hands in his jean pockets and leaned on his heels. “This is a drill and it starts now.”
I pulled my wand out of my coat and definitely felt exactly like Harry Potter as I did it. No big deal. Caroline dropped one of her hands but the other gripped my sleeve tighter. I was okay with this. It was nice to know she felt safe with me. She had her crystal covered wand pointed at the ground like she was waiting for something to pop up.
All around our group, I saw wands and swords being gripped and held in the air.
“Everyone get ready!” Deacon shouted and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Incoming in 3…2….1…”
The ground pulsed with energy that shot into my feet and up my legs. The short bushes swayed and rustled, and my heart sank. My nerves were shot. I gripped my wand with both hands like it was Excalibur’s sword and then small brown-ish-gray creatures leapt out of the bushes.
Except they weren’t demons at all…they were rats.
“Bruhhhh, did you make a mistake?”
“I’m the Devil, so…no.” He walked through the panicked group then pointed his lollipop at the rodents rushing toward us. “These are your targets. Summoned them myself.”
A young boy about twelve scowled. “You want us to kill rats?”
Deacon shrugged. “If you can’t kill a rat, you’ll never kill a demon.”
Caroline cackled like Cruella De Vil learning about dalmatian spots – but then a dozen brown rats the size of her head leapt out of the bush next to her. She cursed like the pirate she was and jumped behind me.
Oh shit. Damn it. Ew, so gross.
Be cool, Noah. Keep your cool.
But I didn’t. I failed. One of those fat rats waddled right over my foot and I punted it into the shrubbery. But there was more of them. The rats were everywhere. I looked up and found the other students scrambling and leaping out of the way. One of the older guys in my grade was practically tap dancing while trying to flee.
A couple of the younger kids squealed and bounced – and then they changed into little golden retriever puppies…and immediately leapt on top of the rock nearby.
“Come here you little shit!” A girl shouted and dove head-first into the air with her arms stretched out in front of her. Light flashed around her and then she changed mid-air into a bright green parrot. She thrusted her claws out in front of her and tried to capture one of the rats, but it slithered between two rocks and the parrot slammed into the wall.
A big, bulking guy kept swinging his arms down to the ground and came up short each time. “Oh, come on!”
Marcy cursed and stomped her feet. “They’re just rats,” she whined. Light flashed around her and then she morphed into a golden mountain lion.
The rats hissed and jumped back into the bushes, but Marcy wasn’t having it. She dropped into pounce position, then dove right into the bushes.
I stopped trying to capture the damn rats and just watched my peers. They jumped, dove, and pounced on our targets. A few of them caught the rats only to have them slip right out of their grip.
Christian spun in a circle then leapt forward. When his feet hit the ground, he was a big fuzzy brown grizzly bear. He swatted his big fat paws at the rats like this was some kind of an arcade game.
“Come on, y’all.” Deacon crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “If these were demons you might’ve been dead already.”
“But they’re slippery!” One of the guys yelled as he caught a rat only for it to drop to the ground at his feet.
Deacon chuckled. “So are some demons.”
One of the younger boys groaned and threw his hands up. “You kill one then, Deacon!”
But Deacon just shook his head and smiled. He raised his hands and I felt a wave of magic roll out of him. The red mist vanished and the lightning ceased. I spun around and looked to the ground only to find the rats all scrambling to get away from us.
Not a single one of them hurt.
I cursed and leaned down on my knees.
Deacon shrugged. “Nah, I just wanted to see if any of y’all would do it. I wasn’t actually going to let any of you hurt a rat…but I wanted you to see that killing something isn’t as easy as it seems.
Well…shit.
I needed to stay off the front lines. For everyone’s sake.
Chapter Twenty
Deacon
“Is a food tasting what it sounds like?
I opened the door that led into the kitchen area, then paused to look down at her. “What do you mean?”
She frowned and shrugged. “Nothing in New York with your crowd is ever simple. I’m just trying to figure out what I’m getting myself into right now.”
That made me smile. “You’re adorable, and not incorrect. Normally, the food tastings that my parents are involved with are an elaborate ordeal. It’s basically a run-through, a rehearsal type thing where we sit and are served every single item on the menu. It usually takes a couple of hours.”
Her face fell. “I don’t want to do that.”
I threw my head back and laughed, then took her hand and pulled her inside the kitchen area. “We’re not going to. I told them, ain’t nobody got time for that. So, we’re meeting the chef and he’s going to present everything to us at once.”
She sighed and slipped her fingers between mine. “I love you, really.”
“You are a breath of fresh air, my Butterberry.” I tugged on her hand, then led her around the corner into the main kitchen area. “We just need to sample a few things, look at the menu he’s proposing, and come up with a game plan for the Yule Ball Friday night. Then we can bounce.”
“Wait, this is the kitchen?” She glanced around with wide eyes.
“Yes?” I frowned. “Why?”
She shook her head. “It’s so…clean.”
I chuckled and pulled her along again. She wasn’t wrong. It was sparkling it was so clean. I probably could’ve licked the floor and not tasted a thing. “Yeah, rich people like clean kitchens.”
“This place makes my school cafeteria kitchen look like a zombie rescue shelter.”
“I will add that to my bucket list of things to see before I die.” I giggled at the face she made. “C’mon, we have to finish this before he has to have lunch served.”
“Right. Boss mode. Got it.” She pushed her shoulders back and held her chin high. “Let’s go taste some edibles.”
I arched one eyebrow at her.
She snarled. “Yeah, I heard it.”
My smile spread so wide it made my jaw crack. I absolutely loved when she got flustered – which sounded horrible, but she just was adorable when feisty like this. Poor Chef Jones had no idea what kind of trouble he was in for. My girl knew what she wanted and she was not afraid to fight for it. She was a force to be reckoned with and I loved the show.
And something told me there was about to be a fight.
Or maybe that was wishful thinking.
I’m the Devil Card, what can I say?
“Seriously, I can see my reflection in the floor tiles.”
I threw my head back and laughed. Again, she wasn’t wrong. The floor tiles were a sparkling, pristine white with a glossy coat on top that reflected everything. Actually, everything was white – unless it was stainless steel. Floor, walls, ceiling, – a
ll shiny white. All of the appliances and counters were stainless and just as shiny.
It was a massive kitchen, too. Almost the same size as the dining hall connected to it. The text from Chef Jones said he’d be in the main section, so I dragged Emersyn along with me past the largest stovetop I’d ever seen. When we rounded the corner, my feet stopped on their own accord.
My jaw dropped.
Emersyn gasped.
In front of us was a fifteen-foot table with stainless steel tabletop. And the entire surface was covered with platters of food. A wall of savory smells slammed into me harder than a tsunami and my stomach growled.
“Please don’t all be fancy. Please don’t all be fancy,” Emersyn whispered a few times.
I placed my hand on the small of her back and ushered her forward. Yeah, there’s definitely about to be a fight. Because I saw what was be presented and it was all, as Emersyn would say, fancy. My magic rushed to the surface and I instantly felt her desire to fight…and her hunger. A dangerous combination.
But then I felt something else. A desire to please, the desperate and panicked need to get approval. Except it was definitely not coming from Emersyn.
Just then a door on our left swung open and a man in a white chef’s coat and black pants came rushing out carrying a tray of something seemingly chocolate. He was a few inches shorter than me and a bit stockier, with not a strand of hair on his head. In fact, the florescent lights in the ceiling reflected off his bald head. Though, I had to admit, he rocked the look well – even in chef clothes.
He glanced toward us then did a double take. His eyes widened. “Oh! Mister English, Miss Bishop, you’re here!”
I cleared my throat. “Please, call me Deacon.”
“Of course, thank you.” He sat the tray down on a nearby counter and smiled. Then he glanced to Emersyn with expectant eyes.
But she just stared at him.
My heart soared. Goddess, I love this woman.
I licked my lips and rubbed my thumb over her back. “This is Chef Jones.”
She nodded once and gave the tiniest of tight-lipped smiles. “Good morning, Chef Jones. I am eager to see what you have for us today.”
“Very well, Empress.” Chef Jones spun and all but sprinted to the other side of the table. Once he was facing us again, he gestured toward the spread of food before him and this time his smile was genuine. He was proud of his work. “Here are the samples for each menu item I am presenting. Of course, all comments and suggestions are welcome and encouraged.”
Yeah, you have no idea what you’re about to get.
I knew my girl well…and this was not her style of dining. Southern women cared less for frilly presentation and more for taste. Which was why Em was already famous for her fried chicken. Solid gold comfort food – bad for your health but good for the soul.
And there wasn’t a single piece of fried anything in front of us.
But Emersyn didn’t attack him. She just glanced over the selection and nodded. “What exactly do we have here?”
Chef Jones rubbed his palms together. “Starting from your left we have appetizers, entrees, and then desserts.”
I inhaled deeply and let the wide variety of smells soak into my bones. “Well, it passes the scent test.”
“Thank you, Deacon.” He grinned then glanced to Emersyn. “Would you like me to explain the dishes, Empress?”
Emersyn smiled. “Yes, please. That would be most helpful.”
“Very well then.” He walked to the far end of the table, then waited for us to catch up. “In this section we have appetizers—”
“Is that a Christmas tree made out of cheese and fruit?” Emersyn leaned forward. “And…pinecones?”
“Yes, that is a holiday cheese board. I thought it would be ideal for the occasion. As well as the pinecone cheese balls with almonds.”
Her eyes lit up. “That’s cool. I like that. Not a big fan of cheese boards, but I like these a lot.”
“Ah, then might I point out these Christmas tree themed items?” He pointed to dishes right in front of him. “Tear-and-share garlic knots with marinara sauce…and spinach dip breadsticks. Oh, and an antipasto skewers wreath.”
Em grinned. “I approve.”
“Perfect.” Chef’s voice lightened, like she’d just lifted a house off his back. “Now we also have non-themed items: bruschetta, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, clams casino, mini salads in goblets, cream cheese avocado bacon bites, glazed meatballs on sticks, tater tot skewers, gruyere scalloped potatoes, blue crab dumplings, and grilled artichoke hearts.”
My mouth watered.
Emersyn smirked up at me, then turned back to Chef Jones. “Okay, and for the entrees?”
He slid over to where the dishes got bigger and more elaborate. He pointed to each entrée and said its name. “Parmesan mushroom Cornish hen. Fish Florentine. Buttery broiled lobster. Creamy Tuscan chicken. Seared scallops with cauliflower mash and walnut butter. Miso glazed halibut with baby bok choy and a sake butter sauce. Garganelli valdostano. Veal Milanese. Spicy dragon Roll. Line caught swordfish souvlaki. Shrimp and chorizo taquitos. And crispy Szechuan chicken wraps.”
My stomach growled like a lion. Yep. I’m about to stuff myself rotten.
“I see.” Emersyn nodded and pursed her lips. “And for desserts?”
Chef Jones frowned but then caught himself and cleared his throat. “Yes, Empress. Down this way.”
As we followed him to the far end of the massive table, I glanced over my shoulder at my soulmate and found her scowling…at the food. Like it offended her. Oh yeah, gloves are about to be thrown down.
But I wanted to at least try and keep the mood light, even though I knew without reading her desires that she was not happy with the presented menu. I glanced down at the desserts. “Well, I know I’m about to taste each and every one of these.”
Em’s eyebrows furrowed. “What are they?”
Chef Jones smiled like a proud father. “Warm Heath Bar Toffee Cookie. Pumpkin Praline. Gianduja Chocolate Torte. Tiramisu Cappuccino. White Chocolate and Banana Spring Roll. Chocolate yule log. Candy cane brownie trifle. Black forest pavlova with espresso. Stained glass star cookies. Strawberry and vanilla macaron trifle. And of course, strawberry cheesecake and New York cheesecake.”
I rubbed my hands together. “Chef, everything looks incredible. I cannot wait to sample them. However, I think we will be needing to make some adjustments.”
Chef’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Oh? Like what?”
Em tucked her hair behind her ears then gestured toward the table. “Well, firstly, let’s make sure to have vegetarian and vegan options so everyone feels catered to.”
Chef nodded. “Of course, absolutely. I should have thought of that, my apologies—"
“And some basic, simple foods, too. Most of our society isn’t used to fine dining, especially the kids – they like chicken tenders and pizza, ya know?” Then her eyes widened, and she stood up taller. “Actually, I saw a candy cane pizza on Pinterest that would be amazing!”
I arched one eyebrow and tried not to chuckle. “A candy cane pizza?”
“Or mini cheeseburger snowmen!” She bit her bottom lip and looked into space, like she was picturing what she saw online. “And sloppy joe reindeer sandwiches. Chocolate dipped pretzel reindeer sticks. OH, mini bagel Christmas ornaments. Wreaths made of cupcakes? Eggnog spiced butter cookies. Gingerbread cupcakes—”
“Aren’t we trying to set the tone for what this school is?” Chef Jones said, barely concealing his distaste.
Here we goooo….
Em glared at him with legit fire in her golden eyes. “Yes. Which is why we’re going to have something for everyone. We are not a rich kid school. And more importantly, I’m in charge here. I’m all for this foodie shit, but we will have food everyday civilians enjoy.”
Chef Jones licked his lips and shook his head. “But, Empress—”
“Follow my orders or you’ll be finding a new job
.”
Whomp, there it is. Gloves are on the ice.
Chef Jones looked to me with wide eyes.
I shrugged and it took everything inside me not to grin. “You heard her, she’s in charge.”
Chef Jones’s cheeks flushed. He turned to her and nodded. “Yes, Empress. Whatever you need I shall do.”
Em sighed. “Listen, go wild and have fun with all your fancy foods. I won’t reign you in. Do as much as you like. Just also give me a plethora of other – more normal - options.”
Chef sighed and smiled. “I can do that.”
Em took a deep breath. “Now, let’s talk about the children…”
Chef narrowed his eyes on the table. “Perhaps a gingerbread cookie making station?”
Em lit up. “YES. Perfect.”
Chef nodded. “Consider it done, Empress. I shall create a final menu and send it for your approval first thing tomorrow morning.”
I grinned and clapped my hands together. “Great. That’s settled then. Now can we eat?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Emersyn
I sighed and glanced at my phone. It was halfway between seven and eight in the evening and I was beside myself with anxiety. Tegan and Tennessee were arriving tonight. At some time. We weren’t sure, and since Tegan portaled, there was no plane or train scheduled. Not even a car GPS estimating their arrival.
We just had to sit and wait.
And not go crazy.
I was failing miserably.
Deacon’s parents had gone out to dinner, but we declined their invitation. We were both still over-full from our food tasting this morning and I was in no shape to have to sit in a fancy restaurant. I couldn’t even sit still in the house.
Amelia had permission to go over to the dorms at school to hang out with her friends, and since I was going out of my mind, I volunteered to escort her over there. Except I hadn’t wanted to linger and interfere, so I simply made sure she was safe inside with her friends then returned home to Deacon’s. I even walked. From the Upper West Side to the Upper East Side. Through Central Park. It was a dangerous idea, even for a witch with fire in her hands.
School of Magical Arts - New York City Campus Box Set Page 20