Academy of the Devi- the Complete Collection

by Eva Brandt

  The journey only took a couple of seconds, and then, we were out of The In-Between. The portal spat us out in the same transport point as before. Mephistopheles and The Watchers were waiting for us, kneeling in the now burnt out ritual circle.

  Mephistopheles stood up and made a beeline for us. “Welcome back, Lyssa,” he said. He looked tired, his brow beaded with sweat, his skin a duller shade of red. Even so, he was smiling in a way that softened the sharp angles of his face.

  “Thank you,” she said as she went to him. “And I’m sorry.”

  I didn’t know why she was apologizing, but I didn’t ask. As Mephistopheles wrapped his large, leathery wings around her, I knew we’d be all right. We might not be perfect, but we were a family. My mother was a fool for trying to tear us apart.

  One day, she’d pay the price, but for now, I’d enjoy the moment of our reunion with Lyssa and not think about anything else.

  Graduation Gift

  “It looks like you did very well on your paper. Congratulations.”

  I smiled at Redrum and patted the dragon’s big body. “Thanks, Redrum. It wasn’t that difficult. You know it’s not the written tests that were the problem.”

  After my kidnapping, I’d left the academy and had returned to The Infernal Realm. Lucifer had admitted that he hadn’t been completely honest with me when he’d arranged the move, but I wasn’t mad at him. It was hard to stay upset when I knew very well he’d just wanted to help me.

  I’d still insisted on coming to take the tests that had been so advertised. I’d managed to pass Demonology without issue and I’d taken written exams for Necromancy and Herbalism as well. I still had plenty of practical tests to go through, but somehow, I doubted I’d get the chance, even after I gave birth.

  I didn’t let that trouble me, though. Instead, I was taking advantage of my recent visit to the school to visit my dragon friend. Since the battle against Satan, Redrum had been spending more time with his hatcher, Sunrefni, but she was currently talking to TB and Shiro.

  “Your good grades are an achievement no matter what,” Redrum told me. “Don’t be so modest. It isn’t suitable for a demon.”

  His answer held a lot of kindness, but it was also a reminder of my journey, of what still awaited me. I hadn’t officially graduated and I might never do so, but I’d already made a choice for my future.

  I petted my swollen abdomen and felt an answering kick from inside. “Do you think it will go well, Redrum?”

  “It will go as well as it can go,” Redrum rumbled. “It won’t be easy, but nothing ever is in life.”

  No, it wasn’t, especially not at The Academy of the Devil. But I wasn’t scared. “Thanks, Redrum,” I told the dragon. “I appreciate the encouragement.”

  I jumped off his back and approached Sunrefni. The female dragon nudged me with a massive claw. It was a strikingly gentle touch for such a big, lethal creature.

  “You’ll be laying your egg soon. If your offspring requires a dragon, I’m available.”

  “Thanks,” I answered, “but I’ll wait until my daughter can at least crawl to make that decision. You and Redrum can always drop by to see her anyway.”

  “We will,” Sunrefni purred. “I didn’t have the best time in The Infernal Realm, but I still miss it, a little.”

  She bared her fangs in a draconic, terrifying grin. At this point, I was used to such expressions, so I just smiled back. “Try not to eat our demons when you come over, okay?”

  “Of course. As long as they’re not pests.”

  “They’re always pests,” TB pointed out.

  “To everyone else maybe,” Shiro piped up. “They’re not so bad with us.”

  The others didn’t argue, and Shiro interpreted their silence as a victory. He lay down on his belly and jerked his head, gesturing for me to climb onto his back. “Come on, Lyssa. I’ll carry you home.”

  Accustomed to his protectiveness, I complied. As I took position on top of him, I clung to his soft, white fur. I nodded one last time at Sunrefni and waved at Redrum. “Take care and drop by The Infernal Realm at any time.”

  “Good luck with your hatchling, Alyssa Michaelis, Queen of Hell,” Sunrefni answered. “And remember. We’ll always be happy to help you, no matter what.”

  With that, Sunrefni and Redrum launched themselves into the air and disappeared into the distance. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be staying on the island for much longer.

  When I made my way back to the academy, my lovers were already there. Lucifer was talking to Azazel, and he didn’t seem all that happy about what the Watcher was saying. Meph was with him, but Stefan, Mikael, and Callum were waiting for me and keeping their distance.

  “I take it the school is closing after all, huh?” I asked as I reached Stefan’s side.

  “Looks like it,” Stefan mused. “I don’t like it, but we won’t interfere.”

  “In the end, it was always Lucifer’s arrangement with The Supreme Being and after everything that’s happened, it’s better to sever all ties,” Mikael said.

  “I suppose.” I thought about my parents, about what this final step would mean for them. They’d come to see me often throughout my pregnancy, but sooner or later, I’d have to leave them behind.

  I wasn’t ready to think about it, not today, but I’d have to, soon. For the moment, I had other things to worry about.

  “Lyssa?” Callum asked. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine,” I told him. “I’m just ready to get my graduation gift.”

  My answer wasn’t entirely accurate. I hadn’t graduated, so I wouldn’t receive the supposed prize. But at the end of the day, I could take my gifts from my lovers. I wished I could’ve wrapped up my education, but not every wish was meant to be fulfilled.

  “All right,” Callum said softly. “We’ll do it today.”

  Lucifer and Meph must have sensed something was going on, because they ended the conversation with Azazel. The Watcher turned to look at me and even from the distance, I could feel his gaze delving deep into my very soul.

  To this day, I hadn’t figured out what their intentions had been when they’d put that test in my hand. I couldn’t read the Watchers at all. But Lucifer no longer trusted their loyalty and so, he was stepping out.

  I wished the relationship between Lucifer and his Watchers hadn’t soured, but it wasn’t something I could stop. I met Azazel’s eyes without flinching, willing him to stay safe and not do anything stupid.

  Maybe he heard me, because he pivoted on his heel and walked off, retreating into the depths of the academy. Meph and Lucifer joined us, looking troubled.

  “Are you sure it’s okay to leave them like this?” Callum asked as they approached.

  “Not as sure as I could be,” Lucifer admitted, “but they’re still my friends and my responsibility. If it’s true that they conspired against us, we’ll find out eventually and I’ll handle it then. For now, there’s nothing we can do except wait.”

  In silence, he guided us to the transport point. It felt strangely final, and I had a moment of clarity during which I knew I’d never come here again.

  As Lucifer opened a portal, I took one last look at the island where I’d experienced the happiest and saddest moments in my life. My apprehension had all but disappeared. The only thing that remained was a mild dose of melancholy.

  I would’ve liked my daughter to come study here one day. Maybe Lucifer would be able to restart the school, reach another agreement with The Supreme Being. Then again, she wouldn’t need the academy. She’d already be a princess of Hell and she’d have private tutors. She wouldn’t have to experience any of the unfortunate incidents that had plagued my life.

  Satisfied with my decision, I left my memories behind and ushered Shiro forward, into the portal. My lovers were, as always, by my side, guiding me along and anchoring the magic that helped us travel from one realm to another.

  In the blink of an eye, we were back in The Infernal Realm. Call
um looked a little green, which I suspected was a reaction to the memory of The In-Between.

  That incident had left more traces on us than we’d have liked. Traveling through portals would probably be unpleasant for quite some time, until we got accustomed to the fact that we were truly safe.

  The demons welcomed us back with enthusiasm, but Leviathan was there to keep them from delaying us for too long. “Stop stalling, you maggots!” he shouted at them. “You have souls to torture, or have you forgotten?”

  A throng of imps stumbled over one another in a hasty attempt to escape him. An ifrit hovered nearby, waiting for the souls he’d have to usher into their assigned Circle of Hell. The hell hounds perked up when we appeared, but didn’t approach, knowing Shiro was very possessive and wouldn’t appreciate it.

  Overall, it was just another regular day in The Infernal Realm. When had this strange place become home? I wasn’t sure, but being here made me happy.

  We headed up the spiral staircase that led to our quarters. The closer we got to our destination, the calmer I became.

  Maybe it was stupid, but at this point, I was sort of looking forward to this. I wanted to complete the circle, to finally become what I was meant to be.

  My lovers still weren’t completely convinced. As we entered our apartment and I climbed off Shiro, Mikael turned toward me and asked, “Are you really okay with this?”

  “You know that I am, Mikael,” I replied. I could understand the reason for his anxiety, but I wished he stopped treating me like I was about to break. “I’m not afraid.”

  “I didn’t say you were. But if you think you need a little more time, we can still wait.”

  “I think we’ve waited long enough. And anyway, I can handle anything, as long as I have you all by my side.”

  For a few seconds, they stared at me in silence. It was a heady moment, because in their eyes, I could see a desperate need, one we couldn’t fulfill yet.

  My determination had always called out to their savagery, stirring their deepest, darkest instincts. They couldn’t fight it any more than they’d been able to fight the magic of the Vessel of Hope.

  “All right then,” Meph said. “Just relax and let us handle everything.”

  I did, and it was as easy as I expected it to be. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy their touch and gentleness. They moved slowly and carefully, giving me plenty of time to change my mind if I wanted to. I remained silent, and before I knew it, they’d removed my dress.

  We didn’t head into the bedchamber. Our lounge was more appropriate for what we needed to do. Stefan took me in his arms and carried me there, setting me down on the stone floor. I went along with it, having already experienced similar rituals before. I was actually more relaxed today than I had been in the past, during the familiar-related rituals. The rock felt warm and solid beneath me, and even if it wasn’t soft, I didn’t find it uncomfortable either.

  Shiro still joined me and I ended up cushioning my head against him. He was like a massive, furry pillow, and his breath lulled me into a state of profound contentment.

  My magic tasted the air, and I could feel my lovers moving around me, wrapping up the rest of our preparations. As the ritual circle closed, power crackled between us, dancing over my naked body.

  This particular ritual wasn’t like the others I’d participated in. I was supposed to go through this process myself, but because of my special circumstances, my lovers would bear the brunt of the magical backlash.

  Even so, I was the one who needed to say the words, because this was my choice and my future. As soon as I felt the currents of demonic magic settle, I did so.

  Leaving my comfortable lounging spot, I knelt on the floor and pressed my hands to the hot stone. Still keeping my eyes closed, I started to chant, “I, Alyssa Michaelis, hereby abandon my humanity. I am prepared to leave behind my life as a mortal and belong to The Infernal Realm.

  “Through fire, I walk forward. Through death, I will persevere. Through pain, I will thrive. Through sin, I will grow.”

  Every sentence connected me to my lovers and to my unborn daughter. It bound us so tightly that fire, pain, death, sin, and mortality became irrelevant concepts. The only thing that mattered was the togetherness.

  I felt Lucifer, Stefan, Mikael, Meph, Callum, and our daughter. I felt Shiro, TB, and more distantly, Redrum. For a few seconds, I could’ve sworn I saw and felt every single demon in The Infernal Realm, even the imprisoned princes of Hell.

  Flames of demonic energy traveled through me, transforming me into something different. The presence of all those people—even those I hated—kept me safe and sane.

  My skin crackled and shifted. My body vibrated, welcoming its new shape. And just like that, I was reborn into a different life.

  A universe of light and emotion swelled inside me. I was the Vessel of Hope, the Queen of Hell, but first and foremost, Alyssa. I was free.

  When I opened my eyes again, the ritual circle was burnt out and Shiro was approaching me carefully.

  “How do you feel, Lyssa?”

  “Umm… Not very different.”

  I changed my mind the moment I got up. Something swayed behind me, and between that and the swell of my belly, I almost lost my balance. I recovered quickly and stole a look over my shoulder. I gaped when I realized that at one point, I’d sprouted a tail.

  “What in Satan’s name…?”

  “Well, it looks like we’ve already made progress,” Meph said as he leisurely walked up to us. “A while back, you were still invoking the name of The Supreme Being.”

  I shot him an unimpressed look and opened my mouth, intending to chew him out for mentioning that tidbit now. Meph didn’t give me the chance. Before I knew what was going up, he grabbed my swaying tail and started to massage it.

  A jolt of unexpected pleasure swept over me. Taken aback, I let out a small cry. “Meph…”

  “What is it, pet?” he purred. “I thought you didn’t feel any different.”

  If I’d had the strength, I’d have gotten mad. Instead, the words just aroused me more.

  Apparently, he’d decided it was payback time for those moments when I’d taken advantage of his tail. I didn’t have the fine motor control I needed to wriggle the appendage from his grip, so I was completely at his mercy.

  My knees went weak and I’d have dropped to the floor had Lucifer not kept me from falling. “Don’t torture our queen so, Mephistopheles. She deserves better.”

  “Of course she does,” Meph answered. “I’m ready when you are.”

  He brought the tip of my tail to his mouth and sucked gently. I whimpered, trying to pull away from him. But there was no escape and Lucifer wasn’t nearly as helpful as he’d pretended to be.

  He buried his fingers in my hair, but his caress didn’t stay chaste. His talented digits tracked down something that hadn’t been there before, and another cry of pleasure escaped me as he explored my new anatomy.

  “W-What?” I stammered, confused. “What’s going on?”

  “You also have horns, Lyssa,” he said. “They’re quite lovely. Tiny, but I have no doubt they’ll grow, in time.”

  Okay. So becoming a demon involved growing horns and a tail. It wasn’t entirely surprising. Compared to the other physical changes I could’ve had—such as having distorted limbs—this was nothing. I could handle it.

  What I couldn’t handle was the oversensitivity of the new additions. Horns were supposed to be bone-like, right? Then why did it feel so good when Lucifer touched them?

  “Don’t question it,” Lucifer whispered. “Just let us handle everything, remember?”

  “We were talking about the ritual,” I somehow managed to reply, “not… this.”

  Lucifer chuckled. “Semantics. You don’t want us to stop, do you?”

  It was a rhetorical question. I’d never been able to resist them and that hadn’t changed. I didn’t answer and Lucifer didn’t laugh again. Instead, he brushed his lips over mine in
a strikingly gentle kiss.

  “There you go. Why fight it, when it feels so right?”

  It did. It did feel right. I’d expected at least a little strangeness because the ritual was supposed to transform me into another being entirely, but leaving aside the tail and horns, I was still myself.

  It was just another sign that we’d always been meant to do this. I’d never been a fatalistic person, but this time, I could make an exception.

  As I melted against Lucifer’s chest, Meph released my tail from his hold. Mikael came up from behind me and caressed my spine. I didn’t have wings, but his touch still made my skin flare with almost unbearable lust.

  I whimpered against Lucifer’s lips, and it was like a cue. “Bring her here,” Stefan growled. “I want her.”

  “We all do,” Lucifer replied. His words sounded teasing, but his tone held a dark promise. I wasn’t surprised when he picked me up and carried me out of the lounge.

  It must have only taken him seconds to reach our bedroom, but those moments stretched into an age. A powerful ache stirred inside me and all of a sudden, I couldn’t breathe. I needed to have them inside me, right this instant. I needed to claim them and have them claim me back.

  Lucifer set me down on the bed and pressed a kiss to my temple. He must have guessed what I wanted, because he said, “Shh, love. We won’t leave you waiting.”

  They didn’t. There were advantages to having lovers who were princes of Hell with superhuman abilities. As Lucifer continued to caress me, the others quickly discarded their clothing. It was a shame I couldn’t enjoy the show. I was already too lost in my own head to see them clearly.

  My lovers didn’t mind. Lucifer brushed feverish kisses over my naked body and his talented lips traveled down my aching breasts, zeroing in on my pebbled nipples. When he sucked on one of the tiny nubs, every inch of me responded to him, and some of my milk flowed into his mouth.

  Lucifer grunted, sounding almost as wrecked and desperate as I was. Ever since they’d discovered this novelty, my lovers had become fascinated by it and wanted to taste me all the time. I couldn’t bring myself to complain, even if my nipples were so sensitive I sometimes felt I wouldn’t be able to endure all their touches.