Courts and Cabals by G.S. D'Moore (best e reader for academics txt) 📕

past activities, plus our millennia of bad press, and we’re automatically the bad guys to the government’s good guys.”

Judging by her tone and expression, that perception really bothered her. I gave her shoulder a squeeze. That brought a smile to her face, and I was surprised I didn’t pop a half-chub at the innocent expression. She must have felt my spike of uncertainty, and gave me a questioning look.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I proceeded carefully, “but I’m not getting auto-hard when I’m around you anymore.”

“Oh that,” she relaxed a bit. “It’s part of the deal, and specifically for you as my First. I give off low level vibes that usually have guys popping wood around me. Our agreement, and my mark, shield you from the things I can’t control.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, and again, she seemed to sense my unease. She turned fully to face me, and locked eyes. Deep emerald pools rose up and I found myself struggling to breathe. Her hand grazed my leg and I got hard so fast it gave me whiplash.

“You’re not immune to my charms, Cam, but I’ve shielded you a bit. Trust me, it’s a good thing,” she turned her eyes from me, and my raging boner softened to the level of a normal teenage boy sitting next to a hot teenage girl.

“Because I’m your First?” the capitol F was clear when she said it, but I didn’t know what that meant. Yet again, she was a step ahead of me.

“The First of a succubus’s harem is its manager and the succubae’s chief of staff. You handle my feeding schedules, administrative duties, my appointments, coordinate with security, and other things. Basically, you’re the dude in charge,” she grinned. What guy didn’t like to be in charge. “Since you’re the only person in my harem, and I don’t foresee others until I’m of age, you don’t have most of those duties. We’re both still in school for another six months, and after that we’ll decide whether its college or getting into the family business.”

“College?” I’d barely even begun to think of that as an option.

“We give generously to several major institutions, so you won’t have trouble getting in anywhere you want. As long as you graduate high school,” she clarified. There were some things no amount of money could buy.

“Cool . . . cool cool,” it was a lot to think about, and a lot of responsibility I didn’t realized I’d signed up for. But one look at Lilith, and I was sure I was up for it. “So, what now?” I wondered.

“Now, we plan,” Lilith rose gracefully to her feet. “You only have a day and a half of freedom left, and then everything is going to change. We need to ensure you’re kept safe. Dani will provide most of that, but you’ll need coverage during the day when she isn’t available. I suggest you call Jerome; he should be able to assist you. You are a friend of the clan on his orders. He might be a runt, but the clan takes those kinds of relationships seriously. They want to protect their own just as much as a cabal does.”

I was excited to have Dani watching my back; for more reasons than one, but Lilith was right. No one person could be there to watch over me at all times. Jerome could pick up some slack, and I was sure Brad, and even Makaylah, would help; but the person who really needed to step up was me.

“I need a weapon,” I stated firmly. She might be my boss, but there was no room for negotiation in my tone.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she produced a sheathed knife out of nowhere.

“That interdimensional pocket thing really comes in hand, doesn’t it,” I grinned, and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Any type of weapon in a school was a big no-no.

It was a Bowie knife; eight inches, with the upper-half a sharp-as-fuck blade, while the bottom half was serrated and ideal for cutting. I didn’t know what I’d be cutting, but it was better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I ran my finger along the edge, and immediately nicked myself.

“Fuck,” I hissed and sucked at the wound.

“Careful,” she chided. “Once I told the cabal about your issue, they overnighted this to me in anticipation you would sign on with my harem.”

“It doesn’t hurt to plan ahead,” I wanted to practice with the knife, but that wasn’t something I could do in public.

“Dani has some skill with blades, so she can teach you. It won’t help much before Monday, but the blade is cold iron, so if you stick it in a Fae, they’ll die.”

“Better them than me,” I said more to myself than her.

“I agree,” she leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek, which I felt all the way down to my toes. “I need to go. Midterms are next week, and I expect you to pass them as well. We have a reputation to maintain.”

There she was going on again about reputation and pride. I was more worried about staying alive.

“Studying might even be a good distraction,” she continued. “If you spend all your time being paranoid it’ll drive you crazy.”

“Easy for you to say. I don’t think a tank round would even bruise you. If I get poked full of holes, I bleed and die.” I didn’t voice my complaint, and instead took a deep breath and agreed with her.

She had work to do, and so did I. The first thing I did was call all my friends together and tell them about the problem.

“You’re shitting me,” was Brad’s reaction.

“No fucking way Aveena is such a petty bitch,” was Makaylah’s.