I enter the classroom, and all eyes are immediately on me. I quickly make my way to my seat between Fima and Mor.

"You okay?" Fima asks in a whisper.

"I'm fine. Seraphus helped," I answer her with a smile, feeling myself being sniffed. "Mor!"

"What?" My friend smiles widely and pulls back. "I was just checking. That trio behind our backs is stressing me out, and I'm weighing how close we are to a fight where I'll have to defend your honor."

I open my mouth in shock.

"And you're not going to win against the three of us anyway," Stellare snickers behind my back.

"You'll take your chances?" Mor squints at him.

"Enough, no one will defend my honor. I can do it myself. And you," I turn around and point at the three guys smiling seductively at me, "calm down. I don't smell anymore."

"You do," Vox nods. "Less, but you always smell nice. That's what attracts everyone."

"And you're also handsome," Ailes agrees with him. "I especially like the color of your skin. Though it's gotten lighter, it's caressing like morning dew. And the eyes."

"Uh-oh, yes, the eyes are amazing, the clearest sky," Stellare nods.

"No, like the depths of a lake with spring water," Vox shakes his head.

"Are you sane?" I crinkle my nose.

"And your scent makes us tell the truth. It sucks," Stellare tsks. "Will you go on a date with me?"

I shift my gaze puzzledly to Mor, then to Fima.

"Wow, our narcissistic prince has indulged in a date," she snorts. "That's not good."

"He's going on a date with me. Right, Lua?" I look perplexed at Vox.

"It's useless, I'll just keep ignoring you." I look away from them as Seraphus enters the classroom. Our gazes cross, and I feel a blush immediately spread from my cheeks to my neck.

"Ailes!" Seraphus barks. "I didn't notice a completed punishment on my desk."

"Well, I wrote all thirty times, decided that was enough," Ailes responds indifferently.

"No, it's not enough. Get out of my class."

"But..."

"Out.Don't even think about showing your face to me until you bring me a fully completed punishment."

With an angry growl, the guy grabs his stuff and storms out of the classroom, slamming the door loudly.

"Great. If everyone's ready, we'll continue our theme."

I prop my hand against my cheek and melt, listening to Seraphus. Honestly, I don't care what he has to say, I just like listening to him and talking to him and breathing him and dreaming about him. I used to think that demons were evil, like the rest of the dark powers, because it was always talked about in our land. But demons are actually very intelligent, calm, rational, and sexy. Even Vox, for example. He's not that bad, he's just following his own kind of energy. He can't be different, just like Stellare, just like the perpetually fidgety and full of energy Mor, just like the playful Ailes, just like the constantly disgruntled and emotional Pyros. It's nature, and it's impossible to ignore it.

"Lua?" Stellare whispers to me. I roll my eyes as I continue writing.

"So, will you go on a date with me? I haven't asked anyone out yet," he continues.

"No," I whisper.

"Why?"

"Because you set out to win the bet, and I'm not the prize."

"What if I like you?"

"That's not fatal."

"What if I prove I like you?"

"Stellare," I quickly turn back to him, "you're probably someone else's dream, but not mine, okay? I like you, but not as an object of my passion. I repeat, I'm not attracted to either of you. I'm offering a compromise. We'll be friends, and we'll see what happens next."

I'm going back to my notebook.

"Does friendship involve kissing?" Vox whispers now.

"No."

"What about a sleepover together?" Stellare inquires.

"No."

"And going to the town?"

"Not unless we're all together."

"And dinner for two?"

"No."

"And breakfast in bed?"

"I'll answer for Luappo, no."

I flinch when Seraphus's black fingernails scratch the wood of the desk next to me. Raising my head, I swallow. Seraphus is angry, his eyes brightening slightly again, and he lets out his fangs.

"Both of you are going to follow Ailes now. Is that clear? And I'll come up with the most horrible punishment for you. Like cleaning the stalls for a month or helping in the kitchen. Would you like that?"

"No!" Vox and Stellare reply in unison.

"So shut your mouths and leave Luappo alone, or I'll have to go to the headmaster to have an enlightening talk with you about violent coercion."

There is a moment's silence, and then Seraphus, as if nothing had happened, returns to the topic. No more Stellare and Vox terrorizing me with questions.

"Luappo, stay a moment."

I freeze in place. Fima winks at me and Mor claps me on the shoulder.

"Meet us in the dining hall. We'll take lunch for you."

"Thanks," I whisper.

When the classroom empties, Seraphus leans back against the table and folds his arms across his chest.

"Are they sexually harassing you?"

"No. They just had a bet to see who would sleep with me first," I snort. "That's okay, I can handle it."

"Hmm," he frowns and thinks for a while. "The House has a charter, and if anyone breaks it, they will be punished. So if anyone tries to force you to do something you don't want to do, go right to Nock."

"Okay, but I don't think it's necessary. They don't really like me in that way. I'm just the new guy. They thought one thing about me and heard something unfavorable about me, but I'm different. It's a game to them. They're spoiled with attention, luxury and freedom. But in time, they'll figure it out. They're not so bad, really."

"Good." Seraphus nods at me and gazes intently into my eyes, as if searching for something there again. He does that a lot. Sometimes during class, while everyone is copying material off the board or doing assignments, I catch his gaze. It's long, intense, thoughtful, even a little distrustful. Of course I noticed it, and I liked it.

"Is there anything else you wanted? Cause we're on our lunch break." I cast a glance at the door.

"No... yes, I've scheduled you to pass your practical task on Friday. You'll need to create a personal protective dome against the dead person's power. Do you think you're ready for that yet, or should I reschedule for the test?"

"Hmm, I'll be ready. In view of the fact that my dark power finally woke up yesterday, I expect to pass the practice. I have time to practice a little more. I'll pass," I say confidently.

"That's great, but it's not a cure-all, Kan. If you fail, no one will kick you out of here. Nock scares everyone with that all the time. So don't worry."

"I'm honestly not worried," I frown. Seraphus snorts incredulously. "I really don't. I was worried a lot yesterday, but now...no. I'm confident in my powers. I won't let you down."

"Good."

And we're silent. I'm not comfortable standing in front of him, looking at me. Not only does it turn me on, but I'm worried that the guys will find me sympathetic to Seraphus because of my lateness.

"So I can go?"

"In a hurry?" He smirks, folding his arms across his chest.

"Uh... the guys are waiting for me. Lunch," I mumble.

"You feel uncomfortable," Seraphus says, as he pushes away from the table and approaches me. Swallowing, I stare at him tensely.

"I just don't understand," I reply in a whisper.

"Your hair has grown back." Seraphus touches the strands near my ears, scratching my skin. A pleasant shiver runs through my body, my blood starts to surge, and my groin tightens all from the desire for privacy.

Frightened by my thoughts, by the likely scent of my desire for my teacher, I step away from Seraphus and turn away.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. See you later, Seraphus."

Clutching my bag and notebooks, I fly out of the classroom, my heart pounding with excitement. I whispered to myself, "Mother Almighty, I almost got caught," as my heart raced in my chest. Yes, of course, I really like Seraphus, but I have no right to even sympathize with him. Who am I? A wretch. As soon as he finds out, his expression transforms from curiosity to disdain. I don't want to be disappointed so badly.

In the dining room, I spot Fima and Mor sitting together. As usual, Mor is on his third meal, while Fima explains something to a friend while sipping a vampire cocktail. As I approach the table where lunch is set, strong arms envelop my waist, causing me to startle and turn my head in astonishment.

"Vox," I let out a groan and unhook the smiling demon from me. "Friends and that's it."

"Aren't friends supposed to hug?"

"I don't trust you, so no," I snort and sit down at the table. Vox immediately pulls up a chair next to me.

"Is he going to sit with us all the time now?" Fima grimaces and looks at Vox with annoyance.

"Yeah, get used to it," Vox smiles. "I'm friends with Lua, and we're going into town this weekend to have some fun."

"When did we decide that?" I grin.

"Now. And since these," Vox points a glance at Fima and Mor, "are your friends, we're taking them with us. See, Lua? I can be friends. And this way you'll definitely relax."

"And when he's relaxed, you'll use your powers and stupify him," Mor tsks. "Yeah, we know your kind."

"I even..."

"And where are we going?" Ailes sits down on the other side of me and grabs a slice of cucumber off my tray, tossing it into his mouth.

"You're not invited," Vox points a finger at him.

"Why is that?" I squint. "Since you're friends with my friends and this friendly outing into town, Ailes is coming with us, too."

"Where is Ailes going with you?" Stellare's jealous voice rises. He unceremoniously sits on Ailes' lap, but apparently that's okay for them, because Ailes hugs him and steals the cucumber from my plate again.

"We're going out to have fun in the town on Saturday," Ailes explains.

"Yeah? Great. I'll make us reservations at the joy house."

"At a brothel?" I whisper in horror.

Everyone breaks out in laughter.

"You're mistaking it for a pleasure house," Stellare pronounces, still laughing. "There are no brothels here. A joy house is a bar with music, dancing, and fun."

Except I never drank alcohol at all. I'm a servant, and I'm not allowed to. I'll have to keep an eye on what I get.

"So you've already passed all the tests?" I'm abruptly turned around along with my chair and meet Piros' fierce eyes. He takes a quick sniff and smirks contentedly.

"Hmm, not yet, but the guys offered to go out on the town this weekend. I've never been out there. I immediately arrived here. Want to come with us?" I offer.

"Lua!"

"We didn't call him."

"Lua, how could you?"

All the guys hiss at me, and I smile widely at the puzzled expression on Piros' face. I doubt he was invited anywhere at all.

"And about your day of vengeance on me, we could move it to next week. What do you say, Piros, do you want to come with us to the joy house? They say it's cool." I ignore the pokes in my back and ribs and continue.

"I do," Piros hisses.

"Great. We'll set up a time later, then. Now, could you turn me back around? I'd like to have lunch because I'm going to miss dinner. I have a test," I ask him politely.

I'm immediately turned back around and Piros is gone.

"And why the hell did you call him?"

"He's an annoying prick."

"He's aggressive and mean."

"He's a dragon, Lua! Fire dragons are the most horrible creatures! They don't control their power until they're of age, and they're not the nicest afterward!"

It goes on like this all day, then the next day. It feels like the five of them are rallying against Piros, which makes me feel sorry for him. They go on and on about how bad Piros is and how he hates everyone. They keep finding new reasons why I should be the one to tell Piros that I've changed my mind about inviting him to join us. My head aches from the buzzing of voices around me. And I'm really getting very sad, because of Piros' indignation and insults. I started to take a closer look at him. I saw that he was lonely. He eats alone, often quickly, and doesn't even look at anyone. He walks everywhere alone, bullying everyone. He's sullen and unsociable. Behind his back, I hear unpleasant remarks about him, ironic insults and sometimes just nasty death wishes.

By evening I couldn't stand the notes appearing under my door, demanding from Vox, Stellare, Ailes, Mor and Fima that I immediately tell Piros not to go for a walk with us on Saturday. And it's already impossible to stand it any longer.

Slipping out of my room, I glance around the quiet corridor. This definitely won't last much longer. I take a quick step toward the stairs, just as I hear Fima and Mor calling out to me. I break into a sprint and run away from them. Thanks to the fact that I was always taking wrong turns at first, I now know a lot of loopholes, how and where to hide. I manage to make it through two floors, and I sigh quietly. I'll hide in the library, especially since I wanted to know what the conflict of powers meant.

Suddenly I'm grabbed by my shirt and pushed against the wall. And I was just glad I'd settled things with Piros. I throw my head up as the intimidating dragon spreads his hands to the sides of my head, blocking my escape options.

"Well, now what? What do you want from me?" I ask him tiredly.

"Have you decided to play games with me, Lua?" He growls, blowing hot breath on my face.

"What do you mean?" I frown. "And stop trying to boil my blood. I know how to avoid that, Piros. What's the matter?"

"Your friends told me you were terrified of me and asked them to pass me your words about taking back your invitation."

"Uh-oh, Mother Omnipresent, they still won't calm down." I let out a groan and shake my head.

"So? Are you afraid of me? You?" Piros squints at me.

"I'm not afraid of you, that's first. Second, I didn't ask anyone or anything to tell you. That's their fear, not mine. Third, stop grabbing me and slamming me against the wall. I don't like it. If you want to talk to me, just ask me. I won't say no. You can even knock on my room and I'll open it for you. Fourth, you're still invited to a friendly walk in the town. Friendly, Piros, meaning you will stop growling, scaring my friends, and trying to boil their blood. Understand?" I point my finger at him.

"What are you..."

"Shut up," I tsk, pushing him away from me and he surprisingly backs away, "and listen to me carefully. If you want to be friends with me, be friends with my friends too. Look for communication options. If you need help with that, I'm happy to help you communicate. I'm ready to be your friend, Piros. And no, Piros, you can't blow anyone up, you can't set hair on fire either, you can't push, you can't spit fire, you can't growl, you can't rape anyone, you can't threaten, you can't use force. Those are the rules. Accept them or don't come to town with us. It's entirely up to you. But I'm planning on having a good time on Saturday, and you can't ruin it for me, okay? Think hard about what I said and, yes, I know you like me. You're obvious, but I'll accept friendship for starters. You can't win me over with a growl and certainly not with that kind of behavior, Piros. That's my last word. Good night, Piros."

Surprisingly, I step around the dragon without a problem and take a light step toward the library. When I turn around, I suppress a smile, looking at Piros frozen in place with his mouth hanging open in shock. I doubt anyone had ever talked to him like that, or even talked to him normally. Usually, everyone is scared of him and runs away from him, or makes him look like a monster. Of course, he can be intimidating with his huge body size, hissing, and power, but I'm not afraid of him. I'm not afraid of him at all. He seems very lonely to me.