Chapter 1
Celestial Fevers is a series of short stories. There will be different episodes, for all the characters.
Raina
My eyes are glued to my demon stepbrother. No, I don’t mean it figuratively. He’s an actual demon. Large black wings hang on his back. They’re drooping in his relaxed state.
Dark horns poke through his long, silky raven-colored hair on either side of his head, twisting up and back.
His sly grin displays his fangs. I scowl. He’s so godsdamn attractive. And a colossal asshole. Self-consciously, I rake my fingers through my strawberry blonde strands.
The girls around him are beautiful, faes, elves, and a siren. That’s just right now. He always has an entourage of women.
He’d never see me as beautiful or anything close to it. How can a mortal compete with immortals? I feel like a raggedy doll in comparison.
I never had low self-esteem until I had to move in with my father. Once that happened, I had the shock of a lifetime. My stepmother is a succubus.
When he first told me, I blushed. ’I don’t need to know what y’all do behind closed doors.’ I peeled my lips back in disgust.
Then Kere walked into the kitchen. No shirt, all muscle, tall as can be. Random symbols and drawings of obsidian-colored ink on his arms, chest, and neck. He leaned against the counter.
Heat rushed to my center, hot and heavy. I was going to accuse him of being an incubus, too, but was glad I didn’t open my mouth. His horns appeared, and then his wings.
He gave me a knowing smirk. Like he knew I was going to proclaim him a god of fucking.
“Demon,” Dad explained as if that cleared anything up.
Next thing I knew, I was being sent to Blood & Bone Academy. On the bright side, I wasn’t the first or only human to attend.
Kere glances over at me. His midnight eyes glaring, and mine dart toward the door. I hate that he caught me ogling.
It was obvious. Class was over about five minutes ago. My stepbrother and the girls hanging on his every word are all that remains.
Well, and me. Pathetic in my seat. Kere turns my godsdamn brain to mush. I grab my books in a frantic pile, hold them to my chest, and leave.
I stop by my locker to exchange books for “Water Energy, and Why it Matters” with Mr. Gil Seawaters. I’m in a rush. My head still stuck on how Kere’s forearms looked. Sleeves of the dark cottony fabric shoved up, showing off the corded veins there.
Smack.
The force in which I hit the hard wall pushes an oof out of me. My books and papers go flying. My Digital Bloodline phone goes scattering across the floor.
I scowl. My eyes stare at a familiar, well-defined chest and then up into dark eyes twinkling with mischief.
“You need to be careful, sis.” Kere tsks. His velvety voice should be illegal. It wraps around me like a warm blanket in the middle of a snowstorm.
Annoyed and turned on, I start to clean my things up. Before I get far, his hand snaps out, snatching my wrist.
“I was talking to you.” He grits between his sharp canines.
“I heard you.” I snatch my wrist away.
“Brat.” He steps toward me. His cocky demeanor says he’s the king of Blood & Bone. He is.
I take a step back. He moves with me, and then I’m up against the lockers. His arm stretches over my head. Digits adorned with black polish and silver rings tap against the metal.
“You’re lucky.” His voice drops. Low and raspy. The spot between my thighs pulses. His hand goes behind my neck. Chills bloom over my skin as my body wakes up.
Everything inside of me burns hot. The air between us grows thick. He leans in. The low ache inside me intensifies.
His face gets closer to mine. Nose brushing my cheek. I close my eyes, and his lips ghost mine. I suppress a moan.
A dark chuckle booms out of him, causing a scene. Blood rushes to my cheeks. How could I forget his nature? Cruel bastard.
His eyebrow arches. “You were going to kiss me. Your own brother.” Whispers fill the hallway.
He pushes away from me, taking the heat with him. I ignore the stares as he strolls down the hall.
My lip trembles, eyes filling with water, but I won’t cry. Not for him. More than anything, I just wish mom were here.
She made even my worst days better.
