The first obstacle to conquer before coercing teenage supers under my control—was hiding my tail in my school uniform pants.

“Hold still Damian!” Iggy tugged at the pant leg to make sure my impressive tip was covered. You see, I have a very sexy demon tail tip. It’s really sexy, by demon standards, like really hot. It’s scary, sharp, and serrated—formidable both on the battlefield and in the sheets. Succubi fucking love it… well they would if they gave me a chance. Unfortunately, the most action I ever got with my tail was Iggy restraining my fourth trouser snake beneath gray slacks.

I groaned, “It’s not gonna bend backwards like that.”

“I’m wrapping it above your ankle.”

“Just tuck it into a sock. What's the big deal?”

“Tuck it into a sock?” He glared at me as if I slapped him upside the head. “Sir, did you develop a brain tumor in your sleep? You tuck this monstrosity in there—you’ll look like you got a big ugly cankle.”

“So?”

“And you’re gonna stab yourself in the foot the second you walk anywhere.”

“No I won’t.”

“Damian, don't start with me. You’re gonna stab yourself in the foot and complain like a little bitch all day. You’ll say ‘Iggy it hurts’, ‘Iggy I’m bleeding’, ‘Iggy it’s everywhere’. And I’ll say ‘I fucking to you so, you cankle-looking-cock-job’. And who’s gonna clean up the blood? ME! That’s who. So shut the fuck up and let me strangle you.”

“Iggy I’m not gonna—”

“Ah-ah.” He tugged at my tail. “You start squirming like that, these pants are gonna rip up to your butthole.”

“But I—”

“Up the butthole sir! Up. The. Butthole.”

Fresh hot coals of defiance burned on my tongue—but I kept them sizzling in my jaw. I stayed perfectly still, didn’t move a muscle. As crass as he was, Ignio was the only advisor I’d ever had that didn’t blow smoke up my ass. All the other imps were obsessed with pleasing me, making sure I was pampered, telling me everything I wanted to hear. It drove me batshit insane. Can you imagine? For the rest of your infernal existence, being stuck with some ass-kisser who always did whatever you said? I remember how shocked everyone was when I picked him as my personal confidant. But he was good at his job! I still don’t get why he was nicknamed “hell’s worst underling” either.

“There.” He backed away from my leg. “Now you’re all hidden and you’re not going to hurt yourself.”

I turned towards the full-length mirror to inspect his work. Staring back at me was a human-looking teenage boy in Marvell academy’s school uniform. A high-collared navy blue blazer with subtle silver accents along the lapels and cuffs, the school emblem of a black and blue raven with a flourish of silver flame, a white button-up short-sleeved shirt underneath, a silver belt, black leather gloves and…

“I have to slip on those knee-high boots don’t I?” I winced, looking at the pair sitting in the box. The boots were black with silver accents as well, matching the whole ensemble.

Iggy put his little hands on his hips. “You forgot humans wear shoes, didn’t you.”

“Well yeah? Demons don’t wear boots. I’m not used to this shit dude.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh. I’m hearing a distinct lack of ‘thank-you’ being thrown around sir.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, thank you for tucking my tail in my pants properly.”

His little face beamed proudly. “Why you’re very fucking welcome sir. Now let’s get these boots on and target some naive super souls, before I change my mind about your stupid plan.”

“It’s not stupid. I’m telling you, we’re gonna change the system once we have enough souls—”

“Yeah, yeah, I believe you.” He pulled the boots out of the box. “Now sit on the bed and give me your feet.”

----------------------------------------

After spending an egregious amount of time putting the uniform boots on. I stepped outside with Iggy on my shoulder. My disguise was more put-together than the day before. My horns were hidden with a coating of invis-paste that Marvella provided in the care package. I had better quality makeup too, specially made so it wouldn’t melt against my super-heated internal temperature. I got contacts to give my eyes the appearance of having white sclera (instead of black) and green irises (instead of red). The irises were even circular instead of the diamond-like slits us demons have. By all accounts I looked like a human, so long as I didn’t smile too widely to reveal my fangs and I kept my claws retracted inside the gloves.

“I must confess, you look downright adorable as a human sir.” Iggy remarked as I sauntered through the courtyard. “I’m almost tempted to pinch your cheeks, your little baby goo-goo boo-boo chubby-wubby cheeks.” He cooed, “You’re the devious definition of cute, but touching your face would ruin your makeup huh?”

“Please don’t remind me I’m wearing makeup.”

“Of course sir, only because you asked nicely.” He snickered.

We found a quiet spot about a stone’s throw away from the landing pad. I made sure to keep to the shadows. After waiting for a while, the airship full of students cut through the sky like an obsidian blade.

Its black and blue hull gleamed like a freshly polished pitchfork, the metal was so shiny you could see your own reflection in it, and the jet engines growled like a starved hell-hound. It wasn’t lost on me that the sleek design of the ship evoked the look of a bird of prey, similar to the school emblem on my blazer.

Iggy gave a low whistle. “Humans sure are industrious.”

“Industrious idiots.” I muttered. “Camouflage yourself, now.”

“Don't want me embarrassing you in front of your human companions hm?”

“Ignio. For the millionth time, I'm not making friends.”

“Yes of course sir.” He nestled himself on my shoulder. “I'll be quiet and inconspicuous then, for your acquaintances.” He changed his scales to blend in with his surroundings.

I took a deep breath in, readying myself for the wave of students. My plan was to observe them all from afar, get a sense of which ones were the most powerful, and then target the mightiest students to coerce into a deal. Power was what I needed most of all.

As the students filed out of the airship I observed they were all wearing their own individual style of clothing. All different colors of shirts, pants, shoes. None of them had uniforms! What the hell?! Did Marvella set me up? I was the only one on the entire island wearing a school uniform.

“Son of a succubus.” I shrank further into cover.

“What? What's the matter?” Iggy whispered.

“No one else is in uniform.”

“So?”

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“So?!” I glared at him on my shoulder (unsure if I was really making eye-contact with him since I couldn't see him). “Iggy, I know you have a literal lizard brain but fucking think. Think Iggy, think! If I am in uniform and no one else is—I stand out. It defeats the whole point of bothering with my fucking disguise!”

“Mhm, yes, and yelling at yourself like a well-adjusted human certainly helps with blending in. You should shout louder. From the diaphragm. Attract more unwanted attention.”

I felt my cheeks burning, but I kept my cool.

“Okay, point taken, but no one's looking over here.”

“So what's the plan now sir?”

I internally cursed Marvella as I slid behind one of the many pillars in the outdoor hallway. I needed to be as covert as possible. Maybe I could've hid in my dorm for the day until everyone else got their uniforms? It was my only shot.

“We make a tactical retreat. Watch and learn Iggy, we’re gonna—oof!”

As I had turned to pull off some sick stealth moves I crashed into something—or as I soon found out, someone.

“Ah!” I squeaked like a branded sinner.

“Ooh, you’re a little creeper. Someone just got caught red-handed checking out the girls, mister peeping Tom.” A bubbly voice teased.

“Red-handed?!” I bristled, feeling my tail want to shoot upright against its restraints. How did she know I had red hands? I was wearing gloves. Did she have X-ray vision?!

Instinctively I double-checked if I still had them on. I did, but my blood still raced at the thought of being discovered.

Dizzy from the impact of running into her, my vision was so blurred I was seeing two of her. “Listen human—person. Whoever the fuck you are, I don't have red hands.” As my eyes adjusted I realized I was ranting to thin air.

“Barry Badass?” The bubbly voice came from behind me.

I turned so sharply like snapping a human neck. No one. She wasn't there! How was she in front of me just a second ago?

“Your name is Barry Badass? Really?”

“Hey! Stand still.” I commanded. “Where are you?”

“Up here!” She called, and I found her hanging upside down from the hallway arch banisters.

Her big afro pigtails swished side to side as she kicked her feet. The tips of the pigtails were dyed magenta to contrast her natural curly black hair. She was wearing a white crop top with a hood and hot pink short-shorts. In her hand was my student I.D that she inspected while blowing something bulbous and pink from her lips. The pink bubble made a loud popping sound, and she chewed the contents back in her mouth.

I wanted to rip off my own flesh at the chewing noises she was making with… whatever the pink shit was.

“What is that?”

“What?”

“In your disgusting whore mouth. What the fuck is—you know what? I don't even want to know. Give me my student card back.”

“Oooh someone’s mad.” She grinned. “I’m just having some fun.”

I felt a nudge behind me. Flinching, I turned to find her—again!

“Ah!” I looked back to the archway she was on. She was still hanging upside down, but she didn't have the student I.D.

I looked in front of me, and she was also still there.

“Try to keep up, you sicko.” She stuck out her tongue. “You want this?” And held up my student I.D

I immediately lunged for her torso but she did a backbend, completely dodging it. Then her foot hit my face!

Pain collided into me as there was another one of her who caught me in her arms. Then more of them! More of the same human doing cartwheels and other acrobatics, laughing while tossing my student I.D around.

“Hey! Give it back.” I whined. My voice cracked like a pathetic weakling.

The one who had caught me in her arms beamed down at me.

“Awe, you want it? Just take it from me. Go on. Show off your stuff.” She dropped me to the floor.

“Ow!” I forced myself to sit up but I felt so off-balance with my tail being held back. Not to mention wearing boots was a bitch and a half to deal with.

“Sir, are you alright?” Iggy whispered. I could feel him nestled into my blazer.

“Yeah, I'll deal with this.” I groaned. “Hang on.”

Getting up, I watched as the duplicating girl passed the I.D card around with increasingly acrobatic finesse. It was like playing a game to her.

“C’mon peeping Tom. Show me whatcha got.” She sang. “Or are you just gonna keep creeping on girls from the sidelines? You little sicko.”

“I'm not a sicko!” I winced, trying to catch the I.D card being thrown around. Every time I nearly had it—another clone of her would emerge and sidestep me. She was too fast!

“Hold still!”

“Oh he's angy.” She laughed. “But maybe next time you shouldn't spy on girls you little creeper peeper.”

“I wasn't spying!”

“You totally were. Hiding in the shadows being all mysterious. Untouchable, sexy, yeah it was kinda hot actually.” She added.

“What?!” I stumbled, missing yet another attempt to snag my I.D.

“Oooh did I press a few of your buttons Barry? Getting all blushy on me? Can't handle a cute girl on day one?” She asked while tossing the card between her clones. “Just take the card from me, c’mon. What kind of powers do you got if you're here?” She stuck out her tongue.

I wanted to rip it off.

“Give it back!” My voice distorted to a desperate animal.

“Oh come on. You can't be this helpless if you're at Marvell Academy.” She swept her leg as I went for another clone—and I landed on my ass.

“Seriously?! This is too easy Barry. You can't suck this much. You're holding back on me, tsk tsk.”

I got up to my feet. “Shut up! Give it back!”

“I'm obviously not giving it to you. What's the matter? You're weak and a pervert?”

“No! I'm not weak.”

“But you are a pervert.”

“I'm neither!”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

“Give it back!”

After lunging at her again, she effortlessly side-stepped me and struck my back—shoving me into the sand.

At that point, I can't exactly remember what happened. I remember the taste of sand, one that still makes me hot with rage, shame, and vengeance. Sand is absolutely disgusting, it’s coarse, and rough, and it gets everywhere. Receiving a hefty mouthful of dried dirt by a smug human set off something primal in me. Something that triggered my claws to burst out of my gloves. Dig into her arms. Slam her against a concrete pillar in the hallway. And choke her… really squeeze the life out of her like it was as normal as blinking or breathing. It just—happened.

The only thing that stopped me from ending her life were the collective cries from her other duplicates.

A sudden choir of her pain erupted behind me, a wave of tortured pleas snapped me out of my hypnotic instinct to kill. I removed my claws from her neck, a disgusting mark where my hand used to crush her windpipe. The rest of her clones fell to their knees. They soon disappeared, leaving the remaining girl pinned against the pillar in my clutches.

“Shit, shit, shit.” I muttered. “Fuck, um. Are you okay? I mean, you totally deserved it. And now you know I can kill you because I'm not weak. I'm not weak at all! I'm really powerful and scary and—and don't ever do that shit again. Or I'll bury you in a ditch where no one will find you. But are you okay? Please tell me you're okay. You're okay right?”

I only asked because I didn't want Marvella to kick me out of the school and ruin my master plan. It's not like I cared about a dumb human, so don't get it twisted.

The girl gazed at me with a wild panic, like prey in the clutches of a predator. Yet, the moment we locked eyes, she smiled? Yes, she smiled at me, as if we were old friends. As if it was all a harmless game of tag.

But I knew it was different. I was this close to killing her, ending her life… and on my first day of school.

“Phew, well helloooo Barry. Now that was hot. That’s what I'm talking about!” She let out a loud belly laugh. “Oh my God, for a little stalker you are fucking sexy when you go off. Pin me to the wall more often and we can have a really good time.”

I remained frozen, unable to make any sense of this psycho little human.

“Wh-what?” I blinked. “What do you mean hot—”

“What's going on here?” A deeper, more authoritative voice came behind me.

I immediately retracted my claws from her—and I realized blood was dripping from my fingers. My claws stabbed her arm—fuck.

I wiped my hands along my pants before turning around.

In front of me, was an absolute unit of a man. He was taller than me, if you could believe that. Had a chiseled jawline, curly black hair, toned muscles defined with a tight white t-shirt and regular blue jeans. Around his neck he wore a simple silver chain with the letter I as a charm. And he was glaring down at me with the iciest blue eyes I had ever seen.

I gulped. “Hi.”

“Oh my God!” The girl bounced around me to face the guy. “Gideon Marvell! You're going to school this year?! Oh my gosh!” She squealed. Suddenly more copies burst out of her, all of them touching Gideon with extreme interest and little care for personal boundaries.

“Your muscles are so big! Have you ever lifted a train? No! Two trains? Do you have a girlfriend? What's your sun sign? I can't believe you're attending the same year as me! My name’s Mia by the way. Mia Melrosa. You have such cute curls in your hair. I can touch your hair right? Oh wow, they're like little slinkies! How do you get your hair so floofy? Can I have your number? Do you like sailing?” On and on more questions flowed from her copies as she climbed him like a monkey on a tree.

I was left watching her antics as the name sunk in.

Gideon Marvell.

Marvella's son.

The most powerful student at this school.

I had to have him.