by Emma Cole
When he wasn’t more forthcoming, I looked to the others. They were closed off as well. “This another one of those things we’re,” I gestured between me and Lorca, “not supposed to know about?”
Vaughn’s gaze turned bleak. “If we interfere again, we forfeit both of your choices. Observation only and no hints. It’s all we can tell you.” Anger colored the tail end of his words, his jaw set in a manner that had to be grinding his teeth. Apparently someone had majorly pissed in his Cheerios.
Life could never be easy. Something always had to happen. “You know, I’d really like to know who’s pulling all these strings. They’re really poking at my absolute last shred of patience.” I started ticking off the issues on my fingers. “Both of my parents died without any real apparent cause when I was too young to take their place, then an old ass rule pops up when I was old enough, saying that I had to be mated in order to rule. Uncle Bolin used that little nugget to hang on to his title as Regent, and he’s terrorized my people while turning the clan into the mob. You all were sent after me to take care of his problem, the council essentially tossed me here after a mockery of a trial, and the school counselor tried to poison me...” I trailed off for a moment when grunts that sounded suspiciously like agreement came from the three. My eyes narrowed on them, but before I tested my theory, I finished naming off my issues. “The dean wanted an ‘alliance’, ew, no. Someone is here to kill me, and it may be for my uncle but maybe not. Oh, and you all were identified as my mates and set up to be killed so that I would die. Now you can’t tell me shit, there’s someone behind the scenes pulling your strings, and I’m most likely going to die here.”
A series of grunts I took to mean yes sounded out again with my last few statements until the death one. Then they all fell on the floor holding their throats before they winked out again. Oh, shit.
“Uh, what just happened?” Poor Lorca stared wide-eyed at where the rest of his quad had been. I was starting to feel like the adult of the situation. Or the protector instead of the protectee. He was obviously capable if he’d clicked with enough members to form a quad, but I was thinking the trauma of being separated from them and everything else was taking its toll. “Please tell me they’re coming back.”
“I’m sure they will be. After they get a new set of instructions,” I added on in a grumble. “At least we know we were all set up. Not gonna lie, the whole dying here thing isn’t appealing. Definitely going to make sure that’s not on the agenda.” I got up and tugged on his arm. His very toned and warm arm. “Come on, you may as well get in the bed. I’m still tired, and I feel bad you’re on the floor. Plus, if someone does come in, I don’t have to make it to you before we can disappear.”
He gave me a soft, appreciative smile. I could have done worse for mates. Actually, they were pretty darned up there on the scale. I wasn’t sure what I’d do about three of them being not so alive, but keeping at least one breathing was a step in the right direction.
I kept on my t-shirt and underwear I’d been sleeping in, but Lorca climbed into the narrow bed butt ass naked. Being nude wasn’t really an issue; sleeping next to a nude bondmate without completing the bond was a whole other story. I wouldn’t be surprised or too upset if I woke up with a claiming mark. A small shiver trickled down my upper back and through my chest, making my breasts tingle and nipples harden. From his downstairs reaction he definitely noticed, but he only held open the other side of the blankets without remark.
Brazenly, I settled in and turned my back, snuggled up to his warm body. My shirt rode up enough in the back that the soft trail of fuzz on his stomach was against my lower back. The skin-to-skin contact had the muscles I didn’t realize were so tense, relaxing. I was nearly asleep when Lorca’s arm slipped around me, his hand resting firmly over my heart between my breasts, and we both fell asleep wrapped together.
Chapter Seven
The morning came with no sign of the others. It did, however, come with one very grumpy shifter.
"Was it necessary to slap it?" Lorca griped.
Hiding my snicker, I replied, "Was it necessary to poke me in the forehead with it?"
"I'm not the one that decided my stomach was a pillow. I was sleeping." He was absolutely correct, but I wasn't going to admit it.
Waking up to his raging hard-on in my face had been a new experience, and I may have overreacted just a tad. I hadn't registered what was poking me until I opened my eyes and made sense of what they were seeing— the base of Lorca's thick dick and the testicles below it. I'd frantically batted it away and rubbed my forehead, hoping like hell I didn't have a dick imprint like the marks you get from sleeping on your hands. I continued to brush my long hair— detangling the mess of snarls was a job and a half after sleeping with it loose.
"Are you going to get dressed? I have botany in forty-five minutes and would like to find something to eat before I go." At least my stomach felt normal this morning. My parts a bit further south were acting up, though.
Lorca reluctantly threw back the industrial white sheets and heaved his naked self out of bed. I paused, brush midstroke, to ogle him as he stretched. I was ninety-nine percent sure it was mostly for my benefit, but it didn't stop me from staring. The delineated lines of his back flowed into the firm muscles of his buttocks and my alter purred. At that point my perusal stalled out— until he turned around and the still firm culprit made a showing. Then my gaze flashed to his.
With a self-satisfied smirk, the shit winked at me. I turned with a huff to sit on the lid of my trunk while I put my socks on. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get dressed and grab my bag, then I’ll make us both breakfast.” He didn’t move, and when I looked up, he was tipping his head back and forth, seemingly considering something. “I think you should at least make an appearance downstairs. Being seen as weak in this place is only going to cause problems.”
On the one hand, I was all warm and gooey about his concern. On the other hand, I didn’t like that we’d known each other for less than twenty-four hours, and he was trying to make the decisions— I'd been making my own for years, although they had landed me here. Trying not to be bitchy, I explained things to him. “Lorca, I appreciate your concern, and I’ll happily consider any suggestions you make— but please don’t try to make me your charge. I don’t need a nanny, and frankly, I’m more dominant than you and at least equal to Iliam and Vaughn, if not more so. It’s part of my birthright. We don’t know each other; we’re just biologically tied together with some magical fate shit thrown in the mix." He pales at the last part and not wanting to be so harsh, I tried to explain. "We haven’t even sealed the bond yet, I have the other three, that I have no clue how to, and all the other shit I have to contend with. Just don’t boss me around, okay? It’ll only piss me off, and one of us might get hurt because we’re too annoyed to be paying attention.”
He took it well, even when I was sure I'd hurt his feelings. “I’m sure you know it’s instinct to want to protect you, but I’ll do the best I can. I want more than just a physical mating, Mina. My feelings are already involved, just for full disclosure.” He finished pulling his pants on, carrying the rest of his clothes tucked under his arm, and dropped a kiss on my forehead before he left for his own room next door.
His lips had been soft and warm, and I really wanted to stay here and get to know him like we should be after meeting. But no, we had to deal with the academy from hell and my jackass family members that caused it all in the first place. I hurried to use the bathroom before he came back and went on downstairs when I was finished to wait for him. But not because he’d suggested it.
***
“You’re going to need to go to the dining hall and replace everything you’re using. I’m not your den mother or your servant.”
My back stiffened at the bossy voice behind me, and I spun to meet Veronica’s sourpuss face. “Lorca was showing me yesterday, but we got interrupted. I’ll stop by there and stock up before I come back for the day.” I shuddered
at the thought of having to go back to the zombie-infested cafeteria, but I did need to do my part, and I couldn’t rely on Lorca for it. Not after my independence speech ten minutes ago.
Her frustration was plain as she straightened up off the doorjamb to the kitchen and flounced out at my lack of engagement.
“You know she got ten years? There are a few different variations on why.” Steve had come in after I went back to my sandwich making, and I eyed him suspiciously while I took a bite of ham and lettuce.
“What’s that have to do with me?” I asked as I started clearing the black and white checkered countertop. The entire kitchen was done in a clash of cows and chickens. The damn thing was an eyesore, but it seemed to be the most up to date room I’d encountered so far. The tiles were set diagonally, while the counters and backsplash were squared up so the tile pattern clashed even with them being the same color. The fridge was a monstrosity, stuffed full of all sorts of food, and the mess on the counter... someone needed their QVC card revoked. The thing was covered in appliances.
Steve prefaced his explanation with, “I know you have zero reason to trust me, but please believe me when I say she’ll frame you in a hot second if she gets the chance. There’s a rumor that she gets a month taken off her sentence for every student she gets sent to behavior modification. I believe it too, and she’s not the only one that has the incentive. I just wanted to let you know before I had to head off to class. Which reminds me...don’t be late.”
He exited just as quietly as he’d come in. I didn’t doubt he was telling the truth about Veronica, but he hadn’t mentioned what his sentence was or if he had the same kind of arrangement. I had zero intention of giving any of them a chance to screw me over.
I was finishing my second sandwich and starting to worry about where Lorca was when he walked into the kitchen, hair still damp and combed neatly to the side. He looked like a proper preppy student in his slacks and blazer.
He nodded his thanks when I handed him a plate of sandwiches. “Sorry, I planned to cook something better than sandwiches. I’ll do something for dinner.” He hesitated a moment, took a bite of his food, and swallowed before continuing. “I had to shower; the scent of you on my skin...it was too much. My dick wouldn’t go down.” He scowled down at the offending area, cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.
A bark of laughter escaped me. “I’m not doing much better, but at least mine is less apparent. Visually anyway.” He audibly gulped at my disclosure, inhaling deeply to catch the aroma he’d just bitched about. There went the trousers.
“Oh, come on.” His nose flared even further in annoyance at his recalcitrant dick.
“I totally had nothing to do with you sniffing around, so don’t even try to blame me.” I eyed the backpack he had slung over a shoulder. “Hey, where’d you get that?”
There’s a closet with these made up in them. I’ll grab you one. They’re just basic supplies. From what I understand, the instructors will give us anything else or tell us where to get them.” He swallowed his third sandwich nearly whole and rinsed the plate and his hands before gesturing for me to follow him.
I hadn’t explored the house much and now discovered it was a warren of hallways and rooms that blended together as Lorca led me through it. When we stopped at the closest with the supplies, I ventured to comment on it. “There’s no way all of this is inside the house. Where are we?”
“It’s a displacement spell the witches set up. Even with the extra housing and special habitats in Shifter Alley, there still isn't enough room for everyone. Most of the other houses have their own space for their species, but we all got lumped together. So the solution they came up with was to build it out then use pocket dimensions for everything except the main house. They’re only accessible from inside the main portion.”
That tidbit made me nervous. There was no way in a place like this that there weren't backdoors built into those pockets. At least both of our rooms were in the main building, and I’d just have to avoid these extra halls. Maybe if I ghost, I can tell where they are?
I'd never encountered anyone else on the alternate plane I existed in when I used my ability, but with the insular and secretive life I'd had so far, there hadn't been much opportunity for exploring. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to try because a girl came flying around the corner, disheveled and nearly in tears.
“Where did it go? Is it still in here? It took my assignment!” The girl was wide-eyed and manic. grabbing first my arm and then Lorca’s and shaking them about.
Gently but firmly disentangling myself and then Lorca, I held her hands tight. “We haven’t seen anything. Can you calm down and tell us what’s wrong?”
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Bleakly, she explained, “The paddles stole my assignment. I’m going to be sent to punishment now.” What the heck is a paddle?
I looked to Lorca, silently asking for an explanation, but he only shrugged. “What’s a paddle…” I realized I didn’t know the girl's name.
“My name is Bianca. And paddles are bratty little platypuses that can teleport and like to steal things. Like homework. By now it’s probably dumped my papers in the fountain or started a fire with them by throwing them in a salamander hole.” The poor girl slumped against the purple and black plaid wallpaper.
“Uh…” I didn’t know what to say. Flaming salamanders? Could this place get any crazier? “I’m really sorry. We’ll keep an eye out, but we’re going to be lat—”
She lurched off the wall, gripping my forearm again, this time tightly enough that I’d bruise. “Don’t be late. GO!” She all but flung me down the hall, and with her so close, I got a scent of heat and dry grass mixed together with a pungent musk. I was pretty sure that meant she was a big cat shifter. It was similar to Veronica’s but stronger, and I already suspected she was one from her temperament and mannerisms.
With our bags in hand I took the opportunity to escape the girl and the hallway. Knowing I was in a different plane freaked me out. Bad.
Chapter Eight
Free from the Shifter House of Doom, I turned my head to glance at Lorca as we headed for the admin building where my classes were held. “What’s your schedule look like? I meant to ask but kept getting sidetracked.”
Lorca’s forward movement halted, resulting in nearly being trampled by an angel. It was beautiful and otherworldly, but his remark was not. “Out of the way, mutts, some of us want to actually get out of here.” He shoved through, elbows jutted out to clear his personal space. I hissed as one nailed me in the boob but put a staying hand on Lorca’s arm. I’d get the puffed up bird back another way.
“Hey,” I snapped my fingers in front of his face as he watched the angel go. “Focus, where do you need to be? I’m running out of time.”
He pulled out of whatever thoughts were mulling around in his head and gave me a funny look. “Did I not tell you we have the same sentence?” I nodded but didn’t understand what that had to do with anything. “We have the same schedule too. Since I’m your mate, they put us together. It was one of the concessions I was able to get from the council. They couldn’t expect us to be separated. Same with the side-by-side rooms. They’d wanted us to bunk together, but I reminded them we hadn’t actually met yet.” It all made sense, but I’d have to remind him communication helped. A lot. He could have already told me that before we were nearly late for class. I also wondered what other concessions he’d managed, but we really were about to be tardy, so I shelved them for another time.
“Come on. Race you.” I took off without waiting for him. We were fairly matched in leg length. but I had a feeling he could outrun me.
“Hey! Not fair!” His voice was close enough that I put on a burst of speed and barely got to the cement newel post outside the front of the admin building before he did. While I caught my breath, he reached out and tugged a hunk of hair, earning himself a glare. “Cheater,” he responded to it unrepentantly. His freckles were nearly lost in the flush of exe
rtion on his face, but he was grinning even as he panted. I liked that he'd tried, and not just let me win so I'd like him. Each little thing he did made him worm further into unfamiliar territory. I wasn't sure how to process my growing feelings— I knew they were being pushed by the bond, even if they were genuine, but also the surges of arousal every time he did something cute, or I caught a whiff of his woodsy scent, was hard to ignore.
Once we'd recovered, we made our way through the lobby and to our first class of the day. Shimmering runes were on either side of the door, and I briefly paused before touching the handle, wondering if it was a trap. With a fortifying breath, I glanced at Lorca and squared my shoulders. It was just a classroom...right? Opening the door revealed the reason for them.
We were in another place entirely. We had to be. The classroom was a giant greenhouse with workstations in the center. An old-fashioned chalkboard, the kind you could spin to have another side to write on, stood in front of them on wheels. The top read: Botany for Alchemy in yellow chalk.
I was surprised and pleased all at once— my schedule hadn't mentioned alchemy but making more sleeping powder would be much easier with everything located together. Spying an empty workstation, I tugged Lorca over to it. And none too soon. A flare of light ran around the edges of the door, an ominous clank sounding in the room directly after. We'd been locked in. My anxious reaction was soothed by Lorca's hand gripping mine, and my heartrate started to return to normal. I was nearly startled again as the teacher appeared from nowhere. How did he do that?
"Welcome, class. For those of you that are new— congratulations, you made it on time. Those that didn't will be transported to the dean's office when they try to come in late." He touched a button on his shirt and disappeared, before appearing again. "Remember, I'm always watching." After that creepy statement, the rotund, balding man introduced himself. "I'm Professor Black, and we'll be studying plants and alchemy...as the blackboard states. Feel free to try out experiments— there are three null workstations that will contain whatever mishap you’ll inevitably make. The staff can always use what’s left of you.” My astonishment at the blatant admission garnered Prof. Black’s attention. “Do you have an issue with recycling incompetent students?” I shook my head. No way was I staying on his radar. I liked my parts right where they were. He moved on, thankfully. “Anything you produce successfully is to be brought to my attention. It will be graded, and if it is useful, it will go in the staff stores.”