Thwarting Cheaters (Artemis University Book 5)

by Erin R Flynn

  “Zach’s here and Mel said she talked to Ray,” Lucca told him, knowing Darby could still hear him. “Sean and Marshall are coming after they get off shift. We’ve got more guards meeting us there.”

  “Can you not carry me like this?” I grumbled. “I don’t want to deal with the gossip and your shoulder isn’t exactly comfortable. I won’t fight you.”

  Hudson snorted as he carefully lifted me off and lowered me to my feet. “You’re too weak to fight anyone right now.”

  “I was injured,” I reminded him, knowing full well that wasn’t all it was.

  He was kind enough not to say anything but I had a feeling if my telepathy was on, I would have gotten a lot from him especially since I’d been avoiding him for weeks. And from the energy dancing over my skin, the attraction and magic between us was not happy it had been so long since we’d been together.

  Yeah, well, fuck magic, I’d had a lot to deal with.

  “Anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked when we reached the administration building.

  “We’re running away from home,” Lucca explained.

  Well, I could get on board with that but I didn’t really want to run away with them. “It’s an abduction if I don’t agree.”

  “Not when Melody gives us permission,” Hudson argued.

  “She’s not actually the boss of me,” I grumbled.

  “Fine, it’s a surprise and if you don’t like it, you can come back and we won’t fight you,” Lucca tried.

  Fair enough. I could accept that.

  Darby was leaning against the faculty lounge doorway with a couple of bags and Ray holding several more. I glanced over my shoulder to see Zach, not even having sensed him even though Lucca mentioned him. I really was out of it.

  “How come Mel and Izzy aren’t coming?”

  “Because we need to talk, agra,” Darby said gently. He sighed when I flinched. “Not that kind of talk. Nothing bad. You’re hurting—”

  “Not here,” Lucca muttered, opening the door of the lounge.

  I agreed with him, ducking inside but then freezing in my tracks when I saw who else was in the crowded lounge… Craftsman. Yeah, it really wasn’t the time to talk about anything with him around.

  “What’s all this?” Professor Nelson asked.

  “A weekend trip,” Darby answered easily as he moved over to me and slid his arm around my waist. He guided me towards the portal and away from all the eyes.

  “And you need to use our portal for it?” Nelson pushed.

  “We have permission,” Zach told him, his tone saying to back off. “Too many people are interested as to where Vale always is. Edelman gave permission.”

  “Where are you off to, Ms. Vale?” Professor Pillay asked.

  I shrugged. “Apparently I’m being abducted somewhere before I could run off on my own.”

  “You make it sound so horrible,” Lucca drawled. “If you weren’t so exhausted or recovering you would have already figured it out.” He smiled when I blinked up at him. “Tamsin, what are you majority owner of? Where would we kidnap you to that would be better than anywhere you could think to run away to?”

  I opened my mouth but then closed it.

  “And Melody and Izzy would agree to let us take you to?” Hudson added. “Would pack for you so you would relax and heal for a weekend?”

  “Her aura is too exhausted,” Professor White chuckled. “Enjoy getting a tan at one of your resorts, Ms. Vale.”

  “Oh!” I gasped, finally getting clued in. Cherrywood! We were going to one of the Cherrywood resorts I owned. “Really?”

  “Yes, we reserved a villa at your Bahamas resort, agra,” Darby answered as he glanced around. “Professor White, would you mind activating the portal since she’s still not supposed to be doing magic yet?”

  “Of course. Bring me back a souvenir.”

  I peeked over at her and shrugged. “Go have dinner and drinks at one of the restaurants and put it on our tab if we’re going. Apparently, we’ll be at the villa.” I quickly looked away when I saw Craftsman move like he was going to step into my view. “Have a nice weekend everyone.”

  “You as well, Ms. Vale,” she said gently as she activated the portal.

  I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, stepping right through and into the area right off the lobby that only supes were allowed in. It would be really, really bad if humans found portals around the resorts after all.

  Lucca went to check in but the employees were more interested in me given they knew who I was and even got the manager involved. Darby made that clear they were being stupid and making a mistake and as a luxury resort should know the meaning of discretion and when not to be pushy.

  It actually made me smile that he would be so protective of me when I knew I was neglecting him. I reached for his hand when we were led to the villa which seemed to shock him but he simply kissed my hair.

  The place was gorgeous, way better than the pictures of the website I’d seen or even the portfolio stuff I’d looked over when I’d bought the corporation. None of it did the reality justice. I stood by the private pool the large villa had and bobbed my head as the manager went over the amenities, not remotely listening to any of it.

  The Bahamas was only one hour ahead of what we’d been so it was still warm and lovely at four in the afternoon and I knew exactly what I wanted… Besides the manager and staff gone. Zach must have understood that and moments later it was only our party.

  I didn’t hesitate, toeing off my shoes and stripping down to nothing before diving into the pool, the perfect water calling to me. They were shifters and supes and didn’t care about nudity and I was too depressed to be embarrassed I wasn’t wearing a suit. It was the Bahamas and a private pool at a resort I owned.

  Fuck it. Fuck everything. I wanted to dive into the water and I did. I wanted… Cleansing. It was cleansing. I washed off… I wasn’t really sure just the water called to me.

  I reached the bottom and turned over, opening my eyes and staring up at the sky through the water. It was beautiful. The light played over the water and was clear in a way that wasn’t what I was used to. The clouds looked funny but fluffy and inviting. It was all pure when I’d been suffering in so much darkness and pain.

  I let out a yelp as I was dragged out of there and came up to the surface.

  “Are you trying to destroy me?” Darby demanded as he shook my shoulders. “You would destroy me if you—”

  I kissed him, realizing what he thought I had done. It was soft but he gave in. I pushed my hair off my face and blinked at him. “I wasn’t. I needed… Come see. Come see with me.”

  He searched my eyes and sighed, nodding. “Show me, agra.”

  “When you get to the bottom, open your eyes and look up.”

  “Okay.”

  I smiled and took his hand before diving back under. He came with me and I saw he turned when I opened my eyes again. I pulled him closer and pointed to what I’d been looking at. I waited until he nodded, studying it a few moments before pushing off the bottom and resurfacing.

  “I get it,” he murmured as he moved me up against the side of the pool. “You needed a new perspective. You needed to cleanse your mood and break through the funk, something beautiful to remind you there’s still pretty to see.”

  I opened my mouth but then closed it. “You’re so much deeper than I am. I have no idea that’s what I needed but I just…” I shrugged. I’d needed something. I snuggled against him when he moved closer. “I’m sorry I’ve neglected you. Forgive me?”

  “Yes, but only if you’ll listen to me,” he murmured against my temple. He waited until I nodded. “What you did to your magic and body has affected you emotionally. You splintered yourself, agra.” He sighed when I snorted. “Yes, Craftsman helped that but he did not end things. We talked to him. Mel talked to him. He was very, very clear that things are not over and yet you act as if they are. They aren’t.”

  “They are. He’s lying to h
imself,” I whispered.

  “He’s not, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. Please trust me. You trust me, don’t you, agra?”

  “You know I do.”

  “He loves you. He didn’t end things. He’s in pain and needs to figure somethings out. What happened wasn’t simply about him being a teacher but triggered some of his traumas and poured salt in his wounds.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Because you don’t know his family,” Lucca said from behind Darby. He moved next to me along the pool’s wall and tucked my hair behind my ear. “His family is vicious, cruel. Craftsman spiraled out when he was congratulated by them for your performance, thinking it was his play. He was accepted as one of them which was the last thing he wanted.

  “But it did something to him because he didn’t fault you for what you did. It made him rethink who he was and maybe he was cruel if he didn’t disagree with you. If he could agree with them then maybe he was like them. He’s not and we know they were fucking with him, taking advantage of it all, or just… It’s complicated but he has to figure this out on his own.”

  “And you’ve taken too many hits this semester to even try to help him,” Darby comforted. “You need help and to take a break. You’re so busy helping everyone you keep going and going even when you’ve done damage to yourself, Tamsin. You did serious damage to your body and magic. Yes, it’s great you learned you weren’t stunted because of it but you haven’t been healing since because of it.”

  “And that fucking ends now,” Hudson growled, grabbing me away from Darby. “You feel rejected and closed down against the rest of us. You ran to protect yourself but we weren’t going to reject you. I’m not being denied anymore when all I want is to worship my princess for fucking sticking it to those assholes and winning. You were brilliant and the champion I want to lavish with praises.”

  He didn’t give me a chance to answer, kissing me as his hands massaged my ass, wrapping my body around him.

  Darby pressed against my back and I felt his fingers touch me as his other hand massaged my breast. He chuckled and nibbled my ear when I whimpered. “That’s it, enjoy it, agra. We want you to enjoy all of this weekend.”

  “Give us cream, kitten,” Lucca begged as his hand moved to my other breast. He licked the shell of my ear. “You were amazing. None of us want to reject you. We want you all the more. We wanted to worship you on that stage for all to see you were ours.”

  I orgasmed right there, thinking of how hot that would be. Shit, I would so love that and they were such pervs.

  “Time to eat, kitten,” Lucca murmured in my ear as he carried me out of the pool. “Time to let us take care of you.” He caught a towel from someone and wrapped it around me. He was stiff though and I glanced over to see it wasn’t only Zach and Ray with us but several other wolf shifters.

  All of whom were staring at me like I was on the menu.

  “Um, what’s going on?”

  “Your guards,” Zach growled, his tone harsh as if reminding them. “We called Alpha Geoff and hired extra security for the weekend since you’re injured and made it clear we needed people who would keep their mouths shut.”

  “Apparently you needed to say guys who would keep their eyes to themselves or my bear might claw them out,” Lucca warned, a growl in his tone. “You get one warning because she’s so sexy and yeah, you walked in with all the hormones in the air but you know the job of a guard is to ignore what’s going on and protect the people so stop checking her out and check the perimeter. Do your jobs or lose them.”

  “Yes, sir,” a few muttered.

  Okay then.

  “Food’s here,” someone called from the front of the villa.

  “Bring it over,” Zach ordered. “No employees allowed in now that we’re here. This area is sealed off. We’re ordering the entire menu from all the restaurants for her to try as the owner and they know this. It’s all being delivered and sampled here. No deviations or exceptions and we made that clear in advance.”

  Cool. I got the whole experience of the place without having to deal with the crap or people schmoozing up to me.

  Darby cleared his throat. “Except the spa employees, remember? We booked in-villa treatments for her.”

  “Right, I’ll handle that,” Ray replied.

  Even better.

  They started me off easy with what they knew I wouldn’t resist—pizza. The resort had a killer pizza and Italian food restaurant. And I actually found myself hungry. When Lucca sat down on a chair with me on his lap at the table where everything was being brought over to… My stomach actually growled instead of revolted.

  He moved my hair off my shoulder and kissed it.

  I stared out at the ocean and let Darby hand me a piece of pizza, noting he set some fried calamari and a Sprite in front of me as well—both of which were my favorites. He wasn’t pushing, but clearly they were desperate.

  “You’re really okay with what I did?” I whispered as I fidgeted with the slice.

  “Yeah, kitten,” Lucca whispered, kissing my skin again. “It was perfect and showed those fuckers you aren’t prey, but predator. I never thought you were sexier than when you were smacking them around.”

  “You were a queen doling out justice,” Hudson declared. “A goddess giving punishments others couldn’t but should have. Many agree even if they won’t voice it. Even other elites that have thought things have gone too far for too long. You’ve been hurt and felt alone, but you’re not. Our social media is cheering for you to smack the elites around for the common supes and bring fairness back to our world.”

  Someone could have pushed me over with a feather I was so shocked to hear that.

  Darby reached over and rubbed his hand over my arm. “Craftsman really doesn’t disapprove. This is his issue and muddled him all up. Let him work through it. You need to heal from being hurt and having to handle so much. You’re still recovering from other things. You keep pushing and pushing instead of healing as you should.”

  I wasn’t sure I fully believed that but then he said the one thing that proved his point.

  “Mason—” he froze when I not only flinched but tried to jump off Lucca’s lap as if Mason was there, my gaze darting all around. “Oh, agra, you’re just proving my point.”

  I swallowed loudly and settled down. Okay, he was right, Mason had done a lot more damage to me than I admitted. The aftermath of it and how people had fucked with me about what had happened did a lot of damage to me. I let out a slow breath and nodded.

  “Juan said he’s doing well at the facility he was sent to,” Darby said gently. “I know you still hurt from that, and I also know you don’t want to be near him or get updates. However, I know you still have nightmares.” He shook his head when I tried to argue. “You cried out his name the other night in your sleep, Tamsin. You were crying he was going to drag you into the darkness.”

  I froze. I hadn’t realized Mason had been part of my nightmares about Faerie. Well, it made sense and I wasn’t a doctor or even counselor. I knew enough to know I was drowning and felt abandoned. “I didn’t realize. Okay, I-I believe you. I didn’t consciously know I was still so upset about it. I thought I was handling it better.” I flinched when I felt several pissed off gazes.

  Everyone had let me know they didn’t like it when I phrased it that way. It took people years to be able to move on from something like being drugged, abducted, almost raped, and forced to mate by someone mentally disturbed as Mason was. It wasn’t a small thing that happened to me and I knew I kept acting as if I should be all better and over it.

  “I’m glad he’s doing better,” I muttered before taking a bite, then all I could focus on was the food. It was fucking delicious and my body had missed good food. Real fire oven pizza was one of my favorites—though I had lots of favorites—and I started gobbling it up.

  Once my stomach was completely and utterly full, I broke the rule about waiting to swim and went back in the pool. I didn’t wa
nt to swim, simply enjoy the water and it wasn’t as if I was going alone and would have to worry about a cramp or something. I moved with my arms along the side, staring out at the ocean and shivered when Darby moved behind me.

  “I wouldn’t ever do that to you,” I promised, referring to what he thought I’d tried to do earlier. “I have a distant memory of threatening to do it when I was a kid, but I don’t know if I was going to even do it. That was the only time I think I ever really considered it.”

  “Will you tell me?”

  I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder when he moved closer so we were completely pressed together. “I had a foster family that had—they used to toss me in their lake when they got mad at me.” I snorted. “They called it their lake to make themselves sound well off and fancy but it was a crappy, nasty pond that was filthy and gross. That’s how I learned to swim though, teaching myself.

  “I taught myself needing to survive when they tossed me in there. I remember threatening to drown myself if they didn’t stop it because I hated that fucking pond and them. They’d get in trouble if I died on their watch. I think that was what I really wanted. Them to get in trouble and someone to pay attention to what was truly going on instead of them just getting away with whatever they wanted.”

  “What happened?” he murmured when I stopped talking, lost in the memories.

  “They laughed at me. They told me to go ahead, that they were tired of my whining, and I didn’t have the guts to do it.” I let out a shaky breath. “They cared that little. I honestly don’t remember if I was serious or not but a child stood before them and said that and they laughed, had that reaction. It took me years to see they were the monsters, the ones with the problems that they reacted that way.

  “For so long I thought it was me and I was worthless. I let everyone treat me like a doormat and rarely put up any fight. I didn’t have any value and that was why I was abused. That was why I wasn’t loved.” I closed my eyes and swallowed loudly. “They took me back and told the people in charge I was nuts. No one would listen to me that I threatened it because they were abusing me.