by Jade Thorn
Melody nearly fell off her chair in shock. Mrs Hardinger was such a motherly type at times, that she forgot how down to earth the counsellor could be. Especially when it came to dealing with shifters. “Uh, I um. No. There isn’t time. I’m studying before class, during meals and for four hours every night. Then when the final revision part is done, I collapse into bed, only to start it all the next day.”
“But Dean shares your bed?” the counsellor pressed.
“Well, technically yes. He has to be careful though, he’s huge and my wounds are still pretty liable to break open and start bleeding again. He elbowed me in the shoulder the other night and I thought I was going to pass out from the pain. I had to get him to call Nick to come and change the dressing it bled so much.”
“Ah, yes, I forgot about that. Well, that would make sex a bit more difficult no matter what the position. Except for cowgirl I guess. You could ride him, I bet he’d let you too, anything for the chance to fuck you well and good.”
Melody’s mouth opened and shut several times, but she couldn’t think of what to say.
“Melody, have you fucked a shifter before?” Mrs Hardinger asked.
“No, I’m a um … I’m completely inexperienced. Aside from a few kisses goodnight from the guys, I’ve never even kissed a man.”
“Oh my!” Mrs Hardinger was taken aback. “And you’ve got seven of them panting after you. Well, my dear, you’re certainly in for a treat. I can’t speak for Asher or Trent, but I can tell you that the original Apex boys have fucked their way around this academy once or twice. They’re going to make you see stars!” She threw back her head and laughed.
“I don’t even know what to say to that!” she exclaimed, at once thrilled and terrified at the thought. At the compound, sex was a weapon weilded by the witches with frightening precision. It wasn’t something to look forward to. Not like Mrs Hardinger was suggesting, anyway.
“Oh, Melody! Oh my dear. Well. Yes, you are in quite a pickle, aren’t you. I was going to suggest that you fuck some of that tension away, goodness knows you’ve got enough choice there, but it isn’t something that you should rush into just for the relief. So, we’ll have to look at other ways for you to relax. Oh my!” Mrs Hardinger started chuckling again
Melody wanted to throttle her, but she waited patiently until the older woman had gathered herself a little. It wasn’t that funny.
“Now, have you checked for a disharmony hex?” Mrs Hardinger finally asked her.
“No, I haven’t even heard of that. Where would we look, is it laid upon one person, or all of us?”
“There are many ways to cast it, but I think the most effective way to target you all would be to cast it on the cottage itself. That way it would continue to seep into you, especially when you were asleep. How about we walk back to your place now, and I’ll have a poke around and see what I can find. These small hexes are hard to ward against. Most wards deal with the big stuff, but the little stuff can be quite powerful if it gets a hold.”
The counsellor and her shifter walked with her back to her cottage and took some time to go around the wards laid upon it. She did indeed find a disharmony hex, which had grown quite powerful, as well as another one to disrupt sleep and a third one to disrupt hormones.
“This is really quite advanced work. This isn’t your typical first-year prank. I can’t prove it, but I wouldn’t put it past that girl and her stupid infatuation with your lion. As if she ever stood a chance with a shifter in this school. Why the rune ceremony picked her as a beast witch I’ll never know, and I suspect that she lied about it anyway.”
Mrs Hardinger froze for a second, looking at Melody in horror. “You will not repeat that to anyone. Now I’m going to go looking for a hex that makes you blurt out your thoughts, because I would never have said something like that aloud!”
Sure enough, after examining the cottage and its surroundings again, she found a hex that disrupted inhibitions. This sent her into a bit of a tirade, so then she looked for and found another one that encouraged anger.
“For goddess’ sake! This is getting ridiculous. Go inside, Melody and get some rest. I’m going to go and get Mr Phelps and we’ll see what else we can root out for you. I’ll bring Professor Simmonds too. If anyone knows how to protect you against these shitting things, it’s those two.”
The plump woman turned and trudged off, Toby, her familiar, stepping out from the shadows where he had waited for her. He stalked behind her, his head constantly swiveling to look for danger to his mistress. The epitome of a guardian shifter.
14. Melody
When she walked back inside the cottage, Melody could already feel the difference in the atmosphere. The others looked up at her, but nobody said anything, either returning to their books, or curling up and pretending to sleep. Trent did a mixture of both, curling up on his spot next to the fireplace with a book in his lap and his head and shoulders resting on the brickwork. His eyes were heavy, but he wasn’t quite asleep yet.
The others were just as lethargic, Nick was understandable, he’d been constantly using his magic to protect her, as well as doing his part in tutoring her and he’d spent a considerable amount of time and energy nursing her when she was sick. If he wasn’t careful, he would get sick himself.
The others, though, hadn’t really done as much, aside from the tutoring. Melody wondered if they were sleeping badly because they were away from her at night, but then she thought that maybe some of these hexes had been directed to their quarters in the shifter dorms too. She would have to ask the teachers when they came to look for other curses and hexes.
Even as she thought it, she could hear Mrs Hardinger’s strident voice telling the other two teachers the spells that she had already found and eliminated. Rather than settling in for the night, Melody went out to greet them.
“Melody, I thought I told you to get some rest?” the older woman chided.
“Yes Ma’am, but I had a couple of ideas that I thought were important enough to share.” She turned to look at the two teachers. “The men in there are barely conscious, could you look for something to do with lethargy as well please? And could you also check their quarters in the dorms. If they are attacking us here with this kind of rubbish, and I’m sending most of them back to the dorms to sleep, then it wouldn’t surprise me to find that their rooms there are hexed as well.”
“Oh yes, that’s a good point, Melody. Now why didn’t I think of that? It should have been my first thought. Can we look for an obfuscating hex as well please, gentlemen? I suspect that one might be cast directly on Melody if it was affecting me during our interview earlier.”
“I’m so sorry to be all this bother,” Melody apologised.
“Not at all, young lady,” said Professor Simmonds. “As your teachers, we’re here to aid and guide you, and if that means protecting you from a little high spirited magic, then it is our honour to do so. I will have a look through my books later and see what I can find on blocking small spells.”
“We’re going to have to step up our training, Melody, if this is the level of attacks that you are facing,” said Mr Phelps. “You need to get a basic shield up and around you and hold it there. Some of these hexes should not have been able to attach to you in the first place.”
“Now Ted,” chided Mrs Hardinger. “We’ve talked about that. You know what my thoughts are on it.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t change the fact that she needs to learn this. I know it’s not her fault, but she still has to keep trying.”
Melody yawned, come to think of it, she was feeling pretty tired herself.
“Ah yes, there it is, hold still Melody, it’s attaching to you right now,” said the professor.
Melody froze, wondering what was going on. She felt a tugging in the back of her head, and then there was a small pop.
“Got it, it’s always easier to catch the little blighters when they’re in the process of ensnaring a new victim,” he explained. “That was indeed a le
thargy hex attaching itself to you. Given that it wasn’t there when you left, it must be quite recent indeed. Mrs Hardinger, would you be so kind as to ask Toby to have a little scout around and see if he can pick up any scents? They’ll probably be masked again, but it doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Yes, of course, John, that’s an excellent suggestion.” Mrs Hardinger turned and walked several paces away, her familiar stepping up to her to confer with her. Then he stripped before Melody could turn away, shifting into a black panther and blending with the shadows once more.
“Even with that hex gone, I’m still done in. I just wanted to say thank you to you both for continuing to support and protect us. Not all of the staff do, so we really appreciate it. I’m going to say goodnight now, I really need some rest.” Melody yawned again.
“Good night Ms Bestia,” said the professor.
“G’night Melody, we’ll work on your shields some more this week,” Mr Phelps told her.
She nearly moaned on the spot, but waved her thanks to them all and headed inside.
“Right you lot, wakey, wakey. The teachers are outside lifting a stack of hexes from the cottage and then at some point they’re going to come and check your quarters in the shifter dorm. There was some sort of lethargy hex cast on us while I was at counselling, so we’re all exhausted. I suggest that we call it quits for tonight. I know that I can’t take any more of this, so I’m heading to bed. Good night everyone, tonight, I don’t care if you sleep here or there, just no fighting,” she told them, before heading into her room.
A few minutes later, she was in her pyjamas and crawling into bed. The door to her room opened and Dean came in. He waited until she was settled and then turned out the light, the same as he’d done just about every night since he’d moved in with her. He got dressed in the dark, and once again Melody found herself wishing that she had their enhanced senses so that she could see him, but the room was completely black.
“I can do this with the light on if you’d rather?” Dean purred, and Melody jumped, caught.
Just because she couldn’t see him, didn’t mean that he couldn’t see her straining for a look! She hid her face in her hands, and he chuckled.
“Tomorrow night then,” he teased, as he got into bed beside her. “How’s your back?”
“It’s a little better. Nick thinks that unless I’m stupidly active, the wounds should stay closed now.”
“Yeah? That’s great. How would you feel about a little hug then? I missed you this evening, even if I was too zoned out to do anything about it.”
Melody laughed. “What on earth could you have done about it? If you’d tried to interrupt my time with Mrs Hardinger, Toby would have had you for dinner!”
Dean was silent beside her, and she wondered if she had offended him. Just as she opened her mouth to apologise, however, he spoke.
“Well, if it’s driving me crazy, then I shift and go and sit outside the room. Toby’s there, he lets me, says I’m not the only one. The room’s warded, don’t worry, so I can’t hear what you’re saying. But I can hear your voice, and I can smell your scent, and that's enough.”
She didn’t know what to say. That was so sweet, and sad and just … She could feel tears burning in her eyes, so she rolled over and gently moved forward until her head was on his chest. He took a deep breath in, and then his arm gently came around her shoulders. It stung a little, but it wouldn’t be enough to keep her awake. She snuggled into him a bit more, and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. Moments later, there was a rumbling sound that came from his chest.
“Are you purring?” she asked, incredulous.
“No, but my lion is,” he told her, chuckling.
“Big cats can’t purr,” Melody commented. “They’ve got cartilage that allows them to roar instead.”
Dean huffed a laugh. “Don’t tell me,” he chuckled. “Tell the big bozo. He shouldn’t be able to do it, it shouldn’t be possible, but my whole body starts vibrating once he gets going.”
She laughed. “So, does he do it in your shifted form too? Or only while you’re human?”
Dean was silent for a beat, then he started swearing. “The bastard. It’s only while we’re human. Which makes a kind of demented sense. He literally can’t do it himself, so he makes me do it instead.”
Melody smiled in the darkness. She bet he could feel it against his skin. He wasn’t wearing a shirt — again.
Lying there together, talking and laughing — it was nice. It was gentle, considerate, and very comforting. She knew that here in Dean’s arms, she was safe.
Melody also knew that she always would be.
15. Melody
The news, when it finally came the following morning, was surprising.
Melody had been summoned to attend Mrs Hardinger after breakfast. When she arrived at the counsellor’s office, the provost was there with a frown on her face, although she smiled in welcome.
“Melody, I needed to meet with you urgently, and this seemed to be the best way to go about it, I’m sorry for the drama. Now, you have two letters here, I think we need to read them both first before we commence any discussions,” the provost explained, handing the letters over to Melody.
She looked at them both. One was in a fancy looking envelope, the paper soft and rough. It looked like it had a high rag content. The address was done in perfect copperplate calligraphy with gold ink. The other was a plain business sized envelope with her name and address hastily scrawled on the front in her aunt’s handwriting.
It was best to pull off the bandaid, so she opened her aunt’s letter first.
Melody,
I hear that you have gained another alpha shifter, but that you botched the first attempt. I hope that you are now well aware of how embarrassing that was for us and that you are more considerate of our reputation when you act.
I have some business out west this month, so I shall endeavour to visit you at the college to meet your shifters. They can give their oaths of fealty to me then, seeing you did not bring them here during your holidays. These things must not be allowed to lapse. Expect me on the fifteenth.
Georgia Bestia
Coven Mistress
Melody looked up at Mrs Hardinger. “What’s the date, please?” she asked.
“It’s the thirteenth,” answered the counsellor.
Melody felt the blood drain from her face. She hoped that the second letter bore good news, because she needed a way out of this. Her aunt would be here in forty-eight hours, and while Dean was safe from pledging his fealty, because he had given it to her without her asking, Asher was not protected. If her aunt had him swear fealty to the coven, or worse, to her person, then it was likely that she would insist on him travelling back with her to the compound.
They effectively had two days to save Asher’s life!
Melody passed the letter to the provost, while she tried to open the second one with shaking hands.
“Here, child, before you rip the thing in two,” snapped Mrs Hardinger, passing her a letter opener. It seemed that Melody was not the only one who was tense right then.
Dear Melody,
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Andrea Krause, Mistress of Coven Fulgur. Recently, one of our members, Professor Ludwig, had the pleasure of teaching at your college. She came home telling us of a wonderful young witch who showed great potential in curse breaking. She enjoined me to consider offering you a place in our coven.
I understand that you are from Bestia, and that you are indeed an exceptional beast tamer having earned an alpha familiar in your first term. Congratulations on such a marvellous achievement!
Our coven specialises in elemental magic, and lightening is our strongest and most common element. We have no beast tamers at present, and we wish to expand our portfolio of skills. To that end, we wish to extend to you an invitation to join Coven Fulgur. We have many young male witches around your age, all of whom would be made available to you for your consideration as
a mate. We do not force our young into arranged relationships, but it is hoped that you would find a suitable mate amongst us.
Professor Ludwig was most effusive in her praise of you, and we would be pleased if several representatives of our coven could come and meet with you on the eighteenth of this month. I apologise for the short notice, but I believe these things should not be left to chance.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Andrea Krause,
Mistress of Coven Fulgur
Melody stared at the letter in her hands for several minutes, reading it again and again. If her hand had not been forced by her aunt, she would have appealed to the provost to help her find another coven. While she appreciated the offer, to be the only beast tamer there would be an isolating experience, and the undertone was that she was there to breed the skill into their coven. She would be just as much breeding stock for them, as she would for her aunt, only without the torture. At least, Melody assumed there would be no torture.
But, it could all be moot. If she stuck to the timetable given in her letter, Mistress Krause would arrive several days after her aunt. It wouldn’t matter if she changed covens, if her aunt forced Asher to swear fealty to her personally. Aunt Georgia would already have him in her custody back at the compound. They had to act fast.
“Provost, forgive me for sounding ungrateful, but were there no other letters for me?” she asked, after she’d passed the second letter to Mrs Hardinger.
“No, Melody, aside from my own coven, there were no others that responded favourably amongst those that I dared to approach on the matter. I would arrange a place for you with us if it didn’t reek of nepotism. It would do more damage to my coven if we offered you a place, than any benefit we might gain. I tried to convince my mistress, but she was adamant. She was interested in you, but my position here meant that the offer would be compromised.” The provost sighed. “It’s the first time I have ever regretted this job.”