by G. K. DeRosa
I slumped back against the tree and he released his hold, appearing in front of me. My knees quivered, and I was about a second from hitting the floor again when Ryder’s steady arm shot out, pulling me into his chest.
“It’s okay. I got you.” His warm breath tickled my ear as he whispered softly.
With my nose pressed against his jacket, it was impossible not to breathe in his musky, sandalwood scent. It was inviting yet mysterious, much like the man I was currently pressed up against. My fingers were splayed out across his washboard abs, and I had to suppress the urge to run them over every finely sculpted dip and hollow. Bad, Luna!
A sharp howl set the hairs on my neck bristling, and all lusty thoughts vanished.
“We have to get out of here now,” said Ryder. Glancing down at me, his sexy lips curled into a smirk revealing that damn dimple. “Can you walk or do I have to carry you?”
I smacked him in the stomach, and it was like hitting a brick wall. I winced, gritting my teeth. That definitely hurt me more than it did him. “I’m fine. As long as you know how to get back. One minute I was on the path and the next everything went topsy-turvy.”
He took my hand, tightly clenching his big fingers around my frozen ones and turned us down a footpath that hadn’t been there a second ago. “That’s exactly why you’re not supposed to be out on a full moon. Didn’t you hear the announcements? See the dozens of posted warning signs?”
I shrugged as he tugged me between the trees. “I didn’t think it was such a big deal.”
“What were you doing out here anyway?”
“I went to see Zeus. I never meant to leave the campus grounds.”
“The full moon is the one night when the Fae have the run of their territory. All the nastiest creatures come out to play, and the faery magic roams free. Those damn Fae are tricky little fu—fiends. They can warp time and space, and you could’ve been lost circling the forest for days.” He raked his hand through his hair and grunted.
“Okay, okay I got it. I’m sorry—no more outings on the full moon. What kind of Fae were they anyway?” They were nothing like the beautiful creatures that roamed the academy.
“Trolls.”
I opened my mouth to ask more, but a sudden stab of pain in my arm turned my question into a squeal.
“What’s wrong?” Ryder spun around, momentarily halting our frenzied pace.
“I don’t know; my arm hurts.” I tried to lift up the one he wasn’t holding but it refused to comply. Come to think of it, it had been kind of numb and tingly.
His brows furrowed and he grabbed my other hand, lifting my arm to examine it. He let out a sharp hiss when he reached halfway up my bicep. “You’re bleeding.”
I’d completely forgotten about the branch that snagged my coat. “It’s nothing. I got caught on a tree limb when I was running.”
A dark storm brewed within his impossibly onyx irises as they lifted from my arm to meet my gaze. He cursed and swung me into his arms before I could open my mouth. The woods raced by us in a blur of dark greens and browns awash in white. I squeezed my eyes shut, scared I’d puke.
I didn’t open them again until a wave of warm air hit me. We were back in the dorms, and Ryder was darting up the stairs like one of those trolls was still on our heels.
We reached my room, and he barreled through the door. Luckily, Cinder wasn’t back yet or that would’ve been hella embarrassing.
“Ryder, what is going on?” I screeched as he dropped me on my bed. As if on cue, my arm began to throb. I probably hadn’t felt it before because of the freezing temps outside.
“Take your coat off, now.” The fire burning in his bottomless irises made my breath hitch. “Now, Luna!” he growled, a flash of yellow eclipsing the black.
I tugged my coat off, the pain in my arm crawling down to my fingers. Blood had soaked through my sweater, leaving a dark crimson stain on my new pullover.
“The sweater too, and shirt if it’s long sleeved.”
I shot him a glare. “Seriously?” He expected me to get naked in front of him?
“Luna, just do as I say, now!”
There was a tremble in his voice that froze my insides. Without another word, I slipped off my sweater and shirt, wrapping my good arm over my half-naked torso. Thank goodness I was wearing my only cute black bra.
His eyes widened, and a string of curses flew from his lips as he examined my arm. I was scared to look at the wound after his reaction.
“Shit, Luna! What were you thinking going out there by yourself?” He shook his head, his irises no longer black, completely replaced by an eerie translucent citrine.
“I already said I was sorry. What more can I say?” My arm felt like it had a pulse of its own, the erratic staccato intensifying with every breath I took. I steeled my nerves and took a peek.
Son of a biscuit! I gasped. Dark blue veins ran up and down my arm, a jagged wound spilling deep crimson liquid from my flesh. “Wh-what is this?”
He knelt down in front of me, the panic I was feeling mirrored in his tense expression. “Poison. It travels fast. If we don’t get it out of you…” His gaze moved from my shoulder toward my collarbone where the blue veins spiderwebbed across my skin.
“How about the healer?”
He shook his head. “It’ll be too late. I have to get the poison out now.”
My eyes widened. “How?”
He grimaced and swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Do you trust me?”
I nodded quickly. I did, even though I wasn’t sure why.
Ryder took my arm and lifted it to his mouth, his lips about to close over the oozing wound.
I snatched my arm back, shaking my head. “You’re going to suck it out of me?” The idea was both repulsive and strangely thrilling.
“I have to. It’s the fastest way.”
My heart jackhammered against my ribs. “But won’t it poison you?”
“I’m a demon. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
My head whipped back and forth, my insides roiling. I wasn’t sure I was willing to take that risk. “What if something happens to you…”
He lifted his finger to my lips, halting the words on my tongue. “I promised to take care of you. If I don’t do this, you will die. No more arguing—there’s no time.”
The dark veins spread as he spoke, coiling around my heart like a venomous snake and its frantic beating slowed. “Okay, do it.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away as his lips closed around the festering wound. He sucked, and my insides clenched, his burning yellow gaze remaining locked on mine. My fingers curled around the soft comforter as heat blazed in my core. This was messed up on so many levels. How could I be turned on by this?
With every spine-tingling pull of his lips, the dark veins receded. Fire ripped through my veins, and I clenched my teeth through the bizarre sensations. The pressure from my chest relented almost immediately, and I drew in a deep breath. A tiny voice in the back of my mind told me this was what it felt like to get your soul ripped out. And I was totally okay with it.
Ryder’s lips detached, and he raced to the bathroom. The gagging sounds seeped through the closed door, and my heart clenched. He had literally swallowed poison for me. A second later he was back, eyeing the vanishing navy veins. A trickle of black sludge dribbled down his chin, and nausea clawed at the back of my throat.
“Just a little more,” he muttered, his voice all breathy and way too sexy considering what was going on.
I nodded, my throat too dry to utter a sound.
His lips closed over the wound once again, and my head fell back, the odd mixture of pleasure and pain spilling through my veins. Goose bumps prickled my skin, every single nerve ending lit up like live wire. When my gaze met his once again, his eyes were unreadable. His pupils had thinned to tiny slits, the irises completely consumed in vibrant yellow.
With one final slurp, he released his hold on my arm and sat back. His eyes were glossy, and a strange smir
k pulled at his lips.
“Are you okay?” I mumbled.
He spat into a paper towel he pulled from his jeans pocket, a dark sludgy loogie coating the white. Shooting up to his feet, he swayed for a moment before righting himself.
I jumped up to help him, but he held his hand up, pushing me away. “I have to go. If you need anything call the healer, but you should be fine now.”
“How about you?”
He shook his head, but the hazy expression lingered. The brilliant yellow pulsated in his irises. “I nee—need to go now.” His words were a raspy growl, more beast than human.
Before I could even get the words “thank you” out, he spun around and darted from my room in a blur.
Chapter 13
I crept up the stairs to the administration wing, a swarm of bumblebee stingers jabbing at my insides. I’d been summoned to the headmaster’s office, and after last night’s fiasco it couldn’t be good news. As tough as things had been here at Darkhen Academy, I didn’t want to go home. What home? An annoying but sadly accurate voice whispered in my mind.
Cillian couldn’t send me away now, right? Not when I was finally starting to show some hints of magical powers.
The small desk in front of the headmaster’s office was empty—no Darby in sight. I didn’t miss the creepy old man one bit. Cillian’s door was ajar as I approached and hushed voices escaped through the crack.
My ears perked up at the familiar gruff one.
“You should’ve seen her last night, Cill,” Ryder growled. “She shouldn’t be here; she’s not ready for any of this.”
My heart plummeted… Was he talking about me?
“She’s fine now, and that’s what matters,” said Cillian. “And she has to be here. There’s no other option for her now. We promised Kimmie-Jayne we’d keep her safe, and we will.”
The loud crack of what sounded like a fist hitting a desk made me jump back a foot. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one out there with her.”
Cillian’s voice took on a soothing tone, his words lilting like a babbling brook and I leaned closer to the thick timber. “I have faith in you nephew. You’ll do everything in your power to keep her safe.”
“What if it’s not good enough?”
Cillian grunted. “It has to be. For all our sakes.” He paused, and it sounded like he was shuffling some papers on his desk. “You’re not getting too close are you?”
“Of course not.” Ryder blew out a breath. “Any news from Logan?”
The headmaster huffed. “Nothing good. The attacks are getting more frequent and more flagrant. Garrix won’t be able to keep this out of the media much longer regardless of the efforts of the Gargoyle Guardian Council.” He paused, and I could almost see the gears grinding in the angel’s mind. “How’s training going? Are they ready?”
“Not quite, but they’re getting there. They’re powerful, Cillian, really powerful, but still…”
“Still what?”
“They’re young and naïve, and I’m not sure they’re ready for what’s to come.”
“They’re only a few years younger than you, nephew. Were you ready?”
Ryder snorted. “Touché.”
The sound of his approaching footsteps sent me racing out of the foyer and down the steps toward the main hall. I’d have to find out what my punishment was for breaking the full moon rules later. Right now, I had to beat Ryder to class and try to make sense of what I’d overheard.
Hurtling through the gym doors five minutes later, I smacked right into a hard body. I glanced up knowing full well whom I’d run into. I’d already memorized every curve of his body and mouthwatering scent after last night. How’d he get back here so freakin’ quickly?
Ryder stiffened, taking a step back and heat flushed my cheeks. The wound on my arm tingled as if recognizing the feel of his lips. “Glad to see you could join us, Ms. Hallows.”
Ms. Hallows? What? No kid, mini minx or even Luna?
I wrapped my arms across my chest, and his gaze flickered to the bandage across my bicep.
He lowered his voice, his dark eyes back to normal, the craze I’d seen last night long gone. “Are you well enough for class?”
I nodded. “I feel fine.” If he wanted to pretend like nothing happened then so could I. I wasn’t the one being shady and keeping secrets.
“Fine.” He ticked his head at Drake, and I groaned. “Mr. Wintersbee you’ll be sparring with our newbie today.”
Drake rolled his eyes as he approached, his gaze scanning the white bandage. “She’s already injured. I don’t want to be held responsible for what happens.”
Raine and Aeria giggled from behind him, the two girls shooting nasty glares my way. Beside them stood the remaining Seven in a tight circle. A pair of amber eyes caught mine, and the image of the gray wolf in the forest darted across my mind. Triston. I didn’t know him well, but the citrine pin on his polo shirt marked him a shifter. Could he have been the massive gray wolf I’d encountered last night?
“Luna? Luna, are you still with us?” Ryder’s annoyed tone made it clear it hadn’t been the first time he’d called my name.
“Yeah, sorry. What did you say?”
He handed me a pair of kickboxing gloves and matching headgear. “Get going. You’ve got a lot of work to catch up on today.”
Drake threw me a scowl as he led the way to the corner of the gym. At least he’d save me the humiliation of being ridiculed front and center. When we reached our training mat, the ice prince strapped on his gloves and tossed the headgear to the floor. He didn’t even think I could get one hit in… well, I’d show him. I made it my mission for the day to land at least one punch in the pretty boy’s face.
Drake smirked and put his fists up. “Come at me.”
I channeled all the fear and anger from last night’s twisted events plus the turmoil building from what I’d overheard this morning and attacked. My fists flew at him like angry bumblebees, but he swatted each hit away with ease. It only added more fuel to the fire.
I surprised him with a roundhouse kick, my foot connecting with his upper shoulder. “Yes!” I squealed.
A small smirk tugged his lip up. “Should I start fighting back now?”
“I’d like to see you try.”
His lilac eyes twinkled, and his movements became a blur. Holding my gloved fists over my face was all I could do to keep myself from getting knocked out. A second later, I smacked into the mat with an earthshaking thud. Okay, maybe I’d been a little overconfident.
Drake held out his hand and helped me up, to my utter shock. “Not bad for a human. You lasted a full thirty seconds. I’ve put Scarlett down quicker than that.”
Scarlett—the quiet vampire member of The Seven. I’d barely had any contact with her since the first day in the locker room. She mostly kept to herself, rarely even socializing with her elite squad.
“Do you guys practice on your own, outside of class hours?” The image of Ryder leading the group of them into the forest in the early morning danced across my mind.
He shrugged, sweeping his hair behind his pointed ear. “Sometimes. It takes practice to be the best—I mean for the others, of course.”
“Of course.” I shook my head, suppressing a grin. I needed to get in on this after hours practice. Maybe I could convince Ash to let me join them… Doubtful.
Ryder strutted over, his dark eyes assessing me. “How’s it going over here?”
“I haven’t killed her yet so that’s something.”
Such an ass.
“The human was inquiring about getting in some extra practice,” Drake went on. “Maybe you could hook her up with that, Ryder?”
The demon’s eyes narrowed, and I could’ve sworn the mighty ice prince actually flinched.
“Or I guess someone else could,” he muttered.
Ryder drew in a long breath then huffed it out. “No, you’re right. I probably should work with Luna one-on-one.”
My h
eart stuttered, and all the saliva evaporated from my mouth. “Huh?” I managed.
“I hope you don’t have plans after class, Luna, because for the next few weeks, your ass is mine.”
My core clenched, shooting heat all the way up my neck and spreading across my cheeks.
“And if you’re lucky,” he continued, “I’ll talk to Cillian about letting that count toward your penance for that little stunt last night.”
Drake quirked a brow. “What did the human do?”
“Nothing,” Ryder and I hissed in unison.
Our instructor turned back to the rest of the class. “Continue as you were, and I’ll see you this afternoon, Luna,” he called over his shoulder.
“Thanks for that,” I muttered to my sparring partner once the infuriating demon was out of earshot.
“You will be thanking me later when Ryder turns you into a total badass.” He ran his hand over his spikey hair. “You want Aeria and Raine to respect you? Prove to them and everyone at Darkblood that you really do belong here.”
What was this? Was Drake Wintersbee actually giving me good advice? This guy’s mood swings gave me whiplash.
“Well, it would help if I could get my magic under control or to even appear when I wanted it to,” I whined.
He rolled his eyes, the mask of boredom he usually wore slipping back on. “You do know how it works here, right? Sure, I’m Fae, and I have Fae magic—control over the winter elements, but before I got here, I couldn’t summon daggers, levitate or even conjure up a protective orb. I had to learn all that. As did everyone else here. So sure, you’re human and you don’t have any inherited magic, but suck it up and learn. Like we all did.”
My jaw dropped, and I was utterly speechless. Sure, he’d been a dick about it, but he was right. Maybe it was time I stopped blaming my lack of magic on the universe and started taking control of my abilities myself.
Chapter 14
“Him?” I squeaked.
Drake stood beside Professor Malindra with his arms pressed against his chest, his lean muscular arms straining against the black uniform polo. The scowl etched across his lips making it clear he was less than thrilled with our instructor’s suggestion.