by Lexi C. Foss
Just don’t think about it. Or how good his hands feel on my arms right now. In fact, you should take a step back, I coached myself.
Except I didn’t listen at all.
Instead, I looked deep into his golden irises and thought about how they glowed while I went down on him. I swallowed, his taste a lingering memory in my throat. “I can do this.”
“I know you can.”
With a nod, I forced myself to look at Ella. She arched a light blonde brow. “Oh, are you finally ready? Because I’m bored and growing fairy wings over here.”
Trayton snorted. “You wish.”
“I do!” She threw her hands up in the air. “Fae should have wings and pointy ears.”
My own ears twitched at the thought, and I brushed my dark strands behind them to show off the tips. “I have pointy ears.”
Ella spun around to face me, her lips pulling into a huge grin. “There! That’s what we should look like. All she needs is wings.”
“Fairies have wings,” Trayton explained calmly. “And they’re not real.”
“Well, technically, pixies exist and they have wings.” Amusement briefly touched my chest as I thought of Claire’s obsession with the little creations brought on by her connection to the spirit element.
“We have our own version here,” Trayton muttered. “Ella loves them.”
“But he won’t let me keep them as pets,” she pointed out.
“Because they bite and like to set fires all over the damn place.”
“Are you all going to stand around and chat all day or get down to work?” Zephyrus’s voice came from right behind me, the heat of his body sending a shiver down my spine. He’d worn gray sweatpants and a white T-shirt today, something several of the females seemed intrigued by throughout the gymnasium. Myself included.
I firmly blamed Shade for my runaway hormones. If he hadn’t spent every night taunting me with his touch and tongue, I wouldn’t be having all these illicit fantasies about Kols, and I wouldn’t find Zephyrus particularly irresistible today.
“Am I invisible?” the headmaster demanded.
“N-no,” I stammered, spinning to face him and having to look up to meet his smoldering green eyes. There was a hint of brown around the pupils that captured my attention for a long moment before I shook my head. “We were just getting started.”
He arched a brow. “Yeah? Because it looks like you’re all over here gossiping. Maybe I need to reassign pairings.” He glanced to the left, his mouth already moving before I had a chance to respond. “Shade! Get your ass over here.”
The Death Blood shadowed over to us in a wave of his black smoke, his expression bored as he appeared. “The whole headmaster thing seems to be going well for you, Zeph. Bet it feels nice to be able to issue commands for once rather than constantly taking it up the ass from Kols.”
“Oh, please assign me to him,” Kols said, stepping forward. “I’ll show him what it feels like to take it up the ass.”
Zephyrus shrugged. “I was going to give him to Tray, but go for it.” He looked at the other royal. “Help me manage the match between Ella and Aflora, then go spar with Fang.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I mouthed, “Fang?” at Ella, hoping I’d heard that wrong.
She burst out laughing, nodding. “Yeah, original. I know.”
“Stop goofing around,” Zephyrus snapped, his hand grasping my hip and forcing my attention back to him. “I need to see what I’m dealing with so I can better plan our independent study next week. Unless you want me to assume that all you know how to do is pick flowers from the ground?”
I bristled at the negative insinuation in his tone. “I’m not a helpless pixie, Zeph.”
His eyebrow arched again, saying nothing and everything with that look alone. We weren’t familiar enough for me to use his nickname. It just sort of slipped out.
“Headmaster Zephyrus,” I corrected softly.
“Don’t be a dick, Zeph,” Ella cut in, stepping up to my side. “We were just about to start. And we don’t need to be managed.”
“That remains to be seen,” he replied, his eyes still holding mine. “Go on then, pixie flower. Show me what you can do. I’m waiting.”
“Do you think it’s wise to goad the chick who almost killed me two days ago?” Ella asked, folding her arms. “No offense, Aflora.”
“She’s fine. She’s wearing the new and improved choker, right?” He seemed to see right through me, his green irises gleaming knowingly.
“Right,” I said, swallowing. “I’ll be fine.”
“Then stop stalling and give me a show, pixie flower.”
Heat crept up my neck at his words and the tone with which he uttered them. Hard, demanding, and inflexible. Three words that absolutely described Zephyrus.
With a resolute nod, I faced Ella and caught Kols and Shade standing beside Tray, observing the entire exchange.
Great. So I would be giving them all a show.
“Just kick my ass and get it over with,” I muttered to Ella as we entered the circle drawn on the mats.
She gaped at me. “Did you just curse?”
“I know how to curse,” I said, falling into what I hoped resembled a fighting stance. I’d watched a few Powerless Champion duels in the Elemental Fae kingdom. I knew what to expect. I just hadn’t enrolled in any of the Academy courses, preferring solo athletics to combat sports.
“I’m small, but I’m fast,” Ella warned me.
“Good, then this will be over quickly.” Because I had no idea what I was doing and I refused to hurt her like last time.
It was a miracle she forgave me so quickly. Actually, it made me question her intelligence. But she claimed to like me and said we had a lot more in common than I realized. Not wanting to deny a gift of friendship, I let the lack of common sense slide. After all, it was in my favor.
Her fist flew at my face, causing me to jump backward on instinct. She followed up with a punch toward my middle, which I avoided by spinning out of her reach. “That’s how we’re going to do this?” I breathed, dodging another fist.
“You said to get this over with quickly. Stand still and I’ll grant your wish,” she panted, kicking out this time.
“Why the hell would people want to take a course on violence?” I demanded, glancing at Zephyrus. “What purpose does this”—I ducked again, narrowly missing Ella’s elbow—“serve?”
“It’s physical exercise that also enables you to protect yourself in untoward situations.” Zephyrus’s arm snaked around my waist as he hauled me backward into his hard body.
“What kind of ‘untoward situations’?” I spun and found my wrists caught in one of his hands before I could even consider my next move.
“Midnight Fae frequent the Human Realm regularly.” He started backing me up off the mat.
“And there are situations there that require combat?” I asked while trying to find Ella over his shoulder. He thwarted my attempt to seek her intervention by speeding up his pace and practically shoving me backward with his grasp.
There had to be a way out of his hold, which I suspected was the lesson here, but my body seemed to obey him on impulse despite my brain’s commands to the contrary.
“Many dangers exist in the Human Realm, Aflora,” he murmured as my back met a wall. He pinned my hands over my head, his opposite hand going to my throat. “Weren’t you recently captured and overpowered in the Human Realm?”
“By a Midnight Fae,” I replied, glaring up at him. “Not a human.”
“Hmm, but had you known how to properly defend yourself, maybe you wouldn’t be here now,” he said quietly, his grip tightening around my throat. “Even now, you’re helpless with no idea how to fight me. I can feel your capitulation with every swallow. I own you right now, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.”
The words were soft, his gaze burning into mine.
Everything seemed to fade away around us, the moment stretching as he held me captive in a decidedly in
ferior position. It should have infuriated me. Instead, it heated my blood, and not in a combat sort of way. Even if I could fight him—which I absolutely couldn’t—I wouldn’t. Because I liked him overpowering me.
The realization swept over me, causing me to melt beneath his hold.
I wanted him to own me, just like he said.
To tell me what to do. To guide me. To teach me in a manner that had nothing to do with this class and everything to do with us.
Oh, I’m in trouble.
First, Kols.
Now, Zeph.
And not to mention Shade, who still haunted my every breath.
“You like this,” Zephyrus whispered, his heat surrounding me so entirely that I forgot how to properly breathe. Every inhale filled me with his intoxicating woodsy cologne. It left me light-headed and confused and aching for more.
“You shouldn’t like this,” he continued, his lips falling to my ear. “Is this why you let Shade manipulate you so thoroughly? He gave you a little attention, and you showed him your neck? Are you truly that easy?”
His comment lit a fire in me that ate through the heat his touch had inspired and spurred me into action. My knee connected with his steel thigh, sending a jolt of pain up my leg. That only made me angrier. I stomped on his foot with as much force as I could muster and squirmed in earnest against him.
His hips pinned mine, leaving me utterly defenseless and seething mad. “Let me go.”
“But it was finally getting interesting,” he whispered, his teeth skimming my earlobe. He nipped me gently, drawing a growl from my throat.
“You’re too big to spar with me,” I snapped. “It’s an unfair fight.”
“Fights are never fair,” he returned.
“That’s what magic is for.”
“Ah, but it’s against Midnight Fae Council rules to expose our kind in the Human Realm. So what would you do in this situation, pixie flower? Would you let a bigger male take advantage of you? Or would you use magic on him and bury the evidence?”
I stopped trying to free myself and instead met his smoldering gaze. “Are you asking if I would let him hurt me or kill him instead?”
“A male in this position would do more than just hurt you,” he replied softly. “He’d destroy you.”
“Then I’d have no choice but to truly defend myself.”
“Then do it,” he encouraged. “Defend yourself.”
“You just said magic isn’t allowed in a fight like this.”
“We’re not in the Human Realm.”
“No, we’re in Defense Without Magic class,” I retorted. “Stop trying to convince me to break the rules, Zeph.”
His mouth went to my ear again, his breath hot against my skin. “We’re all breaking rules here, princess. That collar of yours is just the beginning of the quandary we’ve found ourselves in, yes?”
I froze. My lungs ceasing to work.
And he pulled back with a knowing smirk. “We have a lot of work to do, Aflora. I expect you to come prepared for our independent study course. I suggest you use the next two days off to study.”
With that, he released me and stalked out of the room.
I gaped after him, as did several other students.
Kols flashed me an apologetic look, one that confirmed Zephyrus’s statement.
He’d told the headmaster all about my bloodline, as well as the collar around my neck. Not that I could blame him, as the two of them were clearly close even when arguing. But it left me even more alone than before, reminding me that I had no allies in this realm. Whatever assistance Kols provided, it would likely come at a cost.
Because he would always choose his own over me.
Just as he should.
I’d do the same thing in his situation.
Which meant I could only trust him to an extent, if at all.
My shoulders stiffened, my spine straightening. I wouldn’t let this knock me down.
Zeph was right. I had to fight for myself to survive this, which meant I needed to learn how to properly defend myself. Both in the Human Realm and in this one. Because someday soon, my life would very likely depend on it.
Chapter Twenty
Aflora
Several weeks of classes sped by without incident, mostly because I locked myself away in my room constantly to study. I had a lifetime of material to read in order to catch up in all my courses.
Death Magic class.
Warrior Magic class.
Elite Magic class.
Defense Without Magic class.
Break day.
Break day.
Midnight Fae Politics—the only class I seemed to be doing all right in, thanks to Ella’s tutoring.
Malefic Magic class—my least favorite.
Independent study day—ugh.
Break day.
Break day.
Break day.
Today, I had another independent study day with Zeph. Who was a complete ass and way too hands-on for my liking. Mostly because he inspired thoughts that weren’t appropriate. Especially when he pinned me to the mat or to the wall. I occasionally caught a glimmer of interest in his gaze, but it always disappeared before I could confirm it. Which meant I probably made it up in my daydreams.
Who could blame me with my nightly sexual escapades? If it wasn’t Shade in my head, it was Kols. Causing me to heat up every time I went near the Midnight Prince. So I was pretty much in a constant state of red because he rarely left my side, always helping me in every class and ensuring my magic stayed in check.
Shade, however, seemed to be leaving me alone. Mostly because he kept skipping class. It annoyed the daylights out of me because I needed him in Death Magic class and he rarely showed up, forcing me to navigate the halls and spells by myself. When I asked him about it in my dreams, he kissed me to silence the conversation.
The only positive was that it forced me to be independent and to learn on my own. A benefit and a curse because I had no idea if I was doing anything correctly. I just went with my gut.
My legs buckled beneath me as Zeph swept his foot in an arc that sent me ass-first onto the mat. “You’re distracted,” he accused. “Do you think I want to spend my time babysitting you? Either show up or get the fuck out of my gym.”
“Your gym?” I huffed, pushing myself back up to a standing position. “Are you finally embracing your headmaster role?”
He snorted and changed the subject. “Show me what you learned in Malefic Magic class yesterday.”
I knew he was going to demand that.
After weeks of sparring with him during several class days and on a handful of break days, I’d begun learning his expectations. He wanted me to apply every lesson to my sparring. Not only did he want me to master control of my power, but he also wanted me to be able to use it defensively.
Or offensively in this case.
Steeling my spine, I held out my hand and murmured the conjuring spell we learned yesterday. Ice picks formed around us almost immediately, all aimed at Zeph. His lips actually twitched as he batted them away with a quick defense spell. “Good. Again.”
I repeated the incantation.
He destroyed it a second later.
“Once more.”
Narrowing my eyes, I decided to throw him off guard and called up a different spell that I’d read about in my books last night. It was from the next chapter and involved fire. A dangerous move considering my history with the element, but my cerulean flames remained in check as a parade of black embers encircled Zeph.
His eyebrows shot up just enough to confirm I had surprised him. In the next breath, he uttered words that dispelled my creation. “Cute,” he muttered. “At least I know you can read.”
The jibe made me roll my eyes at him. “I’m not an ignoramus.”
He considered me for a long moment. “No. You’re not.”
“Careful, Zeph. That was almost a compliment.” I always called him Headmaster or Zephyrus around others, but I’d taken
to using his nickname when in private. He never corrected me, so I took that as his way of allowing it.
“Well, you seem to be taking well to Malefic Magic, so let’s try some more defensive moves. Maybe it’ll help you not get your ass kicked next week.”
“Praise tied to an insult,” I mused. “There’s the Zeph I’ve come to adore.”
He glared at me. “Stop talking and start focusing.”
“I am focused.”
“Then knock me down.”
I sighed. “Sure.” We both knew I couldn’t. Not only did he have, like, twelve inches of height on me, but he was also solid muscle and an expert defender. Hitting him was akin to punching a wall. Making him budge even an inch proved impossible every time we did this exercise.
But I’d try anyway because he demanded it.
Using a technique he taught last week in Warrior Magic class, I tried to circle around to his back to knock out his knees.
He moved with me, his arms folded, his expression bored.
Gritting my teeth, I tried the leg sweep he used on me a few minutes ago.
And nothing.
Not even a flinch.
It actually hurt me more than it probably hurt him.
So I ran around behind him and jumped on his back, my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Hanging out,” I said, my forearms locking around his throat. “When you get tired of holding me up here, you’ll fall.”
“You weigh practically nothing,” he gritted out, his head twisting in a futile effort to see me. “Get down.”
“No.”
“This isn’t useful at all.” He sounded livid, which only made me cling to him more. Pissing him off had become a favorite pastime of mine. He was a dick to me, so I paid him back in kind. “Seriously, let go.”
I placed my chin on his shoulder and sighed. “I think I’ll just stay here until you fall down.”
His resulting growl vibrated my chest through the thin fabric of our shirts. He’d worn another of those sleeveless ones that showed off his arms. It was about the only thing I looked forward to on our sparring days. Oh, and his gray sweatpants. I rather liked those as well.