***
Blane
Finally, things had calmed down, but from the look on Aris’ and Soph’s face it wasn’t going to stay that way. It was bad enough Dallas almost didn’t come back, and had the witch not helped she would have been long gone. He would be forever indebted to the Witch’s Council. No matter how poorly Bev spoke of them he knew for a fact they were good, even if they were a bit—quirky.
“What’s going on?” He tried not to let the stress come out in his tone, but from the soft look on Sophie’s face he failed. He shoved his braid from his face and his shoulders fell in relaxation when Dallas laced her fingers with his. “I know that look. Something bad is coming, isn’t it?”
Aris nodded. “I’m afraid so. Mother visited again. She came bearing a warning for us. Jaz and his brothers won’t be the last the Golden Council sends to assassinate us. We all need to be vigilant. No one is to be alone—until we get this damn council to back the hell off.”
“So that means what, that they will send more, probably even stronger Supes to off us?” Max said piping in. His choice of words wasn’t the greatest, but it was honest. “That shit sucks, I still need to find my mate and I’m exhausted enough as it is. What if she ends up in danger too?”
“She likely will if it’s soon that you find her during this time, and if I’m correct Fate is sending our mates in the time we need them most—which is now.” Blane said realizing at that moment without their mates they wouldn’t be strong enough to fight the Pures. Sadly, that was the hard truth everyone needed to deal with.
No one disagreed.
“But for now, we stay aware and in groups. Period. I want no one alone, and we all have to protect the children.”
Blane wasn’t the only one who nodded. All he wanted to do is crawl in bed with his mate and sleep for a week. Not only that, but the bond was still new, and he couldn’t get enough of her. She was perfect for him.
“What about me, I’m new to all of this, am I allowed to have my sister visit?” Dallas asked, her voice low and flowing smoothly.
Aris frowned. “I don’t know that you should have her come anytime soon. It would be better if you and Blane went to visit her for the time being. We don’t need any of those bastards to take her. She wouldn’t be able to handle what we can. She’s human.”
His mate tensed and he glanced at her so see her lip tremble.
“I already invited her, and there is no way to tell her I can’t have her come unless I tell her about—” She ran her thin fingers through her messy array of curls. “This new development with me. I don’t think she’ll freak out or anything, but I tell her everything…”
Aris held up his hand to stop her. “We’ll just have to protect her.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”
Blane tensed and squeezed her hand. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.” He brought fingers to his lips and kissed them. “We’ll protect her.”
“It’s okay just let us know in advance when she’s coming. We’ll make preparations. In fact, she needs to know about you before she comes. She needs to be prepared for Cai. He has no filter and we don’t need him running her off.”
“Hey, I’m getting better!” the boy smirked. “Okay but humans are too easy. They have no guards, at least not most of them.”
Blane sighed. The boy had finally grown comfortable with them all. He definitely needed to work on his gifts, but as he knew, it took time to be able to control such power. And Cai could read minds—even better than Ilias, as well as feel emotions like him. Who knew what else the Water Nymph-Hybrid could do. He was so young yet.
“Are we done?” Blane wasn’t the most patient anymore. Having the love of his life by his side made it difficult to concentrate.
Aris laughed. “Go, I’ll fill you in later. Enjoy the rest now because we’re all going to be on major guard duty come tomorrow.”
That was all he needed to hear. He tugged Dallas’ hand and she stood to follow him.
Max laughed and her cheeks heated.
“Shut it,” Blane warned, but laughed too. His mate was adorable. It wasn’t like they hadn’t heard anything from them in the past weeks.
Summer was right around the corner and it seemed like it was just yesterday on that sunny Spring day that he found her sick and alone at the hospital. He’d never go back. Everything was exactly how it was meant to be.
***
Dallas
Even after losing her only family she was blessed. The grieving was hard, the blame was worse, but she knew now it wasn’t her fault her sister died. She couldn’t handle any pity, but running through the woods is the only thing that helped. But in reality, being with Blane helped. The tribe did their best for her. She couldn’t have asked for more. When she came to Stratham she’d expected to die. Instead she became so much more than she’d ever been. She was a dragon, and although she and the beast hadn’t had a lot of time to bond, she already knew they would. Everything about the Blue beauty spoke to her. Now she could feel what others did. Being an empath was both good and bad.
In the den, all she felt was tenseness underneath Blane’s desire for her. She licked her lips as he led her up the stairs. She knew what was coming, and she didn’t mind one bit. When he loved her, she felt the world around her disappear and it was as if they floated on air. Finding love in a younger man had been hard at first, but now she couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. He was her everything.
“Come on baby, let’s go to bed,” Blane whispered tugging her hand.
She followed him up the stairs and down the hall to the room that was now theirs. It used to be Cai’s, but Zarin and Willow’s house was completed and they’d moved out of the main house making more room for her and the others. She loved the room. It was a side room with a large window that had a bench where she could sit when she was reading. Or just thinking. She’d always wanted a space like that.
“I’m not tired though.”
“Me either, me either,” he replied.
When she walked into the room he shut and locked the door.
“Come here, my love.”
She didn’t hesitate and went into his arms. He wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her close. When he sniffed her neck, she giggled. “Stop smelling me.”
“I’m just checking.”
She knew what that meant. Now that the cancer was gone he constantly smelled her to make sure it didn’t randomly come back. At first, she thought it was silly, but now, she liked it. A part of her waited for that day to happen. She was cancer free now, but would she always be?
Now wasn’t the time to think of her worries.
“Hey, are you okay?”
She looked into her mate’s eyes. “Everything is perfect.” She lowered her lids. “Now kiss me already.”
Blane didn’t need to be told twice. He bent his head and captured her lips with his and pressed against them softly. The kiss started out slow and gentle only to turn heated within seconds. She teased his lip with her tongue loving how he shuddered under her touch.
She pulled back and smiled. “I love you Blane.” It was the first time she’d ever said it out loud. It was the right time now. Now she was better. Now she wasn’t leaving for any reason, and now best of all, she could protect herself.
Blane grinned. “I love you too, my mate.”
There was no more talking. They spoke with their bodies showing one another just how much their words rang true.
Tomorrow was a new day, but tonight—was theirs.
THE END
Witch Academy Box Set (1-4)
Book 1: The Missing Queen
Chapter 1
Desmond awoke with a start, his body tensing up. It took him a moment to figure out exactly what the problem was, his magic finding its way up to his brain.
He realized after a moment that it was a crash from his kitchen that had woken him. However, the presence that he sensed was
not anything that would cause him harm. His dishes and food supply might be in danger, but he was not.
Running a hand over his face, he tried to pull the sleep from his eyes, glancing at the time piece. He was planning to get up now anyway; the alarm would beep after a moment or two. It was later than he normally got up, but he didn't have anywhere to be for another hour.
“Nathaniel,” he said as the door to his chambers whooshed open at his touch. “What are you doing?”
His former Tiro looked up at him, a piece of toast in his mouth.
“You're awake.”
Desmond raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe.
“You think I can't still sense when you are causing chaos? Eleven years of training you, Nathaniel. I promise that the bond is not broken yet.”
Nathaniel smirked as he searched for more bread, and Desmond decided it was a losing battle. Besides, he was meeting Mariah for breakfast anyway, so he didn't need food here.
He had trained Nathaniel for eleven years as his third Tiro, readying him as a full-fledged witch; the guardians of the galaxy. Magic was dangerous and destructive if not controlled and well trained, and those born with it often didn't survive it unless they were taken from their families and devoted their life to its control. Witches, who were taken to the academies around the galaxy and trained by Maestros, became warriors, guardians, peacemakers, and healers. They were well respected, strong, and completely devoted to keeping the galaxy safe.
It came at a price, of course. They rarely, if ever, saw their families again. They were not supposed to form attachments or have families of their own. They were completely devoted to their craft and their quests. When they were young, they were usually devoted to their Maestros. When they came of age, they were put through a series of rigorous tests that determined whether they could go off on their own and become a new generation of Maestros.
There were exceptions to every rule, of course. Tiros were supposed to be in the academy from the time they started walking, and they needed to be with a Maestro by the time they were thirteen if they wanted to be able to take the tests. Otherwise, they remained at school until eighteen and could work in a minor role. Any time after eighteen, they could take the tests and become a full-fledged witch.
Desmond knew that he and Nathaniel had broken almost every single one of those rules in their years together. It wasn't necessarily on purpose, because he didn't always believe in everything the Jurors dictated. But Nathaniel had been almost fourteen when Desmond finally took him on after a disastrous last Tiro. Nathaniel was stubborn, mouthy, and more interested in fun half the time. Desmond knew Nathaniel would never be the serious, quiet, thoughtful Witch that was expected. Nathaniel was twenty-four when he finally took the tests, passing with flying colors in everything except his attitude.
Now, nearly two years later, they remained at the academy. Nathaniel was teaching some of the classes, and Desmond sat on the Jurors part time, dealing with the intergalactic issues that came their way. Both of them were expected at some point soon to take on a Tiro. But after a bumpy eleven years, Nathaniel didn't seem quite ready to be self-sufficient
Desmond, despite being technically free of a Tiro, found it hard to find time for himself and Mariah – not that he publicly wished for it.
The first day Desmond saw Mariah was nearly thirty years ago. They had both been young witches on their first Tiros. They had locked eyes across the room, and Desmond knew that he was in trouble.
Neither of them had broken any rules, at least in public. But as they started to age toward retirement with a quiet life of advising only in their near future, he found it harder to make sure they were in line and not just existing in a grey area that the Jurors raised their eyebrows at.
He knew Nathaniel was aware of the fine line he walked and took it as challenge. No matter how much Desmond tried and scolded, Nathaniel had always had eyes for women. He wasn't discreet either, and more than once, he had been called in front of the Jurors for disobedience.
Desmond's only solace was that, as Nathaniel got older, he seemed to be settling down and focusing his attention on the one woman he came back to again, and again. A quest on Jeffro – a border planet – had introduced the fifteen-year-old Nathaniel to the seventeen-year-old orphaned ruler, Queen Eliza. She was just as head strong, stubborn, and in control of her emotions as he was. Desmond pretended to not hear the late-night hologram fights they had over the years, and pretended not to hear Nathaniel's thoughts when they were doing well. As long as he was focused on his duties, Desmond could turn a blind eye. And, he noticed, no matter how hard they fought, they always returned to each other. They fought in a way that acknowledged that ending their relationship was never an option.
It was admirable, in a way, except neither of them were supposed to be even thinking of romantic love.
This life was not an easy one, but it was worth it for the greater good. Despite being two of the most powerful warrior witches in the galaxy, they were still only human.
“Are you going to the showcase today?” Nathaniel asked. “I saw them setting up this morning.”
“I might,” Desmond answered, watching Nathaniel eat his way through half a loaf of bread. The showcases were bi-annual and meant to show off the skills of young witches who were hoping to find Maestros. They came from the various academies to go the headquarters, and it was usually impressive. Desmond wasn't quite sure he was interested in taking another one, though. If he was truthful, Nathaniel had been difficult at best. Desmond would technically age out before another Tiro came of age. He and Mariah had loose plans to not take another one, retiring together. Not that he could tell anyone of that, he knew.
Right now, his biggest concern was getting Nathaniel out of his kitchen. “Is there something wrong with the cafeteria? Or your own kitchen, perhaps? Your room is down the hall, Nathaniel. Surely your own kitchen is closer.”
“I have to teach in ten minutes,” Nathaniel protested. “There's no time to wait in the cafeteria or make my own food. You always have something ready.”
“In case I need to grab something swiftly,” Desmond replied. “I don't usually keep you in mind.”
“I love how prepared you are, Maestro,” Nathaniel grinned. “I didn't have time last night.”
“Why? You finished class at seven p.m.” Desmond raised an eyebrow. “What did you do with your evening?”
“Eliza called,” Nathaniel admitted. “It was a long call.”
“I'm sure it was,” Desmond said. “Go to class. If the professor is late, it says something.”
“See you.” Nathaniel finally finished chewing and took off, leaving Desmond to shake his head. Nathaniel's appetite had not changed since he was fifteen, nor had his energy or his attitude. It was amazing how different they were. Nathaniel's dream was to be on the Jurors, where Desmond couldn't think of a more boring way to live life. Although Nathaniel was successful and well respected, Desmond sometimes wondered where he went wrong as a Maestro.
He tied up the bread bag, putting the dishes in the sink before going to get dressed. He always got Mariah from her room if they were having a meal together, as the hallways were crowded. Mariah had been blinded nearly ten years ago, and although she was very proficient with her magic, using it to see rather than her eyes, he still worried about her. Her last Tiro, Nathaniel's childhood best friend, had graduated early, and Mariah had been working within the safety of the academy ever since. Desmond worried every day she took a minor quest, even though he knew she was just as strong as the first day.
His com-link buzzed as he was finishing getting dressed, and he saw it was Thomas, one of the permanent members.
“I'm not expected for another two hours,” he answered, finishing the buttons on his old shirt.
“I know,” Thomas replied. “I'm not calling because I don't know how to tell time.”
“Good to know,” Desmond answered. “What can I do for you?”
“These off-world professors,” Desmond said, shaking his head. “They count their success on the amount of Tiros that get trained, regardless of consequence.”
“I'm aware,” Thomas said. “Will you do it?”
“In an hour,” Desmond replied. “I have plans currently.”
“Doing what?”
“I have plans,” Desmond repeated. “But I will be there.”
Thomas sighed. “Fine,” he answered, not willing to fight. “I'll see you later.”
“You will,” Desmond said, and hung up. He knew that walking the grey areas of magic often landed him with tasks like this, but it was a small price to pay to mostly do as he pleased.
Mariah was ready when he came to the door, looking beautiful despite a plain outfit. Her hair was pulled back, and he was used to the scarring around her eyes that had caused the blindness. Once bright red, the scars were now pure white, crisscrossing her eyes and causing his heart to ache whenever he saw her. She was still beautiful, but he hated that he had not been there to help her.
“Good morning,” Mariah said, knowing exactly where to look. “You're troubled today.”
He smiled, always impressed by how sensitive her magic was.
“It could have been Thomas calling to ask me something ridiculous,” he replied. “Or it could be that Nathaniel showed up and ate half of my fridge before dawn.”
“So, a normal day, then?” She smiled at him, closing the door behind them. He took her arm, the shivers going down her spine. The only good thing about her blindness was that they could now touch in public under the guise that he was guiding her.
Blane (Stratham Shifters Book 5) Page 12