Academy of Mages and Shifters 1

by Laura Wylde

  “What are you doing, Duncan?” I hissed. “Megan is sleeping there. Don’t you have any self-control.”

  “It’s a big bed,” he said as his eyes closed. “Made for a big group of people. It will be fine.”

  “What if she wakes up and punches you in the face? I think you’ll deserve it.”

  “She won’t. In case you have forgotten, Megan is a nice person.”

  “I haven’t forgotten,” I snap. “But I also haven’t forgotten how to be a gentleman. Guys, stick up for me?” But no one said anything, the other guys stared at me like I was the one in the wrong. “Oh my God…”

  It took a second before Trevor followed and then much to my surprise so did Artemis. Sure, they all had plenty of room not to touch one another, but for me it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. I couldn’t make it happen, so instead, I settled myself on the floor in a sitting position, so that I could lean my head back on the bed for a small bit of comfort. But I didn’t mind even if I woke up with a stiff neck because I didn’t want to make Megan uncomfortable. Perhaps this was what Artemis meant about being nice. Perhaps it wasn’t as hard as I made out.

  I could do more of that. I could continue to be a nice person. If that was what she needed…

  Just as I was about to relax, I felt the bed stir and Megan’s arm fell over the side of the bed. Even if she wasn’t aware that she no longer had the whole place to herself, her subconscious seemed to sense it and she moved across to get her own space. I tilted my head upwards to see her delightfully peaceful expression. She seemed almost angelic when she didn’t have the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even more beautiful than before.

  God, I liked her so much. My heart seemed to beat only for her as I watched her deeply inhale then exhale repeatedly. I never wanted to look at a woman before, I certainly didn’t care about really seeing one. Even the women that I had assumed I’d liked didn’t grab my attention like Megan did. She was something else.

  I stared at her lips, imagining myself leaning up to kiss them, to feel how plump they are against mine. God, I really wanted to just do that already. Just kiss her. I wanted to over step the whole awkward conversation part where I had to apologize for how I had behaved and just kiss her. Just hold her between my arms and take her as my own. As our own. The druidess to make our harem whole. I shivered with excitement at the idea of being whole.

  But I wasn’t going to be able to make that happen. Not without having that conversation. The only problem was I wasn’t great at talking. I didn’t know how to express my emotions well. I usually messed it up. Just like I messed up the situation with the demon. It was my fault that bastard got free and I felt responsible for the fact that we hadn’t yet found that asshole. I held out hope because of the work that we had just completed but still… nothing was ever going to feel enough until we had this under control and fully dealt with. I needed that beast gone. Back to hell or whatever fucking realm, it came from. It didn’t need anything from here, or even if it did, it wouldn’t get it. Not if I had anything to do with it. We had been evaded today, but I wasn’t about to allow that to continue.

  I glanced at the tracker device once more which was erratically moving around at the speed of light. The demon was up to something massive, something that involved London, and we needed to find out what very soon. There were a whole bunch of people living in the capital city, more than anywhere else in the country, and I couldn’t shoulder the blame of them all being injured. Or worse, killed. All that blood… it would be on my hands.

  “What are you up to?” I growled angrily. “What the fuck are you doing? Who do you want to hurt?”

  It hurt my brain to think about the motive of the demon. To wonder what he was up to. I listened a lot in class and I had studied when given the chance, but still, I didn’t know. Not enough anyway. Really, it was good to have Megan on side after she had done a whole lot of reading. I half wanted to wake her up to see what she thought… but of course she was asleep like an angel and I wasn’t about to disturb her. Not a chance in hell. I would much rather watch her breathe in and out in that stunning relaxed way of hers before she wakes up panicked once more.

  Eventually, I slid my eyes closed and pictured what it would be like to have Megan in our harem. I guess with everything that had happened to me personally today, there wasn’t anything else in my mind. I also pondered over the teacher’s decision to put us all together in a group even though we made it obvious that none of us wanted it. The teachers at the academy were also there to guide us towards a successful harem with the intention of reproduction, so it wouldn’t be too farreaching to assume that she saw something in all of us that I didn’t. Or hadn’t. Because after that little chat with Artemis it was all that I could see. Megan was clearly the one for all of us.

  I couldn’t stop myself from picturing a life with her, imagining what our future could be. We would get a place together, somewhere in the UK, so we were all close enough to visit our families if we wanted to, but far enough away so that we could live our own lives as well, and hopefully continue on with our work to make the world a better place for everyone. Of course, we would have a family of mini dragon shifters as well. A group of kids who would continue on our lineage and help to ensure that we didn’t die out. I liked that, but I also like the idea of being a father, of having a family of my own. I knew that I didn’t give off that impression, but I did want that life. Deep down, I was that soppy fool who loved the idea of being in love, of finding that special someone to live my life out with.

  Spending time with Megan had dragged that side out of me. It brought me closer to the edge. Without even thinking about it, I lifted my hand upwards and I found Megan’s fingers dangling downwards, almost as if they were waiting for the right person to come along. Like she was a fairy tale princess waiting for Prince Charming.

  Electricity shot through me as our skin touched. It was nearly enough to have me snatching my hand away. But it felt too nice for me to really move. As she instinctively wrapped her fingers around mine in her sleep, I didn’t pull away again. I stayed exactly where I was and let her hold me. I hadn’t ever enjoyed a romantic gesture like this before, with anyone else it would have made me feel trapped and scared, but with Megan, I just wanted more.

  Shit, this was worse than I ever let on to Artemis. I had it bad. Really bad. The more time that I spent with Megan, the stronger my feelings grew. I just had to now make her see that I was worthwhile. Not an asshole after all. That was going to be the hardest part of all of this. To prove myself to Megan.

  Chapter 9

  Megan

  My eyes snapped open quickly, almost as if something sharp had brought me back to the conscious world. Like an alarm or a prod in the arm, but there was nothing. Just the cool early evening air whipping around me. The bed was comfortable, much too nice compared to the one at the academy, which meant I was somewhere else.

  It took me a couple of moments to work out where I was, what I was doing here, and who I was with, but as it all came screaming back to me, I realized that there was something else new today. Something I never felt when I woke up. The softness of someone’s skin against my own. A hand pretty much holding mine.

  Instead of turning to my left to see who was holding my hand, I turned to my right to see who wasn’t. I was surprised to see Artemis closest to me because he would be the one I suspected the most, but his body spread out neatly next to me. Beside him lay Trevor, curled up into a tiny ball almost as if he was afraid to take up too much room. Then there was the back of Duncan’s head as his face buried into the pillow. Which meant…

  Oh my God, was it Connor? I couldn’t believe it. He was the least likely to touch me. As far as I was aware, he was just about barely putting up with me, never mind anything more. It had to be a mistake. He must have assumed that he was lying next to one of his flings. Maybe even Zena who he had to have something with, no matter what anyone else said. Surely, that wouldn’t be the sort of thing that someone
made up, would it?

  I had to see it for myself, so I very gently twisted on to my side to see my hand in Connor’s. Weirdly, he wasn’t on the bed with the rest of us, instead he sat by the bed nearby. Was he on watch or something like that? Caring for me? For all of us? Whatever the reason, my hand looked all too good in his. I couldn’t help but like the way that it looked. With this action, it didn’t matter if we got on or not. We were connected in a very special way. For that to be with Connor of all people, well it excited me. I couldn’t help myself from falling a little deeper for him.

  I guess I wasn’t any different from all of the other druidesses, falling at Connor’s feet. Urgh, how annoying was that? I wanted to be better, to show that I could rise above silly crushes on guys that I couldn’t ever have, but I suppose there was no way that I could control my emotions. I couldn’t stop my heart from yearning for him. I even laced his fingers a little tighter in mine for a second, ignoring the fears of what would happen if I disturbed him, and it brought a part of me to life that I didn’t even realize was dead until now. It wouldn’t ever go away now though…

  How long have we been holding hands? I wondered curiously. How long have I been asleep?

  It felt like it had been forever, like I’d been sleeping for hours and hours. I had missed all the day light hours, so I guess it had been a really long time. Obviously, my body needed it more than I realized. I didn’t know when the guys had gone to sleep though, after me I presumed, but there was a chance that they could wake up soon. I needed to take my hand away from Connor before he woke up and realized what was happening, in case he didn’t want it. Well, from me anyway. I couldn’t watch his face contort in hatred for me. Instead, I needed to get out of this bed and head to the shower to get myself in order for another very long night of work.

  I crept my body slowly down the bed, wincing every time the slats creaked even the smallest amount, but it seemed that no one was in the right place to wake up. That worked out well for me because I needed the time to get myself in order. I would relish a bit of time to my own thoughts so none of the guys could see the mess I was in.

  The shower was a hell of a lot nicer than the one at the academy, and I got the sense that the hot water wouldn’t run out, so I stayed in there a lot longer than I intended. It was a nice space just for me and I couldn’t seem to get enough of it. At one point, I tried to convince myself that it was time to get out, but I couldn’t.

  Feeling clean, smelling good, it would all work towards making me feel stronger for today. I wanted to be better, to work harder, to show the dragons that I could last as long as they could. Especially Connor. And not just because a handhold had my feelings all mixed up for him now, but because as the true leader of the pack I needed him to see that I was worthwhile. That I was as integral to this investigation as he was. Sure, I had my magic and the dragons needed me for that, but I wanted my personality to work well as well. To fit in with the clans.

  It sounds like you are trying to be part of the harem, I told myself with a mental chuckle. Don’t be so crazy.

  But would it be the craziest thing in the world? I mean, I did need to find a harem of my own. Not just because it was the right thing to do and not only because of my family expectations, but because I wanted it too. Sure, I tried to act like I didn’t, but I did. Just like everyone else, I wanted a family of my own.

  “Shit,” I cursed myself as I stepped out of the shower and I wrapped a towel around me. I left my backpack in the bedroom which meant I was going to have to step out there basically naked to grab it. The idea of being practically nude around these guys was almost too much to handle. My pulse pounded wildly against me. “Oh God.”

  I pushed the door open a crack and stared through it into the bedroom to see that the guys were still asleep. Relief flooded through me and I tiptoed towards my bag. I don’t think I have ever felt as naked as I am right now. Everything about me was on edge as I ran to the bag and grabbed it. I swung it over my shoulder and started to make my way back. I knew that I couldn’t completely settle down until I was in that bathroom and locked away.

  “Hey.” Oh my God. Someone was talking to me. Someone who sounded a lot like Connor. “Morning.”

  I twisted my body around awkwardly, trying to ensure that I remained covered up the entire time. I wasn’t the easiest since this wasn’t the biggest towel. I couldn’t be sure that my ass wasn’t on the show.

  “Er, good morning.” I dragged my eyes up his body, desperately hoping that my face wasn’t flaming as I did. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. You are probably still tired after your uncomfortable night…”

  “I’m not.” He took a giant step closer to me, closing the gap. “Nothing you do makes me feel uncomfortable anymore.”

  He locked his eyes on mine, keeping me trapped in a bubble of only me and him. I couldn’t drag my gaze away from his, however much I wanted to, and I wasn’t exactly screaming to make that happen. It was like the hot beams of the sun shining down on me, like I was basking in Connor’s glory. I loved it.

  I parted my lips, knowing that I needed to say something to break this moment before it teetered into a dangerous territory. If we overstepped this boundary then there was no turning back, and much as it excited me, I wasn’t sure if either of us were ready to take that step. Never mind the rest of the dragons. Who knew what they thought?

  But it seemed that Connor didn’t share my fears. In fact, it looked like his lips were coming towards me, ready to kiss me. I should have pulled away, I knew it. There was something in the back of my brain screaming at me to stop this before it started, but I couldn’t listen to my mind. Not when my body wanted him so badly it hurt. I found myself rising towards him, needing that good morning kiss just as badly as he did, however wrong it was.

  A magnet pulled me in until we connected. The force surrounding me wasn’t about to let me go and as the tingles exploded in my stomach and I found myself completely consumed with fireworks, I was glad. Every fiber inside of me screamed for him, wanted him, needs more. His hands hooked around my hips and I pressed the length of my body against him to ensure that the towel didn’t fall down as my hands cupped his cheeks. God, this was electrifying. It was the best damn kiss I ever could have hoped for. All the confusing and conflicting emotions that I have experienced with this man crashed into me, winding me, and making this experience much more fulfilling.

  My heart pounded against his chest, and I could feel Connor’s doing the same thing. We were united in our thrilling exploration of one another’s mouths, which grew even deeper as his tongue snaked between my lips. A moan escaped my throat, I didn’t even know that it was there until it burst free, which showed Connor just how much I liked his kiss. There was no denying my feelings for this man, which was kind of exciting.

  Eventually, Connor pulled back and he gave me a wicked grin. This was a massive change in Connor’s attitude towards me which was wild and head spinning. I didn’t know where I was supposed to stand with this man, but I had to admit that I preferred it when he wanted to seduce me rather than yell at me. Especially, now that it seemed very possible that it was my hand that he did want to hold after all. Wow, I never expected that!

  “I better get back into the bathroom,” I whispered with a shay voice. “Get dressed.”

  “Sure.” Connor winked. “And I will sort out some coffees. Wake us all up properly. Although I’m awake now.”

  I felt the same way. Like every inch of me was on fire and more wide awake than ever before. Connor had ignited the match in the bit of my stomach and there was no putting it out now. I smiled so widely at him that it was like I had a coat hanger between my lips. This was crazy, not at all expected, and I had no idea what was going to happen next.

  I tugged my clothing off quickly and raced back into the bedroom to try and see how everyone else was doing, if they were even awake, but as soon as I burst back into the room I almost wished that I hadn’t. It was clear that Connor had been telling e
veryone about the kiss and this clearly pleased them all. They darted their eyes my way and tried to suppress their joy. Much as it was nice to have them on my side, I wasn’t sure how to feel about them knowing. I wasn’t quite ready for any kind of massive conversation about commitment and harems yet.

  I needed a distraction, to take the focus off of me, and I was lucky to rapidly find something quickly.

  “The tracker.” I pointed over to the machine. “Look, it seems to all be in one place now. It isn’t moving at all.”

  Their eyes all glanced at where I was looking as well. It had been moving non-stop since we started this mission which was what had us traveling all over the place. But the demon had finally found somewhere to settle which could lead us to discover what was going on, what his plan was, after all this time. Thank God.

  “I guess it’s time to go out then,” Duncan declared with a little tremor in his voice. “Right? Find him now.”

  “Definitely. We can’t let him get away again,” I insisted. “We need to go now. Right? Don’t we? Now?”

  Panic exploded through me and I could sense the same emotion on the guys' faces as well. But this was it. This was the time for us to finally make right what we had done wrong. We couldn’t mess up again, this was too important.

  “Big Ben.” I stared up at the clock, sensing the magical disturbance around it, but already safe in the knowledge that the demon had moved on. Its force wasn’t around any longer, which left us all confused. “Why Big Ben? Do you think that he needs something from this old building or is it just a trap? It makes sense that the demon might sense us following him, don’t you think?” The guys were being too silent, it was frustrating. “Do any of you know anything about Big Ben? Is there something about it that might draw a demon to it?”

  “What do you mean?” Artemis asked me with a quiet anxiousness to his tone. “Like, time? That’s all to be associated with Big Ben, right? It opened in May 1859, so it isn’t ancient enough to have any magical attachment.”