Heart and Revenge: Slayer Academy (Book 2)

by Cassidy Summers

  “You did great,” he says as more soldiers begin to return to the abandoned parking lot, filling it quickly.

  I smile and nod. “Yeah, but you were amazing,” I say then add quietly. “And pretty sexy, too.”

  He rolls his eyes at my admiration and begins ushering me into his car, though I don’t miss his smug smirk. Yep. He knows he’s the man.

  Sure enough, two hours later, I’m sitting in the packed infirmary waiting to be stitched up. “Maybe I should come back in the morning when everybody else has been seen. Their injuries seem so much worse,” I say, looking around the waiting room and taking in the deep gashes and broken bones that fill the room.

  “No,” he responds. “Dr. Mandoza will get around to you. Just be patient.”

  I huff in frustration, desperately wanting to go and have a shower, but nonetheless, I wait the painstakingly long few hours for Dr. Mandoza to finish seeing all the urgent patients and make her way over to me. “Bianca,” she smiles. “I love you, but I see you way too often.”

  “Tell me about it,” I grumble as she takes a seat in front of me to get a better look at my injuries.

  “Do you want to tell me how it happened?” she asks slightly hesitant.

  “No,” I say honestly, “Still a bit too raw, I don’t think I’m ready to relive it yet.”

  Rylan cringes beside me, clearly remembering the same moment of near-death that’s currently circling through my head. “That’s fine. I understand.”

  “I’m sure it will need stitches. Can I tell you about it when they come out?”

  “Sure, and you’re right, you do need stitches. Follow me.” She gets up to make her way into her office and I stand behind her on shaky, exhausted legs. She turns to help me when she realizes Rylan beside me. Her eyes flick between the two of us, clearly wondering why he would be here with me.

  I watch as she mentally goes through her memories of the billion times she’s seen me this year, every time with Rylan by my side. I see the exact moment that realization dawns on her. She gives a slight nod of understanding and tightens her lips, “I’m assuming you’ll be coming?” she questions Rylan.

  He gives her a curt nod and follows beside me as she turns to lead us into her office. Rylan glances down at me, concern etched on his handsome face and I’m sure my features would mirror his own, but I’m just too tired to care.

  I take a seat and cringe as she cleans up my neck, hissing as the antiseptic cream is put on and then look away as she begins the stitches. Rylan places his hand on my back offering me support, but not being too obvious to flaunt our relationship. When Dr. Mandoza is finished with my neck, she checks the rest of me, giving a few stitches to the small gash in my arm and cleaning up a few more cuts.

  She quickly runs her eyes over Rylan, checking him for any injuries, but only finds one small cut to the top of his forehead which he suggests he can look after himself.

  She distracts me with some ridiculous conversation then surprises me when she gives me the dreaded needle but it’s over before I can complain about it. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?” she asks.

  “Eh, I’ve had worse,” I say, getting a grunt out of both Dr. Mandoza and Rylan who both know very clearly just how bad I’ve had it.

  “That you have,” she agrees. “Now, you’re not going to like this, but no training for a few days. Your body is exhausted and you need some time to heal,” she says, glancing at Rylan, who nods along, clearly agreeing with her.

  I start to stand but I’m stopped when Dr. Mandoza places a hand on my leg. “Do you mind if I have a quick chat with you,” she says, glancing at Rylan once again. “In private.”

  “Oh…um, sure,” I say, not sure what she could possibly have to say to me that she couldn’t say in front of Rylan.

  Rylan stands silently and exits the room. I see him make himself comfortable against the wall, his eyes finding mine as the heavy door closes between us.

  “Bianca, as your Doctor, you need to know that everything we discuss will remain confidential,” she starts. “Now, I couldn’t help but notice your relationship with your instructor seems to be a little something more than you’ve been letting on. But don’t worry, I’m not going to tell anyone,” she explains.

  I give her a sharp nod in understanding, completely unsure of what to say. “Okay…”

  “I just need to know that you’re being safe?” she asks.

  “Safe?” I ask in confusion.

  She clarifies. “Safe sexually.”

  “Oh,” I gasp as my cheeks turn bright red. “Yes, safe. Very safe,” I grimace, looking anywhere but at her

  “Good,” she smiles. “Do you have any questions for me?”

  “Nope,” I say a little too quickly. Though, I have a mountain of things I could ask.

  “Okay,” she smiles again, knowing I’m completely embarrassed. “Just know that I’m here if you need anything.”

  I give her a tight smile and she finally lets me go.

  I make my getaway, flying past Rylan who has to do a small jog to catch up. “What was that about?” he asks.

  “Nothing, just making sure I was being safe.”

  “Safe?” he questions, in that same confused tone that I had used.

  A wicked grin creeps over my face and I glance in his direction, knowing my eyes are sparkling with mirth. “Yeah…safe,” I reply slowly, enjoying his reaction when he finally works it out.

  Chapter 26

  I have never enjoyed a well-needed shower so much in my life. Though there was that one time with Rylan…

  I hop out and wrap my towel tightly around myself and head out the bathroom to find my room filled with people “Ahhh,” I screech, making sure I have a good handhold on my towel. “What are you morons doing here?”

  Daniel instantly has a smug expression come across his face as he takes in my near nakedness while Trey makes a show of trying to look away. Millie though, she has no reservations. She runs straight up to me and throws her arms around me, making my towel come loose which I struggle to hold on to. “I told you I’d be here for dinner,” I tell Millie as she practically cries into my chest.

  “I know,” she sniffles. “You always keep your promises.”

  Millie suddenly lets go of me and causes my towel to drop straight to the ground. I screech and do my best to cover up while I grab Millie by the shoulders and pull her back into me. “Don’t move,” I warn her while I try to pick up the towel with my toes.

  I keep my eyes locked on Daniel who’s grinning the widest grin I have ever seen. “Turn the hell around before I have to kick your ass,” I tell him, finally getting the towel into my hands and opening it up so I can begin to cover myself.

  “Sorry, B, but now that I’ve seen it, there’s no way I can turn my back on that,” he smirks.

  Trey laughs at the wall his face is currently buried in. “It’s not her you need to worry about, man. Rylan’s going to annihilate you.”

  “That’s definitely a risk I’m willing to take,” he says, sitting on the edge of my bed to watch me as if I was putting on a show.

  I let out a huff and make my way to my closet before pulling out some jeans and a top. I grab my new red lacy underwear and head back into the bathroom and quickly get dressed. “Come on,” I say as I exit the bathroom. “Millie told me there was pizza tonight.”

  We all head down to the cafeteria and I finally begin to feel safe. Everything is finally right in the world. “So, are you going to tell us what happened to your neck?” Daniel asks as we all climb out through my window.

  I shake my head and avert my eyes. “No,” I say a little too fast. “How did your mission go?”

  He flashes me one of his sexy smiles. “Perfectly.”

  “Good,” I grin, pushing through the doors of the cafeteria. “Now, feed me. Saving all your lives has worked up quite the appetite,” I laugh, taking a seat and allowing them to all wait on me hand and foot.

  We sit down together and I notice Millie’s
attention is suddenly somewhere over the other side of the room. I follow her gaze and find Robbie Doyle, Alex’s younger brother and apparently still Millie’s boyfriend. “Why don’t you go say hi,” I tell her.

  Her eyes snap to mine and widen in surprise. “Really?” she asks.

  “Yeah, go ahead,” I say. Millie throws down the rest of her pizza and is across the room in a flash. It’s still going to take a while to get used to it, but I guess I have no other choice.

  We sit and enjoy the rest of our pizza and I decide I need an early night. I start cleaning away my dinner when a shadow falls over the table and all eyes look up at Rylan. I smirk over at Daniel. “Watch out, he’s here to defend my honor.”

  “Why does your honor need defending?” Rylan asks curiously, studying Daniel who’s shaking his head so rapidly, I fear it may fall off.

  “Oh nothing, I accidentally gave everyone a bit of a peep show and Daniel seemed to really like it,” I say as Daniel’s face turns ghostly white and he begins shrinking away.

  Rylan glares at him and steps around the table, bringing a hand down hard on his shoulder and I’m sure Daniel is seconds away from wetting his pants. “Don’t blame you, man, she is certainly an amazing sight,” he smirks and laughs to himself as Daniel realizes he’s playing with him.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask once Daniel has returned to a normal shade.

  “Well, I was just going to check on Kaylee when I found out a bunch of students broke her out,” he says like it’s some kind of mystery.

  “Strange,” I smile as his eyes lock on mine, confirming what he already knows.

  His eyes light with adoration as he mouths ‘thank you’.

  I give him a smile, desperately wanting to hold him. “Do you have a few minutes? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Sure,” he says. “Meet me outside in ten,” he says, walking away and grabbing a bottle of water.

  Ten long minutes later, I make my way outside and find him leaning against the wall with his foot propped up. “Hey,” he says when I come into view.

  “Hi,” I respond with a smile. “Come on,” I say leading him around the back of the building and towards the staff housing. I walk around the back of his building to the window he’s been leaving unlocked. I climb through and lead him into his living room, taking a seat on his extra comfy couch.

  “What’s up?” he asks as I take a seat.

  I look up at him and hope I’m not about to break his trust in me. “Brett Norrington came to visit me yesterday,” I say.

  He sits up a little straighter and narrows his eyes in suspicion. “And?” he prompts.

  “And he mentioned that if you claim your lineage, you’ll be the next leader of The Guard.”

  “Wow, he gave it to you straight, didn’t he?” he comments. “Is that all he told you?”

  “He mentioned that you might be getting in a bit of trouble for the unauthorized rescue mission and for taking underage students with you,” I say, unable to meet his eye as if it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t be facing this.

  He takes a deep breath and pulls me up onto his lap so I straddle him. “First of all, there’s no way I’m claiming my lineage. Could you imagine me trying to be the leader, dressed in some ridiculous suit? It’s never going to happen.”

  “Actually,” I say cutting him off, “I think you’d make an amazing leader, especially after seeing you in action the last few days. It’s in your blood. And for the record, you’d look damn fine in a suit.”

  “No. It’s never going to happen,” he repeats.

  “I know,” I agree. “What about the other thing?” I ask quietly, averting my eyes once again.

  He reaches out a hand and raises my chin to force me to meet his eyes. “I’d do that a million times over if it meant getting to you,” he whispers then leans forward and places a kiss to my lips. “I don’t want you to worry about it. After everything that’s gone down, your rescue will most likely be swept under the rug.”

  “And if it isn’t?” I prompt.

  “If it isn’t, there will be a trial in front of the council, which if I’m lucky, I’ll get a suspension.”

  “And if you’re not lucky?”

  He lets out a rough breath. “Then I’ll end up in The Guard prison for a year or two.”

  A gasp flies out of my mouth and I bury my face into his neck. “I’m sorry,” I say. “This is all my fault.”

  “Hey, calm down,” he soothes. “Nothing is your fault. There’s nothing to worry about, my father will never let it get to the point of imprisonment, and even if it did, all I’d have to do is let them know who I really am and it’s over.”

  “But then you’ll be stuck leading our people.”

  “Well, if it comes to that, I guess I’ll have to have a few sons that I can pass it on to,” he smirks, watching me as my whole future flashes before my eyes. A future where Rylan has kids, and a future where I’d really love to be the mother of those kids, you know after I kick ass on the Front Lines for long enough first.

  “Tell me you’re not thinking about kids already?” I ask hesitantly.

  “God, no,” he laughs. “I want you to myself for a while before I have to share you again,” he admits, leaning in for another kiss.

  “So, you’re really not going to jail?” I ask, just to be sure.

  “No, I’m not going to jail. If anything, I’ll get a slap on the wrist.”

  “Okay,” I say. “I can deal with that.”

  He smiles as he pulls me in, careful not to hurt me. “So, there was something I wanted to show you,” I smile.

  “Oh, yeah?” he smiles, running a hand through his dark hair. “What’s that?”

  I grin as I climb off him and stand before him, keeping my eyes locked on his, I ever so slowly raise the hem of my shirt, first revealing my toned stomach and hope he keeps his eyes off the bruises. He takes me in, focusing on the material as it rises higher and higher, my bra comes into view and he sucks in a breath as he realizes it is my new lacy red one. I strip the rest of my shirt off, shaking my hair out in the process, letting it cascade down my back in long waves.

  I silently turn my back on him and make a show of popping the button on my jeans, then begin lowering them to reveal the flimsiest lace thong imaginable. I glance back at him as I begin to bend over, removing my jeans from my legs to find his eyes on fire.

  Once I’m void of all clothes but my underwear, I make my way back onto his lap, his arms immediately circle my body and explore my naked skin. “I love you,” he tells me in a whisper.

  I run my hands down his tight abs and shimmy his shirt up between us, ridding it off his body in no time. “I love you, too,” I say leaning in and kissing him with everything I’ve got.

  He stands up from the couch and my legs instantly hook around his narrow waist as he takes me down the hall and into his bedroom.

  ----------

  I wake in Rylan’s arms and it’s absolute heaven. I hop out of bed and make my way around his apartment collecting my things and getting dressed in the process, making sure to peek in on my still naked man fast asleep in bed. Yep, I will never get bored of that sight.

  I get busy in his kitchen, making who the hell knows what, but it kind of smells good. I play some music softly while I sip on coffee and dance around his kitchen in absolute bliss.

  “Good morning,” he says suddenly right behind me. I gasp and twist around in fright, pulling at the stitches in my neck.

  “Damn it,” I cry putting a hand to my neck to find it bleeding.

  “Shit, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says apologetically, standing before me with a glorious bare chest.

  “It’s okay. You’d think I’d be a little more aware of my surroundings after the week I’ve had,” I grumble as I grab a tissue to hold to my neck.

  “Let me do that,” he says, grabbing the tissue and beginning to clean me up. “I don’t want you to be aware while you’re here. I like tha
t you’re relaxed and comfortable,” he says, bending down and giving me a quick kiss. He pulls the tissue away, but the wound keeps bleeding. “I think you’re going to have to go back to see Dr. Mandoza.”

  “Really?” I groan. “But she’ll most likely ask me about my sex life again.”

  He smirks down at me, his dark, gold speckled eyes shining in laughter. “Well, you better let her know how amazing it is.”

  I smack his arm playfully and shake my head in exasperation. “You’re an idiot,” I grumble, turning back around to grab my coffee.

  Five minutes later, we’re sitting down at the table for breakfast. I take the fork and scoop a bite into my mouth and begin chewing. “This is awful,” I tell him, looking up to find him also halfway through chewing his first bite.

  “Yep, it really is,” he agrees but takes another scoop and then another.

  “You don’t have to eat that,” I tell him.

  “Try and stop me,” he warns.

  I shake my head at him once again and watch as he finishes off his plate then begins to finish mine. I get up to help him clean up, but he sends me on my way, making sure I promise to stop at the infirmary first. I grumble an okay and squeeze myself out his window while he tells me he will come and check on me soon.

  It’s a beautiful morning as I make my way across campus. I push through the big double doors of the infirmary, pleased to find it much calmer than yesterday. I make my way down the long hall, passing room after room on my way to Dr. Mandoza’s office. I pass a door that has been left open and take a peek as I pass and find none other than an unconscious Luke. I can’t stand the kid, but he didn’t deserve this, though I’m sure he’ll be back to his annoying self in no time.

  I keep going, making my way to the end of the hall and knocking gently on Dr. Mandoza’s door. “Come in,” she says.

  I gently open the door and stick my head through. “Hi,” I say awkwardly as I make my way right into her office and take a seat. “I think I did something to one of my stitches,” I explain. She immediately grabs a pair of gloves and gets to work on my neck, which indeed, does need another stitch.