Dancing With Demons (The Academy of Amazing Beasts Book 3)

by Melody Rose

  “Why are these contests and competitions such a big deal?” I began. “Even Theo, who insists on setting a high bar, doesn’t know why that’s been your only objective. Aren’t there other ways to support all of Bouclier’s students?”

  Abelard smiled like I’d caught him red-handed. My heart raced, hoping I had uttered the magic words that would bring order back to the academy. Instead, he wagged his finger at me. I wrinkled my forehead at being stonewalled, though I was glad to learn that he had a sense of humor. That might mean Theo was, too.

  “Sadly, if I were to tell you, much would be unraveled, mademoiselle,” he responded coyly. “If you are meant to learn more, then you shall in due time. For now, allow me to congratulate you properly as is the custom and as I should have.”

  He then, incredibly, dropped his gaze down to the floor, like he was weighed down with guilt. I didn’t know that such a short conversation could inspire this. Not that I was actually complaining. That was more or less what I was aiming for, I just wasn’t expecting to be so efficient.

  The blazing tingle spread out on my back yet again, and beads of sweat rolled down my covered skin. I ached to get out of this now stuffy room and tear my clothes off. Suddenly, I was less interested in negotiating with Abelard and more focused on running back to Theo. Had he been practicing his charms and hypnotism? I admired the effort, but it was a bit weird to try his hand at them, given the atmosphere.

  As I pulled the collar of my robe, subtly pinching in back and forth to let some air in, Abelard turned around. He walked over to an impressively large treasure trunk, even more remarkable since it was heavily padlocked. Not only that, a circle of runes floated over the chest, a beautiful warning for strangers to stay back.

  “Par la volonté d'Abélard, j'ordonne l'ouverture de cette boîte postale,” he uttered with authority. “By the will of Abelard, I order this lockbox to open.”

  The padlock dissipated, and the lid of the chest swung backward. Even though it was an inanimate object, energy burst out. I guessed that the chest hadn’t been acknowledged in quite some time. It shared that in common with Theo, I mused with a smirk. The runes spun around, making me dizzy. I already felt flush, so this wasn’t exactly the most fun display for me.

  I took a deep breath, relieved when the impromptu pyrotechnics came to a close. From where I stood, I could tell that the trunk was filled to the brim with medals. They were all perfectly polished gold. I guessed, in Lemuria, nothing collected dust even if there weren’t any victors to collect these prizes.

  Abelard then cupped his hand and raised them. Effortlessly, without even an incantation, he willed the topmost medal to levitate.

  I grinned despite myself before rearranging my expression into a more stoic one. I bowed my head, ready to wear what I earned.

  “Mademoiselle and esteemed Lady Joan,” he projected.

  I glanced up at his suddenly respectful voice. He sounded decades younger and now beamed with obvious pride. If this was how he was all the time, I would have had no problem getting along with him. In a way, it reminded me of how my father would look at me. A twinge of nostalgia tugged at my heartstrings.

  “While I may seem like I am not a presence at Bouclier, that I am distant,” he announced, “I keep abreast of all that goes on in my own way. I have heard of your feats in domestic magic, and your creations have been profound enough that bards are already penning ballads about your performance.”

  I blushed at the praise, my neck now feeling the strain of the medal as he lowered it onto me. The gold had some heft to it.

  “Thank you, monsieur.” I tried my hand at the Lemurian dialect, a close cousin to French. “I am honored and very grateful to make the most of my time here at Bouclier. I haven’t forgotten all you’ve done for me. Where I was before… it wasn’t right for me.”

  My stomach was twisted up as his eyes became clouded over again. I began sweating in earnest, my entire body damp. The heat that overcame me started to get to my head, and I wanted to yell at him as he examined me like I was some interloper. Wasn’t he the one that wanted me here, after all? I’d gotten this same damn hot and cold act from Theo.

  “Yes, I would imagine that you were not typical among your kind,” the Headmaster said. There wasn’t even a drop of sympathy, though. “Almost as though you weren’t a human at all, wouldn’t you say? Is it not amusing how you’ve taken to our demanding coursework so well?”

  He wasn’t laughing, and I wasn’t either. We stared at each other, suspended in awkward silence.

  “I’m pretty sure I’m human right down to the bone,” I answered. “For eighteen years of my life, I was raised like any regular person. I didn’t even have crystals, tarot cards, any of that New Age stuff. I was more of a movie buff, myself.”

  “And your parents?” Abelard asked casually.

  I knew he was fishing for more. He honestly would find nothing but the ordinary. Before Bouclier, I was a ho-hum, overworked teenager. I was pretty sure that if I had enchanted blood, life wouldn’t have been such a drag.

  “A baker and an architect,” I said flatly. I was getting really tired of the inquisition here. Worst private victory ceremony ever. “They did everything the old fashioned way. From scratch. With their hands. Not a lick of magic.”

  “Very well, then.” Abelard moved on. Or at least pretended to, but I wasn’t entirely convinced. I decided to just roll with it, though. I frankly wanted to get the hell out now that I had my medal.

  “Lemuria is known to change others,” he mused.

  “I guess I’m living proof of that!” I giggled. I thought he was trying to lighten the mood, break the tension. Apparently not. I stood there with a frozen grin, both defiant and uncomfortable.

  “At any rate,” Abelard just steamrolled over my joke and moved on. “It has been a… pleasure… meeting you properly and taking part in this little exchange. I wish you the very best, Joan. You have my vote of confidence, so to speak, and I hope that you continue to make the best of your time here.”

  So to speak? What a weird word choice.

  That’s when he waved his hand as he walked toward the door. This must have been his signal that he was escorting me out so that I could leave him be. I wasn’t going to resist. I didn’t expect to feel like a burden, but maybe anyone was seen as a nuisance for him.

  So, I let him open the door for me. Even though I wanted to rush out, I made sure to look him in the eyes before I left. If he was going to make any low key accusations based on my human heritage, I would show that I wasn’t untrustworthy or easily intimidated.

  “I promise I will,” I responded.

  3

  Joan

  Theo lounged on my bed after pulling up the comforter, smoothing it, and tucking in the edges just like I’d told him to when he made his… visits. When he had first asked about it, I told him that it was kind of a meditative act back in my human world, a way to start your day right or soothe your nerves. I liked how he was beginning to open up to my culture. It was definitely preferable to being called a lamb’s blood.

  These days, that word didn’t even come out of his mouth. He was beginning to learn that my kind put a lot of work and love into what they did. Without magic, people were forced to be resourceful.

  After my less than ideal run-in with his father, I suggested some “stress relief” before our classes. I would have wanted this anyway, but seeing that my entire body was on fire, I needed it to take the edge off. When I asked him if he spied on me and was responsible for heating me up, he gawked at me like I was out of my mind.

  Thankfully, he didn’t blow a gasket. That alone was enough to make me want to jump his bones. I guess I had a soft spot for people who made an effort. The former Theo would have had my head for falsely accusing him. Now, he gave me a second chance. On top of that, he fucked me senseless, just like I asked for. I could get used to this turn of events.

  While we have some good fun, only his talents could keep me from begging him to
stop. None of it helped me simmer down. When we were finished, I was not only burning up just as much as before, I was also extremely sticky. So here I was, in a shower that Theo had newly installed for me. As the cold water pelted me, I only received pinpricks of satisfaction. I didn’t even want to think of wrapping myself in a towel. I limped over to Theo and pouted.

  My skin, usually so alabaster that people joked I could be a ghost, was bright pink. Theo sat up and leaned against the headboard. He was already starting to get hard again, delighted by my suffering. I swallowed, prying myself from his gorgeous cock to look him in the face. For all his kinkiness, I still mattered to him as his eyes gleamed with concern.

  “You poor thing!” he exclaimed. “You’re even worse for wear than before! I can’t send you out like that. I’ll need to perform an energy reading to see if you should even attend class today.”

  “An energy reading?” I stepped forward. I was willing to be inspected, especially if it meant lifting whatever hex might have been put on me.

  Theo patted the bed, so I took a seat next to him. Then he placed a hand between my breasts and gently pushed me down. Under that gentle pressure, I laid on the bed, my back pressed in the mattress. His touch was colder than usual. I guessed that he performed a spell on my account to make me feel better. Whatever he did cast didn’t completely undo the curse, though. Probably because he wanted to understand it fully.

  “This is… odd,” he mentioned.

  I whimpered at his strokes. They were as soothing as they were tortuous.

  “What is?” I managed to squeak out.

  “Well,” he began, “as you suspected, you were being spied on. Also, you have a residual curse on you. Nothing too harmful, fairly minor. Mostly, the caster just wanted to scare you. But…”

  I arched my back, inviting him to keep petting me. He smirked, then brushed my damp hair out of my face. I looked at him with desperation, urging him to finish. I just wanted to know what was wrong with me.

  “Based on what I can pick up, this wasn’t a long-distance spell.” Theo’s expression, formerly a mixture of worry and lust, pure anger now warped his features. In any other context, I would be turned on, but now, I just shivered even in my sweltering state. He looked like he was out for blood.

  “So that must mean…?”

  Even as I asked the question, I was putting two and two together. This enemy, a stranger I couldn’t put a face to, had been close enough to touch me. Enough to do real damage if Abelard wasn’t there. And would the wizard even intervene if it came to that?

  I wondered if it was Lydia, but I was told that she was not only on notice but also on watch. She shouldn’t have been able to slink out and stalk me without getting caught.

  “Yes.” Theo seemed able to read my mind by now. “You’ve been followed, and the mage attempted to infect your intuition. In your terms, it’s like having your immune system shut down.”

  That was a pretty good analogy. I had to explain once to Theo how humans got run down and caught the flu, a concept he never understood. Even though my strength and stamina were improving during my stay in Lemuria, I still hadn’t exactly caught up with everyone. One time, I had to legit skip all my classes because I was so bedbound. I was so out of it that I could only mumble a chicken soup recipe to Theo. He actually did pretty well, and I was back in fighting form in a few hours.

  “Your culinary magic won’t help here, though. I’ll need to dispel this negative charm.” As Theo spoke, his hands emitted an emerald light. “I’ll perform a reversal, but I’ll also need to spend a good deal of mana. You’re worth it.” He furrowed his brow and mumbled. “Damn. I was hoping to pick up some sign, an enchanted signature, of who could be responsible for this, but this mage’s powers are beyond me. Their work is heavily encrypted. We’re going to have to stay on guard and stay smart.”

  I nodded dutifully. “I’ll do my best.”

  That seemed to calm his nerves, at least. The blonde warlock then kissed my forehead, not bothered in the least by my sweat.

  “Nettoyez ma bien-aimée de cette malédiction,” he ordered. I squeezed my thighs together, dazzled by his demanding tone. “Cleanse my beloved of this curse.”

  Beloved? That sounded like a pretty involved term of endearment. Was that really how he felt, or did he have to say that for the spell to be effective? I wanted to quiz him but thought better of it.

  Instead, I shut my eyes, soaking in the pleasure of his handiwork. A refreshing breeze surged over me and erased the painful heat. The magenta hue that took over my skin faded away, as well as the glisten of sweat. I heaved a grateful sigh, then sat up to throw my arms around Theo. I took him into a deep kiss, then pulled back. In that second, I was willing to put all our differences and arguments aside.

  “That feels much better, honey,” I thanked him. Maybe my pet name wasn’t as committed, but I did have strong feelings for him.

  Theo smiled sincerely, some of his anger evaporating. His aura settled into a gentler oceanic blue, but it was still fringed with red. Theo probably wasn’t going to drop this matter even if he was temporarily calmed down.

  “I am glad to hear that,” he said, taking my hands in his. “You know what I would not let any harm befall you. Now, come into my arms before you leave for your classes. I don’t think I’m ready for you to leave just yet.”

  “As you wish,” I softly responded. Theo had a way of making me melt into submission. I also owed it to him since he spared me from a nasty hex. I curled up into him, letting him be the big spoon, just like we both liked. For just one brief moment, I could pretend that all was well.

  4

  Joan

  I slinked out of my room with the distinct scent of Theo on my dress robes. Not that I was complaining because he smelled damn pleasant, a unique mixture of coffee, amber, and musk. Was this his way of marking me, telling the whole academy that I was his?

  Maybe that was all in my head. I didn’t really know. All I was sure of was that I would be damned proud to be paraded around by him, especially now that he was cleaning up his act. Even though I wouldn’t have minded the academy cred of being seen with Theo, I brushed off his suggestion to escort me to class. If I really did have someone tailing me, I didn’t want them to think I was easily spooked.

  I had to show that I was in my element and prove to everyone that I could handle my own business. I didn’t need to be catered to or have my hand held by the Headmaster’s son just to earn respect.

  I also wanted to show off my new threads and soak in all the attention. Again, it wasn’t that I was arrogant, but I did feel like I was indulging in a little Cinderella moment. My robe was now even more ornate than the senior mages, closer to the getup of a queen than simple academic wear. It was cut from a sumptuous scarlet fabric that glistened like blood when the light hit it. The skirt was slit up to both hips, creating three panels of silk that swished when I walked. Black leggings protected my modesty as well as a killer pair of button-up boots.

  I actually preferred it this way because I ended up looking like some type of war sorceress. Maybe if I hassled Nate and Theo enough, they’d buckle up the pressure and teach me some real combat spells. I had to admit that for all the progress I made, I was still a crummy fighter. Lydia nearly had me beat if it weren’t for Theo and some divine intervention.

  With this new boldness, I practically sauntered to the courtyard to collect Aurelius. I started to wean him off of staying in my room all the time and let him roam on his own. There was a freshwater fountain for him to drink from, and I left out more than enough enchanted kibble to tide him over. Convinced that he spent enough time left to his own devices, I had to take him somewhere a little less pleasant.

  Well, a lot less.

  He was a Cavallian hunter, after all, and Lander, our werelion beastmaster, had told me that I couldn’t put off Aurelius’ duties as a familiar any longer. As a fur mommy, this made me a bit teary-eyed and reluctant. I honestly just wanted to keep my fluffy whi
te companion safe. But I guessed that wasn’t in his blood or his destiny.

  If I really wanted Aurelius to reach his highest level, I couldn’t hold him back, even if that meant leading him into uncertain territory.

  It wasn’t like he was a pup anymore. I couldn’t even pick him up. Unless, of course, I learned to cast some type of strength charm. My beloved familiar had gotten so tall that he stood at shoulder height to me even on four legs. On top of that, his eyes were constantly glowing. At first, I thought maybe it was a phase or he was worked up, like when he turned into a ferocious shadow creature to scare off my bullies. After a few weeks though, I realized that he must have just evolved. Maybe he was ready, just like Lander said.

  Right as I was ready to enter the courtyard, a chorus of voices shouting my name broke me out of my thoughts. I froze in place, gripping the wrought iron handle of the gateway door.

  Was it a mistake wandering Bouclier alone, without a boyfriend, a familiar, or even Irk and Yavo? I straightened my posture. Of course not. This is exactly what I wanted, a chance to show I could go at it on my own. I twisted to face the group, not wanting to seem too desperate or curious.

  “Yes?” I kept it short and sweet.

  A young woman with pale green skin, a fitted robe designed to resemble tree bark and long red hair braided with ivy locked eyes with me. She looked thrilled to see me, and I didn’t think she was being sarcastic about it. I recognized her as a dryad, finally catching up to speed with the different species that pursued studies at Bouclier.

  I blinked, not sure what to make of the gaggle of girls the dryad was with. They were all the enchanted elite, and worse, they had always been in Lydia’s orbit during her reign of terror.

  Another girl with tumbles of purple locks, strange white irises, and gleaming teeth to match stepped up to me. My muscles tensed instinctively. If they were going to jump me, I wanted to be hyper-alert. However, instead of an attack, she clapped me on the shoulder as though we were the best of friends.