Claimed by the Assassins (An Academy of Assassins Novel Book 3)

by Stacey Brutger

  Morgan blinked in surprised. “I have advisors?”

  “If you want to call them that.” Harper’s nose wrinkled up.

  “I think she means Shade and Ward,” Draven prompted with amusement, and Morgan couldn’t help but grimace.

  “Oh, them.”

  “After the hunt tonight, we’ll need to get together to talk about strategies. You’re already being flooded with requests from fellow students and families.”

  “Enough.” Ryder growled, and Harper glared at the beast, her pink magic sparking around her. “She needs rest.”

  Before Harper could argue, Kincade agreed. “It’s been a long night. Give us a few hours to shower and eat.”

  Harper was only slightly appeased, but she took in their ragged appearance and reluctantly nodded. “Very well.”

  She snapped shut the tablet, then seemed to catch sight of Breanna for the first time. “Who’s she?”

  Morgan opened her mouth to respond when Breanna answered the question by ghosting herself. The banshee’s change was impressive, making her look like a fairy princess…if slightly dead.

  Harper blanched, taking an involuntary step back.

  “My name is Breanna.” Silence rippled around the school as everyone who was pretending to do anything else stopped and just stared, some going so far as to flinch in fear.

  “Breanna has decided to join my team and hunt with us. She’s been invaluable to me, and will be staying with us in the dorms.”

  Harper swallowed twice before she could form coherent words. “You’re sure?”

  She’d almost swear that Harper would try to defend Morgan, even knowing she would most likely die.

  “Of course. She’s a friend.” Morgan scowled, completely baffled and slightly offended by their reaction.

  Breanna gave a small laugh and took physical form once more. “You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?”

  Morgan rolled her eyes, some of the tension leaving her. “Of course I am. Everyone is afraid of something. You’re just not one of them.”

  Breanna lost her smile, her eyes shining brightly, then she bowed her head slightly. “My queen.”

  For some reason, a shiver ran down Morgan’s spine. The whole room began to buzz with excited chatter as kids began to run in and out of the room. Annoyed with herself and everyone else, Morgan rolled her eyes at their antics. “Why don’t I show you the room where you’ll be staying? You have to be exhausted.”

  Humor danced in Breanna’s eyes as if she’d amused her, but Morgan was getting used to that reaction.

  It was one the guys gave her often.

  Without waiting for anyone else, they all headed upstairs.

  She pushed open the doors to their apartment, then stopped short.

  Standing in the middle of the room was Tamara.

  The rooms should have been warded by magic.

  No one should have been able to enter.

  Her necklace warmed, the metal moving and twisting, and she reached up with her free hand…and found a large fishhook.

  What the hell did that mean?

  But she suspected a trap of some sort.

  Draven dropped her hand, then moved to stand in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I thought we could spend some time together.” Tamara pouted, but her eyes never showed an ounce of emotion. “It’s been too long, brother.”

  Draven stiffened, distrust clinging to him, but beneath it a tiny bit of hope flared bright.

  “Go.” Morgan nudged his shoulder. “You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”

  She would give anything to have some family left.

  Draven hesitated, clearly torn, not wanting to leave her alone. “You’re sure?”

  Morgan leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Go. I promise not to go anywhere alone.”

  He scanned her face and gave a short nod.

  Tamara beamed with pleasure, walking between them as she passed, wrapping her hands around his arm and pulling him close. “I’ve missed you, big brother.”

  The door closed behind them, and she swallowed hard, suddenly wondering how much damage Tamara could inflict on him with just a few words.

  “Did you want to shower first?” Kincade spoke softly so he wouldn’t startle her while she was distracted by her thoughts.

  Morgan turned, her brain taking a second to focus when naked images of the guys, all soaped up and rubbing their hands over their body, popped into her head. “No, you guys go. I’ll show Breanna around first.”

  As one, the guys headed to their rooms and gathered fresh clothes and toiletries before heading into the bathroom. Once they were gone, some of the tension went out of her. “You can have the choice of two rooms.”

  Morgan gave a short tour of the area. “I know it’s small, and if you’d prefer your own dorm room, you’ll have a little more space and fewer roommates.”

  “No, this is perfect.” Breanna selected the room next to the bathroom, setting her bag on the bed. She cast Morgan a small smile as she straightened, the awkwardness between them fading a little. “Believe it or not, I used to live with a number of girls…before my life went to shit.”

  Morgan returned a wry smile. “I wish I could say I understand, but I never had a roommate before moving here. Most of the people I lived with before…at the coven…would’ve gutted me rather than share any space with me.”

  Breanna’s eyebrows shot up.

  “They’ve learned to leave me alone.” This time Morgan’s smile was more teeth than anything friendly, wicked pleasure rising at the memory. “It wasn’t a lesson they needed to be taught twice.”

  Before either of them could say more, a knock interrupted them. Morgan stiffened, then headed toward the door, her cuff melting down to form a single knife.

  She wrenched open the door, surprised to find Shade and Ward waiting for her. “You knocked?” She peered past Shade to glance at Ward. “Since when did you train him to knock?”

  “You can thank me for that.” Stanley sauntered into the room, his wings ruffling as he plopped his butt down and began to groom himself. The orange tomcat paused and glared at the duo at the door. “You’d be surprised how hard it is to get the smell of cat urine out of your clothes. They will think twice before they enter my territory unannounced again.”

  Morgan mashed her lips together to keep from outright laughing at Shade’s huffy outrage.

  “That feline is a menace and should be put down.” Shade glared at the cat, both practically bristling with mutual dislike.

  “So should some gods who don’t know their place,” Stanley muttered.

  Breanna came to her doorway, her expression cautious. But when her gaze came to rest on the guys, something in her eyes hardened imperceptibly. “Guys, we have a new roommate. Breanna, these are Shade, Ward, and, of course, Stanley.”

  All three of the guys glanced at Breanna, then froze.

  “Does that ever get annoying?” Morgan asked Breanna, waving at the guys.

  She shrugged a shoulder, never once removing her gaze from the others. “You get used to it.”

  But when she glanced at the guys, it wasn’t fear in their gazes, it was…interest. When they stood next to each other, Morgan could almost hear three distinct tuning forks ringing in the silence. The tones weren’t in sync the way she expected, but full of harmony, playing and chasing each other. Her grin was slow to form while she imagined the merry chase Breanna was about to lead the two guys on.

  Payback was a bitch, but so much fun to watch.

  Morgan wisely kept quiet.

  She suspected that if she said a word to any of them that they were mates, they would scatter to the winds, fighting fate every inch of the way.

  “I’m going to bed.” Stanley stood, his tale flicking angrily back and forth, his hair slightly puffed up. “Any friend of Morgan’s is a friend of mine, but if you try to hurt her, death angel or not, you will pay.”

  Then he cautiously turned
tail and hurried into Morgan’s room, partially closing the door behind him.

  Breanna looked bemused. “You don’t really do anything by half measures, huh?”

  “What?” Morgan glanced at her in confusion.

  “You don’t know the half of it.” Shade shook his head and turned his charm on Breanna. “Morgan here doesn’t collect friends in a search of power and allies, she collects them naturally, by offering them something they can’t resist—a piece of herself.”

  Morgan glanced back and forth between them, her hackles rising a little at the condescending way he spoke. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Breanna pushed her blond curls over her shoulder. “In his own clumsy way, I think he was trying to pay you compliment.”

  She doubted it. Shade was a smooth talker. If he wanted to give a compliment, he could make heads turn. “Why don’t you and Ward tell me the real reason why you’re here?”

  Ward was the one who blinked first and turned to look at her. He’d always been a serious fellow, but something about his expression caused her to straighten. He held out his hand, and inside his palm was a very official-looking envelope. On top was embossed a regal gold symbol. “Your presence has been requested by his royal highness, the king.”

  Morgan swallowed hard, the spit gone from her mouth. Her gaze flicked toward the bathroom, her chest tight with the realization that time was running out for them. “When?”

  “Tonight, right before sunset.” He leaned over, placing the envelope in the center of the table, and took a step back.

  Even Breanna retreated into her room at the sight of the summons.

  “You have the choice to have your advisors accompany you.” All the teasing amusement which she associated with Shade was gone. “I suggest you take us.”

  Ward nodded toward the bathroom, hearing the showers turn off. “If you want to protect them, I suggest you have them keep their distance.”

  “Thank you.” They both nodded to her and headed out the door. Before the others could leave the bathroom, she quickly grabbed the royal summons and ran to her room to shove it under her pillow.

  Two sharp raps sounded on her door seconds later. “Shower’s free.”

  Morgan gave a guilty start and grabbed her supplies, unable to look at any of the guys as she hurried to the bathroom. If she told them, they would insist on coming with her. The last thing she wanted was them anywhere near the king.

  She gulped, trying not to hyperventilate at the thought of meeting him.

  As if sensing she needed space, Breanna didn’t say anything until after they’d finished their showers. Right before they were ready to leave, she paused, her hand on the shower room door handle. “You can’t spare them. As much as you want to protect them, they are your mates. Anything that involves you will involve them.”

  Morgan blew out a heavy breath. “I know.”

  She did, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

  When she walked out of the bathroom, she froze to find all the guys suspiciously waiting for her, none of them even pretending to be doing anything else.

  “What’s wrong?” It wasn’t a question the way Kincade said it, and she remembered that they could pick up her emotions through the mating bonds.

  “I’ve been summoned.” She expected outrage or worry. She didn’t expect the guys to nod. “You knew?”

  “It was bound to happen eventually.” Atlas shrugged. “When you made your announcement in front of the whole school, you upped the timetable. The king will either have to acknowledge you, therefore validating your claim, or kill you.”

  “Why are none of you freaking out?” Because she as sure the hell was.

  Atlas edged closer, blocking out the others until there was only him, and she swallowed hard, a bit uncertain at seeing the more intimidating, sun-kissed version of him, since she was so used to seeing the darker and, what she considered friendlier, version.

  Atlas watched the spunkiness that was Morgan slowly vanish as he approached, and he gritted his teeth against the urge to swear. For some reason she found his darker self charming, and he missed the closeness growing between them when the sun rose.

  He knew it was his fault. The dark elf in him lowered his inhibitions. When he gained his normal control during the day, he found himself stumbling over the simplest things and doubting his every word to her.

  He didn’t want to fuck this up.

  It would literally destroy him if he lost her over something as stupid as being unable to bring himself to show her how much she meant to him.

  He’d been raised to believe that emotions meant weakness—and he failed miserably whenever she walked into a room.

  He reached out slowly, afraid she would run from him if he moved too fast, then cupped her jaw and forced her to look directly at him. When she didn’t pull away, the tightness knotting him up inside eased, and his past fell away.

  “We only need to look at you to know you are the true heir. We will stand by you, no matter what comes.” He allowed himself to run his fingers along her soft skin, found himself sinking into her striking blue eyes and never wanting to leave. “Anyway, if he tries anything, I think you both might be surprised…you’re more than powerful enough to survive whatever he throws at you. You’ve walked through four of the seven realms and survived, which is more than what most can ever claim.”

  Atlas dropped his hands, clenching his fingers to keep from pulling her close, the yearning to convince both of them that she belonged with him nearly overwhelming. He knew he was scowling down at her, but he couldn’t make himself stop, loathing the distance between them.

  But instead of retreating as soon as she had the chance, Morgan boldly invaded his space, staring up at him defiantly, and his frayed control snapped.

  He grabbed her hair roughly, yanking her head back so she had no choice but to see him. “If the bastard dares to threaten you—kill him for me.”

  “And if I lose you and the guys?” She shuffled closer, and his body hardened with the need to comfort her.

  “You will never be without any of us. If he does anything to you, we’ll go to hell and back to find you. We did it once before, we’ll do it again. There is no escaping us.”

  Instead of being afraid of his possessiveness, everything about her softened, her body resting flush against his. “Promise?”

  Atlas wrapped his arms around her and lifted her close, giving into the insatiable need to taste her. The instant his lips touched hers, she wrapped her legs around him, and the pleasure nearly dropped him to his knees. Her porcelain skin was flushed with warmth, urging him to explore her further, and he fisted his hands in her shirt to keep from stripping her bare and showing her just how much practice elves put into perfecting every skill.

  When she kissed him back, just as hungry for his touch, he silently thanked the gods for bringing her into his barren life and granting him a worthy mate. He would spend the rest of his life proving to her just how much she meant to him.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Even an hour later, Morgan lay stretched out on her bed wearing only a t-shirt and jeans, unable to get over the kiss Atlas had given her, and his stunning declaration where he all but admitted his love.

  In public.

  It was something she never expected to happen.

  “You need to rest.” Ryder peered into her room, noting that she was still awake.

  “Soon.” Morgan stifled her yawn and nodded. “When Draven gets back.”

  For some reason, she couldn’t sleep without him nearby…without all of them near.

  Ryder pulled out an ancient flip phone, typing a quick message, and Morgan scrambled to her feet, lunging for him. “You should leave him in peace. We don’t know if he’ll ever see her again.”

  He lifted the phone out of her reach, wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her feet clear off the floor, taking away her leverage while he hit the send button. The fight went out of her, and she leaned her head against
his shoulder, stealing the opportunity to enjoy the sheer strength of him. The wild, fresh scent of him relaxed her, inviting her to linger.

  Very slowly, he lowered her toward the ground, looking like he wasn’t sure how she happened to get there, but was in no rush to release her. She loved the way his heartbeat kicked up when she rested her hand low on his stomach. “When this is over, we’re going to have to go out on a run, just me, you, and the pack.”

  His brows lifted in surprise, and true pleasure bled through his expression. “I would enjoy that.”

  The low, husky rumble of his voice sent goose bumps racing over her skin.

  Only when the door to their dorm opened, did she reluctantly pull away. Draven and his sister entered the room, both of them smiling and laughing, and her churning stomach gradually calmed.

  She’d never seen him so happy.

  Tamara set her dark eyes on her, and Morgan stiffened. Despite her tinkling laughter, something about the woman’s gaze made her skin crawl.

  “I know you don’t like me, but please know that we both only want what’s best for my brother.” Tamara came closer, then pressed her lips to Morgan’s before she realized her intent, her fingers brushing against her neck.

  Morgan jerked away with a scowl, seconds away from decking the girl. The only thing stopping her was Draven. He came forward, slipped his arm around his sister’s waist and pulled her away.

  Protecting his sister…not her.

  Tamara only smiled, the first inkling of true pleasure on her face shining through. “I want to thank you for taking care of my brother until I could return for him.”

  Something about the way she phrased her comment lifted the hairs on the back of Morgan’s neck. “You could’ve come back for your brother at any time. Instead you left him here. You abandoned him. Repeatedly. Over and over.”

  A tickle caught at the back of her throat, and she coughed.

  “Morgan.” Draven pulled his sister closer and shook his head at her. “Now is not the time.”

  Another burst of hurt slammed into her, and she rubbed the ache in her chest. “Draven—”