by A. J. Macey
“From her or from me?” he teased, but Drayce’s lips curled in a smug smile as he leaned forward.
“Both,” he challenged, looking between us.
I bit my lip and crossed my legs under the table at the thought and based on the way Drayce’s eyes heated up, he saw what I’d done.
Wait, you’re with Caspian now, you can’t think like that.
“If that’s what Cupcake wants,” Caspian responded, unfazed by my inner turmoil.
“Maybe later. I have to get to history early, so I need to be quick,” Drayce winked at us, slowly eating his pasta off his fork.
Hell’s bells and tarot tells, I think I need a cold shower.
Thanks to Caspian and Drayce, I was completely unfocused through history and familiar training, almost losing a few fingers to a hungry Lulu when I wasn’t fast enough with the marshmallows. By the time I got to mentoring, I was exhausted. It’d been a few days of ups and downs, and I was really feeling it by then.
“You look chipper and ready to go,” Torryn teased as he took in my appearance. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who thought I looked like a walking zombie.
“Yeah,” I mumbled incoherently, causing his brows to quirk down in concern. He set down the book he was holding and walked over to me.
“Why don’t we call it a day and start fresh on Monday? Try not to do any magic and let yourself rest up. Tell my brother to pamper you or some shit, get a back rub out of him,” he joked, a hint of jealousy in his eyes for a second before he fixed his expression.
“Don’t be jealous, you can give me a back rub any time you want.” I blurted out, too tired to properly filter my thoughts
His eyes darkened at my answer, but he didn’t say anything more on the subject though I could tell he wanted to.
Weekend goal—find my filter again.
“Go get some food and go to bed,” he ordered.
I simply nodded, turning and walking out without further response. I barely remembered the walk back to my room, completely lost in my sleep-deprived daze. After dropping my bag on the floor, I face-planted on my bed, asleep within seconds.
It felt like I’d only been asleep for a few moments when an incessant knocking woke me up. I stumbled over to the door and opened it slowly, only to find Torryn on the other side. He wavered for a moment before a sloppy smile lit up his face. Barreling into the room without a word, he plopped down on my bed, staring over at me.
“You alright?” I asked, eyeing him in concern.
“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I came to check on you since I didn’t see you at dinner, even after I told you to get something to eat, so I came here,” he rambled. “You know what? I love your pink hair much better. Hold still.”
I barely heard what he had said when a wave of magic flowed over me, and my green hair shifted around my face, going from a pea soup green back to its normal bubblegum pink.
“Yes, there, much better. I mean, not that you don’t look beautiful with green hair, but pink is definitely more you, Gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, confused at where all of this was coming from. “Torryn, are you—”
“Say it again,” he commanded, getting up.
“Say what?” I hadn’t even finished my question yet.
“My name,” he whispered, closing the distance between us. “Say it again.”
“Torryn,” I murmured, unable to move as he stood before me. That indescribable pull filled me, urging me to touch him, but knowing he wasn’t comfortable with that, I kept my hands at my sides. His eyes closed, a deep rumble softly filling the room. My brows shot up at his weird behavior, but that incessant need for him slowly overpowered my drive to figure out what the hex was wrong with him.
“I love when you say my name. I love your candied strawberry scent that fucking teases me any time you get close to me,” he groaned, his hands coming up to cup my face. His eyes burned as he looked down at me intensely. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since you first showed up here, Aris. You were always so close, but not close enough. Now, here you are, right in my arms.” Without any hesitation, he dipped his head and pressed his lips to mine.
My mind blanked, my body moving as if it had a mind of its own, leaning into Torryn’s warm and solid body. Power swelled in my chest, and a feeling of being grounded surrounded me. All the uncertainty of the last few days disappeared as I kissed back, my mouth opening against his tongue as it brushed against my lips. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I let that solid feeling grow as I clutched his broad shoulders. When he smirked, it reminded me of Cas, and it was like a cold bucket of water had been thrown over me as I remembered Caspian, my boyfriend... Torryn’s brother. Damn it all to hex.
“Torryn,” I pulled back, placing my hands on his chest. “We can’t.” He nipped at my bottom lip before giving me a sinful smile.
“Why not? No one is here to stop us,” he countered.
I rolled my eyes, purposely ignoring the surge of heat between my thighs. Stepping away, I crossed my arms and gave him a hard stare.
“Because you’re a teacher, and I’m a student, your student. I’m dating your brother. A whole lot of reasons why we can’t,” I argued, and instead of him sobering like I thought he would, he laughed. “What is so funny?”
“I don’t care about any of those things. I just want you, Gorgeous,” he insisted, trying to reach for me, almost throwing himself off balance.
It was then I knew something was wrong. Looking closer, now that I wasn’t overpowered by magic and his tempting kisses, I saw his eyes were glazed, and his cheeks were flushed.
“Are you drunk?”
“Nope,” he shook his head, his red hair flopping at the sharp movement.
Yup, something is definitely wrong. Time to call in reinforcements.
“Alright, sit down.” I directed him to my bed, hurrying over to my desk after he sat down for me. I scribbled notes to everyone I could think of, hoping between Caspian, Kye, Drayce, and Xan… someone would come. As I started to fold them and send them off, hands circled my waist, and Torryn started peppering kisses down my neck. With more willpower than should have been necessary, I finally managed to send them out, praying the guys would be quick.
“I don’t want to sit. I want you, Gorgeous,” he murmured into my skin, his hands starting to roam before I forced him to sit back down.
“Did someone give you something to eat or drink?” I asked, holding him at arm’s length. He shook his head as he continued to fight, not bothering with words. “Torryn, we…” My words died off as I looked behind him to witness the effects of our kissing. Just like with Caspian, it had resulted in new magic surfacing. Vines grew through the cracks around my windows and up my walls before meeting at the ceiling. Pretty pink flowers blossomed here and there, adding to its beauty. This was much more pleasant than being soaked in water.
“Torryn, look.” He finally turned at my command, smiling at the sight above and around us.
“Pink, like you,” he pointed out, standing up and walking over to the lowest vine, plucking a flower. Another flower grew back in its place as quickly as he picked it. He strode over, his sultry smile still in place as he tucked it behind my ear and lowered his face to mine again.
“Cupcake?”
“Angel?”
“Sweets?”
My three friends burst into the room, Xan following a few moments later. I was still trying to pry Torryn off me when they ran in, and they thankfully caught on quickly, helping to pull him off me and sitting him in my desk chair. Kye looked around, mumbling about something to tie him up with as Torryn still struggled with the others. A thought popped into my head, and I visualized vines growing around him, securing him in place. Hey, it’s worth a try. Despite the intense moment, I couldn’t help but let out a squeal as I watched vines grow in through the window to secure him in place, starting small, snaking along the wall and floors before wrapping around him.
“What the hell is going
on?” Kye asked, all four of them looking as confused as I felt.
“The vines were all me, but I have no idea what’s up. Something’s wrong, but he says he isn’t drunk. Could it be magic?” I asked, walking toward Torryn who continued to struggle against his leafy hold.
“Gorgeous,” he pleaded, his forehead shining with sweat as he started to pant. “Please.”
His broken cry hurt my heart as I watched him struggle with whatever was affecting him. I wanted it, but I couldn’t, not when he was like this, and not when I was with Caspian.
“Gorgeous?” Caspian cut in, his voice tight. I grimaced, looking over at him but unable to keep eye contact. He didn’t look hurt, more angry and confused as he crossed his arms. “Is he in here hitting on my girlfriend? My own brother?”
“Girlfriend?” Kye interrupted, “I thought you said she wasn’t your girlfriend.”
I rubbed my forehead as everyone started talking at once. This is so not helping.
“Guys!” I finally shouted. “Can we focus, please?” I huffed, waving a hand at Torryn, who was looking worse by the minute.
“Wait, did you just fucking grow vines?” Kye accused, finally cluing into the new magic. Caspian gasped as he looked above and around him, taking in the new decorations in my room.
“Uh, yeah,” I mumbled, watching Xan as he circled Torryn, studying him.
“He’s been hexed. There’s always a drain after a hex wears off, and Professor Callahan is looking haggard now. This one had to have been darker than usual. I’ve never seen one leave a drain quite this bad,” Xan explained in his calming, deep tone. The gravity of the situation settled on us all, making them forget for a moment about the vines and focus on Torryn.
“Is there anything we can do?” I asked, grabbing a towel from my hook and wiping at Torryn’s sweaty brow. Who would do this to him?!
“At this point, there’s not much we can do besides wait it out. Someone grab some water, so we can rehydrate him,” Xan commanded, ushering me to remove the vines. I let them fall back slowly, and the guys led Torryn to the bed and settled him down, his movements more feeble as the fight drained out of him. I sat next to him, letting him pull me close and lay his head in my lap. He finally closed his eyes a few moments later, his soft snores the only noise in the room as silence fell over the rest of us.
“Now, back to my question. How are you using Earth magic?” Kye asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s Earth Elemental magic, not Mixta magic.”
“Well… you see. I sort of bonded with Torryn, and just like last time, I seem to have gained another power,” I explained tentatively, ducking my head at his glare.
“What do you mean ‘another’?” Drayce asked, his tone a bit less biting than Kye’s.
“When I bonded with Caspian, I was able to manipulate water,” I answered, just now looking over at my boyfriend.
“Of all the people you had to bond with, why did it have to be Torryn? This means we’re stuck with him too, doesn’t it?” he groaned playfully, coming over and taking my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I could tell he wasn’t happy about it but didn’t want me to feel bad.
“Wait. Bonding? Is this why you asked me about Mixta powers?” Xan asked, his eyes narrowing like I’d used him.
“Yes. I couldn’t exactly tell you what was happening,” I said defensively. Torryn mumbled and pulled me in tighter at my raised voice.
“So, you’ve bonded with two people and unlocked new powers?” Xan asked, this time losing the accusing note.
“Yes, and I’m not sure what triggers it. With Caspian, it was a sense of acceptance. With Torryn, it was more of a sense of safety and grounding like he was keeping me from getting overwhelmed with emotion,” I explained, unsure how to put into words the emotions and feelings of the situation.
“I’m going to look into it some more, but that’s something I’ve never heard of before,” Xan said as he studied Torryn. “I think the hex has passed, so he’ll sleep it off until morning. Just keep water nearby because he’s going to feel awful tomorrow. I’m going to the library now that you’re safe,” he said, turning to walk away before I stopped him.
“Wait. With Torryn I didn’t have a… uh… physical connection. It doesn’t fully work if you aren’t intimate, right?” I fumbled around my words. Kye made an upset noise from his spot by the window, and Caspian choked out a shocked laugh. Xan didn’t even flinch, scratching his chin thoughtfully as he turned his eyes to me.
“No, bonds don’t work like that. It’s more of an aligning on a mental capacity. The physical intimacy is more like consummating the marriage and solidifying that bond. I doubt your bond just disappears because there’s no physical intimacy... It will likely be weaker than Caspian’s though,” he added, finally walking out and leaving us in awkward silence.
“I’ve heard of something like this before,” Drayce finally spoke up, stepping away from the desk and coming over to us. “If it’s what I think it is, it’s rare. I’m going to go with Xan and see what we can find. Don’t worry, Angel. We’ll figure this out. You aren’t alone. Someone should stay with her tonight,” he said, giving me a kiss on the forehead before hurrying after Xan.
“Call me if you need me,” Kye said, his usually stoic face back in place, making me miss my joking Kye. I couldn’t really say anything to make this better, but I managed a feeble apology. “No worries, I’ll talk to you guys later.” He strode out of the room without looking back, leaving me with Caspian.
“I’m so sorry,” I started before he held a hand up to stop me.
“Don’t even try to apologize. There was magic involved with our bond, feeding off our attraction. I felt that pull too, Cupcake. I doubt this was any different,” he said, pulling me from Torryn’s loosening grip into his arms. “This changes nothing.”
“It’s not that I think you’re mad, it’s that it’s your brother this time,” I explained quietly. He gave a long sigh, nodding lightly.
“It sucks, I won’t lie. Torryn and I don’t exactly see eye-to-eye… we never have. I’ll try to make it work… what choice do I have?” he said, a bit of sadness in his eyes, “I don’t blame you. I just can’t stand him.”
“He didn’t have any more say than any of us did,” I pointed out, hating that I couldn’t fix this. I knew he wasn’t mad at me, but I hated we had so much tension this early on.
“We’ll make it work, Cupcake. I promise, I still feel the same,” he said, giving me a soft, sweet kiss that had butterflies dancing in my stomach.
Let’s hope he feels the same way tomorrow because if this magic I feel with all of them has anything to say about the situation, I doubt it’s done.
September 15th
Sunday Morning
Aris
We parted ways after breakfast, each of us having different things to do. I hurried up to my room and grabbed my school bag and folder before heading to the library. With everything going on, I wanted to actually finish my Mixta project and look a bit more into this bond thing. We hadn’t heard back yet from Xan and Drayce, both too preoccupied with whatever research they’d done to actually explain it to us. Kye was a bit distant, which was really bothering me. It seemed like we’d taken baby steps in a better direction, and now, that was slipping away. Once I was done, I planned to find him and see if he was alright.
The library was still empty when I entered, most students either sleeping in or still eating. I chose a table by the window, hoping the sunshine would keep me from getting sleepy—something about a comfy library made me want to doze off. Shuffling through my bag, I tried to find my notes on the bond, but nothing was there. Weird, I know I put them in here yesterday.
I continued to search, but knowing me, I had probably dropped them somewhere. Ever since the first bonding, my brain had felt frazzled. Trying not to panic at the thought my bonding notes could be in the wrong hands, I focused on my Mixta studies paper, trying to get something accomplished.
An hour later, I had a good
chunk finished, but thoughts of Kye’s frown continued to play through my head. Finally giving up, I packed my remaining papers in my bag and left the library. Just as I entered the dorms, I was cornered by the Curse Crew.
Just what I need right now.
“Oh, look, it’s the little Mixta who thinks she can have the real witch men,” Esmerelda said with a hollow laugh.
“You’re useless, I don’t see why you keep coming to school here. Oh wait, it’s because your rich daddy paid your way in, isn’t it? I saw them dragging you all over campus,” Amber added in.
“The real question is, how did such powerful parents have such a failure for a child? I bet you’re the family’s dirty little secret, dragging down their reputation by existing,” Tasha said, cackling at the redness tinting my cheeks.
“I thought the puke green actually fit you better,” Esmerelda taunted, pulling on a chunk of my hair.
“Good thing I don’t give a flying bat what you think of me. I’m three times the woman you’ll ever be. Don’t be assholes because the hot guys in school want to hang out with me.”
“Don’t think you’ll ever be good enough for them or anyone else. Mixtas need to learn their place,” Tasha bit out, shoving me into the wall behind me. It took everything in me not to hit back. I doubted the headmaster would feel very charitable toward me after my parents were such assholes. And we all know the Mixta would be blamed.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Kye’s biting tone interrupted them, looks of shock taking over all three of their faces. “How dare you talk to anyone that way!”
“Oh, Kye, we were just teasing her. Why do you care?” Esmerelda asked, her tone light but strained.
“Because she’s my fucking friend,” he bit out, bumping them aside as he reached for me, pulling me away from them and down the hall. He didn’t look at me or say anything as he led me to what I assumed was his room. When the door was shut behind us, he finally let go, pacing for a few minutes before I bothered to speak up.