by A. J. Macey
Feeling like it was safe enough after our double scan, I stepped forward, only letting out the breath I was holding when I safely stood on the other side of the threshold. Crouching down, I scanned the stones surrounding her door, trying to find any trace of runes or magic before moving around the door frame. My eyes stopped on a small bag resting above the door, tucked so close to the wall, I almost missed it. Grabbing a nearby towel, I used it to pull the bag down.
“I found something, and this is definitely not Aris’,” I said, calling Xan over. His eyebrows furrowed as he studied the mesh bag, the assortment of herbs inside seemingly unfamiliar, but we needed a better look. Xan mumbled under his breath until the bag untied and flipped, dumping the contents into my linen covered hands.
“Blood magic?” Xan hissed out in alarm, pointing out the small red droplets covering the herbs. No wonder our scans didn’t work. Blood magic isn’t something you can detect with a normal magical scan.
“It’s less likely to be a student then, right?” I asked, more to myself than Xan. He looked up in alarm as he processed what I said, starting to shake his head.
“Someone on the faculty? But why?” he asked, the disbelief clear in his strained voice.
“That doesn’t feel right either, but I guess you never truly know people. Even the seemingly normal witches can surprise you,” I mumbled, folding the towel around the contents and storming out of the room. Xan closed the door behind us and hurried to catch up, mumbling under his breath as I made a beeline for Tallis’ office.
He let out a startled yelp as I threw the door open, not bothering to knock or play nice before slamming the towel down on his desk. Tallis started to screech out at us that we were being disrespectful, only stopping when I unfolded the towel, exposing the evidence.
“What is the meaning of this?” Tallis finally thundered, looking apprehensive now. He knew exactly what it was, even if he was afraid to admit it.
“We found it above Aris Calisto’s doorway. We took precautions when opening it, but that is blood magic, sir,” Xan explained calmly, yet looked two seconds away from choking the headmaster.
“Blood magic isn’t practiced in my school. How dare you imply such a thing!?” he seethed as he pressed a hand to his chest in a display of overexaggerated shock, still avoiding looking at the materials in front of him.
“I’m not implying anything, I’m pretty sure the evidence speaks for itself, sir. And as someone who doesn’t want dark magic around, I would think you’d want to check it out and find the culprit quickly. You have obvious dark magic and a girl in the hospital; I’d say that warrants a full investigation,” Xan said, taking the lead when I couldn’t form a full sentence through my anger, building with each word out of the headmaster’s mouth—fucking idiot.
“I’ll have Windle look at this, rest assured it will be dealt with,” Tallis said, puffing out his chest in an attempt at keeping his pompous airs intact.
“See that you do,” I said, the comment an obvious threat as I glared down at him. He gulped audibly, adjusting his tie as he tried not to look intimidated. I didn’t miss the slight narrowing of his eyes as he was likely once again questioning why I cared so much. Let him be suspicious! He can’t fire me without looking like he dropped the ball on this investigation. Having a teacher who cared more about his students than he did would not be the image he strived to portray. Striding out of the room, Xan and I made our way into the hall and turned toward the infirmary, intent to get back to Aris as soon as possible.
God, I can’t wait to be able to kiss her senselessly like I want.
Damn this fucking school.
October 9th
Wednesday Morning
Aris
After a few days of the guys being overly protective and smothering, I was ready to get back to class. The nurses insisted I take off until today, and I obliged, but I was ready to lose my mind. Professor Bellario, however, was not the right way to start the day. As soon as I walked in, she started to make a scene, fawning over me and asking if I was alright. Like I didn’t stick out enough already… thanks, crazy woman.
“Are you better now?” she asked, the fake sympathy dripping from her voice, making my skin crawl.
“I’m fine,” I promised, giving a cheerful smile as I slipped away to my desk. Mr. Stripes let out a grumble of annoyance, clearly as unimpressed with her as I was. The little guy walked over and snuggled into my lap as I started to pull out the notebook I needed for class. He’d been just as bad as the guys—but he gets away with it because he’s so cute.
By the time basics finally ended, I was ready for the change. Even though she didn’t approach me again, the stares were starting to be overwhelming. Word traveled fast at this school, and clearly, I was once again the topic of conversation.
Magic 101 wasn’t much better though at least it wasn’t smothering and fake like it was with Bellario. That woman was just a bit too much for me. Once the clock tower chimed at the end of class, I grabbed my stuff and practically sprinted to the cafeteria, even leaving Caspian behind.
Thanks to my hurrying, I was the first of our group inside the dining hall, leaving my favorite lemur at our table before going to get my lunch. As I moved through the line, piling my tray high with food, rumors were whispered around me—everything from me surviving a duel to a self-induced magical mishap—solidifying my spot as the number one gossip topic for the week. Ugh, why can’t I just stay out of the spotlight?
Magic sparked along my fingers at the next accusation of a stupid Mixta blowing up her own dorm room. Of course, they had to assume it was me and my lack of affinity fucking things up. Needing to get away, I grabbed one last cookie and hurried off to our table. I tried to calm my breathing as I watched Mr. Stripes take his lunch from the tray and dig in.
The others slowly trickled into the dining hall, none of them looking any happier than I felt, though Cas’ displeasure could have been from me running away. I gave him an apologetic smile as he dropped Coral, his sweet little otter, off at the table. He just shrugged and smiled, understanding the reason behind it. The whispers seemed to get louder as everyone sat down to eat. The gossip was getting to some of us more than others, Caspian and Kye looking downright murderous as they stabbed their pasta with way more vigor than necessary.
“Caspian!” I hissed as his water swirled around in his cup. The sound of his name startled him, and he grimaced as I pointed out what he was doing.
“I have a theory,” Xan said slowly, bracing for our reactions. “I think us being together all at once makes it worse. Just sitting here, we are all having to strain to keep it under control.”
Not one of us could argue with that. Kye kept having to rein in the shadows, and I felt like magic was fighting to burst from my fingertips.
“He has a point, but she shouldn’t be alone,” Kye protested, giving the others a hard look that was more of a challenge. I doubted any of us would have really protested.
“No one disagrees with you, but Xan might have a point. I have a few classes with her, so that covers part of the day,” Cas started.
“I’ll have to be alone sometimes, guys. I have my own room,” I pointed out, not letting them have the conversation around me.
“Not if someone stays the night with you,” Xan pointed out, the others quickly agreeing. It’s not that I minded having a sleeping buddy, it was more I was starting to feel like a burden.
“I can’t just avoid all of you,” I protested again, hating the idea of having to sit with only one of them at meals or having to walk away, so we didn’t get too close to someone else.
“It’s not avoiding, we know you want to be with us,” Drayce finally chimed in. Until now, it seemed like he was just silently thinking over everything. “We could alternate nights; that way, she never goes into her room alone. Then we all have a few classes with her, so no need to change anything but meals.”
Hello, I’m sitting right here!
“Fine, but if nothing chang
es after this, I’m done. Things go back to normal,” I huffed as I sank further into my seat and pushed my tray away, no longer hungry.
“Chin up, Cupcake, we don’t like it any more than you do,” Caspian said softly, reaching over Kye to squeeze my hand.
“I’ll take tonight,” Drayce said quickly, the others calling out their spots to form a schedule. I didn’t bother to say anything more, letting them figure out the plan they’d cooked up. I hated everything about it, hating even more everything we did had to be kept hidden.
True to his word, Drayce was waiting for me outside Torryn’s classroom door at the end of mentoring, his lazy smile still in place, making it impossible to be frustrated. Maybe it will be nice to spend some quality time with each of them. I needed to focus on the positives and not let all the chaos in my life keep me down.
“I thought we’d do dinner in your room tonight to make the transition a bit easier. I even downloaded a human game for us to play,” he said cheerfully, wrapping his free hand around mine as he walked with me upstairs. My mood perked up at the prospect of something fun, forgetting all about my protesting.
“You did?! What’s it called?” I asked, trying to peek into the bag he was carrying. He tucked it further up his arm, refusing to let me look.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” he teased, shaking his head at my obvious pouting.
I paused outside of my room, the memories of the attack flooding me every time I went inside. It made me angry someone had made me feel unsafe in my personal space. Drayce paused with me, giving me a second before he pulled me into the room, giving me the push I needed to move past it and enjoy my night.
Since we were staying in for the night, I grabbed pajamas from the wardrobe and stepped behind the partition to change while Drayce did the same. Now that we were both ready for bed, he finally spread a blanket on the floor and let me see what he had brought. An array of sandwiches, snacks, and treats sprinkled across the blanket. He even laid out a little spread for Mr. Stripes and Petunia, who wasted no time in partaking of their meal.
“Alright, the game is called Life. You get to choose the path you take, pick jobs, kids, and all that,” he explained as he said the incantation to open his witch’s glass. A bright and colorful animation sounded before the game board appeared in front of us, a cheerful melody playing in the background.
“It sounds kind of boring,” I admitted, wondering why they made a game of the mundane things they go through in life.
“We might just be surprised. What’s wrong, Angel? You aren’t usually so negative,” he pointed out quietly, a hint of concern colored his words.
“True, I’m sorry. All of this separation and the weird attacks,” I mumbled, shaking out my limbs dramatically. “Okay, okay. You’re right. I’m ready!” I grabbed the plate with chocolate cake and dove in while he started the game.
“Aw, look. The game piece is pink like you,” he teased as an odd-looking person-shaped game piece jumped in a car. We read the directions before starting the game, both of us choosing a career path. I laughed when he picked the artist card, knowing Drayce wasn’t exactly the artsy type. I picked rock star, getting the highest salary of the two.
We played for a while, making our way around the board, though I protested when he said I had to pick a husband.
“What do you mean I have to choose? I don’t want only one, I have five guys,” I protested and pouted when the game automatically gave me one. Humans just don’t know what they’re missing. The rest of it went smoothly, both of us retiring. Drayce won by only a hundred dollars, but by the end, I was smiling without reservation.
I guess I was wrong, a game building a different kind of life was actually fun.
I started to clean up, but Drayce waved me away, choosing to do it himself. I sat on my bed and watched, waiting for him to join me. When he finished, he slipped his tank top off, revealing his bare chest. The soft caramel color of his smooth skin called to me, practically begging me to touch it. Drayce wasn’t a big guy, but his muscle definition was delicious, the hard planes of his chest making me drool. All thoughts of playing games were gone as he approached me, his eyes darkening as he took in my hungry gaze.
When he was within reach, I pulled him down to me, a breeze already blowing through the room as I crushed my lips to his. Drayce lost all pretenses of being laid-back as he kissed me, his kiss demanding as he maneuvered us on the bed, so he was underneath me.
Wanting fewer barriers between us, I slipped my shirt off and unhooked my bra before throwing them onto the floor beside the bed. His hands moved over my bare skin, fingertips gliding lightly over me, leaving a trail of goosebumps that had my body perking up. I moaned and threw my head back as he leaned up, swirling his tongue over the sensitive peaks of my breasts.
“I knew you’d be perfect,” he murmured against my skin, torqueing us again, so he was on top, slowly licking his way down my body until he grabbed the waistband of my pajama shorts in his teeth and tugged them down playfully. I giggled, but it was pretty hot. He just grinned up at me before kissing his way back up my legs, need causing the ache between my legs to grow as I watched the predatory way he moved over me, discovering and claiming every inch of my bare skin.
Hiking one of my legs over his shoulder, he held my hips steady and brought his tongue to my pussy, licking along the seam before flicking his tongue over my clit. My body bucked at the sensation, but he just chuckled and dived back in, licking and sucking until I felt my orgasm crashing over me, barely having time to build. A heated cry flew from my mouth as the waves of pleasure washed through me, fire burning my veins as my legs shook around him. My hands released the death grip I had on the sheets, reaching for him.
The only thing the orgasm did was drive my need higher, making me desperate for more. As he pulled away, I moved with him, kissing him and forcing him to turn so I could be on top again. I could taste myself on his tongue, only turning me on more. Moving down his body, I took his gym shorts and boxers with me, freeing his thick length. I moaned at the sight of him before wrapping my hand around the cock that slightly intimidated me, moving over his silky skin and watching as his eyes filled with heat. The breeze turned to full-on wind as I worked him up, the cool air making me shiver slightly. Something about the elements being involved in our times together made me feel even more powerful and sexy.
Wanting to taste him, I leaned forward and wrapped my lips around the head of his cock. Using my hand as a guide, I took him further into my mouth before pulling away, my tongue swirling around him as I moved. He moaned and tightened his hands in my hair, guiding me in a pace he needed. I worked over him, bobbing my head, loving how he was losing control and the deep moans he let loose, not bothering to be quiet up here in my tower.
“Enough,” he growled, shifting me off him and up across his defined body until I was over his slick length. I slid over him, taking him easily with how wet I was. We moaned as my body adjusted to him, not pausing for long before he was bucking into me, holding me steady with a strong grip on my hips. He was gorgeous, my bronze Adonis lying beneath me, claiming me as his own. My hand slid over my body, the feeling of him inside of me too much to just take. He groaned as I slid my hands over my nipples, teasing them when I saw how turned-on he was. I worked myself up, a new orgasm building slowly this time as his eyes stayed trained on me with rapt attention.
His hand slid between our bodies until he could tease my clit, the touch speeding up the impending orgasm even more until the tingles burned through my body, and my core flooded around him. The sensations of him filling me, my hands teasing my breasts, and his hand between us brought me to my climax, waves of pleasure pulsing through me as my body tightened around him. He moaned and thrust into me faster, working me over him until he lost control. We panted as our bodies calmed, and I moved off him, snuggling into his side. He pulled a blanket over us before kissing my cheek and settling into the pillows.
It was funny to me how different life was no
w. I came here wanting more out of life, hoping to make a friend or two, for the first time. Instead, I managed to find five guys who I cared about more than anyone else in my entire life. They first became my friends, then swiftly wormed their way into my heart. Each of them was so different and unique in personality, tastes, even down to the way they were intimate with me. I never had a dull moment when they were around. Despite all our differences, we somehow fit into this group perfectly, making us all stronger. I was happier than I had ever been.
Let’s just hope this happiness lasts.
October 11th
Friday Afternoon
Aris
I sank into my seat, my familiar running over to Ruby, where she sat on Torryn’s desk. The little red panda perked up, fluffy tail swaying back-and-forth as Mr. Stripes jumped onto the desk, both making funny noises as they talked to each other. Too engrossed in watching Ruby and Mr. Stripes, I hadn’t realized Caspian wasn’t there yet until I felt a sweaty hand resting on my arm. Glancing to the side, I saw Delilah leaning over Caspian’s desk with a sympathetic expression.
“Hey, Aris. Are you alright? You seem kind of down, and I haven’t seen you with your friends lately. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay,” she stated, giving me a soft smile. Grinning at her, I tried to fake being peppy, but it was difficult.
“Yeah, I’m great! We’ve all been really busy,” I explained, happy to know someone besides my guys seemed genuinely concerned about my wellbeing. Though her concern was a nice change from the bitchy treatment I was used to from the Curse Crew, I still felt hollow and weirdly empty with the guys’ presence being so reduced from my life.
“Yeah, I understand that with midterms coming up. I was just checking,” she added, patting my arm one more time before sitting back up in her seat and pulling out her book. I kept the smile plastered on my face even though all I wanted to do was wipe my arm on my sweater. I mean… I know witches can get sweaty palms, but they freaking make potions and salves for that. Pushing away the snarky thought, I turned back toward the front of the class. Torryn came out of his office at the same time, his seafoam-green eyes centering on me before his shoulders relaxed.