He looked around. "But we're out—"
"Now!" she boomed.
He darted between us, scrambling down the path, then losing his balance. He caught himself and ran half bent over until he disappeared down the path.
The six of us burst out laughing, and even Miss Green cracked a big smile. "That was worth watching him try to get out of here before I cursed him." She turned to me. "I'm sorry, Lou, you'll have to go alone. If he hadn't wasted our time you could've gone with the last group."
I dipped my head. "I don't mind. It's just a bit of nature magic."
I chose the same tree Brooks had vacated. It felt right to choose that one and I’d long since learned to trust what the magic told me.
Settling myself against the trunk, I was surprised to find it warm, whether from all the magic or the body heat Brooks left behind, I didn't know.
Mimicking the other students, I closed my eyes and let my breathing settle into a steady, even rhythm. Connecting to the earth was simple.
But she said to do what came naturally. I had no idea what that meant. It all came naturally to me. I could've done anything the other students had and more.
I decided to see what the tree wanted. Sending tendrils of magic toward the roots, I opened myself up to feel the tree. Plants had emotions, of a sort. They felt pain and joy, and older plants felt anger and sorrow.
This tree was happy and felt full somehow. As if it'd had enough of magical meddling and any more might stress it. I decided to feel the earth around it and see what was there.
Seedlings were all over the place. If left alone some would thrive and some would die off and become food for the others, as was the way of plants. I caressed them with my magic, silently asking their permission to imbibe them. They opened themselves to me willingly, so I trickled a teeny bit of magic into each of them. I still had plenty of magic to spare, so I reached out to the trees beside me. The one that the fraud had sat in hadn't had any more magic added to it and felt happy when I trickled some into it. The third tree was also receptive, so I split my streams amongst all the seedlings and the trees around me. Still, I had some to spare, so I let it flow outward and offered it to any plant nearby that would like a drink of my fount.
Gasps reached my ears as I turned the threads of magic from trickles to faucets and more. Soon, rivers of magic left my body, my energy, and flowed into the plants. I was careful to give each one only want it wanted to have, then let excess spill over.
When I felt like I'd probably shown Miss Green enough, I thanked the plants and slowed the torrent of magic down to a trickle again, then cut it off. Opening my eyes, I looked at Brooks.
His mouth hung open, as did everyone else's there in the woods.
Miss Green's eyes were as wide as saucers. "How?" She breathed.
I didn't know what she was talking about. Standing, I looked around and my jaw dropped, too.
The clearing around us was gone. In its place, trees, bushes, and thick, ropey vines had sprouted. The vines were twined throughout everything, as big as my forearm. They'd been the seedlings I'd started with.
"How long was I doing that?" I asked.
Miss Green blinked several times. "Maybe a minute."
"Oh," I whispered. "It felt longer. More like an hour."
Brooks shook his head and grinned. "You're so hot." He walked past the still-shocked teacher and gathered me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my temple. "So hot."
I snorted and buried my face in his shirt. "They'll think I'm a freak."
"Whatever." He stroked my hair. "I don't think they will, but even if they do, let them think it. You're fucking amazing."
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "So are you," I said into his chest. My words were so muffled I didn't think he'd understand me, but I didn't care. I hadn't been this happy in weeks.
The thought of the book crashed into my mind. I'd forgotten all about it in the frenzy of getting here and the glory of the magic. Damn it. Time to go back to reality. I had a book to steal.
And keep on campus and not turn into the authorities. Nope. Still not planning that or my mind goes fuzzy. Not the plan at all. Nope.
Chapter Ten
I FLICKED THROUGH THE book in front of me and pushed it away, groaning in annoyance. Thanks to my nap earlier, I now wasn't tired when I was supposed to be. Unfortunately for me, Estelle hadn't been tired either and had spent the past couple of hours playing on her phone, leaving me with no chance to steal the book.
So, I'd come to the library in the vain hope I'd be able to find some answers in one of the books here. Even if it was just a way to protect ourselves against the things written in the book. So far, I was coming up with nothing.
I pushed my chair back and returned to the shelves, desperate to find a volume that held some answers. Estelle and her book needed to be stopped for the safety of the entire academy.
Huh. So I couldn't think about removing the book from the academy, but I could think about stopping Estelle. Did she not think people would work out it was her causing all the issues and so didn't write that safeguard in the book?
"Lou? You in here?" Jayse's voice called through the library.
"I'm here," I responded, glad the academy didn't have a librarian. Lucky for us, the library was open twenty-four hours a day. Apparently, the books were spelled to know who'd taken them and they couldn't leave the academy grounds. It was a smart solution that reduced staffing. And meant I'd had somewhere to go.
He appeared around the bookshelf, a lopsided smile on his face.
"You okay?" I asked. It was late, and when I'd received no answer from any of the guys, I'd assumed they were asleep.
"Yes, I just woke up and read your message. Thought you might want some company."
He was sweet, and I was very glad for the company. "You shouldn't have, you need sleep."
Jayse chuckled. "So do you, but that isn't going to stop you, is it?"
I smirked at him. "No. Maybe not."
He reached out and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. The heat of his body warmed me. And other things grabbed my attention.
"I think I found the real reason you came here," I whispered hoarsely.
"Oh? And what's that?" he teased, though I was sure he knew what I was talking about.
Feeling brave, I trailed my hand down between the two of us, brushing against his hardness. He jolted and widened his eyes, but then pushed into my hand.
Smiling up at the gentle giant who knew we were meant to be together, I whispered a quick contraceptive spell under my breath.
"What was that for?" he asked.
I raised an eyebrow. Wasn't he aware that witches had spells we could use to stop us from having unwanted pregnancies? Or diseases, for that matter. We were a crafty bunch when it came to useful spells.
"Oh."
"I see that Brooks and Francis should do a better job at filling you in." I smiled to show I was teasing.
He chuckled. "I'll fill you in to make up for it."
Oh, yes. "I hope you're going to live up to that promise." From the feel of it, he certainly would. Things appeared to all be in proportion.
Jayse picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He spun us around. Once my back hit the wall, I knew exactly what he had planned, and was grateful I'd decided to wear a skirt today.
Jayse's lips crashed against mine, taking me in a deep kiss that set my whole body on fire. I knew as well as he did that this would seal the bond which had been growing between us. I briefly felt for my bonds with Francis and Brooks, finding them both quiet and peaceful. No doubt they were still in their room sleeping.
I lost myself in him. Nothing mattered other than the feel of Jayse against me, the heat of his body and the touch of his lips against mine. This was everything I wanted in this moment and more.
My hands travelled down and unbuckled his belt, the buttons of his jeans going next. I pushed my hand into his boxers and palmed him. J
ayse groaned deeply, a look of pure pleasure crossing his face.
"I'm not going to last long if you do that," he whispered.
"Maybe that's why I'm doing it?" I'd never been so bold before, but these three men kept driving me wild, as if they knew the power they had over me and took advantage of it in the most delicious way.
Jayse supported me with one arm so he could slip the other between us. I knew he was strong, but this was beyond my imagination. His fingers smoothed against my thigh, inching ever higher. They slipped inside me and I gasped, leaning my head back against the wall. With everything he was doing, I almost forgot what I was trying to do with him.
"Jayse," I murmured.
"Don't worry about me." He leaned in and began feathering kisses down the side of my neck. It only made me crazier.
"I want you."
"I can tell," he whispered, his fingers moving with ease.
"No, I mean inside." I could barely get the words out, but I knew I had to.
Jayse seemed to understand, as he withdrew his fingers, making me shiver in pleasure. He pushed my panties to the side and pushed his jeans down.
"Please," I whispered, desperate to feel him inside me.
Jayse was gentle, pushing into me and filling me completely. My eyes fluttered closed as I was unable to focus on anything but him. He started to move, rocking us back and forth. I moved with him, our bodies perfectly in time with one another.
His kisses grew more and more haphazard as he lost himself in the rhythm until sharp teeth grazed against the soft skin of my neck.
I groaned and arched into him.
Jayse stilled and pulled his mouth away from my neck. I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist, holding him close and not letting him go.
"What's wrong?" I asked through the haze of pleasure.
"I was going to bite you," he whispered.
"Is that a bad thing?" I couldn't believe we were having this conversation right now. Shouldn't we have had it before?
"It'll bind us together." We'd come to a complete stop, but I could still feel him inside me.
I frowned. "I thought we were already?"
"Not like this. If we do it, then there's no going back." Concern shone through every other expression on Jayse's face.
"I didn't intend to go back anyway," I admitted softly. "I belong with you, and with Brooks and Francis. I've never been so sure of anything before. So bite me, Jayse. I trust you."
Uncertainty flashed over his face.
I reached out and cupped his cheek with mine. "Bite me, Jayse, please?" The words came out huskily. I hadn't realised how desperately I wanted this. "Please," I repeated.
He nodded. "Only if you're sure."
"I am," I promised. Wanting to prove it, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. I pushed past the haze of desire and focused on our bond, sending reassurance and how much I wanted him down it.
He was kissing me back within moments and was moving within me. I grasped at the back of his shirt, pulling him to me. Pleasure coiled up inside me, desperate to be released, but not escaping just yet.
His lips left mine and trailed back down to the side of my neck. I shivered in anticipation, knowing what was coming and dying to know what it felt like. His teeth grazed against my neck once more, this time, the sharp points pierced it. He wouldn't drink my blood like Francis had, but that was all I knew about a shifter's bite.
I soon discovered that it would also send me over the edge. A loud moan escaped from my lips. I hoped no one else would decide that they needed to study and walk in on us. That would be a true mood killer.
The bond between us snapped into place, deepening in a way I hadn't thought possible. His pleasure was mine, and mine was his, all of it only sending me higher.
My whole body shook as the pleasure crashed through me, consuming me in a way I hadn't experienced until recently with the others. He pulled his teeth from my neck.
"Jayse," I groaned.
I was reasonably certain he responded with my name, but it was impossible to tell through the sound of my blood pumping in my ears.
Jayse stilled against me, clearly having reached the height of his own pleasure too.
I slumped against him, resting my head on his shoulder. Both of us were breathing heavily, calming ourselves from the intensity of our connection.
After a moment, Jayse pulled himself from me, setting me down carefully.
I muttered a quick spell to clean myself up. I did love the ease of being a witch sometimes, and hated to think what it must be like for the vampires and shifters in the world.
"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching out and touching the spot where he bit me. It had already healed, no doubt due to something in his saliva that wasn't unlike vampire bites.
"More than okay," I responded, leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his lips, even as he sorted out his jeans and redid his belt.
"You don't feel different?"
"I do," I assured him. "I can feel the bond in a different way, but I like it."
Bond...there was something about that in the book I'd been reading before he'd walked in.
"I can too. It's like I'm closer to you."
I smiled at him but didn't respond, I was too busy working through things in my head.
"Lou? Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.
"That's it!" Excitement gleamed through my tone. I’d figured it out.
"What?" Jayse asked, bemusement in every word he said. It was like he knew he'd lost my attention.
"The answer." I rearranged my skirt, setting things back in place after our romp. Once I had, I pointed at one of the paragraphs in the book.
"If you're thinking about a book and not me right now, then we might need to revisit some things," he joked.
I chuckled but paid him no mind. We'd revisit that particular activity later. My neck tingled at the thought, reminding me of just how important what happened was.
"We can say that you gave me a brainwave," I said instead. "Because this is how we're going to destroy the book." I tapped on the page that detailed how to break a bond between a person and an object. For it to work, I was relying on Estelle having put too much of herself into the book, and it taking some of her energy in return, but if it was the case, then I might finally have a way to stop her. Not that it was going to be easy. She was a shifter, and I had no experience on how to deal with one.
Jayse leaned over and read the passage, nodding along as he did. "That just might work."
"Then we need to get that book." When we did, we might finally be able to succeed in destroying it.
Properly this time.
Chapter Eleven
BY THE TIME I SNUCK back into the dorm room, Estelle was asleep. I couldn't believe it.
The book sat on her bedside table. She was so cocky, so sure she'd figured it out. If she suspected for one second that we could separate her from the book, she'd never leave it out for me to grab.
Before I'd left the library, I'd double-checked all the ingredients for the spell. Jayse had gone to wake Brooks and Francis, and I'd called Sadie and Madison. Of course, they'd already been awake and had the base ingredients we needed. We were meeting in their room to do the actual spell. I tiptoed around Estelle's bed and picked up the book with the lightest fingers possible.
Somehow, she didn’t wake. Victory!
Tyler did, however. I was okay with it. Tyler had been playing the dutiful best friend with Estelle and keeping her from suspecting I was working against her in the background.
When it came right down to it, Estelle wasn’t that bright. She could have written something in the book that would tell her if anyone found out she was the one behind it all. Something like, anybody working against Estelle must draw on their face in red marker. Or something more creative or devious.
I was glad she hadn’t.
I nodded at Tyler and she raised her eyebrows as she realized I had the book in my hands. “Come on,” I mouthed at her.
“What are we doing?” Tyler asked when we were far enough from the dorm to feel safe talking.
I opened the door to the stairwell and let her go in front of me. “I found a spell that should help. We’re going to do it in Sadie and Madison’s room.”
“Oh,” she said in a disappointed tone. “I don’t think they like me.”
“I’d say it’s more likely they don’t know you.” I pushed out of the door on the next level and turned toward their dorm room. When we reached it, I tapped three times then let myself in.
“Hey,” I called. Sadie and Madison had spread out when Kristi died, and took over her room. Now they each had their own bedroom since the suites were connected.
“Come in,” Madison called from the other room. “We’re set up in here.”
As Tyler and I walked across the room, we stopped for a knock on the door.
Jayse stuck his head in before I could get back to open it. “Can we come in?” he asked.
“Yes.” I waved them in. “Hurry before someone sees you.”
Oh, my gosh. This was it. They were here with the rest of the stuff we needed. Francis, Jayse, and Brooks all gave me a kiss on the cheek in greeting. I turned to walk through to the other room and saw Tyler’s eyebrows up.
“What?” I asked. “It works for us.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
And that was that. No more explanation needed. I really didn’t have to give her that, but she was my friend and curious. I didn’t mind. When we were alone and could gossip I’d tell her more, along with Sadie and Madison. I was determined to make my friendship with each of them into something stronger and more tight-knit once all this crap with Estelle was over. Tyler was going to need friends. Estelle had been the closest thing she’d had for a long time, and now Estelle was a lunatic. It wouldn’t be easy on her.
“Are we ready?” I asked.
Magical Misfit (Magic And Metaphysics Academy Book 3) Page 6