by LJ Swallow
I’m caught by surprise as my body explodes into pure pleasure. I clench around him; our bodies slick and my arms shaking where I hold Zeke. With a growl, he tips me onto my back, still inside me, and my breasts push against his hard chest, peaked nipples brushing and sending more sensation shooting through my body. I’m overwhelmed by the powerful thrusts as he pounds into me while I continue to clench around him. He tips his head back and pants as he growls something to himself and grips my ass so hard, I swear I almost feel claws. Pleasure explodes into every nerve again as I cry out, and Zeke groans with one last forceful thrust, then shouts my name as he comes.
Zeke drops forward onto me and we lie for a moment, both breathing heavily and trying to come down from the high. He rolls onto one side and hugs me to him, where I lie with my eyes closed, breathing in his hot, musky scent.
"That,” he whispers, “was fucking amazing.”
His heart thumps against my ear. “Yeah. It was okay,” I tease.
With a mock gasp, Zeke turns me onto my back again and looks down. “Okay? I’m just getting started; I have more ways to make you come than you can imagine.”
My pounding heart speeds. “I was joking.”
He runs his fingertips across my swollen lips. "I’m not.”
Chapter Fourteen
ELOISE
I walk into what was Francesca’s classroom, behind two shifter guys who mutter about losing their extra sleep session. Others voice curiosity about who’ll replace the selkie.
The bean bags have been removed and the walls stripped of student artwork. There isn't a single crystal and the essential oil scent is replaced by strong pine similar to cleaning fluids. The room now contains several rows of seats and desks that make this more a classroom than a therapy room.
I spot Ivan straight away. He’s sitting on one of the desks with his feet on a chair as he talks in hushed tones to the witches who migrated towards him as soon as he arrived. My stomach turns over and always will when I look at him. He’s dressed the way he always did—black jeans, black T-shirt with a grungy band logo. The human interest in demonic forces amused him because he could adopt those who believed in dark magic. Then he’d use that magic to draw people to him as easily as any pneuma.
Beside me, Zeke gives a low growl, and I nudge him. “I know Ivan. He’ll want and expect a reaction.”
Ivan looks over his shoulder. “Hey. Are you the guy who’s fucking my fiancée?”
I balk at Ivan’s question and snap my head between him and Zeke while praying Zeke listened to my last words to him.
I’d deny everything, but I refuse to create a performance in the classroom to entertain everybody. Instead, I shake in anger that he’s walked into Ravenhold and drawn in popular witches already.
“Are you fucking Zeke?” Dorian’s smooth tones come from the doorway and I spin around. His mouth tips in amusement. “Is this an attempt to piss me off?”
“Excuse me?” I retort. “Are you suggesting I’d have sex with somebody to annoy you?”
Dorian shrugs and pulls himself from the doorway. He stops beside Zeke and tips his head to one side. “You won, huh, Ezekiel?” A muscle ticks in Zeke’s jaw as Dorian then smirks at me. “We’re rivals, Eloise. New girls are fair game. Normally, witches go for me over him, but we all know you’re not normal.”
I swallow down a sick feeling that what he hints at could be true—am I a game to both of them? That feeling grows as Ivan’s face fills with delight at what he triggered.
“Correct, Dorian,” I say in a low voice. “I’m not normal and that’s my advantage.”
Ivan snickers. “Honestly, mon tresor, you’d choose to cheat on me with a dirty shifter?”
I snatch Zeke’s wrist as he steps forward and pull him back. Nearby, Ethan sits at a desk alone and watches proceedings. Watch and listen.
“Now. Dorian, I could understand the attraction.” Ivan nods at him. “He’s more our type.”
My head thumps as I attempt to control my mouth, but he's pushing me too far. So when Ivan stands and moves towards me, I instinctively shove him away.
With magic.
Ivan makes a huge fuss as he slams backwards into a chair, exaggerating the effect my magic has. Struggling to his feet, Ivan regards me with fake hurt.
“We are not engaged, arsehole,” I snap. “The moment they imprisoned me here, I was free of you.”
The door closes behind with a thud and Angus pushes past the students who are still standing. Silence descends. “What's happening?” he growls.
Nobody replies, not even Dorian, who I expected to drop me into shit.
“Sit.” Angus moves to the empty desk and places a manila folder down.
Grumbling, students take their places in the same groups they’d sit with in the common room or the dining hall. Zeke breaks away from me to join the shifters and I take my place beside Oriana.
“As you know, Francesca had to leave us at short notice and there is a vacancy. I’m not interested in her bullshit therapy, nor am I interested in teaching. Sit down. Shut up. If anybody moves or speaks, I’ll send you outside to Roger for an extra lesson.”
I frown.
“We sit and do nothing for a whole lesson?” asks Kai.
“Correct. Until I find a replacement, I’ve no choice. But, I’m a busy man.” Angus pulls a pen from his pocket and clicks the end. He opens the folder and pulls out an A4 sheet. “Francesca left behind a mess that I need to bloody well clear up.”
Momentarily, he looks at me.
If Francesca was involved in something that affected students' minds, how is he clearing that up?
Chapter Fifteen
ELOISE
Is Ivan waiting for me to approach him or vice versa? Each of our interactions happen with others around, to taunt me, and attempt to put me in my place again.
He’s clearly attempting to carve himself a niche amongst the witches too.
Ivan's family name holds weight in the witch community. Not as much as the Blackwoods, or mine since they produced the Trinity witch, but his parents are in the council’s upper echelons.
Did Ivan taunt me when he informed me he’ll get us out of Ravenhold, or is this something he’ll genuinely orchestrate and force me into? How? And who else is involved? I’m watching for any extra contact with Ravenhold staff members, but so far, he’s behaving—and is treated as—an average student.
Apart from his subtle move to gain Dorian’s attention and cause conflict between us.
No, Ivan is watching and waiting.
Waiting for me now. He stands by a noticeboard close to the exit from the classroom hallway; a noticeboard there's little point in, since there’s no extra-curricular activities or any interest by students in anything but living day to day. I can’t imagine a school formal beyond the semi-secret gatherings in the cellars.
Ivan steps out and places a hand on my chest and I react suddenly and violently by grabbing his wrist and pulling him away. Straggling students pass by and eye us as they do.
Zeke and Dorian went on ahead straight after class and admittedly, I hung back to chat to Ethan while pretending to talk to Oriana.
In the end, Ethan passed me before I could catch him.
“What’s with this bullshit?” I snap at him and step back.
“My, you have teeth since you arrived at Ravenhold. Corrupted, so soon?” He purses his lips. “I missed you, mon tresor.”
“Don't fucking call me that!”
He gives a mock gasp. “Such a mouth on you too.”
“Why are you really here?” I ask. “What did you do?”
He shrugs. “Assaulted a human and was almost caught by human authorities. Stupid bitch.”
My disgust flares at his appalling description, but I’m not asking what he did to her, even though I sense he wants me to. “Explain to me exactly how you intend to leave, since nobody else ever managed.”
He moistens his lips and I tense as he leans in to me. “Blackwood magic. I
f only your dumb Dorian would access that side of himself too.”
“I’d love to see you call Dorian dumb to his face.” Ivan makes a derisive noise. “You’re dealing with somebody beyond your reach, Ivan.”
“I need to get his attention, Eloise, and I’d like your help.”
I attempt to move away as he steps closer, and curse as my back hits the wall. There’s no longer anybody in the hallway and I hate how weak I feel when Ivan is this close to me.
“It’s easy to get Dorian’s attention, but try something bigger than a lump of stone.” I swallow as his intense eyes remain on mine.
“You need to tell Dorian that the new witch knows the Blackwoods. Inform him I’ve support amongst the other witches and they don’t want to be policed by him any longer.”
I choke a laugh. “Good luck.”
“I only need one conversation with Dorian, as I think that will be enough.” He arches a brow. “The world will be a much better place with Dorian back.”
“You’re insane!” I say. “He’s uncontrollable.”
“That’s not what the Confederacy thought, is it, my little necromancer?” I grit my teeth at his loaded question. How much does Ivan know?
“Let me pass,” I say and push at him.
Ivan’s fingers curl around my wrist. “I know you have the magic in your veins to fuel his power, and so does Dorian. You need my protection.”
Bile rises as his fingers grip my skin, squeezing painfully. “You are the last person to protect me. You’re an abuser.”
I become lost in the disgust and focus on keeping him off me and when I attempt to push him away with magic, he blocks me then smirks. “The wards that Francesca weakened let my magic through too, and you know I can influence you.”
“You’re not laying another finger on me,” I growl.
He moistens his lips and drops his gaze to my breasts. “You appear weaker, Eloise. We have unfinished business.”
“Get your fucking hands off me,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Did you get my little message, mon tresor?” he asks and lifts his eyes to mine.
The incident in art class was real? I swallow down the rising sickness.
“I do hope I don’t need to beat cooperation into you again.” His eyes shine with menace.
“I’m the Trinity witch. Try me.”
“Oh, I intend to. Slowly, so I enjoy every second.”
I pull on my mental energy in order to snap out of the fear clouding my abilities and scream at him, as I manage to drive him stumbling backwards with a magic force. “Fuck you, Ivan, you rapist bastard!”
“I didn’t rape you!” he calls with a laugh as he straightens. “I merely used strong persuasion.”
“That didn’t work because I said no! I had to use magic to fight you off!” I shout, eyes clouded by the memories.
“What a shame you’re weaker than me in here.”
“For now. In a few days, you’ll be weaker too.”
“In a few days, I won’t be here.”
A huge figure barrels into Ivan as if a truck knocked him sideways. “Damn right,” snarls Ethan. “After the conversation I just heard, you won't be here much longer at all.”
Ivan chokes as Ethan holds him around the neck with his feet dangling above the floor. His face reddens as Ethan squeezes harder and however much I’m enjoying the sight, I can’t let this happen.
“Ethan! Stop!” I call. “Please.”
“This is whose words frightened you in art class?” he snarls. “Why didn’t you tell me what this fucker did to you?”
“Please, Ethan. Put him down.”
Ethan’s manner reminds me of the time he attacked Dorian, and when he looks to me, his eyes blaze an unnatural orange.
Shit.
Without a word, he flings Ivan to one side, who lands on his backside several metres away and skids across the tiled floor. Before I can stop him, Ethan stomps over, figure hunched. He grabs Ivan’s shirt, raises a fist and hits him full on in the face. My hands fly to my mouth as blood streams from Ivan’s broken nose, but he howls with laughter instead of pain.
“Keep going, you bastard mid. Beat me. Hard. Put yourself in solitary before you interfere with my plans.” Ivan spits blood at him and Ethan snarls before dragging him up. “Did you fuck my fiancée like the other shifter did? You seem very protective.”
He gasps as Ethan seizes his neck and hits his back hard against the wall. I move over and drag at Ethan’s arm, but it’s like pulling at steel.
“Eloise, darling, you know I’d allow you to fuck other guys if I can watch. Even better if I get to join in.” Ivan’s voice is weak from Ethan crushing his neck, but he continues to goad him. “Come on, you thick-headed moron. Beat me as senseless as you are.”
My heart races as Ethan drags Ivan forward, and as he’s about to smash his head against the wall my scream echoes along the hallway, loud enough I swear they’ll hear me at the opposite end of the island. Ethan abruptly stops and blinks around at me, panting heavily. His grip on Ivan’s shirt loosens and he drops the witch to the floor before slamming his fist into the wall. I flinch at the impact as paint flakes fall onto Ivan.
“Aw, c’mon. I was just starting to enjoy that.” Ivan coughs out and wipes his sleeve across his broken face.
Ethan snarls again, his eyes still burning ember orange, and I back away in fear as he moves towards me with his teeth bared, but he passes by and disappears down the hallway in large strides.
With a glance at the injured, laughing Ivan, I rush after Ethan.
Chapter Sixteen
ELOISE
I break into a run but still struggle to keep up with Ethan. Where’s he going, because he isn’t heading back to his room?
Reaching the end of the hallway, I snap my head from side to side. We’re in an unused part of the building, close to the cellars where the gatherings happen. I catch his blurred figure as Ethan heads through a door at the end of a hallway on the right, and I hurry along to follow him in.
The door isn’t locked, and I push down the handle to step inside. A small flight of stairs winds upwards, in the same way as to Zeke’s room, similar to the place I found Dorian with Samuel.
Shit. Ethan is headed for the roof.
I rush to the top and reach a solid wood door, again similar to Zeke’s, then hesitate before reaching out to push on the handle.
“Eloise. Go.” There’s a growl to Ethan’s voice inside the room, and a deeper timbre that doesn’t sound like him.
Fear shivers along my spine. “What happened? Are you shifting?”
I step back as the door opens and Ethan almost laughs in my face. “I’m a mid, remember? I don’t shift. I’m stuck.”
I can barely see his face beneath his hair, but his square jaw is set as tightly as his body is wound. His fists are clenched by his sides and he’s breathing raggedly at a pace that should cause hyperventilation. For the first time, what he is hits home. Ethan doesn’t need to shift to become a monster—nothing about him is normal for a human.
“Why did you hurt Ivan that badly?” I ask. “You’re supposed to stay away from trouble.”
Ethan gives another harsh laugh. “Are you serious?” I blink at him. “I heard what you said. What he once did.” Shit. I moisten my lips. “That triggered me, Eloise.”
“Ethan...” I extend a hand to touch his rapidly moving chest and he steps backwards. “I didn’t think anybody was around. Ivan wouldn’t threaten me if he thought somebody was nearby.”
“Yeah? Don’t bet on that.” He makes to close the door and I jam my foot in the way so he can’t close me out. “For fuck’s sake, Eloise. Do we need to go through this shit again?”
“We haven’t spoken since the night with Dorian.”
“Now is not a good time,” he retorts. “I came here so you couldn’t follow me to my room.”
I shake my head. “I won’t let you shut me out. I’ll stay here until you come out of this room, and you ca
n’t stay in there all day.” I crane my head around the door. The dorm-size room is empty, apart from a small wood table and a ragged woven rug, with graffiti scrawled on the cracked cream-painted walls. “Besides, there’s nowhere to sit, apart from the floor.”
Ethan looks at me in surprise as I shove past him. “Tell me everything that fucker did to you,” he snaps.
“And trigger you again? You’d walk out of this room, find Ivan, and finish the job.”
My stomach flips when Ethan doesn’t deny that he would. Even though my magic is poor, I can pick up the thick block around his thoughts and a red mist behind his eyes.
Ethan grabs my arms and I startle. “This is a fucking nightmare.” His fingers dig so hard into me, I wince. “If you tell me everything he did to you, I can process before I see the bastard again. If you don’t, and I hear something else from him, I’ll kill the fucker.”
“There’s nothing more,” I say. “Ivan tried to assault me a couple of times.” Ethan’s grip tightens. “I had magic back then. A punch in the face is all he managed.”
“What the actual fuck?” He drops his hold on my arms and makes for the door, so I step in front and slam a palm on his chest.
“Stay here.”
“This situation is like my sister, all over again. Ivan must know what happened to her. He’s provoking me.” Ethan taps the side of his head. “As soon as my rational side edged in, I realised what I was doing. I stopped. Ivan wants me gone—and he’s here for you.”
I swallow. “I know he is. But Ivan won’t take me, Ethan. I won’t let him.”
Ethan takes my face in both hands and my heart hammers in my chest as his eyes blaze. “If he tries to hurt or take you, I will kill him.”
“And die? The Confederacy won’t allow you to live.” His jaw clenches. “Ethan.”
“You have no idea how deep you’ve burrowed into me,” he says hoarsely. “How far I’d go for you. Dragon instinct is to protect their mate from any danger.”