We were flush to each other. And I only realised how intimate this was now that I was no longer in fear for my life. Yet I didn't try to move again and he didn't either. I wasn't sure if I was holding my breath or if the air was simply stuck in my lungs and refusing to come out.
The most rational reason for him holding onto me was that he was about to bite me. He'd saved me from facing an Heir so I guessed I owed him. The other reason though...oh holy shit the other reason...
His fingers found my skin between my shirt and waistband and heat weaved a frantic whirlpool through my belly, pushing lower into the deepest regions of my body.
So against the rules.
Must move. But I want to stay.
I felt his breath in my hair, the heat, the desire. My instincts told me he wanted me, but that was pure insanity. I just couldn't come up with any better reasoning though. He made my thoughts hazy and my morals fray. He was my teacher. And I knew he'd lose his job if anyone saw us like this. Maybe more. And maybe I could lose my place at Zodiac too.
Move, Darcy, move!
I turned around, finding my resolve but his arm remained in place so it lay on my back instead. His fingers curled into a ball, keeping me close, not letting me escape. It was dark, but a slit of light was cast from a door further down the hall to our left. Just enough to see by.
If I look up at him, I think I'll burst apart into a million heated fragments.
But if I don't, I'll never see the answer to my question in his eyes.
I forced my gaze up to meet his and felt the spell break, dashed to pieces on the hard look in his eyes. His face morphed into something stony, distant. His throat bobbed and he pushed me firmly back.
“They're gone, so move,” he growled, sending a jolt through me at the sudden loudness.
I backed up, staring at him as my anger began to grow. I hadn't done anything. He was the one who'd wrapped his damn arm around me.
You definitely ground your ass against him.
Maybe for one single second but that was it!
“Sir-”
“Don't you dare talk back,” he snarled, shoving the door open. “MOVE!”
I scampered out onto the grass, furious with myself, with him. With this stupid academy. With Seth for driving me in here like a fox chased by hounds.
Tears burned my throat, my eyes but no way were they gonna fall until I was locked in my room without the chance of anyone seeing them. And even then I knew it would be better if I just swallowed them down, never letting another tear out until one day I choked on them all. A Siren would have had a field day if they found me now, sucking up all this emotion coursing through me.
“Where the hell do you think you're going?” Orion snapped and my spine straightened as I glanced over my shoulder at him as he stood in the doorway. He wore a shirt and smart trousers but his hair was suspiciously damp, speaking of a recent shower.
I raised my hands, giving him a stumped expression, completely baffled by his question. “Er, back to my room?”
“We have a Liaison session to complete.”
“Which you didn't show up for,” I pointed out, incredulous that he was suddenly acting like I was a misbehaving student. He definitely initiated that ass to crotch hug- jerk!
“Pitball practice ran over. And besides, I'm here now aren't I? That counts as showing up.” He turned his back on me, heading across the grass in the direction of Jupiter Hall as if he expected me to follow.
“That doesn't count. And what were you doing lurking around the back of Mars Labs anyway?”
He glanced back over his shoulder, cocking an eyebrow at my tone. My heart stuttered but the berating I expected didn't come. “I wasn't lurking, Miss Vega, I came to check out the commotion. Now if you're done questioning me, let's move.”
I remained in place, both furious and flustered by his crazy mood swings. “I'm not coming,” I hissed, knowing he'd hear me no matter how quietly I said it. I turned in the opposite direction, folding my arms as I marched toward the path, wanting to get back to my room before Seth showed up again.
A blur in my periphery alerted me one second too late as Orion swept me off my feet and tossed me over his shoulder. I yelled in alarm, smashing my hand into his back on instinct. “Let me down! Are you insane?!” I kinda hoped another teacher would hear, but as he marched me onto the pathway under the full light of the lamps, I sensed he didn't have any worries about being seen. But surely this was against the rules?
“Professor Orion put me down this second!” I demanded, my cheeks flaming. At least I'd had the foresight to put some damn jeans on in place of my school skirt. Or this would have been a hundred times more embarrassing right now.
“Good evening, Professor. Having a little trouble with a student?” Principal Nova's voice carried from ahead and my mouth fell open in disbelief.
“Nothing to worry about, just Miss Vega skipping Liaison.”
“Well I'm glad to see you rounded her up.” Nova tutted, passing us by without a second glance.
I gasped in horror and Orion released a low laugh.
“I'll walk, alright? Just put me down,” I ordered.
He didn't say another word until we stepped into his office a couple of minutes later and he dropped me into the seat in front of his desk.
I flattened the choppy ends of my hair which were now sticking up all over the place, shaken to my core. Orion yawned broadly, lowering into his Ottomon on the other side of the desk and casually taking out his Bourbon, pouring himself a glass.
I laced my fingers together to stop them from shaking, staring at him with a mixture of rage, frustration and absolute embarrassment. I wanted to demand he tell me what the hell he was playing at by running his hands all over me five minutes ago and then turning on me like an enemy soldier. But my lips simply wouldn't part. My vocal chords were on lock down so I just stared, waiting for an explanation that I probably wasn't going to get.
Orion sighed contentedly as he drank most of the measure he'd poured then planted the glass down on his desk. “I think it's best we talk about the Nymph situation in Solaria. You were pulled out of class before the end of my lesson the other day so I'll catch you up.”
I narrowed my eyes, wondering if maybe he had some sort of personality disorder I wasn't aware of. He'd gone from volcanic hot to glacial cold in the space of five seconds and apparently he'd forgotten all about it.
“Sir...” I started, unsure how to phrase this in a way that was actually going to get a response.
“Miss Vega?” he asked, his expression totally innocent as if he had no idea what I was going to say.
I changed tact at the last second, realising I had another way to approach this. “I thought Fae weren't supposed to intervene in other people's fights.”
He scratched his beard then shrugged. “That was a wolf pack. It's different.”
“Is it?” I narrowed my eyes. At least he answered.
“It's my duty to protect you as your Professor.” He said professor extra loudly like that was supposed to make a point.
He pushed up his sleeve, his brow wrinkling as he scratched the red tattoo of the Leo sign there. “So Nymphs,” he said firmly and I sensed that was the end of my line of inquiries.
I sighed, resigned as I sat back in my seat. Maybe there had been some unbidden connection between us for a moment but rules were rules. And apparently now he was abiding by them.
“Everyone needs to be vigilant on campus. You shouldn't travel around alone. If a Nymph were to absorb the magic of a powerful Fae like you, it could be disastrous for all of Solaria.”
Dread inched into my gut. “Surely there's something you can do? Can't you stop them getting on campus?”
“Obviously we have protection spells in place, but how the Nymph got in is still a mystery to the FIB. Which means we can't be sure it won't strike again.”
A bead of fear rolled down my spine and I nodded.
“So you and your sister will walk around camp
us with at least one other student from now on, especially after dark, understand?”
“Sure,” I agreed, more than happy to comply. I didn't want to be caught off guard if a Nymph showed up. The idea was terrifying.
He drained the last of his bourbon and checked his watch. “Well, that's the end of the session.”
“Are you kidding me?” I breathed.
“It's eight o'clock,” he said with a shrug, rising to his feet.
“No – wait.” I got up too, reaching into my pocket and pulling out Astrum's card.
He frowned as I placed it down on his desk, my heart juddering madly as I pushed it toward him. “Astrum gave this to me and Tory and I wondered maybe...if you might know what it means. He said you never really saw eye to eye but I don't know, maybe I'm wrong?”
Orion's lips pressed into a sharp line as he fished the card from the desk, examining it. “Astrum never thought much of me and my family,” he muttered, mostly to himself.
“Why was that?” I asked gently as his eyes remained fixed on the message inscribed on the card.
“He taught me when I was at Zodiac. He was a royalist and I was outwardly against them. And he hated me because of my own beliefs… amongst other things.”
“Oh,” I whispered, nodding.
Orion looked up from the card, seemingly dragged out of a daze. He frowned in a way that told me some deep hurt was concealed beneath all of those hard layers he hid behind. He stepped around the desk, holding the card out toward me. “I don't know what this means. And I highly doubt I'm the man he would have wanted you to seek answers from.”
He remained close to me as I reached for the card and pulled it from his fingers. “What aren't you saying?” I asked, sure he was holding back on something. A tightness grew in my chest like his mere presence was capable of sucking the air from my lungs.
He leaned in close, his breath a delicious cocktail of bourbon and danger. “There's many things I'm not saying and for good reason. But I'll tell you this… I've spent most of my life hating The Savage King and anyone associated with him too. Including you and your sister when you first came here.” His eyes flickered with shadows that threatened to tear me apart. “But I learned a long time ago that blood doesn't define a person, so I shouldn't have judged you so quickly. You're unlucky to bear the title that you do. And I would never bow to either of you for many reasons. But you aren't bad people. That being said...” His eyes travelled down me, the sensation of a zip opening along the line he cast with his eyes. “I will do whatever it takes to ensure Darius and the other Heirs sit on the throne of Solaria. And I urge you to never underestimate that vow.”
I sat in the Ignis common room with Sofia on Thursday evening, practicing my defence against Coercion with varying degrees of effectiveness. I’d basically mastered the art of maintaining a mental shield against attacks while I was concentrating on it. But if I was distracted, she was able to slip commands past my defences. At least she was kind to me; only demanding I draw a line on my arm each time she Coerced me. So far, I had nine lines marking my forearm, one for each time she’d gotten past my guard.
I was trying to keep her commands out while creating ice cubes with my water magic at the same time and concentrating on the two tasks was frustratingly difficult.
I swilled the ice around the glass I was using to contain them, releasing a breath as I tried to focus again. Sofia was trying not to smirk at me and failing. I knew she got a kick out of it every time she got past my defences but I wouldn’t begrudge her her fun. Besides, I needed the help and at least she wasn’t making me dance on the table or strip for everyone.
The doors opened and I looked around as a group of six FIB agents dressed in black filed into the room alongside Professor Orion.
“Everyone shut up!” he yelled, bringing the room to silence. “As a part of the investigation into Professor Astrum’s murder and the fire in Darius Acrux’s room, the FIB will be carrying out searches of everyone’s rooms. This is not optional. I don’t want to hear any whining. You will be docked ten House Points for every complaint that reaches my ears - and I have exceptional hearing. None of you are to return to your rooms from this point on until they have been searched. You will remain here in the common room until further notice. Questions?”
Marguerite got to her feet. “Sir, I don’t understand why I’m being treated like a-”
Orion cast a gust of wind at her that sent her flying over the back of the couch she’d risen from and crashing onto her ass on the far side of it. A smattering of laughter broke out as she shrieked in surprise.
“Good. No questions then. The agents need to conduct a final check of Mr Acrux’s room and then the searches will begin.” Orion motioned for the agents to head for the stairs and my mind began to whirl with panic. My heart was thundering an unsteady rhythm in my chest, my palms were slick and a little voice in the back of my head was very unhelpfully screaming no, no, no, no, no, no!
If they searched my room they’d find those coins and that dagger. There was no way I could explain having either which didn’t involve me being caught out for setting that fire. And death by supremely pissed off Dragon asshole was not what I’d envisioned for my evening. Hell no. I needed a plan. And fast.
“I think we need to try something a bit more motivating,” I announced to Sofia, looking away from Orion and the two agents who were still standing in the room as if they didn’t interest me in the slightest.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, why don’t you Coerce me to drench myself with freezing water and I’ll see if I can fight it off?”
“Are you sure?” she asked hesitantly but I could tell she was a little tempted to try.
“Why not?” I said with a smirk which probably covered my panic. Hopefully. “What harm can a little water do anyway?”
Sofia frowned, clearly thinking of what the Heirs had done to me the other night but I smiled encouragingly until she relented.
“Okay then. Drench yourself with freezing cold water.”
Her command slid over me and I made no attempt to shield myself from it. My arms instantly lifted into the air and I conjured a torrent of water to slam down over my head.
I leapt up with a shriek in response to the icy kiss of the water and my teeth began to chatter at once. Every head in the room turned my way and I stumbled away from the table we’d been working at as Sofia started babbling apologies. I waved her off, muttering that it was my own fault.
Now for some class A acting skills.
“Holy shit that’s s-so cold!” I exclaimed.
“Miss Vega, what the hell is going on over there?” Orion demanded.
I headed straight towards him without hesitation, shivering as the icy water plastered my uniform to my body. The white shirt had turned transparent and a puddle was forming beneath me.
“S-sir, can I please go and get changed?” I asked, giving him an imploring look.
“You command the Element of Fire, I’m sure you can dry yourself out,” he said flatly.
Damn.
I nodded slowly. This was about to get a lot more embarrassing, but needs must. I called on my fire magic and let it heat my skin until the water began to steam out of my uniform.
Orion offered me a hard smile that seemed to say see and I smiled back before ramping up the power I was exerting. My shirt burst alight first and I shrieked as my long socks followed suit. I held enough control over the flames to stop them from burning me but I screamed like I didn’t.
“Oh for the love of the moon!” Orion exclaimed before dousing me in water again with his own magic.
I gasped as my heart lurched with terror for a moment as I found myself at the mercy of someone else’s water magic again but Orion stopped the torrent as quickly as it had begun. A hole had burned right through the front of my shirt and the hem of my skirt was a kind of blackened glob of synthetic goo.
“Maybe you should just let her get changed,” muttered the agent closest to me. He offe
red me a friendly smile and I returned it, simpering just a little. Damn I was a good actress when I had to be.
“Fine,” Orion snapped, clearly not falling for my damsel in distress act quite so keenly as the agent. “Lead the way, Miss Vega.”
He motioned for me to go ahead and I scurried in front of him, heading to my room. I pretended to fumble with the key as we arrived, dropping it to the floor and apologising as Orion sighed impatiently.
“I need to assist with the search, get moving now.”
“Right. Sorry.” I managed to unlock the door and headed in, unhooking my remaining shirt buttons as I went.
Orion moved to follow me inside and I raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you coming in here while I get changed, sir?” I asked. My shirt was already unbuttoned and I was guessing him seeing any more of me would be a pretty bad look for a teacher. He narrowed his eyes at me as he stepped back out of my personal space.
“Hurry up,” he demanded before closing the door between us.
I ran across the room and lifted my mattress to reveal the coins and dagger I’d taken from Darius’s room. I quickly snagged a black sock out of the drawer beside my bed and shoved them all inside it before moving to the window and throwing it open.
I took a deep breath and focused all of my attention onto my magic as I pulled it to the surface of my skin. I called on the power of air and tossed the sock out of the window, catching it on a breeze and guiding it down to the ground outside Ignis House. Next, I drew on the power of earth, aiming all of my attention on the ground around the black sock as I begged everything and anything around it to grow. The brown grass which grew throughout the Fire Territory thickened and grew taller to hide my stash and my thundering heart quieted a little as the sock and its contents were hidden.
As quickly as I could, I wrenched my ruined uniform off of me and changed into a pair of leggings and a grey sweater.
“What’s taking so long?” Orion demanded from outside and I jammed my feet into my sneakers.
“Just coming!” I called back.
My gaze caught on the black jacket which still hung on the back of my door from the other night and I grinned as I snatched it into my grasp.
Zodiac Academy 2: Ruthless Fae: An Academy Bully Romance (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts) Page 14