He didn't answer until we delved into The Wailing Wood and the chilling silence of the place pressed in on all sides. He stopped me beneath the amber light of a lantern, dragging me close by the lapels of my blazer.
“Sir!” I yelled, drawing magic to my fingertips in my desperation to make him stop.
“I told you not to go anywhere alone, especially after dark.”
His voice ignited a deep and pulsing fire in my belly and I stared up at him in fury. “Get off of me.” I threw air into my palms and he was shoved back a few paces. A lock of his perfectly styled hair fell loose and he slowly pushed it into place, his face set in a deadly scowl.
He ran at me in blur and the air was nearly knocked out of my lungs as he threw me over his shoulder and locked his arms around my legs, speeding off along the path at a terrifying pace.
In mere moments, he planted me down again and I stumbled back, hitting a wall and grasping onto it for support. I looked around, discovering I was outside Aer Tower, the wind turbines high above us groaning in the wind.
“Start walking around campus in pairs or I'll assign you a personal escort,” he barked.
I couldn't believe how angry he was getting. “I thought that's what you were doing. You keep following me everywhere and you already made it clear you don't want the Nymph getting their hands on my powers.”
“Exactly, kid.”
“Don't call me kid.” I pushed off of the wall, rage slithering through me. “This Academy might make me wear a uniform like a high school student, but I'm eighteen and I've looked after myself most of my life anyway. You think it would have been any different back there if I'd had a friend with me? We're freshmen. We're not trained to fight Nymphs.”
Orion's jaw ticked as he absorbed my words. Eventually, he nodded, his eyes moving to look up at the tower. A baying howl sounded in the distance and he glanced over his shoulder. “The hunt's started, I should go and join them.”
“Be careful,” I whispered.
He looked back at me with a frown and something broken and desperate shone from his eyes for a moment. He blinked firmly and his expression morphed into a fierce scowl. “Stop looking at me like that,” he snarled and I fought the urge to recoil from his terrifying tone.
“Like what?”
“You know what,” he snapped. “I'm your teacher.”
“I know,” I balked, horrified at what he was suggesting. That he could somehow read how much I wanted him.
“Do you?” he stepped forward.
I nodded firmly, though I wasn't sure my body was getting the message because I had the urge to wrap myself around him and kiss him goodbye. It was absolutely crazy. But him running off after a Nymph made me dread the idea that he wouldn't come back.
“Then stop looking at me like that.”
Embarrassment poured through me like a tsunami, but I fought it away, elbowing aside my shame. Because how dare he accuse me of being inappropriate? He'd had this hands all over me the other day and he'd shouted at me for that too. I was so done with his bullshit. So I stepped forward, looking him square in the eye as my hands began to shake. “Then stop looking back, Lance.”
I left him with a gobsmacked expression on his face as I turned away, casting air at the symbol above the door. It unlocked with a loud clunk and I darted inside, slamming it behind me without a single glance back.
I stood by my open window, looking out over what I could see of the grounds beyond as a sheet of drizzle fell from the thick clouds above and saturated everything. It was five in the morning and every inch of my body was protesting this early venture but my latest plan demanded it be done.
Darius’s room had been fixed up by the maintenance crew over the last few days and an announcement had gone out last night to say that he’d be returning to Ignis House tomorrow morning once the paint on his shiny new walls had dried.
If I wanted to implement my plan then I needed to do it now.
I was a little nervous about heading outside after the attempted Nymph attack on Darcy last night but the FIB and teachers had been crawling over every inch of the grounds until very recently and I was sure the thing had either been caught already or had gone deep into hiding again.
I shivered as the cold wind blew in around me and pulled my window shut. I wasn’t looking forward to going out in that weather but at least it should mean that no one else would be out there either.
A ping drew my attention to my Atlas and I opened it up to cast an eye over my horoscope.
Good morning Gemini.
The stars have spoken about your day!
Today will be a day of two halves, you will face great highs and turbulent lows. Beware a run in with an Aquarius. Their wrath is unavoidable today and you will have to weather the storm with your head held high. A Pisces may present further obstacles but the way you handle them will determine the outcome of that interaction.
Try to keep heart though, in the end this day may see your plans falling together if only you manage to persevere.
I frowned at the super negative predictions. Today sounds like it’s going to be a shitstorm then. And if an Aquarius was going to unleash their wrath on me then I had the feeling I’d be seeing Seth today. Peachy.
I pulled on the thick black jacket which had arrived as part of my latest online deliveries and zipped it up to my chin before adding gloves to the mix. The waterproof boots I’d purchased were warm and comfortable on my feet and I couldn’t help but grin at the latest additions to my wardrobe. September was coming to an end and as we drew closer to winter, I knew I’d be relying on warmer clothes to stave off my least favourite season more and more regularly. Beside my door, a large box of winter outfits sat waiting for me to deliver them to Darcy later on too. She hadn’t gotten into this online shopping business quite as thoroughly as I had and I knew she was indulging me by letting me buy for her.
I slid my Atlas into one of the large coat pockets and flicked the lights off before exiting my room. Geraldine had given me a bit of tuition in our Earth Elemental class and I’d grasped the basics involved with moving soil so I was fairly confident that I could manage this without her. I didn’t want to ask her to get involved with this again; I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to help me if I asked but this wasn’t some game we were playing. I’d broken the law and was going up against one of the most vindictive assholes in this school. The less she had to do with it, the better. I didn’t want her to end up in trouble on my account.
I slipped out of Ignis House under cover of darkness and trekked across the grounds to The Wailing Wood. The freezing sleet drove over me in a torrent and I played with my air and water magic as I tried to replicate the shields I’d seen other students using against the bad weather. I had varying levels of success, sometimes keeping the rain away, other times seeming to drive it into my face with twice the force. I made a mental note to ask for tuition on it in my Elemental lessons next week.
I moved beneath the dark trees and had to use the marker on my Atlas to locate the buried treasure.
I kept glancing around as I walked, the shadows within the wood setting me on edge and the sensation of eyes on me making my skin crawl.
At least when I’d been up to no good back in Chicago I could rely on streetlights to light my way and walls to conceal me. In this place I could never be entirely sure that I was alone. A more cautious person would probably give up. But I’d always been wilfully stubborn.
I reached the site of the buried treasure and glanced about carefully. The trees were quiet, only the patter of rain on the leaves overhead and the creak of branches in the wind reached me.
With a surge of determination, I dropped down onto my knees and quickly drew on my earth magic so that I could carve a hole into the ground. I had to remove my gloves to guide the magic more precisely and my work still wasn’t as smooth as Geraldine’s had been. Working with earth was different to the other Elements; it didn’t like to be bound to my will in the same way. It was a living thing and
to get the best results from it, I had to work with it, not against it.
I used the roots of the plants surrounding the treasure to draw the soil aside and coaxed more of it to the surface as gently as I could manage. I was still a blunt instrument when it came to my magic in many ways but I managed to guide the dirt enough to reveal the telltale glint of gold beneath me.
I reached down into the hole and snatched out a handful of coins and some pieces of jewellery. I didn’t need much; just enough to screw with a certain Dragon.
I grabbed a second handful and was about to withdraw my hand when a familiar tug of energy resounded from the hole and my fingers skimmed against the cool hilt of the dagger.
The blade almost seemed to purr with recognition as my fingertips brushed it and I was filled with the desire to claim it for my own.
I hesitated. Something about that blade was weird. There was definitely more to it than there seemed to be at first glance. It had a presence, desires...
I meant to leave it behind but when I pulled my hand from the dirt, the dagger was clenched in my fist.
I blinked at it in surprise.
Why shouldn’t I just take it? I can use it as part of my plans...
I clucked my tongue, and shoved the dagger into my pocket. I hadn’t planned on retrieving it alongside the other treasure but I could still use it.
I coaxed the soil back over the rest of the treasure and encouraged new flowers to bloom above it. I didn’t have enough control to remove the dirt from my clothes but I was sure the rain could take care of that before I got back.
I pulled my gloves on again and started to trudge back out of The Wailing Wood as the grey clouds began to grow a little lighter overhead. Somewhere beyond them, the sun was coming up and I needed to prepare myself for my lessons today as well as my plans for Darius.
My mind wandered to the party we were going to attend in the company of the Heirs and their families at the end of the week. It was hard to know what to expect from the Celestial Council but after the less than warm welcome we’d received from their sons, I wasn’t holding out high hopes for a warm and fuzzy celebration.
A low howl sounded within the trees as I made it back to the path and I fell still as my heart fluttered in response. The last thing I needed was to run into one of Seth’s pack-mates while I was alone out here.
I remained still for a moment, listening carefully until a second howl met with the first, coming from the opposite direction.
Not good.
I swallowed a lump in my throat and turned left on the path, drawing my hood up as I went.
I set a quick pace, wishing I’d worn my running gear. If I started running without it then it would look really suspicious and I didn’t want to risk anyone wondering what I’d been doing out here...
I took the coins and slid them into a hidden pocket inside my jacket before zipping it up again, just in case. The dagger was too big to conceal in there so I left it in my pocket and hoped no one would notice it. I wondered again why I’d even taken the thing but I couldn’t do much about it now.
The wolves howled somewhere ahead of me and I hesitated before more howling started up behind me, driving me on again. I had the horrible feeling that they were surrounding me but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
I pulled my coat closer around me, my heart pounding a little faster as I searched between the trees for any sign of them.
Movement caught my eye and I spun to the left as a black wolf shot between the trunks before disappearing out of sight.
I chewed on my lip. The edge of the woods was close. I could make it in a few minutes if I ran.
I looked over my shoulder. More howls came from the depths of the forest and a huge white wolf bounded across the path behind me.
I ran.
I cursed my boots as I splashed through the mud at full speed, wishing I’d worn my running sneakers. But it didn’t matter, I was still as fast as the wind when I got going and the path curved downhill to aid me.
The wind whipped my hood back and the sleet drove into my face. I scrunched my eyes up against it and kept going.
The howls had changed in pitch, excited yapping mixing with their baying as the pack took up the chase.
I swore beneath my breath, the edge of the woods coming into view ahead of me. The sound of thundering paws was closing in behind me. I threw a look over my shoulder and spotted six huge beasts in pursuit, their coats a mixture of browns and greys.
Where’s the white wolf?
My heart was beating so fast that I was sure it was trying to carve a path right out of my chest.
I looked ahead of me again, digging deep for an extra spurt of speed. I wasn’t going to make it.
I reached the edge of the trees half a second before the white wolf pounced.
His paws slammed into my chest and I was knocked flat on my back beneath him, his immense weight crushing me into the mud.
Pain flared up my spine and I cried out in fright.
I wheezed beneath the weight he was exerting on me, trying to struggle out from under him as the rest of the pack circled, yapping and howling with excitement.
“Get off of me, you asshole,” I snarled, trying to shove him back. The mud on my hands stained his soft, white fur and he released a deep growl in warning.
I knew that this was Seth, that it was really a man pinning me to the mud and not some wild beast, but my heart shredded at the sound of that growl and fear paralysed me for a moment.
Seth leaned forward, his teeth bared right in my face and I recoiled, mud soaking through my hair all the way down to my scalp.
The wet pad of his tongue ran up the centre of my face and I spluttered in disgust.
The white wolf cocked his head at me before shifting back into his Fae form. The weight pinning me to the ground reduced and I found myself straddled in the dirt by a very naked, very amused Seth Capella.
“Look what came wandering into my territory in the dead of night,” he purred excitedly. “Were you hoping for a ride with my pack again, babe?”
“I don’t want anything to do with your pack of mongrels,” I snapped.
Seth’s eyes sparkled with the challenge in my tone and he leaned closer to me, pressing his hips down on mine to keep me in place.
“Your junk is all over my coat,” I hissed. “Learn some goddamn boundaries.”
“You’re the one who came wandering onto my turf,” Seth reminded me. “So maybe you’re the one who needs to learn to respect boundaries.”
“Fine. Let me go and I’ll get out of your stupid woods,” I said, hoping he might be satisfied by knocking me down in the mud.
He reached out and snagged a lock of my hair between his fingers. “I did say I wanted a matching set,” he mused, leaning close to me so that he could brush it against his face.
Anger coiled in my gut at what he’d done to my sister and I yelled a curse at him as I reared forward, slamming my hands into his chest as I tried to throw him off of me.
He reacted quicker than I would have expected, fisting my hair in his grasp and jerking my head to the side so that my face was pressed to the mud.
“You’re lucky we need you in one piece for the party on Saturday,” he growled.
Before I could respond, he transformed back into a giant white wolf and his weight crushed me once more. He growled, his teeth brushing against my cheek in a clear threat which sent a tremor rocking through my body before he moved off of me.
I scrambled backwards but before I could even try to rise, he cocked his leg and a steaming trail of urine washed over my legs.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I shrieked, kicking out at him in disgust.
I tried to get to my feet but he slammed into me again, knocking me back down. The rest of his pack circled in, the males cocking their legs over me as well and heat clawed its way through my body as my clothes were coated in a layer of wolf piss.
The stench of it rose up around me, catching
in my throat and bringing tears to my eyes. As soon as they were done, Seth barked in command and they all turned and raced away into the trees, leaving me in the mud and the rain and the piss.
***
After I had to endure the humiliation of stomping back through the Ignis House common room covered in mud and reeking of wolf piss, I showered for over an hour before I felt even close to clean. I scrubbed my skin until it was pink and burned everything I’d been wearing with a blast of fire magic which helped satisfy my anger a little bit.
FaeBook was filled with posts about what Seth and his pack had done to me so I was the laughingstock of the entire Academy once again. The only thing which was stopping me from bursting into tears over it was the little pile of gold coins and jewellery which had sat by my feet as I showered and the knowledge that Darcy had already set a plan into motion against the Werewolf asshole.
Most of the coins and jewellery now had a new home wrapped in a plastic bag in the cistern at the back of my toilet in my en-suite.
I kept thinking about the damn party I had to attend with Seth and the rest of the Heirs. I had half a mind to back out of the stupid thing but I’d made a deal with Darius and he’d kept up his end of it. If I wanted any hope of him continuing to tutor me with my fire magic then I needed to stick to my word.
My extended stint in the shower to remove the piss from my body meant that I’d missed breakfast and I was dangerously close to being late for my first lesson too but I decided to risk the House Points in favour of setting my plans in motion.
I braided my hair over one shoulder and used a few more hair pins than necessary to secure it in place.
I straightened my school uniform and slid five of Darius’s gold coins into my pocket with a little rush of anticipation. I hesitated as I eyed the dagger next, the weird energy emanating from it seeming to want me to take it with me. I placed it in my pocket, took a step towards the door then stopped.
Why the hell am I about to go to lessons with a dagger in my pocket like a damn psychopath?
I shook my head and pulled the dagger back out of my pocket, sliding it beneath the sheets of my bed instead. The stupid thing seemed to call out for me to come back for it but I forced the impulse away with a shudder. I was not going to be manipulated by an inanimate object.
Zodiac Academy 2: Ruthless Fae: An Academy Bully Romance (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts) Page 25