Winter Term

by J. J. Krzemien

  “Whoa, there.” He held me close, drawing me into the room and closing the door. “What’s going on?”

  I couldn’t stop crying. “Isabella. She told me there was an explosion.”

  “Shh, it’s okay. There was. But I’m all right.”

  I clung to him like my life depended on it. The possibility of having lost him was too much to take. With a deep inhale, I tried to control my tears. “When did you get back?”

  “Late, real late,” he said into my hair. “A friend dropped me off. My car is ruined.”

  I released him enough to glance up at his face. “Why didn’t you come see me and tell me you’re okay?”

  “I didn’t want to disturb you. I thought you might still be with Liam. Besides, I’m fine—”

  “But I didn’t know that! I just listened to Isabella’s voicemail, it’s the first I’ve heard of this.” I gripped his square jaw in both my hands. “If anything like this ever happens again, I don’t care what I’m in the middle of, you come to me and tell me you’re okay.”

  He seemed startled by my insistence. “All right. Sorry.”

  I blinked, surprised he’d agreed so readily. Stretching up onto my toes, I planted a kiss on his mouth.

  “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into his bedroom for a couple of minutes. When he reemerged, he wore jeans and a T-shirt, face washed, teeth brushed. He scooped me up against his chest. “Where were we? Ah, yes.” Tilting his head, he devoured my lips. Several long, pounding heartbeats later, he let me slide down his body to my feet.

  My knees were wobbly, but I wasn’t crying anymore. “So what happened?”

  Jaxon went into the kitchen for coffee. He carried two mugs to the couch and sat down, patting the seat next to him. “Actually, it’s going to sound horrible.”

  I sat, sipping the coffee, and waited for him to continue.

  He briskly rubbed his face. “Someone blew up my car.”

  “What?! Jaxon—” Now I was angrier at him for not telling me right away.

  “If I’m honest, it was an assassination attempt.”

  “Holy fuck!”

  His hand shook as he held his mug. “I was in my car. I’d turned it on, and then decided to go back inside and talk to Isabella.” He swallowed hard, staring at the floor. “A few seconds later, I was walking toward the building, and the explosion…went off.”

  I rested my hand on his knee for support. “Who would want to kill you?” I kept my voice low and even.

  “Either my aunt, or my cousins. Those are my first guesses.” He seemed too calm about this, his trembling hand the only sign that he wasn’t all right. “It could be a number of other people who don’t want me on the Council. Maybe old enemies of my father’s. I don’t know.”

  “Have you talked to Angel? Or anyone else about this?”

  He finally met my gaze. “No. Not yet.”

  “Okay.” I stood up. “You stay right there. I’ll be back soon.”

  He nodded slowly, staring over my shoulder, and I wasn’t sure if he really heard me.

  Liam’s apartment was three doors down across the hallway. He answered on my first knock.

  “What is it? What’s happened?” he asked immediately, probably sensing my anxiety.

  “Someone tried to kill Jaxon last night. We need to get Angel and get back to Jaxon’s apartment.”

  Liam pulled his door closed. Right across the hall, he pounded on Angel’s door.

  Angel growled as he opened up. “Do you know what time—?”

  “Jaxon needs us,” Liam said.

  Angel looked like he’d slept in his jeans. He grabbed a T-shirt, closed his door, and followed us to Jaxon’s.

  I briefly passed on what I’d learned from both Isabella and Jaxon, as well as my own observations of the traumatized man before we entered.

  Liam slowly approached the couch, where Jaxon sat unmoving. “Hey, how’re you doing?”

  Jaxon startled. He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  Liam took the seat next to him, while Angel and I went to sit on the other couch.

  “You’re going to be okay,” Liam said, resting a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder. “You’re safe here.”

  5

  Caprice

  At the break between Math and English classes, I wandered the halls without paying much attention to where I was going. All the bits and pieces of the weekend occupied my mind.

  I hoped Jaxon was doing okay. Who ever heard of a magical car bomb? And what were Isabella and the Council going to do about it? Maybe there was a magical police force to look into these kinds of crimes. I rolled my eyes. The Tromara didn’t allow the supernaturals to police themselves. Only to decide who was guilty and then toss them in the Culling.

  It was probably up to the Council to investigate. But, what if someone on the Council was involved in the bombing? The whole situation was a mess.

  I worried my bottom lip, as my inner dragon hit me with a strong sense of wanting to protect Jaxon from his enemies. And a need to possess him. He was mine, damnit, and they couldn’t have him. Was this a normal response when a loved-one was in danger? I assumed so, but Liam’s statement about beast-shifters mating for life had me reeling. Was I bound to Jaxon for life? Were we mates? Did Jaxon know what that meant, and if he did, how did he feel about it?

  Letting out a long sigh, I descended the stairs. My nineteenth birthday was coming up, and I was already worrying about life mates. Geez. The weird thing was, instinctively I felt okay about it—like it was normal. Other supernaturals might wait until they were in their thirties or later to settle down, but my dragon was fast tracking this whole mating situation. I wondered why.

  My inner beast had already claimed Jaxon, there was no going back. Now it was up to me to figure out what to do about it. I should probably start by telling him. Nothing could possibly be awkward about that.

  A familiar, taunting voice reached me from up ahead and around the corner. I halted, my heart suddenly pounding in my ears. Aimes had apparently been released from the hospital. But who was he picking on now?

  I creeped up to the corner, poking my head around the side. The three witch bullies, Kyle Aimes, Leon MacTavish, and Daniel Bennett, stood with their backs to me, their broad frames hiding their victim from view. My pulse sped. I pulled my head away, standing with my back to the cool stone wall. If I kept walking, they’d never know I had seen them.

  Anger welled in my chest. I couldn’t walk away, not after everything they’d done. No way was I going to let them bully another person and get away with it. The probably figured that since they were already in the Culling no one could punish them further. But I could. I could light their asses on fire.

  I shook my head at myself. What was I thinking? I was beginning to suspect that these stupid, bull-headed reactions of mine were fueled by my dragon. She had no sense of logic or self-preservation, but we both had a strong need to protect the weak.

  Those three bullies around the corner had harassed me, beaten me, tried to rape me. Yet, here I was gearing up to go kick their asses. I swallowed hard. Part of me still feared them and wanted to run away. I pushed those feelings down. Never again was I going to let anyone bully me. Nor was I going to let those assholes get away with this—again.

  Here goes something. I rounded the corner, my shoulders tensing.

  Aimes’ words became clearer as I approached. “If you’re smart, little witch, you’ll do everything we tell you.” He was focused on his prey, a petite dark-haired girl with wide blue eyes. “We rule the witches at this school. Don’t forget that. Now get on your knees and give me some.”

  Rage rippled through me. I let out a roar, startling all four witches. MacTavish’s blond head snapped up and around, followed my Aimes’ and Bennett’s. As the three bullies turned to face me, the little witch-girl hugged the wall as she made a hasty getaway.

  “Sorrentino.” Aimes sneered. “You bitch. What are you doing, looking for more punishment?”


  Bennett’s brown eyes widened. “Kyle, what if her werewolf is around?”

  Aimes peered over my shoulder. “Are you hiding anyone in the hall? Need your boys to come rescue you again?”

  I growled, low and threatening. MacTavish took a step back, looking like he was ready to bolt.

  Aimes crossed his arms. “You don’t scare me. Word is, you’re not even a witch anymore, just some filthy beast-shifter. Now I’m glad I never stuck it in you.” Aimes drew out his wand, and my heart lurched. “I’d take another beating like the one that werewolf dished out to see you properly punished. You think landing us in the Culling Club was a good idea? My father will have us out of here before the end of the term, but in the meantime, we obviously need to show you who your betters are.”

  MacTavish and Bennett retrieved their wands, pointing them at me. My palms began to sweat, I hadn’t thought this through. They had magic, I didn’t. Now I was in deep shit.

  My inner dragon writhed, wanting to be let out. I obliged. In mili-seconds the transformation started.

  “Why are her eyes red?” Bennett croaked.

  “Who cares,” Aimes said. “Let’s make her pay.” He raised his wand with a swishing motion.

  The spell connected with my black scales, sending a pulse through my entire body. I flinched, bracing myself for the pain that never came.

  The three bullies took in my new appearance, their jaws slack and eyes wide. Aimes was the first to recover. He threw another spell at me. The force of it punched my shoulder, but no pain followed. Instead, I felt a slight tingling sensation.

  I had no idea why his spells weren’t affecting me. It was like my scales were absorbing the magic and lessening the impact.

  Aimes’ face twisted with rage. “You ugly monster!”

  He threw spell after spell. His friends followed his lead, hitting me in multiple places at once, my arm, shoulder, neck; a bombardment of magical energy. My body soaked it up, as my heart pounded with anxiety. A couple of months ago, they’d beaten me bloody in this same exact way and left me in the forest.

  A heat was building in my throat. I hadn’t breathed fire since that day in the woods when I’d killed those Tromara. Black smoke escaped my nostrils as I advanced on the three bullies. It wasn’t in me to kill them—even after everything they’d done—but they didn’t know that. I wanted them punished, not dead.

  At the sight of the smoke, Bennett and MacTavish bolted, running like their asses were on fire even though I hadn’t touched them. Aimes stood his ground, face-to-face with me.

  “You don’t scare me, Sorrentino.” The waver in his voice belied that comment. “My father’s going to hear about the kind of…monsters this Academy is allowing on campus now.” He turned, striding down the hall.

  My gut filled with a flurry of emotion. I’d stood up to Aimes and he’d backed down. Magic couldn’t hurt me. Had Isabella told the Council I was a dragon-shifter? I’d assumed so, but maybe that was my mistake. Would they unite against her now?

  I shifted back to human form, annoyed that I didn’t feel as victorious as I should have. Had I just messed up by revealing what I was to Aimes? I shook my head. Aimes could go to hell.

  The bell rang. Shit, I was late for English class.

  Jaxon seemed to be doing better this evening, though he was quieter than usual. The four of us sat around his dining table eating an amazing meal that Angel had prepared. He was still an enigma, but he felt less like a stranger.

  I rested my hand on Jaxon’s arm. “What will the Council do about that car bomb? Are they investigating?”

  “Isabella called.” He drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Whoever set it made sure not to leave any magical evidence behind that would lead to them specifically. So it’s a dead end.”

  “You still think it might be your family or a Council member?” I asked.

  Angel snorted. “My vote’s on your cousins.”

  “You’re probably right.” Jaxon’s lips set in a thin line. “But we don’t have any proof. Besides I wouldn’t put it past Councilor Stewart, or even Aimes to pull something like that just to lend Gladys a hand.”

  Angel nodded. “They do like your aunt.”

  I cleared my throat. “I ran into Kyle Aimes and his friends today.”

  Angel tensed beside me. Liam and Jaxon both snapped their gazes to my face.

  I continued, “They were bullying a girl and I confronted them. They tried to use magic on me, but I shifted and…it was like my scales were absorbing the spells.”

  Silence hung heavy in the air as the three men stared at me as if I had grown two heads. Anxiety crept up my spine.

  “What?” I asked, feeling self-conscious.

  Jaxon was the first to recover. “That’s…I would say impossible, but you’re full of surprises.”

  “I’ve never heard of a beast-shifter who was unaffected by magic,” Angel said, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe dragons are different?”

  I shrugged. I didn’t have any answers.

  Liam pursed his lips, thinking. “She’s also immune to compulsion.” He blushed a faint pink. “We, uh, tried it over the weekend.”

  Jaxon glanced at the fae. “I thought compulsion was beneath you. Unethical or something.”

  “It wasn’t my idea. She insisted.” His blush deepened.

  “It’s true,” I said. “I’d had a run-in with a fae last summer who tried to compel me and it didn’t really work. I was curious to see if that was true, so I convinced Liam to try it.”

  “It didn’t work at all?” Angel asked, for once his eyes were their natural amber color, without the golden glow.

  Liam shook his head. “Not even a little.”

  “So, you’re resistant to both compulsion and spells?” Angel folded his massive arms over his broad chest. “Though you weren’t just a few weeks ago. Those witches beat you pretty bad. What changed?” His brow creased.

  “I shifted?” It was a guess. “Nothing else has changed, that I can think of. I can shift now, that’s all.”

  Angel shook his head. “I don’t see how shifting should change you that much. I can only speak of werewolves but, when we shift for the first time it activates part of our DNA to build dense and large muscles. That’s all. Our senses and abilities remain the same in either form.”

  I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Dragon-shifters must have a different kind of DNA activation then. Right?”

  “Theoretically.” Angel glanced at Jaxon. “Maybe we should test this?”

  Jaxon frowned. “I don’t know if that’s—”

  “I want to,” I said, getting up from my seat. I stroked Jaxon’s arm. “Come on.”

  His steel-grey eyes were filled with concern. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded, tugging on his arm. Letting him go, I walked to the living room where there was more space. The guys followed.

  I turned to face them, standing several feet away. “I’m ready.”

  “You want to try this in human form first?” Jaxon asked.

  “Yeah. Compulsion didn’t work in human form, so let’s try it.” I braced myself.

  He pulled out his carnelian wand, then hesitated for several seconds. With a nod, he lifted the long, pointed crystal and flicked his wrist.

  I squeaked as my feet left the ground. I hovered several inches above the floor. “Okay, put me down!”

  Using his wand, Jaxon gently set me back on my feet. “That worked fine.”

  “Yep. Good to know.” I shuddered, brushing off the prickly sensation of the spell. Concentrating, I shifted to dragon form a few seconds later. “Try it again.”

  Jaxon repeated the spell. It connected with my scales, sending a warmth through my body. The energy entered me, transformed from the original spell to pure, usable power. I didn’t know how I knew that, I just did. The question was: Usable for what? How?

  I grinned at the surprised expressions on those three handsome faces. “See?” I asked.

  Jaxon flick
ed his wand again, sending another spell right at me. He’d been holding back before. This spell hit me hard in the stomach, sending me back a step as it caught me off guard. I recovered, and again, my body transformed the spell and absorbed it. The new energy running through me made me feel strong, undefeatable. His magic was so much stronger than the young witch bullies’.

  Liam stepped up to Jaxon, his brow furrowed. “What are you doing?” His tone accusatory. “You could hurt her with that kind of force!”

  Jaxon brushed him off. “I had to know for sure.” He eyed me. “Do you have any idea how powerful this makes you? We need to keep this to ourselves. I don’t want the Council, the dean, or anyone else knowing about what you can do, Caprice.”

  I shifted back to human form, and swallowed hard. The excitement of feeling invincible dissolved into discouragement. I was a freak among supernaturals.

  Liam strode to me. He wrapped me in his strong embrace, his chin resting on the top of my head. “Don’t feel bad. You’re amazing. Too amazing for the rest of us.”

  I nodded against his chest. Our date had changed how I felt about Liam’s mood-sensing abilities. The usual annoyance wasn’t there this time. I liked that he knew how I felt and had exactly the right thing to say. I found it interesting that he could still sense my emotions when no other magic worked on me. Maybe it was a different kind of magic.

  Another hand stroked my hair. Jaxon stood behind me, I could feel his unique power pulsing against my back. It no longer suffocated me as it had when I’d first met him. Of course, I didn’t know then that it was his magic that I was sensing.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about this, but we need to be careful. I want to keep you safe.”

  I turned in Liam’s arms to face Jaxon. “You really think someone will try to hurt me?”

  “Out of either jealousy or a need for power, yes, I do. Not to mention the Tromara. If their King finds out what you can do…he may have you killed to eliminate you as a potential threat. Or, he may want to take you for himself as soon as possible, no matter the terms of the Truce or Isabella’s counter offer.” Jaxon’s jaw worked. “So let’s keep this quiet.”