I stood. My body acting on his orders while a part of my mind screamed in protest. I moved around my desk and started toward the door.
“I’ll see you again over spring break,” my father said, a satisfied smirk on his face.
Caprice was in Physiology with Montrell at this hour. I strolled toward Fotia Hall, dreading what would happen once I arrived.
It was like watching myself act from the inside. A part of me was conscious of what I was doing and trying to summon up the willpower to stop it. But the compulsion was too strong. It overrode my will, and all I could do was go along for the ride. Once I’d completed my fathers orders, his compulsion magic would leave me. In its place would be horror and humiliation. I knew the sequence all too well.
I opened the door to Montrell’s classroom and poked my head in, “I need to see Miss Sorrentino,” I said in a steady voice.
Montrell nodded. Of course he’d give her over to me without a second thought. I was a known quantity—harmless.
I stood in the door as Caprice gathered her books and backpack. She glanced up at me with a curious expression as we left.
“What’s going on?” she asked. I’d never pulled her from a class before. “Is this about the book? Have you finished translating it?”
“Not yet,” I said. “Come with me.” I strode out the large double doors as she trailed behind.
She trusted me, coming along willingly. My stomach twisted. I’d been compelled by my father hundreds of times, yet I’d never found a way to break out of it.
In Academy Hall, we climbed the stairs to the second floor. I let us in to my apartment, the thud of the closing door sounded ominous to my ears. I wanted to tell her to run. To hide. To get as far away from me as possible.
Caprice faced me. “Why are we here?” When I didn’t respond, she said, “Liam? You’re—”
I closed the distance between us, my mouth claiming hers. She let out a surprised sound in the back of her throat. I kissed her harder, deeper.
Lifting her in my arms, I strode to my bedroom, switched the lamp on, and set her on the comforter. I eased her back, climbing over her until her body was pinned beneath mine. My traitorous body was already responding, growing hard. I’d wanted her in my bed for so long, but not like this. This was wrong.
I wrapped her legs around my hips, grinding her into the bed, as I explored her mouth with my tongue. She tasted so sweet. Her exotic scent filled my nose. For a second I was lost in her, wanting her. The compulsion wasn’t the only thing driving me on.
My gut turned. No, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Uncertainty rolled off her. She broke away. “Liam, shouldn’t we talk about this? Obviously, something has changed. What is it?”
My tongue formed the lie quickly. “I stood up to my father, like I said I would. We can be together now.” My fingers undid the button on her jeans, sliding them off along with her panties. Quickly, I undid my belt and fly, freeing my cock. I was ready to take her.
“Liam?” Caprice’s brow was furrowed in confusion. “This isn’t you. What’s going on?”
I took her mouth again and grabbed her thighs, digging my fingers into her smooth flesh. The need to enter her was overwhelming.
She pushed back on my stomach, tearing her lips from mine. “This isn’t right.”
Her fear and confusion hit my chest. I was going to hate myself once this was over.
That small, conscious part of me wanted to cheer her on for fighting back. But she was so petite, and no match for my physical strength. I pinned her arms over head, holding both wrists in one hand. My other hand groped her breast through the sweater she was still wearing.
I locked eyes with her. The next part of my father’s orders coming into play. In a voice full of compulsive resonance, I said, “You will not resist me.”
Caprice’s eyes grew wide. The alarm in them was quickly replace with understanding. Still holding my gaze, black scales spread across her naked skin. Her eyes turned a fiery red, her teeth sharpened, and black talons replaced her fingernails.
23
Caprice
I shifted, laying pinned under Liam. I’d felt that something wasn’t right from the start. He was too emotionally distant as we walked to Academy Hall. Though he had been a bit distant lately, so I hadn’t thought too much about it until we’d arrived in his apartment.
It wasn’t until he started peeling off my clothes that I knew this was all wrong. Liam was a lover—gentle though passionate. He wouldn’t make love like this. He’d take his time. He’d never pin me down. And he certainly wouldn’t try to use compulsion on me if I resisted.
We both knew compulsion didn’t work, even when I was in human form. Whoever had cast this spell on him wasn’t privy to that information.
Plus, there was the humming energy in him that wasn’t his own. I had noticed my ability to sense magic first with Jaxon. From the time I’d met him, it had pressed in on me in his car. Then every time he was nearby. Liam had a similar, though much more subtle kind of magic in him. I’d grown so used to it, that it barely registered. But this new humming was not his own.
My best guess was that his father had compelled him to do this. Liam had warned me that this could happen. That his father could control him and use him to get to me. I should have been more prepared for this.
In my dragon form, I reached for that power stored in my chest. I knew what I wanted to do, and hoped it would work.
Summoning the tingling sensation of magic up to my throat, I said, “The compulsion spell is broken.” I exhaled over Liam’s face. This time, with the bedside lamp fully illuminating us, I noticed my breath had taken on a reddish hue. Vapor.
Liam startled, he gazed down at me like he didn’t understand what was going on. Horror filled his eyes. He released my wrists and scrambled away from me. Pulling up his pants, he secured the zipper and button. He sat at the foot of the bed, burying his head in his hands.
“I’m so, so sorry,” he said.
I shifted down and pulled on my own underwear and jeans. Then I went to sit next to him, wrapping my arm around his shoulders. “This is not your fault,” I said as sternly as I could.
His shoulders shook as he let out a sob. “Yes it is. I should be stronger than this.”
I tried to bring him closer, but he held his body rigid, unwilling to take comfort in me. “Come on, Liam, don’t beat yourself up over this.”
He took his hands away from his face, looking at me incredulously. His pale skin was blotchy. “I almost raped you!”
“That wasn’t you,” I said, rubbing his back in slow circles. The tears in his green eyes broke my heart.
He studied my face. “What did you do? How did you break me out of that?”
That was the Liam I knew. Always curious and asking questions. “Magic,” I said.
“What?” His hands fell to his lap. “Only a witch can break a compulsion spell.”
“It turns out dragons have magic too. At least some of us. I’ve been meaning to tell you guys, but you’re never around.” I felt bad as soon as the words left my mouth.
Liam gazed down at his hands. “I know. I’m sorry for that too.”
I took his jaw, forcing him to face me again. After searching his sad eyes, I leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his luscious lips. “I think this was good for both of us.”
He looked alarmed.
“You can’t defeat your father on your own, and you shouldn’t have to. That’s why you have us. Remember when you guys told me about Jaxon getting beat up when he was a kid? How Angel stepped in and used his physical power to protect him?”
“Yeah,” Liam said with a sigh.
“Well, now you’re the one who needs protecting. Between the four of us, we’ve got this. You just have to let us in.” I leaned against his arm. “Let me in.”
“But I shouldn’t need protecting.” Liam rested his chin on the top of my head.
I snorted. “Everyone needs protectin
g some times. Do you remember how many times you guys saved my ass last term?”
“Of course I do. But—”
“No buts. You’re mine, and I’m going to keep you safe.”
He fell silent, slipping his arm around my waist. The citrusy smell of him filled my nose. I inhaled, resting my cheek against his chest. Finally, I was back in Liam’s arms.
The week before finals passed in a whirlwind of studying. By the night before exams, I took a break to clear my head. If I wasn’t really by now, I was never going to be.
Wednesday night, the four of us sat around Jaxon’s glass coffee table with the Tromara Codex. I was settled in next to Liam with the other two on the couch opposite of us.
Jaxon ran his hands over the book. “There were some serious protective wards on this at one point. I can still feel the residual energy.” He glanced at me. “Did it give you any trouble when you opened it the first time?”
“No, not at all.”
“Marsilia must have broken through them.” He let his hand rest on the book’s front cover. “Rumor was she went insane. I wonder if breaking through these wards had anything to do with that.”
I shuddered. “Who’s the portrait in the back?” I touched Liam’s arm. “Did you talk with it when you were translating the book?”
“No way. I glanced at it, but made sure to keep it covered while I worked.” He squeezed my knee. “That’s Sebastian Anastos. The Tromara’s King. Do you think he got a good look at you in the library?”
“I don’t know. Why?” I asked.
Liam and Jaxon exchanged a glance. “He might actually be able to see through that portrait. Like a window between where he is in the real world and wherever this book is,” Liam said. “We can be pretty confident that he’ll know someone found his Codex, even if he didn’t get a long look at you. He’ll be searching for it with renewed vigor.”
“Then we should destroy it,” I said, glancing at the three of them. “We know the truth now. This book is dangerous if it falls back into the Tromara’s hands.”
“I agree.” Jaxon picked up the book in one hand then murmured a spell that made it hover in the air. He snapped his fingers, producing flame and brought it to the edge of the pages. The fire licked over the cover. The paper smoked for a second before catching.
Heat washed over my face as I watched it burn. The Codex began to shudder, vibrating faster. It stilled for a second. A violent burst of energy shot out from it, throwing me against the couch’s back and shattering the glass coffee table below. The book dropped to the floor.
“What the hell?” Liam stared at the tome. It was unburned, perfectly restored to its previous condition.
“What happened?” I asked. “It was on fire, wasn’t it?”
Jaxon shook his head. “Of course it would be indestructible. There were wards against opening it. I should have known there’d be wards against destroying it.” He sighed. “I’m not touching going to try to break through them, it’s too dangerous. What are we going to do now?”
Angel sat with his arms folded. “I want to take it up north. I can hide it.”
“Getting if off campus is a good idea,” Jaxon said,”especially if the Tromara come looking for it here.”
“I agree. So,” I said, “now that we know that Marsilia’s translation was accurate, what are we going to do?”
“You do realize this could all be for nothing. We’re assuming that there’s no copy of this book out there,” Jaxon said. “King Sebastian could have a copy of those rituals. In which case, the Tromara are as strong as ever.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe that.”
“We can’t act on assumptions alone, Caprice.”
I folded my arms, sitting back. “How can we get proof?”
“Let’s wait and see how the Tromara react,” Jaxon said, tentatively picking the book up off the floor.
“It’s been two weeks since I opened it. They haven’t done anything in that time,” I said, frustrated. “Maybe they do have a copy.” Damn.
Liam gazed over at me. “Let’s give it until the start of next term. See if they do anything over the break, which would be the logical time to come looking if they’re going to.”
“Fine.” I nodded. “But you guys agree that we can’t just let this rest, right? Eventually we’ll need to do something.”
“I’d like to take this information to Isabella,” Jaxon said. “She’ll ultimately decide what we are to do. I think it’s time to get her in the loop.”
Angel took the Codex from Jaxon. “I agree. We need to fill her in. I’ll still take this north, though, it’ll be safer than leaving it here. If I were the King the first place I’d look for this is here on campus.”
Liam nodded.
“Okay,” I said. “When are you going to tell her?”
“I don’t want to tell her over the phone. I will be in town for Council meetings with my aunt for most of spring break. I’ll do it then,” Jaxon said.
I stood. “Speaking of spring break, I need to make sure I’m all set for finals tomorrow. I’ll see you guys later.” Liam brought my hand to his lips, then released me so I could leave.
Just like at mid-terms, finals were two nights of two classes each. I had my main lecture class finals on Thursday. The first half of the night was spent in Physiology. I turned in my hefty report on mutated genetics. We had a test in there as well.
As class went on, I was growing more and more annoyed that Brody had decided to skip it all together. Was Montrell going to dock me points for my partner’s actions? The report had both our names on it, but that was as much involvement as Brody had with this project.
I refocused on the last few questions of the exam, a sense of relief washing over me as I penciled in the last bubble. I was so done with this class. It didn’t mean I’d never have a class with Montrell again, and he was still my academic advisor, but I’d have a week long break from him. And with any luck, no classes with him next term.
With the finished exam in hand, I meandered to the front of the room and dropped it on the teacher’s desk. Montrell glanced up from the book he was reading. That piercing hazel gaze studied my face for several seconds before switching back to the book.
I turned and fled back to my seat. There was no way he could have known that Liam was under a compulsion spell when he’d taken me out of Montrell’s class. Still, it made me edgy that Montrell seemed to know about me and the guys. He’d told them that Destiny and her girls had attacked me. Why? What was it to him?
Sure, he’d eased off of me for the last half of this term, but I didn’t really expect that to hold, or become the new norm with him. He sure as hell didn’t actually care about me. So why tell the guys I might have been hurt?
The bell rang for lunch. I was almost out of here for good. I heaved my backpack over a shoulder and turned toward the door.
“Miss Sorrentino,” Montrell’s deep voice halted me in my tracks.
I let out a heavy sigh. “Yes,” I said as politely as I could, turning to face him.
He strolled up the aisle, hand’s clasped behind him as usual. Stopping in front of me, he stared down and said, “Where is Mr. Collins?”
As if I was his damned caretaker, or even his friend. I shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him tonight.” Anxiety fluttered in my stomach at Montrell’s hard look.
“You’re just a whore like your grandmother, aren’t you?” His voice came out in the same even tone as usual.
I sputtered. “What did you just say?”
He leaned in. “You have three, normally level-headed men, wrapped around your little finger. Does that make you feel powerful?” His gaze swept over my face, lingering on my lips before finding my eyes again. “Do you like manipulating men?”
I swallowed hard. “What are you talking about? That’s not—it’s not like that.”
“Your dear grandmama was the same way when she was young.” Montrell’s warm breath sent a shiver through me.
His body was so close, I could feel the heat radiating from him.
My inner dragon perked up. I clamped down on the attraction. This guy was off limits. He was a complete asshole. Sure, he was gorgeous, but right now he was insulting Isabella, calling her a whore.
I clenched my jaw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you’re not going to shake me up.”
“I already have.” His gaze darted to my lips once more. He turned, strolling back to his desk, like he hadn’t just insulted my grandma and called me a manipulative slut.
I rushed out the door. He could go to hell!
Lana caught me in the hallway. She took one look at my face and sighed. “What the fuck did he do now?”
“Called my grandma a whore, insinuated that I was too, and accused me of manipulating men.” I huffed, my face hot. “How was your final?”
“Ah, it went okay.” Lana hustled to keep pace with me. “At least you’re finally out of his class. Want to vent about it over lunch?”
I nodded, turning in the direction of Sorrentino Hall.
When we were half way to the cafeteria, Lana muttered, “Oh, shit. We have our Beast Shifting final next and I forgot a change of clothes.”
“Do you want to get them now or after lunch?” I asked. My hands were still shaking with rage. Who the hell did Montrell think he was?
“Better get them while I’m thinking of it, or I’ll totally forget.” Lana turned around.
“That’s fine. I could use the fresh air.” Still gritting my teeth, I marched across the lawn to Freeman Dorm. Everywhere I turned, I had to be reminded of that bastard.
We climbed the stone staircase. “Sorry,” I said, “I’m just so done with him.” I made a frustrated noise. “Really though, how did your final go?”
“Good. I totally aced it, and it was the one I was most worried about.” Lana grinned. “I’m actually looking forward to our Shifting final. It’s going to be so much fun!”
Winter Term Page 18