"You did?" I looked back at my phone and then noticed she had a new phone. "Oh. Did your phone break or something?"
"Something like that," she replied. "My boyfriend bought it for me."
"Boyfriend?!" I gasped. "When did you get a man?"
"Well, we were keeping it on the down low." She looked uncomfortable, fidgeting with her phone as she kept looking over her shoulder.
"I’m your best friend, though. Aren’t I? I tell you everything. Haven't I been loyal enough to know about something as important as that?" I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest.
Yes, Nikko could live her life whatever way she wanted to, but as her apparent best friend, I thought after our many jokes about her needing a boyfriend, she would have shared the news with me.
Nikko rose up and sighed. "Look, Silver. I didn't want to bother you about it. You should get going. I have to head to class."
Why is she trying to brush this under the rug and run away?
"Nikko. You're my best friend. This isn't something you can brush away without even a valid excuse."
"I said I didn't want to bother you."
"I said I didn't want to bother you," I copied in a mocking tone. "That's a bullshit excuse. If the tables were turned, you'd be blowing a fuse and screaming at me."
"That's..." She trailed off and bit her lip. "I need to go."
"Fine." I huffed but froze when my eyes noticed the approaching group coming our way. Ugh. Not now.
Callister and two other males were walking toward us. He had a smug smile on his face. "Hey, Silver."
I rolled my eyes. "Why are you here, Callister?" I questioned in annoyance. He lifted his hands, gesturing around us. "This is the courtyard of free rights for all attending 'supernatural' students. I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to be here."
This is gonna get ugly.
"Whatever. I don't even know why I bothered to ask." I shook my head and looked to Nikko. "I'm gonna head to class. Maybe we can exchange numbers later."
"Uh-"
Callister moved to stand next to Nikko, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close. "Morning, Babe. I heard we have the same classes together."
Shut. The. Fuck. Up. This can't be real.
Nikko bit her lip but slowly nodded, turning her head to look at Callister with a shy smile. "Yup. So glad I get to be with you guys. Makes things a lot easier when we stick together."
Callister’s smile widened, and he leaned in and kissed Nikko deeply.
Whether they purposely slow kissed in front of me or not, a chill ran down my spine, but I kept my expression guarded, not daring to give Callister any satisfaction in seeing my shocked face.
After giving Nikko a light nip on her bottom lip, Callister pulled away and glanced back at me. "I never got to mention when I last saw you that Nikko and I have been dating for a few months now.”
I nodded, giving them a sweet smile. "Aww. I'm happy for you two. Succubus and incubus. Partners in love."
I could tell from the twitch in Callister's left eye that he wasn't pleased with my reaction. Nikko surely noticed, but that only built my confidence they were desperately trying to shatter.
"Seeing as you guys are all together, I guess I should get on my way."
An arm slid along my waist, and the action was so smooth and calming, I knew for sure it had to be someone familiar.
I looked to my right to see Dimitri, who had a seductive smile on his face. I noticed immediately that his eyes were a vivid red, with hints of gold and orange.
Huh? Dimitri?
He slowly looked my way and his grin widened affectionately.
"Silver, love. We're going to be late," Dimitri urged, his voice smooth like a chocolate fountain running over strawberries.
My cheeks flushed as my eyes focused solely on his red ones that danced in mesmerizing delight. He leaned in and kissed me even deeper than whatever display Nikko and Callister had tried to pull off.
I almost forgot about them. Actually, I did forget for a few seconds as a low moan vibrated against my throat as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feverish kiss.
He pulled back, looking even more pleased with my reaction and he turned his attention back to Callister, Nikko, and their two friends, the four of them speechless.
"Whatever business you have with my girlfriend can wait for some other time, like when we don't have classes in five minutes. Wouldn't want you guys to get kicked out already."
"She approached me," Nikko muttered.
Dimitri chuckled, the sound sexy yet chill-inducing.
As in, not in the pleasurable kind of shiver that runs through your body.
He turned his attention to Nikko, and I slightly flinched at his heavy gaze as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"She must have mistaken you for her best friend. See, that sometimes happens since all of you succubi wear the same style of hair and makeup. And with our bland uniforms, it’s pretty easy to mistake people. Maybe next time if someone approaches you, don't egg them on by acting like someone you’re not. I'm sure it’s one of your many succubus tendencies."
Nikko looked like she was about to snap, but Callister seemed to stop her, tightening his hold around her waist.
Dimitri turned his attention to Callister, but he and his boys didn't say a word, earning them a satisfied smile from Dimitri, who returned his attention back to me.
"Let's head to class, love. I want to get there a few minutes early. We can't kiss in class." He leaned in and tugged my bottom lip with his teeth, those glorious red eyes taunting me with lustful feelings of longing.
Shit. I'd fuck him right here and now and wouldn't care about the consequences.
All I could do was slowly nod, and we turned from the group and began to walk away. It took us leaving the courtyard and going down a hall full of pillars before my rather fuzzy mind began to clear up and I absorbed everything that had just occurred.
"Dimitri?" I hadn't realized we were holding hands now. He was walking a step ahead, guiding me along the busy halls. He glanced back to meet my curious gaze, but his eyes were back to their molten amber mix.
He smiled and gave me a confused look as he stopped for a moment. "What's up, Blossom?"
"Uh..." I trailed off, unsure how to rephrase what had just happened. "About the courtyard."
"What about it?" He looked even more confused.
Does he not remember?
I debated on whether to continue on it, but I realized Nikko, Callister, and the rest of them weren't important. I certainly wasn't going to risk us being late for class because of it.
I squeezed his hand and moved to stand in front of him. Going on my tiptoes and closing my eyes, I gave him a light kiss on his lips.
It was soft with barely any movement, but I wanted him to know I appreciated him dearly.
He kissed me back, slipping his free hand around my waist to pull me close to him. Students buzzed around us, but it didn't matter to me. My mind was solely focused on kissing Dimitri and giving him the love he deserved for protecting me.
I released his lips and opened my eyes to see his dazed ones.
"What was that for?" he asked, his cheeks slightly red.
My sweet smile grew on my lips. "For being you."
I pulled back and noticed he still looked confused but recovered quickly with a boyish grin forming on his lips.
He squeezed my hand. "I feel honored for acting like my usual self." He beamed. "Ready for class?"
I nodded with enthusiasm. "Yup!"
His expression softened and the two of us continued down the hall toward our first class.
Cliques. I always knew I hated them.
19
Magical History And Fine Arts
"This is why witches are technically not considered a supernatural. They use magic to aid them and the elements are a big factor to that, but for us shifters, we can change into an animal or entity like angels, vampires, fae, the list goes on and on. This doesn't mean w
itches don't have their own uniqueness. Some witches with enough power can become a shifter through a magical artifact or possession. It's a temporary solution, but it's one option that highly ranked witches can use in time of disguise. It's similar to how we work to learn more about magic and usage of spells to aid us on a mission. During your years here at S.S.S. you'll be gaining all the knowledge a witch would receive in terms of spell casting. However, you have to learn the same history as they do to wrap your mind around the possibilities. Magic is based on feeling and boundless imagination. Without that, you cannot unlock your true magic potential."
I continued sketching magic circles in my notebook.
I loved the creativity that came with magic circles, especially when you could personalize them to fit your own magical traits.
Our first official class was Magical History and Fine Arts. Essentially, it was one of those boring, mandatory classes you had to take where the professor talks your ear off about everything that ISN'T on the test.
Dimitri and I had made it on time, grabbing two desks near the back of the classroom. I wasn't one to care about where I sat, and with this being one of my strong points, I could zone out without any issues.
The textbook we were requested to buy was one of the many books I'd learned in kindergarten. I had every spell, ancient wizards’ and witches’ names, and the catastrophe that occurred due to the malpractice of magic engraved into my mind.
That and I'd simply used a magic spell to memorize the entire thing because I was lazy and wanted to watch television shows.
Our professor was Mrs. Nutella.
Yes. Her actual name was the same as the addictive chocolate spread.
She gave us the whole story about her name and even offered us jars of Nutella to take with us after class.
I planned to store it in my locker with Dimitri's, which I was planning to "borrow" later on when mine ran out, but Dimitri suggested we keep them with us.
Something about older students using spells to steal them out of lockers and replace them with snakes.
Yuck.
We were an hour into the lecture, and my mind was already craving a break. I'd always been an attentive person when it came to learning something new and intriguing, but again, this was all like repeating a class and getting the extra credit to help you pass.
My other hand was resting in Dimitri's hand on top of our desk. He'd been holding it since class started, drawing circles along my palm while he leaned back and listened to Mrs. Nutella.
I glanced at his open notebook, which didn't have a single word written on the lined sheet of paper.
I wondered if Dimitri was memorizing the entire lecture or if he really didn't care.
Returning to my sketches, I continued to add the finishing touches to the magic circle, hoping I'd get to test it out later.
My random magic circle doodles were helping tame the real whirlwind buzzing through my mind about the confrontation in the courtyard.
The thought of Nikko dating Callister still blew my mind, as did the fact that she'd done a complete one-eighty on me in just a few days. This was a girl I'd shared some of my darkest secrets with, but I was glad the one thing my mom had taught me was to never reveal your weaknesses.
If fire was your weakness, say water. Scared of thunder? Say you're terrified of lightning. Always speak the opposite unless you truly trust the person with your insecurities and what could be used against you.
I hadn't felt the need to tell the guys any major weaknesses, and even if I had to, I felt like they wouldn't use it against me.
Though Nikko had been my best friend, there were those small occurrences at school or at work that would throw me into a second-guessing mood.
The courtyard confrontation was the icing on the cake. As much as they tried to humiliate and anger me, I was happy to be away from Callister’s grip. I’d learned the hard way how dangerous an incubus could be.
But my lesson must have not been enough for me to overlook Nikko's real intentions.
It could have been because I didn't want to accept being alone. Accept the fact that I didn't truly have a friend.
The thought made my anxiety spike, and I pondered whether I'd be able to make any other friends aside from the guys.
I enjoyed their company, but we had four years ahead of us at S.S.S. We wouldn't always have the same classes or be together. I'd inevitably have to make friends, but I had never fit in even when I was similar to everyone else.
How would the next four years be the best years of my life now that I was different?
"Mewr."
I blinked at the sound, looking at my desk to see where Star was. Dimitri had a playful grin on his lips before he turned his attention to me.
"Are you anxious about something?"
"Yes," I whispered back. "But is Star on my head?"
"Uh...." Dimitri looked to the front of the class. I followed his gaze and had to cover my mouth to try not to gasp.
Star was sitting on Mrs. Nutella's head, staring up at one of the moon-shaped room lights.
A few students snickered while a girl raised her hand. From the moment we started class and she started asking questions, I knew she was what people liked to call a teacher's pet.
"Mrs. Nutella! There's a random kitten with a horn on your head."
"Hmm?" Mrs. Nutella looked up to try and spot Star, but she ended up lifting her hand and picking Star up, who paused in her staring to turn her attention to our teacher.
I mentally groaned, my nerves and anxiety shooting up at least two more levels.
"Well, hello, little kitten. You must be someone's pet or familiar for you’re rather powerful for a little gal. You have a cute little horn, too." Mrs. Nutella sweetly talked to Star, who began to purr at her attention and nudge her head against her hand.
"Who might this kitten hybrid belong to?" Mrs. Nutella asked.
I was ready to raise my shaking hand, but Dimitri raised his free hand up.
"It's ours, Mrs. Nutella," he said with a confident smile. I returned my attention to him, seeing how calm and generally happy he was.
I couldn't believe he was so laid back in this situation.
"Star appears whenever she likes. She must have been intrigued by the lesson regarding how shifters have evolved from our first forms many years ago. You also mentioned stars. That could have summoned her."
My jaw fell open at the realization he had been listening to the lecture the entire time. “And who does ‘ours’ mean?" Mrs. Nutella inquired.
"Me and my girlfriend." He nodded his head in my direction, lifting our joined hands in the air for extra emphasis. "Our team takes care of Star, which is the unicorn kitten's name."
"Intriguing." Mrs. Nutella smiled and nodded her head in approval. "She's a strong unicorn kitten. She may come to my class whenever she likes."
"Mewr!" Star replied happily.
She lowered Star to the desk, and the little uni-kitten stretched and nudged her head against Mrs. Nutella's hand one last time before she began hopping on anything to get back to where we sat at the back of the class.
Anything meaning all the students heads that were in our row.
She landed on our desk and beamed at our attention.
"Mewr!" She ran around our joined hands before climbing on top of them and sitting in place.
She looked proud of herself and earned a few "aww" and "so cute" comments from a few of the shifters around us.
"Our apologies for disrupting the class," Dimitri humbly apologized.
Mrs. Nutella shook her head and grinned. "No worries at all. In fact, this is the perfect time for a break. Everyone enjoy a fifteen-minute break thanks to that adorable kitten.”
Everyone sighed and a few cheered and thanked us. I let out the breath I was holding. "I'm so happy that turned out well."
"A lot better than I expected." Dimitri nodded and reached out with his free hand to pet Star, who was still sitting on our hands while staring at my ma
gic circle designs.
He gave me a relaxed grin, using his free hand to pat my head.
"What were you thinking about to summon Star?"
"The courtyard," I mumbled with a sheepish smile.
The class was mostly empty, so I wasn't worried about someone overhearing our conversation.
Dimitri nodded, looking deep in thought for a full minute. "Who was the guy?"
"Callister? That's my ex."
Dimitri raised an eyebrow at me. "The rich one who basically treated you like shit and wouldn't help fund your Dad's treatment?"
I nodded in reply, lowering my gaze to Star, who was now curled up and sleeping. I reached out to stroke her body lightly as she slept.
"The girl is Nikko. The one I drunk texted. Not like she got the text seeing as she got a new phone, courtesy of Callister." I rolled my eyes at the reminder.
"Callister. Incubus. Money. Makes sense. Is he a control freak?" Dimitri inquired.
"A little? I mean...he always organized our dates and wanted me to fit into his schedule."
"Did he give you a lot of gifts?"
"Yes. Lots without me asking for anything. I’d tell him I didn’t need them, but he would insist," I replied.
"That's why he thinks he has control over people. It makes you second guess someone’s true intentions because they're spending money on you."
"You're very observant," I noted, resting my head on the desk. "We’ve been broken up for years now, but..."
"Just because you two broke up, doesn't mean it shouldn't bother you when he deliberately tries to irritate you. Especially when he's using your apparent best friend as bait."
"They're dating," I corrected, resting my right side of my head onto the desk so I could look at him.
"He's using her," Dimitri countered.
"You don't know that," I defended.
Dimitri stared at me for five seconds. "He looks at you like you're still his. Just because you kiss someone, doesn't mean their feelings are mutual."
I stared into his amber eyes. "You don't like him."
"He shouldn't try to claim what's ours," he replied.
I gave him a sly grin. "You're fine with sharing me with the others but no one else?"
SSS: Year One (Supernatural Spy School Book 1) Page 21