Sibelius had moved further away. As if he could feel my gaze, he turned and looked back at me. I dropped my head quickly and whispered to Lance, “Why is he staring at me? Is he still staring at me?”
Lance gave me a funny look. “What happened? You and he seemed to have a moment.”
“Miss Whitman, would you please stay after class?” Sibelius’s voice rang clearly through the classroom. All chatter ceased. I didn’t have to look up to know everyone was gawking at me.
“Ehm…” No, I didn’t want to be alone with him. But I couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse him. The teacher had moved closer again and was looking expectantly at me. My resolve and apprehension floated away. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, a little voice said, “Can you stop rolling over for this guy? What’s gotten into you?”
But it was easy to shut it down. Of course, I would stay behind to spend some more time with Mr. Sibelius. I would do whatever he wanted me to do. What did he want me to do? Wait until the other students had left and spread me on the desk? My lips pulled into a dreamy smile.
My pleasant daydreams were interrupted by Kiernan’s sharp voice. My eyes flew open, and I glared at my boyfriend who had raised his arm and waved it frantically. “Mr. Sibelius, I’m sorry. Ms. Farkas wants to see Amber right after class. In fact, we should probably go now so we won’t be late. The head witch wanted to discuss a project with both of us.”
Mr. Sibelius’s forehead scrunched up in displeasure at the interruption. But he nodded and said, “Well, you better get going then. Class is nearly over, anyway.”
I’d barely put all my things into my bag when Kiernan grabbed my arm and pulled me up off my chair. Once we were outside of the classroom, I slapped his chest. “What the hell did you do that for? Farkas doesn’t want to see us.”
10
Kiernan rubbed his hand over his sternum, pretending I’d hurt him. He marched off, forcing me to dash after him. Over his shoulder, he said, “I was getting worried about you. You were acting so strange. As if you were hypnotized. You were right. There’s something seriously wrong with that teacher. I needed to get you out of there.”
I was breathing fast, trying to keep up with Kiernan’s pace. Away from Sibelius, my head cleared by the second. Kiernan had put his finger on it. I’d fallen into a trance just by looking into Sibelius’s gorgeous eyes.
Kiernan threw a worried look back at the overflow hut as if he expected the teacher to come running after us. I pulled on his arm to slow him down. “Thank you,"I said quietly.
He smiled and leaned in to peck my lips. I moved back, scanning whether there were any teachers around before getting too friendly with the boys. Kiernan’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on? You seem nervous.”
I’d have to tell them sooner or later. Why, oh why, had I told the head witch that impulsive lie? If she wanted the boys, she’d take them, whether they were dating me or not. But nobody was watching us. Students were only leaving their classes now, rushing to where they needed to go next.
“I’ll tell you later,” I promised. Arm in arm, we walked across the campus. Another minute later, Lance caught up with us.
“Library?"he asked, slightly out of breath.
When I nodded, Lance took my free hand. “Is Julian coming?”
Both boys looked expectantly at me, as if it were up to me to take the decision. I shrugged, trying my hardest not to stumble over my feet. Walking with two other people wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
“It’s up to him. I don’t have a problem with him being a drama queen.”
Kiernan grinned. “No problem, hey? You really sound as if you believe your own bullshit.”
I pulled away. He might be right, but I didn’t like being called out. He responded with a smirk, knowing full well how much that pissed me off. I was still irritated when we arrived at the library.
Entering the building first, I held the door for the boys. Julian had clearly decided not to come, and I was equal parts annoyed at his stubbornness and relieved I didn’t have to deal with him right now.
Mr. Denholm, the librarian, greeted me with a curt nod. He’d been the first person to point out to me that they were many more non-humans at the Academy than I’d realized. He was the one who’d warned me about my ex-roommate Sharon. He’d also given me a book from his private collection with arcane knowledge and spells, most of which went straight over my head.
The librarian might have been old, but there was no doubt his mind was as sharp as a much younger man’s. He’d been around a lot longer than anybody else in the Academy, except Ms. Farkas herself, and he’d be a valuable source of information if I could convince him to share.
Lance, Kiernan, and I settled down at our usual table, out of view from other library users. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf provided cover, and the squeaking of the wooden floorboards would warn us of anybody approaching. We were drawing diagrams and brainstormed experiments we could use at the end-of-term exams when Denholm’s dragging steps moved towards us. I nudged Kiernan, and we fell silent as we waited for the librarian to reach us.
After what seemed an eternity, Mr. Denholm emerged from behind the bookshelf. He usually looked washed out with his white hair and old-fashioned gray suit, but today, his face sported an unhealthy pallor I didn’t remember seeing last time I’d visited the library.
I hope he isn’t sick. The thought popped up as the librarian pulled up a chair and sat down. My gaze darted to Kiernan and Lance, but they looked as clueless as I felt. What did the old man want?
He was regarding us wordlessly, raising our curiosity by another notch. Clearly, there was something on his mind. I fidgeted a little, wondering if I should speak first, but then Mr. Denholm asked, “Have you heard from the nixie?”
Ah. This is about Sharon. I shook my head. “No. Only that Mrs. Palmer took her back to Canada.”
Denholm nodded. “Good. She got out then.”
He stood up and turned to leave. Was that it? I cleared my throat and called after him, “Hang on. What do you mean by that?”
The old man stopped, his mouth curving downwards. “Excuse me?”
Oops. I could have phrased that better. Forcing myself to use a calmer, more polite tone, I said, “Please, sit down. Don’t you think you owe us an explanation? You seem to know a lot more about this than you’re letting on.”
Mr. Denholm hesitated, then did as I’d asked him to. He folded his gnarled hands on the table and waited. We stared at each other like opponents in a chess game.
I made the first move. “I read the chapter in your book about preventing accidental magic drain. Why didn’t it work?”
The corners of his mouth twitched, but his eyebrows stayed straight above his eyes. “How would I know? Maybe you misread the instructions? I heard your hex bags were amateurish.”
“Who said that?"My voice cracked. I’d been so sure I’d found a way for my boys and me to explore our sexuality safely. Lance had been my first, and I’d been looking forward to take it further with all of them. That was until Julian had fallen ill. We’d learned we’d drained him by accident. So when Mr. Denholm had handed me an ancient book about protective magic, I’d made cloth bags for each of us. Except, it hadn’t worked and Julian had nearly paid for it with his life.
Kiernan took my hand and glared at the old librarian. “What’s your issue? If you got something to say, say it."
In the face of my boyfriend’s anger, Mr. Denholm stayed calm. He removed his glasses and polished them with a cloth handkerchief he’d pulled out of his pocket. Kiernan was bristling, but he held back while we waited for Denholm to speak.
The old man finally put the glasses back on and said, “Hold your horses, kid. Magic isn’t as easy as throwing some herbs into a bag. Amber here never came to see me after she thought she’d found out how to stop the drain. I would have told her how to do it correctly.”
All eyes swiveled towards me. I opened my mouth and closed it again. He was right. I hadn’t asked fo
r help, but I probably should have. The book had listed herbs and crystals, and I’d followed the instructions like a cooking recipe. It had never occurred to me that that mightn’t have been enough. Had it been my fault Julian nearly died?
My eyes welled up. I’d fucked up. Again. The last time, I’d killed a bunch of people because my lightning power had torn through the small town I was from. It had cost me my family, my friends, and my freedom. This time, it could have cost me one of my boyfriends. The boy who’d looked after me when I’d first gotten here. I blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears.
“Now, now. There’s no need for drama. The young man is still alive, last I heard. I didn’t come here to fight or make you feel guilty. But you have to learn how to use the book properly.”
The librarian was calm, ignoring the tears running down my face. Embarrassment heated my cheeks. I rubbed the moisture from my face and dried my fingers on my jeans. Mr. Denholm’s left eyebrow shot up in disapproval, but he didn’t offer me his kerchief. Instead, he got up and said, “I want to see you once a week for an hour. Come see me in my private office."
I stared as he returned to his front desk. Kiernan was rubbing my back, visibly upset as I struggled for control. “Don’t listen to him. We know you didn’t mean to hurt Julian.”
Lance shrugged. His eyes were stormy, but his voice sounded calm, as if he were talking to a child. “I know Amber didn’t mean it. But her hex bags did fail. I think it’s odd that she’s the only student in the academy who’s being offered private tuition by two of the most senior staff. The question is, why?”
Kiernan slapped his book shut. “I have no clue. I do know I’m not in the mood for studying anymore.”
Lance nodded, following his friend’s example. “What do you want to do instead?”
Kiernan looked at me, a smile playing around his lips. “I think Amber needs cheering up. How about it?”
11
Oh, yes. I needed cheering up. The way both of my boys looked at me as they ushered me along made my stomach do flip-flops. Not to mention that Kiernan “accidentally” brushed my nipples as we covered the few hundred yards to their dorm.
Maybe my body was getting used to being stimulated? Because whenever the guys touched me, the sensations traveled to my crotch, making me shiver and bite back moans.
The effect the boys had on me was ridiculous. Lust quickly overpowered any caution to give me a perfect excuse. Who am I fooling? The head witch likely knew I was lying about the boys. I don’t want them to stop touching me.
By the time we entered the building, hands were under my coat, brushing over whatever bare skin they could reach in a way unsuitable for public viewing.
Kiernan kissed a line along my neck while Lance opened the bedroom door. It smelled stale after the recent cold spell had made it unpleasant to open the windows all day. Lance rushed to air out the room while Kiernan distracted me successfully with his tongue and lush lips. I clung to him, enjoying the slow buildup of arousal.
Lance turned me gently away from his friend and slid his hands into the back of my jeans. He squeezed while kissing me. I pushed against him, enjoying the rush of heat between my legs. Moaning into his mouth, I couldn’t believe how quickly he revved my engine.
He pulled back and brushed the hair out of my face. The gentle gesture made my knees buckle. He whispered against my lips, “I’m sorry, I have to go. I forgot I have to hand in a paper tomorrow. I’ll come back when I’m done, but if I stay now, I won’t be able to focus on homework later.”
I tried to pout, but Lance handed me back to Kiernan. Soon, I found myself in one of my favorite positions, straddling Kiernan’s muscular thighs. I didn’t even notice Lance leaving. Running my palms over the hairs on Kiernan’s belly, I marveled at the texture. He felt so soft and warm, yet slightly furry. My fingertips explored his body as I ran my hands up the sides.
Kiernan sighed and pulled my head towards his until I was lying on top of his torso. When his tongue pressed into my mouth, I closed my eyes and fell into the sensation.
More and more over the last few weeks, a feeling of comfort, of home, of belonging to him, had been building. Every time we kissed, I wanted to whisper, “I love you.” I was ready, but was he? I hoped so.
A particularly languid slide of his tongue derailed that train of thought. His cock was hard and rubbing against me. We were both still dressed, but that made it even hotter. He was getting me off by rocking his hips rhythmically against my crotch. I moaned as I tilted my pelvis to feel him right there.
If he keeps doing that, I’m gonna... I’m gonna...
The sound of a key in the lock stopped me just as I was ready to let go. The door opened, and I pulled away. Kiernan groaned in protest, but I couldn’t carry on if I didn’t know who was there, watching us. What if Lawson had followed me?
When I turned my head, Julian stared with such longing and pain in his eyes, my chest ached. Kiernan grumbled, but it sounded resigned. He pushed against my shoulders, helping me to get up. I was glad we hadn’t gotten undressed before Julian walked in.
Nobody said anything. I didn’t know where to start, how to make it better. I wasn’t angry anymore. All I wanted was to run over to the tall doofus and hug the stuffing out of him.
He stood there, staring at the ground, his expression downcast and despairing. But he’d been so upset when he’d left, and I’d been equally pissed, I had no clue how to bridge the gap.
“I should leave,” I muttered, pushing myself off the bed. Walking past him, I avoided eye contact. This was so painful. I wanted to hold him and tell him it would be okay.
But as I passed, he reached out and whispered, “I’m sorry. I was an ass.”
I nearly staggered with relief. Grasping his hand, I replied, “So was I.”
He pulled me into a tight hug, and I held on for dear life. He was so much taller than me, he had to bend over to hold his cheek against mine. The tension leaked out of his body, and he melted against me.
I clung to him, our bodies pressed against each other tightly. “I don’t want to lose you. We can do this. Together.”
He nodded against my head. Kiernan stepped in and stretched his arms around both of us. My heart lifted. A new spark of hope bloomed in my chest like a lighter in the dark. Maybe it would work out after all.
Kiernan was the first to step back. “I’m going to miss this,” he said quietly.
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll fight again soon, and then you get another group hug.”
Julian held me closer, but my gaze was trained on Kiernan’s face. His expression was wistful, and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else. But he never did.
12
When I finally made it back, Slug was waiting for me. His light-blue eyes followed me from the moment I entered the room. I’d expected him to be asleep under my cover or hiding under Beth’s bed.
But the cat was wide-awake and alert. His ears were flattened against his skull and his body tense. Every time there was a noise in the hallway, he sat up, staring at the door. Then he slowly relaxed and laid down again.
I hadn’t seen him that skittish since he’d entered my life. I didn’t know if his behavior was normal, but because I didn’t have a PC, I couldn’t look it up. Maybe Beth knew what was up with him. But she wasn’t back yet, and I had no idea when she would be. After watching him for a few more moments, I went to brush my teeth.
When I was done, he was still in the same position. I didn’t want him lounging on my pillow, not with what I had in mind. After Kiernan revving me up without following through, I needed to release some tension, and I’d rather not have my pet in bed with me.
“Shoo, buster. Time to skedaddle.” I grabbed under his armpits and pulled. He didn’t move.
“Cat, you’re ridiculous. Come on, this is my bed. You’ve got your own pillow.” I could have sworn he grinned. I bent to readjust my grip and put my back in it. This time, I managed to drag him t
o the edge and push him to the ground.
I slipped under the cover and wrapped it tightly around me. Slug crouched down, ready to jump back up. “Oh, no. Stay down there. I want to be by myself for a while—oof.”
The air was pushed out of my lungs by the weight of a feline cannon ball. For a few moments, we wrestled. Slug never used his claws on me, but even so, his fur-covered paws packed a wallop when they connected. Plus, he fought unfairly, leaving cat hair between my lips. But today, I was determined. He needed to stay away for me so I could relax and have a little solo fun.
I slipped out from under him, grabbed him with an almighty effort, and carried him into the bathroom. There, I dropped him and closed the door before he could find his feet. His offended yowl must have sounded through the whole dorm building. But I knew him. He wouldn’t complain long. With a satisfied grin, I jumped back into my bed and got down to business.
I licked two fingers, then slipped my hand under the cover, enjoying the brush of my palm along my skin. It felt so good after the way the boys had riled me up, I went straight for my target. Circling and brushing over my clit pushed the need higher and higher. But I didn’t come. No matter how much I stroked, I couldn’t get there.
“C’mon,” I muttered, moving my fingers in tight circles. My other hand had found a nipple, and I pinched and pulled for the extra stimulation. My hips lifted off the bed as I clenched my inner muscles. It was no use. I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned in frustration.
As I fought for my orgasm, the air thickened. A smell of spring flowers and spices drifted towards my side of the room. At first, it was so light I thought I might have imagined it, but it got stronger as I pulled big gulps into my chest.
The more I inhaled the overpowering sweetness, the faster my fingers stroked my sex. My skin was becoming more sensitized. The cheap cotton felt like the finest velvet, adding to the sensation of yearning, of wanting to come, of needing to be fucked. What am I thinking? I just want to get off and then go to sleep. This shouldn’t be such a big deal.
Second Chance Hope: a paranormal reverse harem academy adventure (Second Chance Academy Book 3) Page 5