Dread Delight: Rosewood Academy for Witches and Mages (Darkly Sweet Book 2)

by Juliann Whicker

  “I seem to do that regularly, the screaming out into the night part. Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll assume that you don’t want anything.”

  “You’d be wrong.”

  She exhaled and almost glared at me before she smiled instead. I couldn’t tell whether I liked the delicious scowl or the delightful smile better. Either way, those lips… No, I wasn’t thinking about her lips. Clearly.

  We stepped out into the rain, her shoes completely inappropriate for the mud and muck. I should sweep her up in my arms and carry her off, but carrying her down to the polo barn would probably not be exactly useful, except that she could sit with my umbrella and watch all my feats of brilliant athleticism while she admired me, blushing at my heroism. Afterwards, I could carry her to her room, or my room. Which was closer?

  She staggered for a moment, gripping my arm tighter as she leaned against me.

  “Are you all right?”

  She glared up at me, hazel eyes bright and golden before her scowl faded into a wry smile. “I’m still a little bit dizzy. How do you feel? Are you going to faint? Will I have to carry you to your bed? Your boots are much better for that sort of thing.”

  “I was just thinking about that. Shoes I mean, not carrying you to your bed, or you carrying me to my bed, or whatever. You don’t have any practical shoes. It’s adorable.”

  She nodded soberly. “I’m going to go shopping for boots in the very near future. I think your shoes are adorable. I wish we were the same size, then I could steal them all.”

  “I think I know a spell that grows individual parts of the body. I’m fairly certain that your feet wouldn’t be difficult to enhance.”

  She gave me a sharp glance. “And what would you charge for that?”

  I pretended to think about it. “You’d have to let me wear all of your shoes, which would make the entire thing silly since your purpose is to wear my shoes. What do you say we go shoe shopping together and you can get some of my shoes in your size, then we don’t have to worry about repayment. It can be so awkward to have something like an unpaid debt between two people.”

  She exhaled and swiped an outlaw curl out of her eyes. “So awkward. Speaking of, what do you want?”

  I frowned at her. “So direct. Not at all ladylike, demure, elegant and charming. It is, however, adorable, so I suppose I’ll allow it. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t decided yet. There are so many delicious possibilities. I do, however, know what Jasper wants.”

  “Jasper.”

  I nodded while my heart started beating faster. “My butler. He’s your classic geek Sophis who is happiest talking shop with another geek Sophis, like the mage who set your original spell. Your step-father, Revere?”

  She cocked her head. “Your butler wants to meet Revere? He hates people. People hate him. Your butler would be much better off asking for something else.”

  My heart pounded harder. This was precisely what I needed from her. She had no idea how hard her step-father had worked to remain anonymous. This was really mean of me. I casually shrugged. “It doesn’t make any sense to me, but Jasper loves to discuss the intricacies of a good spell with someone who knows his stuff, like your Step-father. I personally would rather wrestle a newt. Have you ever wrestled a newt? They smell terrible.”

  She laughed. “You wrestle newts, those sweet little creatures I always used to catch for my tea parties? You need some new hobbies.”

  “I fell into a pit once about three feet thick with newts. The experience stayed with me.”

  She stared at me. “What were you doing in a newt pit?”

  “Long story. The point is, I’d rather wrestle with newts than talk Sophis mage nonsense, but Jasper simply adores it. To each his own. I was thinking at the end of season student show, it would be convenient if you introduced them. No big deal if you’d rather work something else out with Jasper. He likes rare texts from the fifth period on existential nonsense if you’d like to procure one of those from a dying monastery somewhere.”

  She blinked at me. “No, it’s fine. Student show? I don’t know what that is, but since Revere is coming anyway…”

  I gave her a smile. “Excellent. As for my payment, I’ve had the most delicious idea. I’ve always longed to see a witch with a mustache. There are some in the darkest reaches who are said to have luxurious facial hair beyond the grasp of most mages, but the darkest reaches are unfortunately out of my reach at this time. Do you mind?”

  She stared at me. “You want me to grow a beard?”

  I shrugged “A day or so. Say you wear a mustache for twenty-four hours and that will take off ten percent of your debt.”

  She tilted her head to the side while she smiled lop-sidedly. “I’ve always wanted to wear a mustache.”

  Of course she had. I reached into my inside pocket and slipped inside a different space, back at Huntsman manor. I pulled my hand out with a sheet of very high quality mustaches. One never knew when one needed a ridiculous disguise or costume. I also had a clump of mud from the forgotten marshes I’d accidentally gotten on my fingers. I’d forgotten about that.

  I studied the sheet and selected a fine mustache with good curl and perfectly waxed ends. “Hold the umbrella, if you please. This procedure requires two hands.”

  She fought a smile as she gripped the umbrella then leaned forward, waiting for me to attach the fake facial garnish.

  “Penny,” I murmured as I leaned close, sliding my fingers over her top lip to make certain there weren’t any obstructions. Her lips were very soft. Softer than rose petals.

  Her eyes grew larger, pupils dilating as I stayed close, much closer than I needed to be, but she wasn’t arguing, no, she was leaning closer, her own gaze drawn to my lips. I shivered and it wasn’t from the rain, unless it was. She’d let the umbrella fall back and a stream of cold water went down the back of my neck. No, it wasn’t the rain.

  I pressed the mustache to her upper lip, adjusting it just so, sliding my fingers over her skin as I adjusted the curled ends.

  “Drake,” she murmured her face tilted up towards me, her lips perfectly framed beneath the auburn mustache that went so well with my own hair. Didn’t look too bad on her, either.

  “Do you know how well you look in a mustache? Now I’m determined to travel to the darkest reaches. Can you imagine an entire city full of bearded women? I can’t think of anything more tempting.”

  She was tempting. So tempting. My fingers slid around her throat, to the back of her neck tangling in her heavy locks.

  “Drake,” she murmured and that one word was like inhaling a pint of green liquor, a heady rush that sent my senses spinning.

  “Adorable. I didn’t think you could look more enticing than in the woods, covered in dirt and leaves, rolling around with your russet lover, but it’s official, a mustache is the crowning touch to utter perfection.”

  I was going to kiss her. I knew that a moment before my lips were tickled by the high quality mustache. Her eyes drifted closed and then her knees gave out.

  Apparently, I wasn’t going to kiss her. I barely caught her and the umbrella before she hit the ground. I laughed as I held her in my arms and she tried to push me away from her.

  “I know that I’m handsome, but usually females wait to faint from my charms after I’ve kissed them.”

  She ignored me, still pushing away from me. She wasn’t looking at me, but thinking, brows furrowed.

  “What heavy thoughts are in your pretty little head?”

  She blushed so beautifully, pink covering the alabaster skin up her throat to her soft cheeks. The mustache was absolutely ridiculous. “Nothing.”

  “Ten percent to know your thoughts. I’d offer a penny, but I think you’d rather have ten percent.” Also, I didn’t have a Penny, a Penny had me. That would have to change.

  She pressed her bottom lip with her top teeth. “Ten percent of the debt? Fine. It’s just something my mother said.”

  “Your mother?” I was going to get m
y money’s worth and then some.

  I let her push me away and grip the umbrella with both hands, fingers turning white from gripping it so hard.

  “Yes. I fainted after the gingerbread house. Do you remember?”

  I nodded soberly. “It was a very large lump, right there.” I pressed my finger to her forehead. I did enjoy touching her.

  “I called and asked why, and she said…” She shifted and bit her bottom lip again. Her lips needed to be bitten, it was true, but by me, not her. Her lips. No, her mother. “Fifteen percent?”

  I nodded without pretending to hesitate. Clumsy of me, but hopefully she wouldn’t notice my eagerness. “So much hesitation, I’m getting quite excited.”

  She stared at me, her large eyes getting larger and larger until she whispered, “It’s attraction.”

  I barely didn’t laugh. This was her big secret? Fifteen percent completely wasted. “Don’t feel bad about it, pretty Penny. Females always find me attractive.”

  She ground her teeth even as she smiled at me. I could hear her teeth grinding and it made me wince. “Not attraction. The beginnings of the end. Romance. Helpless, stupid, falling in love.”

  Oh. I stared at her for a long time before I took a small step away from her, trying to somehow help with her obvious self-disgust. It was like she’d just admitted to having thrown up in my bed. “Is that so bad?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was as hard as her eyes, as hard as they’d been soft such a short time earlier. She did not want to fall in love. Who did? That’s why they called it falling. She’d knocked me over on our first encounter and I hadn’t recovered yet.

  “If I’m so distasteful to you…”

  She grabbed my wrist while she gazed at me, her eyes large, hunted. “Men ruin the women that love them. My father destroyed my mother when she had to choose my life over their love. She couldn’t function without him. If Revere hadn’t come along, I’d be even crazier than I am now.” She shook her head, fiercely. “All the women in my family fall for the absolute worst men, and then their lives are completely destroyed. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were the worst mage in the world, simply because of how I felt. And the worst thing is that when you act nice, I know better, but some part of me falls for it, actually believes that you’re the kind of mage who wants to love and protect his precious darling. It’s ridiculous. I know that, but I can’t help it, and I’m afraid, but different from the other fear.”

  She pressed her hands to her stomach, like that’s where she kept all her stress, and that confession had been extremely stressful to her.

  “Thirty percent.”

  She looked up, so sweet and beautiful with that ridiculous mustache. “What?”

  “Thirty-five. You drive a hard bargain, but I refuse to go any lower.”

  She frowned, head tilted. “Things like that. When you’re so irrational in the most charming way, it makes me feel like I have a volcano in my stomach.”

  “Sounds pleasant. I apologize for being so vile you can’t help but fall for me. Do you think that if I become reformed you’ll have an appropriate disgust? It would be worth the experiment, but might be too much work. I really hate work.”

  She sighed. “I suppose you already know how much I want you. This probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise to you.”

  I tried to look extremely unflustered and like my hands weren’t clammy. I offered her my arm and once more took hold of my umbrella. “I’m not terribly observant, but I did notice that you tied me to a tree and carved your name into my chest with your nails. I think you’re resisting the falling in love with me magnificently. You haven’t drugged my horse, or anything.”

  She gave me a half-smile. “I have a lot of discipline. I should spend it on other things. I really disliked watching that other girl kiss you. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

  I had a very difficult time keeping my lips closed on the confession of my own irrational and irresistible attraction towards her. Instead, I patted her hand in a fatherly manner.

  “You can’t help it. I really am utterly despicable. If you’re preternaturally attracted to men like me, who’s to blame for that? You can’t help it any more than I can. Forty percent. Plus the ten for Jasper. You’ll have half the spell paid off if you leave the mustache on for twenty-three hours and fifteen minutes. I believe I’m getting the best of this bargain.”

  I pressed the umbrella into her hands and stepped from beneath its protection into the fierce rain. I put up my collar and swept a bow to her. “Always a pleasure. This is as far as you need to walk with me today.”

  I turned and strode off, fast so I didn’t change my mind. Having a witch confess her love to you, even reluctant love is a little bit like being offered the sweetest, most delicious fruit imaginable. Only the fruit was nothing compared to Penny, particularly a mustached Penny. Why did I find that so attractive? There was something wrong with me. The spell. The curse.

  The trouble was that I was going to let her fall in love with me, no I was going to make certain she did, and that she would remain fallen for the rest of her life. What I did with that love, I had no idea. Perhaps I would crush her. I really hoped that I didn’t, but she was right about me being the worst possibly mage for her to love. I would ruin her, but at least she would probably return the favor. I was smiling as the rain slammed against me. I would enjoy being thoroughly ruined by Penny Lane.

  Chapter 10

  Witch

  I stood in the rain for a long time, staring at Drake’s retreating back before I got it together, spun around and headed to the library.

  Our conversation filled my head. It could have been worse. I was so terrified of falling in love with him that I fainted when he did something so charmingly bizarre. I couldn’t help but want him a little bit more when he demanded repayment in mustaches. Hopefully Revere wouldn’t mind coming to the student show, whatever that was, to pay off Jasper. It wasn’t as though my mother could attend. It would be weird if no one came to represent my family. Not that my family wasn’t far beyond weird.

  Fifty percent of the curse paid off, then I wouldn’t have to call Revere and tell him what kind of an idiot I was, letting some mage break my spell and tying another one up in the woods, and being attacked by four Creagh. That would send him over the edge. His edges weren’t as interesting as Drake’s. My lips still buzzed from the feel of his fingers. He’d been so gentle, so sweet. Of course, he wasn’t, not really, but I couldn’t help but feel like he was. I really needed to date someone else.

  I stepped into the library lobby and shook out the umbrella before hanging the curved handle from the hook beside the door. My footsteps echoed as I crossed the marble floor and climbed the many, many steps to the study hall above.

  Oscar stared at me for a split-second longer than usual before he jerked his chin towards the desks. “Lars today if that’s all right with you.” His voice said, ‘you’d better be fine with it, otherwise you’re a complete idiot who is taking up too much of my time. You’re taking up too much of my precious intellect already.’

  I smiled sweetly at him while I twirled my mustache. I really liked watching him try to keep a straight face. “Lars is so super smart. I feel like if I could just absorb the immensity of his intellect, someday I’ll understand a small percentage of what makes a mage like you so incredibly sexy in purple lights. When are you going to ask out Viney? She’s practically pining for you.”

  He blinked a lot of times, which was as much emotion as I was going to get from him. It was enough. “Lars is waiting.”

  I twirled my mustache one more time before I turned and walked towards Lars, lollipop in hand, skirt swishing. His enormous eyes grew even larger as he took in my fabulous new look. He actually stood up when I got to him, like all polite or something. Weird.

  I hesitated before I sat down. He kept standing until I sat. Finally, with a heavy woosh, he settled into his wooden chair, making it squeak a little bit.

  “Lar
s, how are you doing? Did you miss me? A whole week sick in the hospital. So sick of being sick. My weasel almost ate my face off when I finally fed him.”

  “I have a parakeet.”

  I stared at him. “Really? Why?”

  He shrugged. “It’s good company.”

  I nodded and felt a prickling on the back of my neck. “Why did the parrot wear a raincoat?”

  Lars frowned, was quiet for a long time before he said in a low voice, “I believe he wished to be polyunsaturated. You should probably wear a raincoat in this kind of weather. You’ve been sick, haven’t you?”

  I laughed and gave him a bright smile. There was something off about him. His eyes were too gleaming, his whole attitude too polite behind that smile. “Nice. Can we work on Japanese today? You’re so smart.”

  He hesitated then nodded and left me to go to the desk where Oscar glowered. They had a low conversation then Lars came back, stacks of books in his hands. He sat closer to me than usual, but I forgot about it when he started breaking down the basics. After studying so much about Chinese, I could do Japanese. Not really, but at least I had confidence that I’d get some of it at some point.

  At five-thirty, I closed my books, stacking them to take back to Oscar. Lars stood with me, pulling back my chair. I gave him a sort-of smile as he picked up my books and walked with me towards the reference desk that Oscar manned.

  “Have you ever been to the circus?” Lars asked.

  I shook my head. “I’ve heard terrible stories about how they abuse their animals.”

  “Oh.” He looked surprised for a moment then confused. “I see. Well, I’m going to the circus this weekend. I’ll let you know whether or not the stories have been exaggerated.”

  I nodded, gave him a blinding smile and then headed out of there. He didn’t usually talk so much. I liked him better not talking. I did not need another mage who confused me. Drake. Had he really been about to kiss me? I should have stopped him. I shouldn’t have leaned closer and gotten drunk off the scent of his skin. I’d wanted him to kiss me. I wanted it at that very moment while picking up the wet umbrella and opening it before I left the library.