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

by Juliann Whicker

  Ian came up with Roxy and gave Penny a smoldering smile. “Penny, lovely party.”

  She stared at him then glanced at Roxy with a frown. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

  Roxy shook her head, spikes quivering. Her dress was silver and without a single bow or ruffle. “I’m Ian’s date.”

  All of us looked at Ian. He raised his golden brows and gave Penny a slight bow. Why was he bowing? I bowed. Next thing you know he’d be kissing her fingers and wearing top hats. “Penny, I hope you don’t mind. Marilynn invited me, but said I should bring a date so it wasn’t awkward.”

  “Oh, good you made it!” Marilynn came up in a pastel blue dress with more ruffles than I’d ever seen. She looked like Little Bo Peep, or something else. She immediately shepherded Ian and Roxy to their table and she didn’t even need a crook.

  Penny smiled at me, kind of shy. “You look very nice.”

  I cleared my throat and barely kept from smoothing my suit. I always looked nice. Why would her saying it make me feel self-conscious? “How are your hands?”

  She smiled and a pink blush crept from her low ruffled bodice up her neck to her creamy cheeks. She was thinking about how she’d gotten blisters, how she’d kissed me. “Fine. Thanks.” She pressed her lips together to keep a flow of ridiculously adorable things inside.

  I wanted to see all the things inside her she kept bottled up. The sweetness had been covered in angry frustration ever since the dance. Now the sweetness was unfurling beautifully.

  “All right, you two. Why don’t you take your seats so that we can begin?”

  We turned to stare at Marilynn who beamed at us both. We followed her to the two seats in front of the amethyst studded mantel. It was a tiny table and our knees bumped as I sat down.

  She blushed at that slight contact. I’d had enough. I was finished with tea tables between us, or anything else really. She was going to be mine. Now. Slow. Steady. This was a siege. I couldn’t overturn the tea table and drag her to her room. I mean, I could, but no.

  Marilynn stood in the small area cleared between tables in front of our position of honor. Viney leaned against her door, scowling at everyone who looked at her, which no one did. Zach sat at a table by himself with a dozen plates with samples of every kind of possible cake. Was he taste testing for Penny?

  “Thanks so much for coming to Penny’s tea party!” Marilynn said.

  The other witches and a few mages burst into polite applause. I exchanged glances with Ian who shrugged. This was weird, but he’d seen witches do stranger things.

  “We’re here to celebrate all that Penny Lane represents, a long heritage of Rosewood witches who believe in honor, truth, respectability, and nobility. To the long-lost granddaughter of our founder, Penelope L. Rose. To Penny Lane!” She raised her tea cup and everyone in there followed suit except for Viney and Penny.

  Penny stood up. “Excuse me, I love tea parties and I don’t think there’s really a bad reason to have one, but what are you talking about? My mother went to Blackheart. I have no idea where my grandmama went, but she certainly didn’t found Rosewood. Oh, I was named after an old friend of hers. Is that what this is about?”

  Marilynn stared at her, fury struggling to take over her features. “You look too much like Madame Rose. You have to be related to her.”

  Penny frowned and put her hands on her hips. “I’m sorry, are you telling me that I don’t know who my grandmama was? I’m sorry for the mistake, but it seems like all of you are here for no reason. I’m not from some elite family. I despise elite families. I’m only here at Rosewood to…” She pressed her lips together.

  Marilynn pressed forward. “Why are you here, Penny Lane, if you’re not related to Madame Rose.”

  We all listened while Penny got an odd expression on her face. “Zach, can you be really disagreeable and scare all the witches away, please? I have a headache.”

  She slipped around the table and when Marilynn stepped to block her, Viney yanked her back by her hair so violently that Marilynn fell to the floor and Viney dropped on her, one knee across her chest.

  “Zach, send the unwanted guests on their way,” Viney hissed while Penny made her escape into her room to probably have a civilized tea party with Señor Mort.

  Zach immediately started shocking the guests with blue electricity who were stupid enough to stay in their seats, watching the drama. Tables overturned as witches exited, and then there was only Ian and I still seated. Roxy had abandoned him while he sat and ate petit fours and macarons.

  “If you ever think about trying to take over the position of Penny Lane’s best friend, I will eat you!” Viney snarled in Marilynn’s face before she got up and stalked to her room, slamming the door behind her. Marilynn stumbled to her feet, looked around wildly, the destruction of her tea party fairly impressive before she whirled around and ran out, screaming the whole way.

  I sighed and stood up. Witley was so clumsy sometimes. She would be amused though. I felt tired. Penny looked too much like Penelope Rose. It could be a glamour. The hair though, how could you fake that much hair? The name, no, it was an unquestionable connection once made. Was she upset? I grabbed a tray and piled it with cakes and a pot of tea.

  I carried it to her room and knocked on her door.

  Penny opened it a crack and I smiled at her.

  “Can I come in?”

  She looked from the food to me then the food again before she nodded and stepped away. “Are you sure you want to? Grandmama wasn’t some fancy lady, just strange.”

  I smiled at her. “I don’t care about that. I have enough heritage that I would do away with if I could. You can borrow mine any time that you want Marilynn to throw you a tea party. I don’t see why you would. Yours are much better.”

  She gave me a shaky smile. “So are yours.”

  I smiled and cocked my head. “You liked that? But you fainted.”

  I realized that she was staring at my mouth. If I went into her room I would kiss her. It was my turn. I couldn’t begin or I wouldn’t stop and I would become tangled in my own net. I put the tray into her bandaged hands and stepped back.

  “Tuesday the usual time?”

  She nodded, gripping the tray while she stared at me like that, her gaze nearly mindless, nearly helpless, nearly entranced. So close but not quite close enough.

  “Drake, don’t you mind me stalking you and hiding in the closet and all of that, you know, me being a groupie?”

  I smiled at her wickedly. “If you’re trying to frighten me away, you should know that your stalking is far too subtle.”

  “But, I…” She bit her bottom lip.

  I leaned close, over the tea tray only for a moment while I whispered in her ear, my lips brushing her skin. “You will tire of it much sooner than I will. I find your antics delightful.”

  She pulled away, frowning at me. “Antics? Am I a squirrel?”

  I took a step back. Her pulling away from me made my blood stir. The chase. “With your legs? Have a good afternoon, Penny.” I closed the door between us then leaned against it, pressing my palm against the wood, focusing on the sensory details instead of the creature so close and delicious.

  “Have an éclair. They’re particularly good.”

  I took the confection Ian handed me. It reminded me of Penny. I smelled it and it was too sweet, not wild enough. I ate it in one bite.

  He laughed and handed me another one. “Your discipline is a little bit terrifying. How long are you going to hold off? Aren’t you worried another mage is going to seduce her out from under your nose?”

  I looked at him, studying the gleam in his golden eyes. He wasn’t joking. He was tempted.

  “Drake, either help me with these dishes, or arrange some of your people to deal with it.” Zach sounded irritated.

  I opened my phone and had arrangements in a few moments. Ian didn’t seem in any hurry to leave. Zach crossed his arms over his pastel pink suit and glared at him.

  “Ni
ce suit,” Ian said in his gleaming white shirt, unbuttoned to show off his bronze skin.

  “What are you still doing here? The person throwing the party left, this is Viney’s domain, and you’re not exactly her favorite person.”

  Ian raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying that I should make amends? From what I understand, Viney already has an alternate to Drake.”

  I put a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “Did you want something?”

  He got a hurt look on his face. He shrugged, hands in his pockets. It reminded me of who he used to be so long ago. “I thought we’d do something, hang out, go sidewalking or fighting, something like that.”

  I glanced at Zach. He did not want to hang out with Ian. They’d never been very congenial. “Ian, why don’t we meet at the usual place in an hour. I have a few things to talk over with Zach.”

  He nodded and stepped through to Darkside immediately.

  “He still follows your orders.”

  I shrugged and picked up a small blue cake. “This one matches your cummerbund. Mmm. Probably tastes like it, too. That’s terrible.” I ate another one while Zach watched me, shaking his head.

  “What’s your plan with her? When will you be finished?”

  I took my time swallowing so I could speak without snarling at him. Instincts were so tiresome. “Haven’t we had this conversation? Why are you in such a rush?”

  He scowled. “I don’t like it.”

  “Don’t like her being with me or don’t like her not being with me. We’re not technically together yet, so we haven’t started. You can’t finish something before you start.”

  He gritted his teeth and growled at me. “I don’t like you playing with her.”

  “Why not? I’m an excellent player and she deserves excellence.”

  “She deserves love.”

  I stared at him. “And you love her?”

  He shook his head. “Of course not.”

  “But you know someone who does?”

  “How can she think about anyone else with you acting like that, being like that? She’s given up trying to date other people. She’s given up trying to find someone else. She needs to be loved, and you can’t love her.”

  I studied him for a long time. “She doesn’t have to know that.”

  “She’ll know.”

  I cocked my head. “I don’t think so. We tend to believe what we want to believe. I intend to give her no reason to doubt me. I can be very persuasive.”

  He made a disgusted sound. “You’re going to pretend to love her?”

  I shrugged. “It’s not really your concern.”

  “She’s a friend of mine.”

  “Why? She broke your face.”

  He hesitated. “She’s special. There are things about her that are so much more remarkable than her being descended from some dead witch.”

  “She carried off a mustache remarkably well.”

  “She cares about children.”

  “That too.”

  “She trusts mages on a cellular level. Her energy is attuned to mages.”

  “Do you think she’s actually a mage? That would be interesting.”

  “She’s not.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “How could you possibly know that?”

  “I danced with her. I ripped apart her spell. I know her very well.”

  I stared at him. Those words were a challenge. He knew her better than me and therefore, she belonged to him. “Zach, you’re showing your hand too easily. You want her, but for what? Do you have an experiment in mind for a witch attuned to mage energy? I haven’t considered the practical implications, but of course you would.”

  He smiled slightly. “You’re right, I have thought about it. There’s something so interesting about her, the energy she used to break my face, remarkable, but that’s not what I want her for. Lollipops and video games, shocking dialogue in Japanese, and horse lessons. I got used to her being part of my life.”

  I studied him. “I’m not going to lock her in a dungeon, not for more than a week at a time anyway. If what you want is her friendship, you’re welcome to it. I have a lot of friends. So should she.”

  He didn’t look entirely satisfied.

  “Do you want more than friendship?”

  He hesitated. “Family.”

  “Family. You are a strange mage. You see yourself as her brother? That explains the protective instincts. That’s a relief. I thought maybe you were falling for her. Friends or not, I wouldn’t allow that.”

  He studied me. “Why not?”

  I patted his cheek. “Because every piece of her will be mine one way or another. You should probably know, I don’t give things up once I become attached to them.”

  He studied me thoughtfully. “And if you fall in love with her?”

  “It’s not possible.”

  “If it were.”

  I sighed. “So much theory while dealing with a sugar rush. I don’t intend to do anything differently. I intend to act as in love as possible. I intend to restrain the jealousy, the possessiveness, the cruel domination, all of that as well.”

  “Why bother? A different witch would want all of those things.”

  “A different witch wouldn’t be as interesting. This conversation is not interesting. You’re her brother figure, fine. Threaten to unman me if I hurt your sister, and leave it at that.”

  “You will hurt her.”

  “Of course.”

  “I will unman you, and more, I’ll make your business suffer.”

  I finally smiled at him. “Zachary, now I’m intrigued. Is that an actual threat I heard? You would be such an excellent brother. If you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.”

  I stepped into Darkside and found Ian leaning over the table in the corner of the dingy tavern, staring into the enormous mug at the disgusting swill they called ale. I dropped in beside him, threw back his drink and grinned at him while fighting the expression of disgust the flavor of such revolting elixirs naturally brought.

  “Ian. You’re awfully quiet today.”

  He growled at me. “Not quiet. It’s Penny. Witley. Viney. It’s all so dramatic and intense. Why is high school so intense? I spent six months with the Creagh, and all those females, none of them were remotely interested in drama. Maybe I should marry a Darksider witch. Wouldn’t that be fascinating?”

  “No. It would be boring. I think I can help you, but you need patience.”

  He stared at me, frowned and then nodded. “She’s a good witch, your Penny.”

  “Not mine yet, but yes, she is.”

  I stood up and staggered as the drink hit my system. “I need to get working on the science. Those tourneys don’t win themselves.”

  “And next week will begin the sign-ups, the try-outs, the study binges, the stress that nothing in the world besides life at Rosewood does. You won’t have time to hang out.”

  I shrugged. “You can work with me. That’s as much hanging as I do these days. Seriously, Ian, you need to apply yourself more rigorously to your courses. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself footloose and fancy free and completely useless. That’s not you. Not one iota of you. Don’t destroy yourself just to spite Wit.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “How remarkably intuitive of you. Next thing you’ll be telling my fortune.”

  “That was me telling your fortune. Do I need to crush a crystal ball into your skull for the message to penetrate? It will work out. I’m not going to leave you in any dungeon in this world or the other. I have your back.”

  He stared at me, his eyes sparking gold. “I think you actually believe that.”

  I put my hand on his shoulder. “I do. Whatever that drink was messed me up some good. You did that intentionally. Wicked mage.” I stumbled out of Darkside and into my room at Rosewood, Ian’s laughter echoing behind me. That would teach me to steal another mage’s drink. Also, he was getting back at me for the last time, the time I’d sobered him up. One man’s drunk for another man’s sober seemed a just
trade, were my last thoughts before I snored into bliss.

  I woke up Monday morning irritated. Ian putting me to sleep when I had things to do showed a lack of respect. Not that I expected respect from Ian. Would be rather boring if he gave it to me.

  I walked to class and heard the whispering witches, all about Penny Lane and was she or wasn’t she the descendant of Penelope Rose, and if she was, did that mean that they couldn’t torment her any longer, or the unthinkable, that they’d have to apologize for the tormenting that they’d already done to her?

  What a question. Poor witches. I walked down the hall and saw that one girl, the blond who I’d chatted with so unwillingly on my way to the tea party. She met my eyes then glanced away, staring fixedly at the floor. So odd. I was worth staring at. I noticed with my heightened sensitivity a few witches who treated me like that, like I wasn’t available for looking at. So peculiar. I stepped in front of one girl who was doing her best to not notice me.

  “Hi, there. Do you have the time?”

  She looked up at me, her blue eyes widened in panic and she closed her eyes. “No.”

  I stared at her while she stood there, waiting for me to disappear while she squinched her eyes tightly closed. “Well if you find it, let me know.”

  I walked away from her, whistling so she could know when I was a safe distance and continue on her way. How odd.

  I didn’t have time to worry much about it. Ian was right. All during classes, I had emails from various school groups who wanted to know about the performances at the end of quarter student show. It would be a representation of our school to all the parents of all the students and of course all the alumni who showed deep interest in the futures of students at Rosewood. It had to be perfect. It would be perfect. That’s why I was in charge.

  Witley cornered me as I was eating, my computer open, one hand holding a roll while I emailed a group who wanted to do interpretive chess playing as performance art. How to be tactful yet firm. With Witley tact and firmness didn’t seem to matter.