I clear my throat to get my mind back on track. “No, I didn’t come here to talk about that.”
He takes a tentative step forward. “So, you aren’t mad at me?”
“Not anymore.” I take a deep breath to gather my courage. I wish my reason for being here was to give Phoenix a tongue-lashing for his voyeurism. But the topic of this conversation is much more serious than that.
“Daisy, if you don’t tell me what’s the matter, I’m going to think the worst.”
“I’m sorry. This is a hard subject. I wish we didn’t have to talk about it at all.”
He breaches the distance between us and sits next to me on the bed. There’s barely an inch between our bodies, and my desire is to lean into his warmth.
“You can tell me anything, babe. As long as it doesn’t involve you wanting to break up with me.” He smiles impishly, but I see a hint of fear in his eyes.
“I don’t know where you got that crazy notion in your head, but you’d better erase it right away. I’m never letting you go. You’re mine.”
His face breaks into the brightest of smiles, melting my heart at the sight. “You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now.”
My breathing hitches at the same time my heart does a somersault. “I think I do.”
I allow myself to get lost in the depths of his gaze for a while longer, basking in the glorious feeling of his love, but I can’t postpone the conversation I came here for. It’s too important.
It’s an effort to look away first. But I do it, dipping my chin as I release a heavy sigh. “You had a nightmare, didn’t you?”
“What?” he asks in a high-pitched voice.
“I think I was pulled into it.”
He doesn’t say a word for the longest time. I chance a glimpse, afraid of what I might find etched on his face. He’s staring straight ahead with his jaw clenched so tight that I can see the strain of his muscles.
“Phoenix?”
“What did you see?” he asks in a tight voice, and my heart shatters.
“Enough.” A tear runs down my cheek, even though I swore before coming here that I’d be strong for him.
He dips his chin and stares at his balled fists on his lap. “I don’t remember the details of the nightmare, but it left my soul soiled by tar.” A shuddering breath leaves his lips. “That monster won’t let go of me even after his demise.”
My resolution to keep my distance from him until I learn to control my powers shatters like broken glass. I reach for Phoenix’s hand, needing to show him through actions how much I love him. He trembles under my touch, then turns his face to mine.
“He will be gone, Phoenix. I’ll help you extract him like one does poison from a wound. I swear.”
Fat tears run down his cheeks. My face is damp too, and the choke in my throat is so immense it feels like I can’t draw air in. Phoenix swings his arm around my neck and pulls me to him too fast for me to stop him. Our lips clash with the intensity of a storm; our tongues mingle, impatient and ravenous, as if the world is ending and this is our last kiss.
My arms circle around his back, and soon we’re connected chest to chest. But the headiness I’m feeling isn’t only the bliss of pure love. There’s a shadow hanging in between us—my powers, trying to unmake Phoenix.
No. I can’t let this strange force control me. I won’t ruin the life of another loved one.
A groan of pure need comes from Phoenix’s throat as he deepens the kiss, pulling me even closer to him. He doesn’t seem to notice or care that I’m taking his Idol essence into me. I want to move away and meld myself to him at the same time.
I have to end this one way or another. Using the visualization technique Morpheus taught me, I picture the strands of power coming into me as ribbons. All I need now is a pair of scissors to cut them. But imagining them is harder than I thought. I can’t quite make it hold its shape. It doesn’t help either when I’m so distracted by Phoenix’s tongue and caresses.
With effort, I pull away from his kiss, but we’re still touching, which means I’m still stealing from him. He tries to follow my mouth, but I place my fingers over his swollen lips.
“Hold on. I’m unmaking you, and I need to stop.”
His green eyes widen a bit. “I didn’t feel a thing. I dared to believe you had learned to control your abilities.”
“Not yet, but I need your help.”
“Anything, babe.”
“Don’t distract me.”
The corners of his lips twitch upward. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Right. I’m going to close my eyes, and you’re going to remain utterly still.”
“Okay.”
I watch him for a couple of beats, but not because I don’t trust him. It’s just so damn hard to not stare at his beautiful face. With a deep breath, I finally close my eyes and restart the exercise. It’s a little bit easier to focus now that I don’t have his tongue wreaking havoc on my body, but even the touch of his hands is distracting.
Come on, Daisy, you can do it. Think about the reward when you gain control of your powers for real.
The pep talk works. The scissors take shape in my head. Quickly, I use them to snip all the ribbons connecting me to Phoenix. When the last one is cut, the surge of power going into me ceases. He takes a sharp breath in, and my eyes fly open.
“I can sense the difference now. I feel stronger. You’re no longer taking my powers away.”
“I can’t believe it worked,” I reply in awe.
Phoenix’s mouth splits into a wide smile just before he captures my face between his large hands and kisses me again. I tense, afraid I’m still a thief. But when I feel nothing coming into me, I relax into his arms, surrendering completely to the passion of the moment.
Not only his tongue is hungry—his hands are everywhere, exploring, drawing breathless moans of pleasure from me. I yank the towel that’s wrapped around his waist, finding his cock hard and ready for me. My fingers curl around his length, but Phoenix doesn’t even allow me one second of fun before he uses his telekinesis to place me in the middle of the bed on my back.
“Hey! I wasn’t done.”
“Sorry, babe, but I’m on edge already, and any sudden movement could make me explode.”
“I want to taste you,” I pout.
“Same here.” He crawls toward me, peppering my legs with open kisses that set me ablaze. “Thank heavens you’re not wearing pants.” He lifts my dress and nuzzles my clit with the tip of his nose before licking me through the fabric of my underwear.
I’m unravelling at the speed of light, but I know what I want, and Phoenix is not going to get his way just because he knows exactly what to do to my body to make me lose control. I shut my legs and, pressing my hands on his shoulders, push him back.
“Daisy!” he whines.
“No, I’m not going to be left at your mercy this time. We’re both having fun.”
“Who said we weren’t both going to have a good time?” He arches his eyebrows.
I scooch to the side and then jump out of bed before he can reach over. He does move to follow me, but I wag my index finger at him. “Oh no, sir. You’re not getting out of that bed. Lie down.”
“But, babe…”
“Lie down, Phoenix. I mean it.”
“Fine.” He places a pillow under his head and then grabs his cock. “I guess I’ll just have to pleasure myself, then.”
I narrow my eyes, seeing the challenge in his. “Oh, do you want to play games, sweetheart?”
I pull my dress off and stand in front of him in my panties only. Not breaking eye contact, I lick two fingers and slowly run them down my belly until they disappear underneath the scrap of cotton fabric. Phoenix’s eyes bulge from his skull for a second. Then he retaliates.
I fly toward the bed and land softly on top of him in a sixty-nine position. There’s no point fighting him any longer. He wins, but there aren’t any losers here. Like a greedy little monster, I re
ach for his cock and lick him from top to base. Phoenix lets out a curse, and then he tears my panties in half. Maybe I shouldn’t bother wearing them anymore.
He grabs me by the hips, and then he’s between my legs, torturing me in the best way possible. I’d take my time savoring him like this, but I’m wound too tight; I’ve been denied him for far too long. My body becomes boneless in a matter of seconds, and then I shatter in orgasmic bliss. Phoenix’s release is right around the corner. He’s harder and larger inside my mouth. While I’m still riding the waves of pleasure, he climaxes with a loud roar. I drink everything he gives me and don’t stop until he makes me.
Feeling the best kind of exhaustion, I collapse next to him with my hand still attached to his semi-hard dick. It seems I can’t let go.
I’m still breathing hard when I sense another presence in the room. I lean on my forearms and find Rufio resting against the doorframe of the bathroom. His arms are folded in front of his chest, his expression blank save for the intensity in his eyes.
“Rufio, what the hell, man!” Phoenix yells.
“I just wanted to see what it was like watching Daisy with someone else.” His lips curl into a grin. “I concede. It was pretty hot.”
He returns to his room, leaving me in flames.
10
Bryce
I wake with a start, gasping for air. My heart is racing. The TV is on and the lights are flickering. It takes me a few seconds to control the wisps of rogue power that leaked out while I was in the throes of a terrible memory. I take a shuddering breath, rubbing my face. I can’t believe I dreamed about the island of horrors. It’s been years since those memories plagued my nightmares.
I can’t help thinking that their return is a sign that we must prepare for the final showdown with that mystery god who marked us, claiming us for his own army.
Still feeling jittery, I get up and check the time on the microwave’s clock. It’s fifteen minutes past noon. I’ve missed half the classes of the day, and now it’s lunch break. If it had been any other day, I might have blown school off completely.
I check my phone. There aren’t any messages from Daisy or the guys but plenty of missed calls from Mom. Great. She must have been busy, or she would have come here to drag my ass to class. I hastily put my uniform on and head out.
This time when I pass in front of Daisy’s old dorm room, I don’t look or pause. She’s not in there, and she’ll never come back. As for my stay in Gifted Academy, I hope it’s not a long one. Earning a high school diploma never felt more superfluous than it does now that we’re on the brink of a civil war.
As I near the main school building, I sense something is wrong. I quicken my steps and burst through the main double doors, ready to face something nasty. I can’t really put my finger on the feeling. It’s like an ominous cloud is hanging over my head. The hallways are empty, which at this hour is weird as fuck. They should be bursting with students on their way back to class after lunch.
I send a quick text to Toby. It’s highly likely that he didn’t skip any classes like me. There’s no response from him by the time I reach the school cafeteria. Only a few tables are occupied. Where the hell is everyone?
The few students present turn to gawk at me. I recognize one of them: Nate, a fire elemental. I’d ask him if something happened, but I’m getting pretty hostile vibes from the guy and his friends. I veer for the buffet, which is currently manned by only one employee.
“Did I miss the lunch crowd?” I ask with a grin, but the Fringe simply looks at me with a vacant stare.
“We only have the vegetarian lasagna left,” he says.
“It’s okay. I’m not hungry.”
The back of my neck prickles, announcing the approach of a few people. I count five different Idol signatures behind me. The Fringe worker steps back, then turns around and runs from the cafeteria. All right, then.
Unfazed, I pivot on the spot and find myself surrounded by Nate and his posse. None of them come close to me on the scale of power, but I guess they’d figure ganging up on me would give them a better chance.
I look at them with dispassionate curiosity. “You’re in my way.”
“What’s up, Bryce? Where’s the rest of your crew?” a female voice taunts from my right. The circle of hostile students opens a little, allowing me to see Cherise Blake, Drusilla’s old friend.
“What the hell are you doing here? You were expelled.”
She twirls a finger around a lock of hair, smiling wickedly. “That decision has been revoked. I’m back, babe.”
“We’ll see about that,” I grit out, then turn to the other idiots. “Move or I’ll make you.”
They take a step forward, crowding me. “I’d like to see you try. You’re outnumb—” Nate begins.
I sling my arm forward, and the five idiots fly backward. Three in the group fall against a table nearby, breaking it into pieces. Two manage to avoid the collision thanks to their gifts. They come at me with all their hatred and might. Both are air elementals, and they combine their powers to try to knock me down by creating a powerful gust of wind. I bend my knees, locking them into position. I’m about to fry those two motherfuckers when one of them hurls a throwing star at me. I can’t redirect the source of my power fast enough to block the weapon. It hits me in the shoulder, piercing through skin and muscle, burning.
Fucking hell. This is a lightning-glass weapon. The Neo Gods have breached the academy.
The realization hits me like a cannonball, adding fuel to my rage. No wonder Cherise is back.
I direct an electric discharge toward the two elementals, hitting them square in their chests. The force of the hit sends them soaring all the way toward the end of the room. I don’t care if they live or die.
With a wince, I remove the throwing star, dropping it in my pocket while I prepare to face the other three assholes who I had knocked down earlier. Cherise, so far, hasn’t attacked. She seems content just watching. The tallest of the trio has his hands engulfed by flames. Great. Another elemental. He throws several fireballs in my direction, which is easy enough to avoid. But I only realize it was a planned distraction when Cherise finally joins the fight and sends more lightning-glass throwing stars at me.
I avoid most of them through telekinesis, sending them back at her. She’s able to evade them all. Damn it. My energy levels are dropping fast thanks to the lightning-glass poison in my system. I’ve been hit in two more spots—my right arm and my left forearm—and each time hurts more than last.
A roar escapes from deep in my throat. I tap every bit of power I have in me, creating a ball of energy bright enough to blind. When the illumination encompasses the entire room, I unleash all my might. There are cries of pain, but they’re muffled thanks to the pounding of my pulse in my ears. The blast fades, and so does my strength. My legs give out from under me, and when the room comes into focus again, black dots speckle my sight. At least my adversaries are flat on their backs, motionless.
I don’t move from my spot for several beats. A minute later, I catch someone approaching from the corner of my eye. I’m so tapped out that I can’t even scan the newcomer’s signature. My eyes widen in surprise when I see Renata Pomme, another one of Drusilla’s minions, moving toward me. My spine becomes rigid and my hands curl into fists. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more juice in me. If she’s coming to attack, I can only use my bare hands to defend myself.
“Are you okay?” she asks, surprising the hell out of me. Her eyes are round and devoid of falsehood though.
“I’ve been poisoned. I need to see Nurse Ellen.”
She reaches for my arm and helps me off the floor as if I weigh nothing. She’s a level ten Idol, and her main ability is super strength. Toby felt firsthand the power of her gift when she broke his arm while he tried to defend Daisy.
“I thought you were in a psych ward,” I say.
“I was for a while. What happened to Drusilla messed me up.”
I try not to wi
nce. The island god drove Drusilla insane. She turned against Renata and forced the girl to mutilate herself. And as a final act of lunacy, she compelled Rufio to kill her so she could frame him for her murder. The plan almost worked.
“Why are you helping me?”
She furrows her eyebrows, then glances left and right in a cagey manner. “You guys helped me when Drusilla went crazy. I’m returning the favor.”
“Well, thanks. Do you know where everyone is?”
“I can’t believe you don’t know. There’s been a change in the school’s administration. Your mother got sacked.”
“What?” I freeze midstep.
“It happened earlier this morning. The new principal didn’t even let her collect her personal belongings from her office. She was escorted out of the building and off the school grounds.”
Shit. Maybe I should have listened to her voice messages or called her back.
“Who is the new principal now?” I ask.
“Mr. Harris. He’s an albino freak with pink irises and a mean look about him. The first thing he did was gather all Fringe students and lock them in the auditorium.”
Son of a bitch. One of the Neo Gods I met when my father took us to meet his master was an albino man. And now Idol students are armed with lightning-glass weapons. This can’t be a coincidence.
“How come Cherise isn’t locked down with the other Fringes?”
Renata looks into my eyes, and I read fear in her gaze. “I think Cherise has been recruited by the Neo Gods.”
My blood runs cold. “What makes you say that?”
“I overheard her talking with some high-level Fringes earlier. She was threatening them. Either they joined the cause, or they’d perish with the scum.”
Damn it. They’re really not fucking around. I’m not even surprised by those developments. We faced Fringes in Hawk City armed with lightning-glass.
My thoughts become consumed with worry. Toby didn’t reply to my message. He must be locked down with the rest. I have to get to him.
Broken Knights: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 4) Page 7