I stood with the rest of the Academy faculty at one end of the large room, while the other was occupied by nearly twenty Tromara—the most I’d ever seen gathered in one place. They were of course there to protect their king. Each was more sinister looking than the last—all large men with dead eyes. Who knew what they hid under those trench coats. Not that it mattered, they were all deadly, even without weapons.
“You have confirmed that this girl is in fact a dragon-shifter? From the legends of old?” King Sebastian asked.
Dean Wright’s face was pale, but her voice came out steady enough. “We have, Your Grace.”
A hint of annoyance flickered across the Tromaraking’s face. I had the distinct impression that he was disappointed that she’d offered up the truth so easily. He’d wanted her to lie. But one of his creatures had seen Caprice in her dragon form. We’d made sure to tell the dean every detail before this audience with the Tromara. Was he trying to catch us in a lie and lay a trap?
“Is she comely?” he asked.
Dean Wright startled. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace?”
“The girl. Is she attractive?” he asked, his voice filling the cavernous room.
A chill zipped across my scalp. There was no reason for him to ask a question like that, unless…
“Of course. All supernaturals are attractive, Your Grace.” Dean Wright was pushing it with such a flippant comment.
The king sneered. “Some more so than others.”
The dean inclined her head.
“She is a Sorrentino.” It wasn’t a question, he knew. “She would be the next queen.” His dark gaze roved over each of us. “Killing three of my men is an unforgivable offense and puts the Truce on precarious ground. However…” he paused, “I have decided on the penalty for your crimes. The Truce will stand, and your kind will continue to be protected under it. In exchange for this Sorrentino girl. Either through the culling or when she graduates, this future Council Queen will be my bride.”
My stomach dropped. Standing next to me, Angel growled. The low, threatening rumble drawing attention.
King Sebastian pinned the two of us, then Jaxon, with his dark gaze. “You are the three guilty ones. The ones who love her.” He looked us over, the sneer returning to his lips. “This punishment is for each of you.”
I clenched my jaw tight under his scrutiny. How did he know what we were feeling? Only fae had that ability among supernaturals. Or was he simply assuming since we risked our lives for her that we loved her?
He continued, “What do you think of that? Of her as my wife?” His gaze flitted to Jaxon. “I’m going to pound into her until she screams my name. I’ll take her over and—”
Angel lunged at the Tromaraking, morphing into wolf-form midair. His jaw opened wide, as he focused for his attack to land on the vampire’s neck.
Time seemed to slow down. The faculty members collectively gasped. Dean Wright’s eyes widened in horror. Angel was going to get us all killed.
The Tromara leader didn’t even flinch. In a fluid, graceful motion he flicked one hand at Angel, seconds before the wolf would have plowed into him. A bolt of red light left the Tromara’s fingers, hitting Angel in the face. He dropped to the floor with a yelp, laying motionless on the smooth stone.
My body jerked in surprise. I took a step toward Angel.
“Stay where you are!” King Sebastian shouted. His gaze darted between me and Jaxon, whose face burned with fury.
The enemy’s soldiers tensed, but didn’t rush forward to protect their king. They waited, watching for his command and any other danger.
When their leader spoke to the dean, his voice was low. “Tell the Supernatural Council of my decision.” His attention returned to me and Jaxon. “And you two, keep your hands off my bride-to-be.” He gazed down at Angel’s nude, human form. “Make sure to tell him that too.”
The king turned on his heel, his soldiers closing in around him as they left.
Jaxon and I rushed to Angel. I found his steady pulse within seconds. Air whooshed from my lungs in relief. He was unconscious, but alive.
Dean Wright approached. “The moment he’s recovered, send him to my office.” Anger and fear rolled off her in nauseating waves. She stormed out of the hall. The other teachers followed, except May, who stood nearby hugging herself.
I went to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She buried her face in my chest. We took comfort in each other’s familiarity. Our heart rates gradually returning to normal.
Jaxon hadn’t moved from where he crouched beside Angel. His emotions punched to my very core, resonating with my own: Rage, fear, and hopelessness.
* * *
The three of us paced or perched awkwardly around Jaxon’s apartment, waiting for Angel to return from the dean’s office. I sat on the arm of the couch facing the door, the Tromaraking’s words replaying in my mind.
He’d baited us. He knew exactly what he was doing as he spoke and somehow read our emotions. Because of Angel’s attack, he managed to show us how much more powerful he was than us. How going up against him was futile.
“He used magic,” I muttered for the umpteenth time.
Jaxon halted his pacing long enough to throw me an exasperated glance.
“I know,” May said from where she leaned against the kitchen counter. “I don’t understand. He’s a vampire. Vampires can’t cast spells.”
“They can’t read emotions either.” I rubbed a hand over my mouth. “It’s impossible. All of it.”
The door opened, and Angel stepped through with a sullen expression. “Hey, man,” he said to me.
“How’d it go?” I asked, leaning forward.
Angel plopped down on the opposite couch. “You know. She ripped me a new one. If she could punish me, I’m sure she’d give me life in prison. But since the Tromara let it go, she has to as well.”
“Why’d you attack him?” Jaxon asked, his features rigid.
Angel shrugged. “Fucker pissed me off.” He brushed off Jaxon’s question. “Now what the fuck are we going to do about Caprice?”
Jaxon grunted, but didn’t get on Angel’s case.
“What can we do?” May asked.
I twisted around to face her. “That we, it doesn’t include you. Actually, I think you should leave.”
May crossed her arms and huffed. “I’m part of this all too.”
“No you’re not.” I stared her down. “The three of us are in trouble. Not you. You haven’t done anything wrong and I want to keep it that way.”
“You can’t boss me around, little brother.”
I stood, towering over her by several inches. “Really? You’re going to pull that card?”
“Enough!” Jaxon grabbed May’s arm, hauling her toward the door. “He’s right. You’re out of here.”
May dug her heals into the carpet. “You can’t—”
“It’s my apartment, so I can.” He opened the door, pushed her through, and waved his wand in a spell that turned the deadbolt, probably casting a warding charm with it. He strode over to the couches, taking a seat next to Angel, the two of them facing me. “Any one have any brilliant ideas?”
“One of us should tell Caprice,” I said.
Jaxon’s jaw worked. “Tell her what? The fucking Tromaraking is going to force you to marry him and there’s nothing we can do about it? That’ll go over well.”
Angel sighed. “Besides starting another war, there is nothing we can do about it.”
“Maybe it’s time,” Jaxon said under his breath.
I felt a surge of determination in Jaxon’s emotions. He was serious. He’d start a war over a woman. Unbelievable. Who was I kidding? I’d do it too, for Caprice. Angel probably would, as well. The Tromara’s leader had said his decision was to punish the three of us. That we all loved Caprice. Was that true?
I squinted at Angel. His emotions were always shut down when around her. Maybe not shut down, but reined in for sure. What was he hiding?
&nbs
p; I cleared my throat. “The last rebellion is too fresh in everyone’s memory. It would be the three of us against the Tromara. And we all know how that would end.”
“Then I’ll take her and run,” Jaxon said.
A sharp pang—jealousy—gripped my chest. Jaxon thought he was Caprice’s man. But she hadn’t decided yet. And maybe she wouldn’t choose only one of us, if this whole dragon-shifter and multiple mates information was reliable. He didn’t know about her kissing me that second time. And he didn’t know how I felt about her.
“Not a chance, man,” Angel said. “You’d be putting all our families in danger. Don’t get crazy.”
Before I thought better of it, I said, “Besides, she’s not just yours, Jaxon.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” His tone was icy.
I dropped my gaze. “You were there when May told us about dragon-shifters being polyamorous.” I steeled myself to look at him. “I didn’t risk my life to rescue her for your sake. And I didn’t do it because I like Caprice as only a friend either.”
The waves of jealousy coming off him made me tense up, ready for a fight. Before, when I thought Caprice would only choose one of us, I’d been willing to accept that she’d go for Jaxon. But now…if she wanted me too, then for once in my life, I wasn’t going to step aside. Jaxon couldn’t have it all, all the time.
We stared at each other, neither of us willing to back down. When Angel spoke, it took a moment for his words to register: “My wolf has claimed her.”
Jaxon and I turned our attention on him.
Angel wore a pained expression. “I thought I could shake it off, you know? Give myself enough time and space, and it would go away. I thought I had it under control. But then that Tromara fucker…what he said he was going to do to her…I lost my shit.”
Several heartbeats of silence followed Angel’s confession.
“What do you mean by your…wolf…claimed her?” I asked.
Angel rubbed the back of his neck. “Werewolves mate for life once we find our partner. The wolf part of me has decided that my life partner is Caprice.”
Jaxon abruptly stood. His hands balled into fists as he glared down at Angel, then he headed for the door.
“It’s not like I had a choice,” Angel called after Jaxon.
The door slammed shut so hard behind him that the frame rattled. Angel’s grief nearly overwhelmed me.
“Damn, I didn’t want to let this come between us,” he said. “It’s not like my father will let me marry her.” He hung his head. “What am I going to do now?”
I took it as a rhetorical question. What were any of us going to do now?
24
Caprice
My hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I trudged across the vacant lawn toward Academy Hall. About an hour after the Tromara left, the summons arrived from Jaxon. I was to meet him in his office immediately.
The fact that he was meeting with me, and not the dean, gave me some hope that everything was going to be okay. The Tromara hadn’t taken Jaxon, he hadn’t been locked up. So what was our punishment? I assumed it had been decided, since Jaxon wanted to talk with me.
Tentatively, I knocked on his office door. The wooden slab swung open. Without a word, he ushered me in and closed the door. His face was flushed and his hair was a mess. His red-rimmed eyes took me in from head to toe.
Had he been crying? My heart sank. This couldn’t be good.
“What is it? What happened?” I asked, reaching for his arm.
His muscles felt as solid as stone under my palm. He didn’t react, didn’t reach for me. His gaze swept over my face as his brows drew together in a frown.
When he spoke, his voice was flat. “The Tromara have decided on a punishment for our crimes.” Jaxon visibly swallowed. “For restitution they demand…you.”
“Me? What do you mean? How—?”
“Their king will take you as his wife.” He got the words out quickly.
I let my hand drop to my side. Stunned, I didn’t know what to say. An image of a large, greasy-haired, dead-eyed man filled my mind. The stench of decaying blood. Being surrounded by violence and fear. A slave for life. It was a worse fate than death. But I deserved it. At least the Tromara hadn’t punished the guys.
“I see,” I whispered, the vague statement covering for my frenzied emotions and thoughts. A part of me was resigned to my fate, another part wanted to scream, and cry, and run. To rewind my life to before I knew anything about supernaturals. Then came the anger. The rage of helplessness swelled in my gut.
“God damn it!” Jaxon’s veneer of composure shattered. He wrapped me in his strong arms, burying his face in my hair. “I don’t know what to do—” His voice broke. “For once in my life, I don’t know what to do.”
I held onto him with equal ferocity, inhaling his oatmeal spice scent. My inner dragon stirred. I wanted to protect him, to make everything okay.
Inspiration struck so suddenly, it sent a physical jolt through me. Instantly, I knew Jaxon would hate the idea.
I spoke against his chest. “I killed those other two Tromara, let me kill their king too.” Then we’d all be safe. I could look at the king claiming me as an opportunity rather than a burden. This would get me close enough to him to kill him.
He pulled away only far enough to meet my eyes. “No. You’re not going anywhere near him.”
I sighed, already exasperated and we hadn’t even started to argue yet.
“I’m serious, Caprice. You don’t know what you’re talking about. The Tromara we fought in the woods were unskilled compared to their king.” He cringed. “Angel attacked him at the meeting—”
“What?”
“And he just flicked his wrist, and Angel went down. It was nothing to him. He could kill us all in a heartbeat.” Jaxon’s hands slid to my waist. “We’ll figure something out. We have to. I won’t let him take you. Neither will Isabella.”
I didn’t feel like arguing. My mind was made up about what I was going to do. Where I got the nerve, I had no idea, but suspected it had to do with my inner dragon. I was going to use the rest of this year to learn and prepare. When the time was right, I’d chop the head off the Tromara snake. No one was going to talk me out of this.
My bravado died down. I must be insane to think I could do what no other supernatural had been able to do before. An unnatural warmth spread over my skin, tingling. But those who’d tried weren’t dragon-shifters.
“Did you hear me?” Jaxon asked. “You’re not—”
I stretched up on my toes, silencing him with a kiss.
Jaxon pulled back. “He also forbade me to touch you. If anyone sees us it will bring more trouble. From now on—” He grunted, bent and kissed me back. “This is our secret. You understand?”
“Yes. I won’t tell a soul.” In that moment, I realized Jaxon was as much of a trouble-maker as me. We were so alike. Kindred spirits.
He ducked down, angling his head to better ravage my mouth. His tongue slid between my lips, teasing and tasting before plunging inside. I moaned into his open mouth.
Heat pooled between my legs. My fingers laced through his silky hair, pulling him closer, as I pressed my aching breasts against his hard chest. My whole body felt tight and flushed. I needed him. Wanted him more than anything in that moment.
Teacher and all, he was mine.
He eased his tongue out of my mouth to lick my swollen lips. Taking my bottom lip between his, he sucked on it, then nipped at it. His teeth grazed down my jawline, down my neck. He licked the hollow at my collarbone.
My hands slid over Jaxon’s powerful chest, down his abs, to his jeans where I found the hard length of his erection. Gently, I ran my fingers over it. His breath hitched. He rocked his hips, rubbing himself against my hand. I undid the button and zipper to free him.
When I wrapped my hand around his hot cock, his eyes closed. He let out a primal groan.
“Oh, Caprice, that feels so good.” He groaned again. With his ey
es closed and his lips slightly parted, he looked like a golden god in ecstasy. I ran my tongue over those lips as I continued to stroke him, applying a little more pressure.
He growled. “Fuck, girl, you’re killing me.”
“Take your clothes off,” I whispered against his lips.
He slid his jeans and boxers over his narrow hips. I released his cock, so he could finish discarding his pants. He pulled both his button-down shirt and the T-shirt beneath it over his head, adding them to the pile on his office floor. With lust-filled eyes, he stood before me in all his naked glory. There wasn’t a shy bone in that man’s magnificent body.
For a second, I felt out of my depths. I’d had brief sex with a boy when I was sixteen, mostly as a rebellious act. It had been awkward and uncomfortable. Once I’d declined the offer for a second round, we never spoke to each other again. Shortly after that, I moved to a new foster home.
The man standing in front of me was no boy. Fine golden hair covered his chest and powerful thighs. My pulse raced with a mix of anticipation and nerves. He knew what he was doing. I was just letting instinct guide me, blindly plowing full ahead.
“Are you okay?” Jaxon asked. He must have caught a sense of my trepidation. “We don’t have to—”
“No. I want to.” My mouth twisted in a wry little smile. “I just…don’t have much experience.”
His brows lifted. He closed the distance between us. “That’s okay.” His fingers caressed my cheek. “It works best if we’re both naked,” he said with a naughty grin.
I gulped. Even my first time, I hadn’t been naked.
“May I?” Jaxon asked, his fingers tugging at the hem of my sweater.
I nodded.
Slowly, he lifted the sweater off over my head. The backs of his hands trailed down my sides, leaving gooseflesh along their path. He undid my jeans, helping me step out of them. Bowing his head, he kissed my cleavage, his fingers making quick work of the bra closure. Once the bra fell away, he palmed my breasts, feeling their weight.
Academy Obscura: The Flame Within Page 19