Corviticus University: Family Ties

by J. E. Cluney

  “A memento for tonight,” Lucas said as I inspected the cute little object. “The magic in it is meant to be a good luck charm.”

  “Well, I already have you guys, what more luck do I need?” I chuckled, but I adored it.

  It was the perfect end to the fun-filled afternoon and night. We’d even danced a bit after we’d eaten, enjoying the music and checking out some other stalls.

  “Well, there’s still a little bit of the night left before they’ll start packing up,” Skip said as the crowd began moving away from the fireworks viewing area.

  “I’m pretty tired, and I’ve got work tomorrow,” I said, unable to stifle my yawn quick enough.

  “That’s okay, we can head home,” Lucas said gently.

  “If you guys want to stay, it’s okay, I can crash in the car,” I said, catching the slightest feeling from Skip that he wanted to go and grab a few more beers and chat with some of his uni friends he’d seen.

  “I’ll take her home, we’ll see you guys later,” Marcus said quickly before any of them could reply.

  “You sure?” I turned to him, clutching my dragon memento tightly.

  “Yes, besides, I know these three want to hang around a little longer,” Marcus winked at Lucas.

  “Well, I was going to go check out the magical treats again,” Ollie said sheepishly.

  “You guys enjoy, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said as I slipped out of Skip’s grip on my waist.

  He pouted, stepping closer and catching my lips in his.

  A surge of heat swept through me, but I batted it down.

  I really was tired.

  “You rest up, and don’t push yourself to go to work tomorrow if you’re not up for it,” Skip said sweetly as he cupped my face.

  I leaned into his hand, loving how he ran his thumb over my cheek.

  “See you tomorrow,” Ollie said as he gave me a kiss on the cheek, followed by Lucas kissing my other cheek.

  Marcus’ arm had slid around my waist while they said their goodbyes, and then I was lifted off the ground, the air rushing by as I turned to wrap my arms around him.

  The night air had warmed drastically, and I had an inkling that there was a storm coming. At least the weather had been fine for the event.

  I swayed as I was suddenly set down, the scenery that had been rushing by coming to a standstill as we stood inside the house.

  “Damn,” I breathed, my heart pounding from Marcus flitting me. I doubted I’d ever get used to it.

  “Did you have a good time?” Marcus asked, his arms wrapped around my waist to hold me steady.

  I was surprised I wasn’t feeling sick from the quick movements.

  “Yeah, it was amazing,” I nodded, covering my mouth to stifle another yawn.

  “Do you want a shower before bed?” he asked gently as he stroked my cheek.

  “Mmm, nah, just gotta brush my teeth,” I sighed.

  He grinned, and the next thing I knew, I was in the bathroom, staggering as I caught the basin to steady myself.

  Marcus had disappeared, and I rolled my eyes as I found my toothbrush under the sink and got started.

  I set my dragon memento on the counter along with my phone. I’d slipped my debit card into the case as I didn’t want to bring my pathetic, broken old handbag to the event. The strap had broken even more, so it was a lost cause.

  I finished up quickly, undoing my bra and pulling it out through my sleeve as I padded to my room with my dragon statue.

  I set the dragon piece on my desk, smiling at the keepsake. It was such a unique object, and I was grateful I’d have the reminder of the time with my guys. I quickly changed into my pajamas, wondering where my adorable vampire had flitted off to.

  As if summoned, he appeared in my doorway just as I was pulling my love heart shirt on.

  “You need more pajamas,” he mused as he took in my old, worn pajama set. Hell, it was too hot for the pants I decided, so I tugged them back off to his delight.

  “Don’t get any ideas, I’m tired,” I stated as I climbed into my bed. I still remembered when I’d first come here and the bed was a single bed. After the first few weeks, I’d come home to find it had magically been transformed into a giant king bed.

  Courtesy of Lucas and his magic, especially since I was having partners in my bed now.

  It amazingly still fit in my room, but I had a feeling Lucas had magically warped my room. Hell, all of the rooms looked bigger on the inside than the outside would have you to believe.

  “Of course not,” Marcus said as he folded his arms.

  It was then that I noticed he was holding a large paper bag.

  “What’s that?” I gestured at the bag, trying not to pry into his mind, as I could sense he wanted to surprise me with it.

  “A gift,” he stated as he flitted to the edge of the bed and sat down.

  “You didn’t have to get me anything,” I said softly as I shuffled forward, my heart squeezing at the kind thought.

  “I wanted to,” he smiled at me.

  Fuck, his smiles still got me. I’d never truly seen them until after he became more than a vampire. Happiness had returned to him, and he was loving life once more it seemed.

  I went giddy at the sight of his pearly whites, and the sheer joy on his face as he stared at me. His canines were slightly longer than everyone else’s, but nothing drastically different.

  “Open it,” he instructed as he handed me the bag and turned to face me more.

  Those frosty eyes focused on me as I opened the bag and peered inside.

  I couldn’t contain the soft chuckle and delighted smile as I pulled out the adorable black handbag.

  It had blue spirit looking wolves on the bottom corner, which would shimmer and move, howling and playing as I watched them.

  “It’s beautiful!” I remarked, stunned by it. Magical objects always came at an extra price, and I hoped he didn’t spend much on it.

  “Don’t worry about the cost,” he dismissed my thought as he nodded at the bag. “Check inside it.”

  I couldn’t help it, I always worried about money. Probably because I’d always had it tough growing up.

  But most of the guys were living off inheritances. Lucas with his grandfather, Ollie with his grandmother, and Marcus with his parents. Skip was the only one who actually worked, but the boys were all studying to create good futures for themselves.

  I opened up the beautiful handbag, loving how it was an over the shoulder messenger bag style. They were my favorite, none of these small handled elbow ones.

  I grinned as I withdrew the matching purse. He’d obviously taken note of my belongings and their desperate need of replacement.

  “What’s the special occasion?” I asked coyly as I flipped the cute little purse over in my hands. It had the same blue spirit wolves on it.

  “Does there need to be one?” he smirked, leaning forward and capturing my lips.

  With our lips connected, I reached into his mind, sweet shivers coursing through me at the sensation of his sheer happiness that I liked the gifts, and the love he had for me.

  He moaned as I felt him probe into my mind, and I knew he was finding those same feelings being returned.

  I pulled him back onto the bed, heat coursing through me as he leaned over me, one hand running up my bare thigh.

  So much for being too tired.

  “You need rest, VB,” Marcus groaned as he broke the kiss and gave me the softest nip on my neck.

  Rest. As if I could with that sort of teasing.

  My body throbbed at the innocent little nip as I imagined the sheer bliss of his bite.

  ‘You’re so tempting, thinking like that,’ he purred into my mind.

  I pulled his face back to mine, claiming his lips in a desperate, heated kiss. I arched my body into his, and his hand tightened on my thigh as I felt his arousal straining against his jeans.

  Fuck, I could feel his desire through our bond, the sheer need to have me. It was fogging
up my mind with lust, and I rolled us over, grateful he allowed me to do it.

  He chuckled as I tugged at his shirt, and he helped me pull it off of him.

  I dove down, kissing his lean, muscled chest as he moaned in pleasure.

  As I littered sweet kisses down his abs and along his waistband, his body stiffened as he hissed.

  The next thing I knew, I was beneath him, my shirt tugged off as he began exploring my body with his hands.

  I gasped as his cool lips found my nipple, and he suckled on it gently, nipping it and drawing a deep moan from me.

  He took his time kissing my body, and when he worked his way down to my flimsy black panties, he let out a deep moan.

  ‘I can smell how turned on you are, so sweet and honeyed for me,’ he moaned into my mind.

  He removed his jeans quickly, leaving his briefs on as he dove between my legs.

  I arched as he yanked my panties off, and the air against my dampness made me tremble in excitement.

  He kissed my inner thigh, teasing his way down to my core, his fingers dancing around my folds but not giving me what I wanted.

  I whimpered as he played his horrible little game of temptation with me, and I looked down at him, finding those icy eyes watching me with a glimmer of mischief.

  “What is it you want?” he asked huskily, his fingers trailing over my slick folds as he watched me in amusement.

  “You,” I gasped, my legs twitching in desperation.

  “How?” he asked sweetly, kissing my inner thigh, so close to where I really wanted his face.

  He chuckled as he listened to my thoughts.

  “You want me to taste you, to lick that sweet pussy?” he drawled, those icy eyes dancing with delight.

  I squirmed, finding his use of the word ‘pussy’ rather hot.

  “Yes,” I rasped.

  “And then you want me to bite you?” he clarified, even though he was inside my head and knew exactly what I wanted.

  “Yes!” I quivered, the thought of those teeth piercing my flesh sending heat throughout my body.

  ‘Anything for you,’ he murmured.

  I moaned, my whole body trembling with sheer pleasure as his lips found my clit.

  His tongue shot out, dragging up from my slit and tasting me before toying with my clit and making me spasm.

  I gasped, fisting my hands in my sheets as he slipped a finger inside me, stroking my walls. As soon as he felt the spike of bliss in my mind, he continued those exact movements to my sheer pleasure.

  He held me down by the hip as I tried to buck into his hand and face, gasping and mewing as he worked on me.

  He moaned against me, enjoying my own pleasure through our bond.

  I cursed softly as I felt the coil building inside me, the bliss swirling within my very core as it drew closer.

  My legs shook as he only quickened his movements, suckling and licking my clit as his fingers worked my tight walls.

  The smell of desire and arousal flooded the air, and I lurched upwards as I rolled my head back, on the brink of climax.

  ‘Come for me, Allison.’

  The mental demand was the final push, and I cried out his name as I came, the bliss tearing through me as I gasped for air and clutched the sheets.

  His sweet moans made me quiver, and my body twinged as he lapped up my orgasm, enjoying the sweet nectar. It tasted even better now, and he couldn’t get enough of it.

  His desperate thoughts made me chuckle slightly.

  And then his mouth was on mine, his hands finding mine and interlacing with them.

  I found the sweet honey taste on his lips quite nice, and then I was gasping, allowing his tongue the chance to delve into my mouth as his arousal pushed into my slick folds.

  ‘You get so swollen and tight after you finish,’ he moaned.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist, arching up to meet his thrusts.

  It felt like utter heaven having him inside me, our bodies connected along with our very beings. I could feel all his pleasure and sheer love for me, all the desires and hopes he had for us. The excitement of a future together, all of us.

  He drove into me, using one hand to raise my leg higher so that it was over his ribs rather than his hips, and I moaned at the deeper penetration he achieved with the shift.

  He thrust into me, his movements quickening, and I knew he was holding back from using his full strength. He always had to be careful, otherwise he could shatter my bones with his full vampire strength.

  But I felt completely at ease and safe with him. I trusted him, completely and with all my being.

  “I love you, Allison,” he moaned as he moved to kiss my neck.

  “I love you too,” I gasped, the small thrill of my growing climax making me buck against him more.

  He still held one of my hands, our fingers interlocked, while the other was cupping my arse so he could drive into me hard and fast.

  I briefly wondered just how fast he could go if he could flit.

  ‘Too fast, I wouldn’t do that to you, I could lose control,’ he murmured, his voice raspy in my mind.

  I knew he was close to his own orgasm, and he moaned as he nipped my neck.

  The soft love-bite made my stomach flip in anticipation, and I used my free hand to clutch at his back, pressing my body against his as we moved in a blissful dance.

  “Allison,” he growled, and I felt his entire being clench up at the edge of his orgasm.

  I screamed, the white bliss crashing through me as his teeth sunk into my neck, his own orgasm tangling with mine in that perfect moment.

  I rode out the white waves of sheer orgasmic pleasure, my body convulsing with each soft suckle of my neck, the sensation sending thrilling shivers through me that tingled to the very core of me.

  I clung to him as he drank, floating on a cloud of heavenly bliss, savoring the moment.

  This was perfect. This moment, where our pleasures combined and we both found ourselves lost in the beautiful moment.

  Everything was perfect.

  I awoke, freezing as I drew in a shaky, cool breath.

  Darkness surrounded me, and I knew instantly that I was in my void. How though? I hadn’t deliberately delved into it.

  The last thing I knew, I’d fallen asleep in Marcus’ arms.

  I clenched my fists as an eerie sensation washed over me.

  I wasn’t alone either.

  “Relax, Miss Smoak. I mean you no harm.”

  I stiffened, all my senses on high alert as the voice echoed around me.

  Who was in my void with me? I’d warded it well when I’d been dealing with the wendigo, no one was meant to enter it. They couldn’t.

  But someone had.

  “Your barriers are still strong, they won’t allow others into your void. But I’m not just anyone.”

  The voice sharpened, no longer echoing around me in the darkness, and I spun around, narrowing my eyes at the figure that was slowly forming right before me.

  “If I meant you harm, don’t you think your banshee side would know? That it would be warning you?” the man asked as he slowly came into focus.

  He was right. My banshee side was flaring, but it sensed no danger.

  I frowned as I looked over him, taking in his peculiar attire.

  “What are you wearing?” I asked immediately. Because, you know, this strange man was not too alarming in my void, it was his outlandish outfit.

  “This?” the man asked as he looked down at his clothing with a soft frown. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “You look like you stepped out of an old circus movie,” I stated. He looked like the show ringmaster or whatever.

  “This is considered formal daywear,” he shrugged.

  “Maybe by the long since dead,” I muttered.

  He smirked as he caught my gaze, and I had the chance to fully to see him.

  He was a natural redhead by the looks, with shoulder length luscious locks, a cute button nose and rather thin lips.
His eyes were a startling golden brown, and they were strangely amused. He had a short beard that was just as vibrant as his hair.

  He was quite handsome in a way. But not for my taste.

  “What would you call that?” I waved at his outfit, curiosity winning out.

  I’d ask him what the hell he was doing in my void next, but I got a uniquely at ease sensation around him.

  “This is my claret tailcoat,” he said as he tugged on the strange coat that was longer at the back like a circus ringmaster. “My trousers, and my bowler hat,” he indicated at each as he said them.

  He really was odd in those clothes, with the strange little top hat perched precariously on his head.

  Claret. That was a color? It looked like blood red.

  “Why are you here?” I moved on to my main question, dismissing his weird attire.

  “Well, to be quite frank, I’m not entirely sure, ma’am,” he frowned as he glanced around the darkness. “I just woke up in here.”

  Ma’am? Definitely a strange man.

  And he just magically woke up in my void?

  “I’m learning, slowly. Like I know who you are, and the men you live with. Interesting relationships there. And today, I got to see just how much the world has changed. And to think we’re in the twenty-first century,” he whistled softly. “The language has drastically changed. It’ll take a while for me to adjust.”

  “How do you know about me and the guys?” I growled softly. And what was this about today and the twenty-first century?

  “I think I’m seeing everything through your eyes. Don’t worry, I get blocked out from anything…” he cleared his throat carefully. “I don’t ever see you with your guys, like the vampire tonight. I get sucked back into this darkness, where it’s quiet and empty. Then I can peer out when you’re awake,” he grinned.

  What. The. Fuck.

  “Who are you?!” I snapped, this terrifying revelation throwing me off.

  “Oh, my apologies,” he said with a curt bow, even flourishing his hat with his hand before righting himself. “My name is Walter Murphy.”

  “How the hell did you get in here Walter? Don’t give me this ‘I just woke up here’ crap. This isn’t some goddamn hotel, this is me,” I snapped, stepping forward as I felt the power course through me.