For a moment I wasn’t sure where to go but as I started walking, my gaze landed on Leon’s roommate Sasha as she entered their room with a tray heavily laden with breakfast.
I groaned as hunger pangs spilled through my stomach and I shamelessly headed that way, hoping Leon would take pity on me in my fragile state and share.
“Elise!” Dante yelled from back in our room as he finally realised I was gone.
I reached out to knock on Leon’s door just as he and Gabriel made it out into the corridor.
“I need to finish talking to you!” Gabriel called, his gaze pinned on me.
“I think you’ve done enough, cazzo,” Dante snarled.
“Can you both just fuck off?” I asked as the door before me swung open.
I looked around to find Leon’s other roommate, Amy, looking at me in surprise. “Hi, Elise,” she said slowly, clearly wondering why I was here.
“Little monster?” Leon called excitedly from behind her and she opened the door wider so that I could see him perched on his top bunk. His shirt was off, exposing his golden skin and his mane of blonde hair hung loose around his shoulders.
“I feel like shit and my room is full of loud assholes, will you rescue me?” I begged, not even caring about the fact that I sounded desperate. I just wanted to escape and sleep and maybe steal some of that food I could smell…
Leon broke a grin. “I thought you ditched me last night?” he said. “Of course you can come in.”
“Elise!” Dante barked as I stepped over the threshold but I ignored him.
Leon hopped out of his bed with a frown, passing me so that he could block the door just as a pissed off Dragon and a dickwad Harpy appeared.
“Elise isn’t here,” Leon said cheerily as he stood in the doorway even though they could both see me.
“Just come out and deal with this situation,” Gabriel demanded.
“The only situation I want to deal with is my fucking hangover. Which you’re making worse,” I snapped.
“You heard her,” Leon said firmly, not budging from his spot before the door. “You four need to go away so that she can get some rest.”
“Four?” I asked in confusion but my question was answered as Amy and Sasha hastily gathered their things and headed for the exit.
“Wait!” I called after them. “I didn’t mean to get you kicked out of your room!”
They just waved happily as they went, not seeming to mind one bit.
Weird. So fucking weird.
Leon moved just enough to let them out and replaced his hand on the doorframe as soon as they were gone.
“Elise, just come back to our room,” Dante demanded.
“I only want to talk to you,” Gabriel added, glaring at me.
“You wanna talk to these two butt munchers, little monster?” Leon asked casually.
“No,” I groaned. “I just want sleep.”
“You heard the lady,” Leon said as he swung the door shut.
Dante planted a foot over the threshold and Leon released a deep growl that sent a shiver down my spine. I’d never seen him do anything aggressive like that and I bit my lip as I watched him facing off against the other two Kings on my behalf.
A tense moment passed and Dante’s gaze eventually slipped from Leon to me. “Dormi bene amore mio,” he said, his voice soft and even though I didn’t understand it, heat rose in my flesh at the intensity in his gaze. He turned and walked away and Leon slammed the door in Gabriel’s angry face before he could add anything.
“Thank you,” I breathed, leaning against the foot of Leon’s bed and releasing a breath of relief.
“I’ll always be here for you when you need me, little monster,” Leon replied gently, the tension draining from his posture as he moved to join me. “What happened to you last night?”
I looked up at him for a long moment and sighed. “I don’t really know where to begin. I was drugged, someone slipped me Killblaze and…do you mind if I tell you the rest when my head is in one piece again?”
Leon reached for me as he nodded, pulling me into his arms. He was so strong and solid, I felt like I could rely on him entirely in that moment. And despite the obvious concern in his gaze at the little I’d told him, he respected my wishes enough to hold off on the questions.
He shifted suddenly and hoisted me off of my feet, curling an arm around my back and one beneath my legs.
“Let me look after you, Elise,” he breathed in my ear and goosebumps rose along my flesh as his stubble grazed my neck.
“Just this once,” I agreed with a faint smile because I felt like shit and that sounded like heaven.
He lifted me up onto his top bunk and lay me down on the sheets. I rested my head on his pillow, breathing in the rich smell of citrus and summer that was him as my eyes fell shut.
I could hear Leon moving around and I smiled to myself as he cursed a few times and dropped something. There was a scrape scrape scrape sound then he swore loudly.
“Why did you have to go butter side down, you asshat?” he demanded in disgust and I snorted a laugh as the scrape scrape scrape began again.
Eventually he climbed up beside me and I opened my eyes as he presented me with two slices of buttered toast and a glass of orange juice. The butter was weirdly thick in some spots and almost non existent in others. It had taken him about ten minutes to rustle up that masterpiece and I was pretty sure all he’d had to do was spread the butter on the toast that Sasha had brought in. I bit my lip on my amusement as I sat up to accept it from him.
“Thank you,” I said and he grinned like I’d just told him I loved him, not shown gratitude for a bit of questionably prepared food.
I bit into the toast with a sigh of satisfaction and Leon held the glass of orange juice as he waited for me to be ready for it. I couldn’t help but smirk as he watched me eat. His gaze slowly slid over the shirt I was wearing but he seemed more interested than annoyed like Ryder had been.
His gaze lingered on my bare thighs as I finished my food and reached for the juice. I drained it in one and sighed contentedly as I leaned back onto the pillows.
“All done?” Leon asked.
“Yes. Sleep now,” I commanded, my eyes falling shut.
Leon took the plate and glass from me before jumping up and getting into the bed beside me.
He wrapped an arm around me, tugging the covers over us and I turned into him, laying my head on his chest as he drew me close.
“You can sleep with me, little monster,” Leon murmured as he ran his fingers through my hair. “I’ll guard you against any nightmares that come looking for you. They won’t get past me.”
“Okay,” I breathed, a smile on my lips. “I trust you.”
Leon released a deep rumble in his chest that seemed almost like a purr and I felt my smile widening as I curled against him, drinking in the heat of his flesh as a knot unfurled in my chest.
Somehow, in that moment at least, I really meant it.
***
I woke with a thick tongue and a pounding head but the trembling in my limbs had finally subsided.
The sound of gunfire on the TV prompted me to peel my eyes open and I found myself curled against Leon as he watched some old gangster movie.
“You’re awake?” he asked, noticing my movements and flicking off the TV he had hanging on the wall at the foot of his bed.
“Yeah,” I mumbled, pushing myself up to sit beside him. I groaned at the pain in my skull and Leon reached out, placing his palm against my forehead and pressing a wave of healing magic beneath my skin.
I sighed as it got to work, driving the needles from my brain and stopping the light from hurting my eyes.
“Thanks,” I breathed.
“Do you wanna tell me what the hell happened to you last night now?” he asked gently and I could hear real concern in his voice. “Because one minute we were hooking up and everything seemed fucking great then the next you were beating on Cindy Lou and clearly off your face on Killblaze. And I can�
��t work out when you even managed to take a hit of that stuff between being with me in the locker rooms and fighting her…”
I sighed, leaning back against the wall and fiddling with the buttons on Gabriel’s shirt.
“I didn’t take it. At some point during that fight, someone dosed me with it.”
“Who the hell would do that?” Leon growled dangerously and I raised my gaze to meet his golden eyes, relief spilling through me.
“You believe me?” I asked because Gabriel and Ryder hadn’t and I didn’t like to admit it but that had hurt. Because I’d never willingly place that shit in my body. And the fact that someone had wanted to get me alone in those woods enough to risk drugging me during the middle of a party full of people was pretty goddamn terrifying. And I still had no idea who’d done it. Or why.
Had I tipped someone off with my investigations? Had someone realised who I was or what I was trying to do here?
“Of course I believe you,” Leon said firmly, reaching out to take my hand. “If you say something happened, then it did. No questions.”
He tugged on my fingers and I let him draw me into his lap, my knees pressing into the firm mattress either side of him. I trailed my fingers down his face into the golden stubble which lined his jaw, studying the perfect angles of his features in the warm light of a lamp which lit the room.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“So tell me the rest of it,” he encouraged, his gaze darkening with concern as I explained to him about the way Dante had brought me outside and then someone had taken me the moment he’d left me there.
When I told him about the cult in the woods and the figure hidden beneath the robe, he just listened without doubting me, his grip on my waist tightening as if he wanted to reassure himself that I was safe here now and nothing worse had happened to me.
“I don’t know who the hell it was out there, but they killed that boy and they stole his magic,” I finished, my heart pounding. “And I think they would have killed me too if Gabriel hadn’t shown up.”
“When I find out who they are, I’ll tear them in two,” Leon growled, his fingers digging into my skin. “I’m sorry I didn’t come looking for you…but when you were gone after the fight I just thought you’d left. Cindy Lou had thrown that drink over you and I just assumed…”
“It’s alright,” I said, surprised to see such worry warring in his eyes.
“It’s not. If something had happened to you, Elise-”
“It didn’t,” I interrupted, sensing how much he was beating himself up over not trying to find me. “I got away. I’m here now.”
Thanks to Gabriel. I frowned to myself. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten so angry with him in his apartment. But I was just so sick of feeling like I didn’t know what was going on. There was so much about the night that Gareth had died which was a mystery to me. And Gabriel kept too many secrets. He insisted that I was meant for him, but if that was the case then why was I here now in Leon’s arms without the slightest desire to be anywhere else? Whatever the hell was going on with Gabriel, it wasn’t my problem. But maybe I did owe him a proper thank you. I could manage that much at least.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this because my family never does this,” Leon said slowly. “But you need to talk to the FIB. If there’s a dead kid out in the woods somewhere…”
I dropped his gaze, letting my eyes trail over his bare chest as I thought about that. I knew he was right. But after the way they’d dealt with Gareth’s death, it was hard for me to trust the FIB.
“At least speak with Principal Greyshine,” he pressed. “Let him contact the police once you’ve told him what you know.”
“I guess so,” I agreed. Mainly because I was imagining that boy as my brother, thinking about his family who must be out there somewhere with no idea about what had happened to him. They deserved the truth even if the reality of it was going to crush them.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll hold your hand if you want me to.”
I smirked at him. We both knew I didn’t need my hand held. “You can come if you want,” I agreed. “But I’ll hold my own hand.”
“You know, relying on other people from time to time isn’t the worst thing in the world,” he teased.
“Well, everyone I’ve ever relied on has either lied, left or died. So I don’t make that mistake anymore,” I said simply, climbing off of him and out of the bed.
“You can’t just go through life assuming people will always let you down,” Leon said uncomfortably as he followed me, grabbing a white T-shirt to go with his sweatpants and kicking on his sneakers before we left his room.
I didn’t answer him because I didn’t agree. I had no intention of relying on anyone else ever again. I could look after myself and I’d never be stupid enough to tie myself to one man alone and open myself up to him ruining me if he left. No. I’d follow my own path and count on me.
I approached my room warily and breathed a sigh of relief as I opened the door and found it empty. Leon waited outside while I quickly changed into a pair of leggings and a warm sweater and I tossed Gabriel’s shirt up on his bed for him to find.
A soft squeak caught my attention as we headed down the stairs and I caught a flash of movement in the corner of my eye as a rodent scurried away from us. A small, pathetically girly part of me almost shrieked in alarm before I realised it must have been Eugene. Though why the hell he’d choose to clamber up the stairs in his tiny rat form was beyond me.
By the time we got to Greyshine’s office I was definitely dragging my feet, but Leon’s arm stayed firm around my shoulders as he guided me right up to the door.
I knocked and there was a brief pause before an answer came from our Principal.
“Hey ho, guys! I’m a tad busy just now-”
“It’s important,” Leon cut him off firmly. “Elise needs to talk to you about a murder.”
There was a long pause this time and I frowned up at Leon who just shrugged before the sound of a lock turning came from the other side of the door and it was pulled wide.
Principal Greyshine stood before me, his bald patch gleaming and his glasses slipping down his sweaty nose as he looked between the two of us with a frown.
“What’s this hullabaloo?” he asked.
“I need to come in,” I said before Leon could reply. I could do this myself without needing him to mollycoddle me.
“Well actually Miss Callisto, it just so happens that I was about to send you a request for a meeting anyway so maybe we can kill two birds with one stone. Perhaps Mr Night can wait out here?”
Leon cast a wary look my way like he thought I might insist on him staying but I just nodded.
“It’s fine, Leo, you weren’t there anyway.”
“Spiffing,” Greyshine declared, gesturing for me to come inside.
Leon released me and moved to lean against the wall right beside the door with his arms folded. I gave him a faint smile before heading inside and Greyshine closed the door behind us.
“I’ve had a video brought to my attention from last night,” Greyshine said before I could speak.
His office was so full of books that I could hardly see the furniture. He hurried forward to lift a pile of thick tomes from a chair so that I could sit and slid around his desk to drop into his own seat.
“What video?” I asked with a frown.
“Just high jinx I’m sure but obviously we have to have a meeting if we’re concerned about our students taking drugs on campus.”
My heart sank as he produced an Atlas and played a recording of me from last night as I fought with Cindy Lou and bounced about the place looking like a complete fruit loop. My pupils were full blown, laughter poured from my lips continually and I kept losing the thread of what I was saying. The highlight of the video was me getting Cindy Lou to call herself Cindy Poo. That shit was first class. I didn’t regret that part of it one bit. The rest however…I looked like a total addict.
“I was
drugged,” I said lamely as the recording ended and silence fell. “That’s part of what I came to tell you.”
“Oh?” Greyshine asked, his eyebrows rising towards his sparse hairline.
“Yeah. And I was dragged off into the woods by…someone. When I got there, there were all these people in cloaks, chanting and using black magic. They’d brought other kids there too, but I’m pretty sure they weren’t students. They wanted us to kill ourselves and…one boy did. I saw it. And the ring leader stole his magic.”
Greyshine looked at me for a long moment, pity lining his features. “I’m so sorry you experienced that,” he said kindly but there was no concern in his voice. No panic. Had he missed the bit where I said someone had been murdered?
“I don’t think you heard me,” I said firmly. “A boy was killed! He-”
“I’m sure your hallucinations seemed very convincing,” Greyshine said, the pity in his eyes making me want to smack him.
“I wasn’t hallucinating,” I growled.
“I understand that Killblaze can make you believe all kinds of crazy things. I’ve informed Miss Nightshade about your drug habit and she will discuss it further with you in your counselling sessions-”
“I don’t have a drug habit!” I snapped. “I told you, someone drugged me! They took me out into the woods and tried to kill me. If it wasn’t for Gabriel rescuing me-”
“Gabriel? Are you saying Mr Nox can corroborate your story?” Greyshine asked, seeming more inclined to believe me if I had someone to back me up.
“Yes,” I said keenly. “He saw all of it. He rescued me and took me to his apartment in the city.”
“Okay. I’ll send him a message requesting his presence and hopefully we can clear this all up.”
“Good. You do that,” I said irritably, leaning back in my chair and folding my arms as he typed out the message on his Atlas.
Greyshine buried his nose in a book while we waited for Gabriel to arrive and I stewed in silence.
After a relatively short period of time, a knock sounded at the door and Greyshine called out for Gabriel to enter.
I looked up at him as he moved into the room, his dark eyes trailing over me as he tucked his black wings tight to his back in an attempt to keep himself from knocking any of the piles of books over.
Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Book 2) Page 4