Clever Witch

by Nikki Dean

  Nico: Soon.

  Damon: He got me first. Starting work now.

  "Starting work? What's that mean?" Mallory asked, wrinkling her nose at Alec. Are they talking about beating Rykers up for information on Pohler? Since it's Damon there first, instead of Alec, I'm guessing knives are involved instead of fists. "And where's the circle?"

  "Let's just say you don't want to know. Nico will be back soon, but you and Slice n' Dice will have to stay here for a while."

  They both looked down at Dice to see him batting at the man on the ground, his claws out. "You sure you don't want to take Dice? He looks like he's enjoying himself."

  "Without you to keep him from doing that to my face?" Alec shook his head. "Nah. Maybe some other time when you can both come out to play."

  "You call this playing?"

  Alec shrugged, a slow, humorless smile playing with the edges of his mouth. "Not when it comes to you. We need to find out what they were doing here, and how they know Pohler."

  "We heard them mention my door, and someone named Rod. You think Pohler sent someone to fix it so that it would look like an official report had been done? Since maintenance wouldn't have come out otherwise?"

  "Gonna have to ask."

  "Dice, no. You can't eat him," Mallory ordered. The big cat was nuzzling the stranger on the floor, trying to roll him over to reveal his throat. She grabbed his scruff and tried to pull him back, but he was just too big.

  "What's wrong, your super strength not turning on today?" Alec asked. Something about the way he asked it made her look up at him, studying his face.

  "I have to link with Nico to copy his power. I don't really know how I do it, other than that."

  "Link how?"

  Nico opened the door to let himself in. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

  "Of course, or I wouldn't have asked," Alec retorted. "Here's the trash you left behind."

  Nico kissed Mallory's cheek. "Try not to worry. We'll get all of this shit figured out soon, and things will go back to normal."

  "You just have to torture a few people first?" Nausea threatened to choke her at the thought, but she tried to keep it together. "What do they want with me?"

  "That's what we're going to find out. I'll be right back for Alec. Keep an eye on Matt and call me if you need anything."

  Mallory nodded, but he was already gone, leaving her and Alec alone in the room. Alec glanced around, his gaze finally falling to Dice.

  "He doesn't look happy that his chew toy is gone."

  As far as awkward conversation starters went, it wasn't bad. "I wonder if he knew that guy. I didn't think to connect with him and see." She walked through the bathroom to Matt's side of the suite. Alec and Dice followed.

  "You can do that? Read his mind like that?" Alec asked.

  Dice jumped up onto Matt's bed and flopped down, then began licking his paw. Mallory had to smile, he reminded her so much of her old tomcat with that one, simple motion.

  "Sort of. I can feel his emotions."

  "Can you do it with people, too?"

  "You mean, do I know how uncomfortable you are being alone with me?"

  The question pulled him up short and he blushed. It was so different from his normal demeanor that she had to tilt her head, studying him.

  "I don't need my web to see how tense you are, Alec. Why, though? Usually you're the flirty one."

  "Oh, yeah?" He smirked. "You have us pigeonholed into 'ones,' huh? Let me guess, Nico's the sweet one, Matt's the funny one, I'm the flirty one, Damon's the asshole, and Everett's the other asshole?"

  Mallory shook her head, her blonde hair bouncing around her face. "Nah. Nico's the quiet one, even though he is sweet, too. Matt's the sweet one, you're the flirty one, Damon's the broody one and Everett's the asshole. So you got him right, at least. Although the argument could be made for Damon being an asshole too, but not so bad compared to Everett."

  "Ahh, Ev. He grows on you."

  "Eventually."

  Alec flashed a real smile at her droll tone. "It might take a few years."

  "Years?" she scoffed. "I don't know if he or I have the patience for all of that."

  "He'll stick with it as long as you do. Trust me."

  Mallory put her hands on her hips, skepticism oozing from her. "He hasn't even started to tolerate me. What makes you think anything will change?"

  "Oh, he tolerates you just fine. He just doesn't know how to show it."

  She shook her head. "That makes no sense at all."

  "It will. So, what are your plans for today, since everything just went to shit again?"

  Mallory sighed. "I don't know. I was looking forward to getting out of here for a little while when Nico told me that he called you guys to come sit with Matt, but clearly that's not going to happen. I texted Janae earlier about Dice, but she didn't ever reply. So I guess I'm just stuck here doing homework."

  "Is it that bad?" Alec asked as he sat on the opposite bed. He patted the space beside him and Mallory accepted his invitation.

  "Not bad, I just go a little stir crazy after a while. Plus Dice is going to need to pee soon, and I have no idea how to handle that. He should be outside chasing squirrels, not cooped up in a little bitty dorm room."

  Alec frowned as he looked over at Dice, who had moved on to grooming his side.

  "I'll try to bring him a toy or something. And a litter box."

  "Ha. Only if you're the one emptying it. I hate cat boxes. It's too bad I don't live on the first floor."

  "No one does. Those are the professors' rooms, and a few empties. Mostly conference rooms and stuff like that, too."

  Oh. That's how Nico knew I was lying about my room assignment that first time we talked. Because students don't live on the ground floor at all.

  "Matt lives on the first floor of his building, though. Maybe we could take you and Dice there?"

  "Do you really think that's wise?" Doubt infused her voice. "If they know where I live, they definitely know where Matt lives, and Pohler wouldn't hesitate to break in there, too. If he hasn't already. We need something else. Something no one else knows about, and wouldn't be connected to us."

  "Oh, yeah? You have a plan in mind?" Alec asked. Nico appeared in the room, a gust of wind following him.

  "Not really a plan. I might call my brother and ask though. He's pretty paranoid, so staying under the radar is kind of his specialty."

  Alec smirked. "Clearly not a family trait."

  Mallory flipped him off. He laughed.

  "You ready?" Nico asked.

  "Actually, no. Can you take Mal and her cat to go piss in the woods, first? She's worried he'll decide to use her pillow instead."

  Nico shrugged and looked in her direction. "Sure."

  Wow, that's really thoughtful of him. "As long as Alec isn't needed for some urgent assault and battery of the prisoners, that would be great."

  "The assault and battery can wait. Can you tell Dice so he doesn't freak out on us? I'll carry you both so we aren't seen."

  She nodded and called Dice with her mind, soothing him while she lifted him into her arms. He was heavy. Mallory tucked his face into her chest, trusting him not to hurt her.

  "Ready."

  Nico got them out of the dorms and across campus to the woods in a second, blurring past other students and teachers so quickly that they never even knew he was there. Only a telltale gust of wind in his wake left any sort of trail.

  Dice's ears perked up when Mallory set him down, swiveling first one direction then another as he listened to the surrounding noises. His nose was working overtime as well.

  "Do you think he's ever been out in the woods like this?" Nico asked as he wrapped his arms around Mal. He stood behind her, resting his chin on her head as he watched.

  "Probably not. He was most likely bred in captivity, and who knows how long he was at the lab. He's still young," Mallory said.

  "At least he gets the chance now, thanks to you."

  She didn't reply. I g
uess that's one good thing that came out of this.

  They stood together while Dice played, running through leaves and up trees, only to leap out of them and keep going. Mallory had to eventually calm him down enough to explain why they were out there, hoping it worked.

  It did. Dice did his business in the woods, then huffed in annoyance when Mallory scooped him back up to go home.

  "I know it sucks, big guy, but we'll come play again soon. I promise," she said. Dice gave the forest one last look before allowing her to tuck his face against her side again, hoping that it would prevent him from being disoriented and flipping out while Nico ran.

  The last thing they needed was Dice jumping ship in the middle of the academy courtyard.

  They got back to her room without any issues and although Dice was clearly annoyed about it, he settled down at the end of Matt's bed without complaining. Mallory tossed him some chicken nuggets she had in the fridge and went back to talk to Nico and Alec.

  "So what's the plan? You're just going to beat everything you want to know out of them?" she asked, nudging Alec with her elbow. God, I hope they correct me.

  "Nah, that wouldn't work. I'd break them like a little twig," Alec scoffed.

  "So what do you do?" she couldn't help but ask.

  "I'm just the backup in case things get out of hand. Damon has the hard stuff covered."

  She paled and Nico grabbed Alec's arm, tugging him toward the door. Alec didn't move.

  "You know we wouldn't do it if it wasn't necessary, right?" Alec asked softly, his eyes a little sad. "None of us enjoy this, and we won't hurt anyone if we don't have to. But you have to remember, they would have taken you to Pohler, and we all know he doesn't want to just have drinks and talk about stuff. Look at Matt. Look at your shoulder last night."

  "I know. I just hate the thought of it. Of all of this."

  Alec reached out and pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. He was too hard with it though, and accidentally nudged her head to the side as well. Mallory smiled, even as he blushed.

  "Sorry."

  "It's fine."

  "You'll have to show me what it's like when you finally manage to copy my magic, too."

  "What what is like?" She tilted her head and lifted her eyebrows.

  "What it's like to not be afraid of accidentally breaking someone."

  "Oh." She didn't know what else to say, but her heart ached for him. They were all so lonely in their own ways. "It didn't look like the amaroq was going to break."

  "He's the only one, and he doesn't like to wrestle much."

  "I'd imagine not," Mallory replied with a little smile. As though anyone would wrestle with it. But if anyone could, it'd be Alec. "You guys go have fun now."

  They ignored the way her voice may have cracked a little at the thought of them enjoying what was about to happen.

  "We'll be back soon. Don't stay up waiting if we aren't back by dark," Nico murmured before he kissed her. Alec whistled and slapped his friend's ass, earning a smile from Mallory.

  "I just remembered I've seen your balls!"

  She had no idea why her ridiculous mouth decided to blurt it out right at that moment, or why she'd even thought about it at all. The flustered look on Alec's face made it worth it, though, and Mal heard Nico's laughter echo as he raced them both out of there.

  Chapter 5

  She spent the rest of the day snuggled in bed beside Matt. He woke one more time before she turned the sedative off and removed his intravenous line. It wasn't much harder than taking Dice's out, and even though she was on her own this time, she managed.

  Janae still hadn’t texted back.

  Watching Matt's mind surface from the rest of the drugs was an experience. She kept her web open, melding her magic with his consciousness until it felt more like she was dreaming inside of his head, instead of her own.

  She felt it when his mind rose and fell in normal sleeping patterns, instead of drugged stillness. She watched the emotions that his dreams elicited, varying between elation and fear, to something else entirely. Mallory felt it when his body twitched in his sleep, when he rolled over and fell back into much-needed rest.

  Finally though, the drug was gone and he had slept enough. Mallory kept herself connected to him as she lay still, her mind trembling with anticipation as he realized that he was back in bed with her.

  Is he going to roll away from me, like before? Or does he remember enough to know that I'm okay with this, that I want to be beside him?

  Matt shifted gently, lifting himself up onto one elbow as he studied her. Mallory kept her eyes closed and withdrew from his mind, wanting to be surprised by whatever came next.

  Soft warmth pressed against her cheek as he ran the backs of his fingers over it. Her skin sensitized and tingled beneath the caress, and she didn't have to look to know that tendrils of shadows were tickling her skin wherever he touched. Their cool electricity only added to the sensation.

  Matt brushed her hair to the side and nuzzled her face, pressing his lips against her temple. "I know you're awake."

  Damn it. How did he know? "You know nothing of the sort," she murmured back.

  "All I really want to know is whether or not I'm really awake, too. Am I dreaming again?"

  "I don't know. Why don't you tell me what happened last time you saw me and we'll figure it out?"

  "Well," he drew the word out, as though savoring it. "You were naked, for one thing."

  She had to fight not to smile. Of course that's the first thing he mentions. "Definitely a dream, then."

  "You sure? It felt so real."

  “Still a dream. We were talking with the rest of the guys about how you ended up in the lab before you fell asleep.”

  “Oh, the rest of the guys were in my dream too, don’t worry.”

  The fuck? Are they all a bunch of perverts? Mallory opened her eyes with a smile to see him grinning above her. The sheets had fallen away, revealing his tan, muscled chest. Her hands were on him before her mind caught up, but only to touch the remains of medical tape that clung to his skin.

  Matt made a hollow noise as she touched him, not quite pleasure, but not really pain either.

  "Am I hurting you?" His skin was red, angry where the lab staff had applied and removed tape too many times on the same spot.

  "No. It doesn't hurt." Heat was rising in his voice as she ran her fingers over his smooth skin, sticking a little to the leftover adhesives. It left his voice a little ragged, reminding her of Nico's when he was just getting warmed up.

  Stop thinking about Matt like that. Even if the kiss in the gym was that hot, and he's made it pretty clear that he wants to do it again, that doesn't mean he's up for it right now. He just woke up, and Nico isn't even here. Still, the thought of not touching Matt, especially after what they'd just been through, was repulsive.

  "Don't move. I'm going to get some coconut oil and put it on these. It should help get the leftover tape off without hurting you," Mallory said. She couldn't resist giving him a little squeeze as she got up, pretending to use him as leverage when she pushed herself off the bed. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and he looked up at her, his dark brown eyes unreadable.

  "I'll be right back," she said. "I'm only going into the bathroom. No one's going to take you again."

  "It's not me I'm worried about."

  Mallory bent and kissed his cheek, smiling at the way he sucked in his breath. Usually it was him giving her little bits of affection, instead of the other way around. She thought she could get used to it if this is how he reacted.

  Mallory hurried into the bathroom to grab the oil and a few cotton swabs, then came back to his side.

  "Be still. This won’t hurt but you should leave it on there to help dissolve the stickiness. It'll help soothe your skin, and I can help with that part, too."

  He rolled to his back and lay still as she pulled the sheets down to his waist. He was still only wearing boxer shorts, leaving his upper half bare. Usually, the
sight would have made Mallory's pulse step up a little on its own, but today her heart rate jumped in anger, instead of desire.

  Red welts and needle marks covered his inner arms, and his chest was dotted with tape adhesive. She could see exactly where they'd attached sensors to his skin, and bruising spread from several sites. Mallory took a deep breath as she rubbed the oil between her hands to warm it, then spread it across Matt's chest in one broad stroke.

  He sucked, the air whistling a little between his clenched teeth.

  "Sorry. I know it's cold."

  He huffed a little and lifted his hands, lacing them behind his head. "It's not that. I don't mind the cold."

  "Are you being a pervert again?"

  "The most beautiful girl I've ever kissed just rescued me from certain death and is now spreading oil across my chest. I'm pretty sure anyone in their right mind would react exactly how I am."

  She couldn't help it. Really, she couldn't. She tried.

  Sort of.

  Her gaze darted down to his hips and she nearly blushed when she saw the size of the bulge beneath the sheets. What the fuck is wrong with me? First Nico makes me giggle like a schoolgirl, and now Matt's making me blush like one? I'm an adult, not a teenager. I can handle a little cock thrown my way.

  Only it wasn't little. Like, at all.

  I'm gonna have to tell Nico that anything I said about having him and Matt at the same time is officially off the table. There's no way I could keep up with the both of them.

  "Cat got your tongue?" Matt teased, shifting beneath her slippery palms. She looked back up to find him smirking at her.

  "Did you know that I called Damon a microdick the first time I met him?"

  He sputtered with laughter. "Why?"

  Mallory shrugged. "Doesn't matter, Damon deserved it at the time. Alec won't let me live it down, so I hate to see what he's going to say when I tell him Damon has some competition in that area."

  "What are you trying to say here? That I'm the third runner-up? Because I've got to say, I've seen Nico's dick and mine's definitely bigger."

  "Oh, yeah? You compared a few times, huh?" The thought of them standing together naked, eyeing each other's hard cocks made her want to laugh and squirm at the same time. Thankfully, she did neither.