by Tarah Scott
I wind the handle and quickly break the paint seal. A dozen more winds, and I have the window open wide enough to squirm my skinny ass through. I’m one of those lucky women who has a high metabolism. The downside is, I’m hungry two hours after a meal.
I drop three feet and land on the moist ground in a crouch. One of the perks to studying martial arts is learning how to land on your feet from just about any position. The bathroom, being on the ground floor, saves me from trying something foolish like rappelling down the side of the building using tied sheets.
I creep along the building to the rear. The stone wall is a hundred feet beyond the trees, but I must cross the school grounds without getting caught by the patrolling Watchmen. I consider trying to reach the perimeter wall in one shot.
About thirty feet away stands an old willow that’ll provide cover while I observe the patrols. I scan the darkened grounds. No Watchman; although, one can never be sure they aren’t there. I dart across the path and hightail it across the grass to the tree. I reach the tree and wait. I consider making a run for the stand of trees. I’m fast, I can outrun any Watchman. Yeah, and I can sing like Beyoncé. I climb the tree and find a comfortable branch.
The night is warm for early January, just the way I like it, so I lean against the trunk and wait. No more than ten minutes pass before two large figures materialize on the pathway ten feet away. They’re quiet. If I hadn’t been looking for them, they might have been able to sneak up on me. I breathe in controlled breaths as they approach.
Moonlight illuminates two very large men in black body armor. I wonder whether this is what Raith, Ethan and Blade wore when they fought The Shadows. No, that can’t be how they dressed. They defeated The Shadows in their dream worlds. But they might have worn armor like that to fight the crime bosses who used The Shadows to acquire their power. I grew up in the aftermath of the apocalypse, yet the reality has never hit me as hard as it does in this moment. Irrational, I know. But The Academy wouldn’t employ men in full body armor to patrol school grounds just for the hell of it.
For some strange reason, needing Watchmen on school grounds makes me angry and sad at the same time and I fight an unreasonable need to cry. I bite down on the inside of my cheek and hold my breath as the Watchmen pass below me. After they vanish into the darkness, I slowly release the breath.
God, I need Stony.
Minutes tick by as I contemplate the strange actions of my familiar. Bright moonlight provides more than enough light to observe the Watchmen patrols for the next hour. They patrol every twenty minutes. All I have to do is wait for the next patrol, then I can reach the wall and scale it.
The crunch of bootfalls snaps me to attention. Not a single one of the patrols made this kind of noise. I squint down through boughs and leaves and a shiver ripples through me. I’d recognize those wide shoulders and that fluid, powerful gait anywhere.
Ethan.
Part of me—the newly discovered nymphomaniac part—wants to drop from the tree and pick up where we left off that first day. Memory of his hard cock pressed against my ass sends butterflies skittering across the insides of my stomach. I lift my leg over the branch and silently drop down to the branch below me.
“Ethan, wait!” a female calls.
I stiffen. Fuck, it can’t be…
Ethan slows. He’s nearly under the willow when the woman catches up with him and a shaft of moonlight reveals, as expected, Miss Mack. She wears a slinky, slip-like dress that screams ‘desperate.’ Am I witnessing a lover’s quarrel? Was that why Miss Mack had been shocked to discover Ethan’s cock pressed against my nearly naked ass? I’m startled by the mixture of jealousy and hurt that swirl in my stomach.
“Miss Mack.”
The formality in his tone is like cool water on the burn of my jealousy. I grin. No one talks to a lover with such distant reserve.
“Commander,” Miss Mack sounds suddenly breathy, and it’s not the breathiness that results from sprinting. “Ethan.”
He stands backbone straight and waits. If I were a betting woman, I’d bet he knows what’s coming. With all that dragon energy, he’s got to be accustomed to women throwing themselves at his feet. He’s probably got a Webster’s Dictionary-sized manual of come-on ploys used during attempts to seduce him.
“I can’t help but notice how you’ve been looking at me lately.” Miss Mack steps closer.
“Pardon?”
Ouch. Even though I’m thrilled with his response, part of me cringes on Miss Mack’s behalf. I can’t stand the woman, but it’s got to be rough to hear that.
“Ethan.” Her voice trembles. Apparently, she’s decided it’s all or nothing, because she drops a spaghetti strap as she steps even closer.
Ethan sidesteps her. “Miss Mack, I’m flattered, but I’m simply not available. Now, if you’ll excuse me?” He turns and hurries away.
She gasps, but I hardly hear her over the thudding of my own heart. He’s not…available? Who is the woman? And why did he almost have sex with me my first day here?
Miss Mack unexpectedly looks up through the leaves. I freeze. Oh God, did I make a noise? She continues to stare up into the tree. There’s no doubt she knows I’m here. I tense in readiness for her to call me out, but she doesn’t. Then I realize that to acknowledge me would only magnify her humiliation. She stands another long moment, then spins and hurries away.
I wait until she’s out of sight, then drop from the tree. My feet touch the ground. I freeze for a long moment and listen. Silence. I turn toward the wall. A hand clamps down on my shoulder. I grin. Unavailable, huh? This time, we won’t be interrupted.
“What are you doing here, Ms. Crowe?” demands a familiar, deep male voice.
My heart plummets.
Raith.
Chapter Fifteen
ETHAN
Reunion
I pick up the pace around the curve in the walkway. I knew Miss Mack had a thing for me, but I’d hoped she had the good grace to take my subtle rebuffs to heart. I suspect that finding me with Leilah lit a fire under her determination to throw herself at me. My cock pulses with the memory of Leilah’s body pressed against mine.
A blur whizzes past me. I whirl. I’ve known Raith long enough to recognize him even when he’s traveling at vampiric speed—something he doesn’t do except in emergencies. I break into a run and follow. But when I find him at the willow tree, I’m astonished to discover him towering over Leilah as if he intends to eat her.
“What is it?” I demand.
Raith’s eyes glitter in the moonlight and I’m struck by the thought that he needs to feed.
“Ms. Crowe has apparently decided to get herself expelled,” he says.
Leilah gasps and, even in the dark, my dragon eyes discern the rise and fall of her breasts through the thick fabric of her hoodie. God, it’s pure torture being so near her and not being able to touch her. A realization strikes. It’s been forty years since Raith has fed on Ciarah. Being this close to her has got to be as hard on him as it is on me. In one very big way, even worse. Vampires languish if they don’t feed often enough, and there’s something about our connection with Ciarah that incites tenfold Raith’s need to feed from her. Maybe his aggression is a manifestation of that need. Hell, we haven’t seen Caleb since Ciarah died in his arms, and Matthias disappeared twenty-five years ago when he went in search of Caleb. Maybe they just couldn’t take any more of the roller coaster ride.
For the first time in eons, I consider what their absences might mean for me. In the beginning, almost too long ago to remember, we all wanted her for ourselves. Hell, how could we possibly have conceived the need that bound the six of us together? Now, however, if Caleb and Matthias have decided they can’t deal with the huge emotional swings in their lives—having Raith, Blade and I share her—maybe that leaves more of her for me.
Leilah lifts her chin and faces Raith. Pride and sadness war to fill the eternal hole in my heart. She is magnificent. I could love her forever—have love
d her for eons. My heart beats faster. Our short time with Ciarah is always fraught with trouble and chaos…and the sweetest love that ever existed.
“She’s broken curfew.” Raith’s voice is a low growl I recognize all too well. He may be angry, but he wants her. Hell, the challenge that radiates from her body has my cock hard as a rock.
“That’s punishable, but not an expellable offense,” I say. I grasp Leilah’s arm and pull her away from the tree, away from Raith. “Return to the dorm. We’ll settle this in the morning.” Once I get to the bottom of what’s eating Raith.
“No,” Raith countermands.
He steps toward Leilah. She retreats until her back presses the tree trunk. Raith braces his hands against the trunk, one on each side of her. He looks like he’s about to attack—or fuck her. If I’m honest, I’m torn. Once he admits how much he wants her, life will get easier for all of us. Until then, I can’t allow him to hurt her.
“She’s not going anywhere until I find out what she’s doing here,” he says. “It’s past midnight.”
I start to step toward them, then stop when Leilah angles her face within an inch of Raith’s and says, “You’re the one who forced me here by having the dragon put this damn sigil on me.”
“We all make mistakes,” Raith murmurs.
“Even though your precious Stone named me a member of all four clans?”
“What’s the ruckus?” Blade’s cultured voice reaches us before I detect him.
I keep my eyes locked on Raith as Blade stops beside me. “Leilah’s out after curfew,” I inform him softly.
The Fae chuckles and claps softly. “Bravo, bella mia. Bravo.”
Raith growls and my fire rushes to the surface.
Chapter Sixteen
LEILAH
Surrounded by Titans
From the corner of my eye, I see the dragon’s tattoos glow silver at the edges of his cuffs. My heart pounds. I lock my knees to control a tremor and keep my gaze on Raith’s face. His eyes bore clear through my soul. God help me, the sheer magnetism of the man is overwhelming.
“Ms. Crowe,” his voice is low and devoid of compassion. I’m pretty sure he’s honeying a trap to lure me to my death. “You still have yet to answer,” he says. “Why are you out in the dead of night?”
“You have no right to ask me.”
“I have the right to ask any question I please,” he hisses.
“Raith,” Blade begins, but I cut him off.
“If you’re tossing me out, what does it matter?”
Sure, I’m being unreasonable, but he’s so fucking close I can feel the heat from his body, which makes me want to irritate the hell out of him. The frustration radiating off him says I’ve hit the mark. Raith says nothing for three heartbeats, then straightens. I tense.
He emits a low laugh I know is at my expense, then he turns. “Make sure she’s at Domini’s office first thing in the morning. He’ll deal with her.”
I stare, heart pounding, as Raith walks away. I’m not sure if it’s the threat of expulsion—why the fuck should I care?—or his proximity that has me shaken. The guy has been nothing but a jerk from the moment we met.
“What the fuck is his problem?” I start at the realization that I’ve spoken out loud.
“You won’t be expelled,” Ethan’s gentle voice knocks me off balance as much as Raith’s aggression did.
Ethan lifts a hand and my heart races with the anticipation of his touch. He hesitates, then drops his hand back to his side. He towers over me, the epitome of protection. Add his dragon heat and my head spins. What woman can resist him? His volcanic fire warms the soul instead of burning the skin.
He sighs. “Raith can be—"
“An asshole?” I finish for him.
“Do not sow the wind, lest you reap a storm,” Blade murmurs.
I frown. “What does that mean?”
I have no defense against his easy laugh. He says something low in what has to be Fae, then adds, “I will leave you in the care of your guardian, Leilah. But if you need me, just whisper my name.”
I sense the magic an instant before a tiny ripple washes over me. Blade turns and begins walking away. His name rushes to my lips and I barely silence my voice as need sets my heart to pounding again. A mixture of fear and…is that joy?…fills me. I watch until Blade disappears into the darkness. What the hell kind of magic is this? Fae magic? I have no experience with fae magic.
I start as Ethan steps closer.
“I’ll walk you to your room.” He waves toward the dormitories.
My cheeks warm and I’m glad for the darkness. God, these three men have completely thrown me off my game. I’ve got to get a handle on my emotions.
We walk in silence to the dorm, then up the stairs to my room. Ethan opens the door and I step inside before he catches my wrist. The warmth of his fingers sends a shiver through me and I yank my eyes up to his face. Memory flashes of his darkening eyes the day he found me in my thong. I’m suddenly sure he’s remembering that moment, too, and I’m tempted to pull him into my room. But I remember him telling Miss Mack that he’s spoken for and I yank free.
“Have a care, Leilah.” He steps back as I swing the door shut. The last words I hear are, “The school grounds are dangerous at night.”
Chapter Seventeen
LEILAH
Headmaster Domini
An hour later, I lay awake in bed. I had wanted badly for Ethan to stay with me…make love to me, but confusion had—still—muddles my brain. Memory jumps from Blade to Ethan and, damn it, to Raith. Blade’s easy charm, Ethan’s gallant but off-limits protectiveness, and Raith’s…whatever. He’s done nothing but specialize in being a jerk. So, why can’t I get him out of my head?
Vague images hover like déjà vu in the back of my brain. Stark beauty, a desert, maybe. I hate déjà vu. Grams always said déjà vu meant we were on track, but the elusive sense of familiarity leaves me off balance. I snort. I guess it’s not strange that thoughts of Raith should confuse me. But then, all three men confuse me. My feelings for them confuse me. If Stony were here, she would know what to do. How can I feel so strongly about all of them—even if my feelings for Raith aren’t that charitable.
I wonder…
An alarm blares and I jolt.
Sunlight streams through the window and my pulse skips a beat when I don’t recognize the gray curtains hanging at the single window.
“Stony,” I rasp, and push up onto an elbow before I remember.
Fuck. I drop back onto the bed. I’m at The Academy. I must have dozed off. The alarm still blares. I slap the top of the old-fashioned alarm radio and blow out a breath. I consider staying in bed, then remember I’m supposed to see Headmaster Domini this morning. I can’t have Raith thinking I’m afraid to see the headmaster.
With a groan, I roll out of bed. A hot shower does little to revive me and I’m still yawning when I stumble into the dining hall and grab an apple for breakfast. I eat it on the way to the Headmaster’s office and barely finish it before I reach his receptionist’s desk. No one is manning the desk. I toss the core into her trash can and take the four steps to his open office door.
The place is utilitarian, without even a plant to soften the starkness. Just a clean desk with a pen holder and an old-fashioned lamp placed on opposite corners. A black leather office chair sits behind the desk and three armchairs for guests face it. Except for a few framed portraits gracing the walls, that’s pretty much it.
On the far left wall, two French doors lay open to a balcony. Who leaves doors open in winter? Headmaster Domini steps into view on the balcony, his back to me. He’s wearing a crisp white shirt with dark slacks. The man must be freezing. Why— He turns slightly and I see the tip of a cigarette glow. A smoker. That’s why he’s outside.
He turns and his eyes lock onto me. A tiny smile curves his lips. He takes a final puff of his cigarette, then exhales smoke as he crushes the butt in a crystal ashtray on a small table to his left.
>
“Ms. Crowe, is it not?” he says in a slight Italian accent.
The sexy smile hovering about his lips sets off a spark of attraction, so I’m not prepared for the wash of despair that follows.
I realize I’m gawking and clear my throat. “Commander Vanderkoff ordered me here, sir,” I say. I wince inwardly. God, did I just call Raith by his title and address the Headmaster as ‘sir’? Grams would be thrilled.
“Ordered you here, did he?” Domini murmurs.
“He didn’t tell you?”
“He didn’t.” The headmaster brushes past me into his office and I can’t shake the odd impression that he’s pulling away from me as I watch him walk to his desk, sit, then relax against the back of his chair.
“Perhaps the question is why the commander ordered you here, Ms. Crowe.”
“I…broke curfew.”
“Why?”
I’d considered a host of excuses on the way over, but had finally settled for a half truth. “It’s my familiar. I’m worried about her. I didn’t know she couldn’t come, so I brought her onto school grounds. Long story short, she flew off and I’m worried.” Most likely, Stony has established a royal lifestyle as a mouse in a Chinese Restaurant, but until I have proof, I am going to search for her.
“Admirable.” Headmaster Domini smiles.
I want to melt into a puddle of soppy goo.
“Your feelings are quite natural, Ms. Crowe.”
My heart jumps before I realize he’s not talking about my attraction toward him.
He removes a laptop from a desk drawer and opens the lid. “We should always see those we are responsible for safe. Familiars are cherished creatures and an important key to a witch’s power.”