After a long plateau, I finally came down and flopped back against the mattress.
Leo emerged from between my legs and tugged the blanket off the rest of me. He rolled me onto my stomach and straddled my legs. Before I had even caught my breath, he gently pried my legs apart and slid his cock deep inside me.
He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Gods, you are beautiful, inside and out." He cupped his hands over mine and started to move slowly inside me.
I felt how warm my insides were around his cock, how soft around his hardness. No wonder men liked sex so much, I felt amazing.
He pulled out and slid back in over and over, his breath becoming more and more ragged. The closer he got to coming, the more aroused I became.
Our breaths and bodies were in near perfect synch by now. The bond drove us closer and close to falling over the edge together. I had never felt anything like it. I didn't want it to end.
"Gods," he said near my ear. "I had no idea…" He thrust harder and harder until with a grunt he came hard. The bond gave me no choice but to follow.
Our voices cried out in perfect harmony. Whether this was fate or some magical bond created by peculiar circumstances, I didn't care. In the moment it was the most incredible sensation I had ever had. I felt myself contract around his cock, felt me milking him, felt his cum squirt out into my body. I sensed his pleasure and his joy.
Of course, he never bonded before either. This was new to both of us. It was something we could look forward to exploring together. As long as he didn't start to read my mind. A girl has to have some secrets.
Still in unison, we came down from the wild high together. He flopped down onto me before he rolled aside and drew me into his arms.
"I guess that's why they call it fate," he said softly. "I would only want to share that with someone I care about."
"Yeah," I agreed softly. The ugly memory of Fitz popped into my brain.
"I sense you're having dark thoughts." Leo propped himself up on one elbow. "Are you regretting this already?"
I frowned at him. "No, nothing like that." I considered telling him, but that would spoil this lovely, intimate moment. "Just ghosts from the past."
"Ah." He lay back down. "We all have those, darlin'."
I snorted softly. "You certainly seem to have a few. I hope you're not going to drag me into any trouble?"
He chuckled. "Of course I am, but you'll love every minute of it."
"Oh? You think so huh?"
"I have no doubt whatsoever. Have I led you astray yet?"
I considered that for a moment. Unless he really had known about the bond, then he hadn't really. It wasn't his fault we missed the train, or that I had been drawn to him in the first place.
"No, but there's plenty of time for that to happen," I said finally.
He nuzzled my neck. "Yes there is and I can't wait for a moment of it. You and me, darlin' and all your other guys, we're in for one hells of a ride."
Honestly, that was what I was afraid of.
12
Dyson and Blake were waiting for us at the train station in Illusion Bay when we arrived. The anxious expression on both of their faces could have been due to worry about me and Leo. It might also have been because of Nash, who stood a few metres away from them, his arms crossed over his chest. His face looked calm, but his eyes snapped with fire.
I couldn't tell if that anger was directed at me, or if he was pissed at himself for letting me out of his sight.
"Hey guys." I stepped off the train into humid air and a rush of embraces from Dyson, Kane, and even Matt.
"Trust you to get lost," Matt told me, a sideways smirk on his face.
I stuck out my tongue. "I love you, too." I might have been sarcastic, maybe not. Either way, he looked pleased.
Nash cleared his throat and everyone stepped back, leaving me to face him. After a moment he took my hand and led me off the platform toward a waiting van. It looked like something Scooby Doo would ride around in.
"Why in the name of the gods didn't you call me to come and get you?" he asked, his voice low. "You could have been—"
"I wasn't," I replied firmly. I appreciated his concern, but I was a grown woman, more or less capable of looking after myself. After all, I could shift into a nasty, bloodthirsty creature just like he could.
"I was perfectly safe the entire time. I don't need to be babied." I shook off his hand and narrowed my eyes at him.
His body stiffened. "I'm not trying to baby you. I care about your safety. Evidently more than you do."
I blinked at him a couple of times. "If I didn't care, I would have stayed in the lab and let them rape me," I snapped. "I have no intention of letting Zeta touch a hair on my head for as long as I live. If you think I would, you better think again, buddy."
I stuck out my chin and fixed my gaze on his face.
He seemed conflicted. On one hand, he knew I could be a badass, killing hybrid. On the other, I didn't want to be anything more than an ordinary witch, just conjuring up fluffy bunnies for shits and giggles. I didn't ask for any of this.
Finally, he exhaled. "I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a dick. It's just…"
"I know, you care, but leave being a dick to Matt," I said, half teasing.
"I heard that," Matt said from the other side of the van.
I chuckled. "Sorry, not sorry."
Nash took my hand and drew me to him. He nuzzled his face into the hair around my right ear. "I should tie you up and spank you for not calling me sir."
A delicious shiver traveled through my body and made my toes curl.
"Why don't you then, sir?"
"Maybe I will, after…" He trailed off and leaned back to look at me, a puzzled expression on his face. "What…" He glanced toward Leo and back.
"Fated mates, mate." Leo grinned.
"You can feel that?" I asked Nash.
"Yes, no…" Nash frowned. "I can feel something. It's like a strand of magic, like a bubble, but…not."
"Well that's as clear as mud," Kane said. He climbed into the front passenger seat and now sat staring at me.
I started to speak, but shook my head. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about this here."
"Yes," Nash replied immediately. "Let's get to the academy. It's an hour's drive from here as it is." He nodded to Matt who slipped into the driver's seat and started the van. It purred like a cat on steroids and smelled faintly like stale weed.
"Where did you find this thing?" I climbed in and sat between Nash and Blake. Blake changed into brightly coloured board shorts and a rumpled grey t-shirt. His curly hair was damp and the dimple in his cheek when he smiled was as cute as ever.
I returned his smile and placed a hand on his thigh, and one on Nash's when he sat beside me.
"It belongs to the college," Matt said over his shoulder.
"Do they use it to solve crimes?" I joked.
"They could now," Dyson said from the seat behind me. "We have a big, goofy dog."
"Awww," I twisted around and looked back at him. "You're not goofy." My gaze went to his lap and wondered if we could form a bond, too. Or he and Leo. They seemed to have taken to each other as well, judging by the looks they exchanged when the demon flopped down beside Dyson and stretched out like he was on a couch, not the back of a van.
"So, about that magic connection," Nash began.
"Right." I sat back around and explained what Leo had told me. Thankfully no one seemed bothered by my having slept with Leo in the first place. Blake and Dyson probably saw it coming—pun intended—as much as I had.
"Ain't never heard of anyone being able to sense a bond before, mate," Leo remarked, his accent thicker as he addressed Nash.
Nash shrugged. "I'm special."
I wasn't sure if he was joking or not, so I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Maybe it's because I'm a dragon," he said slowly. "Or it might be a hybrid thing."
"I can't sense anything," Matt said, "but my brain might be foggy from the second hand we
ed smoke in this godsdamned van."
I snorted softly. The longer I was in it, the stronger the smell became. "It doesn't run on weed fumes, does it?"
"It might," Kane said. "Technology is changing all the time."
I giggled. "Oh goody, we could all have weed mobiles in a year or two."
"Who needs flying cars when you can get high like this?" Blake asked.
I giggled again.
Nash opened the window beside him to let in some fresh air.
I took the opportunity to peer out at the landscape as we rushed past. Through the trees I caught glimpses of the ocean and the occasional beach. Buildings of any kind were few and far between. Sub-tropical vegetation dominated the view instead.
"Are you sure there's a college up here?" I asked. "Please tell me there's no uniform."
"I hear on some days, clothing is optional," Dyson replied.
"I'm pretty sure that was an exaggeration," Kane said dryly.
"Why is nudity such a problem for you?" Dyson asked him. "You like having sex in public."
"I don't have a problem with nudity," Kane insisted. "Just yours. You're my brother, I don't want to see your dick."
"I do," Leo said.
"Me too," I agreed. "Dyson has a very nice dick."
"Oh, he does?" Leo asked, sounding very interested.
"Well, I don't want to brag," Dyson said.
Leo leaned forward so his breath brushed my neck. "Is it as nice as mine?"
I considered that for a moment. "I think it best if I don't answer that. I don't want to be seen to favour one dick over another."
"That's fair," Blake replied, "but you shouldn't decide until you've seen mine anyway."
"Oh, is that a promise?" My heart pounded.
He gave me a dimpled grin. "If you want it to be."
"Oh, I definitely do, but I'm still not going to favour one of you over the other."
"Does that mean you won't choose between us?" Kane asked.
The humid air in the van was suddenly hotter, but the guys all fell silent as though each held his breath.
"I…" I chewed my lip for a moment. "I don't want to choose. I care about you all equally. I want all of you. If that's a problem…"
"Not for me," Kane replied almost immediately.
"Me either," Dyson said.
"Or me, darlin'. You're stuck with me."
"And me as well," Nash said softly.
"There are worse clowns to be stuck with," Matt said from the driver's seat.
"Thanks, I think," I said dryly. I glanced over to Blake who was looking down toward his lap.
Without raising his head, he said, "I decided to go back to school so I could be around you. Whatever form that takes. I just hope you can find some time for me."
I put a hand on his arm. "Count on that. I'm looking forward to it."
He turned his head to the side and smiled. "Me too." His mouth worked before he was able to form more words. "Do you think we can make the same kind of bond you have with Leo?"
"Unless you're a dog or a demon, old boy—" Leo started.
"It's possible," Nash interrupted. "If you can form one with Dyson, I might be able to feel how it's done." He swung his head back toward Dyson. "Assuming you two plan to have sex and don't mind me listening in."
"You can watch us any time," Kane said helpfully.
"Noted," Nash replied. "Your twin isn't you. He may prefer privacy. Although as I recall, that one time—"
"Yeah." Dyson's face was pink. "I suppose if we can form a bond, it's not fair if the rest can't. I mean, at least you could try to form one. If that means you have to… Yeah, I guess it would be okay."
"Good." Nash nodded. "I'm sure we can set up something suitably romantic."
"That would be nice," I said. "Because for a minute there I was feeling like a science experiment. I think we've established that I don't want to be in a lab."
Now Nash flushed. "It has to be all right with you as well. If we could bond, I would know…"
"You could keep a closer eye on me, sir?" I asked.
He hesitated. "That would be a benefit, yes."
"It would go both ways," I reminded him. "I would know if you're angry."
"You can't tell now?" he asked. "I need to work on that."
I chuckled. "You'd know how it feels to be spanked."
Rather than be put off by that, he seemed to find the idea appealing.
"Matt, can you drive a little faster?" Nash asked.
"Not without breaking the law now," Matt replied. "We're almost there anyway."
We swung into a narrow road which wound through trees covered in brightly coloured flowers. After a few minutes more, we came out into an open space with a beach on one side and a series of long, low buildings on the other.
"This is the college?" I asked in amazement.
"Yes." Matt said over his shoulder. "Welcome to the College of Advanced Magical Education. C. A. M. E."
I snickered at the acronym, but I preferred this to the original AMM campus or the one which belonged to the UA. Compared to those, this looked warm, relaxed, and inviting, rather like a resort. All it needed was a few hammocks here and there and a cocktail bar. Although, for all I knew, those might be around here somewhere.
"Please tell me we're not in the basement, or sleeping on the beach?" I climbed out behind Nash and reached for my bag.
"Oh no, nothing like that," Dyson assured me. "Come on, you'll love it." He took my hand and sent a jolt of heat through me.
At that moment, I wasn't sure if I could be happier, sounded by a bunch of guys I adored, in the warm air beside the beach and anticipating the night to come. What more could a hybrid want?
Okay, in the back of my mind I was worried whether we'd be accepted at this campus and if Zeta would find us here. I just wanted to finish my education in peace.
Was that too much to ask?
13
"You don't have to do this you know." Dyson's face was distorted by my champagne glass. Bubbles rose in front of him, slowly sliding upward to burst at the top.
I took a sip and set the glass aside.
He grimaced. "It's not that I don't want to. It's just…" He jerked his thumb toward the curtain which covered the open window. Every so often a breeze would ruffle it and blow it inward a fraction.
Nash and Matt sat outside, ready to see if either could sense anything which might indicate a bond forming. Nash seemed sure he'd know if it worked. Matt—he seemed more curious than anything, but sceptical as well. I suspected he wouldn't believe bonds existed until he felt one for himself. Fair enough, I wouldn't have believed it if Leo had merely told me about it.
I crossed my legs. "They're probably on their phones," I remarked. "Would you feel better if they were in the room?"
"Gods, no," Dyson said immediately. "Any other time I might, but not now." He cupped my cheek gently. "I want this to be about you and me. Well, as much as it can be."
"I could tell them to get lost." I uncrossed my ankles and placed my hand on the bed, ready to push myself to my feet if necessary.
Dyson caught my hand. "I'd never hear the end of it from Kane. He wants to bond with you too. If there's a chance, he would take it with both hands. I'd bet anything Nash, Matt, and Blake feel the same way."
I arched an eyebrow at the direction of the window, but if either guy heard, they didn't respond. At least, not that I could hear. For all I knew, they were using sign language to have an intense discussion on the best cop movie ever made and not paying us any attention.
What? Cop movies are okay.
"That doesn't mean you're obligated in any way," I said firmly. "They'll deal with it." They were all big boys after all, more than capable of handling all sorts of things, including this.
Dyson shrugged. "After tonight, I'm taking you somewhere private so we can take our time with no interruptions."
As if on cue, Leo's voice came in through the window.
"Is this where you ol
e boys got to?" he asked easily.
Nash replied but his words were muffled.
"Oh, don't mind if I join you then? I love a little voyeurism. Move over then, lads."
"We're not here to watch." Nash sounded annoyed. "We're just observing the bond, if there is one. This all might be for nothing."
"Bet you ten bucks it won't be," Leo replied.
"Ten bucks? What do you know that we don't?" Matt asked.
"A shit ton, probably," Leo said with a laugh. "Seriously though, it's obvious."
"You think?" Nash asked. "If you could tell us how the bond is formed, we could leave them to it."
"No can do, big guy," Leo said. "I don't know either. I just know they have a connection." After a pause, he added, "Don't dragons have dog DNA? That's why you're here, isn't it? Your ego can't stand the fact you don't have a bond. If you're not meant to be, you're not—"
Nash cut him off. "I don't believe this bond is some kind of godsmade gift. It's just a kind of magic and most magic can be reproduced in some way."
"I guess we'll find out, eh?" Leo said.
"Only if you shut up," Matt snapped.
Dyson sighed softly and leaned back against the pillows. "Now I know how lab rats feel."
I snorted. "Maybe we both need more champagne. Or we could sneak out the door and hide somewhere?"
He grinned. "I'm surprised Kane didn't insist on being my fluffer."
I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle a loud laugh. After a moment or two, I lowered it and said, "That would take awkward to a whole new level. Although, I could ask Leo in to do it if you like."
Dyson chuckled and reached for me. "I have a better idea. How about we forget all about them and focus on each other."
"That's the best idea I've heard all day." I leaned in to claim his mouth with mine. The kiss we shared was searing hot and left me breathless. We kissed before, but never like this.
"Wow," I said against his mouth.
"Mmmhmm," he agreed. "You set me on fire."
"Not literally, I hope." Phoenixes and fire went hand in hand, or was that hand in wing? At least in mythology they did. In real life, I didn’t breathe flames, or get reborn from any ashes.
Logical Magic (Academy of Modern Magic Book 3) Page 8
