“Well, tell your friend I said thanks. Now, divulge all of your secrets. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone, or maybe you haven’t been… Is that why you and Enzo have gotten so close? Does he have something over you? I knew that bastard was screwing with you.”
“Easy, killer. Enzo doesn’t know the whole story, either. At least, I don’t think he does. I haven’t seen him all week. Our whatever-you-want-to-call-it has nothing to do with this situation.”
“Okay, so what does?”
After taking a deep breath, I summarized as best I could everything that had happened since I arrived at Shadow Veil Academy, which was a lot more than I realized. My three races were first, which made her ask more questions I didn’t have the answers to, then the woman’s voice that started, the draw I had to the forbidden door of the dungeon, the day I was able to go in, and what happened in the Courtyard of Tranquility.
Then, I explained the meeting with the headmaster after I couldn’t go through the shield, and the gargoyles I was convinced were watching me.
“The gargoyles? Really?” she laughed. “There was this story when I was a child that the dragons created them for their lairs as guards and if we ever saw one, we needed to run as far in the opposite direction as possible or we’d face the dragon’s fire.”
“Well, I have no idea what it means, so your guess is as good as mine.”
I continued to tell her about the last meeting with the council and what happened when Alexander tried to compel me to spill all my secrets, followed by learning who Malina was, and still having no idea what she wanted with me.
“Holy shit, girl. You’ve been going through all of this and still managed to pass your finals? You’re superwoman. This is some seriously messed-up shit you’ve found yourself in. Now, people are saying all that stuff… I’ll do what I can, but I can’t really defend as good as I’d like without telling your secrets.”
Shaking my head furiously, I said, “Don’t you dare try to help. I have no idea if Malina could follow through on her threat or not, but I’d rather not find out. It’s enough to know you know I’m not a fucking evil wench sent here to do whatever it is they think I’m doing.”
“I’ll be honest, Peyton and Finley are a little on the fence. They reached out to me and asked what I knew. I did my best to defend you, but I didn’t really know anything then. I still won’t say anything to them, though hopefully they’ll understand without me needing to. Try not to hold it against them if they don’t, though. They’re pure blood and were raised a little less understanding than us hybrids.”
My mind was emotionally spent and, instead of questioning that statement, I decided it was the perfect evening for a girls’ night in: movies, junk food, and alcohol, if available.
“Can you get us wine?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Duh. That’s a stupid question, and you can now, too. As supernaturals, we’re considered consenting adults at eighteen for all things. What do you have in mind?”
“A couple rom-coms, all the crap food we want, and wine until I can no longer think about everything we just talked about,” I replied with a shrug.
“Done. You pick the movies, and I’ll be back with the goods.”
Gemma was out the door before I could even reply, and I was more than grateful for her. Almost even a little appreciative to Malina for not practically killing me when I needed to tell my best friend everything.
I’m not evil. You’ll soon learn that. We’re going to do great things together, child.
Ignoring her and the hope that she wasn’t completely batshit crazy, I prepared for my much-needed girls’ night and pretended my life wasn’t a complete wreck.
The following day was Halloween, and even though I was slowly becoming the outcast of the school, Gemma somehow convinced me it was a great idea to go to the big bash planned out by the lake I had never seen.
It was hidden within the shifter forest, but she assured me, it would be perfectly safe. There was little doubt that would be the case considering my run of bad shit happening as of late, but she really wanted to go. Since she had been there for me the night before, I agreed.
Standing in front of the mirror next to her, both of us dressed as flapper girls from the twenties with black and gold glittery dresses and fish net stockings, I was beginning to regret it.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked.
“We look sexy as hell. We are not missing this party. Get your big girl panties on and get ready for your first supernatural party. It will be one you never forget, I promise.”
I scoffed at her words, because I wasn’t sure if it would be a bad or good thing that I never forgot it. Regardless, she wasn’t letting me back out.
“We’re fashionably late, so let’s head out. The party started about two hours ago. Hopefully, everyone will already be well on their way to drunk and not even pay attention to you,” she said, probably trying to be reassuring, but it didn’t work.
We walked out of the room, and a few others were headed the same direction as us, but they gave us a wide berth. I tried to tell myself it was just a coincidence, but it didn’t bode well for my confidence that everything would be fine.
Ten or so minutes later, we entered the forest, and the music finally sounded a few minutes after that. Gemma moved along even faster as we got closer, but I pulled her back.
“If you expect me to arrive at this party in one piece, you’re going to need to slow it down before I eat shit in these heels you stuffed my feet into, woman,” I said.
“Beauty is pain. Come on.” No mercy came from her as I stumbled my way through the forest, using the trees to keep myself from falling over.
When we arrived, Gemma promised to stay close, but I knew that was going to be an issue. Everyone loved her, and even though she was with me, it didn’t stop them from trying to get her attention.
Thankfully, not everyone ignored me.
“Hey, Rae,” Embry called from across the party with a big smile that showcased his perfect white teeth and dimples.
I waved back but didn’t go to him when he waved me over. He was with his friends, and I felt relatively safer standing behind Gemma while she spoke with a few other students.
Sipping on some elven wine, I paid more attention to my drink than the stares of those around me. The only blessing was that Lyssa didn’t appear to be in attendance, so at least nobody would call me out publicly. Hopefully.
A warm hand settled on my back, and I slowly turned to see who thought they knew me well enough to lay hands on me. Surprise rolled through me when my eyes met Embry’s.
“Having fun?” he whispered in my ear as he leaned in.
“Sure.”
“Sure? That’s not really an answer. Come on, I’ll loosen you up.”
Before I could object, he pulled me away from Gemma. All she did was give me two thumbs up. Shaking my head at her, I mouthed “help”, but she only laughed, refusing to come to my aid. Traitor.
Embry led me to the dance area, which was a lot darker than where I had been standing before, so I decided it maybe wasn’t such a bad idea. Less people would be able to stare at me.
We danced to a couple of songs, and I was finally relaxing and enjoying myself. Then, a slow song came on, and I tensed back up. It was one thing to dance next to Embry, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to have his hands on me.
“One more?” he asked with his hand out.
His smile was sincere and, honestly, who was I kidding? Embry was hot with his dimples, dark skin, and bright eyes. I would be an idiot to tell him no.
Instead of answering, I put my hand in his and let him pull me close. His hands settled just above my ass, while mine wrapped around his neck. Inhaling as he started to spin us around, all I could smell was booze and trees, but I didn’t care. Surprisingly, I was having fun.
When the song ended, his lips pressed to my neck and he pulled away. “How about we get another drink?”
Nerves
slammed into me as I pictured Enzo and when he had almost kissed me. Was I ready to move on from the drama he brought me? I didn’t know the answer to that question, but I was going to find out. I needed to decide my feelings for Enzo and move forward, because the sexual tension between us for the last two months was getting old.
“Sounds great,” I said with a smile.
He grabbed two drinks and led me further away from the party, but not far enough that I couldn’t still see Gemma chatting with Peyton and Finley who must have arrived while I was dancing with Embry.
“Thanks for the dances. Did you have fun?” he asked
“I did. Thanks for dragging me out there.”
“Why do you sound so surprised?” He laughed.
“I just have a lot going on right now and didn’t expect any of tonight to be enjoyable, to be honest.”
He took a step closer and ran his knuckles down my arm before intertwining our fingers. “I’m glad I could help bring a smile to your face. You should do it more often.”
My breath hitched. He was only inches from my mouth, and his eyes weren’t looking anywhere other than my lips. I had mere seconds to decide if I wanted to back away. Instead of overthinking for those few seconds, I pressed forward, closing the gap myself, deciding that I only lived once and waiting on Enzo wasn’t an option.
My body hummed as Embry’s hands roamed my back before grabbing my ass and bringing me flush with his body. My fingers entangled in his hair as he angled his head to take the kiss deeper.
A groan slipped out from one of us, and I was having the best kiss of my life until a deep rumble sounded from behind me and my body froze. Embry pushed me behind him, but when my eyes found the source of the noise, I realized he should have been behind me.
“Enzo, what are you doing?” I asked defensively.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he stomped over to us and Embry moved out of his way. I didn’t blame Embry for being afraid. I would have done the same, but I was a little disappointed he didn’t even try to object at least once.
“Hey, I asked you a question,” I said to Enzo and still didn’t get a response.
He pulled me into his arms, then lifted me up to cradle me against his chest before addressing Embry. “Don’t touch her again, Witch. She is mine.”
“Uh, no I’m not, asshole. You don’t get to claim me like I have no choice. Now, put me down,” I demanded with a rising voice.
His attention moved from Embry to me, and I immediately regretted yelling at him. Enzo’s eyes were almost black, and his body vibrated beneath me.
“Mine.”
That one word was filled with a pain I couldn’t identify. My heart hurt for him, and my emotions warred with each other. I didn’t want to give in to him, but I was afraid someone would get seriously hurt if I didn’t.
“Okay,” I replied and sincerely hoped I didn’t regret it as he carried me away from Embry and the rest of the party. My only hope was that he had answers I needed, and he was willing to give them, or I was going to use any means necessary to force what I wanted to know out of him.
Chapter 14
Still cradled in Enzo’s arms, I stayed silent all the way back to the dorms. I assumed we were going back to mine, but when he passed the hybrid wing, my curiosity piqued.
“Where are we going?” I asked softly, feeling like I was talking more to a beast than a man with the tension I felt rolling off him.
“My room.” His jaw ticked while his grip tightened on me.
“Can I ask why and what this is all about?”
He ignored my question, and I let out a huff while crossing my arms. I debated trying to get free, but I was genuinely curious as to what was going on with him. He hadn’t outwardly expressed any feelings toward me since the night we almost kissed, so none of his actions or words were making sense.
The platform in the elven wing took us to the top floor, and I decided their dorms were considerably nicer than the hybrid ones. The décor was more modern, the floors shinier, and the common room was twice the size.
When Enzo stepped off the platform, I noticed there was only one door on his floor. “Are you by yourself up here?” I asked.
His nod was slight as he keyed in the code to open his door.
My gaze moved inside the massive suite Enzo called home. It was more of a penthouse than a dorm room, and I was immediately jealous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows took up half of the east wall, there was a full kitchen to my right, two more doors to my left, which I assumed led to the bedroom and a bathroom, and then a living room four times the size of my entire dorm.
After wiggling out of his hold, I walked toward the kitchen, and my hand glided over the smooth granite countertops while I admired the stainless-steel appliances he probably never used. Turning around, I went to the windows. His view overlooked the Courtyard of Tranquility, and longing slammed into me as I remembered the day I tried to enjoy its beauty not so long ago.
From above, I could see the tops of the weeping willow trees and acres of plush green grass lit up by antique streetlights guiding a path toward a small stream. My hand pressed against the glass as I once again wondered if I’d ever be able to experience it for myself.
“Raegan,” Enzo whispered, his breath hot on my neck.
Afraid to turn around, I stayed facing the window. “Yes?”
“Did I scare you?”
Without hesitation, I turned around, no longer worried about his close proximity. I was more eager to see the expression on his face. “Why would you have scared me? Were you acting like a psycho? Yes. But I figured there was a reason for it, and I’d beat it out of you if I needed to.”
The smirk I had a love-hate relationship with appeared on his face. “I love your spunk and that you say what’s on your mind instead of what you think I want to hear.”
“What’s going on with you, Enzo?” I asked, ignoring his compliment. Talking about our feelings wasn’t enough of an explanation for him appearing out of nowhere and scaring Embry half to death by acting like a caveman.
“I went to see someone during break and learned a few things. You can’t trust anyone here. There are too many people that want to hurt you, and I will do everything I can to make sure nobody hurts my little dragon.”
His hands cupped my face, but I backed up and pushed him away. “What did you just call me?”
His eyes widened as he realized the words he’d used, but it was too late, and he had some explaining to do. Last I knew, Enzo’s memories had been wiped, and he was no longer supposed to know I was part dragon. He shouldn’t have remembered the nickname he’d used for me a couple of times.
“Raegan, listen. You don’t understand.” He stepped closer again, but I moved away from the window, so I was no longer trapped.
“No, you listen first. I’ve had some screwed-up stuff happen to me while I’ve been here, and I don’t have time for secrets. You either tell me what you know, or I’m leaving and going back to that party, so I can pretend none of this happened before I lose my shit.”
My hands shook as I tried to figure out what was happening. Enzo claimed me in front of a whole party of students. He knew I was not only a hybrid, but also a dragon shifter, and he apparently had friends who knew things about me as well.
Enzo seemed to hesitate, but I didn’t back down. My stare intensified until he blinked, muttering a curse, and I knew I’d won.
“Elves are the original power source. If prepared, there is a way to prevent a compulsion. They didn’t remove my memories, they only tried to force me to remember them differently. Though, I knew it was coming and took precautions.”
“What does that mean?” I snapped. I wasn’t going to let him off the hook when he was barely answering my question. It wasn’t enough for me to believe he wasn’t one of the people I shouldn’t trust.
“There is a concoction an elf can take to prevent their memories from being messed with. A little sage mixed with turmeric along with a few magic
words will keep you protected for up to forty-eight hours. I knew the council would want as few loose ends as possible, so I let them believe it worked.”
“Why? Why do it, and why tell me now?” There was a table between us at that point and I took a seat, making sure he knew I wasn’t leaving until I had answers, no matter what I had threatened before.
“Things are changing. Malina is growing stronger, and you need to be protected.”
My heart stuttered. “How do you know about Malina?”
“Hold on.” Enzo moved to one of the closed doors and disappeared for a few seconds before appearing right next to me, holding out his hand.
Within his palm was a teardrop-shaped stone attached to a delicate looking chain. The pendant was blue with white streaks running through it, and a wire was wrapped around the top, keeping it secured to a silver chain.
“What is this?” I asked in awe, absorbing the energy pulsing from it.
“Kyanite Stone. Put it on,” he insisted, but didn’t give me time to grab it before taking care of the task himself.
The gem was cool against my skin, but the moment the clasp was done, the necklace warmed, and I felt like a weight had been lifted off me.
“This will keep Malina out for a little while, maybe a week. But, as she grows stronger, the stone will weaken faster.”
“As much as I appreciate this gift, I’m only going to ask one more time, Enzo. How do you know about Malina?”
Instead of answering, he began pacing around his living room, mumbling about expectations and family obligations. I didn’t understand anything he was saying, but I grew more nervous by the second. As much as a part of me wanted to walk away from him, I knew he was one of the few people in my life who could help me through whatever was happening to me.
“Enzo?” My voice was hard, catching his attention once again.
“I know someone who works in the dungeon. I can’t tell you more than that, but I need you to trust me. I wish I never would have brought you here, but I hadn’t had a choice. Now, I’m going to fix it. I promise.”
Delayed Admission Page 12
