by Emma Dean
“Yeah, Lucien and I will bring dinner to the conservatory after class.” Mika pulled Ethan forward and kissed him one last time. “Thank you for walking me here.”
Ethan smiled and turned to head back toward the massive greenhouse poking out over the buildings. Mika wished she’d taken more herbology classes so she could spend more time with him this semester, but she knew everything she needed to know at the moment.
Perhaps next semester she would finish her herbology major all in one go so she could get the degree like her mother and grandmother had done. There could be something she’d learn that could help her with the Marshall greenhouse. Then she could do what Malachi was doing and maybe get her hunter’s license.
Mika pushed open the doors to the familiar hall with more doors that led to various training spaces. She walked into the wide-open room that was just a few down from her class last semester. Some students were already working out, and Mika smiled to see Lucien and Malachi grappling.
A hand-to-hand combat class that would help her with core strengthening exercises.
She watched them for a few moments, seeing the changes Corbin’s training had wrought. They were both so strong, but Lucien had the upper hand with his shifter strength. Even still, the muscles in Malachi’s arms and shoulders stood out as he flipped Lucien onto his back.
Lucien gave the witch a sharp grin and then pushed Malachi off with that ridiculous fox strength. It was something else to watch. Mika knew they were unlikely friends. She knew something about her absence had brought them all together, and she knew it was because of her that they had all stuck around.
Knowing that was one thing, but seeing it made some of that aching numbness ease even further. A cozy warmth that spread through her body as she watched them laugh as they grappled. Mika couldn’t believe how lucky she was – even with all the other crap happening.
This group she had – this family, was far more than she deserved.
“All right, all right,” Malachi grunted, slapping Lucien’s leg. “I yield.”
Those words made her nearly stumble and despite how far she’d come, Mika had to take a moment and readjust once more as the memory of carrying her sister’s dead body assaulted her.
What had happened with Claire would always be a part of her and Mika had to accept that, get used to it – but she would never forget.
Lucien sensed her momentary falter and turned to watch her with narrowed eyes. It reminded her so much of when they’d first met, she smiled. “You okay, little witch?”
“Yes and no.” She slid her arm around his waist and breathed him in. “I turned in the petition,” she murmured into his chest. “Now we wait.”
His arms went around her, and Lucien hugged her tight. “I’m sure things will start changing for the better,” he said, lips brushing against her hair. “In more ways than one. Thank you, for doing this Mika. I will never forget it.”
She hugged him hard, tucking her head under his chin.
Touching him no longer felt like sandpaper on raw skin. Mika was starting to crave the feeling of Lucien’s body against her. Well, all of them.
It felt like waking up from a coma.
This sensation of numbness receding, of coming back to the world…it was painful and hard, but it also made her feel like she could finally breathe again after weeks of shuddering breaths, of distracting herself so she didn’t shatter into a million pieces so small she would never be able to put herself back together again.
“Hey, I don’t think we’ve ever sparred,” Malachi called from his position on the floor, wiping sweat from his brow. “You promised me we would.”
Mika smiled up at Lucien and the fox grinned right back at her.
“I don’t think you’re ready Malachi,” Lucien teased. “You’re strong for a witch, but this one’s fast.”
This was exactly what she needed, something to help ground her after that fumble.
Mika stretched up on her toes and kissed Lucien. She took her time getting reacquainted with his mouth. When she released him, Lucien blinked down at her, looking dazed for a second. Then he smiled and pushed her toward Malachi.
“Kick his ass, little witch.”
Stepping into the sparring circle, Mika made sure to limber up, studying Malachi from head to toe as she did so.
They’d trained together for the entire semester last spring, but they’d been on the same team and not opponents. The former dodgeball captain was massive – bigger than he’d been in the spring thanks to whatever training he’d done over the summer and Corbin’s help.
She knew from watching him in practice he was fast as hell despite his size and every hit was full strength and fucking brutal.
Mika took a step forward and held out her hand. Malachi shook it and went to let go. She held on and met his gaze. “If one of us concedes the fight, can we say something other than yield?”
His mouth turned into a thin line as he realized what had happened earlier. “Yes, of course. Stop, I concede – I’m cool with either of those.”
Mika nodded and released his hand. “Thank you.”
Grateful for his willingness to adjust, Mika bent her knees and got into position like Kenzie had taught her over the summer. If Malachi was getting training from the raven, he was going to know every trick she’d learned from him.
“Ready?” Lucien asked, walking around the sparring circle like he was their coach.
It didn’t matter that class would start in the next ten minutes, or that other students might be watching. This wasn’t why they were doing this.
Malachi was doing this for her, so she could level out and she wouldn’t lose it on some poor, unsuspecting hunter. This was her venting in a healthy way.
“Ready.” Mika put her hands up and watched every move Malachi made.
The other witch just stood there, still as death when he nodded. “Ready.”
“Five minutes.” Lucien adjusted his watch. “Go!”
Corbin had always said to attack first and breaking the habit of waiting for her opponent to make the first move had been difficult to do, but Mika had done it.
She didn’t ‘cheat,’ as Lucien would say, and use the shadow realm to disappear. This wasn’t a class that allowed magic at all so her charms were in her bag. Mika didn’t even bother to shield. She just struck, hard and fast.
Malachi’s eyes widened at the speed she had even without charms.
Practicing without them had made her faster, but not as fast as a shifter. Mika tried not to wonder how fast she would be if she accepted the gifts from the Morrigan.
Malachi dodged her first strike, as well as her second and third. He ducked and wove around her, the agility he had learned in dodgeball clear in every movement. She would never land a hit this way.
She could draw him in though.
Mika dropped and planted her hand, sweeping her leg around to trip him up. As Malachi jumped over, she twisted and brought up her other leg. The loud ‘smack’ in the training room made the chatter stop and Malachi grunted as he took it.
“Tricky witch,” he muttered, gripping her leg.
Fuck, she hadn’t expected him to hold on – which was a stupid mistake. Mika put all her weight on her hand and kicked with her bottom leg again, aiming right for his shin. It stung enough Malachi loosened his grip and she managed to yank away.
But he was fast – faster than her if only by a little bit. Malachi had her pinned on her back in a split second, but Mika had expected as much. The punches to his ribs didn’t do much, but he gritted his teeth as she wore him down.
Annoyed, she headbutted him right in the face and when he pulled back in pain, she wrapped her legs around his neck and slammed him to the ground – a move she’d learned from Finnick of all people.
Malachi laughed, blood dribbling down his chin as she ended up the one on top, pinning him down with his stomach to the ground, one knee between his shoulder blades while her arm pulled his head back to cut off his air.
> She was sweating already, and her muscles shuddered to keep the hold as Malachi fought against her.
Fuck, he was strong.
She didn’t ask the question. Never again would she beg someone to yield, to concede to her. They could ask her for mercy, and she would give it, but Mika was done trying to convince people she was not a monster.
Because when push came to shove…she was the monster they wanted her to be and she would never feel guilty for using her claws and teeth to protect those she cared about.
Surprisingly Malachi’s struggles didn’t weaken. He roared as he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him as well. The weight on his neck grew as she slid and Mika worried she was going to really hurt him. She lost her leverage and Malachi gripped her arms, flipping her over him until she on her back again, trying to catch her breath.
His foot went to her throat and Mika couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t figure out a way to get him off of her.
“Mika!” Lucien yelled, the irritation and fear clear in his voice. “Tap out, or he’s going to seriously hurt you.”
But she wasn’t going to give up. Never again would Mika just…let the world have its way with her – not without a fight. If she passed out, then at least she knew she’d done her best and tried her hardest.
Her eyes locked with Malachi’s and she could see the bloodlust burning in his eyes, the numbness had slipped from him just like it did with her. She could see the blood dribbling down his chin and the smile on his face as he waited to see what she would do as if this was the most interesting thing he’d done in months.
Her vision started going black, but she stopped struggling for a moment so she could consider her position.
Without warning she struck upward, right to the side of his knee. Malachi grunted in pain and the pressure on her throat eased slightly. Mika took a tiny breath and grabbed hold of his leg. She used it and every core muscle she’d built over the last nine months to haul her legs up and kick him in the face.
Malachi stumbled back with a laugh. It gave her enough time to roll to her hands and knees.
Fuck, she was so slow without her charms.
Without her tricks, she was going to lose this match, but at least she would go down fighting.
“Dammit, Mika,” Lucien muttered, pacing outside the circle as she got to her feet, clearly conflicted.
Watching her struggle, Malachi didn’t bother to ask if she was done. He rubbed his chin and smiled at her. “You’re definitely stronger than I thought you’d be without magic, considering your size.”
She studied him. He was barely breathing hard, but he was bleeding which gave her a sick satisfaction. He wasn’t going to win unscathed. Mika tightened her ponytail and considered the male before her.
There was some lesson to all this, she supposed. Mika was weak without her charms and magic and tricks. Without her blood magic, or the shadow realm to slip into, or any shield at all – a shifter or a hunter would kill her easily.
Was that why witches hated them so much? Because no matter how hard she trained, she would never be as strong or as fast as them without magic?
Mika tilted her head and studied Malachi. He was just a witch as well, but a large one with more strength than she could hope to possess in her natural body.
But she possessed him in a way. His strength was hers. Mika looked at Lucien prowling outside the circle. His strength and speed were hers. They were people she loved and cared about. But they were also weapons.
Even at her most vulnerable, she was not weak.
“I concede,” Mika stated, putting her hands up. “You’re the stronger fighter.”
The bloodlust in Malachi’s eyes died and he looked surprised. Lucien’s jaw dropped as he stopped mid-prowl.
“I feel like I’m in an alternate universe,” Lucien said carefully, crossing into the circle. “Are you okay, Mika? I think the lack of oxygen damaged your brain.” The fox tilted her chin up gently so he could see the marks on her neck.
“My brain isn’t damaged.” Mika arched an eyebrow at Malachi. “It just took me some time to figure out that conceding doesn’t necessarily mean I’m losing.”
Malachi nodded once. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I support your decision.”
And that was it in a nutshell.
She didn’t have to control everything all the time – she didn’t have to do it all herself, not if she trusted those around her to do their part and do what she couldn’t. But it went both ways. They needed to trust her to do what they couldn’t, and in some ways her hiatus from the living world had tested their trust.
Mika took Lucien’s face and kissed him hard. “Thank you,” she said, a little breathless. “Thank you for trusting me to come back to you in my own way, and in my own time.”
Lucien stared at her incredulously for a moment and then wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up and kissing her senseless. His tongue danced with hers and the taste of him reminded her what he felt like on top of her, under her, alone or with Ethan watching.
“All right! No canoodling in my class!” the professor yelled as he stomped into the training room. “Let’s get down to business.”
Mika didn’t let go of Lucien until the fox tore himself away from her like he wouldn’t have been able to stop otherwise.
The males she loved hadn’t liked it, but they’d trusted her. And that meant more to Mika than anything else at the moment. Trust was rare and had to be earned, and when it was tested it hadn’t failed.
She looked over at Malachi.
Mika had trusted him to figure out his shit and he had. She’d trusted him to become a part of her life, or to find his own way. On his own he’d put himself in her group without her there as incentive. He’d gotten Corbin to agree to train him, Ethan to room with him, and Lucien to like him.
A friend and an ally first. Mika knew she needed that more than anything else right now. She gave him a nod. I see you.
Malachi wiped the blood from his face and crossed the space as the professor started lecturing them. Without a word he offered his hand to her – the one covered in blood. Mika hesitated, not sure what he wanted her to do with it.
Lucien had his arms crossed over his chest and he glanced back with a smirk, angling his body to shield them.
“Corbin explained to me how blood magic works with a blood witch,” Malachi murmured, so quiet no one but a shifter could hear him. He held her chin with one hand and slid his thumb into her mouth. “I may be the stronger fighter, but admitting your weakness is its own strength.”
The coppery taste of his blood in her mouth was shocking and…a little arousing, especially in such a public place, despite Lucien blocking them from sight.
The ache across her throat eased and she felt like she could breathe a little better as her body took the blood he’d given her and healed the damage. “Thank you,” Mika murmured. “And not just for the gift.”
“I know.” Malachi’s smirk as they turned to face the professor made her smile.
When Lucien took her hand and squeezed, her smile widened.
15
All in all, she’d had a good first week. Mika had taken her classes without further incident. She’d hung out with Ethan, Lucien, Audrey, and Malachi during lunches. Dinners were usually just her, Ethan, and Lucien thanks to the dodgeball practices.
It was nice to have quiet dinners and time to relax after a long day of classes.
But on Wednesday morning, Mika had found herself on the beach where they’d just barely managed to escape the undine, staring at the ocean before her and contemplating how to reach them, how to create another alliance when she had nothing to bargain with. She couldn’t even offer them sanctuary because this island was still technically ruled by the Council and the university.
She’d called Matthew and he’d told her he’d deferred. He wouldn’t be coming to Morgana this semester and Mika was surprised how disappointed she’d been. But she understood
he had things he needed to take care of with his own family. He had his own interests now that he was finally back in the witch world.
Mika had told him about the undine though, and Matthew promised to find something she could use to at least speak with them, but he couldn’t promise anything about an alliance after it had been 1400 years since the last one.
Mika felt…adrift.
It didn’t help that Corbin still hadn’t made it back, though his text messages assured her he was still alive.
Then Kenzie had texted saying she might know of a necromancer, but there was nothing on the dark web about a banshee. Mika would have to ask Jessica or Eisheth for help on that front.
Mika had been scouring her crystals for a specific type of locating spell, but she couldn’t locate a general banshee without their blood to start with. So, she was back to square one on that front. Not even the blackthorn could help her since it only had two sets of eyes.
After working with the queen’s crystal each night, and then doing her own training Friday, the boys had forced her to take a day off. They’d all done nothing on Saturday but watch the latest movie releases, eating the food Mika had ordered before going to cheer Audrey on in her first game.
Malachi had even fetched the food from the portal and joined them in one of the cozy common rooms in Sage House.
Mika almost preferred Sage House over Oleander, but more than anything she just wanted everyone she loved and cared about in the same house. It was a thousand times easier with everyone in one place.
But the normalcy was starting to grate.
It felt like they all knew she was getting restless, anxious for Corbin to return, annoyed with her lack of progress, and Sunday no one left her alone. Mika was surrounded by her new family and even though she loved them for it, she felt herself sliding backward.
She was on edge and impatient. Mika felt the rage she kept buried demand retribution and it was getting harder to ignore every day that passed without moving forward in her plans.
Mika glanced at Audrey sleeping, buried under all her covers like she was hibernating. It made her smile and Mika leaned down to kiss Audrey’s forehead. The witch stirred but didn’t wake.
