As Wicked As They Come

by Emma Dean

  “Did I hear there were ladies in need of libations?” Lucien called, jogging up with a tray full of more cups of cider.

  All of them must have taken stupid pills today.

  “Lucien, you’re my savior!” Selene called, grabbing one of the cups. “And they’re still hot!”

  “Okay, that’s enough until you eat something,” Mika told her, taking the cup. “The last thing we need is you ‘accidentally’ hexing Cassandra.”

  “Hey!”

  “Let her drink,” Lucien argued. “We’ll watch over her, and honestly it’s not like Cassandra wouldn’t deserve it.”

  “Where is Ethan?” Mika asked with a sigh, handing the cup back to Selene. “And you better watch out for her Lucien, she’s your responsibility since this is your idea. Make sure she eats.”

  “I’m standing right here,” Selene protested.

  Audrey snickered and handed her half-empty cup of cider to Corbin. “I’ve gotta go meet with the rest of the team. Be good.” She kissed Mika’s cheek and then Selene’s before running off toward the main building.

  “Ethan is waiting for us at the bonfire,” Lucien told her. “He’s got the churros.”

  “Oh, churros.” Selene picked up her pace. “Man, it’s been so long since I’ve had the Morgana churros.”

  Corbin laughed and dragged Mika along. “Come on, I’m dying of anticipation to see how this witch event is going to go down. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.”

  Ravens and their strange customs. Mika wondered if she would get to see the secrecy of Corbin’s life at some point. For now, she hurried up and followed after Lucien and Selene. For some reason the energy was making her feel giddy.

  It wasn’t just the cider that went down so easy, that was most definitely spiked with generous amounts of spiced rum that warmed her fingers and toes. It was also the atmosphere – the emotions from the other students and staff and alumni wasn’t hostile or stressed tonight.

  The moon was waning. There would be almost no light in the sky other than the stars in a few days, and for some reason that seemed fitting for this Samhain.

  The aura of new things hung in the air, heavy and poignant. All the world felt like it was on the cusp of something – holding its breath before they all fell into that new life.

  Corbin and Lucien pushed through the crowd toward the massive stack of wood and logs. Lucien held onto Selene as the tipsy witch held her cup up high to avoid spilling it. Corbin’s eyes flared red for only a split second as the hellhound was forced to stick to the edges thanks to the crowd. His annoyed huff startled a group of freshmen.

  Mika laughed, hiding her face in Corbin’s shoulder, trusting him to lead her to the right place.

  The older raven cried out overhead, but it felt like only Mika, Corbin, and Lucien could hear him in all the chaos since no one else looked up. She watched him circle back around to where they’d had to leave the hellhound.

  Despite being surrounded by hundreds of other witches, Mika had never felt so truly separate from them.

  Everything about this night was transient and temporary.

  She was a witch, but she wasn’t really, not anymore. The Morrigan had made her into something else, something…other.

  Mika wasn’t just a witch anymore. She was a shapeshifter – a death knight.

  A witch queen.

  Whether she liked it or not.

  Never had she felt that difference quite as much as she did in that moment. There was a strange sense of knowing – that this was the last time she would be able to pretend she was just like everyone else.

  Samhain would bring a new year.

  A new year to be who she truly was. No more hiding.

  29

  “Selene darling! Mika,” the Head Witch gushed as they approached. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

  Cassandra’s eyes caught on the slight differences in the crest on Mika’s jacket, but surprisingly she didn’t comment as she ushered Selene up onto the platform where those alumni with true power sat to watch the rally without having to bother with the crowd.

  Council members, matriarchs, people with more money than any one person should have…they all eyed Mika, Lucien, and Corbin with suspicion. Selene leaned on the Head Witch, gushing about absolutely nothing and playing that part she played so well – the part that had gotten her through the years she was engaged to Bradley Davis before she became Matriarch of the Kavanagh clan and took her freedom.

  Even now Selene played the game – pretending to be nothing more than the spoiled high society princess they all wanted her to be.

  Selene distracted Cassandra as a wicked cold wind whipped around the crowd and up the stairs. Mika turned to see Ethan making his way toward her, eyes such a dark grey they were nearly black. The closer he got the colder the air became.

  “Ethan,” Mika murmured, reaching out for him.

  He handed the bag of churros to Corbin before taking her hand with what looked like practiced grace, and both her eyebrows rose in surprise.

  “Matriarch Marshall.” Ethan bowed over her hand and kissed her knuckles before coming up the final few steps. Everyone’s eyes were on him as he stood before her.

  Ethan leaned down to kiss her cheek gently. “I may have been brushing up on high society protocol since you stated I would become a part of your clan, so nonchalantly, earlier today,” he whispered.

  She felt breathless as she looked up into those cold grey eyes that sparkled just for her despite the glower on his face. “If that’s what you want,” she managed. “You always have a choice with me.”

  Then she realized he wasn’t wearing his usual flannel but a crisp white button-down shirt and black slacks that looked like something Lucifer might have lent him. The rolled-up sleeves showed off the tattoo on his forearm and the total disregard he had for the weather thanks to his magic.

  Ethan had dressed for battle too.

  Mika licked her lips.

  This was the dominant fury he hid under his usual lazy, easygoing demeanor.

  “You look ravishing,” Lucien stated without a hint of irony or teasing as he looked Ethan up and down. “I’ll be escorting Selene tonight.” A tilt of his head to indicate the tipsy witch and Ethan nodded his approval.

  Corbin moved aside for Ethan to pass, handing the churros off to Selene. “I smell metal on you, witch.”

  The two of them stared at each other for a moment and then Ethan grinned – sharp enough to remind her of Hunter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, assassin.”

  That only made Corbin’s eyes flash red in approval, a smirk on his face. “I feel like a proud daddy. I won’t even fight you to sit next to Mika tonight.”

  Ethan kissed Corbin’s cheek hard enough it looked like it probably hurt. “I’m daddy, raven.”

  Holy fuck.

  Mika felt as though her heart was doing backflips in her chest as she watched. The surprise and delight on the raven’s face only made it all worse. She felt desire rip through her with a vicious heat.

  The Head Witch actually looked uncomfortable, but she couldn’t look away from Ethan’s beauty either as he held out his hand for Mika. She took it, embarrassed at how badly she was shaking.

  Corbin had this awful shit-eating grin on his face as he watched Ethan escort Mika to her chair. Selene had her hand over her mouth as she pressed into Lucien’s shoulder. The fox’s eyes were wide with shock and…desire.

  “I would love to see you make me call you daddy,” the raven muttered under his breath.

  Ethan couldn’t hear it, but Corbin knew Mika and Lucien could.

  “You look lovely, Ethan,” Cassandra simpered as Mika sat beside her.

  Ethan sat on the other side of Mika and didn’t respond, crossing one leg over the other at the ankle as he put his arm along the back of Mika’s chair.

  When he deliberately ignored Cassandra, Mika had to face forward and ignore Lucien and Selene’s sniggers on the other side of the Head Witch
. Corbin’s pure delight at the situation as he sat on Ethan’s other side made her wonder how long they were actually going to last at this rally.

  The dean walked by and gave Mika a wink before climbing on top of the podium in front of the massive logs waiting to be set on fire.

  “You really do look pretty,” Mika whispered to Ethan as the crowd calmed down only slightly. “I’m definitely a fan.”

  Those cold grey eyes twinkled at her again, but his expression stayed just this side of mean. “And you look like a queen,” he said loud enough for Cassandra to hear.

  Her cheeks heated and Mika didn’t know whether she wanted to smack the hell out of him or yank him toward one of the dark rooms in the university to take advantage of this attitude. She cleared her throat delicately and pinched his thigh hard enough to hurt.

  “There’s Malachi and Audrey,” she stated, pointing to the approaching dodgeball team.

  “Mika, I was telling Cassandra how beautiful your greenhouse is,” Selene said, filling the awkward silence.

  “I would love to see the poison garden,” Cassandra stated, carefully keeping her eyes on the dean. “It’s been a while since I saw it last.”

  She jolted at that. Mika glanced at Cassandra. “How long?” Mika asked. “I don’t remember seeing you.”

  “Welcome Morgana Marauders!” Dean De Rosa called, magically amplifying her voice.

  The rising cheers drowned out any possible conversation. The crowd parted as Malachi and Audrey led the dodgeball team toward the bonfire, torches in their hands.

  “I’ve been quite a few times,” Cassandra told her, leaning over to make sure Mika could hear her. “But Claire was the last to show me the infamous Marshall greenhouse.”

  Mika tasted blood as she bit down on her tongue to keep from losing the control she’d been so carefully working on. “I had no idea you and my sister were close,” she lied.

  “Tonight, we’re going to celebrate our alumni coming home!” Dean De Rosa called out. The way she spoke stoked the fire in Mika’s veins even higher as it called to some animalistic part of her that wanted to gather with her own and prepare for battle just like the dodgeball team was doing. “We are here to celebrate our skilled team and dance around the fire for their victory, as our ancestors of old did.”

  Mika could just imagine Morgana and Aine dancing naked around a bonfire before smearing blood across their faces as warrior paint – after all, red was the Celtic color for death.

  The entire dodgeball team started chanting, jumping up and down, purposely bumping into each other as they approached the wood with their torches.

  “We were very close, Claire and I,” Cassandra admitted. “I was hoping she’d one day take my place.”

  Ethan’s grip on her chair turned the metal into ice but Mika couldn’t feel it as she burned alive with rage.

  “And tonight, we’re going to celebrate the University of Morgana!”

  The wild cheers as the bonfire was lit, as the flames licked the stars, were nothing but noise. There was nothing she could say or do at the moment, nothing that would help her trap the Head Witch into a confession.

  “I look forward to you telling me about her,” Mika murmured, leaning into the Head Witch like they were best friends. “Any memory of my sister would be welcome. I deeply regret how things went down between us.”

  “From one powerful witch to another,” Cassandra whispered conspiratorially. “Don’t ever regret the power you’ve acquired.”

  Mika smiled at the Head Witch, feeling precisely how feral and wild and volatile she was—how sharp the precipice she stood on truly was. One wrong move and she’d take Cassandra in front of everyone at the rally and make them bear witness to the crimes she’d committed.

  But she needed proof or a confession, and Mika wanted to win this battle.

  She looked out at the crowd and found Audrey and Malachi watching her. Malachi nodded once, taking a step closer to Audrey. Mika could feel the hellhound prowling around the crowd unseen and she knew exactly where Armad was perched so he could have the best visibility of the events.

  “I’ll remember that,” Mika murmured, feeling the power in her veins ready and waiting.

  Corbin chuckled darkly, and Mika knew this was just the beginning.

  “Before we begin the celebrations, I have a court to crown,” Dean De Rose declared.

  Cheers drowned out everything, even thought. The flames seemed to burn brighter as the wood crackled and popped, sending sparks into the air.

  More cheers and then quiet murmuring as the dean held out her hand. An envelope seemingly appeared out of thin air.

  “Our princesses are…” The dramatic pause made the crowd laugh and Dean De Rosa grinned, as if she remembered standing in the crowd herself, however many years ago, waiting to hear the results with bated breath.

  “Janna Kimms, Honor Richards, and Audrey Marshall.”

  Mika stood up and screamed for her friend, who looked flabbergasted and shocked. Malachi pushed Audrey toward the front where other staff members were waiting with small, glittering black tiaras and sashes.

  Lucien, Selene, Corbin, and Ethan were standing and cheering as well. Audrey covered her mouth with her hand as the tiara was set on her head and Mika could see the tears in her eyes from here. She deserved this moment, and so much more.

  It was hard not to get all teary-eyed herself, knowing how far Audrey had come, how hard she’d worked for her place in the witch world. She’d done it all on her own, with the power and strength and backbone most witches couldn’t hope to acquire their entire lives.

  The three male escorts for the princesses were called next, but Mika didn’t know who they were, and she didn’t care. She couldn’t look away from Audrey, from how happy she was. Mika would do anything to keep her safe, to help her stay this happy.

  “And now for your Homecoming queen and her prince.” Dean De Rosa looked out at the crowd with a mischievous look in her eyes.

  For all that they’d clashed the previous semester, Mika liked the dean, she liked how strong and powerful the witch was. She didn’t bend before the Council aside from what she was forced to do. Anything more and she’d put her foot down. The dean wasn’t some aloof witch, she really seemed to feel a connection to the students.

  “Mika Marshall!” the dean yelled out, pointing right at her.

  There was a pause before the cheers echoed in the night with sheer unbridled enthusiasm.

  “Please, come and let us crown our queen,” Dean De Rosa said, waving her hand for Mika to step forward.

  Queen.

  It made her palms sweat to hear the dean say it so calmly, so easily.

  Mika was frozen to her spot, still wondering how exactly this had happened.

  “I may have nominated you,” Selene whispered as she leaned over the Head Witch, pushing Mika toward the dean.

  Glaring back at the other witch, she could see Lucien and Corbin laughing their asses off. But the Head Witch, she had a strange look on her face as she watched Mika, almost like…almost like she’d suddenly remembered she’d left the oven on at home.

  Mika had a bad feeling that it wasn’t the oven she’d forgotten about, but she walked through the crowd anyway to avoid more problems and speculation. She walked up to the dean and stared at her, feeling the adrenaline racing through her body.

  The dean held a glittering crown made of black diamonds in her hands and when she smiled down at her, Mika almost felt…giddy. Her emotions were contagious, but Mika also felt annoyed. This was the last thing she needed right now.

  “You deserve this,” the dean whispered to her as she placed the crown on Mika’s head. “Thanks to you, there will be double our usual students and staff next semester.”

  Mika stared at the dean for a moment, wondering if she’d understood what she’d said.

  Dean De Rosa grinned and pinned the sash on Mika next. “Councilman Erikson has donated a massive amount of money to the school to fund the constr
uction of new Houses for the shifters. He even agreed to teach a class.”

  So, it had been approved.

  Mika blinked back tears. “How?”

  “The Council was hesitant despite a majority vote in favor, by one.” The dean adjusted the crown on Mika’s head with what looked like…pride in her eyes. “I overruled. This is my school. I will do what I think will benefit my students and their future the most. The Council technically is not allowed to interrupt me thanks to the laws about sanctuary.”

  Mika felt a sharp grin spread across her face at the thought of the Dean casually declaring this was going to happen anyway. “You are protecting a future I’d always hoped would happen.”

  The dean gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Witches were warriors once, right?” Then she turned Mika to face the crowd.

  Cheers and screams filled the air again, but it was distant and muffled as she processed the dean’s words, as her magic rose in response – not to attack, but…out of curiosity.

  Was the dean an ally?

  “And the queen’s escort is…Ethan Ellington!”

  Mika blinked in surprise and then smiled when Ethan looked just as shocked as she had been. Corbin shoved him out of his chair and the storm witch managed to catch himself before almost stumbling off the platform. The crowd parted to let him through, and the wicked cold wind whipped around her like a lover wrapping a blanket around his beloved.

  She shivered as he approached, but Mika barely felt the cold as he came toward her.

  Ethan dropped to one knee before Mika, no doubt being dramatic and ridiculous just to embarrass her. He kissed her hand and then looked up with those dark grey eyes.

  Whoops and whistles from the other students made her blush, but Mika only had eyes for Ethan.

  When he stood, he smiled slightly. “I’m surprised it wasn’t Malachi,” he admitted.

  Mika looked up at him, admiring him for not being afraid anymore to let everyone see his true self. “You were my first,” she told him. “This feels right.”

  His eyes softened slightly, and Ethan kissed her as someone pinned his sash on him. “It will always be you, for me.”