by Nika Gray
The huge fireball scattered the guards and we had a clear path to the exit. I swore under my breath as we sprinted towards my car. There was no way my mother wouldn’t see that display. We burst through the door and ran to my car. I knew I’d hurt at least some of them because no one came out after us.
“Where are we going?” Alexis asked again.
She’d passed out in the car as I sped away and only woke up when I’d parked near the rendezvous spot.
I grabbed her hand again as she looked around the forest, fear in her eyes. We walked down a path to meet Headmaster Hotchkiss and one of the underground leaders, Mage Damien Hunter.
I’d called Hotchkiss to let him know I’d found Alexis. He was glad to hear it, but also concerned. He agreed we needed to understand what really happened. I’d told her we would ensure her safety from the Magic Council if she told us the truth. Hotchkiss was annoyed at that. How could we make that promise?
Hotchkiss couldn't house Alexis because of where the Magic Council had set up shop. Damien Hunter was a Third Year. The plan was to keep her safe at one of the dorms on North Campus which was emptying out of Third Years as they were sent out to the Borderlands.
“It’s okay, Alexis. We’re meeting people who can keep you safe,” I said trying to keep my voice as gentle as possible.
“I’m scared,” she said. “I should go back. Maybe I can tell you mother I made a mistake.”
I stopped and looked back at her. “You know you can’t go back, Alexis. She’ll never accept that.”
I thought she would start crying, but she didn’t. She nodded her head and I squeezed her hand.
“You need to rest. You’ll feel better when you’ve had something to eat and get into some clean clothes.”
Damien Hunter sat in one of the golf carts some of the Third Years used up on North Campus. Headmaster Hotchkiss stood next to him.
“You've done well, Cole,” Headmaster Hotchkiss said.
“Not well enough,” I sighed. “Let's get Alexis to safety and I’ll tell you what happened.”
“Where are you taking me?” she whimpered.
“You aren’t a prisoner here, Alexis,” Headmaster Hotchkiss said. “This is Damien Hunter. He's a Third Year at the Academy. You'll be staying in one of the empty rooms on North Campus and he’ll keep an eye on you. I’m hoping you’ll share the story with us and then we can then figure out a safe place for you. Or if you want to go back to your parents?”
She shook her head vehemently. “My parents are the reason I’m in this mess,” she hissed.
“Let's get you warm and fed,” Damien said.
Alexis let go of my hand and sat down in the golf cart with him.
“You’ll be okay,” I said.
Damien started the golf cart and Alexis looked back at me and mouthed thank you as they drove away.
I stayed silent until they were long gone.
“I have a problem,” I said.
“Were you recognized by anyone?” Headmaster Hotchkiss asked.
“Yes, and even worse. I used the same magic to help us escape. There’s no way it wasn’t recorded. My mother will know I have access to Fae fire,” I said.
“Damn, do you have anywhere to go?” he asked.
“That's what I'm trying to decide. Everything I have my mother knows about. Except for here at the Academy. Could you also hide me here while I figure out what the next steps are?”
“I would say we can keep you at North campus, but then I worry you could draw attention to Alexis. Maybe we could keep you hidden with one of the professors at the village. Be confined to a room until we figure out a better place for you,” he said.
“The problem is the Fae fire. Where can I go without being hunted by the council? How will I keep ahead of them?
“That's what we need to decide,” Hotchkiss said. He tapped his fingers together while he thought. “Are we ready to move on taking over the Magic Council now? Or do we try to find more Fae to help us?”
“Are there more Fae on this side of the veil?” I’d never heard of anyone surviving the purges.
“There are survivors,” Hotchkiss said with a sigh. “But for now, we need to keep you safe. Let's get you back to the village. I think I can have you stay with Professor Tremaine. Nobody would think of looking for you there.”
I nodded, but I wasn't so sure about that.
I looked around the pale pink room decorated in rose florals and worried I wasn’t as safe here as Headmaster Hotchkiss thought I would be.
My mother was only two houses down from this place, and I always thought she had some sixth sense about where I was. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d activated a hidden tracking spell on me years ago. She always found me wherever I went.
I lay down on the bed and thought through the plan. If we could find out what Alexis knew and expose it to the entire magical community, we could force a new election. Get rid of the current council the legal way. At least, get my mother off the council and have new members installed.
Typically, council members were elected every five years, and this was the fifth year. Unfortunately, the families of the Magic Council guarded their positions of power with manipulative alliances, and there were no challengers to any of the seats.
My mother had consolidated her power completely. I believed a better plan was to rip apart the spells that kept the veil impenetrable, which would allow portals to open into Faeland. They would help us. I was sure of it.
The problem was that no one person knew all the spells and wards encasing the veil. In order to ensure the veil couldn’t be breached, there were all kinds of different combinations used. Without knowing what was keeping the veil in place, no one could create anything to reverse it. Wards were constantly added to the existing spells to ensure the veil lets no one in or out. None of us had enough power to break through it, and even if the entire resistance pooled their power together, it still wouldn’t be enough.
My Fae fire changed things. First, I was now a hunted man. Second, I had more power than most mages could wield. If I convinced Fergus Mathonwy and Sadie to join combine our powers, maybe we could make a crack in the defenses.
A thought I kept having was that somehow Sadie was the answer to our problems. She was the key. I didn’t know how yet, but I was convinced I was right. Would she be able to bring out Fae fire in other mages? I didn’t think so. We had a special connection. I felt her in my bones. I knew it was the same for Fergus from the way he talked about her. What did me Fergus and I have in common then, besides power hungry parents?
I froze as I heard footsteps just outside the door. I held my breath. They stopped. Professor Tremaine was in class.
A dark cloud of dread spread through me. My mother had found me. I crept to the window and looked down. This couldn’t be my escape route. I was three floors up and I didn’t possess flying skills.
If I fell it would definitely hurt, but it might not kill me if I used a balance spell. Anything would be better than facing my mother. I slid the window open as quietly as I could and leaned out.
Suddenly, the door flew open behind me. I heard words and as I turned to look a white light engulfed me.
12
Sadie
I opened my dorm room door to find Declan standing in the hallway, a wolfish smile on his face, a gleam in his eye.
“What took you so long?” I asked. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my room.
He just stood there for a moment looking at me. He took my face in his hands and I saw the hunger in his eyes. Heat rushed down between my legs. He licked his lips and dipped his head to mine until our lips touched.
The kiss was soft and gentle at first. I lean into him and open my mouth and the kiss intensifies. My body heats in excitement and anticipation.
“I’ve wanted to taste those lips since the moment I saw you.”
His voice was low and gruff. His scent enveloped me, lemongrass, honey, and musk. He dragged his lips away from mine and the
soft caress of his breath on my cheek made me tingle with anticipation.
Declan’s mouth found my ear and he nipped at me playfully. I put one hand on his should and pressed my breasts into his chest.
“I like your new room, but I’d prefer it if you still lived with us,” he said.
“Hm,” was all I could get out as he slid those luscious lips across my collarbone.
He pulled my t-shirt out of my skirt and ran his fingers over my abdomen. I pulled him to the bed and sat him down. He looked up at me with hunger in those beautiful hazel eyes. I straddled him and undid the buttons of his shirt as he rained kisses on my face. His shirt came off and I pulled my t-shirt over my head.
His lips found mine again and our kiss deepened. Our tongues intertwined and I gasped as my body molded into his. He kept one hand firmly on my back, holding me close to him. His other hand caressed my breasts over my lacy bra. Lord have mercy on me, this man was delicious.
My skin was on fire wherever it touched his. I ran my fingers over his chest and watched as his muscles reacted to my touch. I felt his cock grow hard beneath me as he pinched my nipples gently, sending shock waves down to my center.
I was so slick my panties were ruined, and I was sure I was getting his pants wet. They both needed to come off and now. I undid my skirt buttons and stood for a moment to let it slide to the ground.
He smiled that wolfish grin again and pulled me into him. He stroked the outside of my panties and I almost died and went to heaven.
“May I?” he asked, and I could only nod. My voice was gone.
I stood again and he hooked his thumbs in the sides of my panties and pulled them down my legs. He kissed me on one thigh and then the other. As I stood in front of him, he put his hands on my hips and kissed my thighs, inching ever closer to the throbbing pink spot between my legs.
“Come to me,” he rasped as he unhooked my bra and pulled me down onto his lap again.
My bra landed on top of my panties on the floor. I closed my eyes and leaned into his shoulder as I felt his hot tongue on my nipple. The sweet sensation of his suckling my breast caused me to moan as I shivered.
He stood, still holding me in his arms, and laid me down on the bed. I closed my eyes again and felt him over me. When I opened my eyes, I looked into his. The vibrant hazel green almost seemed to be sparkling. He smiled and kissed me deeply, his tongue searching mine.
I grabbed the back of his head as he pulled away from my mouth and kissed my cheek, then my neck, then my shoulder. My breathing had shallowed to quick panting as his kisses continued on my nipples, my breasts, my abdomen.
My hips thrust up as his tongue found my warm clit. He lightly licked and sucked, sending shivers through my body. Then he opened my petals and kissed me there. I clutched the sheets as I writhed beneath him. His tongue caressed my petals, then he suckled my clit, then he kissed my outer folds again. My body exploded in pleasure.
Declan grabbed my ass and while still sucking and licking my opening, pulled me even closer to him. I felt his tongue inside of me, caressing and exploring. He maneuvered me onto the bed. Waves of pleasure rocked me as he continued to suck my clit. I cried out as pleasure pulsated through my body. Stars sparkled in my eyes and I felt as if I was flying.
Oh…my…god, he was taking me to the edge and fast.
I didn’t want the release, yet. Declan growled as I cried out.
My orgasm exploded throughout my body, sending me over the cliff. I was flying on a cloud of bliss as my body burst with pleasure. I lay there panting as he rained kisses over my body. His sparkling eyes were a vibrant hazel mix of green and brown.
It was happening again.
“Again,” I whispered to him and grabbed the button on his pants. I tried tugging them open, but my fingers were shaking too much, the remnants of my orgasm still racing through me.
He got off the bed and pulled down his pants and boxers. His cock was large and thick and so stiff. Just waiting for me. I drank in his beautiful physique. My eyes traveled in appreciation of the wide shoulders, muscled chest, and flat stomach. His ab muscles were defined down towards his groin. His beautiful bronze skin glowed.
Declan fished a condom out of his pants pocket and slid it on. He sat on the edge of the bed and lifted me. I straddled him again and maneuvered his hard, throbbing cock into my opening.
I slid down slowly, savoring the feeling of his cock filling me and never taking my eyes off his.
“Sadie.” He breathed into my neck as he took my ass into his hands and squeezed.
I watched with a strange sense of satisfaction as green Fae fire licked against my skin. He watched in amazement as my red tendrils met his green ones, playing and twisting with each other.
He flipped me onto my back again with a grow. He thrust gently at first, rubbing his crotch against my clit as he entered me. Then the rhythm got more intense. I moaned and matched his movements, clenching myself around his hard cock as it pounded into me. I rubbed my clit against him as leaned into me and caressed my nipples against his hard chest. Our movements were in synch and our breathing matched as he thrust into me and I clenched around him as he pulled out to thrust again.
Not yet, I felt him say. Don’t stop, I said back. We weren’t using words. We weren’t speaking. He was with me. I felt his body on mine. I felt him inside of me. I also felt him in my mind.
He slowed his thrusts and pulled out of me completely to slide his hot stiff cock back and forth over my wet clit. I squeaked in pleasure and then Declan’s eyes went a brilliant green as he looked down at me and entered me again. He thrust hard, once, twice, a third time and let out a strangled cry. Stars exploded again behind my eyes and I felt his pleasure climax along with mine.
He collapsed next to me, drained and delighted. We lay next to each other, savoring the pleasure as we watched our green and red tendrils of Fae fire fade and slowing our breathing.
“Did you feel that?” I breathed to him. “I felt your thoughts.”
“I felt yours,” he finally said when he caught his breath.
“I’ve never felt that before,” I said, my body still vibrating.
“We’re probably connecting our thoughts,” he said.
“How?” I asked. “Is that a mage thing? Are we telepathic now?”
“Something like that,” he said with a yawn.
My tingles started up again on hearing that. “I've never had that before. Is that what happens when you connect with a shifter?” I asked.
“No, this is something special,” he said. He turned his face to mine again. “You’re something special, Sadie. Did you see the stars, too?”
“I did,” I said. “This bright sparkling glitter on the periphery of my vision and I felt like I was flying.”
“We’re meant for each other,” he said.
His voice was calm and the way he said it was so simple and matter of fact. This felt so right. We were meant for each other. Every part of my being knew that it was so.
I thought to myself, “I want you again.”
“Did you hear that?” I asked.
He smiled and rolled over to me again. “Yes, I did.”
He kissed me deeply again and I sank deep into the pleasure of his lips on mine. After we had spent ourselves one last time, we lay there next to each other holding hands as our Fae fire mingled around us.
“When did you know?” I asked.
“When I first saw you,” he said. “So now you've given me the gift of Fae fire, too?” he asked as he waved his hand to make the green tendrils float by.
“I don't know why that keeps happening,” I sighed.
“It’s your gift,” Declan said with a wink. “All of us are meant to be. You, me, Fergus, and Cole. It can’t just be a coincidence. You’ve unlocked something in all of us.”
“What if what I’ve unlocked gets us all killed?”
“Or makes us more powerful than we could have ever imagined,” he said and kissed my neck. “You're my mate.
When shapeshifters find their one, they mate for life.” He looked up at me to see my reaction.
I liked the sound of that. I’d wanted a family for so long, and now I’d found three men who cherished me. Our own makeshift family.
“Good,” I said and leaned over to kiss him again. His soft lips were warm and inviting. Just like home should be.
13
Sadie
The night I’d just spent with Declan had rocked my world. If this is how shapeshifters mated, I was in all the way. My body still hummed from the explosions of pleasure we’d given each other.
Declan confessed he’d known we were mates the moment he saw me. He’d felt the magnetic pull. His mother had told him he’d know the moment he first encountered his true mate.
My loss of memory still affected whatever interior knowledge I had of mates. When I first saw him, I marveled at his effortless sexiness. His quiet intensity.
But the connection came later. What did that mean?
My connection with Fergus and Cole was as real and powerful as my pull toward Declan. These men all felt like home to me. Like we’d always belonged together, and always will.
Sex with Declan was deep, loving, and gentle with explosions of stars each time we touched. How did I get so lucky? At least with my men. With everything else, I was a mess. I could still smell his scent on me and when I closed my eyes, my skin remembered how he’d touched me.
Afterward, we’d fallen asleep for hours and leaving him in my bed was the most impossible thing to do this morning. I had my healing course with Professor Tremaine, and I couldn’t miss it. I had more questions about my abilities and how my magic worked with healing.
