by Cara E Holt
“I need some air.” I tell Drayce, suddenly feeling the need to escape from all these people and the loud music. I weave my way through the crowds and feel his hand at my back. I should have known he would never have let me go off outside on my own. I take in a deep breath as I step outside and the door closes behind us, shutting out the noise. I walk away from the senior house and down into the woodlands.
“Elara, I’m not sure we should be out here with that creature still at large.”
I snigger. “Just let anyone try and take me tonight with the mood I’m in.” I turn around and wink at Drayce. “Catch me if you can.” Before I cast the words. “Caecum Illum.”
“Raven I don’t think this is a good idea.” He states as he turns around, holding his arms out in front of him, unable to see where I am, blinded by my spell.
“That’s what makes it fun.” I chuckle, as I run off into the thickness of the woods. I hide behind a large oak tree and listen out for his footsteps. Sure enough, a short while later, I hear him stalking through the woods. Smiling to myself when I hear him getting closer, I move around the tree as he moves the other way.
“I know you’re here little raven. I can smell you, that sweet smell of plum and damson.”
Smiling, I sneak up behind him and jump on his back, wrapping my hands over his eyes. “Guess who?”
“A naughty little witch, who blinded me that is who. I should punish you.”
“So punish me.” I whisper daringly in his ear. I screech in surprise when he spins us and pins me up against the large tree. Somehow I end up facing him, with my legs wrapped around his waist.
“The woods aren’t safe Latimer.”
Biting my bottom lip, I wrap my arms around his neck. “I know, but I want to live dangerously tonight.” I grind myself against him and lean in and nip at his neck.
“Here?” He asks me, the surprise clear in his voice.
“Here.” I confirm, as I sink my fangs into his vein and drink, the nightshade had made me hungry for more blood, his blood. His grips hold of my arse cheeks and grinds himself against me. “Please Black.” I whisper. A second later I hear his jeans drop to his ankles and then he reaches under my skirt and pulls my underwear to one side, entering me in one quick move. I roll my eyes, as he fills me up both with his blood and his cock. Why did I have the feeling that I would never get enough of this? I pull my fangs from his vein having taken enough. Licking my fangs clean, I join my lips with his. He kisses me fiercely as he fucks me hard and fast, and I love every second of it. Something pulls my attention over his shoulder. With my vampire vision, I see a figure stood watching us. It was Lorelai. As if she can sense me watching her, as she watches us, our eyes meet and she flashes me a cold and sadistic smile before she disappears. Odd girl. A few seconds later, I clasp tightly to Drayce as I find my release and crash around him, with him following directly behind me.
He catches his breath and then slowly pulls out and lifts me down to my feet. “You are a bad influence raven.” He gives me a half smile as he pulls up his jeans and fastens them.
“Ah come now Black, don’t make out like you haven’t done it out in these woods before.”
He offers me a confident smile as he pulls me against him. “Not going to deny it. I was servicing the witches of the academy with the goods.”
I cock a brow. “Well they’re my goods now and they’ll service me.”
He grins against my lips. “Any time, any place Latimer.”
That night I thrash and turn as I am tied to a stake. The pyre at my feet is set alight by hooded men in long black cloaks. The flames lick at my feet and burn through my flesh to the bones and I scream in agony. “I curse you Blacks.” I scream in vengeance as the flames rise up my body, and the heat overcomes me.
“What the actual fuck?!”
I jolt open my eyes to find Drayce knelt on the bed, soaking wet through, dripping with water.
“Oops.” I exclaim. “I think I might have cast a water spell in my sleep.” I wipe the water from my eyes, as it drips down from my sopping wet hair. “I was having a nightmare. I was being burned at the stake.”
“I’m wet through.” He groans, looking down at the bed that is completely drenched. A small puddle of water lies around the bed.
I let out a giggle, I can’t help it.
He cocks a brow. “Oh you think this is funny huh?”
I cover my mouth to try and stop myself but I can’t help it. “It is kind of funny.”
He grins then. “If you wanted to get wet raven, you only had to ask.”
I roll my eyes at his sexual innuendo, shoving him off the bed. “Go get dry and I’ll sort this lot out.”
Laughing, he takes his naked arse to the bathroom, whilst I spell the room dry. I peel myself out of Drayce’s t-shirt that I had gone to sleep in. He comes back out a few seconds later with a towel wrapped around his waist and offers me one. I wrap myself up in it and allow myself to dry off.
“Shit. It’s four am in the morning.” Drayce groans as he looks at the time on the alarm clock. “I’ll make us some tea.”
I follow him into the kitchen and sit myself on the units and watch him move about getting, the milk out of the fridge and the sugar out of the cupboard.
“Anyone ever told you look good in a towel?”
He bobs his head. “Yeah.”
Big headed bastard. While his back his turned, I undo the knot in my towel and let it fall onto the units. He turns back around and drops the pint of milk as he takes in my naked state. I use my magic to stop the milk hitting the tiled floor and float it back over to the fridge.
I lick my lips and look at him under my lashes. “How do I look without my towel?”
He chews his lip as he stalks towards me with that hungry look in his eyes. “You look mighty fine without that towel Latimer. Mighty fine.”
The next day I spend some time with my parents and we hug it out and accept that whether we like or not our relationship is changed. I love them, they have been and always will be my parents, but they kept such a huge secret from me. I know they did it with the best intentions, but it was still wrong. There is something about my Mum that makes me think she knows more than she is letting on, but I tell myself I am reading into things too much.
The next week passes by without any dramas. No students are attacked, I’m acing all my classes and I’m having sex, lots and lots of amazing sex with the hot as sin Drayce Black. I’m not going to lie. I was addicted to his body.
We hadn’t really talked anymore about the prophecy business, or the news that we needed to fall in love to break his family curse. I think we were both avoiding thinking about it, because thinking about it complicated things and life was complicated enough for me at present.
Everyone in the academy was buzzing with excitement for Samhain, or as the humans liked to call it Halloween. Samhain for witches was a time to remember the people in our lives who have passed. It also a time when the veil between the two worlds is at its thinnest. As witches we celebrated the occasion by having a great feast. In the run up to the feast, witches are encouraged to write letters to loved ones that have passed. After the feast traditional dancing and revelry is normal, what you will not see however, is us dressed up as supernatural creatures like the humans do. What humans didn’t realise was that on Halloween their dressing up traditions allowed supernatural creatures to walk the earth in clear sight as they were able to blend in with those in costumes.
“So have you picked your dress?” Norah asks me as she doodles on her academy planner.
I look up from my history book and shake my head. “No not yet, have you?”
She grins. “I have. Its purple and velvet.”
“Sounds gorgeous. Maybe it will get Xan’s attention.”
Norah bristles and frowns at me. “Why on earth would I want Xan’s attention?”
I shrug nonchalantly. “I don’t know. I guess, I think you two are a perfect match.” I pause wondering whether I s
hould push further. “I’ve seen the way you look at him, when you think no one is watching you.”
Norah scoffs and messes with the chain of her necklace. “As if! I mean me and Xan would be a disaster together. He couldn’t be faithful if he tried.”
I lean in and tap her on the nose with my pencil. “Maybe he will when he meets the right girl.”
Norah flicks my pencil away and shakes her head at me. “Look, just because you are all starry eyed over Black don’t start trying to match the rest of us up.”
“I’m not starry-eyed over Black.” I protest. “I mean sure he is hot and great in the sack, but that is about as far as it goes.”
Norah observes me intently and grin. “Huh-uh. You keep telling yourself that Elara. Drayce Black is in your veins and on his way to your heart.”
I shuffle uncomfortably at the mention of his veins. How little did she know how true that remark is. His blood was quite literally running through my system right now, after I fed from him this morning.
“See! You are thinking about him now.” She accuses me, taking my pencil and jabbing it gently in my cheek.
“Stop jabbing me or I’ll hex you bitch.”
Norah chuckles as she dives on me and starts tickling me. “Hex me bitch and I’ll give you a pig’s tail.”
“So this is what girls get up to in their dorm rooms is it?” The sound of a male voice stops our fighting, and we both look up to find Drayce leaning in the doorway, with Thorin looming over his shoulder and watching us with avid interest.
“Please, don’t stop on my account this was just getting interesting.”
Sitting up, I give Thorin the finger and turn my attention to the hot overload of testosterone that is Black. He is wearing his patrolling gear, black combats and black fitted top. There is something about his patrol garb that gets me all hot and bothered.
“What are you two doing here?” I ask them, trying to steady my heart, that gushes over the sight of him.
“Thought we’d escort you ladies down to dinner this evening.” Drayce replies with a lazy grin, that once again has me thinking the kinds of things I should not be thinking in the presence of others. As if he can read my mind Drayce tilts his head and smiles at me. “What’s going through that head of yours little raven?”
“Terrible things.” I reply, biting my lip and he clears his throat and looks me up and down with hungry eyes.
“Okay, okay, enough with the sexual vibes you two are giving off!” Norah shoves me, causing me land on my bum on the floor as she climbs off the bed. “Drayce stop eye-fucking my friend and let’s move. I’m a moody-ass witch when I’m hungry.”
Thorin whistles at her as she passes him in the doorway. “It’s a fine moody-ass though Norah.”
Norah grins and licks her lips. “You got that right.”
As I reach the door to follow them out, Drayce holds out his hand and I slip my hand in his, almost like its second nature. I suddenly realise, I’m not sure how much I was pretending to be involved with Black anymore.
We enter the dining hall and I pout when Norah blows me a kiss and heads over to her table and I am lead over to Drayce’s table. Don’t get me wrong Drayce’s friends were okay, but Norah and the others were my people. I glance briefly around the hall and my eyes land on Sereia who is watching Drayce intensely. I did feel for the girl, she was clearly in love with him and been led by her parents to believe that one day he would be hers, and then I come along and ruin the plan. It was no wonder she hated me. Drayce must notice my silence, as he tugs on my hair and pulls my attention back to him.
“You okay?”
I nod. “Fine. We need to talk later about this prophecy business.”
He nods. “I guess..,”
“Help! Help someone help!” A student screams, running into the dining hall. “Outside! My friend she’s been attacked.”
Drayce, Thorin and Meara are on their feet instantly and I quickly follow behind, as do half the students in the dining hall. There metres away from the hallway that leads to the dining hall, outside on the gravelled path lies the body of a female student. My blood turns cold as I take in the sight that is becoming all too familiar.
“Okay. Everyone back up!” Drayce orders. “Go on. Back to the dining hall. This is a crime scene.”
Students mumble and whisper behind hands, looking terrified, as they are ushered back inside by some of the senior year students. Norah comes up to my side and links her arm with mine.
“This shit is getting scary.”
“It’s barely even dark yet. The attacks have always been at night. He’s getting bolder.” I state with a shiver.
Norah looks at me puzzled. “How do you know it’s a he?”
“Just a guess.” I tell her, shrugging my shoulders.
“She has something in her hand.” Thorin says. He leans over her examining her closely.
“Careful.” Drayce warns. “It could be spelled, whatever it is.”
Thorin leans in, whispering a protection spell before he opens the girls palm and takes what looks to be a rune of some kind. Thorin examines it and passes it to Drayce who turns it over and over between his fingers.
“Wait. There are two more in the other hand.” Meara points over at the lifeless girl’s right hand. Drayce crouches over her and prises her hand open and takes the runes.
Mistress Isolde comes running up the path with professor Hardman close behind her.
“Another one?”
Drayce nods. “She had these in her hands.” He places the three runes in Mistress Isolde’s hand.
“These runes are very old.” She hands them over to professor Hardman. “Take these to Delilah. She may be able to trace the coven these originated from.”
Mistress Isolde turns back to Drayce. “If you and Thorin can transport the student to the medical wing. Meara you stay and guard the students in the dining hall with Tommen.” Mistress Isolde then turns and looks at me. “Elara and Norah, return to the dining hall please.”
Norah tugs on my arm and pulls us towards the entrance hall. Over my shoulder I look back and see Drayce and Mistress Isolde with their head bents together in quiet conversation.
After dinner all students are escorted by seniors straight to their dorms. Meara accompanies all the fire students and once everyone is back in house fire dorms, she escorts me back to the senior house.
“I’ll be downstairs in the main living room if you need me for anything.” Meara tells me as she drops me off at Drayce’s dorm room.
“Hey Meara, Did you see those runes?”
Meara nods. “Yeah. They looked really old.” Meara tucks a lock of her red hair behind her ear and gives me a weak smile. “I’m sure we’ll find out who is doing this soon and bring them to a stop.”
“Let’s hope so.”
I pace the room when she has gone, with a thousand thoughts whizzing through my mind. I know the sensible and right thing to do would be to stay here and wait for Drayce to get back, but something inside my head tells me I need to go back down to the scene of the crime. I use an invisibility spell and sneak my way out of the senior dorm house and around the back of the academy. There are a few professors stood around scratching their heads and talking to one another, clearly not able to understand how and why this was continuing to happen. I quietly sneak up to the cordoned off area and start to examine the grass.
“Flame of fire. Flame of light. Bring me the gift of second sight. The answers that I seek, show to me. Bless me now to clearly see.” I whisper the spell as quietly as I can, and by some stretch of luck it works. My eyes are immediately drawn to the mangled oak tree just to the left of where the girl’s body was found. My vampire senses take over and the scent of blood hits me, blood that smells strangely familiar. I creep quietly over to the tree, and there on the edge of a leaf on a branch of the tree, is a drop of blood. I look around me for something to collect the leaf in. Luckily one of the professors has come prepared and has container of vials on the p
athway.
“Veni ad me.” I command, and one of the vials floats out of his box and drops into my waiting palm. Steadily and carefully, I lower the leaf into the vial and seal it closed. Now I needed to get out of here and back to the dorms before Drayce knows I have gone AWOL.
I enter Drayce’s dorm room and quietly close the door, breathing a sigh of relief that he isn’t back yet.
“Perii.” I command as I lean against the door.
“Boo!”
“Fucking broomsticks!” I shout. I almost pee myself in shock at finding Drayce stood in front of me, arms folded, looking every inch a pissed off witch.
He leans in, placing both hands either side of my head on the door and frowns at me. “Where have you been little raven?”
“Downstairs. Needed a snack.” I lie. I am a shit liar. Never was any good at it. I know the guilt is written all over my face. Damn by readable face!
“Truth Raven. Or I’ll just spell you to tell me.” He tells me firmly, his eyes never leaving mine.
I glare back at him. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“To see the truth, to know the way. I cast a spell in every way. By the power in me, I conjure thee. To give thy truth unto me.” He casts the spell so fast that I don’t have time to block it.
“Now Latimer, where have you been?”
“Down to the crime scene.” I blurt out before I can cover my mouth.
“What for?”
“To look for clues.” I shout out, like verbal diarrhoea. “I hate you.”
He chuckles. “Did you find anything?”
I cover my mouth with both hands, but the stupid spell makes me nod my head.
He holds his hand out, looking mightily pleased with himself. “Give it to me.”
Against my will my hand moves to my jean pocket and pulls out the vial and drops it into his palm.
Drayce turns it over in his hand, before turning his attention back to me. He pats me exaggeratedly on the cheek. “Now that wasn’t so hard was it? This is actually quite fun. I should have done this before.” He pockets the vial and leans back into me. “Tell me what you like about me?”
