Seraphim Academy 1: Wicked Wings

by Elizabeth Briggs

  She presses her hand against mine, holding it to her face. “I’d like that.”

  I swallow and yank my hand away before I throw her down on the grass and have my way with her. “Maybe once you’re finished with school. It’s only another two years. That’s nothing for people with our lifespan.”

  She nods, her face disappointed. “Maybe.”

  We sit in awkward silence again as we fight off the sexual tension between us, until she asks, “Does that mean I can sleep with an angel multiple times without hurting them?”

  “Yes, you definitely can. You’re not the first succubus I’ve been with.”

  “Really?” Now she looks intrigued.

  “I’ve lived a long time,” I say quickly, hoping she doesn’t dig further. “Plus the Princes will be extra strong since they have Archangel blood. They won’t be as weakened when you take their energy.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “Do they know what you are?” I ask.

  “Yes, they found out.”

  “Are you sure you can trust them?”

  “No, not really. I’m not sure I can trust you either, though.”

  “That’s probably smart. Just…be careful. If word gets out about what you are, both the angels and demons will want to control you. Or they’ll want you dead.”

  She swallows and nods. “I’ll try.”

  I reach over and squeeze her hand. “I’ll do whatever I can to protect you also. I swear it.”

  She gives me a heart-stopping smile. “Thanks, Kassiel. Being able to talk to you about this has really helped me a lot. I’m glad you walked into my bar a year ago.”

  “Me too.” I stroke her hair softly, just once, and then I stand up. I’m so close to kissing her, I need to get away. Resisting a succubus at her full power is difficult, especially one I like as much as Olivia. “I should go. Good luck on your test tomorrow.”

  She groans. “Don’t remind me.”

  With a flash of my black-and-silver wings, I’m in the air, and flying back to my room. Like the student dorms, it has a balcony so I can land on it and walk inside, without having to go through the rest of the building. I purposefully left it unlocked, since I knew I’d be coming back here.

  But when I step inside, I see I’ve had a visitor while I was gone, and now an ivory envelope waits on my bed. Inside is an invitation to the third trial to get into the Order of the Golden Throne. It’s during the half-time of the championship football game against the demons, which I was planning to skip anyway.

  Finally. Father’s been waiting for news on my mission to infiltrate the Order of the Golden Throne, and it’s been ages since I had anything to report. Now all I have to do is pass this third trial, and I’ll be in. Then I can figure out what they’re really up to…and see if they’re a threat.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Olivia

  It’s hard to believe, but the school year is almost over. It’s also November 13, and my birthday. I wasn’t planning on making a big deal of it, since it mainly reminds me that it’s been a year since I last saw Jonah, but Araceli was relentless. It’s the first time she’s been excited about anything since Darel died, so I caved in. And once Marcus found out it’s my birthday, it turned into a thing.

  Practically half the school has been invited up to the bell tower tonight. I think people are more excited to check out the Princes’ lair than celebrating my birthday, but I don’t mind. My birthdays usually consisted of just me and Jonah, so it’s a nice change to be surrounded by friends.

  “There you are!” Cyrus says, as he and Grace make their way through the crowd to me.

  “I haven’t seen you in ages. Are you avoiding us, or have the Princes been hogging all your time?” Grace asks.

  “Neither,” I lie. I totally have been avoiding them ever since I found out Cyrus was in the Order, and I’d bet money that Grace is too. “I’ve just been busy studying for finals. I started out so clueless compared to everyone else, and I want to make sure I do well.”

  “You’re going to do great,” Grace says. “Here, we got you a little something for your next year at Seraphim Academy.”

  She hands me a small gift bag, and I reach around inside until I find a pretty new daily planner for next year in pink and black, with silver edges. “Thank you, I’ll totally use this.” Especially since my last one got destroyed with my bedroom. Wait…could they know about that? Was the Order behind that? Maybe another test, or trying to find out if I’m loyal… I don’t know. But now I’m even more suspicious of Grace and Cyrus.

  “Are we opening presents already?” Araceli asks, bouncing over to us with some of her usual inner light. “Open mine next!”

  She hands me a little box wrapped in gold, and I give her a big smile before opening it up. Inside is a silver charm bracelet with angel wings. My throat closes up at the beautiful gift, and once again I feel horrible for deceiving her. I’m going to tell her at the end of the school year. I am.

  “I love it.” I give her a big hug. “Thanks.”

  “It’s nothing for the best roommate in the world.”

  “That honor definitely goes to you,” I say, as the guilt piles up even higher. “You threw me this party and everything.”

  “No, I had the idea for the party. The Princes did all this.” She nudges me. “You should go dance with Marcus.”

  I glance over at him, where he’s leaning on the wall and drinking a beer, while others come and talk to him, like he’s holding court for all his admirers. I hate to admit it, but I’ve become one of them. Marcus is pretty great, once you get past the arrogant side of him.

  The other Princes are another story. Bastien and Callan stand in another corner, glaring at anyone who dares to come close. Callan still hates me, more than ever now, but he’s oddly protective of me too and has worked hard to make sure I can defend myself in Combat Training. My situation with Bastien is even more confusing. He doesn’t hate me, but he doesn’t seem to like me much either, even though he also wants to help me in his own way. The sex is good though, so at least there’s that.

  I head over to Marcus when he’s alone, and he grins at the sight of me and then wraps an arm around my waist.

  “Having fun?” he asks, as he draws me close.

  “Sure,” I say. Big parties aren’t really my thing, but it was nice of Marcus to do this for me.

  “Uh huh. You want to get out of here, don’t you?”

  “Maybe,” I say with a laugh. Am I so obvious?

  “C’mon, let’s go to my room. I’ve got a present for you there.”

  “Is it in your pants?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

  He gives me a wicked grin. “That’s not what I’m talking about, but you can definitely have that too.”

  We fly off the balcony together, and some of the people at the party cheer. Guess it’s no secret I’m sleeping with Marcus now. I bet people would be surprised if they knew I was banging Bastien too though.

  Marcus lands on his balcony with a thump, and I set down beside him. We slip inside his dorm room, and I remember when I broke into this place to investigate at the beginning of the school year. I glance at Jonah’s door quickly, and then look away.

  Marcus hands me a box wrapped in balloon-covered paper, and I rip it open. Inside is a coffee mug with a little cartoon devil on it and the words, “Coffee fiend.” I stare at it, wondering if he knew about my angel mug somehow, but he never visited my room until after it was destroyed. Can it be a coincidence he got me such a similar present to Jonah’s? Or was he involved in trashing my room?

  “I’ve never met anyone who loves coffee like you do, so I thought it was funny,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “If it’s too on-point I can get you something else.”

  He sounds so sincere that I set the mug down and then hug him. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  The hug turns into a kiss, and Marcus is ravenous as he presses his lips to mine. We haven’t kissed like this since that time we had
sex, and even though I don’t need to feed yet, I can’t help but revel in what he’s giving me. Marcus puts off a sex appeal that even a nun couldn’t refuse, and to a succubus like me, it’s like candy.

  “I don’t need to feed tonight,” I tell him, giving him an out.

  “Good,” Marcus says, as he pulls off his shirt. “Then this will be just for fun.”

  Sex for fun? A novel concept for me. I did it to live, and sometimes I enjoyed it, but doing it just because…that’s new. I’m definitely not complaining though. Plus, I’m more confident that Marcus will be okay after my chat with Kassiel.

  I reach out, splaying my hands across Marcus’s chiseled chest. He’s not as huge as Callan, but he’s still more muscular than most guys I’ve been with, and I want to lick him all over. Damn.

  I’m wearing a little flowy dress with spaghetti straps and a cardigan. While Marcus and I kiss, the cardigan hits the floor, and then he pushes my spaghetti straps off my shoulder. His mouth goes there next, planting kisses on the bare skin, as he tugs my dress down and reveals my breasts. The dress falls away, and I open up his jeans at the same time, then push them down.

  His hands wrap around me, pulling me close and pressing my bare breasts against his chest as he swoops in for another kiss. He yanks our hips together, and the desire rages through me, potent and compelling. And for once, it’s not my succubus side that’s hungry for sex.

  Marcus walks forward, moving us toward his bed, and I move with him willingly. He drops me back, and shimmies my panties down my legs so I can kick them off.

  I slide up the bed, spreading my legs and gliding my hands down my stomach and around my sex. I arch my back and moan. I’m so turned on my touch is enough to make me soaking wet.

  The sharp intake of Marcus’s breath makes me look at him. He’s got his briefs halfway down his legs, but he’s frozen, eyes glued to my hands as they circle my mound.

  “Spread yourself,” he orders.

  I grin and do as he says, happy to tease him this way. It’s not much of a tease, because he sheds his briefs and falls on me, cramming his face between my legs.

  Spreading my lips to give him the best access, I cry out as he sucks my clit into his mouth. My first orgasm crashes into me quickly, turning me into a moaning mess. As I ride it back to reality, Marcus slides two fingers inside me, hitting the perfect spot like he’s done it a hundred times just to me. Instead of washing away, the orgasm keeps going, like I’m riding on a surfboard, taking advantage of every inch of the wave.

  He uses his teeth to put sharper pressure on my nub as he relentlessly strokes the spot inside me that is driving me wild. Moaning and possibly yelling, the same orgasm builds again, going higher and higher. I’m pretty sure by this point I’m screaming and grunting, but I can’t be sure. I’ve lost all sense of propriety. Not that I had that much to begin with, but still.

  Marcus’s mouth and fingers leave me in the middle of my senseless pleasure, but then his cock slams into me with a force that moves me up the bed. He throws my legs back, putting his hands on the backs of my knees to bend my body in half. It means his cock keeps hitting that spot, that amazing, sent-from-heaven spot, every time he enters me.

  His relentless pace makes my orgasm continue, and every time he slams home, the noises I make are truncated as my breath leaves me in a rush. I move my hands above my head, grabbing the wooden headboard of the bed. If I don’t brace myself, I’m going to slide up the bed until my head is bouncing off of it.

  He’s not done. His ferocious pace continues to draw out what has got to be the longest orgasm of my life. It’s not the most intense, but I’m not sure it’ll ever end. He’s getting close to finishing because his thrusts grow wilder and more erratic as the headboard bangs against the wall.

  He finishes with a grunt and a whisper of my name, before he collapses on me. Careful not to smother me, he props himself up on his elbows and grins. “Happy birthday, Liv.”

  “That was…wow.” I’ve never complimented a man on his performance in my life. It’s a night of firsts all around. I’m not sure how I feel about it. “Now get off of me.”

  He chuckles and pops a kiss on my cheek before sitting up. “Want to stay the night?”

  “You know I can’t.”

  He strokes my thigh in a teasing way. “I don’t see why not.”

  Shit, he’s getting way too attached to me. He’s going to think we’re actually dating, and then things will get…complicated.

  “I have to go,” I say, as I get up and pick my panties off the floor.

  He sighs, but then nods. “Let me know when you need to do it again.”

  “We’ll see. I don’t want to overtax you.”

  He grins at me. “Angel stamina, remember?”

  I pick up my dress and toss it over my head. It’s not his stamina I’m worried about, but his heart. How am I supposed to know if he really cares for me, or if it’s a side effect of my succubus powers? Can angels resist the allure? There’s so much I still don’t know. Where’s Mother when I need her?

  As I walk out onto the balcony, Marcus grabs my hand and tries to stop me. “Stay.”

  “I can’t.”

  He presses a desperate kiss against my lips, which only confirms that I need to go. “It’s weird that you’re leaving.”

  “No. It would be weird if I stayed.” I pull away and launch off the balcony, leaving him behind.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Olivia

  The day of the championship football game against the demons rolls around, and I brace myself for what’s to come. After my last chat with Kassiel, I returned home to find an invite to the third trial, and I’m nervous about what we’ll have to do now. It can’t be good. But at the same time, I’m excited too. Jonah disappeared after this game last year, and I’m so close to uncovering the truth. I just have to pass this one final test.

  When I get to the field, I see it’s twice as packed as it was at the other game I went to. Araceli opted to stay behind again, and I’m glad. Something is going to happen tonight, and the cold air feels taut with tension. I shiver and pull my hoodie up over my head.

  Grace lands beside me. “Exciting, isn’t it?”

  I nod. “I’ve never seen this many angels.”

  She smiles as she gazes across the field. “Imagine the power in this one stadium.”

  I turn my attention to the other side of the bleachers. Demons of all shapes and sizes, looking no different than the angels, fill the stands. “There’s three times as many demons as there were before.”

  “That’s normal for the championship game. Cyrus has saved us some seats down in front.”

  We make our way through the stands, zigging and zagging around bodies. I spot a familiar face in the crowd and my jaw drops. I have to quickly compose myself as my father bumps into me accidentally-on-purpose.

  “Excuse me,” he says as he puts a steadying hand on my arm.

  “No problem.” I look at him out of the corner of my eye as he walks the same direction I do, seemingly a coincidence.

  “You’re well?” he asks under his breath.

  “As well as I can be,” I mutter.

  “Did you say something?” Grace turns to me as she walks ahead of me.

  “Just that I could go for a drink.”

  She chuckles. “I’ll get us some. You find Cyrus. He’s over there.”

  I nod, and she takes off, leaving me standing next to my father.

  “Looking forward to the game?” He doesn’t look at me as he asks, and I don’t answer. “My son was on the team last year.”

  “Oh? But not this year?” I pretend to be interested in the stranger’s story.

  “Unfortunately, no.” His voice is heavy with grief. He looks at me for the first time. “You look good,” he says in a low voice. “Healthy.”

  He gestures for me to follow, and we step behind the port-a-potties that have been set up. A ripple of magic releases from him, and he bends light around us bot
h so we’re invisible, along with everything we say.

  “Are you eating enough?”

  “You’re worried about that now?” I ask. “Where were you the rest of the year?”

  “Looking for Jonah. Don’t worry, I had people keeping an eye on you here so I knew you were safe.”

  They’re not doing a very good job, since he doesn’t seem to know about the demons attacking me. “Has there been any progress with Jonah?”

  He scowls. “No. The Archangel Council has officially closed the case.”

  The news that nobody official is searching for my brother anymore infuriates me. How can he let them stop looking? Jonah is his only son and his only legitimate child. “It’s a good thing I’m still searching for him then.”

  “Have you found anything?”

  “I don’t know yet. I think he might be in Faerie.”

  Father shakes his head. “I already spoke with the High Court of the fae, and no one there has seen him.”

  “That doesn’t mean he’s not there. If there’s anyone who can hide from them, it’s Jonah.”

  “Perhaps.” He doesn’t sound convinced. “You should give up this hunt already, Olivia. It’s only going to get you in trouble.”

  “I’m not giving up until I find Jonah.”

  He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why do you continue with this madness? Are you trying to punish me?”

  “I’m trying to find my brother.”

  “We both know that’s not going to happen, and you’re just going to get yourself in trouble in the process. At the end of the school year, it’s best if you leave this place and never return.”

  Wow. I can’t even reply to him. He doesn’t believe in me at all. What must it be like to have a proud parent?

  I’ll never know.

  “I have to go. Don’t follow me.”

  Turning away, I walk back around the port-a-potties and come into view as I leave his magic behind. He better not fucking follow me. I’ll blow the whole operation. I’m that mad.