Nightworld Academy Box Set 1

by L. J. Swallow

"Let me see." He holds out a hand. "Jamie—using Blackwood magic, Ash—would do anything to keep you safe, Amelia—I can give her access to Ravenhold."

  "And me?" I ask hoarsely.

  "I don’t need to spell that out, do I?" he whispers.

  "I don’t trust you," I blurt. "You might hurt somebody. Me."

  "I saved your life once, Maeve. It would not be arrogant of me to say I will again." There’s a desk between us but with each heartbeat, each word spoken in his beguiling tone, I have to fight moving closer.

  "How do you do that?" I whisper.

  "What am I doing?" The candlelight flickers across his face and accentuates the otherworldly beauty in his sharp features and sensual mouth.

  Hell, Maeve. Not again.

  "You confuse me, even when you’re not touching my mind."

  "Do you mean your physical attraction to me, Maeve?" I shiver at how he says my name, the words, the undertone. "Does that bother you?"

  What point is there in denying this? "Yes, but I feel that way because you’re a pneuma and attractive. You do this to me deliberately. It won’t work, Tobias. I wouldn’t let you touch me."

  "Of course not." His mouth pulls at one corner and the unhidden desire in his eyes catches my breath.

  "I’ll speak to Theodora. If she knows you’re an escaped convict who abuses his position at the academy, and accepts this situation, then fine. I won’t be able to do anything. But I won’t come near you and you need to stay away from me."

  "I agree. Apart from class. Mental magic is important, especially to you."

  I grit my teeth at his subtle teasing. "Do you know one reason I’m determined to perfect my mind control skill? To defend myself against you."

  "Perfect. Then you have motivation."

  I scowl at his condescension. "I do. I’ll learn how to get into your head."

  I tense as Tobias edges around the table, and my pulse raises as if I’d run up and down stairs ten times instead of once.

  "But you’re already in my head, Maeve."

  I could lose myself in his thrall, in the gaze that controls and confuses me, but he will never have the opportunity to do that again.

  "If you allow one of your boys closer, be careful who you choose," he whispers.

  "I’m not going to ‘choose’," I retort. "Nobody will ever possess me or my powers."

  I’m shocked by the words and the realisation that comes with this. I will fight for my safety and those I love. I will fight Tobias.

  "I am sure you’re right," he says. "Nobody could hope to possess you."

  The closer Tobias steps, the tighter his energy holds onto mine. But this is more. Tobias radiates a sexual energy as strong and confusing as any lamia’s. I struggle between stepping away or trying to hold his challenge. Beat him. Make him back off.

  Andrei’s words by the bonfire, about keeping enemies close, ring in my ears. Tobias is one enemy I will keep at a distance.

  "I’m not your enemy, Maeve. I’m a colleague, and I will help you." His eyes drop to my mouth. "But yes, stay away unless we need to be together. I think that would be wise."

  He steps back and allows me to pass him. As I do, he gently touches my arm and I jerk to a halt. "I’m sorry I lied to you. I wish things could be different between us." I lift my eyes to his, readying a retort, but catch a glimpse of the Tobias he hides behind his stiff formality. Honesty. Vulnerability. "And for the record, I don’t do anything to you consciously. This is as difficult for me as for you."

  For a fleeting moment, I believe Tobias.

  But that’s what he wants.

  Chapter Four

  MAEVE

  I sit in the Walcott common room, alone and drinking hot chocolate as I mull over my meeting with Tobias. My heart still thrums and adrenaline courses through my veins, but I won’t let him ruin my night. Hopefully Amelia will be here soon—and Ash, who’s texted to say he’s back.

  Ash kept in contact over Christmas and every day my stomach would flutter in excitement when he sent a text. I stepped back and gave him space, not contacting him until he made contact with me. The shocking events with Vincent must’ve pushed our kiss low down on the scale of important things, but he still took time to stay in touch over the holidays.

  That kiss. Wow. I’ve never been kissed with passion like his. This was more than toe-curling; I could’ve stood forever in his embrace as the snow piled onto us. I’d happily have stayed until I resembled one of Amelia’s ice sculptures, while Ash’s kiss heated me from deep inside.

  Of course, Amelia knows—I told her one evening when she stayed, unable to keep in my secret. Her surprise confused me, until she admitted she expected me and Jamie would hook up.

  This bothers me.

  Does Jamie think the same?

  Somebody winds their arms around my neck from behind me and rests his chin on my shoulder. I don’t need to turn to know the muscular arms belong to Ash.

  I’m amused when he leaps over the sofa and sits beside me, but that’s wiped away when he seizes my face and plants a huge kiss on my mouth. My stomach flip flops, heat flooding through my body and into my cheeks.

  Ash moves and runs his thumb across my lips. "I missed you."

  "That was quite an entrance, Ash." I rest my forehead against his as he wipes away the stress of my meeting with Tobias. "I missed you too."

  Ash wraps his arm around me, dragging me close before kissing me again. His scruff scratches my cheek as his lips move gently against mine. Worried we’ll be dragged into another mind-melting kiss, I wriggle away.

  "You don’t mind, do you?" he whispers, brow creased.

  Jade sits opposite, her hand frozen in mid-air holding crisps that never made it to her mouth. I glance around and spot another girl from my elemental magic class gawking too.

  PDAs with the academy’s most popular guy? Bad move.

  Nobody speaks and the background music grows louder in the silence. Thank god there’re only half a dozen people in here.

  "I guess we’re public now," I say to Ash.

  "Good." He drags me into a bear hug and kisses me again. In exactly the same way, only this time I’m engulfed by his arms, my body lighting up where we touch.

  Omigod. These kisses aren’t for public.

  "Jeez guys, get a room." I jump away from Ash to see Jamie plonk himself opposite us.

  Jamie was on my mind a lot over the holidays, and I hated I couldn't contact him to see how he was coping. His hair grew longer over the break, now rivalling Andrei for the ability to hide his face when he wants. The light in his eyes I saw the first day I arrived is no longer there, replaced with the wariness they’ve held since I first told him my vision. The relaxed, happy Jamie who danced with me disappeared when Tobias took the Blackwood pendant.

  "When did you arrive back?" I ask, trying to ignore how my lips buzz from Ash’s kiss.

  "Half an hour ago. I was looking for you and Amelia, but I see you’re busy." He arches a brow.

  "Amelia’s showering," I say. "She’ll be here soon."

  Jamie’s eyes drop to where my hand stays firmly in Ash’s. "How’s things, Ash? Is Vincent doing okay?"

  "He’s coping." Ash strokes the back of my hand with his thumb. "He’ll improve once he stops hiding in the pub. He doesn’t want to see anybody."

  "Hmm. That’s not good." Jamie sinks back against the chair. "Years as a captive would screw with anybody’s head."

  I balk at Jamie’s bluntness, but Ash just shrugs. "He has a lot to catch up on, but he needs time."

  "Doesn’t Vincent have friends who want to see him?" I ask.

  "Yeah, but he’s hidden himself over Christmas. Fair enough, because that’s what Mum wants." He grins. "I can’t believe Vince came home. It’s like a nightmare has ended."

  Despite his smile, Ash’s face shows the strain of recent weeks, but he’s not the broken guy I saw dragged away from his brother’s half-dead body.

  Amelia shouts "Jamie!" and bounds across the room.
<
br />   He stands up, arms outstretched to welcome her, and she throws her arms around him. He wraps his lean arms around her in a huge hug. My stomach sinks that Jamie never hugged me when he walked in, but how could he if I was wrapped around Ash?

  Amelia pouts. "I can’t give you a hug, Ash, since Maeve seems to have you all to herself."

  Ash shakes his head and stands before lifting Amelia from the floor in a huge embrace. She gasps as he squeezes her, then swats at him. "That’s enough, put me down."

  "You said you wanted a hug." Ash sets her back on the floor and chuckles.

  "Yes, but I don’t need reminding how small I am." She huffs and sits beside Jamie.

  Jamie chews his lip. "Fine that we’re being all happy and chatty, but there’s a lot to unpack from last term."

  "Amelia has a huge suitcase to unpack," I joke and am rewarded with a stern Jamie look.

  "You know that’s not what I mean. Has anybody spoken to Theodora yet?" he asks.

  "Calm down, Jamie. We just got back from the holidays," protests Ash.

  Jamie ignores him. "I asked about Tobias when I was home. Nobody knows much about him."

  "You didn’t tell people what he said, did you?" I reply.

  Amelia waves a hand. "Shush! Tobias has left now. The Confederacy can deal with him."

  I drag a hand down my face. "Tobias hasn’t left."

  Ash jumps away from me. "What the hell? Is he crazy?"

  "Have you seen him?" asks Jamie.

  I nod but don’t elaborate.

  "Theodora knows who he is," I continue.

  "Which worries me," says Ash. "Not because of the Ravenhold connection, but if his story is true, there’re Dominion sympathisers in the academy."

  "Will you keep your voice down," urges Amelia.

  "Not the best time for this conversation, I agree." I cuddle up to Ash again. "We can speak to Sofia tomorrow and ask if she can arrange a meeting."

  Ash makes a low sound in his throat. "No."

  "Why not?" Jamie leans forward. "Do you know something?"

  "No. But can we trust her? She’s a—" He pauses. "A professor. Can we trust her?"

  My spirits sink. Witch.

  "I trust her," I say indignantly.

  "I do too, but we need to be in agreement. I say we head straight to Theodora," says Jamie.

  "Maybe talk about this later?" Amelia tips her head to a group behind us. "When there’re less people around. Ash, talk to me about your Christmas!"

  Typical Amelia, interrupting the uncomfortable direction our discussion was headed. Although she asks Ash to tell her about his Christmas, Amelia enthuses to him about her trip to my place.

  Jamie shifts towards me, so his back is to the pair. "Can I ask you something?"

  I swallow. About Ash? "Sure."

  "What happened in that room with you and Tobias? I don’t understand how you were in there together."

  Jamie’s agitation, and fear Tobias might reveal his secret, stopped him asking questions on the night, but with two weeks to mull everything over he has plenty, I’m sure.

  "I saw Tobias outside the hall and spoke to him. Then he decided we should speak in private."

  "What did you say to him?"

  "That I knew he lied about his age."

  Jamie’s eyes widen. "Maeve! I told you that in confidence. Didn’t you think that Tobias might be dangerous?"

  I wave a hand to ask him to keep his voice down. "No. Not until he mentioned Ravenhold. But I also knew something happened to me on the field trip, and I had to find out if Tobias used magic on me."

  "And?"

  Tobias’s effect on me works across distance and time, because I’m instantly pulled back into the memory of the time together arguing in the room, as strongly as if it were a vision. "And I’m happy he’s back."

  His mouth drops in horror? "What?"

  "I found my way into Tobias’s mind once. If he’s asked to teach me again, I’ll work on his mind. Find out the truth."

  "That could be dangerous. We don't know what Tobias would do if he knew."

  "Isn’t everything dangerous here, Jamie?" I glance at where Ash and Amelia continue their chat. "I’ll let Tobias think he can control me because he believes I’m weak against him."

  "Maeve..." Jamie warns.

  The one thing nobody realises—maybe even Tobias too—is that he’s weak against me.

  Let the battle begin, because if Tobias returned to threaten my new friends or my life, he’ll suffer before they do.

  Chapter Five

  MAEVE

  I never dream, but do wake several times in the night with my mind churning. I won’t rest until I speak to Theodora and hear the truth from her.

  Or until I tell Theodora about Tobias’s lies.

  After a breakfast I barely eat, I head to the headmistress's office with Jamie, Ash, and Amelia. Andrei should be with us, but we can’t wait until the evening. Would he want to anyway? He’s back to ‘weird Andrei’, and I don’t know how he’d respond to me if I did ask.

  I knock on the imposing oak door, and Theodora calls for us to enter.

  I’m through the doorway in seconds, straightening my shoulders as I take a deep breath and step towards Theodora’s desk. "You need to listen to us."

  My promise to myself that I'll be cool-headed drops away the moment the door closes and reveals a second person in the room. Tobias stands to the side, hidden by the door when I opened it and now in full view.

  Faltering, I step back and grab Ash’s hand. Jamie stands beside Amelia, the four of us united in our determination to challenge the man.

  "And you need to listen to Theodora," says Tobias calmly.

  The headmistress sits behind her long desk, her glossy hair falling around her shoulders and a warm smile on her pale face. I’ll never see her as a centuries-old vampire—to me she's a young woman with a beauty only ever found in airbrushed images. Theodora’s unperturbed by my sudden entrance, instead, her expression is enquiring.

  "Tobias told me to expect a visit from you," she says in her gentle tones. "He's explaining the situation to me. This is all rather unfortunate, as I’d hoped to keep the situation under wraps."

  My blood ices in my veins. "Do you mean everything Tobias told us is true?"

  Theodora folds her hands on the desk, sitting straight. "Explain to me what Tobias told you."

  I stammer out a repeat of his words the evening of the ball—his age, his past, his undercover work at the academy. With each piece of information, she nods but her blue eyes harden.

  "Tobias wiped my mind too," I blurt. "Not that night, but in the past. He's not permitted to do that."

  Jamie snaps his head around. "What?"

  "Is this true, Tobias?" asks Theodora sharply.

  "Yes," he replies, no guilt or concern in his voice. "Remember the situation I informed you about? The issue with the hunters on the field trip."

  "Ah." She smiles. "I remember."

  My blood freezes further and I look wild-eyed to Ash, whose horror matches mine.

  "He wanted the two hunters to kill each other that night," I continue. "Did you know that?"

  Theodora’s brows shoot up and she appraises Tobias. "I hope this is not true."

  "Maeve’s imagination is a little overactive. Surely I’d blank her mind if this were true?" Tobias smiles down at Theodora and my hackles rise.

  "Andrei told me," I protest.

  "And I would've wiped his mind too, would I not?" Tobias gives me a sweet smile that sets my teeth on edge. "Why would I allow either student to remember something incriminating against me?"

  Apparently satisfied by the explanation, Theodora nods. I attempt to catch Tobias's eye, but he still refuses to look at me. So, there are things Theodora doesn’t know.

  Theodora gestures at us to sit, and I perch on the edge of the sofa beside Ash, who keeps a tight grip on my hand.

  "I can confirm Tobias’s story is true. I believe the academy is under threat from with
in. Tobias works for the Confederacy undercover and he’s here to help me. And yes, he’s watching you all because there seems to be a connection."

  "We were talking before you interrupted," adds Tobias. "The Dominion attack on Maeve, hunters stalking Ash’s home, the predicted attack on Jamie. This is not coincidental, and perhaps more will come to light."

  Ash’s grip tightens on my hand.

  "And I explained to Tobias that I would like the five of you to work together. Now you're aware of the situation, this make sense."

  "Five?"

  "You must inform Tobias of anything and everything untoward that you witness inside the academy." She nods at me. "I know your natural inclination is suspicion, Maeve, especially as Tobias hid his true identity from you, but you must put that aside." Her eyes shift to the others. "All of you. I have been headmistress of this academy for longer than most remember. I've given years of my life to teaching students to work together, and I refuse to let my academy crumble in the hands of the Dominion."

  Her face shadows with anger and at that moment I know however strong my suspicions are about Tobias, I need to do as she says.

  "Working together is also necessary for everybody’s safety," she says more gently.

  "Do you have anybody under suspicion?" asks Ash cautiously.

  "Everybody." Her tone is flat. "Which breaks my heart because we’re family here."

  "Yet you’d trust an ex-inmate from Ravenhold?" puts in Jamie.

  Theodora blinks at him. "Does your friend Matt belong at Ravenhold?" she asks. "Would you reject him if he became an ‘ex inmate’?"

  He drops his head to look at his shoes. "No."

  "Then why not offer Tobias the same trust?" she replies harshly. "His story is not mine to tell, but Tobias has my utmost trust."

  Tobias's eyes finally meet mine, and my scalp prickles as his whispered confession rings in my ears: ‘You don’t want to know why I was at Ravenhold.’

  "You must tell he and I everything, and you are not to interfere with Tobias’s actions. You are also not to discuss this with anybody else or the consequences will be severe." She looks directly at me. "And you are to do as he tells you."