“Oh,” I whisper, a tremor going through my sore, swollen center.
“This evening, we’ll go pay Mr. Stephens a visit,” he says. “While I hope he has a good reason for keeping the knowledge of the ogre a secret, the fact is, he kept knowledge from me that ended up costing a student dearly. Thankfully it wasn’t worse than it was, but everyone’s safety comes before whatever mystery you were trying to solve.”
“I know,” I say, nodding.
“I think you’ve learned your lesson,” he says, handing me my shirt. “Now, let’s go rest up before we confront the demon. While I believe his intentions were noble, we can’t ignore the fact that he put students’ lives in danger.”
“You think… He’s done evil?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I hope not,” he says. “But we need to work as a team on these matters, and he didn’t do that. We need to find out why he withheld that information. First, though, my naughty little girl needs her breakfast and some rest.”
*
By afternoon, I’ve slept, eaten, and lounged around watching America’s Next Top Vampire with Darius for hours, and I’m dangerously close to feeling like we’re a real couple.
Which I cannot let myself think.
When Darius says he’s going in to put in some office hours, I decide to head to class. I’m still sore after the all-night sex marathon, and I pray Rocco doesn’t notice and tease me. He’s been known to mention Ryker’s cock, and how any girl would be walking funny after riding that train. Having now seen it with my own eyes, I have no doubt he’s right. I guess it’s better if he thinks we finally hooked up than to have him guessing at the truth.
To my relief, Ryker is the guard who’s outside my door when I leave my dorm room after a shower and a fresh uniform change. As awkward as things are between us, at least he has the decency not to mention my slight limp—if he even notices. It’s Ryker, so he probably doesn’t care, even if he does notice.
He walks me across campus, then leaves me to go do his own stuff, since I’m safe while I’m in the building. After my light magic classes, he escorts me to the Dark Arts building without a word of comment. I can’t help but feel a little naughty as I mince into Mr. Stephens’s class, feeling the heat of my scalded bottom as I slide into one of the blessedly cool seats. Dirk smiles at me, and I smile back and turn to the front of the room, waiting for my partner in crime to walk in.
Gods, if only the other students knew what I’d been up to with the Headmaster last night. But no one knows. It’s my little secret to hold all through each class, smiling each time I notice the warmth and remember Darius’s punishment. I like wearing his mark every bit as much as he likes seeing it, even if no one else knows I’m wearing it. I know. I’m his. Things definitely moved to a new level last night. I might have promised I was his before that, but now he’s taken more than a promise. He’s staked his claim.
“Where is he?” huffs Dirk, flipping his laptop closed. “It’s ten minutes since class was supposed to start, and he didn’t send an email cancelling class.”
“I’m leaving,” says a bored-looking blonde. She gathers her laptop and backpack and heads out. A few others trickle after her, the others impatiently glancing at their phones and waiting out the customary fifteen minutes before we can assume class is cancelled. When that time comes, everyone else stands to leave.
“Coming?” Dirk asks, giving me a knowing smile, like he thinks I’m waiting on Topher to get some extra time alone with him or something.
I shrug. “I’ll wait a few more minutes.”
Once I’m alone, I try not to let my mind go straight to how shady and suspicious this suddenly seems. Topher didn’t outright threaten to tell on me and Darius, but he definitely hinted at it. He made me keep quiet about the ogre, and then when it attacked again, he’s nowhere to be found? Either he’s a coward, and he ran before he could get punished, or he’s hiding for a more sinister reason. What I can’t figure out is, what could he hope to gain from the ogre attacking? He probably knew it would attack the first dark magic student it came across, which would be one of his own students. They don’t even attack light magic wielders.
And it’s not like an ogre gathers magic that he could later steal, the way the Bella’s stole my spork for that reason. Ogres digest magic. It can’t be reused.
Unless…
Their venom could be harvested. Shit.
I’m about to jump up and run to Darius when Elowen walks by, glancing in the door. She pivots to hover in the doorway, her thumbs hooked in her backpack. “Are you waiting for a class?”
I shake my head. “No. I was waiting to see if Topher showed up. You haven’t seen him today, have you?”
“No,” Elowen says, shaking her head. I catch sight of little Fionola sitting on her shoulder, her bony legs tapping against Elowen’s collarbone. “I—Maybe he caught something.”
“Can demons even get sick?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Elowen admits. “He’s usually very punctual.” Color creeps into her cheeks, and I so don’t want to know why.
“Well, I might drop by his office to see if he’s in,” I say, donning my backpack and joining her in the hall.
“He doesn’t have an office,” Elowen says, frowning like I should know this. “He’s a new teacher. He just has meetings in his classroom.”
I consider talking to her about his sketchy behavior but decide against it. After all, I don’t know that he did anything wrong, and I’m determined to give him the benefit of the doubt until I know something for sure.
“Then I’ll catch up with him later,” I say with a shrug, as if it’s unimportant. “I’ve got to stop by and see Headmaster Darius, anyway.”
“I’ve gotta get to my class,” Elowen says. “Say bye to Fionola.” She cups the little bone fairy in her hands, holding her out to me so I can pet her head. The creature lets out a delighted squeak, grabbing my finger and swinging on it as I laugh.
“See you in a bit,” I say, waving and heading out after returning Elowen’s tiny companion. As I reach the entrance to the building, I see Rocco standing there, bouncing on his toes. “Hey, stranger,” I say, hoping I’m walking more normal now that I’ve been on my feet for a bit. I stand on tiptoes to give him a peck on the cheek.
“I saw you yesterday,” he says with a grin, trapping me against him with a muscular arm around my waist. “But it’s good to know you missed me already.”
“I did,” I say honestly. There’s something so amazingly calming about being with Rocco. No pretenses, no questions. We’re together, and there’s no doubt in either of our minds about our feelings for each other. Suddenly, all I want to do is go to my room and curl up in his arms and watch one of the mindless shoot-em-up spy movies he loves so much. I’d never tell him how comforting I find those, since admitting that seeing immortals try to decimate each other with machine guns would probably not say good things about my mental health. But somehow, I’ve come to like them as much as Rocco does. They’re predictable, and right now, that’s what I want more than anything.
Unfortunately, duty calls.
“As much as I’d like to show you how much I missed you, I have an appointment,” I say, taking his hand. “Darius and I are going to talk to Topher about the ogre.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he says as we start off across campus. Halfway there, I hear someone call my name. I turn to see Asher jogging toward us.
“Jade, hey,” he says, giving me a wave before looking my boyfriend over with obvious admiration. “I’m glad to see you out and about. I heard you were sick this morning.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say, feeling guilty about playing hooky and worse about not correcting him. But hey, I can’t exactly tell him my vag was the only thing under the weather.
“Girl, we have not been hanging out nearly enough this semester,” he says, linking his arm with mine and falling in with us. “I feel like I’ve barely seen you.”
“Says the guy who’s always in a
rush to get somewhere to meet someone,” I say, bumping his hip with mine.
“Guilty as charged,” he says, waving a hand dramatically. “So, when are we going to have a dish session. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“Can I get in on that?” Rocco asks with a grin.
I know Asher’s trying to make things right between us, but it’s not exactly fair. I’m not keeping Darius a secret because I don’t want to tell Asher. I can’t tell him because it’s not safe for any of us. The less people who know, the better.
“No can do,” I say. “I’m afraid my lips are sealed.”
Asher sticks out his tongue at me. “Oh, boo. You’re so boring now that you’ve started dark magic studies. I’m just saying, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. My secrets are juicy.”
“Come on, Asher,” I say. “Can’t we just hang out like we used to? No secrets necessary. Just bring your fab self, and we’ll make a night of it.”
“Fine,” he says, pouting. “I hear there’s a big Halloween bash coming up at Gideon’s Bar. Will you be allowed to go?”
I glance at in. “Not sure,” I say. “I mean… There was an ogre on campus, and it might have kinda sorta attacked me.”
“What?” both my companions bark.
“It’s fine,” I say, holding up a hand. “I handled it. Or, I thought I did. With Mr. Stephens’s help. That’s why I’m going to talk to him, but he didn’t show up for class today.”
Rocco looks troubled, and I watch him putting it together in his mind. He’s sure to jump to the harshest conclusions before I do, but I won’t voice suspicions until Topher’s had a chance to make his case.
“Yeah, but Darius killed it,” Asher says. “So, we’re all safe now. And I’m sure we could all use a little dancing to blow off steam after this crazy week.”
“You know, you’re right,” I say. “I’ll ask the Headmaster right now.”
“Cool,” Asher says. “We’ll get ready together like we did when we went out last year. Maybe we’ll see that mysterious white-haired hottie again.”
“Asher,” I scold. “Don’t you have a boyfriend now?”
He rolls his eyes. “Dude, Jade. Guys always look. Doesn’t matter if we’re madly in love and haven’t strayed in our lives. We’re visual creatures. That’s why we all look so mouthwateringly sexy. Looking is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Right, Rocco?”
He winks at my boyfriend, who makes a noncommittal sound and takes my hand.
Asher laughs, then leans in and murmurs in my ear. “You got a good one there.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s really disgusting how perfect he is.”
Asher says his goodbyes and splits off to head to his dorm while we continue to the main building.
“So, I’m disgustingly perfect?” Rocco asks, flashing his dimples at me.
“Don’t pretend you don’t already know that,” I say, rolling my eyes. “And don’t fish for compliments.”
“But it must be so hard not to shower me with them.” Rocco steps in front of me to open the door, making a big show of flexing his bulging biceps as he grips the door handle to pull it open. “I’m just trying to give you easy openings.”
“Fine, your muscles are super, duper sexy,” I say, laughing and shoving him as I step past. He laughs, circling my waist with his arm as we head to Darius’s office. After confessing to Darius that Rocco’s the guy fucking me, I don’t really want to show up in his arms like I’m rubbing it in, but I don’t know how to detach myself without being obvious or hurting Rocco’s feelings.
Damn it, why is this so complicated?
When we get to Darius’s office, Rocco knocks and opens the door for me, and I get the chance to step inside and out of his arm.
“Jade,” Darius says, giving me a professional smile, even as his eyes glimmer with something more. “Hello, Rocco. I trust you’re providing Jade the protection she needs?”
“Of course,” Rocco says. “What’s this I hear about her being attacked by an ogre? You don’t think Topher drew it here, do you? Demons have a shit-ton of dark magic.”
“I think it’s time we had a conversation about that with him,” Darius says, standing and straightening his tie.
“He wasn’t in his classroom today,” I say. “I hope it’s not too late for conversation.”
“No need to jump to conclusions, Jade,” Darius admonishes. My eyes fall on his paddle, which is lying on the edge of his desk against the wall. Darius’s gaze follows mine, and when our eyes meet again, a glimmer of mirth shines forth from him. Did he leave it there on purpose, just to remind me what happens to naughty girls?
I swallow hard, an ache forming between my thighs. Darius watches me, looking amused, as he slowly pulls on his jacket and adjusts the sleeves.
“Ready?” he asks, gesturing for the door, all business. Only I know the beast that lies beneath that suave, polished exterior.
“Yes, sir,” I say, looking up at him through my lashes.
“More than ready,” Rocco growls. “That asshole has a lot to answer for.”
“Anyone know where to find him?” I ask.
“Let’s just start by visiting his apartment,” Darius says. “Then we’ll go from there.”
Five minutes later, we’re climbing the stairs in the teachers’ apartments. This really is a little community, and most of the teachers live on campus with the students, Topher Stephens included. We make our way up to the third floor, which is split into four apartments. Darius knocks on Topher’s door, and we stand back, waiting. My hand squeezes around Cleo’s handle, and Rocco holds his weapon as well. Darius brought his staff, but he holds it down by his side in a less tense, threatening way than we do.
After a few knocks, when no one answers, Darius frowns. “I hate to do this, but I think we’d better go in, anyway,” he says. “He may have skipped out, after all.”
“On it,” Rocco says, stepping forward and lowering his shoulder as if to barrel into the door.
Darius raises a hand to stop him. “That’s quite alright,” he says. I expect him to do some cool magic trick, but instead, he produces a heavy ring full of keys. “The Headmaster’s office comes with a set of keys.”
While he goes through them and chooses the right key, I wait, dread gathering in the pit of my stomach. Something feels very wrong. Darius swings the door open, and for a flash, all I see is a splatter silhouetted against the window.
“Oh, fuck,” Rocco exclaims, raising his weapon.
Then the light flicks on, and I gasp aloud. The room is literally bathed in blood. The walls, the window, the furniture. I cover my mouth, trying not to gag. A small table in the kitchen has been pushed against the stove, and a chair lies on its side under it, as if someone kicked it there. Or maybe it floated there on the ocean of blood that coats the floor.
The thought makes me heave.
“Stay here,” Darius orders, his staff in one hand as he steps inside. “I’m going to check the other rooms and see if anyone is still here.”
“Is this what demons do when they lose their shit?” I ask, trying not to lose my lunch.
“Fuck if I know,” Rocco says. “I’ve never been around a demon before.”
“One of us should cover him,” I say, staring at the blood slowly trickling down the kitchen window. “The other can stand guard in the hall in case anyone comes out—or comes back for more.”
“You’re right,” Rocco says. “Stay here.”
“Fuck that,” I say, raising Cleo, who takes pistol form. This time, I don’t deter her. Releasing the safety, I cradle her in both hands, pointing her at the floor as I step inside. I swallow the sick feeling pressing in my throat as my heel slides in the gore underfoot. This is no time to fall apart. Darius and Rocco are counting on me, and I’m counting on taking this sicko down if he’s still here.
“I told you to stay outside,” Darius says, scooting around a corner.
“And I’m not letting you go into a
bloodbath alone,” I say, stepping around the other kitchen chair, which lies in a broken heap at the entrance to a short hallway. “I’m just here to watch your back while Rocco takes the door.”
“Good idea,” Darius says, sliding along the wall and reaching out to push a door open without stepping in front of it. I’ve never felt prouder. He’s no longer trying to push me back and protect me like I’m incapable. I’ve trained and earned my stripes, and he respects me to have his back. More determined than ever, I wait behind while he cases the room. When he’s done, we move together down the hall, where bloody drag marks lead to an open door. At least they died fighting.
Something slips under my foot at the next step, and I look down to see a curl of human hair hooked over the toe of my boots, too coated with blood to know what color it is. I think I’m going to be sick.
“Everything okay?” Darius asks, not looking back as he checks the next room, which is just a coat closet.
“I really hope so,” I say, not wanting to look as he steps up to the door that stands open. I know if the killer is still here, he might be hiding in there, ready to jump out and ambush us before making a run for it. I raise Cleo, gripping her in both hands as Darius steps inside.
He curses quietly, and when he stoops over the… Remains… I know it’s over. The killer is gone. We’ve scanned the small one-bedroom apartment, and there’s no one here but us. Us, and a pile of mangled bones, cartilage, and whatever remains after a body has been pretty much decimated.
“Who is it?” I ask, unable to look anymore. It’s one thing to fuck up a few demonlings, stab Lilith, or behead a vampire while under attack. This is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
“I’m sorry,” Darius says quietly, standing and turning to me at last. “It’s Topher Stephens.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Come on,” Darius says, taking my hand and leading me out of the apartment. “This campus isn’t safe. We need to call a lockdown, effective immediately. Jade, I want you to use all three of your guards.”
Shadow Magic: Year 3 Page 14
