Shadow Magic: Year 3

by Alexa B. James

  “She does,” I say. “And everyone deserves a second chance, don’t they? I mean, you didn’t exactly come into my life with a bouquet of roses and sweep me off my feet, now did you?”

  “No,” he admits with a scowl. “I guess I can get past her corpse-raising magic and sticky-finger tendencies if she means that much to you.”

  “I would have thought Thorn was the untrusting one,” I say lightly.

  “Oh, don’t be fooled into thinking he trusts her,” Rocco says. “Thorn trusts all of three people in this world—four if you include himself. I’m still not sure how you gained his trust so fast. It took us three years to get past his defensiveness.”

  “Well, I might possess certain attributes that make me more trustworthy,” I say with a smug smile.

  “Yeah, they’re called tits, an ass, and a magical pussy,” he says. “Don’t get cocky.”

  “Hey, I earned my way in,” I protest. “I put up with a lot from all of you. And I’m pretty sure my vagina has nothing to do with it, since he hasn’t—I mean, not that it’s any of your business, but we haven’t even gone there.”

  “You’re not fucking Thorn?” he asks, his brows raised in surprise.

  “No,” I say, scowling. “For your information, we’re waiting until the time is right.”

  “I fully support this plan,” Rocco says with a Cheshire grin. “In fact, you should wait until it’s exactly perfect in every single way. Down to the last detail.”

  “I thought you were okay with me being with other guys,” I say. “You were practically begging me to fuck your brother.”

  “First off, I don’t beg,” he says. “And secondly, that’s my brother. Ryker and I share everything. It’s not fair that I get your sweet ass to myself. I want him to get to experience you the way I do.” He slides a thick arm around my waist, pulling me in and nuzzling my ear. “Plus, it’s going to make me so hot to watch him wreck that pussy for the first time.”

  “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards for us,” I say, linking my hands around his neck. “But maybe you could watch me and Thorn sometime…”

  “Okay, but to be fair, it’ll be more of a glimpse than a show. I’m pretty sure he’s not even going to make it all the way in before he comes.”

  “You’re terrible,” I say, slapping his arm. “You were a virgin once, too.”

  “Yeah, but it’s been so long… I can’t remember life before I knew the sweet embrace of a tight pussy around my cock,” he says, staring off with a dreamy expression.

  “Okay, loverboy,” I say, laughing. “But there are other things that are just as important as sex. Even if Thorn sucked in bed, which he won’t, I wouldn’t care.”

  “What are these other things that are as good as sex?” he asks with a frown. “Because I bet I’m better at them, too.”

  “You’re hopeless,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Thorn is considerate, and a good listener, and he’s fun to hang out with.”

  Rocco smirks. “It sounds like you’re talking about my grandmother. Or, you know, your gay best friend.”

  “It does not,” I protest. “I’m just saying, I don’t need sex to have a satisfying relationship with him or you. That’s not what relationships are about.”

  “Okay, well, when he listens good enough to give you a screaming orgasm, I’ll start worrying,” Rocco says with a self-satisfied grin. “And I think I know what relationships are about as well as anyone here.”

  “You’re right,” I admit. “We’re all pretty new to this. We’re still figuring it out, so cut Thorn some slack, okay?”

  “Fine,” he says. “But to prove I’m about more than sex, I’ll tell you why I came up.”

  “Why’s that?” I ask, giving him some side-eye.

  “I wanted to ask you a serious question.”

  “Okay…”

  “Will you go to the Halloween party with me?”

  “Oh…”

  “I heard Darius approved your outing this evening, so I thought we could enter the costume contest. There’s one for singles, but the couples one is a sure bet because not as many people enter. We’ll totally bring home the prize.”

  “I’m sorry,” I say, wincing. “Thorn already asked me.”

  “What?” Rocco demands.

  “He was on duty when I went to see Darius, so…”

  Scowling, Rocco shakes his head. “That dude doesn’t waste any time, does he?”

  “I’m sure you can survive one night without me,” I tease.

  A smile makes its way onto Rocco’s face. “Actually, I won’t have to,” he says. “It’s Thorn. He’ll have you home and tucked in by nine. Then I’ll come by, and the fun can really start.”

  “You’re incorrigible,” I say, laughing. “Now come on, you can meet Elowen and hang out with my friends.”

  The moment I open the door, I regret it. My friends are crowded around my laptop, which is open on my desk. A picture of a hot pink dildo approximately the size of an entire demonling covers the screen.

  “What the fuck, you guys. Seriously?” I demand. Thorn grabs me around the middle and spins me away from Asher, who ducks out of reach, my laptop in his hands. They’re both laughing their asses off. Even Elowen covers her mouth, stifling a giggle.

  “Dude, what did I miss?” Rocco asks.

  “Your girlfriend’s got giant dick fetish,” Asher says, turning the laptop toward him. “We’re just trying to find something to satisfy her.”

  “Huh,” Rocco says, examining the image. “That’s even bigger than my brother.”

  They all dissolve into laughter again. I start to protest, but as I look at them, I realize that they’re hanging out like friends. And sure, they’re having a laugh at my expense, but this is what I’ve wanted for so long—to be able to hang out with my guys and my friends like we’re all one big group. At last, my sorcerers have even accepted that a necromancer is my friend. Granted, it’s not exactly the way I would have planned it. Two-foot penis porn is not what I expected to bring us together, but here we are.

  I’m not about to mess it up. I’m a big girl. I can take the abuse. Pretty soon, I even join in the howls of laughter as we find ourselves searching the internet for ever-crazier dildos. All in all, researching supernatural penises and crazy sex toys is not a bad way to spend an evening with friends.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Finally, Halloween arrives. A week full of costume-scheming comes to a head as we meet outside my dorm to walk to Gideon’s Bar.

  “Oh my god, you look amazing,” I gush to Asher and Elowen as they walk up. He’s wearing a pinstripe skinny suit with a bat-shaped bowtie, his hair slicked back and painted white to go with his white, skeletal makeup. Elowen’s wearing a red wig and a dress stitched from scraps of patchwork cloth, her face painted a pale, ghostly blue with doll stitching.

  “We’re Jack and Sally,” Asher says, giving a low bow. “From the old movie.”

  “I know,” I say. “That’s one of my favorites. The remakes just don’t do it justice.”

  “And you are… A dominatrix,” Asher says, snapping his fingers. “Where’s your whip?”

  “Cleo is right here,” I say, patting my hip. No way am I letting her out of my reach after what happened at Gideon’s last year, when I left her in my purse across the room, and my magic got a bit out of control when I got excited. I’m much better at controlling it now, and though I don’t think I need Cleo for that reason, I can’t stand the thought of her being so far away. I like her within reach at all times. But I wouldn’t mind a little repeat of the Rocco-Thorn sandwich I was in last year…

  Speak of the devil…

  Thorn comes strutting up in a pair of tight jeans and a leather vest that’s open to show his scrumptious, washboard abs. His torso and shoulders are painted with cheetah spots, which grow fainter as they continue up his neck, so subtle they’re barely visible along his sculpted jawline and cheekbones. A thick gold chain hangs around his neck, his hair
is shorn to a buzz cut, and designer shades cover his eyes. He smirks when he catches me gaping.

  “Damn,” I manage, gulping at the sight of him. I always kinda laughed at the girls fetishizing big cat shifters on Kitty Chasers, but now… I can see the appeal. Those spots give him an edgy, animal sexiness—and he’s not even a shifter.

  “Ditto,” he says, looking me up and down, from my dominatrix black boots to my leather pants to my black-and-red lace corset. “Those pants are so tight I could bounce a coin off your ass.”

  “Ditto,” I tease back. “I’ve never seen you in jeans quite so… Revealing. I must say I approve.”

  “We’re going to win this thing, hands down,” he says, pulling me in for a kiss.

  “I found a picture of her when she was my age,” I say. I sprayed some black, temporary color into my hair to match Itzel Ocelot’s, but I still didn’t go nearly as far as Thorn did with the body paint.

  “I think you forgot something,” he says, reaching into his vest and pulling out a gold, jeweled crown. He sets it on my head and gives me a mock bow. “Princess.”

  “I didn’t know you were doing all this.” I run my fingertips lightly down his delectable, cheetah-print pecs. “How long will it stay on?”

  A shy, crooked smile tugs at the corner of his lips. “You want me to wear it all night?”

  “Yes, please,” I say, biting my lip and grinning up at him.

  Asher clears his throat and cuts in. “Um, as much as I love to see our High Priestess’s sexual awakening, I didn’t get all dressed up to stand around listening to your verbal foreplay. In case you didn’t notice, we’ve got a contest to win.”

  “Sorry,” I mutter, ducking my head. Thorn tucks me under his arm protectively as we set off. I can’t stop smiling like a fucking virgin, but oh my god, he makes me as giddy as one. As I lift my head, I just catch Thorn mouthing “thank you,” to Asher over my head. I frown, casting my gaze back and forth between the two of them. “What was that about?” I ask.

  “Nothing,” Asher says lightly, turning and starting away from my dorm. We all fall into step with him, but I’m not about to let his one go.

  I poke Thorn in the side. Damn, even his side is sexy, all muscular and painted with cheetah spots. “Spill,” I demand.

  “I was having a little trouble getting the paint to look right,” he says. “So, Asher offered to help.”

  “You did this?” I ask, turning to Asher with wide eyes. “It looks amazing.”

  “Big theater dork in high school,” he says with a dismissive wave of a hand. “Stage makeup was my specialty.”

  “Should have known from your own faces,” I say, gesturing to him and Elowen. “I’m a little jealous.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I’m a professional,” he says. “It only took an hour to paint all those spots on your boyfriend’s bare skin, and I totally didn’t notice how ripped and sexy he is even once during all that time.”

  “I hope you also took a moment to gaze into those gorgeous green eyes as you were painting his cheeks,” I say with a wink.

  Thorn looks a little uncomfortable, which makes the rest of us break into giggles even though it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I snuggle in beside him, so happy I think I could burst.

  Just as we reach the edge of campus, a figure steps into our path. Slicked back black hair, a turquoise blue suit with an iridescent white tie over a hot pink shirt, and a gold belt with a buckle the size of Jacksonville that matches his oversized gold sunglasses.

  “Jean-Baptiste,” Elowen squeaks.

  But of course it’s not the real Jean-Baptiste. It’s someone dressed as him. I reach for Cleo, but she won’t give me so much as a hum of life, staying stubbornly in unimpressive spork form.

  “No danger,” I say. As we get closer, he flashes a dimpled grin, and I relax. “It’s just Rocco.”

  “You say just Rocco as if that’s unimpressive,” he says, striding forward to meet us. He wraps an arm around my waist and kisses me full on the mouth, adding a little moan and rocking his hips against mine before finally pulling away.

  “What are you doing here?” Thorn growls, glaring at him.

  Rocco bats his eyes innocently. “I’m crashing your date,” he says. “Sound familiar?”

  “Rocco…” I begin.

  He holds up both hands and flashes that grin again. “Hey, don’t worry, I can control myself. Besides, it’s a party. Everyone’s going. You won’t even know I’m there.”

  “Fine,” I say. “But don’t be a dick.”

  “Last I remember, you love when I’m a dick,” he says. “Oh, wait, I mean you love my dick.”

  “Rocco,” I warn. “If you guys can’t behave, I’ll go with my friends, and you guys can go home and compare penises all night. I’m done with this shit. You both know where you stand. You’re going to have to work out the rest of it on your own.”

  I turn and hook one arm through Asher’s and one through Elowen’s, marching off and leaving the guys gaping after me. When we step onto the street, I can feel the crackle of magic as we leave the safety of campus. I glance over my shoulder, relieved to see Thorn and Rocco behind us. In front, a crowd of reporters is prowling, cameras and microphones at the ready.

  “How does it feel knowing you share a school with the High Priestess of the world?” asks a petite fae, thrusting a microphone into my face.

  “Uh, pretty cool,” I say, remembering that Darius said this would happen. I managed to leave school under the cover of guards and illusion spells last year, and I came back on well before school started, avoiding all this.

  “We’d better get going,” Asher says nervously.

  “Is it true that she causes spontaneous orgies wherever she goes?” the reporter asks, licking her lips as she sizes up the two sorcerers behind us.

  “Yeah,” I say, glancing over my shoulder before lowering my voice and leaning down to the lady. “I hear they keep her locked in a sex dungeon and bring her male sacrifices every day or she’ll just go crazy, tearing through campus fucking everyone. After spending a day with her, the men are ruined forever. They’re just empty shells of what they used to be.”

  “It’s true,” Rocco says, stepping forward. “I heard it, too. In fact, I almost fell into her clutches. She asked for me specifically. But the school knew they couldn’t risk their most powerful sorcerers, so they kept me safe.”

  “You want to know the scariest part?” I ask, leaning even closer, lowering my voice like I’m telling her the juiciest of scary stories. “Tonight, they’re letting her come out to play.”

  The reporter blinks at me, her lips parting and eyes widening as if she’s not sure whether to believe me.

  “Which is why we’d better get on with it,” Asher says, squeezing my arm so hard it hurts. “If we don’t hurry, she might be by at any minute, and then we did all this for nothing.”

  “You’re right,” I say. “She’ll rip your costumes to shreds. Me and Elowen are safe, but you guys…”

  We walk away, leaving the reporter opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. We make it a whole block before we dissolve into a fit of laughter.

  “I can’t believe you said that to her,” Elowen says, wiping her eyes with a finger, trying not to mess up her makeup.

  “Gotta have a little fun with it somehow, right?”

  “You can have a little fun with it later,” Rocco says, hooking an arm around my waist and pulling me closer, letting me feel those giant muscles I like so much. “With me.”

  Thorn clears his throat and frowns at us, and I detangle myself from Rocco.

  Rocco just grins. “Hey, you know you’re not helping her with her magic. I might as well enjoy it.”

  “We’re on a date,” Thorn says, putting a possessive arm around me.

  “Which means you watching the news alone in bed while we enjoy the fireworks at the end of the night,” Rocco says. “I know you can’t close. Don’t worry, man. I got your back. And you’
re welcome.”

  Thorn puffs up, getting in Rocco’s face, but I don’t stick around to hear it. I said my piece. I grab my friends and drag them away.

  “Ugh, those guys are driving me nuts,” I fume.

  “Wait, you mean to tell me having two boyfriends is complicated?” Asher asks in mock surprise.

  “Whose side are you on?” I ask, pretending to be offended.

  The guys join us, Thorn sliding an arm around me and muttering an apology.

  “We’re here,” Elowen says, scanning the line ahead.

  “This year, we have invites,” Asher says. “We won’t even have to sneak in the back. As much as I do enjoy that.” He gives me a lascivious wink—or maybe it’s directed at Thorn.

  “So, everyone but the freshmen go to this?” Elowen asks, chewing on her lip anxiously. “Even necromancy students?”

  “There are only—what?—three of you?” Thorn says. “We can’t exactly say everyone but three people can come.”

  “Oh,” Elowen says, looking a bit downtrodden.

  I elbow Thorn. “What he means to say is that he’s a dark magic student, too, and there will be lots of others there as well.”

  “Right,” Thorn says with a frown. “That didn’t come out well, did it?”

  “It’s okay,” Elowen says. “I know there’s a stigma. It’s like I carry the stink of death.”

  “Thank the gods it’s not a literal stink of death,” Asher says. “Now, are we ready?”

  We approach the bar along the street, falling into line behind a big group dressed as bog hags. I remember Darius telling me to stick with Academy students, so I look around the line. Since this is a big party day, the bar is open to all supernaturals, unlike the last time I was here, when it was rented out to the Academy only.

  “Oh my god, what is she wearing?” I hear a familiar voice say. I turn to see Bella Goodwin standing with Dirk a few steps behind us. She’s not looking at me, though. Her furious gaze is fixed on Elowen.

  “Did you actually get that dress out of a dumpster?” she snarls, dragging Dirk up to join us.