Dark Gods: An Academy Bully Romance (Academy of the Gods Book 1)

by River Ramsey

  My afternoon was taken up by Runebinding, Swordsmanship and a special course labeled in the menu only as Training. I assumed it was related to the general PE kind of classes all students took, whether they chose to participate in the Games or not, but I never got to find out since the prof cancelled class on day one.

  An admirable feat of laziness, really.

  I made it back to my room early and collapsed on the bed to take a breather while I waited for Dionysus to show up. When I finally checked my phone, I had a few texts from the Nymphs, who'd taken to sending me pictures of all the Freshman year fun they were having at the local uni I'd been on the fence about attending.

  I was glad they were moving on without me in a sense, but as I scrolled through the pictures of their pursed lips and ironic handsigns, my heart went all stupid and achy. Jazzy and Baylor were twins, and we'd known each other since kindergarten, so we always joked I was the long lost triplet. Of course, the similarities ended in our mutual passion for mayhem. They both had pretty dark brown ringlets and smooth olive skin with brilliant green eyes, while I had my mother's pale complexion and a smattering of freckles only just starting to fade. They were way more Gothic Lolita than biker chick, but we got along fabulously and we'd kill for each other. Blood ran deeper than nail polish shades, especially when it was other people's blood.

  God, I loved them.

  I saw I had a missed call, and the only one who ever actually called me was Mom, so no surprise there. She didn't believe in texts. Or voicemails. Or anything that "discouraged civil communication," whatever the hell that was.

  Dionysus was probably still in class, so I rolled onto my back and pressed the call button, deciding to get the first-day worry sesh over with.

  She picked up on the second ring. "Kore," she said in the same nervous sigh she always used with my name. "I was starting to worry when no one called me to tell me you'd tried to burn down the school."

  "On my first day? What am I, an amateur?"

  Her silence made her disapproval clear. "I hope you're behaving yourself."

  "I'll have you know I was a model student for the last seven hours," I told her, twirling a strand of purple around my finger.

  "Have you seen him?" Her voice lowered reverently when she got to him and I rolled my eyes. Felt dangerous, since she seemed capable of seeing everything going on around me even when she wasn't there. Of course, if she really could do that, my little operation never would've gotten off the ground.

  "Yeah, I saw him."

  "Well?" she asked impatiently. "How did it go?"

  "It didn't. He's in my first class and he totally blew me off. I didn't even get the chance to tell him to go screw himself."

  "Persephone!"

  Ooh, she was really mad when she used my middle name.

  "Relax, Mom. Just a little gallows humor."

  "It's not an execution, you melodramatic little dryad," she scolded. "You're in line to become Queen of the Underworld. Try to act like it."

  "Yes, Mother," I said in a formal tone. "I'll be sure to wear my favorite crown to tonight's dinner."

  "You will do no such thing."

  "By now, you'd think you would realize when I'm joking."

  "You and I have very different definitions of humor," she said flatly.

  Wasn't that the truth. I sighed. "I'm not going to do anything to embarrass you, try to relax." There was a knock at my door. Probably Dionysus. "Listen, my friend's here to help me get ready, I've gotta go."

  "A friend?" she asked suspiciously. "What friend?"

  "His name is Dionysus, and you don't need to use your Dateline tone. He's very nice."

  "Dionysus?" Her voice lilted pleasantly. "Well. I'll let you go, then. And try not to make him cry, his mother is on my charity committee."

  "No promises," I said before hanging up, just to make her fret. Truth was, I was already attached to Dionysus and had no intention of making him cry, unless it happened to be in response to kitten videos on the Internet. He seemed like the type.

  When I opened the door, he was waiting on the other side looking even more chipper than he had this morning. Guess the first day of class hadn't worn him down the way it did me.

  "Hey," he said, walking into the room once I stepped aside to let him in. "How'd it go?"

  "Well, my first-period professor called me out on getting busted for selling drugs last semester and my fiancé acts like I don't exist… but I've got a nice window seat in Runebinding, so all in all, I'd call it a wash," I said, flopping back down on my bed as he rummaged through my closet.

  "I'm sorry, rewind. You got busted for selling what now?"

  "Panaceas," I sighed. "It's not as exciting as it sounds. I just whip up magic treats for bored godlings on the Upper East Side."

  "I don't know, that sounds pretty damn exciting," he mused. "Gossip Girl meets American Gods. I'm jealous of your life."

  "My old life," I reminded him, flicking off a bit of lint on my skirt. "My new life is boring as shit."

  He gave me a sympathetic look. "Trust me, when it comes to this place, boring is as good as it gets. But what were you saying about Hades hating you?"

  "We have first period together and if looks could kill, the one he gave me would've been a minor flesh wound."

  He winced. "Yikes."

  "So comforting, Dionysus."

  "I'm sorry, I'm not good at boy trouble. Can't even get into any of my own," he said with a wistful sigh.

  "Well, that's about to change, for both of us," I announced. He was giving me a confused look, so I clarified, "I've been dreading coming here for the better part of a decade, thinking I was going to have Hades breathing down my neck, but he obviously doesn't give a shit, so why should I?"

  Dionysus watched me warily. "That's a dangerous line of thinking, Kory. Just because Hades can do whatever he wants here doesn't mean you'll get away with it. If you haven't noticed, there's kind of a double standard when it comes to the Triad."

  "I've noticed. But I'm the queen of subtlety.”

  He raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you got busted for your little Panacea operation? Subtlety?"

  I flipped him off half-heartedly and he laughed. "I'm just saying, there's no reason we can't have a bit of fun and I've already spotted like twenty bangable dudes the first day here. I'm sure at least a few of them are capable of discretion."

  "You'd be surprised," he said flatly.

  "Come on, isn't there anyone who's caught your interest?"

  He hesitated, and there was something in the way he looked away that gave rise to the inquisitor within me. "There was… someone, but it doesn't matter," he said quickly. "Romance means entanglement, and this place is already one giant spider's web. You don't want to get caught up, trust me on that."

  "What are you so afraid of?" I asked.

  "Three things, and your fiance is one of them," he answered without missing a beat. He pulled a dress out of my closet, a sleek silver number that covered just enough to be fit for a cocktail party rather than the club. "And if you really want to punish him for snubbing you, I can think of worse ways than showing up in this."

  I smirked. "You know, Dionysus, I like the way you think."

  4

  I headed over to the ballroom with Dionysus once he'd changed into a clean white suit that made him look like the dashing young god he was, along with a silk pink necktie that complemented his golden locks and baby blues. We parted ways, lest anyone get the idea that little old me was anything less than a virginal nymph just waiting for Hades to whisk her away to the Underworld.

  The ballroom was covered in crystal lights, some hanging down from the ceiling like a cave. There was a harpist across the room, and every time she strummed her magnificent instrument, the strings would glimmer with a different color of the rainbow. Fountains decorated every corner as young deities mingled with the esteemed faculty members who looked even stiffer than they did in the classroom, if possible.

  All but the Antiquities P
rof, whose gown was even more low cut than mine. She was standing by a chocolate fountain, sipping champagne and laughing so loudly the people around her seemed mortified.

  I knew I liked her.

  It was a surprisingly lively gathering, all things considered. Nothing like the raves I attended with Jazzy and Baylor back home, but I hadn't expected to find any hint of that life within the hallowed walls of the ancient academy.

  As I wandered over to the refreshment table, I began to calculate the odds that I'd get away with sneaking a glass of bubbly or two. While I was still doing the math, I felt someone lingering behind me and turned to find myself face-to-face with the hottest damn guy I'd ever seen.

  Seriously. Everything about him smoldered, from his green eyes glowing with mischief and sharpened with seductive intent to the devilish curve of his lips. His hair was as black as ink, and it flowed straight down his shoulders, a gleaming veil over his pristine gray suit. His shirt was open, baring just a bit of the smooth, stone-white chest beneath, and he was a foot taller than me, at least. That was saying something, since I wasn’t short at five-six.

  "If you're looking for something to drink, you can't go wrong with this," he said in a smooth, pleasant voice that hit my ears like deception.

  I looked down at the glass of clear liquid he was offering me and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but I don't take drinks from strange men. Besides, isn't that water?"

  "An admirable policy, but in this place, all is rarely as it seems," he purred, running a long finger along the rim of the glass. There was something sensual about the gesture, and he had just enough self-effacing charm to pull it off without earning a stiletto to the crotch. I watched curiously as the clear liquid turned to a bloody red and the faint yet tangy scent of wine hit my nostrils.

  "Nice magic trick," I said, the corner of my lips curving of its own accord. "Let's see... long hair, bohemian tastes, water into wine... Jesus, is that you?"

  "Oh, you're a riot," he said with a laugh that flowed and shimmered like the ocean's surface, stepping close enough that I found myself backed against the table without having realized it. It was rare that I got cornered, but everything about him was overwhelming in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. "Hades is a lucky boy."

  "What do you want, Loki?" I asked dryly, folding my arms to put a barrier between us. If he thought he was intimidating me with the Lothario routine, he was wrong, but I had made a promise to be on good behavior and this party was the last place I wanted to break that promise.

  But I would, if he took one more slinky step.

  "Can't a guy introduce himself to the new transfer?" he asked innocently.

  "A guy can, the god of mischief and mayhem can't."

  "Touché," he purred, his hungry gaze flickering over me. "I'd heard you were beautiful, but I wasn't expecting you to be so sharp."

  Something told me he wasn't referring to my intellect. "I'll take that as a compliment."

  "I also heard you have something of a reputation," he said, his gaze darkening as he leaned in. His hair brushed my bare shoulders and he was so close I could feel the coolness of his breath on my lips. A bold move, considering that Odin was mere yards away, even if he seemed currently distracted by whatever conversation he was having with Hephaestus and Akron, the Alchemy teacher.

  "Is that so?" I asked in a sweet voice, smoothing down the lapel of his jacket.

  I allowed my fingers to brush his bare chest and his eyes widened in surprise, but he made no move to back up. Slowly, I let the vines peek from the veins on my right wrist, creeping up his skin to coil around his neck. His long hair was the perfect concealment, so by the time he realized he was being constricted, it was too late.

  "You know, you can't always believe everything you hear. Rumors have a way of being… exaggerated," I said as the vines tightened around his slender neck.

  He made a faint wheezing sound, bringing his hand up to caress the green vine, but the amusement never left his eyes. "Noted," he said, still purring even though he couldn't get a full breath. "But I was referring to your extracurricular activities. The Panaceas?"

  I didn't even half believe him, but I let the vines retreat back into my skin and he stepped back a comfy distance. Lesson learned. "What about them?"

  "No judgment here," said Loki. "I respect the hustle."

  "The hustle?" I snorted. In his posh English accent, it sounded even more absurd.

  All these spoiled Olympians were the same, even if he was technically an Asgardian. They all thought they were badass just because their daddies had a spot on the Council of Gods.

  "Loki." A rich, baritone voice cut through the crowd noise and Loki's spine went rigid. I knew that look on his face, too. It was the same one I wore whenever my mother called me Persephone.

  He turned to look at the huge blond man standing not far off, giving him a scolding look. He was even bigger and broader than the gold-eyed dude who'd been leering at me over breakfast. That had to be Thor, but what was he doing here?

  Surely the god of thunder had better things to do than attend his little brother's campus mixer.

  "My brother," Loki said with a rueful little smile that would still have probably weakened my knees if I hadn't already built up an immunity to his kind of pathogen. He extended his hand with a flourish and a small purple bloom the same shade as my hair appeared out of nowhere. I blinked in surprise as he slipped the flower behind my ear. "If you're thinking of setting up shop, give me a ring. I'm something of a broker for all the fun things that go on after hours at this school."

  With that, he turned and left to speak with his brother. I could tell from Thor's folded arms and generally agitated posture that Loki was supposed to be doing something besides making the rounds and setting up illicit deals. I plucked the flower from my hair and it turned to a tiny slip of paper right before my eyes.

  I was used to being the one who did the floral magic tricks, but it seemed Loki was interested in edging into my domain on more than one level. I stared at the phone number he'd written on the slip of paper, about to toss it when I realized he wasn't the only one whose attention I'd drawn.

  Before Hades could approach me, I tucked the paper in my bra for lack of a better option and tried to be less pissed by the time he came over. He was dressed in a dark maroon suit that made his eyes glow all the more. This time, he actually stopped to look me over, one hand casually tucked into his pocket like he was ready for a GQ photoshoot at all times.

  "Persephone," he said with a slight nod of acknowledgment.

  "Hades.” Of course he'd default to that name. Like I needed another reason to dislike him. They were already stacking up and we'd only just officially met.

  "Good to see you finally made it to the Academy." His voice was dripping with sarcasm, which I wouldn't have found entirely off putting, coming from anyone else.

  "Oh, you finally noticed?" I countered. "After the way you ran from class, I thought you had me confused for someone else."

  My remark didn't amuse him. He watched me with those cold eyes, seemingly searching for what to say.

  No. He was too quick for that. I could see it in his eyes. He was figuring out whether what he already wanted to say was worth it.

  "Sorry, did you want a procession and a bouquet of flowers?" he asked in a bitingly charming tone.

  I shrugged. "I'm just surprised, that's all. You'd think a guy who has his daddy buy a bride for him and uproot her life would be able to spare a moment for ‘hello.’"

  Anger blazed in his eyes and I knew I'd crossed a line. It wasn't an entirely fair jab, to be honest. Hades was a few years older than I was, but he'd still been a kid when our fates were decided for us by our parents. Even so, he had far more leverage to put an end to it than I did.

  If I got lucky and really pissed him off, maybe he would.

  "Sorry, princess, but you're not in Manhattan anymore. This is my world, and it doesn't revolve around you."

  I laughed. "Princess? That's ric
h, coming from you. I'm surprised you don't have your heralds carrying you to class on a gilded bed."

  He opened his mouth to speak and I was actually beginning to enjoy our little spiteful back and forth when I realized we were no longer alone. And that's how I found myself face to face with Odin.

  His portrait didn't do him justice. He was taller, for one thing. For another, the air around him seemed dead silent, and there was an intimidation factor that had somehow not been passed down to his sons, as formidable as they both were in their own right.

  Loki definitely hadn't gotten his sense of humor from the guy in front of me.

  "Persephone. Hades," he said, nodding to us both. Hades was still seething, but he'd collected himself in front of the headmaster. I guess even the school prince was smart enough to bow to the king. "It's good to see you both finally meet."

  "It's been a pleasure," Hades said in the smoothest, most bald-faced lie I'd ever heard in my life.

  "Oh, the pleasure is all mine," I said.

  Odin's sharp gaze made it clear he hadn't missed the undercurrent of our mutual politeness, but whether he didn't care or he simply didn't have the time to indulge it, he moved on. "Allow me to welcome you officially, young lady. Your mother made quite a mark in her time here, and I expect to see good things for you."

  He was being polite, of course. He knew my past as well as anyone, but I smiled and shook his hand. "Thank you, Headmaster. It's an honor to finally meet you."

  And it was. Next to Cronus, Odin was the most respected--and feared--member of the Council, and there were plenty of lesser gods who went their whole lives never having met him.

  "I trust you'll see that she's properly integrated into the student body, Hades," Odin said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  "Of course, sir."

  With that, the older god left us to grace the other guests with his company and I finally let myself take a deep breath. I could see why he'd become the chief of the Aesir. He wasn't the most physically imposing man, but he had the kind of brooding energy young Hades seemed so intent on cultivating.