"You as well."
He and Alex said their goodbyes, then he headed up to his office. As much as he had wanted to hear from home, the call had just weighed down his soul again. All his frustrations were brought back up, and he wasn't certain how to get rid of them. It was like he was being pulled in multiple directions. No matter where he was, he would always end up disappointed, missing out on something.
He was pulled from his thoughts when he reached his office to find the Dean standing outside his door. Lee's eyes widened and he hurried over, quickly attempting to straighten his appearance. Maybe the hoodie hadn't been a great choice today. But then he liked a casual environment in his classrooms. It helped students learn more efficiently.
"Ah, Professor Tennet," the dean greeted, giving him a disapproving once-over. "I'd like you to meet one of our donors, Mrs. Harriet Henderson."
Lee's gaze shifted to the tall, majestic-looking woman beside him. She was dressed in an emerald green blazer paired with beige trousers, her short hair curled around her face. Her hair was white, deep wrinkles etched into her face, and she gave off a majestic appearance. Shoulders thrown back, head held high. Lee had to fight the urge to bow to her.
Instead, he shook her hand. "Mrs. Henderson. It's a pleasure to meet you."
He shot a questioning look at the Dean–what was a rich donor doing being introduced to him? The Dean looked back with a smile that said he was more embarrassed than anything else.
"The dean here says that you are the best geology professor he's ever had," Mrs. Henderson said coolly "I was expecting someone a bit… older. And perhaps more put together."
She gave him a disapproving look and Lee had the urge to explain away his attire. Suits weren't required here, but they were encouraged. "Given the recent events on campus, I thought it would be beneficial for the students to have a more relaxed atmosphere in class right now."
"Mrs. Henderson wants to go into the caves beneath the campus. I told her that you've made a few ventures in yourself, and could guide her through the upper rooms?"
There was only one entrance that they could get into through the building, and it was locked at all times. Lee was permitted inside from time to time, but only within the first few chambers of the tunnels. He didn't relish the idea of taking an old woman down there. The first chamber was developed enough that she shouldn’t trip in her high-heeled shoes, though. He smiled and nodded.
"I'd be delighted."
The Dean looked relieved. "Good. Mrs. Henderson, I leave you in capable hands."
Lee watched the Dean leave, then checked his watch. Two hours before his next class. Oh well. He turned to Mrs. Henderson. "This way."
Chapter Three
Mia
Mia groaned as she kicked off her shoes, feet feeling sore and blistered. The leftover taste of fries–cold, because she kept getting called to the front on her break–lingered in her mouth. She took two steps into her home and stopped. Her eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Celia sat at the table with her parents. She wore a sparkly hot-pink halter top matched with a pair of teeny tiny shorts that showcased athletic legs. There was also a grin on her face, which made Mia tense. Whenever her friend got a look like that, it always meant trouble. Usually that they would go somewhere 'to have fun' and Celia would get plastered and Mia would have to drive her home.
"We're going to a party," Celia declared.
"A party?"
"I met a couple of guys on campus today and—"
"No. Not when there have been murders happening." Mia shrugged off her coat and ran a hand through her hair. It smelled of grease. "Besides, I have too much to do and I stink."
"You can shower before we go, and do you really want your best friend to go to a party by herself when there's a murderer running around? We'll be safe as long as we stick together."
Mia looked to her parents for help, but to her chagrin, both of them were smiling.
"You should go," her mother said. "You've been working too hard, you need to get out and have some fun."
"But—"
Her father shook his head. "Go."
Mia huffed in annoyance as she moved passed them to shower. Maybe if she took an extra-long time, Celia would get bored and just leave without her… she had no such luck, though. When she got into her room, Celia was there, pointing to a dress that Mia hadn't fit into for five years. It was one Mia knew she should get rid of, but it was so pretty she was saving it for when she lost weight.
"Put it on and then we're going."
"It's too small."
"Not if you don't wear a shirt underneath and let your skin actually breathe. It fits you just fine and shows off that hourglass figure you've got."
Mia flushed and shook her head. "Hourglass? More like an apple dumpling."
"Your boobs are amazing and they deserve to be shown off." Celia smirked. "Now hurry up or I'll start telling your parents about that time when we were in the club and you snuck into the bathroom with a guy."
Mia's flush deepened. "That never happened."
"Oh, didn't it?" Celia gave her an angelic smile.
"Fine. You win."
Mia dressed quickly and scrunched some mousse in her hair, but didn't bother with makeup. Her homework sat on her desk reminding her that she couldn’t really afford to do this, but she ignored it and headed out. A fluttering of excitement filled her, though she wasn't going to admit it. The last thing she needed was for Celia to drag her to more of these things.
Music pumped loudly through the house that they pulled up to. Inside, the party was in full swing; music blasting, people drinking, some couples already making out. Celia pointed out a few guys she was going to try to land, then handed Mia a lipstick.
"Go put some on," she urged.
The crowd pressed in around her and Mia was only too glad to seek out refuge in the bathroom. There were times when she would stay the whole party sitting on the toilet doing nothing, but not this time. She just needed to center herself a little and become accustomed to the noise. She swept on a little of the lipstick when the door opened.
"Oh, hello!" A blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl wearing a tank top cut so low it revealed a tattoo of a bleeding-heart flower on her breast stepped into the bathroom. "I've seen you around campus. It's Amelia, isn't it?"
"Mia, and I was kinda hoping to use the bathroom alone."
The girl giggled and leaned forward. Clearly drunk. "You're cute."
Before Mia could respond, the girl seized her head with both hands. She smashed her lips against Mia's, smearing her black lipstick over Mia's face. With a shout, Mia shoved her off. Anger bubbled up in her stomach as she coughed, tasting the smoky alcohol the girl had been drinking.
"What the hell?" she demanded. "You can't go around kissing people like that!"
The blonde shrugged and giggled. "When you decide you want me, come and find me."
Mia shot out of the bathroom as she wiped her mouth off. She didn't swing both ways and she was definitely attracted to men. What was wrong with that girl? Going around, kissing her like that. It was sexual harassment at best… She cracked open a can of ginger ale and gulped it down, trying to erase the taste in her mouth.
I'm not staying here, she thought grimly. Maybe she had been excited, but after that, she didn't want to wait to see what the girl would do next.
Celia was flirting with one of the guys and frowned when she saw Mia marching towards them. "You can't be ready to go already. And what's that on your mouth?"
"Lipstick," Mia grumbled. "Give me the keys. I'm going to go for a drive and come back to check on you in a few minutes."
Celia gave an exasperated sigh and fished her keys out of her pocket. "Party pooper."
"Hey, I didn't say I was going to drag you away. I just want to get out of here. I can't breathe, there are too many people."
Mia took the keys and went outside. The cool air helped to calm her trembling nerves, but she
still shook with rage as she got into the car. She drove aimlessly, listening to the radio quietly in the background, and stopped in at the party again every five to ten minutes to make sure that Celia wasn't getting drunk and doing something she'd regret.
As time went by, her muscles began to relax. Every time she came back to the party, she felt another twinge of jealousy as more and more couples paired off. What she wouldn’t give to have a pair of strong hands gripping her hips, bodies crushed together, groans and arousal filling the air. Around midnight she started thinking maybe the girl who had kissed her was on to something… a little experimentation wouldn't hurt.
And then she thought of Professor Lee Tennet.
Fire flooded her veins. She parked the car and closed her eyes. Lee's face, his chocolate-brown eyes smiling at her, his lips pressing against hers. A groan tore from her lips as she thought about him lying over her. His hands on her body. Her chest heaved. Her head spun. Her hand crept between her legs, shifting the dress aside.
Rapping on her window made her jump. Her face heated as she smoothed her skirt again. Celia leaned against the car door, looking put out. Mia unlocked the doors and let her in. Her friend said something, but she didn't hear a word. She didn't know how they got to Celia's home, even though she drove. Celia passed out on her couch, and Mia called her parents to say that she was staying overnight to make sure they didn't worry.
Her blood still fired, making her antsy and restless. Mia didn't even try to sleep, already knowing she couldn't. Instead, she took Celia's car and drove out of the city, blasting music with all the windows rolled down. At some point just before dawn, she turned around and headed back. Lee filled her thoughts, and she drove straight to the campus.
She got to his office just as he was unlocking it. Mia pinched her lips to make them bigger and redder, and then strode towards him. Her shoes clicked against the tiles, and she slipped into the office right after him. Lee jumped when she shut the door behind them. His glasses slipped down his nose and his eyes widened.
"Uh… hello," he said. "My office hours haven't started yet."
"I know." She wanted to launch herself at him but held herself back. This wasn't like her. Something was wrong with her head…
Lee's gaze ran down her body and he shoved his glasses back onto his face. "I didn't peg you as a party girl."
"I'm not."
She stepped towards him and he stepped back. Confusion knit his brow and he held out both hands. "Um… what is going on here? Is this a joke?"
"I'm a joke to you?" Mia said, stepping forward again. Her gaze heated as it fell onto his lips. There was a headache starting to spike in the back of her head, but she tried to push it away. So what if she didn't usually do this? She wanted it… more than anything else. More than her next breath.
Lee shook his head. "Okay, I don't know if you're drunk or high, but you need to get a grip. You're my student—"
"Yes, I am." Mia closed the distance between them and threw her arms around him. "I'm your student. You're so smart. Such a big brain. Seduce me with your knowledge."
He didn't say or do anything, so Mia pushed herself to her toes and kissed him hard. A gasp ripped from his throat, and he pulled back. Mia wrapped her hands in his silky hair and kissed him again. Her eyes fluttered shut as she parted her lips with a sigh. Lee groaned, one arm wrapping around her waist.
Chapter Four
Lee
He meant to push her away. He really did. As much as he might have daydreamed about Mia (after she was no longer his student) this was wrong. Students had propositioned him in the past, but Mia just wasn't that kind of girl. As much as he loved the taste of her lips, the sounds of her sighs, how much she pressed her body against him. Her tongue swept over his lips and he almost forgot why he shouldn’t be doing this. Until he tasted it.
Magic.
Lee pulled back, choking on the cloying taste. Mia blinked at him, startled, and he stared at her. Somebody had put a spell on her. A magical roofie, to make her desirous and compliant to their will. He inhaled deeply but all he smelled was her–not strong magic, which must have been how she broke the spell enough to seek him out instead of the spell caster.
Oh. She was throwing herself at him because of magic. Disappointment hit hard and left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"I want you," she whimpered.
The magic was affecting him, too, urging him to forget about the rules, but he gently pushed her away from him. As a magical being himself, it was easier than if he had been human. That didn't mean his fires didn't burn hotter, longing to pull this magnificent creature back against him.
"Mia, you're not in your right mind," he said. "You've been drugged, and I am not going to take advantage of you in this state. Besides, there are rules. Professors and students aren't allowed—"
"Why not?" her lower lip stuck out in a pout that made him want to bite it. "You're not that much older than I am."
"I know, but the rules are there for a reason." He pushed her back further until he was holding her at arm's length, then stepped away. "I think we need to take you to the nurse now."
Mia shook her head, eyes widening. "I didn't take any drugs. But if they think I did, I'll be kicked out of school. I'll lose my job. We won't be able to pay the bills and Mom will run out of her meds—"
"Okay." Lee held up his hands. "No nurse then."
She had a point. She didn't deserve to be penalized for something she had no control over. He hesitated a moment before stepping back towards her and easing her into a chair. The tight dress she wore squeezed her breasts together, creating a deep cleavage that almost had him groaning.
"I'm sorry," she sniffed.
"Don't worry about it." He waved a hand. "I'm just going to go get some coffee to help you sober up."
She seemed to be coming off the magic, and that was a good thing. Lee gave her his jacket and then slipped out of his office. One of his colleagues, Dr. Perry, was just getting into his office and nodded in greeting to Lee. What would he think seeing Mia in her current state? Lee stepped up to him as he shook his head.
"So… this is a bit awkward. There is a student in my office."
Dr. Perry arched a brow. "Okay…?"
"I'm not really sure what happened, but I think she might have been drugged last night," Lee continued. He could work out the logistics of what he'd tell people later. "I'm just going to get some coffee and I think she should go see the nurse, but she's afraid that she'll get kicked out of school and lose her job. I just don't think that she should be alone. Could you keep your door open, make sure she's okay?"
"Yeah, of course." Dr. Perry glanced into his office and shook his head. "You think that the guy who's been ODing students went after her?"
Lee's blood turned to ice. He hadn't thought of that but it made sense. Increased magical activity paired with the murders staged as accidents? Most witch covens did their best to stay hidden, just like the rest of the supernatural community, but there were certain rites that required human sacrifice.
"I'll be back soon," Lee muttered.
Lee hurried off to the professor's lounge. Luckily there was a pot of coffee on and he poured a cup before rushing back to his office. As he neared, he saw his office door was shut. And so was Dr. Perry's. He heard Mia sob and the fires in the pit of his stomach burnt black. He rushed forward, throwing his full weight against the door. It crumpled inward, bursting from its hinges. A blast of light blinded him and something collided with his chest.
A long glass blade shattered as it was thrust against him. He looked up the length of the hilt into the surprised eyes of Harriet Henderson. The stench of magic was heavy in the air. Dr. Perry lay on the floor, eyes wide and glazed, blood pooling beneath him. Mia slumped in her chair, her head lolling backward. Her eyes fluttered.
"I thought I sensed something different about you," Mrs. Henderson said, drawing his attention back to her. She threw the ruined glass dagger aside. "But now that I see you clearly…" Her
nostrils flared. "I smell the fire in your veins. A dragon. Interesting… I have not seen one of your kind in fifty years."
"Are you the one killing students on campus?" Lee demanded.
She cocked a brow.
"Why are you doing it?" he clenched his fists, torn between the desire to attack the witch and rush to Mia's side. "What are you after?"
"A dragon works atop this sacred mountain and knows nothing about it?" Mrs. Henderson laughed. "For all the babbling you did yesterday about the foundations of the college, you know nothing, do you?"
Lee sprang forward. He shoved the witch aside, pushing her hard into the wall. Her head smashed into a picture and she crumpled, groaning. The dragon dodged to Mia's side. Her skin was overly pale and he could see her pulse fluttering in her neck.
"Mia," he gasped, reaching for her.
A blast of light. The stench of magic. Lee threw himself over Mia's body, shielding her. Ice-cold magic rolled over his back, shooting pain through his spine. A wave of white washed over his vision as another blast hit him. It drove him to his knees. The witch laughed. Lee drew the fire from his belly and he spun around. His jaws gaped wide, his body on the verge of shifting.
The witch's eyes widened. She dropped back a step as flame flickered in Lee's mouth. But he didn't shoot a jet of fire at her. Instead, he let a cloud of black, noxious smoke pour from him. It filled the room. At once, the fire alarms set off. The piercing shriek drilled through his eardrums as the sprinkler system activated. Floods of water fell down on them.
Mrs. Henderson reached out, face twisted, but all up and down the corridor, doors were thrown open. The other professors, who were used to loud bangs from Lee's office, as he often watched violent movies while he did his work, poured into the hallway. Lee lit a few of the papers on his desk on fire to account for the smoke as one of his colleagues pulled Mrs. Henderson away from the door.
Lee ran to Mia and hefted her over his shoulder. He slipped out at the back of the group, many of whom were complaining about the water pouring on their heads, more concerned with their work than the potential fire. The dragon managed a small smirk as he allowed himself to fall behind them until he was alone. Still holding Mia with one hand, he raced to the elevator shaft and pried it loose.
Her Dragon Professor Page 2
