By the end of the day, I skipped dinner and went right up to my dorm. Getting rid of Peony and Preston was one thing, but Ms. Rutherford was in a different league. I doubted I could find a way to make the vamps fire her or throw her into the dungeons, especially since she was Lady Cardinal’s friend. And I certainly didn’t plan to use my magic on her again.
Killing once made me a murderer. Killing twice would make me a serial killer. I didn’t want that title. I wasn’t even sure if I’d ever fully recover from Preston’s death. It was nice of Virgie to say that it was self-defense and of Lily to support me. Yet, despite that, a dark spot lingered on my soul.
Still, I couldn’t just do nothing. I had to at least make the vamps distrust Ms. Rutherford so that when she exposed me, they didn’t believe her. I paced the dorm. What did I know about Ms. Rutherford? She was volatile. She had lured me into a classroom and used her magic on me. She was a powerful, pureblood fae, which meant she couldn’t lie.
Even though Headmistress Cardinal loved interrogations and punishing students, she’d be pissed if Ms. Rutherford stepped over her head. I had to show the vamps how ruthless our new teacher was and that she was the queen of omittance. I had to show them that she was not the right person to entrust us malleable, young fae to.
But how would I orchestrate all of this?
As night fell, I twisted and turned in bed, mulling over this question without any answers. Eventually, I must’ve fallen asleep. When I woke the next morning, everything ached, and I felt like a hollowed out shell.
“Pull yourself together,” Virgie said when Lily dragged me down to breakfast.
I sighed, “Why? I’m screwed.”
Virgie pursed her lips in disapproval. “Don’t say that.”
“I thought all of last night about what you said and couldn’t come up with anything.”
Virgie tilted her head. “Really, you’re going to give up after one night? Think again. Today and tomorrow, and the day after. We’ll think too.”
“What if Ms. Rutherford strikes before that?”
Virgie pinched my arm.
“Ouch.”
“Expecting to fail will never allow you to win. You have to believe in yourself.”
I grunted and forced a forkful of scrambled eggs down my throat. It was easy for Virgie to be all positive and shit when she was safe. I’d like to see how she’d hold up if she were the target of a powerful, vengeful fae.
Virgie leaned over the table. “Don’t give up. If you can eliminate Preston, knock out the twins, and get Peony out of here, you can find a way to out Ms. Rutherford. Lily and I will help you.”
I nodded even as the pain in my chest intensified. Suppose Virgie was right and we got lucky and got rid of Ms. Rutherford, then what? My chances to not end up as a sex toy were one in one hundred. I could reveal my magic and most likely get sentenced to death or continue to hide it and whore myself out. I grabbed a banana and examined it. “Better start practicing how to give oral,” I muttered.
Virgie frowned. “You’re giving up.”
“Don’t. Please.” Lily took the banana from me.
I sighed. Ms. Rutherford and this whole messed up world had trapped me. Rolling up my sleeve, I eyed the now-faint scratches, feeling the pressure of the invisible vines.
“Is it true that only one in fae per class year gets a shot at a better life?”
Virgie played with the green stud in her ear. “Yes. The top student is revealed in the Placement Tests. He or she may look at all the available positions in vamp corporations and choose their employer. They get paid directly, while other fae get pocket money if they’re lucky. The Independents have some freedom of movement so long as they remain loyal to the vamps.”
“You might have a shot,” I said.
She chuckled. “My mother was a whore and so was my grandma. My only shot to get out of selling my body is to take charge of other girls who sell theirs.”
“Is that really the kind of life you want?”
Virgie shrugged. “If I don’t do it, somebody else will. I know I’ll take better care of the fae than a vamp mistress.”
I nodded. She had a point.
“We’ll figure something out for you, Onyx.” Lily pushed her hair behind her ears. “Your marks in Lord Sullivan’s class are good.”
“I doubt they’re looking for a fae librarian.” I rose. I had barely eaten, and weakness crept into my limbs, but I didn’t care. If I passed out, at least I’d get a short respite from the darkness pressing in on me.
I slipped up on some questions in Lord Sullivan’s class, failed to focus in PE, and forgot the German greetings. But Home Décor took the cake. Ms. Rutherford had gone from glaring at me to sending me confident, snide little smiles. Just you wait. I’ll ruin you soon, she seemed to be saying.
“So, where in the faeland did you come from?” Virgie asked Ms. Rutherford, batting her eyelashes and smiling innocently.
“The Summer Court,” Ms. Rutherford answered. “Nice job on the sketch, Virgie.”
She turned to Lily who was organizing a mess of catalogues a guard had brought in and dumped on one of the desks.
“Is it beautiful? Do you have a house in a tree?” Lily pressed one of the books to her chest, looking dreamily. We were all innocent fae, mesmerized by our amazing and wise teacher.
Ms. Rutherford pointed to a bowl of fruit. “Why don’t you try sketching this, Virgie?”
Virgie nodded, but looked expectantly up at her.
Ms. Rutherford flicked off an invisible piece of lint from her blazer. “Not in a tree. But I have a beautiful residence.” She stepped next to the piano where I was trying to play a simple tune. I could read notes, but unlike other fae, I had only a few months’ practice, not years. “Stop banging the keys, Onyx. Go, join the dancers.” She ushered me away.
Ms. Rutherford was way too smart to let anything incriminating slip. By the end of classes, the pain in my chest had migrated to my muscles, making my ribs ache every time I took a breath. My throat felt as if a permanent lump had settled there. I didn’t go to Lily or Virgie. They meant well, but Ms. Rutherford could catch onto them at any moment, and the last thing I wanted was to doom two more friends.
After class, my legs carried me to a place I’d explored just once before—the cellar. Making sure I was alone, I descended the steps and slipped through the heavy door. For once, I got lucky.
About a hundred bottles of wine waited on a rack, some with cobwebs between them, but others shining bright. I grabbed a white wine bottle. It had a cork. Shit. Rummaging around the cellar, I found a cabinet filled with corkscrews, and after figuring out how to use it, I got the plug out and inhaled the crisp and lemony scent that promised to take away my pain.
I took a swig, nearly choking.
Ugh, how did people drink wine?
Determined, I didn’t spit it out, but swallowed.
I drank again and again from the bottle. With each swallow, the wine’s bitterness grew fainter, and my chest felt warmer, my head lighter.
I wandered over to the wall and slid down to the cold floor. A pleasant dizziness swept over me, joined by giddiness. I breathed out as the pain eased.
I could escape for a while. The world slowly swam around me as I leaned back.
“Well, hey. Now here’s someone who wants to have some fun.”
Kassius peeked his head through the door, Kayden behind him. I flinched as they both flashed me fanged, winning smiles.
“Hey,” I slurred. How long had I been sitting here?
“Now that’s the spirit.” Kayden shoved his brother out of the way.
I knew what they wanted. Maybe, to keep them off Virgie, I should give it to them. I’d have to learn how to please anyway. I handed the wine bottle to Kassius, who snatched it and took a swig with a grin. “Party girl!”
I eyed the way his red uniform hugged his chest, the way his black pants hugged his ass, and my heart raced. There was no denying the twins’ dangerous allure.
They were so confident, so domineering, so evil. And even though they were cruel, at least they weren’t some disgusting old sack.
The twins sat down, one on each side of me. Despite the icy warning signals racing down my arms, I climbed on top of Kayden, straddling him. I was done being the victim. I wanted to be the one in control.
Kayden hiked up my skirt, his hand brushing my thighs. I didn’t protest. Instead, I leaned into him. His lips crashed against mine. And for the first time, I didn’t resist, didn’t fight, but opened my mouth, allowing his tongue in.
17
How far was I prepared to go? Would the twins listen to me if I told them to stop?
I never got to find out as the door banged open. With the alcohol coursing through my veins, I wasn’t worried. Let them come. Let them punish me. Headmistress Cardinal, Lord Sullivan, and Ms. Rutherford had it in for me right from the start. Let them see what a good whore I was.
But instead of the devils, a hulking angel descended the steps. One of the punishing, merciless kind. His broad-shouldered frame was intimidating, yet also soothing. His blond hair shone like spun gold, and his eyes were frozen lakes.
I slid off Kayden. He blinked, looking up at the intruder. Kassius did the same from his position on the floor.
“Out!” Thorsten grabbed Kassius and Kayden by their collars and hauled them to their feet. He shoved them both out of the room in one swift motion. The twins seethed and climbed back up the stairs, cussing under their breath, before slamming the upstairs door.
Thorsten glared at me, a Nordic Viking God ready to unleash his rage. Knowing I couldn’t get through this lecture without some help, I grabbed the half empty wine bottle and gulped down more of the soothing medicine. Thorsten ripped the bottle from my hand and put it somewhere behind him.
“Hey, I was drinking that,” I complained, my words all jumbled.
“Are you insane?” Thorsten’s voice vibrated with fury, danger radiating off him. I rose to my feet and took a step forward. He froze, his eyes widening like he wasn’t sure what to do with this wild, animal version of me. I smiled. Finally, he was stupefied by me, not the other way around.
“No, I’m not insane. In fact, I’m more clear-headed than I’ve ever been. I’ve finally accepted my fate. I’m practicing for what I’ll become anyways.” I let out a hoarse giggle. “Since I came here, you and everyone else have been telling me that I’d end up as a whore. So why not act like one?”
“Kassius and Kayden are dangerous. They could’ve hurt you.” His voice cut through me like a sharp blade as he maintained eye contact.
I stepped even closer, watching the muscle feathering in his jaw. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to spit in his face or kiss him. What would it be like to kiss a real man? “Why do you care?”
Thorsten shook his head. “Because this isn’t right.”
“Is that all you care about? People following rules?” With a chortle, I slumped against the wall and slid back into a sitting position. I pulled my feet up, not caring that I was giving him a full view of my stockings and black panties. Or maybe I wanted him to see, wanted him to show any signs that he found me hot too, that this messed up, disgusting attraction wasn’t one-sided.
Thorsten lunged, and my legs trembled with anticipation. My lips tingled, needing to be claimed. But instead of touching me sexually, he grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Don’t. Do. This. Ever. Again. You’ve come too far to give up.”
I tilted my head. “Is that so? I’m at the bottom of the courtesan list! I haven’t gotten anywhere.” Brazenly, I ran my fingers through his ash blond hair. He stiffened, but didn’t push me away. “Or have you invested too much into me for me to give up?”
Thorsten shook his head and rose, dragging me to my feet and toward the door.
“Hey, where are you taking me? I’m not going anywhere with you!” I tried to free the hand he was holding, pummeling his back with my other fist to no avail. The idea that I could use my magic to free myself crossed my mind, but was gone the next second. I could never use my magic against Thorsten.
“You’re drunk. You need to sleep this off.”
“No!” I stemmed my feet into the floor. I was done following the rules. I was done with Nocturnal Academy.
Thorsten’s hand slipped to my waist, and my breath hitched.
Was this it? Was he going to finally bite me and drink my blood? Properly, because he wanted to, and not to suck out poison? And why on earth did I want him to?
Thorsten didn’t bite me. He lifted me into his arms and carried me up the stairs. I was too shocked to do anything or protest. He put me down at the top of the stairs. “Go to bed, Onyx.” His blue gaze drilled into mine. “Go. To. Bed.”
Was he using compulsion? Or was it the disappointment on his face that made me hike up the staircase to the fae tower as he watched on the bottom landing? I didn’t know. But as soon as I climbed into my bunk bed, sleep claimed me, allowing me to leave the mess that was my life behind.
I woke up the next day with a raging headache while someone jostled me.
“Onyx, wake up!”
I seethed. Lily was too loud. I blinked my heavy eyelids open to find Lily standing there, already dressed, beside my bunk. “I let you sleep in as long as I could, but you need to get up now, or we’ll be late.” She held out a croissant and smiled.
I reached for it, but she shook her head. “Come down and get dressed first.”
Grunting, I did, then gulped down two glasses of water and scarfed down the croissant in a few bites.
“Did you bring coffee?”
Lily shook her head and glanced at her wristwatch. “Sorry. You’ll have to do without. We won’t have time to run into the cafeteria before Mr. Chad’s class.”
I groaned. Really, PE was our first class today? I’d never make it.
Lily pushed me out the door, probably sensing that I was tempted to crawl back under the blankets.
“What happened yesterday?” she asked as I struggled to put one foot in front of the other. “You just disappeared on us.”
I winced as the events of the previous night came back to me. Oh, shit. I had found the wine and guzzled it down like it was juice. I had practically invited the twins to have their way with me. And then I had fought with Thorsten. I bit my lip. Had I said something inappropriate to him? Probably. What if he thought I was into him when it had been only the wine speaking? I shook my head. Whatever. Screw Thorsten and what he thought of me.
“Onyx?” Lily’s gray eyes shone with concern. “When I came back from the library, you were passed out, snoring. Did you have something to drink?”
I forced a smile I didn’t feel. “Nothing happened. I just needed some time alone. To think.” I wanted to throw up.
Her raised eyebrow told me she didn’t believe it, but she let it drop.
In the changing room, I pulled on my leotard while desperately glancing around, hoping to find some caffeine fix. No such luck. Our prison school didn’t believe in to-go cups. What I would do to be back in the human world just to go to a Starbucks and get a venti latte.
Having trouble keeping my eyes open, I thought I was imagining things when I entered the gym and found Ms. Rutherford next to Mr. Chad. I blinked, but the evil witch remained.
Virgie joined Lily and me.
“What is she doing here?” I whispered.
Virgie shrugged. “I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good. She and Lady Cardinal were talking this morning outside the cafeteria.” She shot me a look full of questions, and I shook my head. No, I still hadn’t come up with a plan to expose Ms. Rutherford and I was running out of time.
It soon became clear that while I had been despairing, Ms. Rutherford was doing quite well in her quest to expose me.
“Fae students,” she began, and I noticed that there wasn’t a single vamp student in today’s PE class. Great, if they weren’t here, it meant we were doing something truly horrible. “I’ve joined Mr. Chad’s lesson
today to see if any of you have elemental magic since I believe that some of you have been hiding your true abilities. Hiding your magic is illegal since it doesn’t allow us to train it and makes you a danger to yourself and others.” She paused, letting her words sink in.
Why hadn’t she exposed me already? Ms. Rutherford could tell Lady Cardinal I was a Winter fae and no one would doubt her since she was pureblooded fae. But then she’d also have to explain why she’d interrogated me and how she’d found that out. Whatever was about to happen was her way of exposing me without incriminating herself.
A vicious smile crept up Ms. Rutherford’s lips. “Fortunately for you, there is a way to expose such dangerous magic. Magic is often triggered when your body is working at full capacity or in a high state of adrenaline.” She interlaced her long fingers. “To properly test you, Mr. Chad and I will push you to your limits.”
At that announcement, my grogginess and headache vanished, and alertness coursed through me. When I glanced around me, I saw foot tapping, uncontrolled facial tics, and girls tugging on the leotards, even though as far as I was aware, I was the only one who had anything to fear.
I bit my lip, wondering what Ms. Rutherford would do to try and trigger my ice in front of everyone. Would she use her killer vines in public?
It turned out the answer was no as two vamp guards rolled in a glass cube big enough to serve as a prison. Wires and computer chips stuck out of the sides.
“This is a simulator, provided to the school by tech mogul Silvestrus Bateman.” Ms. Rutherford knocked against the glass as she let the name sink in. Silvestrus Bateman was a vamp who had provided space agencies with wild plans for new ships and even a plan for a space elevator. He had bought out most of the tech sector in recent years and owned a couple of web browsers to boot. “It’s shatter proof, so no one will be hurt even if one of you possesses elemental magic.” Her gaze slid to me, and she smirked.
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