by Elena Lawson
I reached in against my better judgment and brushed my fingers against a bolt of fabric. I gripped a handful of it and tugged, finding it was snagged on something. A hook, maybe?
Must be a jacket. After fiddling with it for a minute, my arm extended as far as it could into the crevasse to reach it—I lifted the thing from the hook and pulled it into the light. It wasn’t a jacket at all, but a cloak. A thick black cloak with a hood and leather fasteners down the middle. It looked ancient.
Must have belonged to my father’s father, or maybe his father before him. It certainly didn’t look like something someone would wear in this century or even several centuries before. Wrinkling my brow, I went to put it back, having no purpose for such a garment.
I drew my witch-light near, ready to extinguish it after I replaced the cloak upon its hook in the closet, but there was something else hanging on the hook. It’d been hidden beneath the cloak, so I hadn’t seen it before. The polished pewter glinted in the blueish light and I pulled the cloak over my right arm and used my left to reach inside and grab it.
My fingers brushed the cool metal surface and I flinched as something like a shock went through my fingertips at the contact, radiating all the way out to my extremities. My skin lit with energy and gooseflesh rose along my arms and the back of my neck.
My breath caught in my throat as my fingers curled around it and unhooked it from its hiding place.
As I brought it into the light, it was clear what the bit of metal was.
A mask.
But no ordinary mask. It was imbued with magic like the gate had been. I could feel it radiating into me. Calling to me. As though the thing was alive.
I rubbed my thumb over the surface, polishing away a spot of tarnish. It was solid metal, and would cover the wearers entire face save for the small cut-out section near the bottom where a mouth would be. And two almond-shaped slits to see through.
It was…kind of creepy. Like a Halloween mask or something an ax murderer in a horror film would wear. I flipped it around to inspect the back of it, the cloak hanging on my arm beginning to grow heavy. The inside was nondescript. Hammered pewter. No markings or anything that would tell me what it was for or where it came from or who it belonged to.
There wasn’t even any sort of fasteners or ribbons to be able to tie it to your face. I set the cloak gingerly down on the floor, glancing briefly up to find Cal still asleep and Adrian still engrossed.
Licking my lips and trying to squander the butterflies ravaging my stomach, I lifted the mask as though to put it on, not really certain it was a good idea. I looked through the eye holes in case they showed something only the wearer could see, but didn’t dare settle the metal against my skin, afraid of what might happen with all the raw power lying dormant within it.
I felt a pull in my chest and my hands shook from apprehension and indecision. A part of me knew I shouldn’t put it on, but some other part—a part deeper within—beckoned me.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, breaking me out of the trance-like state. I expelled a breath as I ripped the mask from my face and kicked the closet behind me closed as I brought my hands to my back, hiding the mask between my fingertips there just as Dee walked into the library. I kicked at the cloak, moving it behind the where the bottom of the morbid tapestry kissed the floor.
“There you all are,” she said, and then noticed Cal was asleep and lowered her voice. “It’s nearly supper time. I knew I’d be late coming back from town so I took the liberty of bringing back some paella from the restaurant there. I’ll just need a few moments to warm it in the oven and it’ll be ready.”
Adrian finally looked up from the book in his lap—I was sure only because there was mention of food. His human ears pricking just as his wolf’s would have.
Sensing his hunger, Dee grinned. “I’ve brought fresh bread and garlic oil to eat in the meantime,” she told him and he was out of his seat, book discarded back onto the cushion, and out the door, whispering his thanks to the caretaker as he passed her in the doorway.
Dee stepped hesitantly into the room, eyeing the shelves as though afraid they may pop off the walls and crush her. Then again, I supposed any human would feel uncomfortable surrounded by so many immortal texts—some of them dark. Some spelled. Some containing sigils that would make even the heartiest mortal man’s heart patter in his chest.
“Can I bring you anything?” she hedged, rubbing a spot on the back of her hand with the other at her waist. Clearly uncomfortable.
I shook my head, the metal mask behind my back growing slippery as my hands began to sweat. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want her to see it. I wasn’t sure I wanted any of the guys to see it. There was something about how it called to me that told me it was meant only for me. If it proved to be some sort of clue, I would tell them about it, but for now, I wanted it to remain my secret.
“No, that’s ok,” I rushed to reply. “I’ll come down and get something to eat in a bit.”
She eyed the space behind where I stood and sweat beaded at my brow wondering if I’d not closed the closet the whole way behind me. Surely, she knew it was there? A caretaker would have cleaned every inch of every room. She’d have cleaned inside it, or at least around it over the years.
I didn’t dare look. Feeling foolish for worrying about her thinking I was snooping around. It was my house now after all. I could snoop all I liked.
But it wasn’t judgment crossing her expression, it was something more akin to fear.
“Thank you,” I added, trying to get her to take the hint and leave.
She blinked as though coming back to herself and nodded tightly, her lips pressed closed. “Yes,” she said and made to turn on her sandaled foot, but paused, eyeing the shelves again. “Just…be careful in here,” she said with a shiver. “I’ve always hated this room.”
“I imagine it’s strange for someone like you to be surrounded with so much alchemic—”
“It’s not that,” she said with a wave of her hand. “It’s…something else. Alistair—er—Mr. Hawkins used to spend hours in here. Days, sometimes.” She shook her head and a profound sadness drew down the corners of her eyes and mouth. Her mousy brown hair fell forward to cover her eyes as she bent her head.
“Sometimes I think it was this room that killed him,” she whispered so low I could barely hear it. “Or something inside it.”
I cocked my head at the strange older woman. What a weird thing to say…
I opened my mouth, about to ask her what exactly made her think that, but she snapped her head back up and pasted on a close-lipped grin, though her eyes remained slightly unfocused as she tapped her wrists together awkwardly. “Oh, never mind me,” she said and turned to leave. “I’ve always been a trifle superstitious.”
And then she was gone from the room and Cal startled awake, rubbing his watering green eyes with his knuckles. He blinked up at me. “Oh,” he said in a sleepy voice that was so adorable all the disquieted feelings of a moment before flitted away. “I must’ve fallen asleep,” he said, stretching.
“What’d I miss?”
14
After we finished the paella, Cal, Adrian, and I were leaned back in our seats, quietly contemplating our choices. The dish had been delicious, but I thought I might have overindulged just a bit. Cal and Adrian looked to be in physical pain and were far from being able to move.
Draven sipped another mug of coffee in the kitchen, eyeing the still half-filled enormous dish of food with obvious distaste. I wondered how long it took after you’d been changed to start to detest regular food. Could he eat it still if he wanted to? Or would his immortal body reject it?
Still so much to learn.
Draven caught me staring and narrowed his gaze at me. “Something on my face?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
I couldn’t even bring myself to feel embarrassed for staring. This was the fullest I’d been in ages, and I felt contended and ready for a good long sleep. I
patted my full belly and yawned, lethargy in my limbs as I tried to stretch them out and stood.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human eat so much in one sitting,” Draven mused, sipping his coffee with an infuriating smirk.
“Witch,” I corrected. “You’ve never seen a witch eat so—”
Dee entered the room, ensnaring my attention with her disheveled look and breathlessness. My heart thudded in my chest—afraid to hear whatever she had to say.
“There’s,” she breathed, bending slightly to put her hands on her knees and catch her breath. “There’s a man—a witch, I think—down at the gate. Says he knows you.”
What?
“Called himself Elias,” she added after regaining her composure. “I wasn’t sure if I should let him—”
“I’ll get it!” I almost squealed, all leftover traces of lethargy vanished as I sprinted down the hall and tore open the front door, running to the gate with a shit-eating grin on my face.
I’d tried to contact him twice since we arrived, but both times he hadn’t been in his cabin on the Academy grounds, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to communicate with him without knowing his proper location in Andorra at his parent’s house. Not to mention, even if I could it would seem a bit weird to his parents that a student was trying to speak to him over summer break.
I was ecstatic he’d taken it upon himself to just come on his own! But it had to have been a long trip since he couldn’t portal. If he’d just gone back to the academy, I could have portaled him here from just outside the grounds. I shook my head as my footfalls thudded against the gravel drive and the cool evening breeze licked at my arms and lifted my hair from my neck.
The sharper rocks dug into the soles of my feet, but I didn’t care. I didn’t realize how used to seeing him every day I’d grown in the past weeks. Being without him for even two days now seemed a lifetime. I wanted to smack myself at how ridiculous that sounded, but it was the truth.
As I rushed up on the gate, chest heaving, I pressed my palms flat against the cool iron, curling my fingers around the spires and loops. He stood several paces from the gate, in front of a fancy looking sedan, trying to squint through the gate. He was looking immaculately sharp in a long taupe trench-coat and Burberry scarf. As it blew open in the gentle breeze, I saw a tight white t-shirt and dark denim beneath it.
The few days of scruff defined his jawline, and his hair was styled in that way he had that made it look as though he hadn’t styled it at all. The top part pushed lazily back away from his face—the sides looking freshly cropped.
“Elias!” I hollered through the gate, practically bouncing.
But he only looked down at the watch circling his wrist and frowned.
Oh, right! The damned gate. He couldn’t see inside it. The magic contained within the ancient iron blocked him from being able to hear me.
“Recludo Sanguis,” I said, breathless, and the gate fell away into tiny particles of dust and were whisked away into the citrus-scented wind.
Elias’ eyes widened in surprise and I saw his grip on the open sedan door tighten and his jaw square and eyes narrow, readying for an attack. And then he saw me and all hint of tension fled.
“Harper?”
I ran through the small particles of magically imbued iron and into his arms as he stepped away from the vehicle. His arms circled me instantly, pulling me closer into the warmth of his chest beneath his jacket. I inhaled deeply, feeling my body relax, molding to him. He smelled of cold mountain pine and warm spice—just the same as he always did. He smelled like home.
Without missing a beat, I pressed up onto my toes and tilted my head up, finding his lips with mine. He didn’t hesitate as he normally did. There was no pause in his movements as his right hand squeezed at my waist and his left cupped the back of my head. I shivered at the contact and moaned against his lips, kissing him more hungrily than before.
Elias responded to my urges and dipped his tongue into my mouth. I melted. My hands eagerly exploring the muscles on his chest and abdomen, tracing the space below his belly button and making him shudder beneath me. Oh. I liked having that sort of power over him. A lot. I traced my fingers over the same place again, just above the lip of his belt, low below his navel.
He shuddered again and his grip on me tightened, his own muffled moan vibrating against my mouth. A warmth spread through my belly, stretching out to my limbs, and pooling between my thighs. When he dipped his tongue between my teeth a second time, finishing the kiss with a nibble on my bottom lip that had me gasping, I knew I wanted him.
I mean, I’d always wanted him, but looking up into his slitted eyes, that ravenous deep denim gaze boring into my soul, I knew I was ready to have him.
Fuck. I didn’t want to wait another minute.
I glanced at his sedan, a flicker of a thought crossed my mind—an image of us, naked bodies entangled on the backseat, him between my—
I had to bite the inside of my cheek hard to stop myself from getting carried away. Hell, he just got here. He was probably tired. And hungry.
Slow down, tiger, I told myself. There will be time enough for that later.
I gulped and forced myself to take a step back. “You came,” I said with a smile that was the most genuine one I’d had since we arrived at this place.
He cocked his head at me and the last dregs of sunset played beautifully over his face, casting deep shadows under his jaw and cheekbones. Darkening his eyes. He was magnificent. “Of course, I came.”
I didn’t say anything else, I only smiled.
“Come on,” he said and jerked his head to the car, telling me to get in. With a wave of his hands, and the faint glow of a sigil flashing in and out of existence on his palm, the passenger door opened, and I caught a glimpse of the empty back seat and shivered. “Show me where to park this thing.”
I slipped into the warmed leather seat and Elias slid into his behind the wheel. Both doors closed behind us and I glanced up at him under the cover of my lashes, finding that lopsided grin I adored on his lips. Clenching my hands into fists on my lap, I drew in a calculated breath. The wait was going to kill me…
Elias revved the engine and the car pulled us along the gravel drive to the lit villa down the lane. Behind us, the gate rematerialized in the blink of an eye, sealing us within its secretive depths.
15
I had been right about Elias needing a good rest and some good food. Grudgingly, I allowed him to select a room, get cleaned up, and eat, but I wanted to see him a little longer before I let him get some sleep for the night.
As though sensing my desire to be alone with him, Cal and Adrian left for their run, and Draven accompanied them, claiming he needed to stretch his own legs and find himself a snack. Dee had returned to the caretaker’s cottage for the night. So that just left me…and Elias.
I bit the inside of my cheek and swallowed hard waiting for him to be done in the shower. What should I say when he gets out? What do I do?
My mind flitted to the lacey lingerie I’d purchased that was laying at the bottom of a pile of clothing in my suitcase. I could dig it out…
I shook my head, thinking better of the idea. I wasn’t even sure why I’d bought it—lace wasn’t exactly my thing. Suddenly, the idea of putting it on at all made me feel absolutely ridiculous. My cheek flushed at the image in my mind of me wearing it. Elias would probably think it was just as ridiculous.
Wouldn’t he? I clenched my hands into tight little balls at my sides as I paced the room I chose earlier that day to be my own while we were here. What did Elias even like?
Where I was a virgin, I was certain Elias was not. Which wasn’t a problem. I didn’t think Cal or Adrian were virgins, either. And I knew for certain Draven wasn’t—the man oozed sex.
I sighed, trying to shove out my apprehensions and anxieties in a great gush of air. I unclenched my fists. The bed in the room I’d chosen was a queen size sleigh-style thing with a thick wooden headboard and footboa
rd. The nightstands to either side and the tall dresser near the closet matched the rich amber wood color.
The curtains were heavy and deepest crimson. The floor, hardwood covered in a threadbare red and black rattan carpet. Dee had cleared the entire space of spiders at Draven’s request, and I felt fairly safe pacing the floor in bare feet without creepy crawlies coming out of the woodworks.
I forced myself to sit on the edge of the bed, listening to the sound of the water running in the shower next door to my room. All at once, the soft shhh sound of the rushing water hitting smooth tile stopped and I heard the sound of a glass door opening.
Why am I so nervous?
This is Elias. My Elias.
But even as I thought it, I knew the reason why my stomach was fluttering and in knots. It was because I was terrified he’d reject me. I’d decided when I first saw him a handful of hours before that I wanted more. I wanted him. But…what if he didn’t want me the same way?
By the hungry, lustful look in his eyes out on the gravel drive I didn’t think that was true. But there was still the trouble of outside perception—because I was sure that’s truly all it was.
He’s a teacher.
I’m his student.
It was wrong to want him and for him to want me. At least, that’s what other people would say if they found out. But Cal and Adrian never judged it. Draven never said a word against him. Dee seemed a little confused when we’d walked into La Casa Rosa together, hand in hand, but even she said nothing.
It wasn’t as though our age different was that huge. I’m eighteen now. And Elias was only twenty-four.
The youngest professor to ever be given a position at the academy. That’s only six years. That’s nothing in the grand scheme of things, right?
What if Elias didn’t think so?
My door creaked open and he appeared in the doorway, shirtless, with a plume of steam and velvety amber light trailing him from the open door of the bathroom. He wore the same jeans he had on before, but the rest of him was bare.
