by A. J. Macey
“What will you do if everything goes well? Go back to teaching?” Her question surprised me. She and I had never talked about my job with everything going on, but I was happy to know she was curious.
“I would like to, but I’m not sure it would work out after the shit with Tallis. I love teaching. Helping the students improve on their magic and get that excited look of confidence when they succeed is everything to me. I love teaching them about the history of our world and helping them appreciate all aspects of our magic.”
“Really?” Her brows went up in shock, her response confusing me.
“Why’s that so surprising?”
“I mean... you always seemed so irritable and short when you were in class,” she mumbled with a shrug. “Kind of thought you hated what you did.”
“Uh, that wasn’t necessarily because I dislike what I do,” I confessed, my eyes focused on tracing circles on her jeans, so I wouldn’t have to look at her. “I always wanted to be a teacher, and I tended to try to help Cas when we were growing up... whether he wanted it or not. You saw how that went. Before all of this, there was a divide a mile wide between us. So, when I started teaching, that sense of failure followed. Who would want to learn from me when my own brother didn’t want anything to do with me?”
Finally admitting the one thing that had haunted me for years, it ached, my throat closing as emotions built. I was ashamed I was a failure, every mistake and fuck up all swirling into a giant ball of doubt. Everything within me screamed, ‘why would anyone want to learn from me?’
“What happened between you and Caspian is because of family ties.” Aris leaned forward and caught my eye, steely determination blatant on her face. “The two of you had spent day in and day out with each other, and that’s enough to strain any relationship, especially one as close as brothers. Students aren’t family, Tor, and if you love teaching, your students would love to feel that from you. You aren’t a failure, and even if there are things in your past that sucked, that doesn’t mean your future can’t be different. Look at you and Cas, you’re closer than ever before, so who’s to say you can’t go back to teaching and inspire those students?”
I was speechless, she so easily read me and said exactly what I needed to hear. Her comforting assurances made me feel like I hadn’t completely wasted my life, as if I wasn’t doing something worthless. So, instead of trying to come up with something to say to express how grateful I was for her and everything she did for me—for us—I kissed the hellsticks out of her.
Best lesson I ever learned—sometimes actions speak louder than words.
Her lips were soft as they pressed against mine. She moved her arms to my shoulders, wrapping her hands around them as pretty gray eyes met mine. Shifting, she got up slightly before moving one leg to straddle my lap. Every delicious curve was obvious, my cock pressing painfully hard against the seam of my jeans as she rolled her hips teasingly. I sucked her lower lip into my mouth, nipping gently as I reached under her skirt and cupped her ass. Squeezing tightly, I started to guide her, rocking at the pace I set.
Good girl, follow along.
With each pass of her core, I ground against her, letting my confined cock roll over her clit. Her whimpered moans were heavenly, making it so I could think of nothing but how much I wanted her. Before she could get any closer to her release, I stood with her cradled in my arms, laying her onto her back against the cushion, her head resting on the throw pillow before lowering myself over her. Her lips never left mine, her fingers tangling in my hair. When she gave a soft tug, I couldn’t stop the deep moan from escaping, and a shiver worked its way down my spine at the slight pain.
Bracing myself against the arm of the couch, I slipped one hand under the hem of her shirt, my fingers splaying out over her heated skin. I wanted to touch, taste, enjoy all of her, but I forced myself to move slowly and savor it instead of rushing to sink into her pussy.
Hellsticks, I already know she’ll be soaked for me.
Shifting my hand a little, I brushed the underside of her breast. Soft lace met my fingers as a shuddering breath left her at my teasing touch. I worked my fingers back and forth until I could cup her completely. Her moan grew louder with each rock of my hips, and my jaw clenched in turn as I held myself back, testing the limits of my willpower. I was painfully hard, and her writhing under me mixed with the intoxicating sounds she made had my cock jolting behind the zipper of my jeans.
Finally, I couldn’t hold back anymore, pulling back and tugging Aris gently off the cushion, so I could work her shirt off. She worked her fingers back into my hair, holding tightly to the back of my head. The blue glow flickering around the room cast a pale hue over her fair skin, emphasizing the crest of her chest and soft curves. Before she could lie back again, I reached behind her, unhooking the clasps of her lacy bra.
Pressing her lips against mine, she released my hair long enough to slip the satiny straps of her bra down her arms. In those few moments it took to get her top off, she shifted off the couch, maneuvering me until I laid beneath her.
My eyes trailed over her soft waves as they tumbled down her shoulder, brushing against her skin ever so lightly. “You’re so gorgeous,” I murmured. Unable to stop myself, I reached up and twined my fingers into her pink tresses and pulled her to fold over my chest. We wasted no time before our tongues tangled as nimble fingers unbuttoned my shirt. Once it was open, she shifted down.
A sharp sting radiated through my chest as she bit down around one nipple, her gray eyes focused on mine as she soothed the ache with her tongue. I was burning with need, my fingers nearly tingling with the urge to take back control, but Aris was determined as she started to work my pants. Reaching down to help, she stopped what she was doing, grabbed my wrists, and pinned them to the cushions. She didn’t say anything, but her raised eyebrow and tiny grin told me more than enough—stay put or else.
When she was satisfied I wouldn’t move, she went back to work, unbuckling my belt. Springing free into her waiting hand, she wrapped her long fingers around my shaft, and a seductive glint in her gaze had me twitching in her grip. She nestled between my legs and brought the head of my cock to her lips.
When she lapped up the bead of pre-cum, I couldn’t stop my body from jolting or my fingers from clawing into the cushion at her teasing. Swirl after swirl of her tongue had me trembling until finally, I couldn’t handle it. Sitting up, I gripped her jaw firmly in my hand, devouring her before standing. Cradling her to my chest, I scooped her up in one smooth motion and rose from the couch. Laying her out gently on the plush rug in front of the fire, I peeled the thick tights and tulle skirt from her body. I didn’t give her time to try to take control back, diving between her bare thighs and holding her hips in place as I fused my lips around her clit.
Slightly sweet, a hint of salty, and everything I wanted at that moment, she coated my tongue as I circled over her juicy pussy. Staring up her torso, I watched with rapt attention as her mouth opened in an eternal cry, her hips bucking against my mouth the faster I lapped her up. My free hand traveled up her torso, stopping at her chest to tease with a gentle squeeze and the barest of brushes across her peaked nipple.
That’s right, Gorgeous, come for me. As if I had said the magic words, she cried out. A gush of arousal coated my chin as I kept going, her moans only growing louder. I didn’t give her time to come down, slipping a finger into her slick core and quickly working her into a second orgasm. She teetered on the edge, her body shaking under me when I slid in a second and third finger. Wanting her to come once more, I rolled her nipple between my fingers, applying pressure I knew would break her barely-there control. A gasp filled the room, mixing with her pleasured cries, the sound pushing me to tweak her pebbled peak sharply.
“Hells bells!” she moaned, arching off the rug as she came for a second time.
Slowing, I let her aftershocks work their way through her, enjoying the sight of her shuddered breathing and sweat-sheened breasts. Getting up from whe
re I laid on my stomach, I shucked my shirt, followed quickly by my pants and boots. When I realized Aris was watching me undress with half-lidded eyes and lips barely parted, I smiled down at her, kneeling as I did so.
“How did I get so lucky?” she whispered. Her question was thick with heat as her eyes roved over me as I positioned myself between her legs.
“I think I should be asking you that,” I murmured, running my hands over her thighs, massaging lightly with each roll of my thumbs. “It’s been almost three months since we had our first time on this very rug. Just another reason why coming back to this office feels like coming home.”
Her laugh was musical, a melody I wanted to hear for the rest of my life. Logically, I knew how our bond worked, yet I still struggled to understand how I could love someone so completely in such a short time. My heart knew, without a shadow of a doubt, she was the one and only for me, and getting to share this with her, here in the same office as before, meant more than I could put into words.
“The only thing I would have changed was jumping you way earlier than I did,” she told me with a cocky smile. It was my turn to laugh, but as I did so, I lined up and placed my hands on either side of her head.
“That would have been nice, but you know what’s even better than wishing?” I whispered. Her head tilted slightly, and her eyes narrowed in playful suspicion. “Having you whenever I damn well please.”
“Torryn,” she moaned as I pushed in.
She’ll be moaning my name for the rest of her life if I have anything to say about it.
Aris
He stretched me as he pushed in with one smooth thrust, and my eyes rolled back at the pleasant burn that filled my veins. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I nudged him back in sharply when he rocked out. Tor picked up on the hint, slamming home without hesitation. The hard, rough thrust hit me in just the right place to send me clawing at his toned back.
After my two previous orgasms, my body was on edge, nearly electrified as he pounded into me. My magic stirred at the intense sensations flowing through my body, but I made sure to keep it contained the best I could. When I went barreling off the cliff into the blissful pool of another release, the blue flame in the fireplace flared brightly.
“You feel so good, Gorgeous,” Torryn ground out, shifting his thrusts from slow, controlled, and forceful, to fast and relentless without letting me fully ride out the still crashing waves of release.
“Fuck,” I breathed, barely able to get the word out at his ruthless pace.
Everything spun around me, and I didn’t know what was up or down. There was only Tor and me together. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to mine, our eyes locking as he pulled away. The pure love and adoration in his eyes sent my heart pounding in my chest, along with a wave of emotion that made me let go of my magic unintentionally, creating a swirl of green magic that wrapped around us.
“Mine. Forever,” Torryn whispered, picking his pace back up as our lips connected once more.
“Yours,” I agreed, my head falling back as he shifted, his hand reaching between us and bringing me over the edge with him, his deep groan mixing with mine as we connected even more intensely than we ever had before.
A witch could get used to this.
December 6th
Friday morning
Aris
“Man, I missed Aether breakfast food,” Drayce groaned, his tray loaded with everything from baked goods to bacon to fried potatoes. How the witch ate all of that food and kept his six-pack, I’d never know.
“I’d have to agree,” Torryn said, a small smile on his face as he waited for our reaction.
“Yes, because the fine cooks of Aether do all this work for you to eat fresh fruit and birdseed,” Caspian teased, taking a bite of his double chocolate muffin.
“I’m sorry for caring about what I put in my body,” Torryn shot back, throwing an apple slice at Cas, who caught it and ate it.
“We leave today, don’t we?” I asked quietly, picking at my own tray of food. The tasks ahead of us were weighing heavily, and I almost wanted to stay here in our own little cocoon of safety.
“Possibly, we’re waiting to hear back from Olive.” Kye gently pushed my tray closer, so I’d take a bite. I nibbled on a slice of bacon but didn’t really want it.
“There you are!” Olive’s voice sang out as she plopped down in the empty seat. Her face was flushed as if she’d run here. “It worked!” Her voice was a hushed squeal of excitement, and it took me a moment to figure out what had worked.
“The cave?” I asked just as quietly, dropping my bacon and leaning forward. Everyone else mimicked the movement, so we were in a huddle over our trays.
“Yes! We tested it with our contacts in the capital. Every feed was clear and accounted for,” she said in a hushed jumble of words.
“That’s amazing,” Tor said, a deep laugh bubbling out as he leaned back, attacking his breakfast with more vigor.
“That means we’re ready for them,” I said, the reality hitting me.
Holy hellsticks... this is it.
“Will the other academies be ready?” Xan crossed his arms as he waited for her answer.
“Yes, I think so. Feeds are a go, so now it’s just having the rallies ready at the right moment. Caspian can contact me through his Witches Glass when you have the exact date, and until then, I’ll have them at the ready. Go, Team Aris!” Olive squealed, rushing around, and pulling me up into a tight hug. “Be safe.” She pulled back, looking like she wanted to say more, but she blinked away tears and ran off. I felt the same way, so I just brushed a tear from my cheek and sat down, feeling even less like eating.
The plan wasn’t to stick around, and Torryn was already antsy about the council. If he hadn’t spelled Bellario and Tallis, we likely would have been gone by now. So, at this point, we were just saying our goodbyes and grabbing our stuff.
“We don’t have to run, but we’ve already risked ourselves by staying a few days, and I’d feel better if we did. Why don’t we do last minute checks in our rooms and pack some essentials? We will meet at Aris’ room midday. I’ll start at Kye’s room and work my way up, spelling our rooms again.” We all nodded at Torryn’s plan.
“Finish your food, Cupcake,” Cas said quietly, gesturing to my still full tray. “It might be our last meal like this in a while.”
“My mind knows that, but my body doesn’t care,” I said, giving him a small smile. “I’m going to grab some marshmallows and say goodbye to Lulu, then I’ll be in my room.”
“You want company?” Drayce asked, all of them looking way more concerned than necessary.
“Guys, I promise I’m fine.” I laughed, but I’m sure it didn’t sound genuine. “Leaving just sucks. I want a little alone time before the chaos. I’ll be okay. Nobody wants to mess with the witch who’s best friends with a giant alligator.”
“Be safe,” Torryn said, giving me an understanding smile.
I turned and rushed off before I could let their looks get to me. After dumping my tray and grabbing the marshmallows, I made my way across campus. The grounds weren’t busy this time of day, especially with the majority of the student body either in the cafeteria or getting ready. Familiar training wasn’t until later in the day, so I had time to say goodbye to Lulu.
The fact this could be our last meeting had me choking up as I neared her pond. The council had already shown they weren’t above harming us, so there was no real guarantee I’d survive the confrontation ahead. It was a fear I hadn’t really brought up to the guys. I was the optimistic bubbly one, but there was still a part of me that couldn’t shake the unease and guilt that lingered. If not for me, they would have been safe, not about to face a corrupt council who are not afraid to use dark magic.
A slosh and a grunt had me turning my attention to the pond. I hadn’t realized I’d made it all the way here, but Lulu had. She stuck her head above water and waited semi-patiently for me to toss in her treat. Obliging her, I tossed a handfu
l of mini mallows onto the pond’s surface, smiling as her enormous jaws opened and scooped them up.
“I’m going away again, sweet girl.” I tossed another handful as a tear tracked down my cheek. “But I’ll fight hard to come back to you, okay?”
She let out another grunt as if she understood and swam closer, her snout pushing against my leg. I took that as my cue to move back, sitting cross-legged on the ground while she moved her big body from the pond and rested her head in my lap. I set the marshmallows aside and gave her the scratches she wanted. She made her contented little grunts and huffs as I moved my fingers over her scaly head and snout, spilling my secrets. She soaked up my attention until we eventually sat in silence, enjoying each other’s company.
“Ah, Miss Calisto, I should have known.” Professor Thane’s voice echoed into the room, and Lulu grunted in dismay at him disturbing us. He chuckled as he walked closer, giving her a greeting pat on her head before resting on one of the rocks that lined the water. “She missed you.”
“I missed her, too,” I said miserably, leaning down to hug her tight. She didn’t protest, but then again, she always let me get away with way more than anyone else.
“She definitely chose you as her favorite.” He let out a soft chuckle as he watched us. “She’d take a bite out of me for that.”
“We’ve bonded,” I said proudly, scooting back and sprinkling more marshmallows on the ground. “Through sugar.” I popped one in my mouth and smiled, making him laugh and shake his head.
“Well, we hope you’ll be sticking around.”
“I wish I could say yes. Hopefully, we’ll be back, and I’ll stick around. It all depends,” I said, trying to keep it vague.
