“Thank you so much,” I say, throwing my arms around my professor and squeezing him tight. Suddenly, my body remembers every inch of his, and my mind flashes back to the afternoon in my dorm room. His broad shoulders covering mine completely. His cock so hard it threatened to tear through his pants to get to me. His strong fingers around my wrists, pinning them to the bed while he took control, bringing me to climax but refusing to go further even when I begged for him to fuck me.
Professor Darius presses a kiss to the top of my head, inhaling slowly before detangling himself from my arms.
“No problem,” he says, his voice husky. “I’d do anything in my power to make you happy, Jade.”
“Please don’t let him do anything stupid,” I say, biting my lip and peering up at him, my heart hammering at the memories that rushed through me at his touch.
“I won’t,” Darius says, turning away. He mutters something that sounds a lot like, “It’s not him I’m worried about.”
But I can’t tell for sure, and when I ask, he says it’s nothing. But I know it’s something. I know that despite what he said, even if it’s true and we can’t be together, he still feels this attraction, too.
I step out of the room with a smile on my face and start down the hall.
Ryker smirks as he falls into step beside me. “Looks like your visit to Dr. Feelgood did the job?”
“What?” I ask, wheeling on him.
“Faster than I expected,” Ryker says. “I must say I’m impressed.”
“You’re as bad as your brother,” I say, rolling my eyes and heading for the door again.
“Oh, please,” Ryker says with a snort. “My brother is a cupcake like you. Don’t insult me.”
I’m not sure what to say to that, so I decide to take the high road and ignore it. “For your information, I went to see Professor Darius about my dad.”
“And what did he say?” Ryker asks. “Did he tell you to run home and rescue daddy?”
“You know what?” I say, turning to him as we reach the doors. “I’ve got it from here. Why don’t you go fuck a Bella and work some of that dickishness out of your system? You’re a real asshole today.”
Chapter Four
We’ve been back on campus for two weeks, getting settled back in, getting schedules, and adjusting to the food—which for others means having magical cafeteria food but for me means having a full belly—before classes start. On the Sunday evening before our first week of regular classes, the school holds a celebration dinner for those who made it through finals and are returning for the second semester.
We all pile into the cafeteria, freshmen and seniors alike. Even Ryker is sitting among the students, since technically he hasn’t graduated. I try not to look over to where he sits with Thorn, their heads bent together as if they’re deep in a private conversation. Rocco slides into a chair next to me, his plate piled high with slices of brisket and potatoes, all of it smothered in gravy.
“Hey, Cinderella,” he says. “Ready for classes tomorrow?”
“When are you going to stop calling me that?” I ask with a sigh.
“When you let me take you on that date you promised,” he says easily.
I glance over at the Bellas’ table. “You know, you could guard me from across the room,” I say. “If you want to sit with your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Rocco says, setting down his fork and frowning. “And that’s not fair. If someone drugged you, would you want to be held responsible for what you did under the influence, when you didn’t take the drug willingly or even knowingly?”
“I’m… Thirsty,” Asher says, easing out of his chair. “Elowen, why don’t we go get more soda?” He grabs our friend’s hand and drags her toward the drink machine.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Rocco, my face flushing hot. “I didn’t know you were so upset about it.”
He stares at me. “You didn’t know I’d be upset about someone basically drugging me to have sex with for two weeks? And the girl I like throwing it in my face every chance she gets?”
Now it’s my turn to stare. “I’m so sorry,” I say. “I… I didn’t think of it that way.”
“I know,” Rocco says, running a hand through his hair. “I’m a guy, I’m not supposed to have any feelings except horny. What’s the big deal about a hot girl forcing me to be her sex slave? I should have liked it. I hear that shit all the time, from all the guys. I just didn’t think I’d hear it from you.”
“Rocco…” I take his hand and squeeze it, but it’s not enough. So I lean in and wrap my arms around him, pressing my face into his shoulder and trying not to cry as I squeeze him against me. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I had no idea you felt that way. I’ve been such a bitch.”
“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his voice muffled by my hair as he buries his face in my neck. “Just please know that what happened has me all fucked up, especially because you had to see it.”
“No,” I say, cupping my hand around the back of his neck. “It had nothing to do with me, and I was a selfish bitch to even say anything.”
Rocco pulls me into his lap so I’m sitting sideways across his legs. He smooths back my hair with both hands and cups my head in his big, gentle palms. “But it did have to do with you,” he says. “It kills me that you saw me with her, and you thought it was real. It kills me that I might have hurt you. If I could make it up to you, I would.”
“You just did,” I whisper, my heart so full it feels like it’ll overflow. His sapphire eyes search mine, and he leans in slowly and kisses me. His lips are gentle but firm, confidently leading mine as he angles his head and presses his lips to mine, soft and then hard and then soft again.
Behind us, Asher clears his throat. I pull back, sliding off Rocco’s lap and back into my chair. Shit. I can’t believe I just kissed him in the middle of the dining hall, in front of everyone. When I glance up, Thorn is staring right at us, some tumultuous emotion in his eyes that I can’t read. Ryker is watching, too, his expression a mixture of wariness, anger, and accusation. I turn my eyes away, not liking the way he’s looking at me, like he thinks I’m going to do to Rocco what the Bellas did.
I catch sight of the Bellas staring at me, too. In fact, half the people in the cafeteria are staring. Half of them look excited, as if they’re waiting for me to do something crazy, like rip off Rocco’s clothes and ride him in the middle of a crowded room. The other half look as if they’re about to bolt because they’re afraid they might do that.
Shit. I realize as I meet their gazes that half the school is scared of me. What the Bellas did to my sorcerers isn’t half as bad as what I did, though mine was completely unintentional. When my magic was unleashed, it made them have orgies in public, even people who would never have had sex at all if not for my magic.
Fuck. Suddenly, I feel like I have some sick, horrible magic, even worse than necromancy. I’d trade with Elowen in a second.
Rocco squeezes my hand for a second before releasing it and digging into his food. “That got serious real fucking fast,” he says with a chuckle. “Sorry about that, Jade. It had to be said, but this probably wasn’t the right circumstances.”
Asher widens his eyes at me, and I give a tiny shrug with one shoulder. I’m not sure exactly what it all means, and I’m not going to dissect it in front of Rocco. I glance over at the other two sorcerers, torn between wanting them and wanting Rocco. Ryker is still glaring at me like he’s ready to protect Rocco by slicing off my head with his sword.
I turn back to the table and scoot my chair in before picking up my fork. “So, anyway. What happens after dinner?”
“Usually we just hang out in the Great Hall,” Rocco says. “There’s a bunch of games set up, and we get back in the swing of things and stay up way too late, and someone inevitably spikes the punch, so we’re all tired and hungover on the first day of school.”
“Sounds like my kind of mixer,” Asher says, sighing when he catches sight of Topher Stephens across the
room. “Maybe I can work up the nerve to talk to him if I get a little tipsy.”
Half an hour later, we’re finished eating and heading for the Great Hall. Rocco takes my hand as we walk, then shoots me a bashful smile that makes dimples sink into his cheeks in the most adorable way. “This okay?” he asks.
My heart does a little flip, and I squeeze his hand. “More than okay,” I tell him. “Though it’s making me a little suspicious. I didn’t take you for a hand-holder.”
“You underestimate me in all kinds of ways, Cinderella.”
“We better go on that date soon,” I say. “I can’t wait for you to stop calling me that.”
Rocco wets his lips and lets his eyes drop suggestively to my chest. “Can’t wait for the end of the date, either,” he says with a wink.
My cheeks heat at the reminder of what he said the date entailed. “There’s the Rocco I know and love,” I say, rolling my eyes and ignoring the little pulse of excitement that runs through me at the thought of Rocco taking my virginity.
“Love?” he asks with a grin. “I knew I was irresistible, but I didn’t realize we were ready for the big L-word.”
“Not what I meant,” I say, my face flushing.
I’m relieved when we step into the Great Hall, which is set up with booths of carnival-like magical games on one side and rows of arcade games on the other. At the end of the hall, a table is set with a huge punch bowl, lemonade, and a machine filled with several kinds of slushy frozen drinks.
“I don’t know if I should be here,” Elowen says, glancing around nervously. “This is for House of Light Magic, isn’t it?”
“It’s for everyone,” I say firmly. “If Rocco can be here, so can you.”
“Oh my god, there he is,” Asher squeals, nodding to where the tall ginger is standing talking to Darius.
“Let’s go talk to him,” Rocco says, pulling us toward the two professors.
“Not yet,” Asher squeaks. “I haven’t had a drink yet.”
“He’s just a man,” Rocco says, seeming unperturbed by my friend’s protests.
“What if I get in trouble?” Elowen asks as she scurries along behind us, chewing on a hangnail, her big eyes wide with panic.
“Then maybe your dreamy professor can spank you,” Rocco says. As we arrive at the spot where they’re standing, I realize I’m still holding hands with Rocco. I gently detangle my fingers from his, feeling so weirdly awkward about being with another guy in front of Darius. He flat-out told me nothing could happen, and the rejection is still raw, but for some reason I don’t want him to think I moved on that fast. My head and heart are all tied up in knots. Because I still like Darius—a lot. I trust him more than anyone on this earth, and yet, somehow my belly flips and my thighs quiver at the thought of Rocco doing to me what Darius did. And that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that it’s not just Rocco who does those things to me. It’s all three of the sorcerers… And their mentor.
“Hi,” Rocco says, holding out a hand to Mr. Stephens. “I’m an upper-level student of sorcery here at the academy.”
“Topher Stephens,” the redhead says, shaking his hand and fixing him with a pair of startling eyes. His irises are pitch black, as if his pupils swelled to the size of the whole iris. A shiver goes through me when he grips my hand next. “And you are?”
“Jade,” I say. “Jade Silva.”
“So this is the one you were telling me about,” Topher says, presumably to Professor Darius, though his eyes remain fixed on me with unnerving intensity. “Fascinating.”
Creepy.
I extract my hand and nudge Asher forward. “This is my friend Asher,” I say. “A wizard.”
“Big fan,” Asher gushes, shaking Topher’s hand.
“I hope it’s okay that I’m here,” Elowen says, wringing her hands and peering up at Darius like she thinks he’ll chase her out with his staff.
“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Topher says, giving her a conspiratorial smile as he shakes her hand. Elowen shrinks under his gaze, but he keeps hold of her hand. “House of Necromancy, right?”
“Yeah,” she breathes.
“I look forward to seeing more of you around,” he says, still gripping her hand. She looks like she’s about to faint, and not in a good way.
“So, where’d you move here from?” I ask, trying to draw the attention from my friend.
“California,” he says, dropping Elowen’s hand and turning to me. “I hear you’re a local. How are you adjusting to finding out about your great powers?”
“You get right to the point,” I mutter. “And I’m fine, thanks for asking.”
“What exactly are you teaching?” Rocco asks.
A sense of relief washes through me when the weird new guy turns to my guard. I step aside to Darius. “Did you talk to my dad?” I ask, lowering my voice. We haven’t had a moment alone since I asked him about Dad, and I didn’t want to make my guards suspect any more than they already do, so I haven’t gone out of my way to see him. The last thing I want to do is put his job in jeopardy.
“Yes,” Darius says, his mouth set in a grim line as he watches Mr. Stephens talking to Rocco.
“And?” I ask.
Darius turns his eyes to me and gives his head a quick shake as if to clear it. “Sorry. Yes, I spoke with your father and Silas. Unfortunately, it seems we were too late. Your father had already signed the contract to work in your stead while you attend the Academy.”
“I’m going to kill Ryker,” I growl, my heart thumping with terror for my father and anger at my guard.
Darius holds up a hand. “Before you go after my sorcerer, you should know that your father signed the papers before he even called to tell you. We can work to get him out of the contract, but there’s no guarantee. I’m sorry, Jade.”
“But he signed it without knowing what he’s doing,” I say. “He wasn’t in his right mind.”
“He’s an adult,” Darius says. “If he chooses to work for Silas, there’s not much we can do. And even if he wanted to fight it, it might take years to get through all the bureaucratic red tape.”
“There has to be something we can do,” I say desperately.
Darius touches my elbow and gives me a sympathetic smile. “I know you worry about your father,” he says. “You’ve had to care for him, but that should never have been your responsibility. You might have to focus on your own studies and let your father take care of himself. That wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it? You’ve told me you wanted to enjoy the freedoms that your peers do. This might be an opportunity to do just that.”
I start to protest, but the words die on my lips. He’s right. There’s nothing I can do. I know enough about how supernatural law works to know that Dad’s stuck with that contract, for better or worse, just like I’m stuck with Mom’s. The only thing I can do to free him is to focus on my studies and get out of here as soon as I can. That, and try to be grateful for the sacrifice he’s making, take advantage of the opportunity to be a normal eighteen-year-old whose biggest responsibility is getting good grades, whose biggest worry beyond that is who likes her and what parties she’s going to next.
“Are you in a relationship with Rocco?” Professor Darius asks, frowning at my guard as he chats with Mr. Stephens.
“What? No,” I say quickly. A nervous laugh escapes me. “I mean, no. Of course not. Why would you say that?”
Darius gives me a no-bullshit look in response to my babbling. “I’ve known the Steeles since they were children,” he says. “Rocco is not a hand-holder.”
I knew it. The bastard.
Or… Does that mean he really likes me, maybe more than I gave him credit for? More than just for a date with sex at the end?
“Would it be the worst thing?” I ask, shaking my hair back. “I mean, there’s no one else here who can date me.”
Darius clears his throat. “It’s… No. It’s not a bad thing,” he says. “In fact, it might give you some much-needed pro
tection if your guards are emotionally invested in keeping you safe. And with your magic, it would be wise to have someone to share the burden. In fact, the other High Priestess has quite a few lovers, if I recall correctly.”
“Really?” I ask, glancing sideways at Rocco. I wonder what he’d think of a sharing situation…
“It wouldn’t be unwise,” Darius concedes. “Your magic may be too much for one man to handle.”
Rocco said as much once. That he couldn’t handle my magic. Of course, that’s when he was under Bella’s spell, but that doesn’t make it untrue.
“What are you saying?” I ask, stepping closer to Darius. His spicy scent invades my brain, making me dizzy with desire. Damn it. Why does he have to be so insanely irresistible? Even the smell of him is triggering memories that have me clenching my knees together.
“I’m saying… I understand,” Darius says. “And if you need guidance or help navigating the intricacies of that situation, you know you can come to me.”
Yeah, right. Like I’m going to go tell Darius anything about my relationship with Rocco. Not that we really have a relationship. Just because we cleared the air about the Bellas doesn’t mean we’re dating. Just because he asked me on a date, and we held hands and kissed, and I like him, and he admitted he liked me…
I shake my head to clear my rambling thoughts and smile at Darius. “Thanks,” I say. “I appreciate it.”
Before things can get more awkward, I edge over to Asher, who’s pouting and muttering to Elowen while his crush seems focused entirely on my guard.
“Let’s go play some games,” I say, grabbing their arms and dragging them over to a pinball machine.
“He barely even acknowledged me,” Asher grumbles. “He’s all over your date, though.”
“Not my date,” I say, throwing a ball up the chute.
“He might like guys,” Elowen says, glancing over her shoulder. “He seems more interested in Rocco than Jade.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” I assure him. “Rocco’s definitely not interested.”
“Not a consolation if he’s into body-builders,” Asher points out. “I can’t compete with that.”
Academy of Sorcery: Term 2: Fallen Master Page 3
