Blooming Black: Rosewood Academy of Witches and Mages (Darkly Sweet Book 4)

by Juliann Whicker

  “You know it’s not a big deal. Pitch had her thing with me and it was fine. Your Chem girls are now part of the ‘Rumble with Pitch’ club. Yeah, Zach knew it would bug you, but that’s just because you’re a little bit delicate. Like the first time you saw Drake cream Jackson in polo. I thought you were going to faint.” She gave me a bright, malicious smile.

  I forced a bright one back at her. Maybe I’d hallucinated her asking for a hurter. “That was the worst day for me. I thought I was going to die from ballet and horse riding. You rich prissy brats are completely out of my league.”

  She laughed and stuck a lollipop in her mouth. “That’s the idea. If we don’t push each other the Darksiders would crush us. They have more magic, we have more—”

  “Shameless mages in tights.”

  She snickered. She seemed to be in kind of a good mood. “Absolutely. Today, after classes, let’s play some video games. It’s been awhile.”

  I frowned and glanced around at the other students walking down the hall who didn’t seem to be listening, but I could be wrong. “In Lilac Stories?”

  “Or Drake’s room. Whatever. What happened to Jackson? Everyone’s talking about how he just disappeared.”

  I shrugged. “He escaped to Darkside after Pitch was finished with him.”

  “Too bad. Penny, I’m not the most subtle person, so I’m just going to say it. I’m sorry I punched you. Give me a hurter.”

  I stopped walking so I could turn and stare at her. “Make your own.”

  She put her hands on her hips.

  I put my hands on my hips.

  She scowled at me.

  I sucked on my lollipop. I wasn’t feeling particularly aggressive, still nauseous from the memory of my Chem girls.

  “No?”

  “Sorry. It doesn’t work like that.”

  “Why not? You need money?”

  “My hurters wouldn’t be happy with you.”

  She gasped, her eyes big. “What do you mean?”

  I shrugged. “You kind of suck.”

  “You can’t even throw straight! You’re criticizing my skills?”

  “Look, it’s nothing personal, but I only craft for the best.” I shrugged, turned, and kept walking.

  “You little…” Viney muttered under her breath while I giggled.

  I needed to go see my Chem girls, but it took me all day to get up the nerve. Around five, I went to Rhoda’s room.

  She was in her bed wearing a full body cast. Her face was such a mess, she looked really, really unattractive.

  I put my hand over my mouth and choked back nausea. I turned around while I inhaled and tried to breathe.

  “Penny?” Her voice came out weak and the words stuck together, like she had a mouth full of peanut butter.

  I whirled back around and beamed, holding out my basket of goodies, lollipops and lotions. “Hey, Rhoda. How are you feeling?”

  She blinked and winced. Sometimes it really hurt to blink. “I’m sorry, Penny. You knew that she’d do this to me. I shouldn’t have kissed Stoneburrow, but he’s legendary. His family, his genius, I mean he offered to show me his tech lab. All I had to do was kiss him. He didn’t say why and I didn’t really care.”

  “Kissing? That’s all you did?” Pitch had hurt her way too enthusiastically for a little kissing. Not that I hadn’t seen them kissing, and it was a lot more than a little.

  She inhaled and closed her eyes. “That’s all that was supposed to happen. I kind of like him.”

  “Oh. Cool. Wow.” And Pitch had carved into Zach’s forehead. She clearly wasn’t ready to release him from slavery. I took a deep breath and then walked over to her bed. I uncapped a bottle and started to rub it on her toes.

  “What are you doing?”

  I frowned at her chipped toenails. “You need a pedicure. I have the perfect color. I’ll bring it tomorrow.”

  She laughed, then gasped and tried to hold still. “I should be out of the cast tomorrow. In a week I’ll be fine. Still, she really, really hurt me. Do you think she actually cares about him? Everyone knows that he’s been in love with her forever, but…”

  I focused on lotioning her knee. “I don’t know. Some people can get clingy, not want to lose someone once they reveal their vulnerabilities, you know? Pitch is so tough, so she probably has a soft side that she protects. If anyone sees her vulnerabilities, then they can hurt her, and she’s so tough because she doesn’t want to be hurt. Or something.” I shrugged. “What do you like about Zach? Just his family?”

  “He’s a genius. And he’s really good with animals.”

  I nodded. “I guess. He spends a lot of time playing video games.”

  “Yeah. He’s not so stressful, you know? My mom is like that, never letting anyone relax. There’s always something more important that you could be doing.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Drake’s really high stress.”

  “Is he?”

  “He’s always running the school and his business and everyone else’s business, and then being a tourney star and music and whatever else he does, which is always something. Anyway, I’m sorry about everything. What are you putting on me?”

  “Arnica bruising cream with a few more things added to help with the swelling. It’s technically edible, but it’s pretty vile. I don’t recommend eating it.”

  She blinked at me. “Noted.”

  I kept rubbing lotion on her while I thought about Zach and how relaxed he was supposed to be compared to Drake. Also, it was kind of awkward to live with Drake when he wasn’t even there. It just felt weird. Like I didn’t feel like I had a place to go to. I’d been in the library, but I couldn’t just stay there indefinitely. Being in Drake’s room alone was so weird. In Zach’s room I could play video games or do tech. What did Drake and I actually do together? Community service was nice, and he was amazing with my princesses, but that wasn’t something he really liked. We could eat together, but I couldn’t cook. It seemed like the only things we really did were collide. I’d done that dance with him, but I wasn’t anywhere near his level. He did tourneys and I used to do tourneys, so I could give him critiques, if he wanted them, but that wasn’t my thing, not if it meant he had to see me afterwards. Nope. That wasn’t going to happen again, not without Poppy.

  “Are you okay?”

  I blinked at Rhoda. “What?”

  “You look sad.”

  “Oh. Yeah, I’m really sad that Pitch hurt you, but if you really like Zach, you should…” I shook my head. Pitch had carved into his forehead. Why would I do that? Was I just trying to make sure I owned him more than he owned me, or was it something more, something about me needing him to be my Poppy?

  I stood up and smiled brightly. “Get better. Maybe take a break from Zach until they’ve been broken up for a little longer.”

  Chapter 10

  Mage

  I went over the contract for the millionth time. Ian lounged next to me, doing homework, strangely enough.

  “You’re going to be late.”

  I fumbled my papers into a pile then checked the time. Four fifty. “I have a few minutes.”

  “You’re going to shower and change and then change again and then practice looking smoldering in your mirror for a few minutes and then have to step throughside so you’re not late.”

  I frowned at him. “What are you talking about? I practiced smoldering earlier. As for my suit, I already changed five times. I always make plans for eventualities.”

  Ian smirked. “Except when you don’t. How are you going to ask her? Just drop the twenty pounds of paper on her lap and hope she gets the idea?”

  “I was thinking of her head. Soften up her brains a little bit first. To be honest, I’m more nervous than I’ve been before any other business deal I’ve been about to close.”

  “Of course, because that’s just money, this is something much more dangerous.”

  “Dangerous?”

  He frowned at me over his textbook.
“Drake, you give off the impression of a mage in love, no, not even a mage, a human.”

  I hesitated while I smoothed my fingers over the crisp white paper. They were spelled to stay crisp even after multiple handlings. “That’s my intention. Human love seems to be precisely what Penny Lane wants from me. Over the past few weeks, she’s put me through so much madness. I’m not certain how long I can maintain my civilized persona, but I am trying.”

  “I can see that. You don’t seem to resent it very much, no doubt part of your excellent acting. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you crave her happiness more than your own. I would say that you care for her whether or not she belongs to you. I would say—”

  I punched his stomach. “Too much, Ian. Just because she owns you until you can find another witch doesn’t mean you know anything about her or me.”

  His eyes narrowed as he rested his hand on his stomach as though considering whether I had time for a real fight or a real conversation. He shook his head and leaned back. “If you don’t appreciate the wisdom of someone who has been wrangling witches for a very long time, I’ll resist the impulse. What kind of a contract is it? You haven’t asked for my advice. Has Jasper seen it?”

  I frowned at him. “I had Jasper draft it a long time ago.”

  “Of course you did. Preparing for eventualities.” He rolled to his feet and stretched. “Get it over with. Rip it off fast like a bandage. The worst she could do is throw it back in your face.”

  “I’m not sure if it would be worse for her to reject it or accept it. You’re right, though. The time for hesitation is past. Onward, into the gap between madness and inanity.”

  He rolled his eyes. “The melodrama never stops. You and Penny Lane always put on an excellent show. One thing you should know, she had me heal her Monday morning. In your room. I didn’t touch her but your bed might smell like me. You don’t have time to rip me apart. Have fun.” Ian stepped throughside leaving me alone with my contract. I growled after him, checked the time and swore. I’d have to hurry after all. He’d waited to tell me when I didn’t have time to kill him. Smart mage.

  I made it to the car after she did. She stood there, leaning against the door, looking like a birthday cake in her ruffled skirt and pale pink fur capelet. When she saw me, her whole body lit up from her eyes brightening to the glow that spread beneath her creamy skin. She seemed to love me with everything she had, but if so, why had she missed an entire week to play with Pitch?

  I walked towards her slowly. Penny Lane seemed to love me like witches rarely loved, but she also cared for other people, Viney, Pitch, Señor Mort, and Zach to name a few. She became easily attached. I had a strong urge to break every one of her attachments, particularly with the black hearted witch who liked to rip her apart.

  I walked up to her and took her in my arms. I held her firmly while I kissed her, trying to focus on my breathing instead of her sweet, parted lips, the way she melted against me and her hands threaded through my hair. I pulled away too soon, not soon enough. My heart pounded while I gave her a charming and cool smile.

  “Thank you for waiting.”

  Her lips were soft and pink, her hands still on my shoulders, gripping my lapels. “I wanted to make sure I wasn’t late. Are you finished kissing me?”

  I shook my head and opened the door for her. “I don’t think that finished is anything close to the right word.”

  She sighed and climbed inside. I adjusted my mirror, taking my time to make certain everything was in the right place before I put my car in gear. She immediately clung to me, wrapping her arms around me like I was precious. I kissed her temple after a moment spent fighting the automatic urge to drag her back to my room and kiss her until I was finished with her. Which would be never.

  “Drake, I love it when you freeze up after I grab you, like you’re completely shocked.”

  “I am shocked. Every time. You should do it more often. How are things going with Zach?”

  It was her turn to stiffen up. “What do you mean? I wouldn’t know. We’re having a huge feud.”

  “Haven’t you been doing tech mage class in his room?”

  “Yes, but we don’t talk or look at each other.”

  “That sounds healthy.”

  She pressed her face against my shirt and inhaled deeply, her inhale and exhale making my skin prickle in aching awareness of her breath. “Did you go to Darkside every night before I moved in with you?” Her words were muffled against me.

  I smiled slightly and tried to focus on the road, but she was so much more interesting. “Most nights. How do you like it? My bed doesn’t swing, but we could attach my couch to the ceiling if you’d like.”

  She pulled away to look at me, for a moment blocking my view of the road. I leaned slightly so I could see around her and she shifted until she was beside me, holding my hand in both of hers. “We could hang your bed.”

  My heart pounded and I found it hard to swallow. “If you wish to hang me or my bed, we are at your disposal.” She had to sign the contract so I could marry her and stay in bed with her. Ian’s bed was all wrong.

  She sighed and put her head on my shoulder so her hair tickled my nose. “In that case, I think we should get you a new bed. Maybe a waterbed, a clear one so we can put fish and squid, things like that in it.”

  “Sounds boring. How about a jello bed. We could sleep in the Jello and wouldn’t need blankets.”

  She giggled. “That’s a bath, not a bed, silly mage.” She snuggled closer to me and added, “I don’t think your bath would fit both of us plus Jello too.”

  It certainly would not. I held very still for the rest of the ride while thoughts of Penny Lane in my bath mixed with the contract in my pocket. Penny Lane in my tub filled with paper, maybe origami weasels and dragons, or real ones. I fumbled to turn on the radio, difficult to do while she kept her hands tight around mine. The music was loud enough that I could almost concentrate on the road instead of her. Was she still filling my life with inanity? Should I be preparing for something like the man standing in the road ahead of us? I stared at him, the way he stood hunched, immense shoulders almost reaching the top of his head, his posture ready even if he didn’t have the sword he was accustomed to holding in his large hands.

  “Watch out!” Penny grabbed the wheel and we swerved, missing the mage instead of plowing into him, which was my natural instinct.

  I glanced at her then in the rearview mirror. The mage had turned and was staring after us, eyes steely and menacing, but he didn’t move, didn’t attack, didn’t chase after us. I refocused on the road ahead of us expecting something, but there wasn’t anything other than the setting sun to my right behind Penny, turning her strawberry blond hair into molten gold.

  “Who was that? A friend of yours?” she asked, eyes large and pink lips parted.

  Those lips. I couldn’t help but kiss her quickly. So sweet. “Darksider. No idea. Maybe he’s hitchhiking.”

  She frowned at me and slid into her own seat instead of hanging onto me. I resented that more than a little bit. “Do Darksiders usually do that? Hang around in Dayside?”

  “Not usually. Dayside is too dull.”

  “Is it? Do you find Darkside more interesting, particularly at night?”

  I inhaled deeply. I had to stop thinking of Penny Lane in my bed, my tub, with or without Jello. “That depends on the night.”

  “Drake, should we be worried about that Darksider?”

  I shrugged. “I’m as prepared as I’m ever going to be. Don’t you need to hold onto me? For the sake of the fear, of course.”

  She smoothed her skirt down over her knees. “I don’t want to distract you.”

  “This is our Tuesday. You aren’t the distraction, everything else is.” I grabbed her hand and tugged her back over beside me. I wrapped my arm around her and purposefully inhaled her hair. She didn’t hesitate, but wrapped her arms around me and pressed her face against the skin of my neck.

  “Drake,
you smell so good. I want to breathe you for the rest of my life. I’m supposed to be worrying about random Darksiders, but all I can do is smell black cherry and ashes. And blood. It makes me want to bite you.”

  “I’m yours to bite if you…” I gasped as her teeth pressed into my neck. I gripped the steering wheel and forced myself to keep driving. The rest of the drive was a blur of Penny, my throat in her mouth, so much soft sharpness. I parked and sat for a long time still gripping the wheel until she noticed that we’d arrived. She lifted her face, leaving my neck covered in goose bumps and bite marks.

  Her lips trembled. “As good as you smell, you taste a million times better. You taste so good that it hurts.”

  “Biting me hurts you?” I smiled slightly. Hopefully she couldn’t see my lips tremble “Such a strange witch.” I squeezed her hand and forced myself to kiss her knuckles without scraping my teeth against them. If I opened my mouth on her skin I wouldn’t stop until I had tasted all of her. Even then… “Come on, Penny Lane. You’ll have to nibble on me later.”

  She sighed and got out, adjusting her skirt and bag before she took a deep breath that made her chest rise beneath her pale blouse. I glanced away as I waited for her to come around the car towards me. I was acting like a complete idiot about her. I’d slept with her enough times that I shouldn’t hyperventilate at the thought of her curls on my pillow. But, we’d slept. This was something else. Possibly. Probably not what I imagined, knowing Penny. Anyway, not until I had her safely married to me, and Zach’s bond transferred to me.

  She took my hand a little bit shyly. “It’s interesting that I feel hardly any fear when I’m so close to you.”

  “Isn’t it?” I couldn’t think of anything else to say other than the phrase that would persuade her to forget about princesses and instead examine my bed for potential hanging. No. This was going to go according to plan. I had a contract to give her first.

  I left her with the children, standing in the doorway watching her laugh and catch them in her arms, her hair swinging in an arc around her. She beamed at them, glowing like she glowed when she looked at me. Love. She looked like she loved every single one of them. Part of me wanted to take her away from anyone she loved so she could give me every shred of her affection. Fine, most of me. But a little bit of my humanity warmed at the sight of Penny showing affection most witches weren’t capable of.