Shadowborn Academy: The Full Collection

by G. Bailey

  Gage doesn’t tease or make me wait before he is in between my legs and my back arches as his tongue swirls around my clit. Holy Fucking Selena. Gage chuckles against my clit as I moan, he reaches up, placing his hand over my mouth, reminding me to be quiet. For whatever reason, it just turns me on more. Within minutes, I come with a blinding pleasure that sends shakes through my body. Gage picks me up, placing me on his lap and holding me tightly. “I love you, Corvina Charles. You know that?”

  “Whatever happens next, I want you to know that I love you, too,” I whisper, meaning every single word.

  Jonah smirks at me as his dagger just misses my ear and slams into the target behind my back.

  “That was a little too close,” Pitch warns him as he supervises our training.

  Turns out Jonah and I being competitive makes all the students super nervous to be in here with us, so for an hour, we get an empty training room to ourselves.

  I reach up and tug the dagger out of the wall and close my eyes for a moment, letting the shadow magic take over. It trickles out of my soul, almost like it’s frightened of my other magic before smothering the dagger. I shadowlocate the dagger right next to Jonah’s shoulder, cutting through his t-shirt a little and he glowers at me.

  “Light and dark fae can bend night and day to move around,” Ivywood comments as she steps into the room out of nothing but light. “You shouldn’t just rely on your shadow magic like a safety blanket. Light magic is the fastest and most untraceable way to translocate. We are taught how to simply call the light and jump into it with a single thought of where you want to go.”

  “Thanks—” I get cut off when Ambrose runs into the room and everyone turns to look at him.

  “I sense a Titan nearby,” he hurries to tell us, “and the academy defenses won’t last long against it, nor am I any use in fighting them alone. Titans absorb god magic, so I must insist we get the fuck out of here.”

  “Language,” Ivywood hisses. “God or not, you will behave and be respectful in my presence. However, I do agree with your statement.” She turns to me and nods. “Corvina, you must leave.”

  “And go where? Do what?” I ask, walking up to her.

  A loud crack sounds overhead as the floor shakes and slams me onto the tiles. The roof of the building is torn off, our defenses shattered by the Titan, and debris crashes around me. I cover my head and Pitch jumps over, blocking me from most of the wreckage. I roll onto my back, looking up through the dust and moonlight to see a man floating in the air, except he can’t be a man.

  He’s the size of a giant and is completely naked other than a strip of black cloth hanging around his waist, hiding what I’m sure is equally as big underneath. On his incredibly muscular chest is a symbol that glows crimson and I’m sure I have seen it before. It takes me a second to realise it was one of the symbols on the painting Eva showed me of the Titans back at our father’s palace. I never in a million years thought I’d one day meet a titan, and now that I see him, I’d much rather introductions were not made. The guy is a monster.

  Stretching his long arms out, palms down, the Titan slams his hands onto the ground. I scream as the floor shakes with such violence that it sends me flying into the air, only to be caught by Ivywood as Pitch is thrown away from me. The shaking doesn’t stop as I make my own wings hold me up, Ivywood nods once while the sounds of panicked shadowborns scream down below. I briefly see Pitch catch Jonah while Ambrose floats on a pure white cloud next to me.

  Typical god, showing off, but I kinda want a cloud too.

  “We are leaving now, Vina. The academy’s magic is nearly gone and nothing will stop him,” Ambrose says, grabbing my hand.

  “Use the light. I will make a distraction,” Ivywood tells me. “You can call the crown and any of your friends into the light with only a thought, spiraling you all in the same place.” She bows her head once. “Long may the true queen live and rule.”

  With that, Ivywood flies up to the Titan. Both of them stare each other down, and my heart aches for her. I may not have been her closest friend or known her that well, but she loved my father with all her heart, and she did protect the academy like she said she would.

  Her voice speaks in my mind and tears well into my eyes.

  “In the ever long night, you are the light.”

  Gods, I hope she’s right. I close my eyes and do as Ivywood said. I call the light to my side, imagining all of my friends, and one more thing that’s important to me. I feel the drain on my power like a blip. I open my eyes to see Ivywood scream as the Titan rips her body in half, causing the light to vanish, and I hold a hand to my mouth to smother my screams.

  “All shadowborns will die on this night.” The Titan’s deep words echo around me as my light gets stronger and brighter.

  “No, they will not,” I bellow at him with a smirk, drawing his attention my way.

  The Titan’s glowing red eyes narrow on me. Closing my own eyes, I let myself fall into the light and I burst with power as I use the shadows to send every shadowborn to the human world. The academy might have fallen, but its queen will save them all.

  Fuck the Titans.

  Something wet slaps me on the cheek. I open my eyes to see the island where Ambrose was trapped for so many years. I sit up, all my guys, Ambrose, Sage, and David, and even Echo who’s sitting on top of a familiar crown, sprawled on the beach around me.

  “Your nose is bleeding. What did you do?” Zander asks, crawling across the stones to me as a wave of exhaustion rattles through my body. I wipe at my nose with the back of my hand. Zander rips the bottom of his shirt and dips it in the saltwater before holding it to my nose for me until I take over.

  “Thanks,” I say, and just then I notice that he’s in his pajamas. Well, I know who did the night shift guard and slept today. Must have been one hell of a wake-up call.

  Gage and Jonah talk quietly as they make sure we are alone, but they carefully watch me at the same time. Pitch is uncharacteristically silent.

  “I saved everyone in the academy and sent them to random places across the human world,” I tell them, and everyone goes silent as they stare at me in shock.

  “That explains the nosebleed,” Zander says. “You used an incredible amount of power to do that. You’re fucking amazing, Corvina.”

  “While I agree that Vina is amazing, such power is impossible,” Ambrose points out, staring at me. “No fae should have that kind of power. What exactly are you?”

  I don’t have an answer for him, and no one else does either.

  Zander helps me stand up. We all stand around, wondering what our next move is. I need rest, and we need somewhere to hide.

  “My sister has a secret house not too far from here. After what happened, she wanted to disappear,” Jonah says, and my hand shakes in Zander’s.

  “We will go there,” Pitch agrees before I can veto the idea. It’s the first he’s spoken since we arrived here.

  Sage picks Echo and the crown up and walks over to me, placing her hand on my arm. “You look pale, are you sure you’re okay?”

  I almost humorlessly chuckle at her because I feel awful, but instead, I simply nod, clamping my hand tighter in Zander’s grip. He kisses the side of my head as we turn and follow the others through the forest. Please, please don’t let Jane remember me.

  We reach the cottage by nightfall. Scattered leaves crunch under my boots as I step onto the path winding through the flowerbeds up to a small wooden porch. The moon reflects off the wind chimes rustling by the yellow door, and a strange sense of déjà vu creeps over me. I can’t help but feel like I’ve been here before, but I have no recollection of it.

  “What’s up, Buzzie?” Sage bumps my shoulder with hers. “You look even paler since we got here.”

  I peel my gaze off the cottage and smile at her. “I just feel like I’ve been here before. Have we?”

  Sage looks at the cottage and squints her pink eyes. After a moment, she shakes her head. “Nope. I have no memor
y of this place.”

  Neither do I, yet I can’t shake the feeling that I have.

  Zander and Jonah rush past us, elbowing each other in an attempt to get into the cottage first. Jonah wins and closes the door on Zander, who blasts it open with magic before marching after him.

  “Come on,” Sage whispers, tugging my arm. “I’m freezing my patootie off, and Jonah said there would be food.”

  Swallowing nervously, I let her take me into the cottage. The inside is small, warm and cosy. The fur rugs and the country-style furnishings remind me of my childhood home. Perhaps that’s where the déjà vu is coming from. This cottage is so like the one I lived in for all of eight years. Except, the walls are covered in colourful artwork, and there are pots of paint and canvases on every possible surface. Clearly, Jane is an artist of some sort, and she’s good. I especially like the one of Professor Greyhorn dying a horrible and painful death above the mantelpiece.

  “Jane, we’re here,” Zander calls, collapsing onto the sofa beside the fireplace. Echo flies over onto his lap. “Feed me. I’m tired.”

  I smile and drop down beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. He kisses my head as Pitch and Ambrose duck through the front door, both going separate ways, presumably to check out our surroundings.

  Meanwhile, Jonah rushes over to the pots bubbling away on a wood-burning stove in the kitchen. The heat from the fire and Zander’s body is comforting, wrapping around me like a warm blanket. While Sage and David sit on the sofa beside us, for a blissful moment, I’m able to forget everything that’s going on. If I close my eyes and focus really hard, I can almost pretend I’m back in my childhood home where it’s Sunday and my mum’s baking shortbread cookies for after the roast dinner.

  It’s the small things that make me think of my adoptive parents.

  Adoptive parents…

  They were more my parents than the king or queen of this world will ever be.

  “I saw what happened and figured you’d come here,” a female voice remarks, and I assume it’s from our last-minute host. “There’s only two beds and the couches so I’m afraid you’ll all have to bunk…together…”

  She trails off when she meets my gaze. Jane is every bit Jonah’s sister, from her long silver hair curled over one shoulder, to her blue eyes. However, as soon as our eyes lock, she drops the blankets and a violent heat rushes into her face.

  “Get out,” she hisses through clenched teeth, pouncing onto the sofa. “Get the fuck out of my house!”

  I let out a surprised scream as Jane hauls me off the sofa by my hair and drags me onto the floor. A white light blasts between us before I can even retaliate, knocking me flat onto my back. The air is kicked from my lungs and Gage, Pitch, Zander, and Sage help me to my feet. Across the room, Jonah pins Jane to his chest while Ambrose stands between us, the remnants of light magic disappearing into the palm of his hands.

  “Let me go,” Jane snarls, thrashing in Jonah’s arms like a wild animal. “Let me go or I swear to Selena, I’ll—”

  “Just calm the fuck down!” Jonah shouts over his sister, gripping her tighter. “What the hell are you thinking?”

  The adrenaline surging through me has my entire body shaking. It’s not often I’m stunned into silence, but that’s exactly the case here as I try to catch my breath. Turns out Jane does remember me.

  “How dare you lift a hand to our future queen!” Pitch stands in front of me, a dark menacing aura glowing off him.

  “Pitch, it’s okay,” I whisper, reaching for his hand. “I’m fine.”

  Dark magic gathers around him and the fear flashing in Jane’s eyes is as palpable as the fear gathering inside of me. I’ve never seen Pitch so angry before. It’s both sexy and terrifying at the same time.

  “There will be no more bloodshed.” Ambrose holds out his hands again, providing the only barrier between Jane and Pitch. “Jane Vincent, you will explain yourself.”

  “And you will all leave my fucking house,” comes her scathing reply. Craning her neck to glare at Jonah, she hisses, “Do you even know who that is?”

  Jonah is panting as he looks at me. “Corvina Charles… She’s who I’ve been telling you about.”

  “No!” Jane shakes her head and points at me. “She’s the one who killed our parents and brother. She set the fire!”

  Jonah pales at the words, his eyes narrowing on my face. “Is this true?”

  “I’m sorry,” I choke out, tears slipping from my lashes. “I didn’t know what would happen when I—”

  “Oh, she didn’t know,” Jane scoffs, shrugging Jonah off and stepping towards me. Ambrose blocks her path so she chooses to sneer around him. “You destroyed our god damn lives and you think an apology will make up for it? You deserve everything that’s coming your way, you fucking murderer!”

  Gods, I should have known this would happen.

  Jonah storms out of the cottage, and I don’t hesitate when I run after him. Branches snag my clothes as I stumble through the forest, the cold air stinging my cheeks. He’s just a shadow darting between the trees, visible only when the moonlight touches him. He stops in the middle of a clearing and turns to me, his whole body bathed in the pale light. The sobs I’ve been holding back burst out when I see the tears falling from his eyes.

  “J-Jonah,” I whisper his name brokenly. “I know I don’t deserve forgiveness… I had no idea… If I had known what would happen when I became shadowborn, I would never have… ”

  He marches over to me, his hands clenched by his side, and I hold my breath, closing my eyes. When Jonah claims my mouth with his, it takes my breath away. Kissing me is the last thing I expected him to do. He slams me against the tree and wraps my legs around his waist, his fingers digging into my jaw. There’s a distinctive fury in the way he’s touching me, but there’s also tenderness; every brush of his lips is hard and soft, hateful, and yet loving.

  I snag his bottom lip between my teeth and he growls, stepping back. He uses my cloak as a blanket and sets me on the ground. Pulling my shirt off, he leaves a trail of kisses down my neck and over my breasts before gently biting my nipple. I gasp and arch my spine, the cool night air sending a shiver through me as it caresses my skin.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful, Vina,” he whispers, moving his lips down. He nibbles and kisses every inch of me until he reaches my inner thighs. I part my legs and close my eyes, moaning when his mouth lands on my clit. He swirls and flicks his tongue and spreads my lips with his fingers. When I feel his hot breath on me and hear him inhaling my scent, I open my eyes and blush down at him. He only grins and kisses me before sliding a finger into my wet pussy. I bite my lip, watching as he circles my clit with his tongue and thrusts another finger in.

  “Oh, gods!” I dig my fingers into the earth and look up at the moon, the pressure already unbearable. With Jonah’s tongue on my clit and his fingers torturing my sweet spot, it’s all too much. “Jonah, I’m… I’m—-”

  My orgasm explodes and I cum onto Jonah’s face, my moans turning into cries of ecstasy. Jonah savors me like I’m the sweetest nectar in the world before he puts his arms by my head and his cock between my legs. The look on his face when he fills me for the first time is the most erotic thing I have ever seen. His eyes dip over and I clench around his cock, still shaking from the aftershocks of my orgasm but eager for more.

  I dig my fingernails into his shoulders as Jonah moans in my ear. His groans are so fucking sexy that they have me climbing again, chasing another shattering orgasm. Gods, I hope that I do. From Jonah’s thrusts and pants alone, I know that he’s close, and I wrap my legs tightly around him, pulling his cock deeper with each thrust. Soon he’s spilling into me and I’m cumming onto his cock while seizing his lips into a ravenous embrace.

  We stay like that for a long moment, the two of us tethered and our bodies entwined. Jonah looks down at me, his cheeks flushed and pupils dilated with lust, and gods, he’s sexy.

  “I’ve wanted to do that since the first day
I met you,” he whispers, leaning down to kiss me on the lips, the touch hard and passionate.

  “Me too,” I say against his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  Jonah’s mouth pulls into a wicked grin. “Clean up after dinner. I want to be inside of you for as long as possible.”

  I blush at the command but damn, it’s hot. I can only nod as he pulls out of me and reaches for my panties. He slides them up my legs and I lift my hips as he maneuvers them around my waist. The feeling of his cum inside me is so deeply erotic that my breath hitches and I squeeze my thighs together before Jonah helps me onto my feet.

  While the two of us adjust our clothes, I cast a glance around the clearing to see where we are. A sharp pang stabs me in the chest. No fucking way. Of all places, this is where Jane lives nearby? It’s like the universe is just fucking with me for the fun of it now. My fingers tremble as I do the last of my buttons and smooth a hand down my skirt. I try to school my features not to alarm Jonah, but he must sense my unease as he gently turns me around to face him, and I hurriedly blink my tears away.

  “What’s wrong?” he whispers, wiping a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

  I take a deep breath and nod at the well. “That’s where I died and became a shadowborn.” A cold breeze drifts through the trees and I rub the chill from my arms. This explains why the cottage felt so familiar to me; I remember passing it the night I followed Pitch into the forest. “Do you remember the final round of last year’s Tryouts?”

  “The Chamber of Fears,” Jonah answers. “I watched my sister die.”

  “And I was here with this well. I couldn’t have faced it without your help. I couldn’t have destroyed it.”

  He looks over my shoulder at the well, his eyebrows knitting together. “Do you remember what I said to you?”

  I grin at him, resting my palms on his chest. “You said I’m Corvina Fucking Charles, the most bad ass woman you’d ever met.”

  Jonah chuckles and wraps his arms around me. “And I wasn’t wrong.” He tucks my head under his chin and kisses my hair, his heart pounding against my ear. “I forgive you, Corvina.”