by Lexi C. Foss
Our audience.
Yeah, enjoy the show, I thought, scooting my chair loudly back to my seat.
Because fuck him and his command.
He either didn’t hear me move or didn’t care. Likely the latter. His bullying attempt for today was done, making him the center of attention. The king lording over his minions.
At least Dash wasn’t in this class. Handling both princes of this kingdom created quite the headache.
Everyone fell silent, sending a chill down my spine.
Shit. He noticed and now—
“You must be the infamous Trayton Nacht,” Charlie drawled, his shoulders tightening beneath his blazer jacket as he faced the front of the room.
“I’m not sure about infamous” was the reply. Goose bumps pebbled across my skin, the newcomer’s voice deep and masculine with a slight lilt. “And I prefer Tray.”
A glance around the room confirmed I wasn’t the only female affected.
Gleams of interest came from the feminine population, while jealousy mingled with curiosity on the male faces. I couldn’t see the new guy, but he clearly had a physical impact.
Which explained Charlie’s defensive stance.
He didn’t take kindly to men who threatened his position as the hottest guy in the school. Only Dash could share it with him.
Although, some would argue it was Charlie who actually shared the spot with Dash. Not the other way around.
Regardless, this new guy clearly provided some competition.
“Charlie Anderson,” Darlington Academy’s prince informed the newcomer. “Son of Jackson Anderson.”
Silence.
After a long beat, Tray said, “Oh, sorry. Was that supposed to mean something to me?”
My lips quirked up. Wrong thing to say, buddy. But admirable at the same time.
“Owner of Anderson Motors,” Charlie replied, folding his arms. His back was still to me, blocking my view of the new guy. But I could sense the tension rising between them.
“Yeah, sorry, I’m not familiar with the American automotive industry. But congratulations on the relation.” He stepped around him, providing me with my first look at the guy who dared defy Darlington royalty.
Reddish-brown hair.
Square jaw.
Strong neck.
Lack of an understanding on how to properly wear the academy uniform—a leather jacket was not the same thing as a blazer.
He plopped down at the table in front of me, everything about his lazy sprawl saying how he felt about Charlie’s little inquisition. “I do not give a fuck” was practically plastered to the dude’s forehead.
Well, this would make things interesting.
How long would his little rebel act last against the princes of Darlington Academy?
I gave him a week before they recruited him into their circle. He had just the right amount of arrogance to qualify, and his looks certainly guaranteed him entrance to the female elite’s bedrooms. This was all just a glorified interview to see how quickly he succumbed to their power. Once he did, he’d be given a status. And the rest would be history.
Professor Montgomery entered with a flourish, dispelling Charlie’s chance to follow up with the new guy. “Be seated, be seated,” she said, waving her arms around with the words. The woman always did have a flair for the dramatic. With her wiry white hair pulled back in a severe bun, she resembled a strict woman. But kindness lurked in her bright blue gaze.
I adored her and her crazy methods.
Such as now. She narrowed her gaze at Trayton Nacht and snapped her fingers. “Well, on with your introduction, then.”
Straight to the point, as always.
I smirked as he sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat.
Yeah, Montgomery doesn’t play.
“Tray,” he said.
And he didn’t say anything else.
“Tray,” she repeated after a beat. “This is an English class, Tray. We use full sentences. Now stand up and give a proper introduction.”
“Sure.” He pushed his chair away and stood, his height seeming to dwarf me beneath a shadow. Because yeah, he was handsome and tall.
Aren’t they all? I thought with a mental scoff.
He glanced over his shoulder at me, his irises an exotic blend of obsidian and dark chocolate colors. My favorite kind of drink. Not that I wanted to taste him.
“My name is Trayton Nacht,” he said, still looking at me. “I prefer to be called Tray.” He turned back around, facing Professor Montgomery. “Was that sufficient enough? Or do I need to prepare a full biography?”
Several of the students snickered.
I bit my lip, knowing this would not go over well. At all.
Professor Montgomery’s resulting smile confirmed my thoughts. “That is an excellent idea, Mr. Nacht.” She clasped her hands, her eyes dancing around the class. “And as all of you are smiling, I can see you agree. We’ll make this a group assignment, so everyone can participate.”
The snickers turned to groans while I just shook my head.
Idiots.
“Peer interviews,” Professor Montgomery continued. “With a three-to-five-page full-length biography due by Friday.”
As it was Tuesday, that only gave us three days to complete the assignment.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
Tray reclaimed his seat, that lazy sprawl in full effect again. “My life isn’t that interesting. How about a page instead?”
Professor Montgomery arched a brow. “Well, then I pity your partner because the requirement is three to five pages. And you will be writing the biography of the student you interview, not your own biography, Mr. Nacht.”
More groaning from the class.
Tray, however, grinned. “Brilliant. Are we to choose our partners?”
Man, this guy didn’t know when to quit. He’d be in detention by the end of the day if he kept up this pace.
I shook my head just as our professor declared, “No, I’ll be choosing. And since Ms. Cinder seems to disapprove of this assignment, I’ll be pairing you with her.” She gave me a look that had me rolling my eyes.
That wasn’t at all why she’d paired me with him.
She paired us because she knew I wouldn’t let him cheat.
Rude. Looked like I needed to reevaluate my Favorite Teacher Award.
Montgomery began assigning everyone else partners for the project, the class growing reluctantly quiet. “You can all thank Mr. Nacht for giving me the idea,” she added at the end, essentially hammering a nail into his social-status coffin.
Of course, he merely appeared amused by it all, his full lips tilted upward in a cocky grin. “You’re welcome,” he said.
Charlie cut him a glare.
Several others followed suit.
Hmm, maybe Trayton Nacht wouldn’t be inducted into the royalty circle by the end of the week. Especially if he continued to piss everyone off.
Trina raised her hand from the front row, her perfect hair matching her perfectly pressed uniform. Professor Montgomery arched a brow, her signature way of calling upon a student. “Can we have the rest of today’s class to work on our assignment?” she asked. “With this being Homecoming week, most of us are involved in mandatory activities after school. And the squad has extra practices as well.”
“Not to mention football practice,” Charlie drawled.
Ah, yes, the extracurriculars were always more important than the academics.
Which was exactly why Montgomery paused to consider the request.
“I will extend the assignment’s due date to next Friday,” she decided. “That should account for this week’s plans, yes?”
Tray actually appeared surprised.
The rest of the class looked relieved.
“But the assignment is to be completed outside of school. I expect thorough interviews and a truthful biography as a result.” She looked pointedly at the students who typically faked their way through this course. “No writing
each other’s essays. I’ll know.”
That would be the easy way out.
But I knew better than to try Montgomery’s patience.
“In fact, I want at least two hours of logged time for the interviews, with thorough notes and visual proof that you met. That shouldn’t be too hard for those of you who adore your camera phones.” Her focus fell on Trina.
The blonde bundle of perfection simpered. “Of course, Professor Montgomery. That won’t be a problem for most of us.” She glanced at me with those words.
“I’ll be fine,” I drawled. “But thanks for your concern, Princess Perfect.”
“Poor new kid has to deal with the leaf lover,” Charlie added. “Sorry, buddy. I hope she at least showers before your interview date.”
“That’s enough, Mr. Anderson,” Professor Montgomery snapped. She was the only one in this whole school who ever sort of stood up for me. It made me love her and despise her at the same time.
I didn’t need a savior. I saved myself every damn day, thank you very much.
She dove into today’s lecture with a flourish, not wanting to waste another second. Which she knew would happen if she allowed me to speak up for myself. I had no problem putting Charlie Anderson in his place.
Tray tilted his chair to place his back to the wall, his sideways sprawl on his chair allowing him to see me and the front of the room at the same time.
I pretended not to notice him.
Not even when he looked directly at me.
Which, yeah, was awfully distracting. The male had a presence about him that just seemed to consume the room. And his attitude told me he knew it, too.
Definitely cocky with a hint of rebel underneath. Hence, the leather jacket. Something I just realized Professor Montgomery hadn’t commented on.
Strange.
She was usually a stickler for the dress code, having just—
“You don’t care for showers?” he asked softly, his voice pitched too low for anyone else to hear.
I blinked at him, startled by the mental interruption.
“Fascinating,” he added with a subtle sniff of the air. “You smell delicious to me.”
My eyes widened. “Excuse me?” I matched his pitch, not wanting to call attention to myself. The professor would not take kindly to us whispering during her lecture.
Tray opened his bag, pulled out a piece of paper, and doodled on it before sliding me the note. “Here’s my number. For our assignment.”
“I don’t have a phone,” I replied, passing it back. “We’ll need to meet through other means.”
His brow drew downward. “Who doesn’t have a phone in this century?”
“Me.” Because my stepmother insisted I didn’t need one.
“Is there something the two of you would like to share with the class?” Professor Montgomery demanded.
“Nothing important, just asking her if she needed to borrow some soap,” Tray drawled. Which earned a snicker from Charlie and a glower from me. “You know, to help with the showering problem.”
Professor Montgomery turned an uncomplimentary shade of red. “I realize this is your first day, Mr. Nacht, but I will not tolerate bullying or disruptive behavior in this class. One more outburst or unruly comment will leave me no choice but to send you to the headmaster. Am I clear?”
“I thought I was being helpful,” he replied, lifting his hands in surrender. “Feedback duly noted.”
My head hit the desk. Imbecile.
And Professor Montgomery snarled. “Headmaster Jeffries’s office. Now.”
“I’ll need someone to give me directions,” he said, collecting his stuff into a bag and standing.
“Ms. Cinder,” the professor said through her teeth. “Please escort our new student to Headmaster Jeffries. Perhaps it will give you both time along the way to arrange your future interviews.”
Why the hell am I looped into this jackhole’s punishment? I wondered, flabbergasted. “Seriously?” I said out loud, lifting my head.
“Seriously,” she snapped.
I clenched my jaw and grabbed my stuff. As if I would ever leave it alone for Charlie or his minions to mess with.
“Fine.” I pulled the strap over my shoulder. “You.” I hit him with my best glare. “Follow.” I didn’t wait for his agreement, my tone already implying I wouldn’t accept anything less than obedience.
I stomped toward the door, ignoring the professor along the way. Because yeah, I’d definitely be reevaluating my “favorites” system after this.
Tray woofed at my back, pretending to be a dog and eliciting a round of laughs from the class.
I lifted my eyes to the ceiling in response.
This guy was just like the rest of them—an immature jackass with too much time and money on his hands.
Eight months, I told myself. Eight. More. Months.
Then I would be free of this hellhole and would never have to look back.
Chapter Two
Tray
Mmm, delectable, I thought as I followed Isabella Cinder down the empty corridor of Darlington Academy.
She’d grown up since our first meeting in that alley just under three years ago. As had I. If she recognized me now, she didn’t show it. She’d left me in such a hurry, her sodden slippers a pale blue lump in the dirty street snow.
I wouldn’t allow her to escape again.
No. I’d come here specifically for her. There were things she didn’t understand, and the Council had tasked me with explaining them to her. Well, more like I’d offered. It had been me who found her, after all.
They all agreed to wait until she turned eighteen before recruiting her into our world.
Well, the time had come.
The poor little darling had no idea who her parents really were or the destiny they’d dropped into her lap. She would soon. After we finished a few games first.
“Here,” she said, stopping abruptly at the administrative office. “Have fun.”
My palm hit the wall, blocking her exit. “You’re not going to escort me inside?”
Gorgeous blue eyes narrowed up at me, the color reminding me of the dress she wore the night we first met. “I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine on your own.”
“Maybe I’m shy.”
She snorted. “Yeah, I believe that.” She folded her arms, sassy energy flaring all around her. When she grew into her powers, she’d be a force of nature. I couldn’t fucking wait. “I can only meet for an hour after school each day for our project. So pick two days for our interview and we’ll get it over with as soon as possible.”
“Oh, I already picked a day.”
She waited.
I didn’t elaborate, just continued to stare her down with my arm caging her in. She could have stepped back to escape, but the feisty female remained steady before me, totally unfazed by my nearness.
So very different from the women at Midnight Fae Academy. Cornering one of them in this manner would have led to seduction and sensual fun—the benefits of being a royal.
But Isabella didn’t seem to notice my natural charms at all. If anything, she appeared completely uninterested.
Fascinating.
“And which day would that be?” she prompted, her patience thinning.
I smiled. “Saturday.”
Her brow furrowed. “I meant a weekday. After school. Unless you plan to attend class on Saturdays?”
“No, I plan to go to Homecoming. With you as my date.” I leaned into her, adoring the way her slender form seemed to fit against my much taller one. “Try to wear something nice, Ms. Cinder.” I picked one of the sticks from her bun and let it fall to the floor between us. “I’ll pick you up at six. We’ll interview each other over dinner before the dance.”
I pressed my lips to her cheek and stepped around her as she sputtered something unintelligible at my back.
“What?! You—”
I disappeared into the administrative office before she could finish. The delicious fe
male could reject me all she wanted, but by Saturday, she’d accept. Because, by then, she’d know why I was here. At least part of the reason. And she’d be too intrigued to resist.
Welcome to my world, Isabella Cinder.
I do hope you want to stay and play for a while.
Because you’re mine now, sweetheart.
Chapter Three
Ella
Homecoming.
He had to be joking.
Messing with me.
He didn’t even know my name, for crying out loud. Well, he knew my last name. But taking me to a dance? Yeah, no, that wasn’t happening. I didn’t attend school functions, not since freshman year.
I shivered at the memory. Not happening. Nope. The joke was on the new guy. He could find someone else to toy with because I didn’t indulge in these games. Not with him. Not with anyone.
Oh, but he’d certainly made an impression on all the girls. He was the hot topic of the afternoon in the girls’ locker room, despite having missed lunch. Many speculated that he’d ditched the rest of the day after his date with the headmaster this morning, but his car was still in the lot. Some of the others thought he might be loitering on academy grounds.
My opinion? Good riddance.
Closing my locker, I picked up my cap and goggles from the bench and made my way through the doors that led to the natatorium. All students were required to enroll in one physical course every year. I chose swimming because my stepsisters didn’t know how, and it was fun to be able to do something they couldn’t.
Unfortunately, Charlie and Dash were both swimmers.
Which meant they were in this class.
I ignored them as I always did and knelt to dip my cap in the water. Heat blanketed my exposed back when I stood, causing me to sigh. Here we go, I thought, very familiar with this game.
Charlie didn’t even give me a chance to turn around before he nudged me hard in the hip, sending me into the water.
Or maybe it was Dash today.
Who the fuck knew?
I pushed off the bottom of the pool, but rather than shoot up in the lane I’d “fallen” into, I kicked to give myself some distance. I made the mistake once of trying to resurface in the same lane and found my hair trapped in a fist for far too long.
