“So, you’re back for good?” he asks.
“Yep, had a council vote and everything.”
“Council vote?” he asks in concern. “You got yourself kicked out, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t,” I say, instantly jumping on the defense. “I’ll have you know, I was actually quite well behaved…mostly.”
“Apart from stealing a phone,” he scoffs. A grin spreads across my face, threatening to break my face in two. “How did the vote come about?”
“Do you want the long version or the short?” I ask.
“Better give me the long. I don’t want any forgotten details coming and surprising me later,” he says.
“Okay,” I smile as I get into it. I start right at the beginning, giving every detail of my time at Head Office. I even tell him about the ugly skirt suit and my faked illnesses.
Pride seems to swell through him as I describe the seminars I did and the spontaneous fight I had with Brax on that first day, right up until the part where I tell him about the meeting that took place with Marcus. A frown mars his handsome face and continues into a scowl the further I get through my story.
“He had you demonstrate on a vampire?” he growls, cutting me off.
“Yeah,” I confirm.
He gets up from the couch and begins pacing the room in anger while trying his hardest to rein in his emotions. “In a room full of students?”
“Yep. Three hundred of them.”
“Fuck,” he curses and he takes a few long, deep breaths before looking back up at me. “Right. Go on,” he orders.
“Well, after not training for three months, you can pretty much guess how the ‘demonstration’ went. I ended up in the infirmary and was lucky that someone was able to take down the vamp. It could have gone very differently, though. That’s when Brett put the vote into motion. Marcus was dismissed from the High Council and I was sent home.”
“I bet that didn’t go down too well with Marcus,” he muses.
“No, it didn’t. He vowed that I would regret it, but Brett said there’ll be further punishment in place for him, so I doubt I’ll be regretting anything,” I grin.
“You’re telling me Brett is the good guy here?” he groans.
I give him a small smile and nod as he lets out a sigh and drops to his knees in front of me. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he tells me as he takes my hands in his.
I look deep into those gold speckled eyes that I’ve fallen so madly in love with. “Me too,” I smile, leaning forward and pressing my lips to his.
Rylan takes control of the kiss and reluctantly pulls away. “I should get you back to the academy.”
“Can’t I stay? Just one night? It’s not like I’m going to miss any classes.”
“Fine,” he groans, even though I know he’s happy to keep me here. “But as soon as you’re back to school, you’ve got a lot of work to do, especially if you still want to graduate top of the class. I bet Trey would love to take that title off you.”
“I bet he would, but I still have two months before finals,” I grin as my legs uncurl off the couch and wrap around his waist to pull him in closer. “I’ll be okay,” I promise, freeing a hand to place on the side of his face and feeling the light stubble beneath my fingers, a stubble that drives me absolutely insane with need.
He groans as he climbs up on top of me. “I can’t wait until the year is over and I’m not your instructor anymore,” he says as he brings his lips down on my neck and kisses the sensitive skin.
Far out, that feels good.
I feel his lips curve into a grin as my body reacts to his touch. Need slams through me and I move my head so I can catch his lips on mine. The second they touch, the heat is turned up and my body springs alive, not only craving his touch but needing it.
I snake my hands down his broad chest, past his sculpted abs and up under his shirt to feel his skin on mine. I shimmy his shirt up between us and he’s more than happy to help me rid it from his body. My shoes are kicked off and hear them clatter to the floor, next comes my shirt which has his hands quickly snaking under me and diving for the clasp of my bra.
Rylan looks to me for approval and with a quick nod, he unclasps it with the quickest flick of his fingers. His lips move back to my neck, enticing a moan to escape me and I reach down and unbuckle his belt before getting to work on his jeans, and he wastes no time returning the favor.
Unlike the other times we’ve been intimate, there was no time for thought, no time for Rylan to pick me up and take me to bed like he’s done so many times before, there was no romance, no flowers or candles. Just pure, animalistic need for our bodies to become one, and it was exactly what I needed.
Chapter 9
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million more. There is nothing quite like waking up, wrapped in the strong arms of Rylan Neill.
The sun’s rays spill across the wooden floorboards, picking up the little specks of dust in the air and creating a vision that you only ever see in old photographs. What a beautiful, perfect morning. I could definitely get used to this. Graduation is only two months away and then this fantasy will become my reality.
Rylan’s arms tighten around my body. “Morning,” he grumbles as he nuzzles into my hair with a groan.
I roll in his arms and bring myself nose to nose with the most spectacular sight I’ve ever seen. “Morning,” I smile as he brings his lips down on mine.
He breaks the kiss but doesn’t move away. “Sleep well?” he asks with hooded eyes as his lips move against mine.
“Mmhmm,” I sigh. “Best sleep I’ve had in months,” I tell him honestly.
His lips lift into a perfect little smile making my heart skip a beat. “Me too.”
“Good,” I grin.
“So, back to school today,” he says, rolling us over so he hovers above me.
My mood immediately plummets to ground zero. “I was in a really great mood until then,” I tell him.
His eyebrows crease in confusion. “I thought you wanted to go back to the Academy?”
“I do,” I tell him as I sling my arms up and around his neck. “I just don’t want to be there when you’re not.”
A small smile graces his lips as emotion fills his eyes. “It’s just one month and I’ll be there, pretending I don’t give two shits about you while I kick everyone’s asses.”
“That sounds perfect,” I laugh as my stomach begins to rumble. Damn, way to ruin a good thing. Though I don’t know how I could possibly be hungry after Rylan spent the night forcing food down my throat, trying to help me gain some weight.
“Come on, why don’t we have a shower then I’ll make you breakfast,” he suggests as he climbs off me then pulls me to my feet, groaning as the sheet falls to the floor to reveal my naked body.
Rylan’s hands wrap around me, sliding down until they firmly rest against my ass before grabbing it and lifting me. My legs wrap around his waist as my lips meet with his. He walks us into the bathroom and deposits me onto the vanity while he leans into the shower, waiting for it to warm. Not a second is wasted before he pulls me back into his arms and steps under the cascading water.
An hour later, we’re finally dressed and ready to leave. Sadness fills me, knowing that this is the last time I’ll see him for a few weeks, but I still have the next few hours in the car with him. He packs my things into the back seat and opens my door to help me climb in. Once he’s in, he turns the key and we’re on the highway before I know it.
I sit in silence, lost in my own thoughts when Rylan reaches over and laces my fingers through his. “What’s up?” he asks with worry.
“I just feel bad. I feel like it’s my fault you got suspended,” I tell him. “If I didn’t get myself in that situation then you wouldn’t be stuck in the human world.”
“Stop it,” he demands. “You didn’t get yourself in that situation. You were taken. You’re not at fault. It was my decision to go after you. I was the one who agreed to take minor
s off Academy grounds, not that they gave me much choice,” he smirks as he recalls the memory. “But I would do it a million times over if it meant keeping you safe.”
“I know you would,” I tell him. “I’d do the same for you.”
“I know, but I’m too good to get myself captured by fairy knights,” he teases while giving me the sexiest wink imaginable.
My jaw drops and my hand flies to my chest as I feign offense. “You know I could have taken them and I would have if they weren’t about to kill Kaylee,” I remind him.
He smirks over at me. “I know. I trained you that way.”
“Pft,” I scoff. “Take all the credit for my awesome skills, why don’t you,” I laugh.
His eyes sparkle with mirth at my sassiness as a particular gas station passes by, followed a few moments later by a rundown motel. I look up to see his attention on the same motel before he glances down at me with a knowing look in his eyes. He gives my hand a squeeze, but nothing needs to be said. We know exactly what the other is thinking.
We pull off the highway and I sigh as I realize I’ve only got a few minutes left with him. Goodbyes suck. “This is going to have to be quick,” he tells me. “We can’t risk being seen together and I can’t have anyone notice me here.”
“Okay,” I say, looking down at my hands.
“Hey,” he says, reaching out and lifting my chin to meet his eyes. “It’s only a few weeks and then I’ll be back. You’ll be so busy catching up on missed work, you won’t even notice that I’m not there.”
“Yeah, right,” I scoff. “Kind of hard when you’re the one who’s usually teaching me.”
“Suck it up, princess,” he winks. “You’ll be alright.”
“I know,” I groan as he pulls into the Academy parking lot and stops in the furthest possible spot. “I’ll miss you,” I tell him as I refuse to let go of his hand.
“Yeah, you’ve made that pretty clear,” he laughs, thinking he’s some sort of comedian. “I’ll miss you, too,” he says, pulling me over into his lap and kissing me with everything he’s got. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I murmur against his lips.
“Good,” he says. “Now go kick some ass, maybe learn a few new things to keep me on my toes.”
“Easier said than done,” I grin, opening the door and hopping off his lap. I walk around to the back door and reach in to grab my bags as a tear falls down my face. I look up at the man I love. “I’ll see you later,” I whisper.
“I’ll see you later,” he murmurs with a sad smile.
I close the door and step back as I watch him peel out of the parking lot, taking my heart with him.
I wipe my eyes and let out a shaky breath. It’s only a few weeks and he’s right, I’ll be fine. I’m Bianca Freaking Moore, the top-ranked student in the combat program and I’m going to stay that way. I've just got a shitload of work to make sure I do.
But first things first. I need to surprise my best friend.
It’s the middle of the day so Jacinta would be in class so I can sneak into my room, dump my bags, and hopefully, all my electronics would have been sent back to me by now. Without my phone, I have no way of knowing the time so I glance around the corner to check there are no students out and about.
The coast is clear so I start walking in the direction of the girls’ dorm room. “Bianca,” I hear my name being called. I groan as I instantly recognize the sound of Miss Layton’s whiny voice. I stop in my tracks and slowly turn to face her, plastering on a fake smile for her benefit. So much for my awesome ninja skills, I couldn’t even see her when I scanned the area, looks like I have some serious work to do.
She walks straight up to me and wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. “It’s so wonderful you’re back,” she smiles as she finally lets me go. “I was so happy when I heard the news this morning.”
“Uh…yeah,” I smile. “Thanks.”
“Was that Rylan’s SUV I saw dropping you off?” she asks with big, excited eyes.
“No,” I lie. “Brett Norrington bought me back.”
“Oh,” she says as her whole face deflates, making me want to punch her in the throat for having a crush on my boyfriend, though I can’t blame her, he’s the hottest thing to ever happen to The Guard. “Brett dropped you off personally?” she asks in surprise.
“Yeah,” I say. “He wanted my input on the seminars so they can work on bettering it,” I lie again, though at least this time it’s only a half-lie. I mean, he did actually ask for my input.
“Oh, okay,” she smiles. “Well listen, I know there have been some big changes for you so I just want you to know that my door is always open if you need to talk. I’m a great listener.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” I tell her, knowing there’s no way in hell I’ll be sitting in her office, pouring out my heart.
“Great,” she purrs then looks down at my bags. “I better let you go,” she says squeezing my shoulder before promptly disappearing, leaving me motionless and trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
I shake it off and make my way back to my room, this time being more careful not to get caught by anyone. I drop my bags at the door and sprawl out on the floor, throwing things around the hallway as I search my bags for my key. Finding it at the very bottom, thankful that I ‘forgot’ to hand them back when I left, I stick it into the lock and twist.
I fall into my room with a sigh. I’m finally home in my own room with my own bed that I notice Jacinta has been currently using as her own personal dumping station, though they’re all Guard Law textbooks that she’s been borrowing from the library in hopes of finding a way to get my ass out of Head Office, but bless her heart for trying.
I haul my mess out of the hallway and look around the room in disappointment when I notice my electronics aren’t here, but they could possibly be at the student office.
I search through Jacinta’s bedside table and pull out her iPad, groaning when I realize the battery is dead. I sit on the edge of her bed and plug in the charger before waiting until it has enough battery for me to turn it on, and I find myself wondering how my life has become this endless game of sitting on beds waiting for electronics to charge.
Two minutes later, I finally get the time. Perfect, there are only a few minutes before lunch.
I quickly strip out of my clothes and find my workout gear, figuring I might as well go straight to combat training after lunch. I mean, there’s no use sitting around another day doing nothing. I’ve done that for the past three months. It’s time to turn over a new leaf.
I sneak my way down to the cafeteria, smiling as I hear the familiar sound of the bell ringing. I duck behind a post that gives me the perfect view of the cafeteria and wait.
A few moments later, the seniors start trickling in from every direction and I wait patiently until I finally see the familiar mop of blonde hair. A grin creeps across my face at finally seeing my best friend. She walks straight past my post and into the cafeteria. Following her comes Daniel with Nora hanging off him and a few moments after, Trey.
I watch as they all get their food and take a seat, except for Daniel who sits at a different table with Nora.
I make my move. I quietly walk into the cafeteria, keeping my head down with only Daniel spotting me from afar. His jaw practically hits the table as he looks at me in shock. I give him a brilliant smile and hold my finger up, motioning for him to keep quiet.
He nods and I see the wonder in his eyes. I indicate with a flick of my head that he should go and join Jacinta and Trey. His eyes narrow on me as he properly takes me in, no doubt seeing the few changes that I’m not particularly proud of. He looks at Nora but gets up anyway with her following along, and I wonder if she’s now a permanent attachment that I’ll have to get used to.
I grab a tray and fill it up with all my favorites before turning around and heading to my old table. Whispers start around me as everyone starts noticing my presence, but lucky for me
, Trey and Jacinta are lost in their own world. I finally make it to the table and feel like I’m about to burst with excitement. Daniel’s eyes follow me across the cafeteria, right up until I come to a standstill next to Jacinta.
I gently slide my tray across the table and take a seat next to her as she talks animatedly to Trey about the last few messages I had sent her the other day and how she misses me. Trey, might I mention, is so engrossed in his little love bubble with Jacinta that he hasn’t noticed me either. I glance over at Daniel whose eyes are sparkling with laughter as he takes in our friend’s complete and utter ignorance.
Jacinta’s story finally finishes and she turns towards her tray to start her lunch. She picks up her sandwich and takes a bite. A huge grin creeps over my face as she sits beside me chewing. She brings her sandwich up for another bite and I can’t take it anymore. I clear my throat, giving her such a fright that she squeals and loses grip on her sandwich, sending salad all over the floor. She whips her head in my direction before flying to her feet and jumping up and down.
“Oh, my God,” she screeches as I jump up beside her and into her arms. “Oh, my God.”
In the space of two seconds, her excitement quickly turns into overwhelmed happiness and she holds on to me with everything she’s got. “Oh, my God,” she begins to sob.
I hold her tighter as tears of my own threaten to spill. By now, I know we have the whole cafeteria’s attention and I glance over Jacinta’s shoulder to give Trey a welcoming smile, though he’s also watching me with narrowed, curious eyes as he takes in my new frame.
Once Jacinta has herself under control, I pass her off to Trey who happily takes her in his arms so Daniel can wrap me up in the biggest bear hug I’ve ever had. “Missed you, pretty girl,” he murmurs into my ear as he squeezes the life out of me. “You have no idea how much.”
“Trust me, I do,” I tell him. “I missed you, too.”
He pulls back, allowing me to breathe, but holds me close as he latches onto my shoulders. “Things can finally go back to normal.”
Queen and War: Slayer Academy (Book 3) Page 6
