Deadly Morsel: Rosewood Academy of Witches and Mages (Darkly Sweet Book 5)

by Juliann Whicker

  I shook my head. “Not a chance.”

  He laughed. “Fine. I’ll make another batch.”

  So that was Saturday, petite fours in the morning, pool at night.

  It was awkward.

  The whole time I felt like a pretend Penny with pretend Zach pretending to be dating. The only real thing was the bartender, the human who had spent time in Darkside.

  His smile felt warm and he touched my hand for a second before he got me a ginger ale.

  Zach glared at the guy and covered my hand with his, fingers hard. “Can’t he tell we’re on a date?”

  I sighed and shook my head when the bartender looked at me then at Zach’s hand squeezing the life out of mine. His eyes were asking if I needed help. What could he do against a mage?

  I pulled my hand away from Zach. “There’s nothing in the contract about humans.”

  Zach smiled and cocked his head. “No? I don’t suppose there is. If you’d like to flirt with humans on our dates, that’s fine, I just thought it was one of those Marionetta moments, you know, ‘how dare you look at my woman who I’m now going to drag away by her hair in a show of bizarre passion’ like that.”

  I frowned at him. “Really?”

  He shrugged. “Do you like me jealous or indifferent? I can go either way.”

  I considered it. “I think I’d like another option.”

  He frowned thoughtfully then smiled and leaned closer. “Of course you would. Also to vary wildly back and forth in my response to you.”

  I pushed him back. “Can’t you just feel how you feel and act how you act? It already feels fake bordering on farcical.”

  He hooked his foot in my bench and pulled it closer to him. He slid his hand around my waist, his palm over my hip where he’d carved his ugly company logo. “Farcical is a good word for our relationship. Sometimes you know such pretty big words. It makes me want to taste your tongue.”

  I flinched while he tightened his hold on me.

  “You did say you wanted honest. I’m sure the impulse has passed.” His eyes were so bright, so intensely blue.

  I hesitated then shrugged. “I’m not all that crazy about tongue. Kissing with tongue, I mean.”

  He raised his eyebrows and the intensity in his eyes lessened slightly. “Maybe you just don’t like Drake’s tongue.”

  “I don’t like Teddy’s, or Signore’s brother’s either.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “You’ve kissed Teddy? What about Lester?”

  I sighed. “I don’t get what you have against him. He’s very useful. No, I haven’t kissed him. He’s going to join a brotherhood of monks or whatever. That’s one of the things I like about him.”

  He slid his hand up and tickled my ribs. I wriggled around, trying to get away from him and also trying not to laugh. I failed at both. He let me go and leaned on the bar, staring at me with a funny smile on his mouth.

  “No tongue. Got it. Anything else you dislike?”

  “Being tickled.” I poked his stomach. His stomach was hard, muscular, and not at all squishy like bellies should be. Why was he all flexed and tense? I looked around the pool hall and didn’t notice anything weird. There were a couple students from Rosewood, and a lot of people I’d never seen before who I assumed were human.

  Zach caught my hand and kissed it. I blinked at him because where had that come from. “Does that bother you?”

  “It’s weird.”

  “But does it bother you?”

  I shrugged. “Not really. You?”

  “I like the taste of chemicals mixed with lollipops.” He stood up and stretched. “Come on. We have to go find a nice spot to watch the sunset and kiss without tongue.”

  I followed him out of the bar, nodding at the human before I left. My stomach was tied in knots as we walked down the sidewalk, me slightly behind him so I could watch him, make sure he was keeping his distance. How could I kiss Zach? Not that I hadn’t sort of kissed him last time, but this was so slow and planned. Maybe he’d kiss me on the hand again, like Drake at the circus.

  I could get used to kissing Zach. It couldn’t possibly be as horrible as Signore’s brother.

  “Why did you kiss your Deliveryman’s brother?” Zach asked like he was reading my mind.

  “He traded me for it.”

  “Do you want to do that with me, trade kisses for favors?”

  I wrinkled my nose at him. “What kind of favors?”

  He rubbed his chin. “Éclairs.”

  I laughed and felt a little bit less horrible. “Okay. Also equipment.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, no. I’m going to fully equip you whether you like it or not. We can only trade something extraneous and pointless.”

  I nodded. “Like fake nails.”

  “Exactly what I was thinking. Or already chewed gum, no, too precious.”

  “Potatoes.”

  “Raw or baked?”

  “Either way. Have you ever fired a potato launcher?”

  He raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger at me. “I really like where this is going. Next date, you, me, a whole barrel of potatoes. Some we’ll wrap some in foil and bake while we practice shooting.”

  I linked arms with him. “I don’t think we really have time for that. We need to plan the wedding. I think we should have it next week. Friday at the latest.”

  He inhaled sharply and jerked my arm when I kept walking and he froze in place. “Next week?”

  I shrugged and turned to him. “You have boatloads of money. You could throw together the kind of wedding I have in mind in twenty minutes. You’re paying for it.”

  “I am? Is that why it’s going to be such a small, frugal wedding, because I’m a skinflint?”

  “Yep. Pretty much. Are you going to stand here all day?”

  He stepped closer, cupped my face and kissed me.

  I stared at his eyes, closed, dark lashes against his tan cheek, dark eyebrows relaxed and calm. His lips were soft. It was a million times better than Signore’s brother, but a million times worse too. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t hate the taste of root beer or the feel of his soft mouth, or the slight pressure of his hand against my cheek.

  He pulled away, took my hand and resumed walking. “I think we should pick up some tiramisu before we go back and start planning the wedding.”

  My heart pounded while my stomach twisted from guilt. I belonged to Drake. I loved him. My lips belonged on his. No, they didn’t. No I didn’t. I had to marry Zach and stay married to him so Drake would stay safe from my psychotic father. It was the only way I could protect him. I would protect him.

  That night, I went to bed. It would have been more boring if I didn’t wake up screaming from a nightmare.

  I sat up panting while Señor Mort trembled against my stomach. I got up, put him in his cage and got out my phone. I stared at the numbers. Revere, Poppy, Drake. There was only one person who I wanted to call.

  I grabbed my silk robe and left my room, crossing the Commons without any sign of Zach or Viney. I walked along the dark halls, fiddling with the belt of my robe until I got to his door. I put my hands on the wood, pressing against it like I could feel his hands beneath mine. I rested my head against the door and listened. I almost thought I could hear his heart pounding through the wood, smell dark cherry and sweat, wood dust and cinnamon.

  Someone cleared his throat behind me. I whirled around and stared at Drake.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded, clutching my chest.

  He smiled beneath tired green eyes. “Is this not my room? How awkward.”

  I bit my lower lip and then stepped to the side, gesturing for him to go ahead. He wasn’t supposed to be here.

  He opened the door with his key and then stepped inside. He turned and looked at me, his hand on the doorknob. “Were you smelling my door?”

  “No. I was, um, checking it for slivers.”

  He tilted his head. “What’s the verdict?”

  I rubbed the smooth wood wi
th my fingers. “Very well sanded. The thing is that I had a nightmare. I wasn’t going to knock, I just wanted to know that your door was still there.”

  He nodded slowly. “I see.” He swallowed and then stepped back, leaving the door open. “You can come in.”

  I didn’t even pretend to hesitate before I dashed into his room, slamming the door like boogie men were after me. I stared at him and batted my eyelashes. “It’s pretty smooth on this side too. Where do you get your doors?”

  His eyes flashed green and he stepped towards me before he stopped and ran his tongue over his teeth. “Was your nightmare about doors?”

  I hesitated then nodded.

  He put his palm on the smooth wood beside my head, sliding it down until his fingers brushed my shoulder. “I had no idea that nightmares were under my jurisdiction, particularly door nightmares. Should we add a clause in the contract? What am I supposed to do?”

  I closed my eyes and stepped into him, letting my face fall against his neck. He smelled like black cherries, smoke and fury. He didn’t act angry, but he smelled like it.

  “Are you still smelling my door, all the way over here? How impressive you are. How long will this take? I actually planned to sleep tonight.”

  I opened my mouth to taste him before I gasped and pushed away from him. I stared into his furious green eyes, my heart pounding, stomach twisting. What was wrong with me? Having a nightmare about my father ripping out Drake’s heart should send me to Zach, not Drake. Drake was fine. He would stay fine as long as I stayed away from him.

  “Thanks. I feel much better now. Good dreams.”

  “It’s good night, or sweet dreams. Hasn’t anyone ever tucked you in properly? Hopefully Zach will do the job right. Are you going to let him practice before the wedding?” His indifferent drawl didn’t match the smell of anger, a scent I found dizzyingly delicious.

  My mouth watered and I found myself swaying towards him. “The wedding will be next week. I hope you’ll be in town.”

  He pushed me against the wall, eyes blazing while his mouth tightened. “Next week. Oh, I’ll be in town along with a dozen armies and a dragon and everyone I can bribe or coerce into protecting you. Have you told Missy? She could be your maid of honor.”

  I closed my eyes while my shoulders ached from his touch, aching for more pressure. “Good idea. I’ll see her tomorrow at church.”

  That’s when he licked me from the front of my camisole up my throat to my ear. His tongue was hot, rough, and sent a trail of liquid fire over every inch of my skin.

  He whispered, “You dislike my tongue? You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

  He licked me again, this time along my jaw, his tongue making circles on my skin, to my chin then back towards my neck.

  My knees buckled, and I only stayed up from his grip on my shoulders. He kept licking me, my throat, my shoulders, but never my mouth. He straightened, his eyes hard and hungry.

  “I’m going to bed now.” His eyes challenged while his lips mocked. Was that an invitation? A dare?

  I ached more than I’d ever ached, my heart pounding while my skin screamed. I stepped away from him, cutting my arms with my nails. “I’m sorry to bother you.”

  “Are you? What about my bothering you? Are you sorry about that as well?” He raked a hand through his hair before he shot me a grin. “Games, Penny Lane. Always such good games. I’m in a biting mood. Run away before I forget that you aren’t interested in being wolf fodder.”

  Run away? It wasn’t possible. But it had to be. I nodded and turned, somehow making it to the door, turning the handle and stumbling out into the hall.

  I leaned against the door, heart pounding, head spinning, and didn’t even see the mage who leaned on the wall opposite me until he spoke.

  “You weren’t there very long.” Zach.

  I put my hand to my heart and tried to get it together. I smiled brightly. “I was just checking his door for slivers.”

  “That makes perfect sense.”

  I nodded then frowned and sighed. “No it doesn’t. I had a nightmare that my dad ripped Drake’s heart out of his chest. I wanted to make sure he was okay.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Do your dreams come true?”

  I shook my head.

  “That’s good. I don’t know that the turban look would work for your hair.” He ruffled it and then leaned close and sniffed me. “You smell like spit.”

  “He licked me. Because I don’t like his tongue. Annoying.”

  “Very. Do you want me to rip his tongue out for you?”

  “No. I told you I don’t like tongue. What would I do with someone else’s? I’m not eating it.”

  He laughed then studied me for a long time. “Did you like our kiss?”

  I pressed my lips together as I remembered the softness, the gentle pressure. “It was very nice.”

  “I know, but do you like nice?”

  I hesitated then nodded. “Yes. I know you aren’t nice, but I like pretending.”

  He stepped close, put his hand to my cheek, lifting my face like he was going to kiss me again. I closed my eyes and waited for the soft sweetness. It was not soft. It was not sweet. It was teeth and pressure and pain.

  I gasped and then his tongue was in my mouth, only for a moment, but the feel of it, soft mixed with vicious felt terribly real and impossible to escape. He pulled back and studied me, his lips moist, eyes glinting.

  “What will it take to get you to slap me, Penny? You can kiss him if you want, but the hurting, the Pitch, that belongs to me.”

  I stepped away from him, twisting out of his grip. “What happened to me leading, you following? The next kiss, the next date, that was supposed to be mine.” I turned and started walking quickly to my room. My mouth ached and my stomach twisted.

  “The next date is our wedding. Do you want me to stand there with my eyes closed, waiting for you to kiss me?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t care. I don’t know what you want.”

  “No? I don’t either. On the one hand, I think I should get as much as I can out of our time together, and on the other, I should spend my effort into making it last, keeping you happy.” He put his hands on my shoulders, squeezing lightly, repeatedly, rubbing me until I could almost breathe. “It’s hard for you to marry me. It’s not hard for me. I will take anything you’re willing to give me. The TMD have submitted a suit and your trial is Monday.”

  I blinked at him. “What?”

  “Next week, Monday will be your court case. Isn’t that convenient? Not in a conventional courthouse. It’ll be at the end of the polo fields. You have a very exciting week.”

  “Tuesday I’m going to Community Service with Drake.”

  He nodded. “Wednesday we’ll have a nice bachelor’s party. Viney’s throwing you one.”

  I stared at him. “Oh.”

  He grinned. “She’s going to ask Pete to strip for you.”

  I felt my face get hot. “Like I haven’t seen him mostly naked already. What are you going to do? Strippers?”

  He cocked his head and stared at me. “Would that bother you? It would. Why is that?”

  “You’re mine.” I shrugged and started walking faster. “Do you have a problem with that? If you start having girls in your room, I’ll have a really hard time not killing them.”

  “And if I want you to kill them?”

  I shot him a look. “Then I’ll have a really hard time not inviting Ian to my room.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. Not Drake?”

  I shook my head and focused ahead.

  “Should we put it in the contract, that I’m not allowed to look at another female?”

  “If you’d like.”

  “And you wouldn’t be allowed to look at another mage.”

  “That’s fair.”

  He grabbed my arm, swinging me around to face him.

  “Fair. Penny Lane, when are you going to realize that witches and mages don’t play fair
? It makes me feel guilty for taking advantage of you. It also terrifies me because you’re going to play into every diabolical mage’s game, like a child. You should stop going to church. It’s going to give you ideas about sacrifice and compassion that you genuinely do not need.”

  “It’s interesting.”

  “You’re interesting enough. You do not need any more ideas.”

  I laughed and patted his head. “Right. Because I’m marrying you, you think I’m going to let you tell me what to do with my mind, my body, my life? Very funny. No. I will work with you according to our contract and if doesn’t suit me, I’ll break the contract. Our marriage will last for one year after which, we’ll decide whether to renew.”

  He frowned darkly. “You need to be married for more than a year.”

  I shrugged. “I have options. All these mages who want an aberration. I definitely have options. And so do you. You’re Stoneburrow.”

  He smiled sharply. “But you’d prefer if I only practiced my options after a year of being blissfully wedded to you and your shadow. I reciprocate except as far as Drake’s concerned. You can have him at any time.”

  I scowled at him. “Don’t be an idiot.”

  “You want him. He wants you. We’re rich, powerful, we take what we want.”

  “Then why didn’t he marry me?”

  He blinked at me. “What?”

  “If your kind take what you want, why didn’t Drake marry me?”

  He studied me for a long time before he shrugged. “He stopped wanting you.”

  “Then why did he lick me? No, he’s the one that’s honorable. He gave me up so I could marry you and be safe.”

  “And you’re marrying me so you can protect him. Yes, the two of you are extraordinarily backwards in your entire approach. Love, probably. I would do anything for Pitch.”

  “And for Penny?”

  He smiled sharply. “I want you in my bed.”

  I stared at him. “What?”

  “I want you in my bed. Tonight. Sleep with me.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “You aren’t the only one with nightmares. You’re trying to not be with Drake to keep me from being jealous, to keep me from breaking the contract. I don’t care what you do with him as long as you sleep in my bed.”