Starlight & Shadows: A Limited Edition Academy Collection by Laura Greenwood, Arizona Tape, Juliana Haygert, Kat Parrish, Ashley McLeo, L.C. Mawson, Leigh Kelsey, Bre Lockhart, Zelda Knight

by Laura Greenwood

  “But that wasn’t what I wanted. That’s why I made the promise in the first place. I don’t want a husband, I never have. I only dated Sam because he pushed me into it, and then I only dated Noah because of the curse. I wanted that future with you. And yeah, I also assumed that we would adopt kids together or something. We both said that we wanted them. And I guess… I guess I never thought about it in… Well, I never thought about it in romantic terms because you never brought it up.”

  She stared at me again for a moment, raising an eyebrow before stepping forward, closing the space between us and causing my breath to hitch in my throat.

  “Well, you never mentioned liking girls.”

  “Neither did you,” I reminded her. “And I am so used to crossing boundaries without meaning to… I couldn’t ever let myself cross that one. It’s easy with guys, they let you know when they want you, even when you don’t want them to. With girls… It was always too complicated to figure out how to say things, so I just assumed that I wouldn’t get anywhere with them, and that I would end up alone. You know, after you left. Before that, I figured that I would at least have you, if only as a friend.”

  “I… Liv, I want so badly to kiss you right now.”

  I cringed. “I… You know, even with you, I’m still not sold on the idea of mouth kissing. It still seems kind of gross.”

  “Well, there are other places I could kiss you.”

  “I think I’d like that.”

  As she stepped closer, I felt a warmth spread across my chest, and I didn’t need to look to know that the curse had been broken.

  The End

  Thank you for reading Trying to Break Curses in All the Wrong Places. If you want to read other books set at Ember Academy, then why not check out Basics of Spellcraft (the start of an F/F YA series) or Advanced Dragon Studies (the start of a New Adult Reverse Harem series)!

  About L.C. Mawson

  Some say she's an ancient creature of nightmare that was unleashed from beneath the ocean, come to devour the souls of men. Others say that she's a cosmic being from the beyond the stars that has taken corporeal form to learn our ways for some unknown end...

  In truth, L.C. Mawson lives in a tower in the middle of a haunted forest, far from civilisation and is definitely not a witch who curses those who trespass upon her land. And she definitely cannot turn into a dragon that flies over cities in the dead of night and whose cries are often mistaken for an approaching storm. Where did you hear that? That's absurd...

  The only contact she has with humanity is publishing a book every so often, which is definitely just for fun and not part of an ancient contract with a trickster god, and occasionally posting in her Facebook group when she remembers.

  If you want to check out more of her work, she has a starter library of free books available, and if you liked this Sapphic tale, might I suggest picking up the free prequel novella to her Ember Academy for Young Witches series.

  Campus Tour

  UNIVERSITY OF FAE: PREQUEL

  Bre Lockhart

  Blurb

  I’ve been planning this future at this college for years. I’ve driven by a thousand times and stared longingly at the windows of what could one day be my very first dorm room.

  * * *

  So why do I kind of hate this place now?

  One campus tour gone wrong and my dreams of keg parties and late night study sessions disappear. And I can’t even tell you why exactly.

  * * *

  My memories of that freak accident might be fuzzy, but my resolve isn’t. Everything feels different and this university just isn’t for me anymore.

  -

  Campus Tour is the prequel short story in the urban fantasy series, University of Fae. Book one, Rush Week, follows Nova Hayes as she reluctantly navigates life inside a secret fairy sorority on a picturesque college campus.

  Chapter One

  It’s everything I’ve envisioned since… basically forever. The lecture halls. The dated inspirational posters in the union. The chem labs. Even the beige hallways are awesome. I’d twirl right here, right now, if I thought I could get away with it. This is honestly perf—

  “Hey, Nove! Check this out. Ashley loves football too!” Josh high-fives the chick we met approximately eight seconds ago.

  I shouldn’t have brought him.

  I mean, I know he’s got a scholarship to go here in the fall, but he’s such a jackass. Currently, he’s my jackass and I’m living with the consequences of hot football player brain numbing.

  I wave, though he isn’t looking, and turn my focus back to the tour guide ahead of me.

  “As we enter into the next area, please keep in mind that while many will be in a lecture at this hour, there will be plenty of students studying between classes. Conversation should be kept to a minimum.”

  I nod, as if she cares. I might be a bit too into this. Thank god I talked myself out of wearing the blue hoodie with the university letters and matching headband this morning. Ain’t nobody need that level of commitment at 7:45am.

  We step out of the postcard perfection that is the grand campus library and my mind is awash in the visions of late nights pouring over statistics, study groups, and straight black coffee. I can practically smell the hundred-year-old wood paneling. This time next year, I’ll be a freshman. I’ll be living in a dorm with a terrible roommate, probably one of Josh’s friend’s girlfriends, and nothing but ramen for weeks, unless my mom splurges for the meal plan.

  Mid-walk, I turn to look for said friends.

  I wonder if Josh and I will still be dating or—

  Before the remainder of that thought processes, my entire front and the right side of my face connect with something hard. There’s an instantaneous static buzz I almost miss as my body ricochets in the direction I’d come from but is stopped by two strong arms. Confused, I finally look up to connect the dots and find dark eyes watching me.

  “Uh, hey.”

  Did that come from my mouth or his, because it sums up my thoughts as well.

  “Hi.”

  Ok, that one was from me.

  “Well…uh…sorry about that.” He clears his throat. A small smile forms on his perfect lips.

  This would be awkward as hell if his voice didn’t sound like… what is happening?

  I fidget uncomfortably, only to realize his hands are still resting on my sides. My gaze drifts down. Like a magnet reversing polarity, his arms pull back.

  I can feel his eyes on me even though mine are looking at my Vans to avoid this interaction. So unlike my normal confidence, but here we are. I zero in on something on the ground. When I bend down, he takes a step away.

  I grab the plastic card and lanyard, flip it over, and immediately recognize the picture because he’s standing in front of me. Without thought, I read aloud the largest text that catches my eye. “Lowell?” Is it a question? It might be a question.

  When our eyes meet again, I feel a second body at my side just before a thick muscled arm drapes over my shoulders. “Hey, babe. Whatcha doing?”

  “Uh…” I hold the ID card out to the man still staring at me without a care in the world. “He dropped his ID.” Did that sound as dumb out loud as it did in my head?

  “Yeah, uh… my bad.” He takes the card from my hand and I note the lack of skin contact, but I don’t know why I care. “Thanks.”

  Ok, enough of this. Be gone, you… dang. They sure do make them pretty in college.

  His t-shirt fits just right. A runner maybe? He’s got that well-done comfort style about him. His look isn’t fussy, but he spends money on that haircut. So pretty…

  Josh’s arm suddenly feels like a weight. It’s my turn to clear my throat before replying. “Yeah, no prob.” My voice is far too high-pitched.

  Shit.

  He glances at Josh, then looks back to me before he flexes that killer grin as he throws me a wink and leaves.

  Yo, I cannot wait for next year.

  There’s a skip in my st
ep that wasn’t there yesterday. The future is bright and full of possibilities. Even the sun barely peeking through the clouds feels a bit warmer on my skin while standing in the middle of the quad—a word I have not overused thirty-six times already today.

  I’m not sure if he’s listening, but I rattle on anyway. “If I’m majoring in architecture, I’ll probably have classes in that building. So cool! I wonder how long it takes to get from the dorms to the quad.” When I receive no response, I get my answer as to whether he’s listening or not. I turn to find him sitting at my side but smiling at the story his friends are recapping for our brand-new best friend, Ashley.

  She’s nice enough, but I should have at least asked Jeremy’s girlfriend of the month to join us. Listening to fart jokes and high school prank memories is getting old. College is clearly just a stop on the jock agenda for these bros. I understood that to some extent before I got here, but the confirmation is unfortunate.

  I pat Josh on the thigh, hop down off the concrete divider, and say, “I’m gonna grab us a couple of sodas from the vending machine. Be right back.”

  He doesn’t look at me when he replies. “Sure, babe. Dr. Pepper.”

  I’m around the corner completely when the first drop hits my nose. I look up as I feel a few more. I’ve lived in Oklahoma long enough to know what’s about to happen, but the reverberating crack of thunder in the distance still brings me to a standstill. The sun has quickly disappeared and been replaced with even more clouds. Like a curtain drop, the rainfall hits me and the meticulously manicured lawn to my right. I barely have time to register my fate stuck in this abrupt spring storm before I’m drenched and sprinting for the closest entrance into the Student Union.

  I’m quickly reminded that when smooth concrete meets new rubber soles with zero grip, arms flail and asses greet that smooth pavement in dramatic fashion. Vans are cool, but they’re not all-weather footwear.

  I’ll just lay here for a bit and pray that on a college campus home to around five thousand students, no one saw that.

  I’m still debating how to salvage my pride and which pain reliever will work best for a bruised tailbone when I hear him. “Excellent landing. The judges award a full five stars. Now, come on. I’m getting soaked.”

  When I look back up, I groan. Same dark eyes and perfect, but now dripping, hair. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”

  He laughs. “Seriously, get up. I’m trying to be chivalrous here, but the water’s sloshing in my boots and I’m about to say screw it and find some other hot, but dry, chick inside to talk to.” His hand is outstretched above me, waiting.

  Fucking fuck fuck.

  I moan and mumble, “chivalry is so dead.” His only reply is to laugh.

  After a deep sigh that has me swallowing rainwater, I grip his palm and he pulls me to standing. The same static charge is present, and when I’m safely on two feet, I tug my hand free, breaking the connection. His eyes zero in on mine before he shakes his head and motions toward the door. We hustle the last few feet until we’re under the awning near the entrance. “Thank you. Now please leave and let’s pretend this never happened.”

  “Done, but first let me stop the video so I can upload that performance to my insta story.”

  When I look at him, probably horrified, I see he does, in fact, have a phone in his hand. His smirk drops as he reviews my expression. “Kidding. Just making sure my phone was dry.” His smile turns devilish as he continues, “but I could…” and holds up the phone in my direction just before the audible snap of the camera is heard. His face morphs to absolutely horror in an instant. “Fuck, that was an accident. Sorry. Deleting. I’m not that creepy.” He’s fumbling with the device in his hands like it’s on fire. “Seriously, not creepy. Hang on.”

  He turns the phone screen to me and it’s his camera roll, no images of me visible. He could still have them, but my face relaxes anyway. “Listen, Lowell. While it is very brave of you to show a stranger your photos like that—I mean what if the stray dick pick showed itself on accident? I still don’t know you, and that was one hundred percent stalker vibes. Know that I will go full Taken on your family if later I find unapproved photos or video evidence on any social channel.”

  “You know my—that’s right. My ID card.” He shakes his head before turning that devastating face in my direction once more. “I promise I’m not that much of a weirdo.”

  “So you’re saying you are at least a little bit of a weirdo?”

  He laughs. “Maybe, but not in the duct-tape-throw-you-in-my-conversion-van-type of weirdo. Just the embarrass-the-shit-out-of-myself-in-front-of hot-chicks-type of weirdo.” His cheeks have a hint of color where they didn’t before his camera fumble.

  His face. Jesus, lord, that face. Women do bad things to get close to that face.

  “So, would I be pushing my luck to ask your name? I mean, seems only fair since you know mine.”

  “No chance, creeper.”

  “Understood.” He’s smiling again. Conversation stalls as we both stupidly smile at each other.

  I feel my cheeks heating when he continues, “So are we just going to stand here or…?”

  Like an idiot, I reply, “standing is nice” before giggling. I take no responsibility for what is happening. Clearly, I am hypnotized by the dark lashes that frame impossibly dark eyes and hair.

  His smile grows and we both know I’ve lost some sense. Almost as if he can’t stop himself, his fingers reach for my cheek and when they hit, there’s a definite buzz that neither of us can brush off. “What the eff?”

  He doesn’t remove his hand, but lets it linger against my skin. His eyes mirror my feeling of shock. “I don’t understand. Are you…?”

  Taking a risk, I reach for the exposed skin of his wrist and the tingling sensation only intensifies. Despite the curiosity written all over his face, my feelings are teetering on concern, possibly fear. I pull my now warm limb back to my body.

  “Um, what the hell is happening? Why are you all shock-y?” What can I say, I’m eloquent when I’m stressed.

  “I’m not sure. This normally only happens when Raze make a connection, but unless…”

  I narrow my eyes and respond. “I need to know what a Raze is ASAP” Intelligence begins to filter back through. “I’m about three seconds from screaming or sprinting, your pick.”

  With another shake of his head, his expression morphs from awe to suspicion in an instant. “Who are you?” His hand drops abruptly to his side and the worrisome electricity all but disappears. He takes a step away and his tone changes. “Tell me your name.”

  “Fat chance, bro. Tell me why we can’t touch each other without it feeling like a malfunctioning socket.” I pause. “And what the hell is a Raze?”

  “Fuck.” He begins to pull out his phone. “I need to call the director. She’ll know what to do.”

  “What to do about what? One second I’m on my way to get a Dr. Pepper, and the next, I’m dealing with some sparky frat boy.” I look around. “Yep, I’m fucking sprinting.” More to myself, I say, “suspect as all hell. Is this what a roofie feels like? I gotta get back to Josh.”

  He reaches for me, but I pull away. “Wait, you can’t leave. This is serious. I knew I sensed something, but your power is muted somehow.”

  “The only power I have at the moment is kicking weird, stupid-hot dudes in the nuts. Nope. I’m out.”

  Just as I begin to turn, there’s approximately one second of a strange whining noise before a loud cracking comes from above. My gaze moves up when something trickles onto my cheeks that doesn’t feel like water. I wipe away dust and in slow motion, I watch as the entire metal awning on this side of the building begins to fall toward us. With little time to do anything else, Lowell presses his body firmly against my side and that sketchy static charge pulses hot and a bright light surrounds us.

  “Yes, the daughter… she saved them both. Part of the building collapsed. No, I didn’t see anyone cause it, but it had to have been the Or
der. Entire balconies don’t just fall down randomly… Yes, I’m aware. The High Priest was right. They cannot know of her… Noted. Got it.” The words are interrupted by a grunt. “I can only hold this pause for so long, M. It drains me.”

  I hear rustling and feel weight on my body, but as the heat from what I assume is a light source begins to cool, I can tell that I’m again in darkness, but unable to open my eyes.

  “Ok, yes. I’ll report back as soon as I make sure they’re safe. Yeah, I know the fairies are gonna have a fit about the Raze. He’s your wheelhouse. I’m just gonna exit before they get here… uh huh—”

  Instinct takes over and I try to push away from the heaviness on my chest. Whatever it is feels like an entire building.

  “Shit. She’s moving now. Gotta jet.”

  My breath catches as though energy just sucked it away for a brief moment and I gasp. I feel no pain when the object is lifted away from me and the dreary day comes back in a rush.

  Her face is blurry as she says, “I’m so sorry. I have no other choice.” I can barely make out dark hair that bobs at her chin when she speaks. I feel something else lifted off my legs and all of the previous warmth evaporates.

  Her hand is cool to the touch on my forehead, and my eyelids feather closed. That cooling sensation lasts only a moment before it’s replaced with a searing pain just above my brows, followed by liquid dripping into my mouth. I sputter, swallow on instinct, and begin to drift off.

  Her last words are barely audible. “Please forgive me.”

  The medic hands me a bottle of water. “Keep that ice pack on your head. You’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”

  I take a drink and set the glass at my side on the back of the ambulance. “Thanks.”