by Luna Pierce
I shake my head. “No, not yet. It usually gets worse before I figure out what it is.”
“Interesting.” His eyebrows rise. “Any theories?”
Why is he prying? Is he genuinely curious or is it something else?
“Nope. Everything has been going fairly smooth, minus this.” I hold my bandaged hand up in front of me. Things obviously aren’t going well, but I’m sure not going to tell him that. My circle of trust only extends so far, and he hasn’t made the cut.
“Sometimes these types of things take time. From what I’ve heard, though, I have no doubt you’ll figure it out.”
Is that a compliment?
“That’s the plan.” I stand awkwardly by the door.
“Come on in. Have a seat. We’ll get this squared away quickly so you can get on with the rest of your evening.” Tremont waves his long lanky arm.
“Listen, Willow, I’m aware that we haven’t gotten familiar with each other yet, but I wanted to tell you that I’m a bit concerned.” Tremont flips my palm up and begins to do his work. “Being an outsider, I can see all the effort you’ve given to those here at the school, and I want to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.”
“What do you mean?” I keep my hand steady.
“I was part of the team that put together the computations on the shadow realm repair. That must have taken plenty of your and Sydney’s resources to be able to do that in such a short time.”
I cut him off. “We insisted. Both of us. It was my fault that the realm was damaged, and I, personally, felt obligated to do whatever I could to help.”
He nods, and his gaze meets mine—his expression soft and kind. “I understand. I meant no offense. I’m sure you can make your own decisions. I only wanted to bring it to your attention in case you hadn’t thought that way.”
His red energy flows into my hand, the same chilling then neutral sensation.
“Regardless, you should be proud. It’s quite the feat you two performed. Has to make you wonder, you know?” he adds.
“About what?” Consider my interest piqued.
“Oh, nothing.” He glances down, slowly lowering his hand and then bringing it up, coursing the magic even further into my wound.
Is he really about to leave me hanging?
“What did you mean?” I insist.
“The connection, between you and Sydney. I’ve heard stories of his family, and their darkness. The way the magic bonds together to form such a powerful force, kind of similar to a yin-yang…”
“What are you insinuating?”
“Well, whether or not you have a matching darkness, or a contrasting light.” His eyes take their time adjusting, gradually rising from his healing process and up to meet mine.
I’m not sure if he does it on purpose or it’s purely coincidental. It fucking freaks me out all the same. “Oh. I guess I’d never thought of it.”
Does he realize what I am? That I have angel blood? And if what he’s hinting at is true, does that mean that Sydney has demon blood?
A lump forms in my throat. It’s possible that a demonic witch cursed the Oliver bloodline. And considering the weird involvement with Sydney’s parents, is it probable that the LeBlancs are the ones responsible?
It couldn’t conceivably be true, could it?
Did Sydney’s family curse mine?
Chapter Twelve
“I need help.”
Deghan’s smile upon my knock at his door fades away. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, really. I, um… it’s sort of embarrassing.”
He stands back and lets me into his room. “What’s up, princess?”
“So, I…” I shift my gaze to the floor and then raise my hand. “I can’t wash my hair.”
His grins reappears. “I’d love to be of assistance.”
“I thought that… since we… already… you know… took a shower together. Maybe you wouldn’t mind? I can figure something else out if you don’t…” Why am I so freaking anxious to ask for a favor? The very reason I’m doing this is because he’s already seen me naked, very specifically in the shower.
“Say no more.” He immediately rushes to his dresser, flinging some stuff around and taking out a few articles. “Your place?”
The walk to my dorm is full of bubbling energy—my nerves mixed with his excitement.
You would have thought I offered him a ten-course meal, the way he’s nearly beaming.
“Do you have something we can wrap that in?” He points to my hand.
“Ugh, yeah.” I go to the small table to pick up the plastic bag and roll of tape.
Deghan strolls over, taking the items and making quick work of covering my wound. “There we go.”
“Thanks, Deg. You’re a lifesaver.”
His lips turn up on one side. “Come here.” He tugs me in and envelopes me into a full-on Deghan hug, melting away any of the uneasy energy I once had.
What was I thinking of being tense? This is Deghan we’re talking about. The most cuddly, welcoming, freaking sweet and awesome guy I’ve ever known.
I could have asked one of the girls to help me with my hair, but upon inspecting my faucet options, getting it done in the shower seemed to be the best choice. The sink is stubby, and I probably would have smashed my head to get rinsed off, especially considering how thick my hair is and how much water it takes to get all the shampoo out. I went so far as to sit on the floor and lean my head against the tub, but all the angles were wrong and would have royally screwed up my neck.
Not that I’m complaining about my decision, though. Taking a shower with Deghan is my idea of a good time.
The look on his face allows me to recognize he feels the same way, too.
“I’ll get the water running,” he says.
I follow behind him, leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom. “I really do appreciate this.” I watch his muscles flex under his shirt when he leans over.
“You kidding me? I’d do anything for you, Wills, you should see that by now. I think it’s pretty safe to say we all would.” He comes closer, running his warm hand along my cheek. “It’s like you have a spell on us.”
I close my eyes and collapse into his touch, his words growing louder in my head. Could what he’s saying be true? I want them to want me for me, not because of some stupid magical incantation.
Of course, that’s outlandish, though, because I would never do such a thing, and why would anyone ever force the love of four unbelievably amazing guys on me?
“You ready?” Deghan pulls his shirt over his head, revealing his rock-hard physique. He tosses it onto the vanity and unbuttons his jeans, then pauses. “Let me help.” Piece by piece, he removes my clothes, then takes my hand and leads me into the shower.
His movements are kind and gentle and tender, despite being the ferocious beast he sometimes becomes.
But, is he really? Even the time I saw him in his supernatural form, he still had those caring eyes and did what he could to protect me from the nearly rabid werewolf. The shock that was written across his face upon finding me the next day was heartbreaking. Deghan may be a werewolf, but I doubt he’d ever hurt a fly.
That situation was something we never really talked about. I’m still not sure who the rogue attacking wolf was… and I’m not sure if I want to know.
Although I’ve only seen him that one time, his wolf tendencies show through on occasion. His golden eyes radiate when his emotions are heightened, and his possessive and protective sides take turns displaying themselves.
He’s incredibly accepting of the way all five of us are… but I’m not sure if any of the guys would be tolerant of anyone else attempting to break that barrier.
And that’s something I’m completely fine with.
I never knew I could be so satisfied, and having each one of them in my life fills a space in my heart and soul that no one else could. We are like a puzzle, fitting perfectly together.
I don’t want it any other way.
&nb
sp; Well, obviously if I could get rid of the curse for good and finally get the chance to breathe and enjoy my life with these men, I’d absolutely choose that.
Sometimes I doubt whether or not I’ll be able to make it happen. I keep surprising myself with how I’m able to overcome each hurdle that’s thrown my way, but what happens if it’s too much? What if the curse actually breaks me one day? What will happen to me? To the relationships I hold so close to my heart?
Will I lose them forever?
That thought alone is the fire under my ass to make sure that never happens.
“Lean back a little,” Deghan says while guiding my head under the stream of water.
I close my eyes and let it cascade down.
His fingers massage into my scalp. A moment later, he mumbles, “Umm.”
I open an eye and note his blank stare at the label-less bottles. “The one on the left is the shampoo.”
He snatches it up and squirts some into his hand.
“I try to stay away from the ones with all the chemicals. Those are all-natural and homemade.”
“Damn, you made this?” He lathers my hair, making sure to hit every spot.
Chills run up and down my body at how damn good it feels. I let out a laugh. “No, not me. But they’re made in someone’s home. I get them from this local farm market thing that Harper has. This super old lady sells a bunch of environmentally friendly products. I’ve used them for as long as I can remember.”
“Mind if I try it?” He holds out the bottle.
“Be my guest.”
“Let me take care of my girl first.” Deghan nudges me toward the water again for a rinse. He turns me around and continues his task. “Other one is conditioner?”
“Mmhm.”
He squirts some into his palm and then rakes his fingers through my hair to remove any tangles with his application.
Each motion is pure heaven.
Once he’s done with my hair, he pumps some soap and foams it up with his hands. Starting at my neck, he rubs circles up and down and onto my shoulders. He gently massages his way around my back.
It’s all I can do to not melt into a puddle.
He stops at my hips, pushing slightly on the dimples above my butt.
His hands are big, so massive they nearly wrap their way around my waist.
“Is this okay?” Deghan asks.
“I don’t ever want it to stop,” I mumble.
He leans in and kisses a spot on my shoulder where there’s no soap. “You deserve to be pampered.”
“So do you.” I turn to face him, settling my gaze on his. I step forward, taking my good arm and dragging his face down to meet mine. I press my lips against his and pull him under the water a bit more.
“Willow…” He grips my face firmly, staring intently into my eyes. “I love you, you realize that, right?”
Like a bolt of divine lightning, something surges through my body, shocking me to life. Flowing energy consumes me, and somehow, without really fully understanding it, my power grows.
How the fuck is it possible I have two men, absolutely amazing ones at that, telling me they love me in such a short period of time?
And why is it that with each declaration, a new door is opened within me, unlocking some new hidden layer of me I was unaware of?
“Say something,” Deghan whispers, running his thumb along my cheek. Desperation and fear seeps from his pores.
“Deghan… of course I know,” I finally admit. I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I left him hanging to think I possibly didn’t feel the same. “I love you, too.”
His sad eyes turn happy, a grin forming. He reels me in for a hug, lifting me off the shower floor and into him.
“You had me worried there for a second, Wills.”
Chapter Thirteen
I cannot fucking shut my mind off.
I lie here, staring at the pale-white ceiling, reliving the conversation with Tremont over and over again.
Maybe I’m overthinking the entire thing. Maybe he was purely curious about my progress, genuinely concerned I might be taken advantage of, and only thinking out loud about the connection Sydney and I share.
But whatever his intentions, he got under my skin, and now I can’t shake his words long enough to fall asleep.
I shift my mind to other parts of the day. To earlier when Deghan confessed he loved me. I recall the shape of his mouth, the way the words delicately rolled off his tongue and caressed me. For a moment, he was so afraid that I might not love him, too.
How could I not, though?
Deghan is strong and smart, hilarious, and thoughtful… he has one of the biggest hearts, next to Cam’s. The two of them go together like peanut butter and jelly, and damn if I’m not the luckiest girl in the world for being able to share this thing called life with them.
Gosh, and then there’s Sydney. The mere wisp of his profession sent me spiraling into a world-class orgasm. How that is possible, I’ll never wrap my head around.
Both men allow me to see these insanely vulnerable pieces of them, and I’ll never understand what I did to deserve any of it. My relationship with all of the guys came so suddenly and out of nowhere, but it’s as though I’ve known them forever. I’m safe with them, cared for, loved.
It’s only been a handful of months, yet we all have this intense bond that I can’t imagine not having. Losing them would be comparable to losing myself.
Kind of similar to what my mom had said about the loss of my father, and her magic along with him. I can’t comprehend how horrible of an experience that was for her. It’s no wonder she shut down the way she did—I would undoubtedly do the same.
I flip the pillow I had laid on top of my head off to the side of my bed. I step into my slippers, heading to one place I’m sure I have a better chance of sleeping.
I make my way to the door and fumble with the somewhat stuck knob. I have to yank to get it to finally let loose and open. I should probably have that looked at.
Closing the door behind me, I tiptoe down the hall, careful not to wake anyone else up. Just because I can’t sleep doesn’t mean everyone else should be stuck with the same crappy fate.
The school is quiet, sans the small huffing of energy from the supernatural side.
I wander into the north wing, glancing over at Sydney’s door when I pass.
Upon finding my target, I knock lightly. It’s only a tiny wait later until a familiar sleepy face greets me.
“You okay?” Deghan rubs his eyes.
“Couldn’t sleep…” I should have stayed in my room and not woken him up.
He takes my hand. “Come on.”
A figure on one of the spare beds moves. “Willow, is that you?” Cameron says groggily.
“We studied late so Cam crashed,” Deghan admits.
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
“Cam.” He points to the beds. “Help me push these together.”
In a matter of minutes, three mattresses are smooshed side by side. I claim the one in the middle, the guys on each side of me.
It’s not long until Cam is all but snoring.
Deghan’s warm arm flops over my body, grabbing on to me and yanking me toward him. “Come here, princess.” He nuzzles his face against my neck and breathes in deeply.
I allow his warm embrace to soothe me, to consume my thoughts until it’s simply the sound of his and Cam’s breathing lulling me to sleep.
Headmaster Walker, Abigail, and Professor Tremont stand at the front of the semi-crowded classroom full of supernatural students.
Walker remains firmly in place. “We’ve called this rather sudden meeting to confirm that the shadow realm is now repaired to the point where we can resume classes.”
A few murmurs leave the pupils.
“We are quite pleased with the quick progress and are even more excited to have you back to learning about your special skills.” His gaze wanders the room. “We’re going to be changing thi
ngs up for this next term.”
“How so?” a random student chimes in.
“This may come across a bit strange, but we’re going to be pairing you with a different species for your training,” Walker speaks right through a couple gasps from the group. “The goal in mind for this study will be to get acquainted with the other types of magic and learn how to properly function with them. One of our missions at Harper is to no longer have the divide between supernaturals, but instead build a bond to hopefully make the continuation of our kinds easier. We understand that there may be some prejudices already ingrained within you, but I’m confident that we can overcome them if we try. So, what do you say? Think we can give our best effort and come together?”
I glance around. There are a lot of faces I haven’t met personally.
“This may be shocking to some of you,” Abigail interjects. “But it will be a wonderful growth opportunity for each one of you.”
“Do we get to pick our partners?” another student asks.
Walker shakes his head. “No. We feel it’s better if we match you accordingly.”
A communal silence follows.
“Shall we get started?” Walker takes a paper from Abigail. “I’ll be naming the pairs, and their species, please wait until I’ve finished to cause any commotion.” He takes a breath. “Sydney and Hopper, witch and vampire. Sampson and Clayton, witch and werewolf. Alexis and Jacob, witch and vampire. Noah and Sophia, werewolf and vampire. Deghan and Ezra, werewolf and vampire. Silas and Piper, vampire and werewolf. Willow and Ruby, witch and werewolf.”
My heart seems to thud out of my chest. I didn’t get any of my guys, but at least I got Ruby. But who the hell are Hopper, Ezra, and Piper? Goes to show how much attention I’ve been paying. Although, I do have an excuse, given I’ve been a little busy.
“Please get together with your partner and attempt to get familiarized with them. We will be sectioning off more solid times in which you will be training in the shadow realm. For the next few weeks, you will be learning about your own magic and your associates to gain as much knowledge as possible. This first-hand experience with the other kind will be greatly informative, so please take advantage of this opportunity. Are there any questions?” He shifts his focus from face to face. “No? Okay then, get together, and we’ll be around to tell you when you’ll be meeting.”
