by JA Wren
“Uh, Asher?” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Just a warning,” she said slowly. “Sometimes—well, sometimes when I sleep, weird things happen.”
“I know.” The sheets crinkled behind her, like he was moving, but the bed didn’t even shudder. “Nothing to worry about. Perfectly normal, remember?”
“How—how do you know?”
When the only answer he gave was heavy silence, she knew. The secrets struck again. With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, forcing herself to drift off into dreamland.
Twenty-Two
Rayna woke to incredible warmth all around her. She wanted to drown in it, get lost in the heat blanketing her. Let it consume her all at once. She snuggled deeper into the bed, cuddling the covers closer, and leaning into the hot body at her back.
Wait.
Hot body?
Hadn’t she done this before?
Her eyes snapped open, adjusting to the dimly lit room while her brain sluggishly caught up with where she was, what had happened, and why she was there in the old building to begin with. And finally, who was with her.
Sometime while they’d slept, Asher had curled himself around her, spooning on a whole new level. He’d wrapped his arm around her middle—the one still tied to her wrist—and clutched her to his hard chest. Every deep breath tickled her ear, rustling the fine hairs over her neck and sending little shivers along her nerves.
She swallowed against the dry rasp in her throat as she wriggled, testing how much of him was pressed against her.
Yep. That confirmed it. All of him. Every hard, rigid inch of him.
Her heart kicked into overdrive, beating faster behind her ribcage, enough she worried the frantic rhythm might wake the sexy man at her back. She didn’t know if she wanted to stay like this—exactly like this—for all eternity, never parted from his delicious warmth.
Or if she wanted him to wake up and do a hell of a lot more than simply snuggle.
His hips shifted, wedging his solid erection harder against her. She closed her eyes and moaned, couldn’t stop herself even if she wanted. God, if only she could remember their night together, it might help to assuage some of her need for him.
Actually, that might make it a million times more difficult to keep herself off of him.
He groaned in response, a deep, rumbling sound that reverberated into her back and all down her spine. Like a tuning fork resonating along her nerves. Waking them. Making the tiny hairs all over her skin stand at attention.
How could he have her desperate for him with so little effort? Hell, he wasn’t even awake. Wasn’t even trying. She’d probably spontaneously combust if he ever did try to seduce her.
He hauled her tighter into his arms, squeezing so there wasn’t even a hint of space between their bodies. “Rayna, love.” He nuzzled his face into her neck, inhaling deeply. Like he could draw her into his lungs and keep her there forever. “Gods, I’ve missed having you in my arms like this.”
Missed her? They hadn’t been parted in almost twenty-four hours. Not that she was complaining, exactly. But there hadn’t been a chance to miss each other.
He rocked his hips, pressing his cock between her legs and somehow finding the perfect spot that had her gasping and arching into him. Wanting more of him. All of him.
She gripped his hand at her waist, nails digging into his skin.
“Ash,” she whispered on a moan.
He stilled, even his breath no longer fanning her neck. “Rayna?” He said her name like a question, voice strained but also full of the lust she felt.
“Please.” She didn’t even know what she was asking for. Anything, so long as he didn’t stop touching her.
Except he sat up, sending an icy breeze over her back that had her shivering and wishing he’d mold himself to her again. His hand moved from her waist, traveling higher to cup her jaw and turn her head to face him.
Liquid copper eyes shone down at her, smoldering with heat. She swore little flames danced in his irises, just a hint of a flicker.
His eyes narrowed, intensifying as he stared at her while his thumb stroked across the edge of her jaw, then trailed her neck, over her thumping pulse until he brushed the dip before her collarbone. She gasped, that simple touch sending fire blazing through her veins, and she tilted her head to give him better access.
When she licked her lips, his mouth descended on hers, so soft, barely even a kiss. She would’ve protested, but his hands settled on her body, moving her carefully to lie on her back while he hovered above her.
“I’ve got you, love.”
He’d said that before, when he rescued them from the labyrinth. She hadn’t thought too much about it then, but it made her feel safe.
At home.
Weird reaction, but who cared when a gorgeous guy was above you, kissing you until your brain swirled?
His lips trailed down to her neck, kissing the sensitive skin at the column of her throat and behind her ear, then licking the same path back up to her mouth. Her free hand delved into his hair, tugging on the thick locks to pull him closer. He answered with a rough growl, devouring her with scorching kisses.
She shifted beneath him until his hips were nestled in the cradle between her thighs, only their clothing between them.
She wanted to rip it all off and get naked with him.
Feel his skin against hers.
Nothing separating them.
He laced their bound hands together, twining their fingers and pressing them into the pillow beside her head. His other hand was free to wander, tracing a line down her side, cupping her hip where his fingers squeezed, hard enough to leave little imprints.
She didn’t mind. Didn’t give a damn if he left marks. As long as he sated the ache within her.
Asher grabbed the back of her thigh, holding her tighter around his hips, kneading her meager flesh beneath her pants as he kissed her harder. Deeper. She edged her hand down to grip his neck, then over his shoulder where his muscles rippled, skin as hot as molten lava. Like the flames in his back were demanding to be let free.
That should have freaked her out, but it only made her want him more.
He slipped his hand under her tank, skimming her belly as he slowly drew the fabric up. Higher. Until the tips of his fingers brushed the underside of her breast. She arched into him, desperate for more, then broke away from his mouth, sucking much-needed oxygen into her lungs. He kissed a path along the neckline of her tank, teasing her.
Panting, she opened her eyes, heavy-lidded gaze quickly widening.
Fine, hairline cracks had split open on his skin, flames coiling from his shoulders and all down his back.
He buried his face against her neck, breathing ragged. “Sorry.”
“For what?” she asked absently, moving her hand to touch the flames licking at his shoulder blades, marveling at how it was possible to feel the heat without being burned to a crisp.
“The fire,” he rumbled, the sound vibrating into her. “I can usually control it, but with you—like this—it’s hard.”
“Not the only thing.” She pressed her lips together to hold in her snicker, but he let out a deep chuckle.
“Can’t exactly help that, either. Not when you feel so good in my arms again.”
“Thank God you didn’t apologize for that one.”
He rose above her, grinning down with that sexy dimple creasing one cheek. His lips parted, about to either say something panty-melting—well, she assumed from the look on his face—but a screeching alarm cut him off before he uttered a single word.
She groaned and scowled at the noise emanating from somewhere near the ceiling. “Vagina block.”
Asher laughed, a hearty sound that only made her mourn the loss of their morning tryst. “Think that means we better get up—”
“I thought you already were.”
He shook his head, eyes burning brighter. Hotter. “Not fair. We don’t have time.”
She shru
gged. “We could always be late for breakfast. Blame it on the stupid thread making it difficult to get ready.”
A beat passed, and then he was on her, kissing her even deeper than before, an edge of desperation that mirrored her own. She wrapped her legs around his hips, locking her ankles as he ground his hard cock between her legs. Right where she needed him, only too far away.
Never close enough.
All too soon he pulled back, leaving her dizzy and disorientated.
“What? Why?” she panted out, trying to draw him down to her, but he was impossibly strong.
“I have a feeling Evelyn won’t be happy if your highness is late for your grand entrance.”
“Ugh, who cares? I need you.”
His cock twitched against her, but he didn’t swoop back down and take them both to oblivion.
Infuriating man.
And then it struck her. “You’re thinking about Evelyn right now?”
He tipped his head and gave her a bland stare. “Not the way you’re thinking.”
“You swear?”
“I told you, I’m yours.” He cupped her face, so damn reverently she wanted to sob. “Only yours.”
Twenty-Three
Their morning routine was marginally less awkward, thank God.
Maybe because Rayna was getting used to Asher attached to her hip—uh, wrist. Definitely her wrist. She did not mean she wanted him attached between her legs—dammit, hip.
To say she was feeling sexually frustrated after their interrupted morning was putting it extremely lightly.
Frankly, if they didn’t have some more alone time soon to finish what the man had started, she’d never be able to concentrate on all these classes she was supposed to be taking.
Never mind all the private tutoring where she was expected to catch up who-knew how much work. He should have just gotten them both off with a quickie before they left her dorm room.
Instead, he’d been annoyingly chaste, only touching her as they got dressed.
She scowled even as they made their way to the huge door with the wooden figure. Asher knocked, summoning the beautifully carved woman who smiled coyly at him again as she unlocked the door. It ratcheted up Rayna’s irritability tenfold and she fought the urge to glare at the wooden figure.
Okay, she was definitely too on edge if she was jealous of Miss Pinocchio.
They passed a pair of girls walking side-by-side, heads bowed over a leather-bound monster of a book with gold lettering, their noses practically pressed to the aged pages. “Oh, hey,” one said. “You’re new, aren’t you? I haven’t seen you in the dorms before.”
Rayna smiled and reached to clutch her necklace, the familiar hum from Tink calming and settling her nerves. “Arrived yesterday.”
The girl’s face brightened, her brown eyes wide and as rounded as her cheeks. She tucked a few stray strands of brown hair behind her ear. “I’m Delilah, and this is Autumn. We’re first years, too. Psychic Realm.”
Ah, the poor Psych nerds Evelyn didn’t seem to like very much.
“Rayna.” She gestured to Asher, hoping neither of the girls noticed their tied wrists. Explaining that would just be way too damn difficult before she had her first hit of caffeine. “And my stoic companion over here is Asher.”
Delilah laughed, but Rayna didn’t miss the appreciative once-over she gave him as he greeted them.
Autumn, the girl with honey-toned hair and copper freckles decorating her nose and cheeks, waved just the tips of her fingers, her head cocked and angled down. Her shoulders were tense and her body rigid, reading like she was scared.
Or nervous.
Or maybe just unfriendly.
Delilah was either oblivious or used to her friend’s reaction, because she continued like nothing weird was going on with Autumn. “We’re studying to be Nature Mages. What about you guys?”
Rayna flicked a glance at Asher, but he merely shrugged. “Phoenix shifter.”
Delilah’s mouth slackened, eyes going wider. Even Autumn looked impressed. Or at least slightly less like she was ready to bolt and run screaming down the hall any second.
Rayna, on the other hand, really envied his easy answer because she still had no clue what she was. It wasn’t like being the daughter of a Primordial goddess of night gave her any hints.
Unless she was destined to be the Sandman—uh, Sandwoman?—and send people off to dreamland for the rest of her days.
God that sounded boring.
Please don’t let me be that!
The class schedule was also vague and generic, nothing to hint at what powers she might be hiding. If she was harboring any to begin with, apart from her weird quirks that no one seemed willing to explain.
All of which meant, at least for the time being, “I’m, um, not really sure yet.”
“Oh.” A fleeting note of disappointment flashed across Delilah’s face. “Well, whatever it is, I’m betting you still gotta eat, right?”
Rayna nodded. “I’m starving, actually.”
Delilah laughed, the disappointment melting away faster than it arrived. “Come on, we’ll show you guys to the dining hall.”
Considering the building was right next door to their dorm, she doubted they needed an escort, but it was a sweet offer, so they followed the two girls. It was a gorgeous day—sunny blue cloudless sky with only a gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the trees—and a few students were perched on the grass outside the dining hall or under the gazebo.
Just as Evelyn predicted, their gazes tracked Rayna.
Or maybe Asher.
She felt ridiculously self-conscious in the outfit Evelyn had picked out, better suited for a Goth nightclub than an academy breakfast, but until her things arrived, she had to make do.
Not for the first time she wondered about the hold up with her stuff. She’d been too overwhelmed with everything that had happened the day before, but now her imagination flew to images of those wolf things in her apartment.
Was it even still in one piece?
Unless her resident poltergeist had finally shown his face and scared them away.
Maybe her creepy neighbor and her yappity dog.
Even her regular humor fell flat in her mind, too freaked out by what could have been to really appreciate her own musings.
It was a sad day when your own coping mechanisms failed you. Her humor had kept her sane during the years she lived with her mother, kept her from more self-destructive methods of dealing with the shit-storm life had sent her.
But then, everyone had problems, right? The type just varied. No use whining about it. Hell, there were millions of people who had it a whole lot worse than her.
“Okay, so the breakfast line is over in that direction,” Delilah said, pulling Rayna from her thoughts. “They serve pretty much everything you could want. Cereals and fruit, eggs and bacon, or if you’re into sugar-loading, like me, then you can go with the pancake and waffle choices.”
Rayna’s mouth watered at the thought, already thinking of trying every option she could get her grubby hands on. “Coffee?”
Delilah bobbed her head even as her nose crinkled in disgust. She pointed towards another corner. “Of course. There’s a barista station in that direction, where they serve every kind of beverage you can think of. Including teas from all over the world, smoothies, and energy-booster drinks. All day. Like, twenty-four hours all day, because some of us like to study all night and others are literal night owls, you know?”
She laughed and trailed behind Autumn who was headed for the breakfast line.
Rayna glanced around, keeping her hand firmly entwined with Asher’s, his body close to make it less obvious they were joined. While the building was old-school Gothic chic, the scenes around them were typical high school cafeteria.
“Kind of cliché, isn’t it?” she asked Delilah when they stopped at the end of the queue.
Delilah rolled her eyes. “OMG, right? It’s like high school all over again. Except here, the
beef-head jocks are the Physicals.” She pointed to the far end of the dining hall where a rowdy bunch of guys were arm-wrestling a pair of identical girls. “No offense, Asher. You don’t look like you fit the usual type. Good luck in your classes, because I would so not want to be stuck with those guys.”
Asher made a rumbling sound in his chest as he stared at the group, the twin girls getting close to winning their respective matches against two guys twice their size. “Thanks. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that.”
But he’s doing it for me, Rayna thought.
She might have missed all the important bits from his discussion with Hale in her no-secrets office, but she heard the part about him not needing to learn about his abilities. It was purely because he’d be attending the academy for her sake that he had to go to classes.
“And over there,” Delilah continued, “you have the Spirituals, who are basically your classic privileged assholes. They think everyone else is beneath them and would probably have us all removed from their sight, if they could. Amazing they haven’t petitioned to change the academy so us lowly Psychs and Physicals can’t enter the program.” She tilted her head, brown hair cascading over her shoulder. “Actually, I bet they have and just haven’t gotten away with it. Yet.”
She drew out the last word on a low moan born of pure irritation.
“You know they can’t do that,” Autumn whispered, speaking for the first time. “The academy’s run by all three disciplines.”
Rayna frowned at the timid girl. “I thought Hale was headmistress.”
“She is,” Delilah said. “But Doctor Quincy and Professor Lucia make up the triad. All decisions go through the three of them, taking into account how it affects each of their specific disciplines and the students who fall under them.”
“What are their disciplines?”
Delilah’s eyes bulged. “You don’t know?” At the shake of her head, Delilah grabbed her free arm. “Oh, yeah, you said you only arrived yesterday. The rest of us learned all this during orientation.”
Delilah edged closer, as if parting with secrets, which was impossible if they’d all been taught this already.
