Fate Hollow Academy: Term 3, page 23
Lachlan grabbed us and pushed everyone closer to Damien so Damien’s shadows didn't have to reach too far. Lachlan threw up an earth wall just as the structure collapsed.
“Hurry up,” Alister urged Damien, fighting against the pain, just like I was.
Pieces of rock landed right next to us. Lachlan’s muscles rippled under the weight of his power. “I'm not gonna hold for long. The entire structure has collapsed, and it’s fucking heavy.”
I took a deep breath, watching the last bit of shadow shroud around Lachlan’s fingertips as Damien shadow-traveled out of human territory, into the marketplace, just outside of the magic shop.
Lachlan staggered forward and dropped to his hands and knees as he sucked in a deep breath. Damien landed on his back with me on top of him, and Alister landed between the three of us.
My heart pounded wildly as I shot up and took in the marketplace. We were safe—above ground.
The familiar ding of a door opened as Jan scurried out of her shop. “Oh my! What happened to you guys?” She held her hand to her chest as she took us in.
Wind whirled around us before Thorn materialized in front of us. “What the tulips happened? You were driving us all insane! I couldn't get to you, and all of your bonds went silent. Something was blocking your magic, wherever you were.” He dropped down and scooped me up out of Damien’s arms.
I reached around his neck and held him close as I felt for Rhett and Rowan’s bond. Panic didn’t begin to describe it.
“We need to get back to that academy, Kit.”
“How much magical energy did you hooligans use? You guys aren't going anywhere.” Jan rested her hands on her hips. “Not until you drink some energy replenishing tea.”
“Thank you, Jan, but I really need to get to my other mates. I can feel them absolutely losing their minds,” I rasped.
She pursed her lips. “Hang tight for just a second.” Turning on her toes, she slipped back into her shop.
“Kit, we really don't have time to hang tight—”
“Just humor her for a moment.” I patted his shoulder.
“Very well.” He sighed.
“All right, dear.” Jan came back with a box of tea bags. “Whenever you get to where you need to be, I need you to promise me that you will make this and drink it. All of you. I don't exactly know where you were, but your magical energies are very, very low. I've honestly never seen anyone conscious in the state you are all in.”
“Barely conscious.” Damien chuckled dryly.
They all struggled to their feet as Alister took the box from Jan with a tight smile. “Thank you.”
“You go on now. Make sure you take care of that girl.”
“We will,” the guys promised, and Thorn phased us out of the marketplace and into Rowan's room.
The three of them threw themselves on the bed, and Thorn gently placed me in the middle of them as Rowan, Rhett, and Kian rushed through with varying expressions of distress.
“I'll go make the tea,” Thorn said, taking the box from Alister and stepping out of the room.
“What happened? That was the scariest thing ever…” Rhett’s face crumbled as he sat on the edge of the bed with a heavy breath. His horns and tail were out, and his pheromones leaked slowly.
“We couldn't see you. I couldn't see you. Couldn't see you. I couldn't…” Kian’s voice broke as he plopped onto the bed and dropped his face in his hands.
Shade scurried off his necromancer and onto my lap, nuzzling against my palm. ‘We couldn’t feel you at all, mistress.’
“We couldn't feel any of you. Damien's bond went silent first, and then all of yours did.”
“That's because I was decapitated,” Damien murmured, raising his hand up and drawing a line across his neck with his finger.
I snarled, my shadow breaking free to smack his hand away before coming back. “Don’t joke about it.”
“But your head’s back on already?” Rhett’s brows furrowed. “You haven’t had this happen before, right?”
“Nope!” Damien popped the P.
“How did that happen?” Rowan growled, and the tension in the room grew.
“Humans,” Lachlan answered with a low growl in the back of his throat. “Wren killed the one who did it.”
Their eyes shifted on me, and I swallowed hard. “He deserved worse.”
‘Warrior fox,’ Shade commented as I rubbed his belly, and he swished his fluffy tail back and forth.
“Babe!” Trixie rushed in as she and Norman appeared in the doorway. “I was with Tabitha and Blair when Blair got a vision and told us what happened,” she blurted, rushing over and jumping on the bed. Shade squeaked as he moved from me back to Kian, and Trixie wrapped her arms around me tightly. “Are you okay?”
“Just exhausted,” I murmured, holding her tight.
I knew she was scared of losing me like we lost Callie. I was scared of the same thing with her, and it meant a lot that she rushed to check on me the way she had.
“Of course you are. Your magical energy is dangerously low, actually all of yours is.”
“I think the relic was draining our energy with the pulse it gave off. Kind of like tourmalyke, but way more potent. I think it was unwinding our magical energy from our lifeforce,” Alister spoke with a tremble in his tone.
“That's impossible,” Norman said with a rumble, rubbing his chin. “If that's truly the case, it needs to be destroyed.”
“The humans already found it.” Lachlan yawned.
“Damn, you guys got lucky you still have your magic…” Norman tapped his finger on the frame of his glasses. “When Rowan and I were still in Blezen, we heard about a relic that the dragons kept locked away in human territory for centuries, until there was a natural disaster in that area and hid the relic under the earth. Then humans took over that land, so the dragons stopped pursuing it.”
“Why would they harbor something like that? They should have just destroyed it while they had the chance,” Rhett muttered.
“It's the only thing that can take magic from any supernatural being in existence. If they could figure out how to nullify the effects of it or pinpoint what it siphoned off of, they could use it as a method of control. The only problem is they had to get close to it to use it, so they didn’t find it worth it.”
Thorn came in with the four cups of tea Jan had told us to drink. I untangled from Trixie to take the mug he held out to me. Then he passed out the cups to the rest of the guys, who had almost been asleep.
I downed the bitter tea quickly before giving Thorn back the mug and falling back between Alister and Lachlan, my head hitting Damien’s hip.
“We wiped out all the humans that were at the site. There weren’t too many considering what the relic can do. It’s safe to assume they don’t have any information on what the relic can do to us.”
“I can see your magical energy rising,” Kian murmured.
I scrunched my nose up. The bitter residue stayed on my tongue from it, so I was happy to hear it worked.
“If the humans get ahold of something like that, we would have no choice but to see if I can get the crystal from my homeland.” Thorn frowned. “It's not something I want to do, but the humans could essentially use that relic to make Kalista fully human.”
“I don't think any of us want that.” Rhett groaned.
“I’d much rather never go near that thing again,” Lachlan grumbled.
Trixie got up and went over toward Norman, shooting me a smile. “I’m just happy you’re all okay. Ready?” She turned to Norman, who nodded.
“We’ll do more research on destroying relics,” Norman commented before leading Trixie out of the room.
Rowan breathed out plumes of smoke before climbing into the bed and picking me up as he settled underneath me. “Fledgling, you did good today. But could you please stop giving me heart attacks?”
I nuzzled against his chest. “I don’t mean to… I love you. All of you.”
The rest of them moved around me, placing their hands on at least a part of my body as they returned my feelings—including Lachlan. Our magic brushed against each other before fading out.
An immense sense of security swept through me as exhaustion blotted my vision and sleep consumed us.
THIRTY-FOUR
Damien
The shower was turned all the way to hot, and the scalding water beat down on me as my shadows embedded themselves into my back, twisting and digging into the flesh. Pain rippled through me, ebbing away the anger I felt for myself at letting my guard down around the humans.
Blood washed down my body with the water as my magical energy reserves filled. Pain was something I desperately needed after what happened today.
Wren was there. My little bird had watched it happen, and she killed for me.
I ran a bladed shadow down the curve of my spine and winced as it tore the skin apart. The water pelleted down, ripping it further as my body tried to heal.
The door to the bathroom cracked open. “Damien,” Wren’s soft voice carried through as she clicked the door shut and came closer. “What are you doing to yourself?”
“Fueling my magic reserves,” I muttered.
I heard the shower door open, but I was unable to turn and face my sweet little mate, who had killed for me. Killing was something I wished she didn't have to do on my behalf, even if I found it kind of hot.
“Did nobody wake up when you left?”
“Kian moved a little bit, but he went back to sleep.” Her voice was closer as she closed the shower door.
Delicate fingers ran down the new wounds on my back, and her shadow smacked my shadows away. “If you need pain, why don't you take it from me?”
The world around me froze, and my eyes widened. Slowly, I turned my head, letting my eyes trail down her naked body and back to her face. “I don't want to give you pain when I'm in this mindset.”
“I like when you inflict pain on me.” She glanced down at her feet, and her entire body flushed pink. “I… enjoy it a lot.”
“You like it when I hurt you,” I clarified, and she nodded. “Fuck.” I ran a hand down my face as my wounds healed the rest of the way up. “I don't know that I trust myself not to actually hurt you when I'm like this.”
Her head snapped up, and her blue eyes locked on mine with a fire in them. “That’s unacceptable because you're hurting yourself instead. I don't want you to do that. You have me. I need you to come to me and talk to me. Let me help you. What don’t you understand about me being in love with you?”
My heart pounded in my chest, my shadows pricking at my skin as they curled around me.
“If it were me hurting myself—shadow demon or not—you'd be furious with me.”
“That's true.” My tongue darted out to wet my lips as her pheromones rose out of her.
“I want you to hurt me.” She stepped closer, tiptoeing as she rested her hands on my chest and slid them up around my neck.
My horns and tail emerged as I groaned. “Little bird.”
Feeling her warmth surround me as her magic brushed against mine was the most pure feeling in existence. “I don't want to hurt you. Not right now.”
“Are you sure?” Her voice turned sultry as her shadow slipped out and glided down my chest, putting just enough pressure to make a light cut. Pain spread across my chest deliciously, and my control slipped.
“Maybe just a little.” I crashed my lips to hers, covering her trembling body with my own and pushing her up against the shower wall.
She melted against me. Her heart pounded against mine as my shadows bound her wrists, pinning her to the wall as my hands moved across her soft skin.
“If it hurts too much, tell me, and I’ll stop. Just say bones.” I kissed down her jaw. “If you want me to stop, what do you say?”
“Bones,” she moaned as I nipped her collar bone.
“Good girl. Now, turn around for me.” Without giving her a chance to do it herself, I whipped her around with my shadows, pinning her against the wall with her cheek smashed up against it.
She let out a vulnerable whimper as I spread her legs wide with my shadows. “Damien!”
I dragged a finger between her folds, relishing and the wetness that waited for me. I wanted to destroy her with pleasure and pain. She belonged to me and me alone for this moment.
I teased her weeping pussy, tormenting her, pushing her to the brink until her body trembled, and then I pulled back. My mate hated edging, but it was becoming my favorite way to torment her.
She huffed a strangled breath. “You’re not doing this again.”
“You're not telling me what to do. Are you, little bird?” I chuckled, my shadows biting into her soft flesh as I kneeled down behind her and spread her cheeks.
“What are you—” She yelped.
My tongue lapped at her entrance, her sweet taste coating my tongue as I moaned.
“Damien, please! I need—”
“I thought this was about what I needed this time?” I teased her, swirling my tongue around her clit and dipping into her channel once more. I glided my fingers up her sides as I got to my feet. “Are you ready for the pain now, little bird? Do you feel like you can come if I touch just the right spot yet?”
“Yes,” she panted. Drenched with need, she gave up control to me. Her tense muscles relented as she waited for what I would do next.
“Such a good girl for me, waiting for your pain.” My shadow cracked like a whip against her back, and she screamed, writhing against my binds.
“Damien!” Her body trembled as the skin that cracked open from my shadow healed shut.
“Was that too much?” I asked. “Do you need the safe word?”
“No.” Her pheromones thickened the air.
“What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to do it again.” Her muscles quivered, and if my shadows hadn’t been holding her, I was sure she would’ve dropped.
“What do you want me to do again? Use your words.”
She hesitated for a moment, and I wondered if I’d gone too far, but then her voice came out strong. “I want you to whip me again.”
A smirk etched onto my lips. “Good fucking girl.”
The lash burned into her back with each stroke of my shadow. It took two more strikes before she exploded with pleasure along with the pain. The orgasm I worked her into detonated.
“Oh, Fates! Damien!” She cried out, shaking against my shadows and dripping down her thighs.
The door burst open, and her head whipped around as she faced the rest of her mates with tears streaming down her face. The last slice on her back healed shut, but blood soaked her back.
Rowan moved first, fire in his eyes as he charged into the shower, shoving me against the shower wall.
My shadows pulled back from Wren.
“Damien, what the fuck?” Rowan roared as everyone filled the bathroom.
“Stop!” Wren shouted, her voice cracking and quivering.
The rest of the guys paused to look at her.
She continued to tremble, just out of reach from the stream of water, and her arousal thickened the air. “Damien didn’t do anything wrong. I wanted it. I asked for it. I begged for it.” She wiped her tears away with the back of her hands.
“Sweetheart, you're crying.” Kian told her, but she just giggled.
“I was, but only because it was the most painful pleasure-filled orgasm I've ever had in my life.”
“I know it was an intense orgasm,'' Rhett murmured. “I felt it through the bond with the pain.”
“Do you have to give me rules if she enjoys it?” I asked.
“Rules are good, but…” Rowan pushed off me, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair.
“But I don’t want Damien to have rules,” Wren said, using the wall to stand on shaky legs. “I'm losing my mind. Desire has completely fogged my brain, and if somebody doesn't fix this feeling…” A low whine sounded from her throat.
Primal urges rose through all of the bonds, swelling into everyone’s bond with her.
Rhett snapped first, grabbing her and picking her up, shutting the water off as she wrapped her legs around him. He entered her in one stroke.
Their pheromones doubled the desire in the bathroom as she dug her hands into his shoulders to brace herself from his rough thrusts. His cock slipped in and out with ease from her wetness. Wetness that was originally for me.
I pouted. “I'm the one who worked her up like that.” Her pain filled every bit of my reserves, and I was brimming with magical energy. Energy I wanted to expel by fucking my little bird.
“We have a meeting in the morning,” Rowan reminded everyone, adjusting his hard-on in his sweat pants as he stared at them.
“Please, just, make me come!” Wren’s desperate plea rippled through the room, fucking with all of us. I was so hard it hurt, and I knew the others felt the same.
Lachlan already pumped himself, watching them with desire.
Kian’s magic sparked over his body, and he held himself through his sweats, unable to tear his gaze from her.
Thorn’s body was fully coated in ice as he stared at the way she mewled and arched her back while Rhett fucked her.
Alister broke next, a feral growl tearing from him before he was behind Wren, licking the blood from her back all the way up her spine, making her moan louder.
He plunged into her ass with little prep, since she was soaked below from the work I’d put into her.
“Fates, Alister! Bite me, please!” she moaned wildly, gasping as they fucked her together.
“Come for us, sweet ruby.” Alister bit deep, and rivulets of blood poured down her body as his venom took effect.
Wren’s body tensed, and her orgasm exploded through her and our bonds. Alister and Rhett came inside of her, animalistic noises leaving them as she cried out, claiming the pleasure I’d withheld so beautifully.
Lachlan moaned, coming in his hand, and Kian had done the same without even pumping himself once.
“More,” she begged, resting her head on Alister’s shoulder as her eyes met mine.
