“How long have you known her?” I snapped my head up, feeling like I was losing my shit a bit.

  Chait offered a goading smile, “Maddox and I have known her for over a year.”

  I stared at him, taking in what he was saying and realizing that he and Maddox had done this on fucking purpose. I know as hybrids we didn’t have ‘mates’, but if I was right this was pretty damn close to it. No one felt this strong pull or connection without magic involved. I lunged forward to kick his arrogant ass, but he was gone in a puff of smoke, his laughter following him as I realized he was in her room. Piece of shit. I groaned, standing up and looking at her door once more before stalking through the main room towards my own bedroom.

  Fine. She didn’t want to talk to me right now. We had all day. I would prove to her that I was worth letting in. That she could trust me.

  Walking into my bedroom, I looked around the place, never taking much stock into it until right now. Now I was looking at it as if Maize was. Although, it was clear that I had no idea what the woman thought since I couldn’t reach her and not just physically.

  You met her yesterday.

  The better question was why the hell that didn’t matter to me. Honestly, it wasn’t even about her looks. I mean, she was gorgeous, like drop-dead beautiful. It was about the connection that I felt deep within my bones. A constant pulse on my skin. It was as if she had wrapped herself around me, impossibly tight, while branding my soul.

  I may have been obsessing over her a bit. No shit.

  I tossed my velvet suit coat onto my massive bed, looking around the luxurious black room, wondering if she would be comfortable in here. I sure as hell was, but her opinion now mattered immensely to me.

  I unbuttoned my shirt and ran a hand over the first tattoo I’d given myself; a massive black rose where my heart was. I’d always had a preoccupation with roses mostly because my mother had been a gardener. That was before my step-father came along and ended up killing her. Beating her to death in front of me. Then the man had the goddamn nerve to be shocked when I had poisoned him. Yeah. That had gotten me shipped off to the Red Masques pretty quick. My homicidal behavior wasn't looked down on here.

  I looked over at the massive table I had, littered with herbs and glass jars. I taught a class here for those that had an interest in potions and shit like that-- also drugs. I had quite a few ways to get high for days on end. Something I had very much indulged in when I was younger. I groaned, wondering what Maize would be like high; her body stretched out on my bed as I tasted and licked every part of her.

  Shaking my head, I walked towards the shower, not needing sleep. No. I felt fucking invigorated. My first goal of the day? Getting Maize to talk to me.

  Chapter 7

  Maize

  I laid in bed next to Chait, my tears far gone before he arrived, and my breathing slow and even as if I was relaxed. I was far from it. I could hear Philip stand up and leave. It was ridiculous that I felt hurt by that. I had been able to let him in for hours, but I’d been a chicken shit. It was one thing facing it in a dream, but coming face to face with someone that had seen even a sliver of your pain? No. I wasn’t confident I could handle that.

  Chait, instead of questioning me, had his fingers running through my hair, only slowing as I felt him doze off a bit. I turned my head to look at his stunning perfect face and swallowed the urge to roll over and straddle him. Just to test the waters. I mean, it was possible he wasn’t even into me. The idea of being rejected scared the hell out of me.

  I slipped from the bed and walked towards my bathroom, glad to have put out clothes for this morning. I didn’t want to wake up Chait. I needed to get out of this room, needed to train. I didn’t care if I needed to train in the fucking hallway, I just needed something to do with my body. To do something with my mind.

  Pulling my hair away from my face and changing into a sports bra and spandex shorts, I realized just how stark my tattoos were against my skin. Gray had introduced me to workout gear, and as I laced up my gym shoes, I was glad that I didn’t have to wear leather like in SE training. That was just god damn uncomfortable. I’d worn almost nothing for so long that leather felt uncomfortable and restricting.

  I slipped through the room, staring at Chait for a moment longer before walking out into the main hallway. I hated that it was physically painful to leave my bed. His magic and Philip’s were like soothing balms on my skin that I was trying to shoo away and failing.

  That was why I was going to punish myself with training.

  It took only a slight exploration before I pushed into a massive training room. It was a large dark room with mats, rings, and high surfaces that were clearly made for every type of magic-user. I began to run through the course several times without the help of my magic and relying just on my body. After what had to be an hour or more, sweat dripped down my face and back. Do you know how hard I had to work to sweat? It felt fucking fantastic, my breathing rough as I hung three stories up on a rope trying to cool down a bit. Now I could use a nap. The doors opened, and I froze, looking over at whoever was joining me.

  “What the hell?” Charm’s voice echoed through the space as I groaned. I let my upper body fall, keeping my leg wrapped so I swung gently, the blood rushing to my head, offering an odd high.

  “Morning,” I offered to Valerio, who came to stand underneath me as our eyes met. I ignored Charm and didn’t bother with a greeting because fuck him.

  “No morning for me?” Charm snarked.

  I twirled, releasing my leg and flipped in the air. Landing easily in front of Valerio, the man who had yet to say anything. I heard Charm curse at my flawless landing; I almost smiled at that. Maybe the bastard was scared of heights. It was possible I suppose.

  Valerio, instead of saying anything, examined my frame in a clinical way that had my skin prickling. I knew I was asking for people to stare at my scars and tattoos in this little of clothes, so I narrowed my eyes at him, waiting for whatever he could possibly have to say or ask.

  “How long?” he finally bit out, Charm having gone silent, so his voice echoed through the room nearly making me jump.

  “How long what?” I crossed my arms, finally feeling self-conscious. I had never considered how a man would view my body with all these scars because frankly, I hadn’t been interested. Now I was worried about being unattractive, which was bullshit.

  “How long were you trapped there?” he whispered.

  “Three years,” I leveled with him, refusing to break his stare. When Charm cleared his throat, I moved my eyes from the intense man to Charm. An odd look was on his face, and I hated that because I would rather see anger at me than sympathy or pity. I hissed as Valerio’s body heat moved closer, and I tensed, my back pulsing with pain. I no longer had iron pressing into my skin, but the phantom burning often bothered me after straining my muscles.

  “You’re going to get yourself fucking killed if you keep moving into my space without permission,” I snarled, feeling defensive. His dark, void-like eyes heated and I shivered, my jaw clenching with annoyance at his effect on me.

  “Is your control that little?” he asked but seemed to actually be curious.

  I chuckled softly, “Nothing to do with my control. I’d been killing anyone that tried to get into my space for three years before I was freed. Habits like that don’t go away.” Which was why I didn’t like sleeping with others.

  Unfortunately, it seemed that I’d given him what he wanted because he looked more interested than before, which sucked. I backed away from both of them and moved towards the track that lined that massive room. Before starting a cool down jog, I stretched my legs.

  I inhaled a bit in relief as some of the commanders joined the room, breaking up the gawking crowd that was forming. I tried not to meet Philip’s stunning blue gaze, but when I did, my face flushed, causing something to spark across his face. Ah. Fuck. This guy was going to be trouble. Why did he have to be so damn handsome? It was unfair.

  I couldn’t help but smirk as Cannon started jogging next to me, our pace starting slow and turning into a competition. I laughed, pushing myself harder. Cannon met me step for step. It became too difficult to run and laugh at the same time, causing me to stumble into Cannon. He easily stopped me from falling by pulling me against his body. I examined his white-hot eyes as he offered me a stunning smile.

  “I love that sound.”

  “What sound?” I arched an amused brow, “My laugh?”

  “The very one,” He admitted as he set me down, and I swayed slightly, loving his touch and the heat of it. It made me have a lot of thoughts, except they were all trumped by the last time I had attempted intimacy. Never mind, now I was cold as ice.

  Valerio spoke, “Maize, do you want to train with us? So everyone can go?”

  I met his gaze slowly and shrugged. Why the hell not? Philip and Valerio paired up along with Cannon and Zed, the latter offering me a stare I didn’t quite understand. I felt terrible because I could see how tense he was, and my magic was continuously tugging on him, begging him to join us. Submit.

  I nearly groaned at the thought of Zed giving in to his urge to bite my neck. That would no doubt be toxic, but I’m not sure that mattered to him. Also, was it just me or did he keep staring at my hair? Like a bit obsessively? Chait and Maddox were off to the side, the first offering me a soft look that made me feel worse. Of course he wasn’t mad. I left bed without a word but he was worried not mad. It made it so hard to push him away.

  Then I realized who that left for me to partner with. Fuck my life.

  “I would rather not,” Charm gritted out, sounding like a child.

  Valerio offered him a dry look. “We do a lot of things we don’t want to, you need to be challenged and your magic doesn’t work on her. It will be good for both of you.”

  Doubtful.

  Instead of arguing, I moved to the center of the matted floor. Wanting to go first and get this over with. Finally, after a staring contest with Valerio, Charm scoffed and walked over. His daffodil eyes were dark, his blonde hair pulled back, making him seem far more intense than yesterday. More like a warrior and less like an arrogant prince, although he was very much that no doubt.

  “Let’s get this over with.”

  My sentiments exactly.

  I smirked as his sweet-smelling magic, deceptively welcoming, crawled out and without thought, my magic pushed back. Although it was only to prove a point, what it wanted to do was absorb him and feel his magic. All of their life forces fueling me like a dangerous high. I saw him lunge forward and quickly moved out of the way, landing back where he had started, my wings moving at a languid pace. Charm looked annoyed, his magic flickering as if it was reflecting his bad attitude.

  He might be powerful but he was impatient as fuck. It was sort of hot but terrible for these types of fights. I, on the other hand, had years of patience.

  “No flight, Maize,” Valerio commanded, his voice further away than expected. I realized they had stepped back, a protective ward had formed around us. Good to know I wouldn’t destroy the school.

  “Is that true, Charm?” I asked, goading him slightly, “Can you not handle me flying?”

  He snarled, watching me in a predatorial fashion as his magic poked and prodded at mine, trying to find anything in my defenses. I easily avoided it, and when he lunged forward, I avoided that. I would give him this; it wasn’t easy. As our physical sparring became more consistent, I found sweat breaking out on the back of my neck. The frustration and tension rolling over us as neither of us managed to actually land a hit. I hissed as his shoulder hit mine as I barely avoided him, my fingers twitching to pull on his stupid hair.

  “This isn’t sparring,” Charm snapped, his eyes darkening, “you are just playing defense and flying around.”

  “My wings aren’t out. Therefore I’m not flying.” I said for Valerio’s sake, and then I added, “You’re just slow, Charm.”

  Oh, that made him mad.

  I couldn’t escape his lethal speed this time, though, and I flew back with his hands on my waist as my back hit the ground with him over me. I growled and hooked my leg over his hip, rolling him as I sprung back up, moving back. Now? Now, I was just fucking annoyed.

  “Actually fight, Maize,” he snarled.

  “Fuck you,” I narrowed my eyes, “you don’t get a say in how I fight.” Playing defensive was my natural instinct.

  “You aren’t in a dungeon anymore, defense isn’t the only thing that matters.” He demanded, “Fucking adapt.”

  Alright, screw this guy.

  When he charged this time, I threw up my hands. Fine. I would show him fucking offense. Immediately soft silver energy surrounded me, with bursts of pink and blue. Everything was dark and stark in my life, but sometimes this light would make an appearance. Charm froze. His eyes dilated as he watched me, his pulse increasing. At least he was smart enough to realize what danger looked like.

  “Defense is exactly how my magic works,” I moved forward as I let my magic out, locking his ankles to the ground as his magic froze, refusing to work with him. “So don’t tell me how the fuck to fight. I could kill you, Charm. It would be that simple. I could touch you and shut down your entire system until you were struggling for your very last breath. And I would let you die--”

  “Screw you,” Charm bit out, tension riding his muscular body hard.

  “Didn’t you say I was just ‘flying around’? Well, let me warn you, it is a far better option than me killing you. Unless, of course, you want that--”

  I grunted as his magic finally blasted out against mine, throwing me back as I hit into the wall, my head snapping back. Ah. Shit.

  His power locked around me as I felt my energy zap, leaving me completely. I tried to keep my control, but I couldn’t, and I knew this could only be bad. If my magic rebounded, I don’t think it would matter if I touched him. I curled into myself as his shadow shaded me. My eyes fluttered, his demonic magic pulling and tugging on me, reminding me of Mario. Reminding me of the way he used to drain me, my magic hissing under my skin like a trapped feral animal.

  Unbearable pain drained through me as my father laughed, my magic offering me a hopeless expression. I could feel him pulling ounce after ounce of my magic. My eyes fluttered shut, tears pouring down my face as silent screams had my mouth open. It was like I was being eaten by fire from the inside out…

  “Charm, cut it the fuck out. Now,” someone’s yelling had me snapping from my memory. I winced, gasping as I fell forward at the release of his magic. My hearing was in and out as I felt spots dot my vision. He was right. This was why I played defense because clearly, I sucked at offense. I could feel tears staining my cheeks from the memory and I trembled, trying to push myself up off the mat. Instantly, my hearing popped and I could hear someone was seriously pissed, or several someones, but I didn’t care.

  I looked up at Charm and found his eyes wide and void of any sarcasm. I would bet he got some of that fucking shit going through my head. The man’s magic was complicated, but I was damn near positive that he had the ability to see what others desired and to turn it on them. Well, I guess he got more than he bargained for because my thoughts were anything but desire. My voice was thick as I finally spoke.

  “You ever do that again and I won’t stop myself from killing you.” My whisper had his jaw clenching as I pushed through Zed and Philip, both of them trying to get me to stop. I paid them no mind. Instead I walked out of the facility, my cheeks wet with tears and body trembling with electricity. I let my wings out and made it to my suite in minutes, throwing open the door then slamming it before locking it and letting my familiars out.

  “Holy shit,” Sy groaned jumping off me and around the room, “that was intense.”

  I sighed as Lu slithered down and they took some of the energy coursing through me. I slid down onto the floor. The two of them talked and complained quietly as I gripped my hair, feeling like I was on the verge of a panic attack and going back to kill Charm.

  I needed space. That's what I needed. Some fucking space.

  Maybe I would go out. That sounded good; some air sounded like what I needed.

  Around an hour later, silence echoing in the halls around me still, I had showered and dried my hair, pulling it into two tight braids. I fixed my socks and adjusted the comfortable sweater and leggings I wore, looking at the cold weather outside, trying to decide if it would be worth it. I let my hearing expand out, I could hear people coming up the steps. Yeah. I think it was time to get out for a bit. I left my doors locked and opened my massive windows, slipping on my boots before standing on the ledge. I tried to close them as much as possible, letting my wings expand out as I held myself there easily. Right as I dipped down towards the massive garden estate, a knock sounded on my door.

  Oh well.

  The cool wind felt good on my face, as I soared through the high peaks, I spotted a garden. That would work. I landed and inhaled, smelling roses. I sat on a bench, noticing how much darker the sky was growing. I tilted my head back as drops of rain and a bit of snow dusted my face. Inhaling the crisp scent, I could feel a soothing calm filter through me. Yeah. I had totally needed some space.

  Maybe that was the real issue. One I had been avoiding. Maybe the best solution really was to leave. We all knew that would be the best option. The easiest.

  I had no idea how long I sat out there, but at some point, a rustle of leaves had me stilling as I narrowed my eyes at a form relaxing in the shadows of a massive pine. The Red Masques academy was obviously filled with people, so it didn’t surprise me someone else had come out here. It did surprise me that they were staring at me despite me catching them. This place was so fucking odd. Finding myself missing the castle, Gray, and even Princess Luna despite how crazy she was.

  “What do you want?” I finally asked. The form stilled as if they hadn’t expected me to notice them. Huh. Maybe they thought they had been hidden?

  “You’re Maize, right?” the person demanded softly, his eyes flashing angrily. Wonderful. When I didn’t answer right away, the man stepped forward, his massive frame making me a bit nervous. I put my hands in my pockets and tried to look as relaxed as possible.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17