Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning

ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS, the following is a safety notice and we advise you take all of the information in this notification seriously.

Tonight is the LUNAR ECLIPSE.

All Fae will be struck by the urges of the moon and will be guided by their most base instincts and the truest desires of their hearts and flesh.

As such, the faculty have made the following recommendations:

1. Remain alone in your rooms throughout the evening with the door locked.

2. Turn off your Atlases to avoid the temptation to send provocative messages to your fellow students via social media.

3. Take a sleeping draft or two to try and bypass the night without succumbing to the urges.

4. Make sure you have cast your monthly contraceptive spells so that when rules 1-3 fail to work you will not come crying to the faculty about unexpected pregnancies.

Please try to remain safe and enjoy your evening.

– Principal Nova.

I read the message for the second time and couldn’t help but smirk. For all intents and purposes this was a warning to say that in all likelihood a lot of people would be getting laid tonight so don’t forget to use contraception. The rest of it was just nonsense and she knew it.

In amongst the Hell Week madness I’d heard more than a few excited whispers about the Lunar Eclipse and the sorts of things that people got up to during it.

Even thinking about tonight was getting me hot under the collar and it wasn’t even dinner time yet.

I bit my lip as I dropped my Atlas, wondering what I’d do tonight after our celebration dinner. Caleb had gone back to stay with his family for an Eclipse celebration after The Reckoning but I found I was glad. After the fun we’d had last night I’d been looking forward to spending more time with him. But then he just went straight back to threatening me with the other Heirs after The Reckoning and I realised that I really wasn’t cool with his whole Jekyll and Hyde act.

When he came back from his visit with his family I planned on making some new rules for us to play by and if he didn’t like it, then maybe I’d just have to cut him loose. Which was a damn shame because he was really hot. But I wasn’t going to let him have it both ways. He wanted me or he wanted to get rid of me and he’d have to decide which.

The fact that he wouldn’t be around tonight made me wonder if the moon would start driving me towards someone else or if it was all just a load of nonsense and an excuse for Fae to hook up with whoever they liked. The idea that an Eclipse could have that much sway on us almost seemed ridiculous but I guessed if the faculty felt the need to send out a warning there must have been some merit to it.

Thanks to Orion’s wildly awkward sex-ed class, I knew how to cast the contraceptive spell and the last one I’d cast was still in effect. So if I did happen to find myself in anyone’s bed then at least I wouldn’t have to worry about that.

I turned to look at my latest online shopping arrivals, trying to decide on an outfit for our celebration dinner at The Orb just as my Atlas pinged again.

I glanced down at the author of the message and my heart did a kind of awkward somersault, lodging in my throat for a moment before dropping all the way down into the pit of my stomach.

Darius Acrux – 1 new message.

My lips parted and I shook my head slightly, trying to shake off the fluttery feeling in my stomach as I picked it up and opened the message.

Darius:

All members of Ignis House are hereby invited to the Moon Party in Air Cove tonight at sundown. Come ready to party like your house is on fire and someone stole all your clothes. It’s gonna get messy and you’ll all be showing up to represent the hottest House on campus. Attendance isn’t optional. Show up or ship out.

– Your humble House Captain.

I blew out a breath, refusing to admit that a small part of me was disappointed to find that message hadn’t been personal. It wasn’t like I wanted him to be sending me messages anyway. If he had, I’d just have to delete it. And probably block him too.

I dropped my Atlas back onto my bed and stepped out of my clothes as I prepared to start trying on outfits for tonight.

My skin felt hot and I fanned myself with my hand, crossing the room in my black underwear as I moved to open the window.

The sky was painted orange as the sun began to set and I paused for a moment, admiring the view and enjoying the cool breeze that danced over my flesh.

As I looked out at the sky, my gaze fell on a pale, white orb which hung low on the horizon. The moon was up already.

A shiver ran down my spine as I looked at it for a long moment, every inch of my skin starting to come alive like an electrical current was dancing across my nerve endings.

I bit my lip and turned away from the view, snatching my Atlas back into my grasp and typing out a message.

Tory:

Thanks for the invite but I’m not sure I’ve got anything appropriate to wear. What’s the dress code?

As soon as I hit send my stomach dropped and I tried to un-send it again. I tapped the screen, bashing my hands against it again and again as I tried to figure out a way for that message not to have just been sent.

A notification flashed up at the bottom of the screen and my heart lurched uncomfortably.

Darius Acrux is typing.

No, no, no, no! What have I done??

Darius:

I’m sure you’ll look good enough in anything you wear. Just turn up as you are.

I looked down at myself in my underwear and laughed. That would certainly help my reputation as a sex addict, wouldn’t it?

Tory:

No, I think that would be wildly inappropriate actually.

Darius:

Why?

How could three little letters make my heart race like that? I read his message four times which was excessive for a one word response but I didn’t know how to reply to it. I just kept blinking at it until he sent another message.

Darius:

Send me a photo and I’ll give you an honest opinion.

If I thought my heart had been racing before then that was nothing to what it was doing now. Of course I wasn’t going to send him a photo. I was standing in my underwear not wearing some awful outfit like he thought I was. Unless he didn’t think I was. Maybe he knew exactly what I was wearing. But how could he? And why was I even considering sending him a photo when I obviously wasn’t about to do it?

Darius:

I dare you…

Fuck it.

I moved towards the mirror which hung beside my door and paused as I noticed my eyes seemed kinda strange. I leaned a little closer, looking at my pupils which were wide and dilated like an anime character. I frowned at the strange appearance of my eyes for a moment before my original task tugged at my attention. I kicked on a pair of heavy boots which still had mud on them from when I’d worn them out in the rain and a smirk pulled at my lips.

I took a deep breath, held my Atlas up and took the photo.

Heat prickled along my skin as I toyed with the idea of pressing send or delete. I wasn’t really going to send Darius Acrux a picture of me in my underwear.

Was I?

I snorted at the idea, moving my thumb to hit delete and swiping send instead.

My gut lurched, my eyes widened and I quickly followed through with the rest of the vague plan I’d had when I’d half considered this outrageous idea. Fuck knew what was getting into me tonight.

Tory:

See? My shoes don’t match, I look ridiculous…

My heart beat an unsteady tune in my chest as I tried to figure out why the hell I’d just done that. Not that it mattered. He saw me in that tiny bathing suit in Water Elemental class all the time anyway. And he’d burned all my clothes off that time too, so he’d already seen everything there was to see of my body. It was no big deal.

The words Darius Acrux is typing had been sitting at the bottom of my screen for way too long now. Either he was about to send me an essay or he’d half written a response and forgotten about it or he was having trouble deciding exactly what to say back to me.

Why the hell had I messaged him again?

Could I blame the moon? I sure as shit wanted to. My heart was beating too fast. Too damn fast.

A knock sounded at my door and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.

My lips parted. I glanced at my Atlas which still held no reply and moved towards the door uncertainly.

I wanted to ask who was there, but I couldn’t quite get the words to pass my lips.

I slowly turned the door handle and pulled it open a crack.

“What were you doing, taking a shit or something?” Darcy joked as she pushed her way inside and I let out a shaky laugh, quickly closing the door again behind her.

She was already dressed in a grey skirt and cute top, her blue hair loose and curling around her shoulders.

Her gaze slipped to the filthy boots I’d paired with my underwear and her brows pinched.

“What are you wearing, Tor?” she asked on a laugh.

“Umm…” I wasn’t even sure how to explain the fact that I’d clearly had a mental break, so I kicked my boots off by the door and moved back to looking at my wardrobe instead.

“Holy mother of crap! Are you sexting Darius Acrux?” Darcy gasped and I spun back around to find her holding up my Atlas which I realised too late I’d left open on the bed with the messages right there for her to see.

“God no!” I snapped. “As if! I just…sent him a single photo which was a joke, not sexual at all!”

“Your underwear is transparent,” she pointed out and I looked down, shaking my head but it actually kinda was.

“I…I’m gonna blame the moon,” I said because I seriously had no other excuse and I was feeling really damn hot again and I could see the damn moon out of my open window like it was laughing at me. I pointed at it to emphasise my point and Darcy laughed.

“Okay well the moon might want you to cover up before we actually head out though, yeah?” she suggested.

I smirked at her teasing tone and pointed at the array of new clothes I had yet to pick between.

“I can’t choose, that’s how I ended up asking for Darius’s help in the first place.”

“And he suggested those boots?”

“He did not.” I bit my lip. “Shit, you’d better keep me away from him tonight if one glimpse of the moon is all it takes for me to start sending him half naked photos,” I joked, but I kinda meant it. And I kinda hoped she didn’t and I ran into him anyway. Shit.

“Caleb losing his shine so soon?” Darcy teased as she started rifling through my options.

“Yes. Well no…we had so much fun last night at the fair and afterwards in his room too…” I smirked at her as she shook her head in mock disgust. “But then this morning he’s all you’d better watch out, I’m coming for you, like a total dipshit-”

“Darius was pretty heavy on that idea too,” Darcy pointed out.

“Yeah, I know. But he doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Like with Caleb he’s all, let’s just be us and keep the feud stuff separate. But that’s easier said than done, you know? Because one minute I’m laughing my ass off with him and sleeping in his bed and the next he’s like I’m gonna get you out of the school and make you and your sister bleed. And I just wanna punch his stupid fucking face.”

“I’m feeling that,” Darcy agreed. “You should totally punch him.” She hooked a dress out of the pile and held it out for me. It was white with pale lilac blossoms all over it, the top was fitted while the skirt flared out. I’d bought it with Darcy in mind and we both knew it. 

“The moon wants you to wear this tonight,” Darcy said. “If you look innocent, it thinks you might act it too.”

I smirked at her as she tossed the dress to me and I pulled it on. It hugged my figure and skimmed my knees.

“Am I seriously wearing this?” I asked in amusement. It was cute and I wasn’t sure I could pull off cute.

“You are,” she agreed, pushing me down into the chair by my desk as she started fiddling with my hair. “So, we were up to you wanting to punch Caleb’s face and somehow explaining why you’re sending dirty photos to Darius because I’m still lost as to how he’s any different…”

“Right. Yeah. Well he’s different because he doesn’t pretend to be anything apart from an asshole,” I said, biting my lip as I let my mind wander in Darius’s direction.

“And assholes are hot.” I could hear Darcy rolling her eyes without even having to see it. Yeah, yeah, I was singing an old tune. We both knew it. I was an addict and I may have been heading for a relapse if this moon got its way.

“Hate sex is hot,” I said and Darcy groaned.

“I see where this is going,” she stated.

“You don’t. It’s not. I’m just saying…”

Darcy laughed and I joined in.

“It’s the moon,” I added.

“Sure it is,” she agreed. “Well I’ve done what I can to make you look innocent. Let’s hope you manage to act it.”

She stopped playing with my hair and I stood up to look in the mirror, smiling at the loose curls she’d given me to compliment the pretty dress.

I slipped on a pair of white sneakers with it because we were heading to the beach and heels would have just made me look like a gazelle on crack walking on the sand.

“Does the moon have anyone in mind for you?” I asked, looking around at my sister with a sly smile. She hadn’t hooked up with anyone since that whole Seth cutting her hair bullshit and I was worried she was overthinking the whole trust thing with men again.

“Oh…well…” Her cheeks flushed a little and she opened her mouth like she was going to say something.

“Oh my god! You’re totally holding out on me, who is it?” I demanded.

She hesitated and in the silence that followed, my Atlas pinged. Darcy leapt on it and I bit my lip, trying not to hope for it to be Darius and failing.

“It’s just Geraldine,” she said and a little sinking feeling dropped through my chest. “She’s checking how long we’ll be.”

“Tell her fifteen minutes,” I said. “So who’s the lucky guy…?”

Darcy laughed dismissively. “No one in particular, but you know, the moon is making me think maybe I’ll just keep my options open.”

I frowned as she avoided my gaze but if she wanted to keep her crush a secret I wouldn’t push it.

“Fine,” I sighed. “But if you get laid I’m expecting all the details tomorrow.”

She snorted in amusement and gave a non-committal noise.

“Oh, I know, let’s go overkill,” Darcy said excitedly, changing the subject. She moved to my side and twisted a lock of my hair between her fingers, frowning in concentration as a little vine grew from the palm of her hand to coil around it. Tiny lilac flowers sprung to life along the length of it and I smiled widely at her display of magic as she tucked the end behind my ear.

“Look at you, Darcy. Anyone would think you’re a fully fledged student of the best magic school in Solaria,” I complimented.

“Damn straight I am,” she agreed.

A knock came at my door again. Louder than Darcy’s had been.

I widened my eyes at her and her mouth fell open.

She mouthed who is it? and I shrugged because I didn’t have a clue. Then she mouthed Darius? and my eyes widened like saucers.

I picked up my Atlas, seeing that he still hadn’t responded to my shameless half naked photo before slipping towards the door with Darcy right beside me.

My palms were slick as I reached for the door handle but I slapped a look of couldn’t give a shit right on my face. I’d sent the damn picture so I’d have to front it out.

I opened the door and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as I found Darius leaning on the doorframe.

His gaze slid over my dress slowly and heat crawled along my skin everywhere he looked.

“You sorted out your problem then?” he asked casually.

“Umm… I decided on different shoes…”

Please floor, swallow me now. Or him. Or my sister who is standing right behind this door.

“I think I preferred the other option,” he said, moving a little closer to me.

“Well I think Tory looks really nice in this dress,” Darcy said, yanking the door all the way open so that she was revealed beside me.

Darius moved back an almost imperceptible amount but everything about his posture seemed to change.

“Doesn’t she look nice?” Darcy pressed.

“Holy shit, Darcy. No one wants to look nice,” I muttered.

“Nice girls do,” she hissed back pointedly.

Darius laughed and the sound rolled right down my spine and into my soul.

“Roxy’s not a nice girl,” he said, his gaze fixed on mine, his pupils larger than normal in his endlessly dark eyes. “No matter how pretty she looks in that dress.”

He turned and walked away from us before I could utter a response.

I sagged against the doorframe and turned to Darcy with my eyebrows raised. “How did he make ‘pretty’ sound dirty?” I asked, my voice rough.

“He didn’t, Tor,” Darcy said with a sigh as I moved back inside to grab my things. “That was all in your head.”

“Was it, though?” I asked, smirking at her.

“Sadly… no, it wasn’t.”

I bit my lip against another smile. I had no real intention of going anywhere near Darius Acrux tonight.

Probably.

Maybe.

Sixty three percent.

Dammit.