Zodiac Academy: The Awakening As Told By The Boys

I stood in the shower in the locker room of the Pitball stadium, scrubbing the mud from my hair after the training session. The team had left and I should have been leaving too, heading to my office for the Liaison with Darcy Vega. But I still hadn’t fed and my plan to drink from her tonight had meant I’d been distracted all through training.

Max Rigel had looked at me like he couldn’t work out what my emotions were doing and I’d had to focus so hard on mentally shielding myself from his probing gifts that I now felt frayed and on the edge of losing control. The Vegas had only been at this academy one day and I was already in this much turmoil, what was going on with me?

I just needed to feed. To sink my fangs into Darcy’s throat and drink away as much of that power I could grasp.

A hungry growl left my throat at that thought and my cock hardened, betraying me. It’s all about their power. It’s not about her.

I fisted my hard length, figuring it was best to take the edge off rather than turn up to my office feeling like this. Maybe I should have seen Francesca last night and I wouldn’t be this pent up. Or maybe it had something to do with coming home from the Mortal Realm, my Order desperate to be sated and leaving me with more hunger than I was used to. Yeah, that was it. The Mortal Realm had fucked with me and once I’d fed tonight, everything would go back to normal.

Fuck the Vegas. This was their fault. They were ruining everything and they hadn’t even done anything yet.

I groaned as I leaned my forearm against the wall and the hot wash of water ran down my back as I stroked my length in furious pumps of my fist. I was gonna be late. Not that that was unusual for me. She deserved to stand there waiting with a pout on her lips – fuck, those lips. My hand moved faster and I screwed up my eyes as I worked to force her out of my head. She wasn’t what was getting me hot. It was her blood. I pictured swallowing it, drowning in the heady feel of the royal’s power and the way she’d be weakened in my arms, unable to use any of her magic as I stole it away. It’d be a just punishment for this headfuck she was giving me. She’d gasp and her eyes would widen with fear as I took control and crushed her to the wall of my office. I’d hear her begging me, but I wouldn’t stop until I’d drunk away the well of her power and taken it for my own.

Her body would mould to mine as she submitted, and I’d become the centre of her world for a short snapshot in time. I’d be close enough to feel her heart pounding against my flesh, her breaths against my skin. And maybe she’d like it, being at my mercy. Maybe she’d draw me closer, maybe her defiant mouth would find mine once I was done with her blood and maybe I’d find out how high those tanned legs went beneath her little skirt – no. By the fucking moon, no.

I came, pleasure sweeping through me followed by a healthy dose of guilt for where my mind had just wandered. The heated water of the shower swept over me, stealing away any evidence of the sinful thing I’d done over a girl who was so off limits, she might as well have been a massive red flag with a warning siren on it.

I finished washing and shot out of the shower, drying my body off with air magic and tugging on some jeans and a white shirt stashed in my locker. Then I scrubbed a hand over my face and took a breath to sharpen my thoughts. Despite that shameful fantasy I’d just indulged in, I felt better, more in control. And I was sure once I’d fed that would be the end of this madness.

I grabbed my Atlas and sprinted out of the locker room with a burst of my speed, tearing out of the Pitball Stadium and across campus in the direction of Jupiter Hall.

I slowed to a casual stride as I made it into the building, taking out my Atlas and sweeping a hand through my still damp hair. I had a message from Gabriel waiting for me and I frowned at the weirdness of it. I was pretty used to this kind of thing seeing as he was a Seer, but he never usually had much insight into what was going on in my life. He must have been turning his attention towards me for whatever reason lately, but that gave me the uncomfortable feeling again that something life changing was coming. And since the Vegas were now here, I had to assume it was to do with them.

You’re not getting Darius’s throne though, girls, mark my fucking words. I’ve worked too long and too hard to get revenge on his father with him, and he star damn deserves it after all the shit he’s been through.

Noxy:

Your new path is gilded in sunlight and surrounded by shadow. Don’t step off of it.

Lance:

In plainer terms?

Noxy:

The darkness is your closest friend, but it’s time to let it go.

Lance:

Wait…has the Lion got your Atlas again? It’s not funny, asshole. Don’t you start drunk-texting me fake predictions like last time. I got stuck up that mountain for sixteen hours.

Noxy:

It’s me, Orio. And you need to listen to what I’m telling you. And not telling you. The answers lay in between my words.

Lance:

Can’t you lay it out for me straight, just this once?

I knew he couldn’t though. A Seer’s curse was seeing the future but being unable to always speak it because then the future would shift. So I was doomed to try and solve this riddle on my own.

Alright…darkness…path…sunlight. I’m too tired for this shit. I need a drink.

Noxy:

Call me later.

Lance:

Will do.

I tucked my Atlas away and my heart did something strange as I rounded the corner into the corridor that led to my office. Then my eyes fell on a girl standing there coated in dried mud from head to toe with a glint of blue hair peeking from her smothered form which told me exactly who it was. What in the actual fuck had happened to her?

“I hope that’s not a fashion choice, Miss Vega,” I said coolly, my gaze dragging from the top of her right down to her mud caked shoes, amusement rippling through me and my mouth hitching up into a taunting grin.

“Oh yes, I just love rolling in mud in the evenings,” she deadpanned, clearly pissed and most likely embarrassed as hell. I had a feeling I knew exactly who had done this and I hoped it meant she was getting the message about staying here. She didn’t seem particularly broken by it though, just angry. Though it was hard to tell with all that mud on her face. Maybe I should leave her like that so she’s less easy on the eyes.

I moved close to her, pushing my key into the lock and heading inside, leaving the door open for her to follow and sensing her trailing after me. The air seemed to charge with an energy so fierce that I felt it right down to my soul and I fought the urge to look back at her to try and figure out if she felt it too. Though it was impossible to tell through the layer of mud slicked to her skin.

I moved to sit in my chair behind the crescent-moon desk built from cherry wood. It had belonged to my father and I’d had it moved here from his old office at my family home. My mother Stella had bawled for days afterwards, saying I was disrespecting it by moving it. But as I gave exactly zero fucks about her opinion, I hadn’t lost much sleep over it.

Students’ laughter carried in through the open window and every other person was talking about Darcy Vega being covered in shit, so I guessed her new look was now doing the rounds on FaeBook. I bit down on a grin. How unfortunate.

My gaze flicked to her and her hands balled into fists as she clearly heard some of the mockery too. Her heart was thumping to an uneasy beat that made me momentarily want to soothe it. But instead of indulging in that insane thought, I snagged out the bottle of bourbon stashed in the cupboard in my desk along with a crystal glass and poured myself a measure. The scent reminded me of him too. My father’s favourite brand of bourbon, The Silver Circle.

He only ever drank as a celebration of his new discoveries. He was always creating dark spells, or finding ways to wield dark objects that had long been forgotten in our world. All illegal of course, but that didn’t take away the skill he’d possessed. I’d been too young to understand all of it and that was hard to bear sometimes, because I hadn’t appreciated him enough, hadn’t realised how precious and fleeting our time was together.

If I could have that time back, I’d spend every spare minute I had with him, learning all that he knew, asking every question I never got to ask. But that was the way of death, sometimes it crept out of the shadows and stole away loved ones without warning. Other times, it descended like a dark cloud, a storm rolling towards shore from a distant horizon, the warning there, but the arrival just as inevitable. I hoped when I died, I had time to say goodbye to those who mattered. Luckily for me, there wasn’t a long list of those.

I drained the glass of bourbon and let it burn hotly in my chest, remembering Gabriel’s words to me. I was definitely leaning into the dark, so I supposed I’d better try and steer myself into the light. Just one more drink first though.

I smacked my lips, placing the glass down and moving to refill it.

“Excuse me?” Darcy said sharply and my eyes flicked up to where she was still standing, rooted in place like a mud statue.

“Yes?” I asked, my mind moving from that morbid place onto her. This dangerous little creature who had no idea yet of the threat she posed.

“Well, it’s just that apparently I’m standing in your office looking like a swamp monster and watching you get drunk,” she said sharply.

“That does appear to be happening, yes. Very observant, Blue. Or perhaps I should call you Brown now?” I started laughing, the bourbon taking effect, or perhaps it was the ludicrousness of her right now. She was so damn mouthy for someone who looked like a bog monster and was currently the butt of every joke in the school.

She placed her hands on her hips and I made a vague attempt to rein in my laughter, but it wouldn’t stop coming. She just looked so ridiculously adorable. No, scrap that last word.

“Right, screw this.” She marched toward the door, and my smile dropped flat in an instant.

Oh no you don’t, I haven’t had my feed yet.

I waved my hand, casting heated air over her to scrape off the mud before using my water magic to wash it away, then I sent it all flying straight out the window – hopefully into the path of some little shitbag student. Her hair fluttered around her shoulders, the blue tips bright and falling smoothly down her spine. What’s with the blue anyway? And why is it so aggravatingly enticing to me?

She turned to face me and I cast a harsh wind in her direction, forcing her back against the door and deciding I was done waiting for the power I wanted to take. It was my right as a Vampire to go after the strongest blood source I could seize, and her blood had been running through my mind all day. I’d pre-jerked off to save myself a power boner in front of her, dammit. So this was happening and if I liked it, it would keep happening until she was able to stop me.

I shot over to her, her eyes closed against the onslaught of my conjured storm and her lips twisted in a snarl. I dropped the air magic, standing close to keep her from escaping as my heart pounded over how near I was to claiming my prize.

“Thank you,” she forced out and I found my gaze wandering over her face, unable to ignore the beauty of her petite features, or the way those eyes seemed to swallow up my entire soul. Siren. Definitely a Siren.

“Your gratitude isn’t what I want.” I snatched her arm, ready to finally live out this fantasy in my head and find out what she tasted like. But before my fangs made it to her flesh, her palm smashed into my cheek with a loud clap that rang out in the space and left me utterly speechless as I tried to figure out if she’d really just slapped me.

I stared at her in surprise and she stared right back, my cheek stinging as I reached up to touch the place her palm had impacted. My pulse was thrashing and I couldn’t stop drinking in the rebellion in those endlessly green eyes. And the worst thing was, I liked it. I liked the way my skin was burning, the feel of it so keen it was like waking up from sleepwalking, mid dream. I hadn’t felt so much of anything in such a long time. I’d been living on autopilot, wandering this world like a zombie since Lionel had taken everything from me. But somehow, she’d cut through the dark fog that had been in my head for years.

“Don’t bite me,” she breathed, her pupils dilating, her throat bobbing in a way that told me she was nervous, on edge, desperate for me not to drive my fangs into her. But it was too late for that, I was too far gone down the rabbit hole, and that slap had solidified this need. I had to drink from her, it was instinct. And a depraved part of me wanted her punished more than ever now. Because a Vega did not get to come into my life and make demands of me. She was the Savage King’s daughter, and no matter how small and innocent she looked with those soul-eating eyes, I knew better. Because I knew about the blood that ran in her veins, I knew the cruelty that the King had delivered on our kingdom. And I knew that once this creature found her footing in this world, that evil could awaken once more.

I leaned down, nose to nose with her, so all I could see was those two deep eyes and the reflection of a hunter in them.

“How are you going to stop me?” I asked, wondering if she might try, if she’d use her inner Fae against me and I’d see how powerful she really was, how savage she could be. This close, I could smell her, and the scent was an intoxicating combination of strawberries and purest sunshine.

She took a slow breath, contempt pulling at her features. “I know how to wield air. I can push you back.”

“Are you sure about that?” I shifted even closer, opening my mouth to reveal the sharp points of my fangs.

She shook her head as a V formed between her eyes. “Honestly? No. But I’m asking you not to and I’m telling you I’ll try to fight you if you do.”

She’s asking me not to?

I wasn’t sure I’d ever been asked not to bite someone. People had screamed and begged, but most shut up once they realised I had them in my grasp. It was the way of our kind. Vampires had to bite to gain their magic. But the plea in her expression said she didn’t understand that, that she simply didn’t want my fangs in her plain and simple.

I found myself taking a step back, but then the beast in me rose up and demanded I take what I wanted. I’d been fantasising about her taste since I’d first laid eyes on her. And this wasn’t the human world anymore. This was the kingdom of Solaria, and if she thought she could ask nicely and get what she wanted, then she needed to learn a lesson fast.

She tried to move past me and I snatched her arm and sliced my fangs into her skin, letting go of my more urgent want to bite her neck, and knowing that I may have been doing this as a way to ease her into it. Because if I enjoyed her blood, I’d damn well be taking more of it.

Her blood hit my tongue and I lost all sense of everything as pristine light seemed to roll over my tastebuds. There was fire and so much power brimming in her that I could barely contain a groan as I drank my first mouthful. She gasped in horror at what I’d done, bringing her hand up like she was going to hit me once more and I snatched hold of it, slamming it against the door behind her, making my heart leap with adrenaline. In the next second, I pressed forward, crushing her to the wood with my chest and pinning her there as my bite deepened. I couldn’t help but notice how good her body felt against mine, how her hot breath fanned against my neck and how her wriggling made her breasts grind over me. This was a thousand times better than any fantasy I’d conjured. This was like taking a throne among the stars themselves.

Her heartbeat filled my head and I drank another mouthful of the sweetest, most appetising blood I’d ever drunk. Her power flowed into me in furious waves that spoke of the depths to which her magic ran. I wanted more and more, all of it, taking and taking as I fell into a feeding frenzy and my mind sparked with the immensity of her strength.

The Vampire in me had taken full control, but it was a hungry monster and I could feel it going too far, taking too much. But I couldn’t stop. I kept drinking beyond the point I should have as I devoured her magic and sank into the provocative taste of her.

Let her go.

Stop.

You have to stop.

With a surge of willpower, I yanked my fangs free and my head spun from the taste of her on my tongue and the power overflowing in my chest. She leaned back against the door and clutched the two bloody pinpricks on her wrist as she glared at me with venom in her eyes. But she could hate me to the ends of the earth if she liked, I’d still be coming back for more of her. I was hooked. And Darius would approve seeing as my bite had left her looking horrified.

Maybe she’d run back to the Mortal Realm to escape my bites. And maybe I’d follow her there, kidnap her and lock her up somewhere only I could get access.

Or maybe you’re on a blood high and you’ll actually do something rational like forgetting all about her once she’s gone.

I gave her an even stare, figuring she needed the life lesson over this to banish some of that haunted look in her eyes. “Everything in Solaria is about power, Miss Vega. Don’t forget that. Everyone takes what they want. It’s our way. And if you don’t start taking it yourself, you’re going to fail at this Academy before you’ve even attempted to pass The Reckoning.”

Her throat rose and fell, and she continued to glare at me like I was the Devil, and that was fine by me.

I headed back to my desk, dropping into my chair and releasing a satisfied sigh. I don’t think my thirst has ever felt so sated.

I realised my cock was throbbing and I was growing one hundred percent hard over her – not her, her blood. My jaw locked as heat ran up the back of my neck. Fuck.

“Sit down.” I gestured to the seat opposite me and her lips twitched in frustration before she obeyed. I forced my attention away from my raging hard on and poured myself another glass of bourbon, thankful of the desk to hide it.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a lesson?” she bit at me.

“Nope. I’m supposed to be providing guidance for you. But I’m doing so on my time. And on my time, I like to have a drink. So here we are.”

“Right,” she said through tight lips. You really do despise me, don’t you Blue? Well you’d better suck it up, because I’m not going anywhere.

 “So what exactly am I going to learn here while you’re enjoying yourself?” she asked in a clipped tone.

“Trust me, I’m not enjoying myself.” I planted my glass down, giving her a hard stare. You’re the thorn in Solaria’s side and I intend to find a way to remove you. “Hand,” I commanded and both of her hands curled up in refusal.

Does she have to make everything so damn difficult?

“Don’t make me Coerce you. It’s rather draining and I just added a nice chunk to my own power,” I said.

“You mean you sucked out my magic like a mosquito.”

“Sure.” I shrugged. “Whatever colourful analogy soothes you.” I grinned, sipping my drink, but immediately regretting it as I lost the taste of her on my tongue. “Hand, come on, we’ve only got forty more minutes of my life to waste.”

She pressed her lips together, thrusting her right hand at me. It was time to start working out her strengths and weaknesses, then Darius and I could figure out how best to handle her and her sister. And I needed to get my mind off of biting her, of feeling her crushed to my door, owned by me.

“Flat on the desk, palm up,” I instructed and she did so. “Is this your dominant hand?”

She nodded.

“Good, I’m going to do an assessment.”

“What kind of assessment?” she asked suspiciously.

“Of your power.”

“Okay…”

“Don’t move. And don’t giggle – for the love of the sun I hate the gigglers.” I took her hand and brushed my fingertips over her palm, energy seeming to crackle from her skin into mine.

I glanced up at her, assessing if she was about to giggle, but she quickly flattened the laugh I saw building in her eyes and glared at me again.

I traced my thumb across the line at the centre of her palm and a filthy idea entered my head of yanking her across this desk by it and – she’s a student. And a Vega. And if those two things aren’t reason enough, she’s also not going to be staying here for any amount of time because we are going to figure out how to get rid of her and her sister. So for now, act like the fucking teacher you’re supposed to be and work out her weak spots.

“In palmistry mortals usually have four lines on their palms.” I pointed them out from top to bottom. “Heart, head, life and fate. Fae, however, have a fifth line. A power line.” I pressed my thumb to the middle of her palm again and she shifted in her seat as she leaned in closer to look. Her scent reached me and I stopped myself from inhaling, grinding my teeth for a second before I went on.

“Most Fae have shorter lines here.” I turned my own hand over, showing her my palm and her gaze flicked to the triangular symbol of air tattooed on my wrist. “Mine extends two thirds of the way. Yours, however, is a complete line.” I gave her an assessing glare. That power line of hers was the strongest I’d ever seen. Even the Heirs didn’t have a complete line. And it made my stomach knot because if she and Tory learned how to harness this power residing in their veins, they’d be unstoppable.

“The strength of each particular Element is defined by these intersecting lines.” I plucked a small palmistry ruler off my desk and laid it on her palm.

I worked through each line, knowing she had no idea what I was learning from these marks, and deciding I wouldn’t be telling her about most of it. It wasn’t all about power. There were indications to her fate written into her flesh here and I took note of it all, trying to pull apart the secrets hidden there. I examined a line along her thumb, grazing my fingertip across it and finding it fully intact. It was an indicator of willpower, which unfortunately she had a lot of.

Then I examined the marking termed the Girdle of Venus which curved under her middle finger and ring finger and gave me an insight into her temperament. Not everyone had one, but those who did were more compassionate, and I supposed that was worth noting. Though I doubted she’d be compassionate enough to give up her birth right to the Heirs once she embraced her inner Fae. I hoped she was long gone before she even had the chance to claim the throne anyway.

I found she was also gifted with a line called the Ring of Solomon which curved beneath her index finger. I frowned as I examined the rare line, the marking indicating a Fae who was self-sacrificing and good at heart.

It didn’t add up. This was the Savage King’s daughter. I’d expected to find some of his cruelty and selfishness written here, but if these lines were a good judgement of her character – and they were usually pretty fucking accurate – then I was missing something. Because she couldn’t be compassionate and kind. Those weren’t traits I’d been preparing for. But the truth was, I needed to crush this girl and her sister regardless of whether their hearts were in the right place or not.

My thumb glided onto the line that indicated her love life and a shiver darted down my spine that I swear she felt too as she shifted in her seat. I kept my gaze on her palm, the air in the room becoming thinner and a faint whisper seemed to carry to me that held no words I understood.

I glanced up at Darcy again, finding her looking elsewhere, though she was chewing on her lower lip like she was struggling with some internal war. I forced my gaze back to her palm as I drew in a breath and figured the stars were playing tricks on me. Maybe they were leaning closer now because this girl was more dangerous than her palm let on and I needed to be vigilant.

The markings spoke of a significant love in her life that would be wrought with hardship and emotional turmoil. It was split in places which indicated the worst of those hardships and the end of it was muddled with so many intersecting lines that it was hard to tell whether the love continued beyond them or if the relationship ended abruptly within those trials. I found myself feeling oddly possessive of her as I considered this coming relationship. She was mine. I mean, her blood was mine. And I wasn’t going to allow some asshole to show up and claim her for himself.

I knew it was irrational, but I couldn’t shift the feeling. This girl was not to be taken from me.

I finally started working on her power rankings, seeking out her Elements on her palm. Every Fae had markings for all the Elements, but they only became relevant once their magic was Awakened and their true power was known. I jotted down each tiny line which ran along her power line and did a couple of calculations to work out her power rankings for each Element, the numbers staring back at me making my throat thicken. Holy fucking shit. They’re going to be unstoppable.

We need to deal with this fast.

I released her hand, finding my fingers slightly reluctant to let go and I flexed them as I pushed the numbers in front of her.

“These are your power rankings,” I explained. “Ten is the strongest you can be in any Element. To put it in perspective, Miss Vega, even a seven is considered high.”

She stared at the numbers with her eyes widening and for a moment I just watched as she came to terms with what she was seeing. I thought of this girl back in her shitty apartment in desperate need for money and a few decent meals, and for a heartbeat I wished things didn’t have to be the way they were. But then I snuffed out that traitorous thought and grounded myself with the fury I felt towards her father. She was the enemy. And a Siren. Definitely a fucking Siren.

“Your weakest Element is fire, although I use the word weak very loosely. You’re an eight in earth, a nine in water and a ten in air.”

She glanced up at me with a thousand questions in her eyes and I had the hungry, undeniable urge to answer them all. “And we’re this powerful because…our parents were royal? The king and queen?” She sounded like she didn’t believe the words leaving her lips and I supposed it was a headfuck to find out you were a long lost princess.

“Yes. Your father was the most powerful Fae in Solaria. He held three Elements: fire, water and air. Your mother had just one Element: air. She was a Gemini like you and was named the most beautiful woman in Solaria.” Though I’d hazard a guess her daughters have her beat. This one to me is like a fucking magnet. “That was after he returned with her from a faraway land his army had invaded. King Vega married her, disregarding tradition. The powerful families tend to breed with their own kind; it keeps bloodlines pure and usually produces offspring of the same Orders. The purer the line, the more powerful their magic.”

“And not doing that is…bad?” she asked, leaning closer with curiosity burning in her eyes.

“No, just foolish. Their children are more likely to be weaker but…that is clearly not the case with you and your sister. Your mother and father have produced two of the most powerful Fae to ever walk in our world.” I leaned back in my chair, needing more space between us as I swilled the whiskey in my glass.

“What were they?” she breathed and my gaze roamed over her mouth for a second. “What were their Orders?”

Damn, she looked so fucking sweet. She was hungry for answers and I liked holding them in my grasp. I was quietly glad I got to be the one to tell her all of this, and so long as she kept looking at me like I was the key to everything she’d searched for her whole life, I wanted to keep talking.

“Your mother was a Harpy and your father was a Hydra,” I revealed.

“Hydra?” she whispered, a grimace crossing her features. “Like the monster with multiple heads?” 

“Yes,” I said quietly. “They are one of the rarest Orders in the world.”

She took a slow breath as she tried to process it all. “So what do you think me and Tory are, sir?”

I’d never once been tempted by a student, or remotely interested in the fantasy of the forbidden. But she was so star damned alluring, and so fucking powerful, her talking to me like I commanded her respect was a sin in itself which my cock liked way too much.

I drummed my fingers on the desk then swallowed the last of my drink to try and drown some of the errant thoughts in my head.

“Trouble,” I muttered.

“That’s not fair. It’s not like we asked for this.”

My anger rose, because fuck her for making me feel like this. Fuck her for making this harder than it needed to be. I wasn’t going to be distracted by her deer-in-the-headlights eyes or her naive little mortal looks. She was Gwendalina Vega. And if she’d been raised in this world, she’d no doubt be prepping to carry on in her father’s footsteps right now. She may have seemed innocent, but give it a month or two and she’d find her feet. She’d start wielding her magic to her own benefit, and when she realised the throne could be hers, she’d fight for it. She’d fight ruthlessly and she might just win. And who knew what she’d become in the meantime? Monsters didn’t grow out of the ground, they fed on power and became addicted to its company. Our kind strived for it, and she would too. She’d be just like every other power hungry Fae in this school in no time, and she might just be worse.

“What’s not fair, Miss Vega, is that you and your sister now have a stronger claim to the throne of Solaria than the four Celestial Heirs who have been training their entire lives to rule.” I slammed my empty glass down on the table and heard her heart rate jump sharply. “When your parents died, the Celestial Council claimed the right to rule together. But now you have returned, it is our law that you be placed upon the throne if you can prove yourselves strong enough to claim it. Which is just our damn luck.” I glared at her, glad her heart was pattering and glad that I’d unnerved her. I wasn’t her friend. I was the one fighting to keep Darius on track to take his father’s place on the Celestial Council. And I’d worked tirelessly for years to do it. So I would not be fucking gentle with how I dealt with this. The world was in trouble. The Nymphs were on the rise and this girl and her twin were not capable of protecting our kingdom from them. “Do you have any idea of the dangerous times we’re living in, Blue?” I demanded and my upper lip curled as I stared at her hair. The royal colour already branded on her like a flag hung there to mock me.

“No, but maybe if you’d tell me-”

“Tell you what? Even if I relayed the entire history of Solaria to you, do you really think that would be enough?” I released a dry laugh. “The world has already fallen out of balance and now you and your sister have shown up to tip the scales even further into chaos. Whole families are turning up dead. Powerful ones too. Your parents were the first but not the last and it’s only a matter of time before-” I cut myself off, cursing myself internally. She had no right to know any of this. My theories, suspicions. They were for mine and Darius’s ears, not this girl’s. I didn’t need her running off to gossip with her little friends and let the whole school know the dangerous accusations that I held within me.

“Are you saying my birth parents were murdered?” she asked in horror. Fuck. Backtrack the hell out of here.

“I’m not saying anything.” I cleared my throat, pouring myself another glass of bourbon, knowing I’d be sinking the whole lot of this tonight.

“Anyway,” I grunted, wanting to force the conversation elsewhere. “Your Order will emerge sooner or later. Your power source will give you a clue as to what you are so pay attention. Different Orders’ magic is replenished in specific ways. A Werewolf draws their power from the moon, a Medusa draws from mirrors, and if you hadn’t guessed it yet, a Vampire draws powers from others through their blood.” I flashed my fangs at her and she shuddered. You can hate me all you like, I’m not going to stop biting you.

“Well I’m definitely not like you,” she said coldly and the disdain in her voice cut into something within my chest. This was what I wanted though. We were enemies. The lines were drawn in the sand, and she was clearly starting to understand that now.

I glanced down at my Atlas, my lips tight as I started signing her and Tory up to all the Order classes. “If your magic swells, try to focus on what is in your immediate vicinity that you could be drawing power from. It could be the sun, the shade, a star damned rainbow for all you know, just keep your mind sharp. In the meantime, I’ll sign you up to all of the Order Enhancement classes. Those who develop late tend to evolve under the influence of their kind.”

A notification pinged on her Atlas and she took it out, scrolling through all the extra lessons. She looked up, clearly about to ask more questions, but I was done answering them tonight.

“You and your sister won’t pass The Reckoning,” I said, sure of it because I’d make it so. “The world doesn’t need two ignorant girls in power right now. And as much as most of the Celestial Heirs piss me off to no end, they at least know how to deal with the Nymph population.”

“Nymphs?” she questioned, latching onto the one thing I’d said which I shouldn’t have. Stop drinking, you idiot.

I cursed, pushing the glass of bourbon away from me. “They’re another race, don’t worry about it. You’ll be long gone before they become relevant to your life.”

She folded her arms, that insolent look on her face again which made my fingers twitch with the compulsion to punish her. “Professor, I know you think I’m useless because I don’t know anything about magic or Fae, but I’m not stupid. I can learn. Isn’t that what these classes are supposed to be for? Guiding me? Catching me up on everything I’ve missed out on? So at least give me the chance to prove myself.”

Oh you’ll prove yourself alright, Blue. You’ll prove you’re unable to take charge over a single Fae in this academy, let alone the whole kingdom.

My brows arched and a smile brushed over my mouth. “I suppose that’s only fair, Miss Vega. And as a Libra, I’m a sucker for fairness,” I said and her lips parted in surprise.

I glanced at the large brass clock on the wall. “We’re almost out of time and I have somewhere to be.” I rose from my seat. “I’ll send reading materials on Coercion to your Atlas. You will have a lesson with me every Monday evening. I expect you to have a basic grasp on shields by our next one. There will be a test.” I smirked. Fuck, I loved a pop quiz. Making students panic was my forte.

Darcy got to her feet, raising her chin as she gazed coolly at me. “I plan on getting an A.”

She headed to the door, but before she could get out of the room and have the last word, I whipped across the space in double the speed.

I wrenched the door open, looking down at her. “I don’t do grades. With me, it’s always pass or fail.” I snatched her Atlas from her hand, signing off this lesson with my digital pen. Then I passed it back and held the door wider, taunting her as she moved to step through it.

I’m no gentleman, Blue.

I surged past her in a burst of Vampire speed and let the door swing closed in her face. It was childish, but it made me feel like I’d won something. And it definitely made up for the mental slips I’d had during that fucking Liaison. Or at least, that was what I was going to tell myself.

I needed to get my shit together if I was going to continue tutoring her. Which I had to, so I really had to lock this down. Fast.

Outside Jupiter Hall, I found Darius waiting for me around the side of the building, leaning against the wall as he twirled a golden coin between his fingers. He kicked off of the wall, his eyebrows arching with the question I knew he was about to ask and I flicked a silencing bubble up around us, speaking before he could.

“She’s a seven in fire, an eight in earth, a nine in water and a ten in air,” I dropped the bomb and his jaw dropped in time with it.

“Fuck,” he snapped.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “I’ll get Tory’s rankings off Prestos, but it’s not gonna be much different. If they become fully trained, you’re fucked Darius, do you understand that?”

“Yeah, I fucking understand,” he growled, looking like he wanted to punch me, or the wall, or anyone who got too close in that second.

“Professor Orion?” a male voice clipped and I immediately dropped my silencing bubble, glancing over my shoulder and spotting Professor Astrum approaching me, his eyes narrowed on us like two gun barrels.

“Evening, Ling,” I said curtly, knowing the old guy hated me and the feeling was mutual.

He shot a narrowed eyed look at Darius before folding his arms. “Can I have a word with you? In private.”

“Sure,” I muttered, looking to Darius and nodding to him in dismissal like we’d been having a perfectly normal teacher-student interaction.

He glared at Astrum for a second before heading off down the path and I was sure he’d be waiting for me at the beach for our dark magic lesson when I was done here.

Astrum glanced around then stepped closer to me. “Listen here, Lance,” he said, his upper lip peeling back as he looked at me like I was less than dirt to him. “You have a duty as a professor at this academy to teach all students to the best of your ability.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” I said dryly.

“I mean it,” he hissed, pointing a gnarled finger at me. “The Vegas deserve a chance in this world just like every other Fae deserves a chance. I put my political views aside when I teach the Heirs and I expect the same of you when you teach the Vegas. We are conduits of knowledge and we must-”

“That sounds awfully like a threat, Ling,” I cut over him in a drawl.

“Perhaps it is.” He raised his chin and his fingers moved like he was about to cast.

I scoffed, running my tongue across my teeth as my fangs extended. “I’d relish a fight, I really would. But I’m not sure me breaking an old man’s bones and making him scream will make your point any better. So maybe we’ll skip the drama, yeah?” I suggested, wondering if he really was going to push me for a fight. I didn’t wanna do it, but I would cut him down to size if I had to. The guy might have been powerful, but he wasn’t as powerful as me and he certainly wasn’t as fast.

He sneered at me, hatred clear in his gaze. “Your father would be ashamed of what you’ve become,” he hissed.

“What did you say?” I snarled and he shook his head like he regretted those words leaving his lips.

“Nothing,” he muttered, but I stepped forward to grab hold of him, intending to punish him for those words. But Nova appeared with Washer on her arm, smiling at us brightly as she approached and I was forced to back up a step.

“Good evening,” Nova said brightly and Astrum nodded to her before turning and scurrying off down the path, avoiding the beating he must have seen in my eyes. Or maybe he’d already read it coming in his precious tarot cards.

Fucking royalist. I didn’t even know what he meant about my father. If he’d been here, he’d hardly have been a fucking Vega supporter. He’d worked for the damn Acruxes. So I had to assume Astrum was losing his mind.

I was forced to make small talk with Nova and Washer for a minute before I made my escape and headed down the path in the direction of Air Cove. When I was sure no one was watching, I shot that way with a burst of speed that made my head spin and excitement war in my veins. Because I’d had a headfuck of a day and there was nothing better than focusing on secretly training Lionel Acrux’s son how to wield dark magic, putting him on an even playing field with his tyrant of a father. Nothing could lure me from that path. It was my calling, the last chance I had of achieving some semblance of satisfaction in my life. And maybe the day Lionel fell at his son’s hand, I’d finally find some peace.