Winter Term Page 9

  I closed my eyes, relaxing into the sensation of his hands and hot water all over my body. Power radiated off him. I sunk into it, feeling safe and totally turned on. When he finally finished, I desperately wanted him again.

  I trailed my fingers over his muscular thighs, inching closer to his cock. I gripped the velvety smooth length in my palm. Jaxon jerked, letting out a moan as I stroked him. His head tilted backward.

  Seeing him wet reminded me of that time in the river. It was the first time I’d seen him shirtless, his blond waves gleaming in the sunlight. At that time, he didn’t trust me at all. He thought I was hiding who and what I was from him. And he’d been horrible to me, playing mind games.

  I was glad he finally apologized for that. The memory didn’t leave such a bitter taste in my mouth anymore.

  I firmed up my grip on him, running my free hand over his chest and shoulders. He moaned softly.

  Acting on a sudden impulse, I ducked down and took the head of his cock in my mouth. He reflexively grabbed my head and shoulder.

  “Oh, fuck,” he said, gazing down at me.

  Encouraged, I took more of his length in. My tongue flicked at the underside. That drew another long moan from him. I set a steady pace up and down, using my fingers and lips and tongue to pleasure him.

  His grip tightened in my hair. Gently, he pumped his hips at the same pace I’d set. I could feel the powerful muscles of his legs and butt contracting with the movement. All of it was turning me on.

  He pumped faster, sliding his cock in and out of my mouth. Both of his hands held my face as he watched. I felt him growing harder, his breathing ragged. When I thought he was about to come, he pulled out and lifted me up by the waist.

  In a second, we’d traded places, with my back against the shower wall. I wrapped my legs around Jaxon’s waist. He found my entrance and slid in as he kissed me. There was no holding back this time. He took me with a savage urgency. Moments later, we both climaxed, shuddering in each other’s arms.

  I fucking loved this man.

  9

  Caprice

  Jaxon took my hand in his, leading us along the hall and upstairs—not down, like I’d expected.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “I told you. We have a reservation.”

  I shook my head, smiling. What was he up to now?

  On the third floor, he stopped in front of a door and knocked. A second later, Liam answered, but I knew that it wasn’t his apartment. He opened the door wide to reveal May and Isabella.

  “Surprise,” Jaxon whispered in my ear.

  I stepped in and Isabella embraced me in a bone-crushing hug.

  “It’s so good to see you. Happy Birthday,” she said. I grinned back at her when she released me.

  Liam put his arm around my shoulders to give them a squeeze and kissed the top of my head. “Happy Birthday,” he murmured against my hair. He pushed me toward May, who stood fidgeting with the hem of her sweater and staring at the floor.

  I knew this apartment didn’t belong to any of the guys, so it must be her place. But why would she host this party if she wasn’t talking to me? Maybe this had all been set up weeks ago.

  “Hey,” I said to May, cautiously edging closer to her.

  When she glanced up, her eyes were glossy. She reached out a hand and I took it, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

  “I’m sorry…about everything.” She sniffed. “I was jealous of you. Of how you—”

  “You don’t need to apologize,” I said. “I get it. And if there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”

  She gave me a sad smile, and pulled me in for a hug. “Thanks, that means a lot.” She glanced at the others. “Brunch is ready. Let’s eat.”

  My gaze drifted around the room searching for Angel. He wasn’t there. I swallowed my disappointment.

  May’s apartment was a mix of all neutrals. Nothing matched, but it was all very functional. We sat around a white painted table in chairs of various styles and types of wood. The scent of bacon mingled with sweet french toast as the lids were removed from their pans. My mouth watered. After my...earlier activities, I was starving.

  “Thank you all. This is…great.” I dug into the food piled on my plate. Isabella had come all the way out here for my birthday. May was talking to me again. Liam and Jaxon were seated on either side of me. The only thing that would have made this moment perfect was to have Angel there.

  Once we’d eaten our fill, we moved to the sofa and mismatched armchairs in the living room. The words Happy Birthday, Caprice were magiced in a glimmering cursive font on the wall over the couch.

  Isabella sat next to me on the sofa, producing a rectangular package wrapped in gold paper. “This is for you, dear. I found it in my library of all places.”

  It looked like a book—a very large book. I tore the paper away. Inside was a leather bound tome titled The Last Dragons. My stomach did a flip. Could there really be an entire book about dragon-shifters?

  Isabella leaned forward. “Professor Winslet was a great authority among supernaturals and I trust his research. I think you’ll find it interesting. I most certainly did.” She glanced between Liam and Jaxon, but didn’t say anything else.

  I blushed. What exactly had she read? I couldn’t wait to dig into this book. “Thank you, grandma.” I set the book on my lap, flipping through the first few pages. Answers to all of my questions could be in here. I knew how I’d spend the rest of my birthday.

  On my other side, May cleared her throat. “Here.” She handed me a small square box.

  I lifted the lid, inside was a glass vial filled with a bluish liquid. “What is it for?”

  “It’s a revealing potion. It will reveal secrets or anything that’s hidden around you once you drink it. I thought it might help with your search to find information on dragon-shifters.” She gave a shy smile.

  I leaned into her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

  She blushed a little as I pulled away. It would take some time for our relationship to feel normal again, but I was willing to put in as much effort as necessary. It was so good to have her back.

  “What we got you has nothing to do with dragons,” Jaxon said.

  “We?” I asked.

  Liam crossed his lean legs. “The guys all chipped in for your gift.” He glanced nervously at Isabella, who smiled. I wondered what he was sensing from her.

  Jaxon held out a shallow black box. I took it, rubbing my thumb over the velvety texture. The top read Tiffany and Co. I swallowed hard before tilting up the hinged top.

  My breath caught at the gold, spiral bracelet inside. It had what looked like diamonds at each end. I stared at it for several long seconds, a flurry of emotions and thoughts going through me.

  Part of me couldn’t believe that the guys had bought me something this beautiful. I was overwhelmed by the way it dazzled. Besides the necklace Isabella had given me for Yule, this was the most expensive thing I’d ever owned. Wealth still made me uncomfortable, after growing up with little more than the clothes I could carry with me. I hadn’t known much more until Antonio and Vanessa took me in.

  I swallowed the thickness in my throat, daring a glance at Jaxon and Liam. Jaxon smiled, waiting for a response. Liam’s eyes held sympathy and understanding.

  “It’s beautiful. Thank you,” I said.

  “Well, put it on,” Jaxon said, leaning forward in his chair.

  I grinned at his enthusiasm, slipping the bracelet over my left hand. The cool metal sent a shiver through me. The gold and diamonds glinted in the light.

  “Damn, you guys,” May said, admiring the jewelry. “Nice job!”

  “It is lovely,” Isabella said. “It would go wonderfully with that necklace that you promised to wear.”

  I flushed. I had promised to wear it, but still couldn’t—it was too valuable.

  Isabella’s sultry chuckle lessened my guilt. She leaned to whisper in my ear. �
��It was the least ornate heirloom piece I could find. And I want you to wear it because it contains a protection spell of my own design, among other things.” She sat up straight. “Do your grandma a favor and wear it.”

  I nodded. A protection spell and…other things? I remembered the note that came with the necklace. It’d said: May this bring you good luck and courage. Maybe she’d imbued it with those, too.

  “Thank you all so much. I love everything—” I began.

  The apartment door opened and everyone turned to face it. Angel stepped in with tense shoulders and a clenched jaw.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he said, his gaze coming to rest on me. “I need to talk with you, Caprice.”

  I stood up.

  He waved a hand in the air. “When the party’s over, not right this second.”

  “We were just wrapping up,” Isabella said, also standing.

  Liam glanced at Angel with a furrowed brow. So, I wasn’t too off on reading Angel’s tense posture. Where had he been for over a week?

  I hugged Isabella and said my good-byes to everyone else. With the book in one hand and the potion in the other, I turned toward Angel. He inclined his head, leading the way out the door.

  In the hall and down the stairs, we walked side by side in silence. I assumed he wanted to talk about that bite and him freaking out. But that couldn’t have been what kept him away for a week. What else was going on?

  Angel let us in his apartment on the second floor. I halted in the entry, taking in his living space. The living room held a daybed instead of a couch with a ton of pillows and fluffy throw blankets. On the floor was a sheep skin rug. The lighting was low and moody. It was a total seducer’s den.

  I was reminded of his playful tone and wink at the beginning of the school year. I couldn’t think of a time recently when he’d been like that with me. What had changed him so much?

  Angel strode through the living room to the dining area, and sat down at the square table. He motioned for me to sit across from him. What was this, a freaking interrogation? I resisted for a second before taking the seat, setting my gifts on the table.

  Angel blew out a deep breath. “Where do I begin?” He seemed to be asking himself— not me—that question. “I was on my way to the dean’s office when I saw you in the hall. My father is dying of cancer, I’d just found out, and I needed to get home.”

  That was not at all what I’d expected to hear. “Oh my God, Angel, I’m sorry.” I wanted to reach for his hand, but held myself back, unsure of how he’d react.

  Angel rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s where I’ve been. With my family. It was good to see them all…and a little hard too.” He paused. “There are some things you should know about me, if you don’t know them already. Once my father passes, I’ll take his place on the Supernatural Council, and be the leader of two werewolf Packs—one here and one in the Rocky Mountains. I have a lot of responsibilities that I thought I wouldn’t take on for many more years, but now…yeah.”

  I gazed quizzically at him. I’d known about his seat on the Council, and guessed at the rest, but why was he telling me all of this?

  “I was supposed to mate a werewolf,” Angel said.

  My heart sank. This was why. He was breaking off this connection we’d only just started. He had to settle down with a mate. And that would’t be me.

  “But,” he continued, “that didn’t work out so well for me.”

  “What? Are you already married?” I blurted.

  “What? No!” His gaze slid to the side. “I’m not explaining this well. I don’t want to freak you out, Caprice. I don’t know how to tell you this…”

  “Just tell me. You’re already freaking me out. Are you saying you don’t want me in your life anymore, that you met someone else—”

  “No.” His eyes blazed with that golden wolf-light. “I’m trying to tell you that the werewolf mate bond has already started—with you. I talked to my father about that bite. He said that was what happened with bonded mates.” He rubbed his face with both hands. “I’ve claimed you—marked you as my mate—and I don’t even know if you want that.”

  I let his words sink in. Holy shit, this was serious.

  He said, “I want to say that I’ll give you space to decide what you want. I want to say that I’ll stay away from you, if you don’t want me. But I can’t say either of those things and mean them. My wolf won’t let you go.”

  I stared back at him, the warmth draining from my face. “Your wolf, but not you?” I asked.

  “I don’t really have much choice. It’s a primal demand, much like your dragon needing multiple mates.”

  “At least I can choose who they are. What I’m hearing from you, is that you’re being forced into this with me because of the wolf part of you. Am I right?” My chest clenched, dreading his answer.

  He sighed. “That’s what it feels like sometimes.”

  “Well,” I said, standing, “I’m not the one who needs to make a decision here. You are. I know what I want.” I gathered my gifts, blinking back tears of disappointment. He wasn’t here because he really wanted me. He felt forced into this.

  “I don’t think that came out right.” He reached for my hand.

  I stepped away from him. “I think it came out truthfully. I want you to want me, Angel. I need all of you to want me, not just one piece. If that ever happens, you know where to find me.”

  I sped to the door and let myself out. In the hallway, I let the tears fall.

  My eyes were still puffy on Monday night when I took my seat in Physiology. The rest of the weekend had been a waste. I’d been too busy crying to read that dragon book, or do homework, or focus on anything else. Lack of sleep and going over that conversation with Angel in my head left me in a bad mood.

  I ignored Montrell and Brody and everyone else. I hated this place. Hated being on a nocturnal schedule and never seeing the fucking sunlight. I slammed my textbook down on the desk, harder then I meant to.

  “Is there something amiss, Sorrentino?” Montrell asked.

  I glowered at him. As if he gave a shit how I was doing. I was in no mood for his crap, so I went back to ignoring him.

  “Sorrentino,” he barked, “I’m speaking to you.”

  “Yeah, I heard you.”

  “I don’t like your tone.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “That’s minus five points for your insolence.”

  The anger in me snapped. “Fuck you!” I stood, shoving the textbook in my backpack.

  Montrell’s face was frozen in shock, which only lasted half a second. His deep skin grew ruddy and his eyes narrowed. “What did you say to me?”

  I placed my hands on my hips. “You heard me. Fuck you. I don’t know what your problem is. I’ve never done a damned thing to you. Ever. You’re a fucking bully, and you can go to hell!”

  Before he could respond, I swept out of the classroom. Let him take away another five, or fifty, or a thousand points. It didn’t matter.

  10

  Liam

  I didn’t have a first period session to teach this term, which gave me plenty of time to catch up on paperwork and grading. Unfortunately, it also gave me time to answer my father’s voicemail with a phone call.

  I’d never been so grateful that faes couldn’t read emotion by voice alone.

  “There you are,” my father answered. “What took you so long?”

  “I’m sorry, I was busy.” I tried not to sound too defensive.

  “Busy seducing the Queen’s heir, I hope.” He kept his voice low.

  “No, just school-related work,” I said lightly.

  He sighed. “You know that’s not important to me. Do you have the girl within your reach? Have you made any progress?”

  Like hell I was going to tell him about my relationship with Caprice. He’d only warp it to fit his needs.

  “Well?” he asked, impatient.

  “No. She’s dating Jaxon.”

  “Jaxon’s your good friend, that
means you have opportunity.” Father’s voice was scarily hopeful. “Get her alone and compel her. If your compulsion abilities are anywhere as strong as mine, you’ll have no problem convincing her to be yours. Make her dump the witch.”

  I cringed. “I don’t want to do that.”

  “Listen here, boy, she’s our way in. She’s our chance at the fae Council seat. When you’ve married her, and the Stewart line disappears, no one will have the authority to deny us that seat. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes.” I swallowed hard.

  “Don’t disappoint me, boy. Family comes first, remember that.” He paused. “Are you going to do as I’ve asked? Or do I need to come down there and help you?”

  My gut wrenched. “No, no. I’ve got this.” The last thing I needed was him coming here and doing who knew what to Caprice.

  “You’d better have a more interesting update for me next time I call, or else.” He hung up, leaving that threat lingering in my ear.

  I shoved the phone in my pocket. What was I going to do? I couldn’t go up against my father, who knew what he’d do to me and I didn’t want to find out. But, I couldn’t let him get to Caprice either. I had to protect her from him at all costs. An idea occurred to me. I dialed my father back.

  “What is it?” he barked.

  “I—I just remembered that she’s in the Culling Club. She’s not a good chance for us, she’ll probably be dead at the end of the year. And if she’s not, well, the Tromara King has laid claim to her—”

  “Stop with the excuses. She’s the Queen’s heir, and no one will get her out of that role. Now compel her and get it done. I’m about out of patience.” He hung up again.

  Fuck. That didn’t work.

  Time to come up with a new plan. The problem was, the guys didn’t know how horrible my family really was. Sure, I’d told them about the manipulation, and my father’s designs on the fae Council seat, but only vaguely. I’d never told them about my childhood. It was too shameful.