9. Echo
Chapter 9
Echo
SUNDAY
I ’d never met a woman like Isla.
Granted, our species usually stayed to ourselves since succubi and incubi were not welcomed by most supernaturals. I didn’t think most witches were like her, and if the way Wells and Zhara looked at her were any indication, maybe there was no one like Isla, witch or not.
She’d go off telling stories, making us laugh one minute, then a far-off expression would take over like she was listening to something only she could hear. Or maybe it was the forest calling her. I could tell she felt at home whenever we walked through the trees. Her hands would reach out and skim the bark acting like she couldn’t help but want to be physically close to them.
The oddest thing for me was the way she looked at me. Aizel and I were twins, so I was used to sharing the spotlight with my brother. It was just my lot in life, really, though my brother hated when I said that to explain away how people treated us.
Males were the rejects of our species. Since we were sterile, we weren’t considered useful for continuing any family line. Females were the only ones given roles of importance and positions of power. They could have children outside of our species, creating more baby girls with stronger powers and the ability to procreate. Having one male child was an offense that could be forgiven, but to have twin sons… We were our mother’s shame, and I, in particular, was the absolute bane of her existence. Every time she saw me, the only thing she saw was the number two. I was living proof that she’d had the audacity to fail not once but twice.
Isla didn’t make me feel that way. She saw Aizel, sure, but he’d had his eyes on the wolf since we got here. Zhara was cool, but the witch’s snarky comments and ability to laugh at herself made it so I couldn’t look at anyone else, not that it really mattered. She’d never care about me enough to learn all of this.
No one ever did.
“Echo?” Isla’s husky voice interrupted my thoughts.
I grinned and offered her my hand. “Trust me?”
“Not even a little bit,” she replied with a bit of laughter in her voice, but she put her hand in mine as she said it.
“A smart choice,” I replied and motioned for her to follow me, leading her further into the woods to a shaded clearing. This would be perfect.
“If you’re trying–” she started, her eyes flicking to my lips as I turned around to face her. Dropping her hand, I stepped away from her, my hands up in the air to show I wasn’t going to push anything physical with her.
“Just watch. I’ve been practicing.”
I let my power unfurl, gliding down my skin. Warmth followed its path until I felt like my skin was on fire. Then my body shifted, transforming from my own into something smaller, lighter. My sense of smell heightened, and I felt myself lift off the ground.
Isla gasped, a smile taking over her face as she watched me with wide eyes.
“How?!”
I flapped my wings a few times and swooped around, preening at the pure glee on her face. With a dive, I headed straight toward her, stopping just short of slamming into her and landing on her shoulder.
She slowly brought up her hand, and I sat there patiently as she started to reach for me.
“Would it be weird?”
Clicking noises escaped me, and I shifted closer to her. Taking that as a yes, she ran her fingers over my head a few times before I shook my body and flew away, taking my regular form again.
“Illusions and shapeshifting are my specialties. Aizel has other gifts,” I said after catching my breath. Shifting back to my normal body wasn’t as pleasant as shifting into another form, especially if I hadn’t fed, which was the purpose of my gift. “Obviously, we are expected to use it for seduction, but I’ve always found changing to animals a fun pastime.”
Isla didn’t say anything for a full minute, and I wondered if she was freaked out, but when I focused on her expression, freaked out was the last thing she was. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and she had a soft smile on her face.
“Why a bat?”
“It’s nighttime.” I shrugged, not really sure why that was her question. “It seemed fitting for Greywood and this forest.”
“My moms call me bat. I’ve been fascinated with them since I was a child.”
“I’m not changing into one for your familiars class or some random fascination,” I warned her jokingly, but given her pout, I started to wonder if I should be worried.
“But Echo!”
“No. Get a cat or something. Don’t all witches have cats?”
“Such a fucking stereotype!” She huffed, but I could tell I hadn’t offended her since she snagged my hand. “We should probably get back to our rooms. Even if the school doesn’t have rules, we do have class tomorrow. At nine in the morning.”
“Nine isn’t too bad,” I replied, but I didn’t protest her suggestion of going back to the dorm. Or at least trying to. After going in a circle a few times, I gently took the lead.
“Don’t tell me you’re a morning person!” Isla complained. “That’s the nail in the coffin then. We can’t be friends.”
“Me being able to shapeshift into a bat doesn’t give me any leeway?”
She sniffed. “No, absolutely not.”
We left the cover of the forest and came out near our dorm. By now, all the other students were long in bed, though I did see a few lights on in some of the dorms. The two of us were the only ones still awake and walking around outside.
“Some people are just never happy,” I deadpanned.
She laughed, her head thrown back so that her black hair brushed her shoulders. The sound was deep for a woman, husky and warm in the silence of the night, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. As if she could feel the weight of my gaze and thoughts, her laugh slowly faded.
I swallowed hard, hating that I couldn’t hide my attraction to her. It was stupid. I was here to learn, to make something of myself instead of being Aizel’s second and my mother’s spare disappointment. Developing any sort of crush on anyone, much less a friend and roommate, would be so fucking stupid.
“Echo, I?—”
“Need sleep,” I interrupted, abruptly turning around and power-walking to the dorm. “So do I. Like you said, morning classes will be here soon enough.”
Silence fell between us as we walked upstairs. Waiting for Isla to swipe her card was probably the longest ten seconds of my life. I couldn’t tell if it was just me, or if she was purposefully moving in slow motion. I pushed the door the moment the lock snicked open and was almost at my room door when I heard Isla softly call my name.
I froze at my door, turning ever so slightly to face her. She was standing by a couch in our lounge area, the soft glow of a reading lamp highlighting her face. My breath caught in my throat at the knowledge in her gaze. It was like she could see right into my soul.
I hated her just a bit at that moment.
“Thanks for taking me out tonight. It was exactly what I needed before classes start tomorrow.” She didn’t linger after that, heading into her room without looking back.
As soon as my bedroom door closed behind me, I released a shaky breath and ran a hand over my face. I was a fucking incubus, yet this witch had my tongue all in knots. Seduction and lust fed my damn soul, but this woman was making me feel like a lovesick boy.
It was bullshit.
Undressing with angry, jerky motions, I threw my clothes onto the floor. Sliding into my bed, enjoying the cool cotton against my heated skin, I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would claim me quickly, but of course it didn’t.
I tossed and turned for a few hours before I let out a frustrated yell. At this rate, I would be dead on my feet tomorrow.
I needed relief, and before I could fully realize what I was doing, my hand wrapped around my cock, not the least bit surprised to find I was hard as hell. My body jerked as my hips snapped up, and the sheets slid down to the ground. The cool air of the room was comforting against my heated skin as I circled my hand around the head, using my precum as lube. My body was so fucking primed and ready to go, and my mind didn’t need any encouragement either.
Warm hazel eyes and lips curled up in a sassy smile stood out in my mind as I imagined Isla’s husky voice urging me on. She wanted to watch, telling me when to move and when to stop. My fantasy was so in control that I couldn’t suppress my whimper when she ordered me to take my hand away right before I tipped over the edge.
She was completely in control, cruel, beautiful... Perfect.
The woman I imagined made me edge myself for so long I swore I could feel my balls throb, so fucking swollen and full of cum. Only when I almost started to beg aloud did she order me to come. I grunted Isla’s name, and cum shot up so far that it hit my chin.
Holy shit.
I was gasping for air, my body violently shuddering. I’d never had an experience like that before. Usually, I was the one doing the seducing and ordering around. I needed to feed off their emotions and lust, yet this time it felt like she was feeding off mine. What the fuck had just happened?