Chapter 11
Freya
Mikhail had listened to me, and I hadn’t seen him all week.
At first, I was avoiding him. Then, to my shock, I realized I missed him, a part of me aching for him.
A week before, it had felt like everywhere I turned, he was there, but suddenly, it was as if he had vanished.
I even went so far as to walk by his dorm to catch a glimpse of him.
When I passed by the room I had woken up in, memories of Mikhail’s body wrapped around mine flashed through me.
Just as I was about to knock, the door opened, and a different fourth-year exited the room and locked it.
Confused, I returned back to my wing, feeling even more lost. Why am I so upset?
Why does it feel like a part of me is missing?
Then, the gifts began arriving. Small plants clearly ripped from the ground and carefully repotted in an adorably sloppy manner.
Delicious, freshly cooked meals the cafeteria never would provide, always beautifully plated and high in nutrients and vitamins.
The warmth that spread through my body when I opened my door was undeniable.
Even though I couldn’t see him, Mikhail hadn’t forgotten about me.
I was starting to regret telling him to leave me alone.
Halloween was upon us, and all of Bartholomew was buzzing.
There were several events going on after hours, and my interest in attending was surprising, even to me.
For once, I wanted to go out, pretend like I was just a regular university student, and have fun.
Maybe get a glimpse of the man who consumed my thoughts.
As the sun set over the castle gates, a thrum of energy rushed through me.
Digging through my closet, I pulled out the green dress my mother had gotten me as a present.
I’d never had the occasion to wear it, and an idea formed in my head.
It was full-length and low-cut. The built-in corseting made my waist look tiny and emphasized the swells of my breasts and hips.
The color made my eyes pop and my skin glow.
Taking more time than usual, I did my makeup by drawing flowers and vines around my eyes before carefully putting on dark lipstick.
Once outside, I instantly felt better. As I walked through the grass, I called to the surrounding flora as I passed.
They eagerly wrapped around me and through my hair until it was hard to tell where they started and ended.
I looked like a walking Mother Earth, and I felt beautiful and powerful.
Once I moved into the woods, the crowd grew denser.
There were groups of people all over the place, talking, dancing, and other things.
Under the shroud of darkness and surrounded by students, all in some form of disguise, I found comfort.
Clinging to the shadows, I could move through the crowd, manipulating energy as I saw fit, slowly dispersing the pent-up magic raging inside of me.
I had never felt more alive in my life. Walking along the writhing bodies, I felt free, hidden among the sea of people.
All of a sudden, the bonfire in the center sprang to life, flames leaping in my direction.
I was afraid I had accidentally set it off.
Stumbling back, I was stopped by a cluster of bodies.
I turned around to find Kris and Balor looking down at me.
Balor looked worse for the wear. He smelled like alcohol, and was holding his stomach.
His face looked distorted, a mottled bruise the color of an overripe avocado surrounding one of his eyes.
“Well, look what we’ve got here! The little human who’s got Mikhail’s tail in a knot.” Kris pulled me toward him, yanking me closer until I could smell his rank breath.
“What lies did you tell Mik? He cut all of us off. Went so far as to get our families nearly exiled,” he said angrily, the laid-back surfer boy attitude dropping away as the predator shone through.
“Maybe she’s just a good piece of ass. A bit thick for my taste, but I’d be willing to take one for the team,” Balor replied. His eyes swept over my body, making me feel exposed and dirty.
“Get off me.” My words were strong and clear, anger and fear vibrating through me. I yanked my arm out of Kris’ grip, only for Balor to swing behind me, trapping me between their bodies. At that point, we were far off to the side of the party, not clearly visible unless one walked up on us.
“What, you think you’re too good for us? Gonna be a cock tease like that cunt, Ada? Except she has Carmichael to protect her…Who’s coming for you?” Balor hissed, pinning my arms behind my back.
He was stronger than I expected, and my struggles only caused him to tighten his hold. My arms were locked at an uncomfortable angle, thrusting my breasts up as Kris walked closer to admire the view.
He pulled a knife out of his pants, and the first real flicker of fear ran through me. As he finished circling me, he finally came to a stop once we were face-to-face.
“That dress looks a bit tight. Think you might need room to breathe, yeah?” he asked with a slimy smile.
The blade of the knife shone in the moonlight as he brought it between my breasts.
I froze, holding my breath for fear of cutting myself if my chest moved.
I felt Balor’s slobbery mouth on my neck as Kris finally removed the blade from my cleavage, only to quickly cut open the top of my dress.
The fabric split easily, leaving my chest exposed.
Out of the darkness, a growl verberated around us.
We all turned, trying to find where it came from, and were taken by surprise when Mikhail leaped out of the trees, tackling both boys to the ground.
Balor was knocked unconscious once he hit the ground, but Kris still had some fight in him.
He lifted the knife into the air, but with quick precision, Misha grabbed his wrist and snapped it, forcing him to drop the knife.
I watched as Misha reared back and began hitting Kris.
He was wild, feral, and animalistic at that moment.
His power was undeniable, and I was mesmerized by his strength.
Growls were coming from the two men, and blood was appearing in various spots.
I took a step back and took in the scene around me.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. No matter how much I missed Misha, how much my body lit up watching him defend me, it wasn’t safe for either of us.
I took another step back, then another before turning on my heel to flee the scene.
Trying not to draw any further attention to myself, I kept my head down and scurried through the woods, trying to make my way back to the school.
Something caught the back of my dress. I stumbled, but managed to catch myself before I fell on my face.
Once I righted myself, I found myself face-to-face with Bianca.
She was in a skintight catsuit that clung to every curve.
She had simple cat ears on, and her lips and nails were painted red. She looked stunning and threatening.
“What are you doing here? Looking for Mikhail?” Bianca asked. Something in her voice put me on edge.
I shook my head as I gritted my teeth. My powers wanted to lash out, clawing at me, wanting to let loose on Bianca. I tried to push past her, but she stopped me, her nails extended. I was surprised at her lack of discretion.
“I know what you are. If you think Mikhail will protect you, you’re wrong. Your kind doesn’t have a long lifespan. Do you really want to put him through that?” I jumped back, shock running through me. There was no kindness, no empathy in her eyes, only rage.
“Have you spoken to your mother lately? Elements are notoriously hard to get ahold of.” She landed her final blow, and it hit like a physical force.
I hadn’t heard from my mother after she told me she was going dark for a few months while I was at school.
Trying to spread our tracks around the country. To keep anyone away from me.
Bianca’s threat was clear in her tone, and it had me swallowing thickly.
I was in danger, and so was my mother. I don’t know why Bianca was out to get me, but I didn’t have time to waste.
It was time to run again. The shifter gave a stunning smile under the moonlight, her fangs extending past her lips, painted ruby red.
She looked beautiful and murderous, and all I wanted was to destroy her.
Instead, I took a shaky step away, and then another.
I wasn’t going to give her the chance to stab me in the back.
The wind didn’t wait for my call before wrapping itself around Bianca, locking her in place so I could flee.
The vines rising from the earth to wrap around her ankles were an unexpected touch.
Once I saw them, though, a flare of anger washed through me.
I spent a minute longer egging them on, watching them make their way up her calves with increasing restriction.
One last look, and I saw Bianca’s face alight with rage, her body movements jerking as she fought invisible foes.
I quickly turned and ran through the throngs of people.
Looking back at the group of partygoers, my eyes locked with Mikhail’s ice-blue ones as he stalked away from Balor and Kris’ unconscious bodies.
I had a moment of desire, wishing I could turn and run into his arms. What was scarier, though, was how much I wanted to go to him and ask for his help.
Remembering Bianca’s words from earlier had my head snapping forward and my speed picking up.
Grabbing handfuls of my skirt, I lifted my dress and started a full-on run back to the school.
Get my things. Get gone. That was all I had time for.