14. Aflora
AFLORA
Seven nights of sexual torment.
With no orgasms.
To say I hated my mates right now would be an understatement.
And they knew it, too, the three of them all watching from different corners of the yard with matching expressions of amusement. Even Zephyrus smirked, his lips reminding me of the way he’d held me down last night and devoured me to within an inch of my life.
Just to stop and wake me up seconds before I exploded.
I glared at him, not caring at all that he was in headmaster mode today.
Physical Training with No Magic. Yeah, I’d show him some physical training, all right.
That Shade and Kols had chosen to go shirtless for today’s sparring activities only added insult to injury. Because yeah, they looked good and they knew it. And while Zephyrus’s torso was covered, his arms were fully exposed in his sleeveless shirt. He made a show of stretching, his muscles bulging and inviting me to lick him.
I preferred it when I thought they all had betrayed me.
This was worse.
Much, much worse.
I was even starting to dream of some random guy with long white hair and silver-blue eyes. He at least let me come in those fantasies, which was how I knew I’d made him up. Because it hadn’t escaped my notice that his traits were the opposite of my mates’—clearly, my mind’s way of retaliating.
Tulip-burning willow stumps, I thought, glaring at the males in question. I hope you all fall into a burning thwomp.
“You okay?” Ella asked, appearing out of nowhere at my side. Or maybe she’d been there the entire time. As my focus was entirely on the eye candy across the yard, I couldn’t be sure.
“I’m fine,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended.
“You sure? Because it sounded like you just growled at Zeph.”
“I probably did.” I’d been growling at him a lot lately.
“I thought you were getting along better,” Ella murmured. “You’ve all been studying a lot.”
“Yeah, they’re helping me with control,” I muttered. And then tormenting me in my dreams afterward.
“Come spar with me, little rose.” Shade’s voice came from my left, drawing my focus to his toned physique. The moon played off his tan skin, making me wonder what he’d look like under the heat of the sun. Gorgeous, obviously. And wicked.
I almost refused, but then a better idea entered my mind. I couldn’t be alone in my agony here because the guys hadn’t orgasmed either. Which meant they’d been teasing themselves, too. Maybe it was time I returned the favor a little.
“Okay,” I replied.
“Hey, I thought we were sparring together,” Ella cut in.
Tray scooped her up into his arms before I could comment, his lips brushing hers as he murmured, “I guess you’re all mine, El.”
She sighed. “I’m already yours, Nacht.”
“I know.” He waggled his brows at her. “How about we ditch sparring and do a little of our own physical activity back at the suite?”
“How about you do the exercises I gave you and stop trying to get laid in my class, Trayton,” Zeph deadpanned.
Tray just smiled. “I prefer my plan.”
Zeph did not share his amusement. “Put her down and start running. Ten laps.”
Ella groaned and Tray cursed.
“Okay, fifteen,” Zeph amended.
“Put me down,” Ella snapped.
Tray did reluctantly and gave Zeph a look that spoke volumes. “You’re a cockblocking dick, Zeph.”
“Shall I make it twenty?” he countered, that famous eyebrow of his inching upward into his hairline.
“I’m only listening to you right now for Ella because twenty laps would piss her off,” Tray replied before taking off after his mate.
“Goading my brother?” Kols asked as he jogged up to join us, his abs flexing seductively with the movement. And now I wanted to lick him.
“He just makes it so easy,” Zeph drawled.
Shade wrapped his arm around me, pulling me back into his hot form. “I thought we were sparring?” he whispered against my ear.
“You all are killing me,” I muttered, more to myself than to them.
“Ready to beg already?” Zeph pitched his voice low so the others couldn’t overhear. “That’s a shame, Aflora. I expected to have to try harder.”
Kols chuckled, but Shade just pressed his nose to my neck and inhaled softly.
My blood was on fire.
And I wanted to choke all of them.
“Stop stalling and come play with me,” Shade breathed, causing goose bumps to trail down my exposed arms.
He pulled me backward by several feet, drawing me into one of the sparring rings. His flirtation captured the attention of several students in our class, including the two standing in the circle beside ours.
“Well, aren’t you two cute,” Emelyn drawled, her tone holding a touch of derision.
“Someone’s jealous,” her partner replied, smirking at Shade and giving him a friendly nod. Yeah, these two were definitely friends. Which had me wondering how Emelyn had found herself partnered with Ajax for today’s assignment. Elite Bloods didn’t tend to mix with Death Bloods.
“I’m not jealous,” Emelyn snapped back.
“Yeah? Could have fooled me, Your Majesty,” Ajax replied, executing a mock bow.
“Ugh, why am I partnered with you again?” she demanded.
“Because your friends didn’t want to fight you today. You’re too moody for them.” He folded his arms. “So are you going to try to hit me or what? I’m getting bored over here.”
Emelyn charged him with a roar that made me wince.
Moodywas an understatement.
She had Ajax flat on his back in less than a second, his expression registering shock, which quickly morphed into determination as he wrestled her across the ground in several skilled maneuvers.
“I don’t know how to do that,” I admitted, watching him twist and pin her. But Emelyn wasn’t one to be outdone. She had him in a headlock two moves later, causing my eyebrows to shoot up.
Shade yanked me backward, away from their violent game, and drew me around to face him. “Then show me what you know how to do.”
“Earth Fae don’t fight,” I told him. “There’s no need.”
He gave me a look that said he wasn’t impressed. “I know Zeph’s been training you.”
“Yeah, mostly with magic.”
“And I’ve seen you and Ella spar, so I know you’re learning how to fight,” he added, undeterred.
“Okay, she’s shown me a few things, but?—”
“Show me what you’ve learned,” he interjected. “No excuses. I need to know what I’m dealing with here.”
“Why did you want to spar?” I asked him, deflecting. “You rarely talk to me during class. I mean, you barely even acknowledge me in Death Class, and we’re partners in that one. Why today? Why now?”
He cocked his head to the side. “I’m tired of giving you space. You’re mine and I want to play. Now stop deflecting and give me a preview of your abilities. Then we’ll go from there.”
“I gave you a preview that first time you bit me.”
“Yeah, and you played with your elements and still lost,” he replied, unimpressed. “Now you have that collar around your neck hampering your abilities. Which makes this class a lot more important than you seem to realize.”
“Why? Because you’re anticipating I may need to fight you off again soon?” I countered.
He swept his leg across my knees, sending me to the ground on a whoosh of air. I coughed and sputtered as he landed on top of me, his hands easily capturing my wrists to bring them above my head as his hips pinned mine to the black grass below.
Not green, but black.
Like all the other vegetation in this realm.
“I’m anticipating that you’re going to need to fight others,” he whispered against my ear. “And soon. So I need you to stop flirting with me and actually pay attention, Aflora.”
“I’m not flirting with you,” I managed to say on a harsh exhale, my back throbbing from his unexpected attack. “I think… I think I hate you.”
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my jaw, then drew his lips to my ear. “Best me and I’ll make you come later.”
I snorted at the offer. “Did that when I woke up, so I’m good, thank you.”
Only after I uttered the words did I realize what I’d just admitted out loud. My cheeks heated as Shade went to his elbows on either side of my head, his lips curled in amusement. “Yeah? And did you scream my name?”
“Get off of me.”
“Not until you detail the experience for me,” he replied, his wicked gaze falling to my mouth. “Did you think of me?”
“I’m not talking about this.”
“Then I guess we’ll be lying here all night. Works for me, as I find this position to be rather comfortable for all parties involved.” He gave a little thrust, allowing me to feel his growing arousal against my heated center.
My thighs clenched, my insides doing all sorts of weird somersaults in response to his small action. I’d told him the truth about my earlier release, but it hadn’t done anything to cool the flames burning inside me.
All because my mates wouldn’t leave my dreams alone.
And now this!
“Off,” I snapped.
He merely smiled. “Make me.”
I growled and tried to shove him off me, which did absolutely nothing. Well, no, that wasn’t true. Pressing my palms to his bare shoulders sent a zap of electricity through me, making me that much hotter for him.
Because he was shirtless and on top of me.
A fae could only take so much skin-to-skin contact after all these nights of sensual torture.
Or, at least, that was what I told myself. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that my three mates were irresistible males with the bodies of gods. And it definitely wasn’t because of their skills in the bedroom.
“Your squirming is only turning me on more,” Shade whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he trailed his mouth down my neck to my thundering pulse.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked him, desperate for a way to remove him. I also wanted to ask him to shadow us somewhere more private so I could join him in the shirtless department.
Not voicing that desire. Nope. Nope. Nope.
“You’re not the only one amped up from all the dreams, love,” he said softly, his mouth teasing the sensitive spot behind my ear now. “I’ve waited for you to come to me all week, and you’ve stubbornly remained in your room. So I’m increasing the stakes in the game.”
“Wh-what?” I stammered. “You never?—”
“Stop making out and get to work,” Zeph snapped. “Unless you need a more thorough demonstration of today’s sparring activities?”
“Seems to me you need a lesson on what making out means,” Shade drawled, rolling off of me and popping up to his feet. “Shall I go fetch Kols for you?”
“Cute,” Zeph replied.
I pushed off the ground and brushed the strands of grass—if it could even really be called that—from my pants. The razor-like edges sliced across my fingers, making me grimace. Definitely not grass.
“All right, Aflora. Let’s try again,” Shade suggested.
“No. You’re out. Go spar with Kols. I’m up.”
“You mean, you want me to make out with Kols?” Shade sounded surprised. “All right.”
Zeph snorted and shook his head. “Fuck off, Shadow.”
“You’re an amazing headmaster, Zeph. It’s a real wonder that you didn’t go into this profession right after finishing up at the Academy.”
“Now,” Zeph said through his teeth.
“I’ll see you later, little rose.” Shade winked at me and wandered off in the direction of Kols and one of the other Elite Bloods. Tray and Ella were training beside them, their cheeks pink from exertion. Or maybe something else.
Because I’d woken up with a similar look this?—
“Aflora,” Zeph snapped, his broad chest suddenly blocking my view as he stepped in front of me. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’ve not been sleeping very well,” I replied primly.
He coughed to hide a smile, but I caught the twitch of his lips. “Well, that’s not an excuse to slack off in my class. We fight even when exhausted.”
“Oh? Are you also having difficulty sleeping?” I asked him with false innocence.
His green eyes narrowed. “Stop flirting with me and get to work.”
“I’m not flirting with you.”
“You are,” he insisted, taking a step closer to crowd my personal space. His lips went to my ear as he whispered, “And if you continue down this path, I will punish you later.”
I shivered, my damn body thrilled by the notion.
Why was it so damn hard to control my reactions to these males? I hated them. Well, not really. Maybe. I wasn’t sure. I wanted to hate them, but they’d been wearing down my defenses over the last week with their soft touches and?—
Zeph grabbed my ponytail and tugged it sharply to expose my neck. “Are you purposely being disobedient?”
I considered that. “Well, no. But sparring is still new to me. Elemental Fae don’t really fight unless it’s in the Powerless Champion arena.”
“Maybe ask her to go pick some flowers instead, Zeph,” Emelyn suggested. “She’s not really cut out for athletics.”
I frowned. “Fighting is only one form of physical activity.”
“Yeah, and it’s a crucial one that you’re terrible at,” she spat back. “Just like everything else in this realm. When are you going home?”
“Enough,” Zeph cut in, shooting her a bored expression. “Go back to your assignment. I’ll deal with this.”
Emelyn heaved a dramatic sigh. “She’s like a full-time job, constantly requiring a babysitter to hold her hand through even the simplest of tasks.”
I bristled at her condescending tone. “I’d like to see you try to perform with a collar around your neck.” I pointed to the thin leather choker sitting against my throat. It probably had Shade’s lip prints all over it from his date with my pulse a few minutes ago, but I didn’t care. “Maybe I should take it off and let you wear it for a day,” I suggested.
She laughed, the sound lacking proper humor. “I don’t need a leash, because I already know how to control my powers. But the same can’t be said about abominations.”
“Emelyn!” Zeph barked, his tone harsh.
“Oh, did I accidentally admit out loud what we’re all really thinking about her?” She pressed a hand to her heart and gave me a mock-apologetic look. “My bad.”
My teeth ground together, mostly because I didn’t know how to reply. Since everything she said was true.
I was an abomination.
A powerful one.
And I didn’t know how to control my abilities. Not completely, anyway.
My heart squeezed at the knowledge, a part of me feeling helpless all over again. But I couldn’t let her beat me.
I’m stronger than this.
I can learn.
I don’t want to hurt people.
I have anchors to ground me.
I—
A ripple of energy danced over my skin, causing the hairs along my neck to rise. I frowned down at my arms, noting the static electricity humming across my being. It wasn’t visible, but I felt it. The warmth familiar in a strange way, reminding me of my own magic.
Yet it wasn’t coming from me.
“That’s enough, Emelyn,” Zeph bit out, oblivious to the sensations swirling around me. “You’re excused for?—”
An explosion rocked the ground, sending us all to our knees. Another boom shook the surface, causing shouts to sound throughout the yard. Zeph yanked me to him, his stance protective, his gaze sharp as he glanced around seeking the source.
Ravens screamed through the air, followed by a cloud of smoke as the burning thwomps around campus unleashed fire into the sky.
And then came the gargoyles, their screeches reminding me of nails against a sharp stone.
I pressed my palms to my ears as Zeph pushed me flat onto the ground, his larger body covering mine.
Shrieks, heat, and a flutter of wind whipped through the Academy. “What’s happening?” I shouted at Zeph.
“The Academy is protecting itself,” he shouted back.
My eyes widened. “It does that?” But my words were lost to the new wave of chaos swimming around us. The hisses on the wind sent chills down my spine.
Snake vines,I realized, horrified. Those things didn’t like me on a good day. This wouldn’t go over well.
Zeph’s grip tightened around me, his warmth bleeding into me, wrapping me in a cocoon of safety. Literally.
I blinked, realizing his magic poured out of him in a defensive shield, covering not just me but all the students in the field. I peeked around him to find Kols at the other end, his own power connecting to Zeph’s to bolster him in his effort in protecting the entire class from the debris and insanity flying overhead.
It rippled around us like a tornado, reminding me of an Air Fae activity gone bad.
More of that familiar power buzzed through me, then fled, as if kissing my soul goodbye on its way out. The sirens above grew louder, the slithering snake creatures heading right for me. I cringed, waiting for their impact, only they slid over Zeph’s shield and took off into the wind to chase some menacing figment.
My blood ran cold, my heart stopping in my chest. The creatures had sensed the dark energy running through me.
What would happen when Zeph lifted his protection? Would the Academy attack me with the same brutal force?
I shivered and felt Zeph’s lips ghost across my temple, the touch brief but there. “I’ve got you,” he vowed, the words meant for my ears alone.
How would I explain to him what I felt? Had it even been real?
He slowly started to sit up, his palm against my breastbone keeping me down on the ground as he glanced around. After several moments of searching, his touch eased, and he moved his hand to my shoulder to pull me upward.
“It’s done,” he said gruffly, the words carrying across the now silent field.
“The source is calm,” Kols replied, his statement clear despite the distance.
No one uttered a sound, everyone gaping at the rocks and ash littering the grounds.
Then someone screamed in the distance, causing Zeph to jump to his feet.
“Go,” Shade said, appearing beside me. The statement must have been meant for Zeph, because he took off at a sprint, Kols hot on his tail, along with several other students.
Cries pelted the air, all coming from the same direction. Shade practically yanked me to my feet, his palm finding my lower back as he guided me through the wreckage toward the commotion rising ahead. It didn’t take long for us to find the cause.
The Death Blood Education Building had been reduced to a pile of rubble, the once proud spire a cascade of obsidian rocks without any structure.
And above the destruction was a single word written in red flames, the smoke spiraling up into the sky in lethal ropes that resembled chains.
It was a word I knew well.
Because I’d sung it many times before, as had my mother.
“Alqisian,” I whispered.
“Yes,” Shade replied just as softly. “Do you know what it means?”
“Not the translation of it, no.”
He swallowed, his focus shifting from the rubble to me. “Retribution.”
“Retribution,” I repeated, my voice just as low as his. “Meaning what?”
Shade gave me a grim look, his icy blue eyes holding a myriad of secrets underlined in pain. “It means the future is officially now.”