Chapter 12 Follow the Smell of Roses and Blood #2
She tilted her head and sniffed. “Smells like Hendrik’s magic. Neat trick.”
I took in a long inhale, but I couldn’t sense the blood-tinged roses. Before I could ask Olivia what Hendrik’s magic smelled like to her, the door jarred open.
I remembered the way to Hendrik’s room and I immediately started up the staircase. Olivia followed me. “Uh, you know where to go?”
Oh, right, I wasn’t supposed to know which room was Hendrik’s.
I shrugged. “Just follow the smell, right?”
She chuckled uneasily as we climbed the steps. There weren’t any other Dark Mages out and about. They didn’t seem to like to loiter like the girls in my dormitory did.
“Where do you think everyone is?” I asked.
Olivia shrugged. “Probably in their rooms doing Dark Magey things.”
I chuckled as we approached Hendrik’s door. “Is that the scientific term?”
The door flung open, revealing Hendrik who nearly barreled over us.
“Oh,” he said, frowning, “figured you’d wait in the lobby.
” He narrowed his eyes on me. If he was going to ask me how I knew which room was his, he decided against it.
Either way, the look on his face said he didn’t like being surprised.
Good, I wanted him uneasy.
He held open the door and silently invited us inside. Curiosity bubbled in me and won over the pounding in my heart that said I was going into a lion’s den.
“Damn,” I breathed. The room was gorgeous and much larger than my “suite” that Dante had found for me.
High ceilings made the living room seem like it expanded into the clouds, letting in moonlight through crystal clear skylights.
Luxurious furniture surrounded a roaring fireplace and a kitchen lingered in the shadows, spotlighted by two overheads that illuminated a stocked bar. Was alcohol permitted on campus?
Answering my question, Hendrik poured himself a drink, not bothering to ask if either of us wanted one.
The golden liquid sloshed as he swirled it, sticking one hand in his pocket as he smirked at us.
“Why don’t you have a seat,” he said, indicating his drink towards the fireplace.
“I have some questions before we get started.”
He was being way too nice to us. My hackles went up and Olivia stiffened as she shared a glance with me that said she wasn’t buying it either. For some reason, Hendrik being nice was even more unnerving than if he’d been threatening our lives.
I felt acutely aware that there weren’t any witnesses here and according to Kaito, Hendrik had every right to boss us around. Maybe there was a line he couldn’t cross without breaking Academy rules, but how far down the road of sanity that line might be... I didn’t want to guess.
Olivia and I took our seats gingerly, opting for separate chairs rather than the loveseat.
The chairs would give me more stability if I needed to get to my feet quickly and Olivia seemed to have the same idea as she sat on the edge, setting her feet flat on the ground ready to bolt for the door at any sign of trouble.
Hendrik chuckled at our obvious unease. “Relax. I can be a hard ass, but you’ve both demonstrated obedience by coming here. I don’t kick weaklings when they’re down. All I ask for is cooperation, and as long as you continue to give that to me, you have nothing to fear.”
Rage boiled in my chest. He thought that he could just order everyone around and he’d get away with it.
I clenched my fingers around the chair’s armrest and my rune burned on my arm as I resisted the urge to use my succubus powers.
I knew what they felt like. I could sense that Hendrik wanted me.
It was in the subtle way his gaze lingered on my body and as much as it both excited and revolted me, I could use that to my advantage—but not by revealing what I was.
I couldn’t give him any leverage against me, so I was going to have to do this the old fashioned way.
It was something Jess had taught me. When a man wanted you, then you played hard to get and you reminded him what he was missing by being a jerk face.
I forced myself to lean back in my chair and crossed my legs, allowing my skirt to ride up my thigh. I didn’t reach down to correct it and his gaze lingered on my skin. “Where’s Dante?” I pressed while he was distracted.
His midnight gaze flashed to me. “Why do you ask?” He eased onto the edge of the sofa and took a sip of his drink. “If this is about Logan, I just needed to separate him from you. I worked hard for that alliance and I won’t have it undone in a single day by a freshman.”
“Don’t care about your stupid alliances,” I said, scratching at my rune that was starting to burn.
I was tugging on Hendrik’s desire and he leaned instinctually towards me.
The heady sense of domination over him made my core tighten.
“I know that you chopped off Dante’s hand and he thought it would grow back.
It didn’t. Now he’s off-campus on some mission. I want to know where he is.”
Hendrik gave me a raised brow. “No wonder my spell was so easy to work. Are you sleeping with the hunter?” Jealousy flickered across his features.
Olivia’s chair creaked as she shifted her weight uncomfortably. I’d almost forgotten that she was there.
Hendrik startled, also seeming to have forgotten about my Dark Mage friend.
“Let’s not dwell on unimportant matters.
You’re here to pay your blood debt.” He set his glass onto the end table and stood, going to the mantle and drawing out a blade from the tiny drawer.
He held it up and the metal flashed unnaturally against the firelight. “Who’s first?”
I crossed my arms like I’d seen Jess do, plumping my breasts up to strain against my uniform. Hendrik’s eyes went to the distraction. “Thought you said Olivia was off the hook? I was donating in her place, right?”
The Dark Mage rested the point of the dagger against his finger and twirled the hilt in thought.
“Maybe I changed my mind and require blood from both of you.” He gave me a wicked grin that rivaled Logan’s wolfish teeth with raw malice.
A different sort of metallic need scented the air and my stomach turned.
His arousal heightened at the idea of hurting me, both emotionally and physically.
He tore his gaze from me and rested his sights on Olivia. “The new mage should go first.”
“No,” I said, rushing to my feet. “You’re not going to touch her. That’s the deal.”
His grin faded. “Or what?”
I didn’t have time for his shitty games. I pulled out the orb that Olivia had given me and crushed it in my palm.
A terrifying otherworldly screech filled the room and darkness bowed in on us instantly.
Oops.
Wrong orb.