Chapter 35 Raven
Raven
Considering Professor Oakman’s class was called Practical Magic, there was remarkably little practicing of magic happening.
I’d been excited about taking this class last semester, but so far, we’d done nothing but read dry textbooks and listen to the professor lecture on the perils of casting dangerous spells.
Talk about boring.
Oakman’s feline familiar sat on top of a bookcase grooming herself while he droned on about alchemical research from two hundred years ago.
Honestly, I didn’t care whether some random dude had spent fifty years trying to turn copper into gold.
The fact he died before he managed it told us all we needed to know: alchemy was bullshit.
From the faint snores coming from the back row, I wasn’t the only student in this class suffering the effects of extreme boredom.
“And for your homework this week, I’d like you all to write a report on the alchemist mages from the last century and how they changed the way we mages and witches conduct laboratory experiments.”
Having just learned Ebenezer Cedar had died a hideous death from mercury poisoning, adhering to basic health and safety was probably the answer Oakman was looking for. And if not, it should be.
I yawned as I shoved my notebook into my bag. Thank the stars it was Friday. I now had two days away from classes. This semester was already kicking my ass, and we’d only been back a fortnight.
“Miss Blackstone, if you could spare me a few minutes of your time?” Professor Oakman’s request reached me as I was about to dart away. Damn it. I’d hoped he might have forgotten he wanted to talk.
“Wonder what he wants?” Glynda whispered.
“Probably a blowjob,” Demelza said in a loud voice, having overheard Glynda because her interest in my life knew no bounds.
“I mean, she’s already fucking the PT instructor, so it’s hardly a surprise if she’s blowing all the academic professors.
Goddess knows she can’t make the grades any other way. ”
Is that what everyone thought?
Before I could come back with a smart retort, Demelza sashayed away.
“Ignore her.” Glynda patted my arm sympathetically. “She’s jealous. You have three soul-bonded mates—that she knows of—plus a cool familiar, and she has nothing.”
To my rational brain, Glynda’s words made perfect sense. Instead of letting Demelza upset me, I should feel sorry for her. It sucked to be such a bigot, and being mean was not the pathway to happiness and spiritual enlightenment.
Her words still stung, however, because I was a sensitive little flower.
Somewhat reluctantly, I made my way to the front of the classroom as everyone else filed out. Stacks of books and messy piles of papers covered Professor Oakman’s desk, along with at least three empty coffee mugs.
A slim, red-leather volume decorated with a gold dragon rested on top of a notebook.
Dragons had disappeared long ago, which saddened me. Unicorns too. If only wolf shifters had died out. Nobody would miss those assholes.
“I could do with a research assistant,” Oakman grumbled as he sifted through the disorganized mess. “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in earning extra credit, Miss Blackstone?”
Arranging my mouth into what I hoped resembled a sad but appreciative smile, I shook my head. “Um, I’d love to, but I’m still behind in some of my subjects, so I don’t really have any spare time.”
Oakman chuckled.
“And two more soul-bonded mates to get to know!” My smile slipped slightly. I was well and truly over people sticking their noses into my personal life, but I didn’t want to piss off Oakman. Not when he had the power to fail me and tank my overall grade average.
“That too!” I forced another smile.
Oakman carried on grumbling while moving stacks of papers from one side of his desk to another. His elegant familiar watched us from a chair, where she’d curled up into a cute little ball.
If only Kenji were as cute as Angelica.
“Hey! I heard that!”
“Ah, finally.” Oakman retrieved a dusty-looking book from beneath a clipped stack of stained papers.
He brushed off some crumbs and beamed at me.
“As you may recall, I’ve been conducting a minor research project into unusual familiars.
Specifically, the more powerful ones, such as phoenixes and kitsunes.
And in the case of witches who practiced dark magic back in the day, imps.
” He grinned as if the use of dark magic was cool, not horrifying and potentially deadly.
But because I was a nice, respectful witch, I did my best to show polite interest.
“That sounds amazing. So, um, what did you need to talk to me about specifically?”
Curfew was less than an hour away, and I needed to pick up some books from the library for my paper on the Shifter Treaties of 1936 .
“Is your kitsune around, perchance?” The professor pushed his glasses back up his nose and peered over my shoulder hopefully.
“He’s probably eating. He does that a lot.” No joke. Kenji was almost certainly in the cafeteria kitchen, helping himself to sliced meat. The kitchen staff had tried locking the refrigerators to keep him out, but it hadn’t worked.
One day soon, I knew the headmaster would charge me for all the food Kenji stole, but it was pointless telling Kenji to keep his paws to himself. He never listened.
Oakman nodded. “Ah, yes. Kitsunes are known for their mischievous natures.” That was a polite way of putting it.
“Rude.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d be most grateful if I could ask your familiar some questions. Nothing too onerous, I assure you!”
“Um, I guess?”
“Oakman wants to ask you some questions.” The professor clapped his hands together in excitement.
Kenji didn’t reply for a few seconds, but just as I was about to tell Oakman he’d gone AWOL, he popped into view on the professor’s desk.
Angelica flew off the bookcase with an almighty hiss. She leaped onto a nearby filing cabinet, her tail puffed up in outrage at my kitsune’s arrival. Kenji eyed her with excitement, but aside from some vigorous twitching, he thankfully stayed put.
“Wonderful! Oh, Miss Blackstone, I can’t thank you enough!”
The feral gleam in the professor’s rheumy eyes concerned me. He seemed way too interested in my familiar.
“Um, what did you want to know?” I edged back toward the door, praying for a distraction so I could flee.
“Oh, yes.” Oakman opened a dusty book and flicked through a few pages. “In this account on kitsunes, which was written by my dear great-uncle, goddess rest his soul, it says kitsunes can compel other less powerful beings to do their bidding. Is this something you have observed in your familiar?”
“Do not answer that,” Kenji barked in my head. He flicked his two tails while pretending to groom himself.
I shuffled my feet while Professor Oakman grinned expectantly. “Err, no?”
“You don’t sound too sure, my dear.” Damn it. Did he have mind-reading abilities? I tested my mental shield, but for once, it remained solid. I couldn’t even hear my mates, which was a blessing because if Zane knew Oakman had cornered me, he’d be raising hell by now.
And none of us needed any more demons on the rampage.
“I’m sure! No magical persuasion or forcing nasty witches to do bad things whatsoever,” I babbled. Goddess save me if I ever got arrested for crimes against magicals or humans. I’d spill everything in the first minute of an interrogation, no truth spells necessary.
“Well, that’s disappointing.” Oakman turned the page. “Another trait observed in kitsunes studied was that they can pass through impregnable protective wards. Can your kitsune do this?” His gaze slid over to Kenji.
“Plead the fifth.”
I pulled a sad frown. “He’s good at breaking into refrigerators to steal food, but that’s it.”
From Oakman’s frustration, this wasn’t going the way he hoped.
“My dear great-uncle studied several kitsunes and observed these traits in all of them. How surprising that your kitsune is lacking, but I suppose all creatures evolve, and there are almost no kitsunes left now.”
“Ask him why.”
“Huh? You told me there was a kitsune convention every year, which implies there are lots of kitsunes!”
“There are a few of us, but we stay under the radar.”
“Really? While partying with hookers?” I was beginning to suspect my familiar had a talent for exaggeration and storytelling. Much of what he’d told me about kitsunes didn’t add up given what Oakman had just said.
Kenji turned his back on me and began washing his butt. I huffed and focused on Professor Oakman since having a three-way conversation while trying not to give away anything important was exhausting.
My head throbbed from the effort. A nap in front of the fire was in my future.
Since I was also curious about Oakman’s claim there were few kitsunes left, I repeated Kenji’s question to the professor.
Oakman stilled.
“We’re not entirely sure what happened to the kitsunes, Miss Blackstone.
It’s possible there are a few of them still out there, likely unregistered.
” His expression hardened. “If you hear about any unregistered kitsunes, we would expect you to do your duty as a law-abiding witch and report them to the Mage Council.” An oily smile followed.
“I’m happy to be your liaison if that helps, my dear. ”
“I wasn’t aware I had to register my familiar?”
“Oh yes. It’s required so we can keep track of the more powerful creatures and assist inexperienced witches when needed. After all, the safety of the human population is our priority, as I’m sure you understand, given your experience prior to arriving at Starfall Academy.”
Was he referring to the small fire I accidentally started? What an asshole! Nobody died!
“Okay, I’ve heard enough.” Kenji sprang into action and launched himself at Angelica. The cat screeched furiously when Kenji bit her tail, yanking her off the filing cabinet. Cat and kitsune tumbled to the floor in a chaotic mass of pained yowling, flying fur, gnashing teeth, and vicious claws.
“Stop that immediately!” Oakman tried to intervene, only to sustain a vicious scratch across his hand.
A wobbly pile of textbooks slid off his desk when he bumped them with his hip, followed by a stack of unmarked papers.
He tried to cast water magic at my familiar but ended up soaking Angelica instead.
Taking advantage of the distraction created by Kenji, I grabbed my bag and shot the hell away from Professor Oakman and his highly intrusive questions.
I made it back to the dorm with seconds to spare, and just as a pair of mages wearing uniforms and carrying guns bore down on me. Would Oakman have spoken up for me if the mage guards had taken me into custody for violating the new rules?
Before the door had even half opened, my vampire prince pulled me inside.
“We were about to come searching for you.”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t because there are mage guards outside.” My pulse rate sped up as a vision of Rasmus under arrest and unmasked as the last surviving vampire popped into my head.
My mental shield must have dropped because he chuckled. “That wouldn’t happen, my darling.”
“Are you alright?” Kai frowned. Water dripped from his hair on the floor. “There are mage guards everywhere. Two of them stopped and searched me on the way back from the pool.”
“That can’t have taken long,” Zane commented with a smirk as he gestured at Kai’s shorts. As usual, my merman wore nothing else. Not even shoes. How he didn’t lose toes and fingers to frostbite baffled me.
I shivered at the thought of walking through the snow wearing nothing but a pair of panties.
“Keep thinking that, pet. I’m picturing your hard little nipples, and it’s delicious.”
Damn incubus. He turned everything into a sexual fantasy!
“The Mage Council has sent more guards in the last day,” Maverick told us from the kitchen doorway.
A deliciously spicy scent wafted out, and my stomach growled so loud I wondered if the entire campus had heard it.
“The demon attack in Crescent City has caused mass hysteria. Over one hundred magicals died, and several humans. The Supernatural Council is struggling to contain the media fallout.”
“Demon attack?” I blanched. As well as the curfews, the school was on a news lockdown too. Students could call home, but only on select days and only from the admin office, which meant the staff monitored the calls.
Starfall was beginning to feel more like a prison camp than a school.
I chewed over the news. Maverick’s comments explained why everyone seemed subdued today. The wolf shifters anyway.
Crescent City had a large wolf shifter population, and if that many magicals died, I’d wager most of them were shifters.
“The humans must be terrified.” At least we magicals had some protection against demons. We could cast magic, run super-fast, or even teleport. Humans had nothing but guns, and they were ineffective against demons with thick, scaly hides.
“They are. Their government is in a state of panic.”
“What’s Alaric’s father doing?”
Maverick’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “Not much as far as I can tell.”
No wonder Alaric had been scarce around campus. I’d seen him once in the last week, but only from a distance. I wasn’t sure whether he was avoiding me or just busy. Probably the former.
Maverick threw the dishcloth in his hand back into the kitchen before moving to sandwich me between him and Rasmus.
“You don’t need to worry about demons, little mate. You have four of us to protect you.” The others hummed in agreement.
But I couldn’t relax. If my demonic father was desperate enough to send scores of demons through the portal—a portal that was apparently leakier than a sieve—he’d stop at nothing to capture me.
Including killing my soul-bonded mates.
Kenji popped into view, soaking wet and with tufts of cat fluff stuck in his teeth.
All thoughts of marauding demons vanished from my head.
“Oh my goddess, Kenji! You better not have murdered that poor little kitty!”
My soggy familiar huffed crossly before coughing up a hairball.
“Of course not. I was doing you a favor by creating a distraction.”
“Hmm. I might have believed you if you’d left immediately after me, but I arrived back fifteen minutes ago.”
“I got caught up in the chase.” He shrugged. “It’s a kitsune thing. We have a strong prey drive.”
“Really? I’ve not seen you hunt anything before.”
“I hunt cockroaches. There are loads in this shitty building. Plus gigantic spiders.”
I clung onto my bear and vampire while shuddering in horror at the thought of giant spiders crawling all over me while I slept.
Zane laughed. “He’s a little liar. There are no spiders here. It’s way too cold and damp.”
Kenji bared his teeth at my incubus.
“Don’t worry, pet, I’ll protect you from all the things that might want to bite you in the night.” His gaze slid over to Rasmus, who flashed his fangs in return.
“Maybe I don’t need protection from things that might want to bite me?”
“Good, because biting is very much on the menu tonight, mea amica,” my vampire purred.