Chapter 6 #3
She smiles briefly before turning to Alpha Dire—then to Alistair as the next-in-line. “You would rescind your claim over this one?”
Thaddeus Dire’s face blotches. “Need I remind you, Councilwoman Navarro, that we do not allow co-species relations?”
The councilwoman shows her fangs. “Need I remind you, Alpha Dire, that your prejudices are not my concern. I am asking if your blood rejects its claim over hers.”
I almost roll my eyes. Politics. “He doesn’t speak for me, nor does any pack alpha. If you want me as a potential mate for your—” I quickly remind myself of the correct vampire term. “Bloodline, then accept me into the academy. I’m sure that everything will fall into place as is fated.”
Revyn growls loud enough that multiple heads turn his direction. Tingles dance down my spine, and I clench every muscle in my body to keep from reacting. This decision isn’t about Revyn. It’s about me getting into the academy by any means necessary, even if it means telling a lie.
I have no intentions of bonding with a mate, shifter or otherwise.
Councilwoman Navarro looks across the courtyard for a moment.
I follow her gaze, and my blood runs cold.
The vampire I stabbed during the trials is staring intently back at the councilwoman, telepathically communicating what I can only assume are either his grand plans for my seduction or my demise. Maybe both. At the same time.
Fuck.
After their silent conversation, she turns and murmurs something to the headmaster. Alpha Dire’s body shakes with rage as he hisses something harsh in the headmaster’s ear. I allow myself a peek at Revyn only to wish I hadn’t.
He’s looking at me like he’s finally lost me.
When he realizes that I’m watching, he shakes it off and tries to smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. I’m breaking the man’s heart all over again.
I hate myself for it.
“I will speak with the girl,” the headmaster announces, nodding to himself, “to evaluate her placement.”
My heart sinks. I may have been able to fool the academic council, but a dragon?
He’ll incinerate me for lying to him.
I stand tall as Headmaster Loreander waves me through the barrier separating the academy’s latest additions from the unlucky unchosen.
Silently, I walk through the crowd of newly-accepted students on the ground level, up a winding spiral staircase, and onto the balcony.
The elders of the realm, both council members and those without such titles, step back to let me through.
The Dire men’s gazes burn as I walk past, one of them grabbing my wrist before I can escape.
His touch sears my skin, and I gasp as heat coils around my wrist.
“What are you doing?” Alistair’s voice is as scalding as his touch, burning with an intensity I don’t understand.
“What I’m best at,” I hiss, tearing myself free. Reddened marks in the shape of Alistair’s fingers wrap around my wrist. “Surviving.”
“You think I can’t protect you, is that it?” He takes a step closer and invades what little freedom I have left.
“Protect me?” I tear my arm free as anger burns inside my throat. “I never asked for your protection—and I damn sure wouldn’t take it.”
He has the nerve to look hurt at my rejection, but it’s quickly replaced with anger as hot as mine. “You would rather mate with a dead man?” Grabbing my wrist again, he holds on tighter. The heat from his touch is unbearable. “You’d prefer a corpse over me?”
Baring my fangs, I push all the venom flowing through my veins into my voice.
“I’d rather fuck a corpse than a goddamn psycho!
” What the hell is wrong with him? Mate with me?
After everything his pack has put me through?
“I’d rather die than mate with you, Alistair Dire.
” A flash of incredible heat burns my wrist as Alistair’s hand is suddenly wrapped in flames.
I gasp and pull free the same moment he releases me, taking his fiery magic with him.
Grabbing my scalding hot wrist, I backstep and bump into the headmaster. “Stay the fuck away from me!”
Turning around, I blindly usher the ancient dragon through the crowd and past the towering academy doors, eager to get the hells away from everyone.
The Headmaster chuckles as we step into the entrance hall, his snake-like eyes studying me curiously as I finally take my hands off him.
I quickly choke on an apology that he waves away.
“No need,” he murmurs. “Your urgency is warranted. Untapped power like that can be dangerous.” He glances at my wrist, its skin a mottled shade of pink.
“Best we not test our limits, hm?” Gesturing toward a grand staircase with a broad sweep of his arm, he smiles warmly.
“If you’ll follow me, we’ll begin your assessment upstairs, away from prying eyes and ears. ”
I follow him through weaving corridors and up multiple flights of stairs, getting lost despite my best efforts to memorize our route.
The silence between us is deafening, but my nerves calm the longer we walk.
There are only two outcomes: I’m either dismissed from the academy and left to the whims of the wilds, or I’m trapped within its walls with an alpha whose family wants to kill me, a vampire who thinks he can charm his way into my bed, and a man whose desperation to claim me damns us both.
I know in my heart the kind of life I want.
The only question is: what am I willing to do to claim it?