56. Chapter 55
“Ez,” Ivy’s voice whispered, calling out to him in the middle of the night. He pulled her body even closer to his. “You’re holding me too tight.”
His eyes fluttered open as he reluctantly loosened his arms. A part of him was afraid if he were to let go of her, even for a moment, she would disappear. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright.” She shifted in his embrace, turning to face him, and her hand slid up his chest. “You won’t lose me in my own bed, you know.”
By her sleep-laden laugh, that was a joke. But he couldn’t find the humor in it, not now when Silas had attacked her tonight. He considered sneaking out of her bed to track him down. Though a part of him worried if he left, Silas would be around the corner waiting to take her.
“I was scared for you.” He rested his hand on top of hers, his thumb brushing slow circles on her skin.
“When Maeve came back here without you, I thought you’d been taken.
I reached out to find you. Normally your magic…
it’s like flower petals, but when I found you, they were engulfed in flames and suffocating from the smoke.
It’s never felt like that before, and I…
” he drifted off, his eyes veering off into the dim moonlit room as his words died in his throat. “And knowing it’s him, I don—”
“I’m still here. Whatever his plan was, he didn’t get me.” Her hand cupped his cheek, turning his attention back to her. He took in her messy red hair cascading over her bare shoulders, the freckles that peppered her cheeks, and the pouty pink lips he couldn’t get enough of. “I’m right here.”
“I know you are,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. “Even though you went off on your own recklessly, you were yourself again. You were moving forward despite everything that wanted to stop you. And I’m so grateful to have you back.”
She drew him into a heated kiss as her leg slid across his hips. He groaned as her tongue swept in, brushing lightly against his, and his hand moved to grip her thigh.
“Ivy,” he murmured into their kiss. He pulled back and squeezed her leg gently. “You should rest.”
“I can rest later.” She moved farther on top of him, straddling his waist and bringing his cock to life as she rolled her hips. “I want to make the most of the time we have.”
He wanted that, too. If he could, he’d have them stay in her bed forever, ignoring the dangers waiting in the dark, forgetting their lives were at risk, and that he had played a role in her fate.
He kissed her with renewed energy, the hand on her thigh sliding to her ass to force her hips to move again.
She moaned quietly, her naked body writhing against his, and her hand sliding into his curls to give them a gentle tug. Heat radiated from her core, and he reached between them, his fingers finding her clit. His name spilled from her lips softly as he swept circles around her.
Normally, he’d take his time with her, drawing each orgasm from her as if she were his masterpiece.
But time was a luxury they didn’t have. She moved her hands to his chest, pushing herself up to grant him better access.
He watched in awe as the dim lights from the outside world fell across her naked body.
Illuminating her ample breasts as they bounced with every jut of her hips and creating a beautiful dance of light and shadow on the curved swell of her hips and stomach.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” His magic curled around her body, the frantic fluttering of hers meeting his with fervor, and she threw her head back. “Come for me, Ivy. Come on my cock before I fill you.”
With one last brush of his thumb against her clit, her body trembled on top of him, her mouth falling open in a silent, perfect circle. Her nails dug into his chest as she rode the waves of her orgasm, and he groaned as her slick coated him.
Her body relaxed, her hands sliding down his abdomen until they reached his aching member, and she whimpered his name. “I need you,” she begged. “Please.”
He reached into the side table’s drawer as she pumped him. His hips jolted as her thumb swept across his slit to spread the beaded pre-cum across the head. He pulled out the gold foil, slid the protection from the package, and rolled it down his length.
She raised her hips before sinking onto him slowly. Their magic melded together, the energy washing over him and casting a golden glow around them. He couldn’t tell where hers began and his ended. They were simply one. They moaned in sync as their hips came flush together.
He squeezed her hips hard, watching her tender flesh dimple around his fingers, and he exhaled deeply before he thrust deeper into her.
“Ez, please,” she whimpered, grinding on him. “Fuck me.”
He smirked as he lifted her gently, acting like he was going to take her slow. But he brought her back to him hard, his cock spearing into her, and a low growl rumbled in his throat as he watched her breasts jump with the movement.
“Yes,” she gasped, her nails digging into his chest again.
He thrust into her hard again. Faster. Deeper. Setting a pace where the sounds of their skin slapping together joined their cries to create a symphony. She collapsed on top of him, her arms losing the strength to hold herself up as another orgasm rolled through her.
His own end was close, but he wouldn’t allow himself to come until he pulled one more out of her. He spread his legs farther and gripped her ass, creating more space between their bodies for his hips to move faster. Her muffled sobs vibrated against the crook of his neck.
“You’re going to come for me one more time,” he panted. She shook her head, and he chuckled before he raised his hand to spank her lightly. “Yes, you will. You’ll be good for me, won’t you?”
He rubbed the spot he smacked, soothing her as she nodded. He called to their magic, sending it up her quivering thighs to caress her clit as his hand neared her other entrance. She cried out loud as he pressed his finger there, applying just enough pressure to send her reeling.
Her walls tightened around him, squeezing hard as she came. “You’re so good, Ivy. So, so good,” he praised. His hips thrust deep as he followed her over that cliff, his cum rushing out of his body.
A moment later, they collapsed together, the golden light of their magic replaced by the golden pink of the sunrise outside, reminding him, once again, he could not freeze time.
Unable to go back to sleep, he and Ivy showered and left Embry to get an early breakfast. But not before checking the greenhouse. As they neared the School of Nature buildings,several police officers and firefighters stood along the path, inspecting the surroundings and speaking in hushed voices.
The smell of the aftermath came before they could see it.
A heavy smokiness hung in the air, leaving the other students who were awake this early clasping their hands over their noses.
Ivy gasped as they rounded the corner. The glass shattered, leaving a gaping hole in the greenhouse, and black ash tainted the snow.
Wren and Thorne stood in front, talking with officials.
Thorne huffed impatiently, throwing her hands in the air as she was explaining something.
When she caught sight of them, she broke away from Wren and the officers and rushed over.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright,” Thorne said, worry melting away from the lines on her face. “You are alright, aren’t you?” The professor examined Ivy’s face, as if she were trying to find any injuries.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” Ivy reassured her. “What…what happened?”
Before Thorne could answer, Wren marched over with a small, rigid smile on her face. She peered between him and Ivy. “That has been the question on all our minds since last night. Professor Thorne tells me you were the last person in the greenhouse?”
“I was,” Ivy said. She cleared her throat. “I offered to clean last night after dinner for extra credit. Everything was fine when I left.”
“And can anyone else attest to that?” Wren asked pointedly.
Ivy’s lips pursed, and Thorne grumbled. “Ophelia, I told you alr—”
“I can,” Ezra cut in, glancing at Thorne briefly. “Apologies for interrupting, Professor. But Ivy is telling the truth. I met her here last night after I finished some assignments in the library to walk her back home.”
Wren’s terse expression faltered briefly. “Right. Seems this was only an accident.”
“As I said, the bulbs for the heat lamps over the snapdragons burnt out,” Thorne explained. Ivy’s brows quirked curiously before smoothing out. “I’d been meaning to get around to changing them and thought I had more time before they’d stop working.”
“Fine,” Wren said. “We’ll finish with the officials and go back to my office to file the required paperwork for repairs and to replace the equipment.” She stared at Ivy and Ezra once more. “Good day.”
They watched as the two went back to where the officers stood, and Ivy muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” he asked.
“I said it doesn’t make sense.” They turned around and crossed the yard to get to Arcania Hall. “I saw Thorne replace the lights before one of my labs a few weeks ago. Those bulbs should last anywhere from six to eight weeks.”
“You think she knows what happened?”
Ivy shrugged. “Maybe. All this time, I assumed it was only students involved in this. Except the ingredients they’re using don’t make sense.
I found Abbott had ordered a lot of grimshade, and the dates lined up with the exams and the parties, but I never saw it when I was doing inventory in the lab and it’s not something an average student could take. It’s too toxic.”
Ezra sighed, his stomach sinking. How far did his father’s influence reach into this school?
He knew Wren was looking the other way, whether Declan’s magic forced her or she was bribed, he wasn’t sure.
But he never suspected any of the professors would be the target of his manipulation or would willingly help him.
“Are you saying a professor is involved?”
“I don’t see how they wouldn’t be.” She pulled open the door to Arcania Hall. “We should get coffee, for us and Maeve and Liam. We need to figure out what our next move is.”
After they got the coffee and woke Liam, they returned to the apartment to find Maeve sitting at the table. In the center was a blue envelope. “This was slid under the door while you were gone.”
Ivy grabbed it off the table, and tore the envelope open. But it wasn’t a letter inside. It was an invitation to the Valentine’s party in two weeks. Made out only to her.