Chapter 7 Rune
rune
. . .
Being back in my room in House of Twilight was weird, but what was even weirder was how all six of my fated mates crammed into it with me.
Koa leaned against my desk, phoenix fire flickering faintly over his skin.
His magic glow pulsed in sync with my heartbeat.
His long brown hair was pulled into a loose bun, a few strands falling forward as he watched me move.
His ember-lit eyes followed every step, and our matebond roared through my chest with longing.
Dimitri sat in my desk chair as if he were trying to look composed, but he was failing.
His arms were crossed, but his foot tapped an uneven rhythm against the floor.
The white patch in his dark coiled curls glimmered under the fae light, and his red eyes were filled with desire.
They were molten, tracking each step I made.
His fangs peeked when he exhaled sharply.
His matebond was filled with barely-there restraint.
He wanted to hold me, but he wanted to be alone to finish what we had started in the hallway before I was taken.
Slater sprawled across the floor, Snakey curled up on his back.
He looked deceptively casual, but the lazy grin on his face didn’t quite reach his eyes.
The red of his hair looked darker in the fae light, and his pupils were dilated, chaotic magic rippling around him like static.
He’d been angry—furious—at what had happened to me, but he was trying to bury it.
His chaos magic stirred restlessly every time I shifted, and his matebond was filled with anticipation and the desire to mark me.
Zuko sat cross-legged beside him, his orange eyes glinting with the lazy amusement that couldn’t fool me now that our matebond was thrumming through my chest. His sunset-colored hair shimmered in the light, but his gaze was sharp.
His fingers toyed with the bandage in his hands, and our bond poured into me the fear he’d had for me and his relief that I was back.
Drecken leaned against the wall by my window, arms folded, green hair swept to one side.
His blue eyes glowed faintly with magic.
He was too quiet. The tension in his jaw and magic curling at his feet responded to every tremor of my magic.
Relief and guilt flooded our bond, and I knew he blamed himself for not being able to find me.
It wasn’t his fault, though. Tourmalyke was a supernatural’s kryptonite.
Jesper stood beside my bed, the scent of winter woods mixed with midnight orchid clinging to him.
His shoulder-length white hair caught the glow of the fae light, and his brown eyes—warm and grounding—were fixed on me with desperation.
His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, and our bond told me he wanted to hold me the same way the rest of my mates did.
His dragon instincts were probably screaming to protect me.
As much as I wanted to fling myself into each of their arms and forget the last four days, I needed to catch up on what had happened.
“What about finals?” I asked, continuing to pace between my mates.
Dimitri reached out, his fingers curling around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. “Your father and Jarvins gave you an exemption. You were the top performer in class.” His mouth curved into a smug smile. “Alongside me, of course.”
“Of course I lost the chance to beat you,” I said dryly, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest as his thumb traced my pulse. “Who’s the house head this year?”
“A vampire named Jess,” he said off-handedly. “Vel’s niece or something. She doesn’t seem to like Vel, though. And we would’ve probably tied again anyway, lethal darling.”
“Interesting,” I murmured. “So, what have I missed?”
Slater grinned from the floor. “You missed so much, venom baby. The humans and supernaturals alike are all pissed that we took out that facility. Apparently, keeping the peace treaty intact doesn’t involve mass murder. Who knew?”
Jesper groaned. “We saved fifty-seven supernaturals. They can get over it.”
Zuko whistled low. “That’s not even all of it. The academy went into total lockdown. Even the House Gauntlet was canceled. Every professor cleared their house of human spies. Applicants now have to do a blood and magic test before the entrance exams.”
“Good,” I muttered, taking a deep breath.
Koa’s voice was soft. “Slater cleared your name publicly. You’re all over the News Sector.”
My head jerked toward him. “What?”
He smiled. “You’re an enigma to the public. The one who was taken by humans, framed to be working with them, cleared of wrongdoings, slaughtered humans at a human facility, and came back in only four days.”
Drecken snorted from the corner. “They should regard her as a hero, but the public will always differ in opinion. Don’t worry about it, viperling.”
I nodded.
He grinned, his magic popping off and zapping Koa, who yelped.
“I’m no longer the House of Arcane’s professor.
Haelynn, Rowan’s daughter, is taking over.
I just have to provide lessons for the next year, then she’ll handle the rest after.
The curse of my intelligence, I suppose.
But it frees up my time for research and council duties that are overwhelming me, anyway. ”
Jesper rolled his eyes. “You mean the curse of not being able to stop blowing up labs.”
“Wait, you get overwhelmed?” Slater asked, surprised.
A laugh bubbled up from my throat. “Wait, Haelynn is Wren and Kian’s daughter, right?”
Drecken’s tone softened. “Yes. The seer, Blair, trained Kian for decades and still does occasionally. He trained his daughter. Haelynn is fully equipped to reside over House of Arcane. Which also means I will have more time to spend with you, viperling.”
“That’s good,” I purred, barely holding myself back from throwing my arms around him and kissing him.
I’d never had all six of my mates in one spot for so long before, alone. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about intimacy in front of the rest, and I wouldn’t stop at just a kiss right now.
I’d missed them, desperately.
Jesper cleared his throat, voice thick. “Koa, you did good with Rune. Blowing your cover to protect her…Sabine’s already going through the paperwork to free your father. You’re in the clear.”
Koa’s breath hitched. The embers in his irises glowed bright as a tear rolled down his cheek.
I walked over to him, not bothering to fight my instinct. I caught his face in my hands and kissed him.
Blue flames flared against my palms.
Slater made a choking noise behind me. “Uh, venom baby? Don’t forget someone else’s bond snapped too.”
I turned, smiling over my shoulder. “How could I forget, Havoc baby?”
He grinned as his demon form burst out, and his tail swayed behind him as he stood up.
Koa sniffled, rubbing his eyes. “So did ours.”
Dimitri stood abruptly, crossing over to me, sliding a hand into my hair before his lips met mine in a slow, deliberate, and possessive kiss. His control burned through our bond, wanting desperately to break.
When he pulled back, Zuko was already dragging me into his arms, pinning me against my desk, his fangs grazing my neck. “Listen, pretty little poison,” he murmured, voice like honey. “I think your mates want to mark you.”
My pulse jumped. “Yeah,” I breathed. “I want that, too.”
Slater’s grin sharpened over Zuko’s shoulder. “I’m into being watched.”
Zuko moved with a dark chuckle.
Slater replaced him, sliding my shorts and panties off, pulling his dick out, and settling between my legs.
All six matebonds flared with desire, and my arousal soaked the air of my room. I swallowed hard, glancing at the others.
Slater’s chaos magic simmered around us. “Eyes on me, venom baby.”
My eyes met his red ones, and magic roared between us. His tail wrapped around my back and rested on my free shoulder.
The matebonds with the others hummed in the background as Slater’s consumed me. A delicious shudder worked through me as his hands gripped my thighs and the ache between my legs grew more insistent.
“That’s right.” He plunged into me in one swift thrust, and my eyes rolled back.
“Ah, ah, ah, venom baby.” He gripped my chin and made me look at him again. “Eyes on me while I mark you.”
My shoulder seared with chaos magic, and I lunged forward, sinking my fangs right over the pulse at his throat.
Our magic collided, and our bond detonated. I pulled my fangs out as he gasped, his tail falling from my shoulder as his demon form faded.
His mark bloomed across my shoulder in the form of a small serpent with wings, alive and hissing. It lifted from the mark, flying in front of me. It turned its head and flicked its tongue toward me.
Snakey slithered from Slater, meeting the new chaos manifestation nose-to-nose.
“Worthy,” the winged snake hissed before merging back into my skin.
Snakey merged back with Slater after hissing softly.
I blinked in surprise.
Drecken barked a laugh. “You somehow merged with your own summon. You idiot.”
Slater grinned, breathless. “Guess he liked her better.”
Laughter rolled through the room, but Slater pulled out and sank back inside of me.
Pleasure rattled my bones, and I moaned. He picked up his pace, ramming into me until stars burst through my vision and I came with him.
He spilled into me. “Fuck, venom baby. You’re mine.”
I sucked in a greedy breath of air as he pulled out and tucked himself away. “Yours.”
Drecken cleared his throat and snapped his fingers, cleaning up our mess. “Whose are you, viperling?”
“All of yours,” I panted.
I didn’t have time to recover before Koa pulled me onto his lap on the bed. “I want our first time being intimate to be more romantic,” he rasped. “But I have to at least mark you now, little vixen.”
His lips crashed into mine desperately. His tongue swirled around mine, and I moaned against him.
I broke the kiss and kissed down his jaw before sinking my fangs into his throat and marking him. I licked the blood from his skin and pulled back only slightly.
“Rune,” he moaned as his hand clamped gently around my throat, blue flames curling under his palm.
I glanced over at the mirror on the wall and saw a phoenix in a golden-blue flame on the side of my neck.
It was beautiful.
We stayed tangled, breathless, until I looked up and saw the others watching.
“Anyone else want a turn?” Zuko asked.
“She needs rest,” Drecken said tightly.
“Agreed.” Jesper nodded.
“I’ve marked her, and I intend to fully mate her when we’re alone,” Dimitri stated, his gaze boring into me.
“Like I said earlier, I want to make it more romantic.” Koa blushed.
Zuko caught my eye, his smirk darkening. “Good. In that case, I’m taking my turn. Is that okay with you, pretty little poison?”
“I need you,” I murmured.
“You’ll have me.” He growled, pulling me off Koa and leaning me over my desk.
His cock sheathed inside of me after several slight thrusts, and his piercings hit every sensitive spot inside of me.
“Zuko!” I screamed when he bottomed out.
Zuko rammed into me again and again, clasping my hips hard against him until we both came.
He kissed the top of my head and pulled out.
Drecken used his magic to clean me up again and muttered, “Why doesn’t this bother me?”
Slater snorted. “Because we’re brother-mates. Aren’t you supposed to be a genius?”
Jesper, Koa, and Dimitri stayed close, and the matebond soared with desire, happiness, and completeness.
“I,” Drecken announced grandly, lifting his hand, “am a genius.”
The air rippled.
My bed groaned, wood stretching and curling outward as if it were alive.
Sheets multiplied, pillows bloomed into existence, my desk was scooted to the other side of the room, and within seconds, my tiny academy bed had become a sprawling nest of comforters.
It was easily big enough for the seven of us.
Slater let out a low whistle. “Okay, Professor, you are a genius.”
“I am,” he agreed. “Though, I am no longer a professor. Thankfully.”
Zuko flopped backward onto it immediately, hands behind his head. “Finally! I can sleep over all the time.”
Jesper rolled his eyes but followed. “This is comfortable.”
Koa rolled onto it and grinned. “It’s much comfier than the bed in my room.”
Dimitri arched a brow. “Did you change the quality?”
“Of course.” Drecken moved toward it and laid down.
I shook my head, smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. “Thank you.”
“We are all ridiculously devoted to you, venom baby,” Slater said, tugging me down with him. “Now, get in the middle before someone else claims the other spot next to you.”
I let him pull me, falling into the warmth of my mate.
Drecken teleported onto my other side, and the rest piled around us.
“See?” Drecken said quietly. “Perfect equilibrium.”
“Perfect mates,” I murmured, eyes already fluttering shut.
Slater chuckled. “Same thing, venom baby.”
The world narrowed to the steady thrum of our heartbeats.
Each matebond pulsed under my ribcage, and I drifted off with Koa’s warmth, Dimitri’s fingers tangled in my hair, Jesper’s hand on my thigh, Zuko’s foot curled around my ankle, Slater’s breath at my neck, and Drecken’s heartbeat steady against my back.
My matebonds were complete, and so was I.