Chapter Twenty-seven
Audrey
“ Y ou’re not trying, Miss Maddox.” Professor Novak’s voice breaks my concentration, and I curse under my breath.
I’m not trying hard enough? He’s kidding, right? He has to be.
It’s been a month since Brenden passed his final. He’s been assisting Professor Novak in class and in our weekly private sessions. I’m beginning to think that Professor Novak enjoys embarrassing me in front of my mate. And to think, I used to check this man out on the regular—before I knew what a dick he was, obviously.
Who am I kidding? I still check him out every time I see him. I’m lucky Brenden either hasn’t noticed or doesn’t care. I’m leaning toward the latter as I’m pretty sure he’s been flirting with my hot professor.
Not that he’s mine. That’s not what I meant.
Shaking my head, I open my eyes and glare at the professor in question. “I’m not trying hard enough? Are you serious right now? All I’ve fucking done is try. I don’t know what you expect me to do! I’ve tried everything you’ve suggested and it’s just not working. Maybe you’re the one who isn’t trying. Did you think about that?”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Oh, that’s rich coming from you.”
“Maybe we all need a break,” Brenden suggests.
“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” I demand, speaking over my mate, though he’s probably right. We likely need a break, but the professor’s words have lit a fuse inside of me. I’ve grown more and more frustrated with each passing day that I’ve been unable to access my magic, and he wants to tell me I’m not trying hard enough? I don’t fucking think so.
“You’re Death’s mate. You have nothing to worry about. No one is going to throw your ass out to be judged, even if you can’t do something basic like call on your magic. I guarantee that even if you’re never able to access your magic, you’ll still pass and become a reaper, which isn’t fair to any of the other people who have been sent to judgment for less.” Professor Novak’s chest heaves with anger as he yells at me. “I’m not the problem here, Miss Maddox—that would be you.”
Brenden steps in front of him. “Come on, Nex. You’re out of line. We both know Audrey is doing the best she can. You can’t just yell at her because you’re frustrated.”
He scoffs. “What a surprise—your mate is coming to your rescue. You really are useless, aren’t you?”
Rage surges through me, my vision blurring with how angry I am with him. How dare he?
I’ve never been useless a day in my life. Or my afterlife.
Fuck him.
He has me so worked up that it feels like my body is on fire and I can’t even see straight.
“Ummm, firecracker?”
“What?” I demand, shifting my head toward Brenden’s voice.
He chuckles. “You’re on fire, Audrey.”
I’m what?
Lifting my hands to my face, I blink for a moment as I stare at them in disbelief. They’re covered in fire. Glancing down, I realize Brenden is correct, my body is on fire. The heat rising off me must be what’s causing issues with my sight.
Holy shit! I accessed my magic!
Closing my eyes, I will the magic back inside of me. It’s stronger now than it was when I was alive, which is to be expected. Only, no one told me it would be this much stronger. I certainly never covered my entire body in fire before. I always thought I was a weak witch as I was only able to call forth a small flame. Wren had been the same way, as had my Mom.
The magic that runs through me doesn’t feel any stronger than it did when I was alive, but I can clearly do more with it than I could before.
My magic retreats just as easily as it used to, leaving me shaking my head in confusion. I don’t understand.
“Are you okay, firecracker?” Brenden asks cautiously.
My eyes pop open and I find his. I smile and nod. “I’m great now that I have access to my magic.”
“Thank the gods that worked,” Professor Novak says with a sigh. “If it hadn’t, I don’t know what we would’ve done next.”
Narrowing my eyes, I pin him with my stare. “Are you telling me that you just said all of that shit to get me angry enough to call on my magic?”
He glances at Brenden before returning his gaze to me. “Ummm... Yes?”
“And that’s what you consider good teaching? Thank fuck I can access my magic because after that shit? I will never work with you again. You’re a fucking asshole, and I hope you burn in hell.” Spinning on my heel, I head up the stairs. “You’re fucking lucky I didn’t set your ass on fire.”
“She does know that we’re technically in hell, right?” he asks Brenden, who shushes him.
“I think you’ve said quite enough to Audrey today. I’ll see you later, Nex. Try not to piss anyone else off tonight, yeah?”
Brenden catches up to me at the door, opening it for me. I keep my jaw clenched as tears threaten to spill. I can’t believe he would say such cruel things to me and for what? To make me angry enough that my magic emerged? I definitely would’ve preferred another method that didn’t hurt so damn bad.
I march down the hallway, determined to get back to the house before I lose my shit, but Brenden has other ideas.
“Wait a minute, Audrey.” He steps in front of me, moving with me when I attempt to go around him. “You’re clearly not okay. What can I do?”
“You can get the hell out of my way so I can get home before I start crying. I will not break down here where he can walk out and see just how badly his words hurt me,” I grind out.
Brenden nods, scooping me into his arms and running the rest of the way down the hallway. As soon as we make it outside, he puts on a burst of vamp speed and rushes me home. I bury my head in his chest as I fight against the tears. I won’t let them fall until we get home.
When Brenden comes to a stop a few short minutes later, it’s in front of our home. He doesn’t set me down, instead carrying me into the house.
“I want to go to bed,” I tell him when he heads for the living room.
He scoffs. “Not a chance. Your other two mates will eat me alive if I attempt to bring you upstairs in this condition without at least telling them.”
I cross my arms and pout like the damn adult I am. Not that I stop cuddling into his chest as I finally allow the tears to fall.
“You’re home early,” Donovan starts but cuts off with a growl. “What happened to her?”
Brenden doesn’t answer him, instead asking, “Where’s Wraith?”
“Upstairs in his office. Now, tell me what the fuck happened.”
Clinging to Brenden’s shirt now, my tears fall in earnest.
“I’m taking her upstairs. It’s where she wants to be. You grab Wraith and meet us up there. She needs all of us right now.” Brenden doesn’t bother waiting for a response as he heads for the back stairs.
“Take her to mine and Wraith’s room, it has a bigger bed,” Donovan yells as he hurries to catch up with us. “We really need to get a bigger bed in her room.”
Brenden brings me straight to their room as requested and helps me get settled into the bed before climbing in beside me. “They really do have the best bed, don’t they?”
“They do,” I agree, my voice cracking.
He pulls me into his arms once more, allowing me to cry on his chest as Donovan and Wraith join us. They crawl straight onto the bed, Wraith at my back and Donovan lifting my feet to rest in his lap.
“Trouble, you know how much we hate seeing you upset,” Wraith says softly, his hand trailing up and down my back. “Tell us what happened?”
“Yes, tell me who I need to kill,” Donovan demands, pulling a surprised laugh from me.
“You can’t kill someone who’s already dead, can you?” I ask, glancing down at him.
He scoffs. “We absolutely can. It’s more difficult, but it can be done. Now, tell us what happened.”
I roll onto my back, Brenden and Wraith having to readjust as I do so. I wipe the tears from my face—not that it does much good since I’m still crying. “The good news is I accessed my magic. While it doesn’t feel any stronger inside me, externally, it’s much stronger.”
“Her whole body was on fire,” Brenden confirms. “And it didn’t burn her clothes.”
Wraith scoffs. “Of course it didn’t. I’m proud of you for accessing your magic, but that’s clearly not what upset you. Tell us what did.”
“Professor Novak apparently decided to piss me off to see if rage would kickstart my magic. Obviously, it did, but the things he said? They were mean, and they hit me in a way I didn’t know they would.”
Donovan growls again. “What. Did. He. Say.”
Glancing down at him, I shake my head. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“You better tell us, trouble, or I’ll turn your ass red and send you to bed without an orgasm.” Wraith looks dead serious, and I do not approve.
“So rude, Daddy.”
Wraith groans. “You’re being a bad girl, Audrey. Tell us what the hell he said.”
“Or I could tell you,” Brenden offers, shrugging at my glare.
“No. Audrey will be the one to tell us.”
“I don’t like it when you call me Audrey,” I tell Wraith, sighing when he just raises his eyebrow. “He said the only reason I was going to make it through the program is because you wouldn’t let anyone send me to be judged. That even if I failed my final, I’d still end up a reaper. He said it wasn’t fair to the others that I got a pass just because you’re my mate. He said I wasn’t trying hard enough and called me useless.”
Rage simmers in Wraith’s eyes as he asks, “He said what? I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”
Brenden laughs, though there’s no humor to it. “You heard her correctly.”
“I’m going to kill him.” Donovan lifts my legs from his lap and crawls off the bed.
“No! Don’t leave me, please. I don’t care about that asshole. Yes, his words hurt, but I’ll get over them. He’s wrong, and I know that. I just want to lie in bed and cuddle with my mates while we watch a movie.”
Donovan sighs as he turns back to me. “Are you sure I can’t just go kill him, and then come back for cuddles?”
“Nope. Get back in bed,” I demand, smiling when he climbs back in bed. This time, he climbs over top of me and settles behind me. I grunt as he readjusts me, but I don’t mind this new position in the slightest.
In fact, I cuddle further into him before wrinkling my nose. “Damn it, I need my PJs.”
“On it,” Brenden grins, jumping off the bed and rushing from the room.
“Damn it. I should’ve changed before I got back in the bed.” Donovan sighs.
“How about everyone gets out of bed and changes?” Wraith asks with a laugh.
Donovan grumbles as Wraith helps me out of the bed before he climbs out and changes.
Within a few minutes, we’re all changed and in bed as Wraith finds a movie for us to watch.
I guess today wasn’t terrible if I ignore Professor Novak’s words. I can access my magic, and I get to spend the night cuddled in the arms of my mates.
Yeah, I definitely came out on top tonight.