Chapter 20
“You look like you were mauled by a grizzly bear,” Trace groused.
My cheeks heated as I pulled my blouse higher around my neck. Colt had certainly left me with more than a few marks. Seeing them in the mirror as I’d gotten dressed this morning, my body had heated with each memory.
Dash’s lips twitched. “Your demon is aching to mark her just as much.”
“Whatever,” he muttered.
Colt moved into my space, tugging the material from my fingers. “Don’t hide. I want the entire world to know you’re mine.”
“Ours,” Trace gritted out.
Colt’s gaze flicked to him. “Ours.”
I let out a shuddering breath, my collar falling open and exposing a massive bite mark on my throat and at the juncture of my neck and shoulder.
Colt pressed a kiss to each one. “That’s better.”
The moment his lips touched each brand, my body came alive with need.
A series of groans lit the air.
“You’re going to kill us all,” Ronan muttered.
The heat was back in my cheeks. “Sorry.”
Trace squeezed his eyes closed. “My demon is going out of his mind.”
The pain in Trace’s face was plain to see. I crossed to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. I buried my face in his neck, kissing his throat. “I’m sorry.”
Slowly, the tension bled out of him, and he let out what almost sounded like a purr.
“My demon is possessive,” Trace said, voice low.
Declan scoffed. “Like the rest of you isn’t.”
Trace shot him a dirty look and then turned his focus back to me. He took my mouth in a long, slow kiss. Each swipe of his tongue sent fire singing through my veins. When he finally pulled back, I was practically a puddle on the floor.
Trace’s eyes glowed that beautiful violet. “Needed your taste on my tongue.”
“Maybe you’ll be less of a grumpy fucker now,” Ronan clipped.
“Let’s go before we all fuck Leighton and get detention for being late,” Dash said, far too cheerily.
I ducked my head, making a beeline for the door.
I heard a smack behind me.
“Hey, that hurt, Dec,” Dash snapped.
“Then don’t be an ass,” he shot back.
“Let’s get on the bus, children,” Colt called, beeping the locks on the SUV.
I darted for the front passenger seat and hopped inside.
Colt sent me a curious look as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
“I need distance from all of you. You’re dangerous,” I explained.
He barked out a laugh. “That we are.”
“You can’t hide for long,” Ronan said, his voice a sultry threat.
I shivered, tingles sweeping through my core. “Will you please stop it? I really don’t need damp panties for an entire day.”
Ronan chuckled. “It just means you’ll be ready for me when I get home.”
“For the love of God, please stop,” I begged.
Dash leaned forward and squeezed my shoulders. “Okay, everyone’s going to let up.”
I exhaled on a whoosh. “Thank you.”
My gaze flicked to the rearview mirror to see four self-satisfied smirks. “You are all jerks. I should leave you in blue-ball hell for this.”
Declan shot me a cocky grin. “You’d never be able to hold out on that threat.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled, knowing the jerk was right.
Colt turned onto the two-lane highway. “It might be a little rough today.”
I winced. “Everyone knows?”
He jerked his head in a nod. “My phone was blowing up all night.”
I guessed it was better that people knew and weren’t finding out at school thanks to Colt’s marks. He’d told me that, unlike his bond mark, these would fade. But he’d replace them time and time again. My lips curved at the memory of our afternoon. I wouldn’t mind that at all.
Shaking off the memory, I glanced over at him. “Are people mad?”
Colt’s lips thinned. “Most are just curious. A few think it was wrong to go against The Assembly’s wishes.”
I sighed. The last thing I needed was more people being pissed at me.
Dash squeezed my shoulders again. “Most people are happy for us. And are in awe of you.”
I turned in my seat. “In awe?”
He nodded. “No one has heard of someone manifesting this late.”
“Are they going to think I’m a freak?” All I could think of was The Assembly’s reaction to me.
Trace gritted his teeth. “Not if they want to keep their intestines.”
Declan chuckled. “Some might be a little wary, but most think you’re a badass.”
I certainly wasn’t that. The best I had were random bursts of magic.
Colt turned onto campus. “Don’t worry. They’ll be curious today, but things will be back to normal tomorrow.”
His promise felt like a familiar refrain. Each day there was something new for me to be stared at over.
Colt parked the SUV, and we all climbed out. I hiked my backpack over my shoulder and tried to ignore the stares as we headed for the school. Unfortunately, I couldn’t ignore the three females who stepped into our path.
Chloe’s body practically vibrated with fury. “You’ve tainted them now. Ruined them.”
Trace was in front of me in a flash, purple sparks dancing around him. “Back off, bitch. We’re done with you. I think we’ve been more than lenient, but that ends today.”
Chloe’s eyes widened a fraction but then filled with hatred. I couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under her eyes, and her skin had almost a gray hue to it, as if she were sick or hadn’t slept in weeks.
“They’re going to break the bond,” she snarled. “You’ll be begging me to anchor you, to mate you. You’ll see how strong I am, and you’ll be dying for me. But maybe I won’t take you back.”
“You’ve never had us,” Ronan growled. “I don’t know what’s wrong with your delusional ass, but you need to get some therapy and grow the fuck up.”
An inky darkness swirled in Chloe’s eyes for a moment, and then it was gone. “You’ll have to work to get me back,” she snapped, and then turned on her heel and stormed off, Mimi and Grace behind her.
Declan frowned. “Something’s off with her.”
Dash glanced at him. “Like there isn’t always?”
“No, he’s right,” Colt said, staring after Chloe. “She smells…wrong.”
“I scented it, too,” Ronan agreed.
“Dark magic?” Colt asked.
Concern flashed in Dash’s expression. “God, I hope not. That’s the last thing we need.”
Unease flickered through me. Chloe and dark magic? It would be like evil on steroids.