Chapter 8
EIGHT
Percy
The common room of our suite was quiet except for the occasional rustle of pages and the rhythmic tap of Eris’s pen against his notebook. I sat in the armchair by the window, pretending to read a field manual on advanced combat strategies, but my mind kept drifting back to her.
Jupiter Black. The so-called thirteenth zodiac.
I glanced up at my shield brothers scattered around our common area. Aiden was at the desk, methodically cleaning his blades. Eris lounged on the couch, scribbling notes about something or other. And Draco was staring out the window with that distant look he got sometimes.
He’d disappeared before dinner. He did that sometimes though, wanting to be alone.
“We should challenge the Ophis again,” Eris said, telling me he’d also been sitting there thinking about her.
I closed my manual with more force than necessary. “She got lucky the first time.”
Aiden snorted without looking up from his blade. “That wasn’t luck, Percy. That was skill. And power.”
“We weren’t prepared,” I insisted. “Next time will be different.”
“Next time?” Draco asked, turning from the window.
There was something in his tone that made me narrow my eyes. “Is that a problem for you”
“Just weird that you’re so fucked up over her already and all we did was spar.” He shrugged.
Eris set down his notebook. “The Assembly sent another message today. They’re ‘strongly encouraging’ us to consider Jupiter as our axis candidate.”
“Strongly encouraging,” I repeated flatly. “Theyre going to make this year hell for us.”
“Our parents are pushing for it too,” Aiden added. “My father called this morning again. Said it would be ‘advantageous’ for our futures. There were a few more thinly veiled threats, but that’s just dad. Fucking asshole.”
“Of course they want it,” I said bitterly. “An Ophis as our axis would make us the most powerful shield in history. It’s all strategy to them. They’ve let political and social aspirations rule their whole fucking lives.”
“Maybe,” Draco said quietly. “Or maybe they’re right.”
We all turned to look at him.
“What?” I demanded.
“Think about it. Her power would complement ours. The Ophis designation was historically known for its ability to enhance other zodiacs. And after seeing her fight today...” He trailed off, his gaze drifting back to the window.
I stared at him. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m just saying we should consider it.”
“Consider what? Bonding with someone we know nothing about? Someone who could destabilize everything we’ve built?”
“She’s not just ‘someone,’ Percy,” Draco clipped, glaring at me. “She’s an Ophis. Do you have any idea how rare that is? How significant? This girl is going to go down in history for the next several thousand years.”
“I know exactly how rare it is,” I snapped. “Which is why I don’t trust it. The Assembly likes to control things, and they will use her, and us by extension. We will never be free.”
Eris leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
“Draco might have a point. We’ve dismissed every single axis candidate this place has thrown at us.
Remember that Gemini girl last term? By week two I told her I’d rather perform self-surgery with cafeteria cutlery than form a bond with her.
” His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “But someone who can manipulate and create portals? That could be useful in the field.”
“And she’s hot,” Aiden added, a smirk playing on his lips. “Those tattoos. That body. Even you have to see that, Percy. If we have to spend the rest of our lives fucking one chick, she might as well be a damn goddess.”
I groaned, rubbing my temples. “Can you stop thinking with your dick for five minutes?”
“Just stating facts,” Aiden shrugged. “Besides, we could always... test the waters. See if there’s compatibility.” His smile turned cunning. “No need to commit to a bond right away, right? We could take our time and actually enjoy the process.”
Draco’s head snapped up, his eyes flashing. “She’s not a fuck toy, Aiden.”
“Did I say she was?” Aiden rolled his eyes. “I’m talking about mutual exploration. She’d enjoy it too. Think of it like a trial run.”
“The fact that you’re reducing this to sex shows how little you understand about what’s at stake,” Draco muttered.
I watched the exchange with growing unease. Draco was defending her. Passionately. Which meant...
“You like her,” I said, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut.
Draco met my eyes. “I find her intriguing, is that so wrong?”
“Since when?” Eris asked, looking between us with interest.
“Since I took the time to actually talk to her,” Draco replied. “Something the rest of you might consider trying.”
Aiden groaned, sitting back against the couch. “Is that where you disappeared to tonight? A little one-on-one with the Ophis?”
Draco’s jaw tightened. “We had a conversation. That’s all.”
“About what?”
“None of your fucking business.”
I stood up, unable to sit still any longer. “This is exactly what I’m worried about. She’s been here for what, a week? And she’s already driving wedges between us.”
“The only wedge here is your stubbornness,” Draco shot back.
“My stubbornness? I’m trying to protect what we’ve built. Our shield is stable. We work well together. Why risk all that on an unknown variable?”
“Sometimes the unknown is worth exploring,” Draco said. “Are you too chicken shit to take chances?”
The room fell silent. I could feel my pulse pounding in my temples, a headache building behind my eyes. “I’m going to bed. We can continue this discussion tomorrow.”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” Aiden said, standing and stretching. “The Assembly wants us to bond with her. Our families want it. And apparently, Draco wants it too.” He smirked. “I vote we try it.”
“This isn’t a vote,” I growled. “This is our life. Our futures.”
“Exactly,” Draco said. “Which is why we should consider all options carefully. Including Jupiter.”
I turned and walked toward my bedroom without another word. I couldn’t deal with this right now. Not when my thoughts were so tangled, not when the memory of her fighting, moving like liquid starlight, those silver eyes flashing, was still so fresh in my mind.
My room was dark and quiet after I slammed and locked the door. I stripped off my shirt, tossing it aside before heading to the adjoining bathroom. A hot shower was exactly what I needed to clear my head.
The water beat down on my shoulders, hot enough to sting, but I welcomed the sensation.
It gave me something to focus on besides Jupiter fucking Black.
Besides the way she’d moved in the combat arena, so sure of herself.
Besides the defiant tilt of her chin when she’d faced down all four of us without flinching, and the smirk she gave me as she got me on the ground.
I pressed my forehead against the cool tile of the shower wall, trying to force the images away.
It didn’t work. Instead, they became more vivid.
More detailed. The way her black hair had come loose from its braid during our fight, framing her face and falling all the way down to her tight ass.
The flush on her cheeks. The fierce light in her silver eyes.
“Fuck,” I muttered, closing my eyes. This was ridiculous.
But my body didn’t seem to care. My cock was already hard and aching. I tried to ignore it, to focus on the practical concerns—the risk she represented to our shield, the unknown nature of her powers, the Assembly’s suspicious behavior and secrecy.
It didn’t help. My mind kept circling back to her. To those full lips that had curved into a smirk. To the sliver of skin visible between her top and pants when she’d moved. To the serpent tattoos that coiled up her arms, seeming to come alive with her magic.
Before I realized what I was doing, my hand was wrapped around my cock, stroking slowly. I told myself I was just relieving tension. That it didn’t mean anything. That it could be anyone in my thoughts right now.
But it wasn’t anyone. It was her. Jupiter on her knees before me, those silver eyes looking up through dark lashes. Her full lips parted, taking me into the heat of her mouth. My fingers tangled in her long black hair, guiding her movements as she took me deeper.
My strokes quickened, my breath coming in harsh pants that echoed against the shower walls. In my mind, her tongue swirled around the head of my cock, her hands gripping my thighs as she moaned around me.
“Jupiter,” I gasped, the name escaping before I could stop it. I came with a groan, spilling into my hand as the water washed the evidence away.
What the fuck was wrong with me? This woman was a potential threat to everything we’d built, and here I was jerking off to thoughts of her.