Wintertide Read online

  “I promise you don’t want me to let him out to play,” I said darkly, my mouth a breath away from hers. Her lips parted as she lifted her small chin in defiance.

  “What if I did?” she asked thickly as her eyes narrowed on mine.

  “I wouldn’t advise it,” I warned again as my eyes darted to her soft, pink lips. I wondered what it would be like to taste her and again I thought about how it would feel to have her beneath me. I knew one sample would never be enough. So instead of ravishing her where we stood as my cat demanded, I dropped her to her feet.

  She looked up at me from beneath her lashes, and I knew as innocent as she might be, there was a fierce kitten waiting in there to be set free. I only hoped I had the pleasure of witnessing it when she did.

  “Let’s get you to the cafeteria before Henry has a fit, and Calex has my ass,” I growled out. “Stay close, you don’t have time for a shower this time and you fucking reek.”

  “Lead the way,” she beamed, motioning down the hall. Instead of snapping out a retort about how I thought I had warned her against flaunting her scent around this place, I turned and stalked down the hall, knowing she would follow. I had seen how upset Henry made her, though I wasn’t sure why, but I thought it had something to do with the consequences that were rumored behind missing check-in. Whatever the reason, I knew she wouldn’t be late.

  We entered the cafeteria and my eyes wandered over the groups of shifters, on the lookout for anyone that might try something stupid. Some of them in here had nothing to lose. They knew they were never leaving and wouldn’t care who they hurt. I was not about to let her offer herself up.

  I led her around the edge of the room toward the line and watched as several of them looked in our direction, their eyes dilated and nostrils flared. Shit, this wasn’t looking good. “Hurry the fuck up,” I snarled. The longer we lingered the worse it was going to get.

  “Chill your tits,” the clear tinkle of her laughter sent chills racing over my skin.

  “You don’t have time for breakfast this morning,” I stated as she stepped into line.

  “The hell I don’t,” she countered.

  A group of shifters stood and all began stalking toward us. Everyone clearly knew I was alpha, even over the other alphas that had managed to claim a bed here. But again, these guys had nothing left to lose, and even as an alpha I had no control over a pack of rogues. The scent of my claim on her wouldn’t stop them.

  A low rumble emanated from my chest and she looked at me curiously, “Don’t pull that cat shit with me,” she scoffed as she turned back to Henry and called out her number. She had no clue that my cat was warning the others off rather than getting testy with her.

  I had already checked in before I went looking for her so we didn’t need to wait around. It was a good thing too as the rogue pack had already made it halfway across the room to us. Henry shouted out for the next person, his way of dismissing her. Instead of letting her go down the line I gripped her arm firmly and pulled her in the opposite direction.

  “What the hell, Blade?” she tugged against me, but it was no use. She was no problem for my strength. I slammed into a side door and yanked her through quickly, shoving the door shut behind us. “You have no right to fucking manhandle me like that,” she spat out indignantly. Her fire turned me on again, but now was not the time.

  I glanced through the small window at the door and saw the shifters had stopped and stood staring at the door. It seemed the barrier was enough to chill them the fuck out, at least for now.

  “Look right there,” I pointed toward the men. “You spread the fact that you just fucked around here like it’s no big deal. If I hadn’t gotten you out of there, I doubt even I would have been able to stop that group of dickheads. They don’t give two fucks if you are willing or not, they will take it anyways.”

  I saw her swallow hard and slowly nod her head, “Thank you,” she whispered. I stared at her in disbelief for a moment. Had she actually thanked me? I shook my head, “Don’t thank me, just protect yourself.” I started pulling her up the stairwell, “You need a shower.”

  We reached her floor and her stomach rumbled. Shit, she really did have to eat something. The ward washed over me as I led her to her room, but I was still not willing to risk her in the state she was in. I shoved her through her door, “Hurry up and grab clothes,” I waited outside, knowing that if the guards caught me they would just tell me to return to my floor or the common areas. If I was busted in her room though, that would be a different story.

  She fumbled around in her cupboard for clothes and when she finally reached the doorway I yanked her into the hall and dragged her toward the bathroom. “Shower thoroughly, and go straight back to your room. Don’t talk to anyone until I meet you back there. Understand?”

  “What’s the big deal, Blade?” she asked as she looked at me from those large turquoise eyes of hers.

  “You’re going to be safe, even if it fucking kills me,” I ground out before turning and stalking back to the cafeteria.

  I ignored the group of shifters as they had returned to their table and whatever the fuck it was they were doing over there. Now, without Evangeline with me, they didn’t care about me in the least. I sped through the line and threw food into a few napkins before I tucked them in my pockets.

  Realizing how much time had passed I raced back to her room, finding it still empty. I glanced up as she bounced down the hall toward me, her wet hair still tangled around her face and my cock instantly throbbed.

  I shoved the wrapped food into her hands as she stopped in front of me, “Breakfast,” I growled out, the heat in my voice coming across as anger I was sure. That was probably for the best. “I’ll find you,” I told her as I turned and escaped back to my floor, the pain of the wards having nothing on the pain from my dick as it ached for release again just from being so close to the scent of her arousal.

  Damn, Calex better return fast. I had no fucking idea how much longer I could keep this up.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I wanted to hate Eva, yet I couldn’t seem to find that anger toward her that I had when she first arrived. I was pissed at first when I smelled Sebastian all over her, my jealousy rearing up, wondering why he fucked her, the out of control magic user. I thought he would have better taste than that, more control as a professor to not screw his student.

  I thought about the way her eyes lit up when she was excited or happy, and admitted to myself that I couldn’t blame him. There was part of me that wanted to bring that light to her eyes, see them like that beneath me as I brought her pleasure and buried myself in her.

  It made me wonder what her life was like before because she already seemed so much happier here than when she first arrived. Her parents obviously hadn’t helped her at all with her magic. That was clear the first day that she lost control, and again during her lesson when she was able to bend it to her will so easily in just one session.

  The snowman she created was amazing. Juvenile, yes, but not any less wonderous in the control she managed so quickly. Her reaction, the excited shout and the child-like delight in her eyes, was contagious. It made me fight to maintain my asshole appearance. To not give a shit.

  I still fought it as I followed her down the hallway, my eyes settling on the sway of her hips that led me to thoughts of how they would look moving on top of me. I wondered what her nipples looked like under that shirt and if her ass was as round and firm as I imagined. Damn it! I was getting a hard-on in the middle of the hallway.

  Blade came out of nowhere and I knew there was no way he didn’t smell the desire on me, though thankfully he chose to say nothing. He was pissed off, surely smelling the stink of Sebastian on her, and that gave me the opportunity to wipe my silly infatuation away. I knew he was an alpha, a dangerous black lion that could rip me to shreds given the chance, though I loved pushing my boundaries with him. The thing was, I was a powerful fae in my own right and could freeze him before he ripped my throat out wi
th his razor-sharp claws. I just had to be quicker than he was.

  I continued to prod at him, readying myself for a fight. I needed some sort of outlet for all of the energy that the sorceress brought to me, all in the form of pent up sexual frustration. Whether it was a fight or a fuck, I needed something and I sure the hell wasn’t going to lower myself to fuck Carmen again. That harpy wasn’t worth the trouble and I fucking hated her for what she did to Eva.

  Blade took my bait as I mocked him and he lunged for me. I braced myself to release a torrent of ice on him when Eva stepped in between us. I couldn’t believe how stupid she was for stepping between two pissed off guys, both with powers she had yet to learn of.

  I wanted to curse her for it, but her hand on my chest distracted me. Fuck, her hand felt like it was meant to be on me as the coolness seeped through my shirt. I craved for her to be touching my skin as she was with Blade. Maybe that pussy had the right idea of walking around with his shirt open. It’s not as if the staff gave a fuck how we wore our uniforms. I just happened to prefer to look sharp, my shirt buttoned and my tie perfectly straight. I would add my own signature style, occasionally rolling up the sleeves or wearing the blazer with the school crest emblazoned on it. I certainly never looked like a slob like the rest of the inmates.

  The thought of calling Blade a slob put a smirk on my face, which I wiped away when Eva turned to me. I was worried about leaving her alone with him, but she assured me she would be fine. I told myself it wasn’t my problem if she wanted to leave herself at his mercy, smelling like sex around an alpha. She was so fucking innocent she couldn’t tell he wasn’t there just because Calex had ordered him to protect her. Blade wanted her just as much as the rest of us.

  My mind balked at the thought, did I just lump myself in with the other lovesick fools? No, I certainly wasn’t one of them. I just wanted a good fuck and she was sexy as hell. Couldn’t blame a guy, right? I could imagine taking that innocent nature and turning her into a sex goddess, one that would beg me for more. One that I would teach how to perform every one of my fantasies. I could picture her on her knees with those turquoise eyes looking up at me through her thick, dark lashes, my cock deep in her throat as she moaned around me.

  “Jaxon,” the guard lounged by the cafeteria entrance ruined my fantasy as I passed him. “The headmaster wants you in his office, immediately.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I sneered. “I haven’t even gotten my breakfast yet. Tell the warden I’ll come when I’m done. I wouldn’t want to break one of his rules of missing check-in.”

  “Nope, I’m to take you there now. Check-in has been taken care of. Henry knows you’re excused and has you accounted for. Get your ass moving, fairy.” He growled at me, not about to take my attitude. He just had to use fairy, an insult in our world.

  “This is ridiculous. At least let me get a to-go plate. I’m not about to spend all morning starving,” I tried to stall. I hadn’t seen Eva come back with Blade yet, and as much as I tried to say I didn’t care, I did and I wanted to make sure she made it back. My freedom was at stake here and if she was dead there wasn’t any chance for me to go home. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he knows I’m the one responsible for being late, not you.”

  The guard relented, “Just hurry up. I have better things to do than babysit you.” I waltzed over to the line, taking my time. I knew the fucker had better things to do, like pegging one of his buddies in the control room and I had no problem with delaying his escapades. I knew a lot of secrets here, almost as many as Calex, though it was hard to compete with that level of manipulation. I wasn’t about to tell the guard that, though. It was something I would keep to myself until I needed it.

  I kept an eye on the door while I waited in line for my food. The guard shot me glares and tapped his foot impatiently. His face turned red when I decided to be a gentleman and let a few ladies go in front of me. I sent him my most charming and innocent smile, batting my eyelashes for good measure which only infuriated him further to my delight.

  Once I had made it to the front of the line there wasn’t anything else I could’ve done to make sure Eva made it back or delay the inevitable meeting. I knew how evil my father was and I could only imagine what he wanted information on Eva for. I just knew that whatever it was, it wasn’t good. If I hadn’t gotten to know her, I wouldn’t think twice about filling him in on what he wanted to know in exchange for my freedom. That snowman had melted my frozen heart a little and I just couldn’t do that to her. I still wanted my freedom more than anything though, so I would need to figure something out, and fast.

  I moseyed over to the guard, who was beyond livid by that point as I wracked my brain for what I was going to tell Jack. I would need to give him just enough to satisfy him without putting her in danger of whatever he had planned.

  “Jaxon!” Carmen cooed as she patted the seat beside her. I didn’t think I could have made it any clearer that I was done with her when I shoved her off me last night and told her to go fuck herself. Yet there she was, acting as if last night hadn’t happened.

  “Nope. I’ve been summoned to the headmaster,” I answered simply and took a couple more steps. I paused when I saw Blade and Eva strolling in the cafeteria. Eva’s cheeks were flushed and Blade looked pissed. He definitely knew she fucked Sebastian and by the looks of it, he wasn’t happy about it.

  Carmen cackled behind me, a noise that grated on my very last nerve. “Looks like the whore found another dick to ride while her prince is away.”

  I knew Carmen was an evil bitch, and her words were not even meant for me, yet that didn’t stop me from rounding on her, my anger making her suck in a breath, as I growled. “You’re one to talk harpy. You spread your legs for anything with a dick. I know I wasn’t the only one you were screwing. I just didn’t give a shit about you enough to care. You were nothing but a hole to get my dick wet.” She blanched; her body jerked back as if I had physically slapped her, but I didn’t care. I left her there, gaping and speechless as I stomped away.

  Eva ignored me as Blade pulled her though to Henry and then manhandled her, throwing her out the door. What the fuck? Was she going to fuck him too? My eyes narrowed and struggled to maintain my level of nonchalance. It was then that I noticed all the rogue shifters that were making their way towards where Blade had just been with Eva, and now they seemed to be going back to their tables.

  It dawned on me that he was protecting her from them and unexplained relief flooded me that she wasn’t in danger with him. It brought me back from the edge of wanting to rage and scream, but there was still that unknown that was pissing me off. I had no clue if she was fucking him or not, and I was on edge, not only wanting to know, but dealing with the fact that I even cared in the first place.

  I had one piece of my brain that still held onto a small wisp of sanity, and knew I had to keep my composure if I was going to keep my cover. I would do my father’s work, consequences to the sorceress be damned. I needed to remind myself I was only in this for my freedom, no matter the cost.

  Una’s purple hair bounced in front of me and I realized she was talking to me. “What?” I snapped out, unable to keep the irritation from my voice.

  “Chill, Frosty,” she purred. “I just wanted to know how it went with Eva. It seems Blade is being a dick to her right now. I figured you would know what happened.”

  “Nothing. He just was a dick in the hall and she seems to enjoy the alpha asshole,” I shrugged as if it didn’t piss me off as much as it did. I couldn’t help that rage from surfacing, the fact that I spent my time working with her, helped her get control, and she dismissed me like I was nothing.

  “It didn’t look like nothing. Something had to have happened to have pissed off Blade,” Una pushed. “Plus, what was with those rogues stalking her all over the cafeteria? You weren’t sticking your popsicle in her freezer, were you?”

  “As if she would do that with me. Why don’t you ask her? I’m just her lowly tutor, not her fuck
ing keeper,” I snapped. Instantly my anger returned at the thought of what Blade could be doing with her at this very moment and the cage snapped back around my cold heart again.

  “She seems to like you. I figured you would know since you’ve been with her all morning. Sorry, Frosty,” she apologized, not sounding the least bit sorry.

  Not wanting to deal with her anymore, I mumbled some sort of a response that could have been taken for an apology, but I really didn’t give a shit if she thought I was sorry or not. I turned and followed the guard from the cafeteria, his shade of red from his anger did nothing for me though as I dealt with my own emotions. I headed to my father’s office, hell bent on revealing whatever he wanted of me.

  I swung the door open without knocking and dropped my plastic tray on his desk. It bounced off the surface and sent his headmaster nameplate clattering to the floor. I dropped in the seat and picked a piece of food before I tore at it as if it deserved my vengeance. When he raised his brow in warning, I responded with my mouth full of food, “What? You’re the one that demanded I be here now. I’m hungry, Jack.”

  “Jaxon,” he seethed, for once ignoring my name for him. “I’ve been waiting for you and you come in here and act like a pig?” He pointed to my tray precariously perched on his desk, “And you are leaving crumbs all over my desk. You know this is a priceless piece that I went to great lengths to acquire.”

  I rolled my eyes and swallowed my food. “Excuse me, Jack, but I don’t give a fuck what old, nasty, wannabe queen you had to fuck to get this desk. If you didn’t want it ruined, you shouldn’t have brought it to this hellhole.” I knew I was pushing all the wrong buttons and was just too infuriated with everyone to see straight.

  “Reformatory,” he snapped out. “I would have thought you would try to appease me since your freedom is on the line. Unless you want to be here forever?” The threat hung in the air between us. I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to follow through.