Page 11 of A Curse So Cruel (Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy #1)

Chapter Seven

~ Shade ~

M y clothes feel too tight as I squirm in Raith’s hold, and I can’t help wishing that I could tear them off.

Or, you know, that Raith would tear them off me.

Careful now, sunshine. I only have so much control.

Unless you want me buryin’ inside you while we’re between realms, you might wanna stop movin’ so much.

God the man’s mouth is filthy, and I am here for it.

The thought of him putting his massive body to good use makes me want to take him up on his offer, but then I stare at the swirling black around us, and my thoughts sober.

Distracting him while we’re in this place doesn’t sound like the best idea.

The thought of getting stuck here and turning into a lost soul makes me shudder.

I’ve had a bad enough time remembering how to get back to my apartment in the city, and I’ve managed to get lost on multiple occasions.

I’d have no hope of escaping here if I fell from Kazer’s back.

Not to mention wandering around in my birthday suit doesn’t sound that great either, no matter how good the sex might be.

Still, having Raith’s hands on me is making me crazy.

I reflect on what the man said about my chances of surviving the academy, and that helps to cool me down a little.

The more I learn about Shadowbone, the more doubts I have, but it doesn’t matter.

I have the tattoo, and I have to find out why. Besides, it’s too late now.

Kazer’s movements are smooth as he runs, his powerful body racing along the shadow road, and it’s not long before I start thinking about Raith again.

He’s pressed flush against me, and I can feel his chiseled muscles against my back, and his hard cock prodding against my ass.

No doubt, he’s loving torturing me, so I make a point to wiggle a bit and torture him as well.

He groans, one hand straying to the front of my pants, but before things can escalate, the shadow road ends.

Knox and Thane disappear first, and then Kazer is stepping from the darkness and onto black cobblestones.

A gray landscape surrounds us, and my lips part in surprise as I stare up at the grand gates that tower before me.

The letters ‘SA’ are surrounded by roses and crafted into the twisted steel bars of the gate.

The thick metal connects with gray stone walls, and I crane my neck, wondering just how far those walls go. Whoa.

The gates automatically open as Kazer and the other creatures prowl forward, and a rush of air leaves me at the sight of the castle ahead.

The academy is even larger than the demon palace, with six main towers and numerous arched windows dotting the sides of the structure.

At the top of the building, gargoyle statues line the rooftop, forever watching like silent sentinels ready to awaken and protect the fortress.

Fires burn between the statues, creating strange shadows on the stonework, and the shadows seem to change shape before my eyes, resembling creatures with limbs and claws.

I frown, but when I blink, the shadow creatures have disappeared. Well, that’s not creepy at all.

Trying not to think about it, I turn my attention to the grand double doors at the front of the building.

Sitting at the top of a short flight of stone steps, two large doors are positioned between massive torches.

A long banner lines the wall above the doors, and I study the crest that’s so similar to the shadow rose tattoo on my back.

Except unlike the tattoo I have, the skull behind this shadow rose is different.

It’s like the skull of a creature I’ve never seen.

Or more so, multiple creatures joined together into a single monster with high cheekbones, long wicked fangs, and curling horns.

I open my mouth to ask about it, when I notice Kazer and the other creatures keep walking right past the front of the academy. We move around the side, toward the back of the building. “Aren’t we going in?” I say instead.

“Oh, we are,” Raith rumbles.

“We're cloaked, even to those who have shadow powers,” Galen explains. “If you're seen entering with us, there would be too many questions.”

I frown in confusion. “So…you’re telling me we’re invisible to everyone else, and you’re still taking me through the back door?” Unbelievable.

The creatures stop at a smaller back entrance to the academy, and Knox and Thane dismount.

Galen climbs off Arizak, and comes up to my side, helping me down.

My feet feel like jelly on the ground, and I place a hand on Kazer’s side to steady myself.

The massive cat twists his head around and licks my arm with his furred tongue.

Saliva drips down to my fingers, and I laugh, patting his side. “I like you too, buddy.”

Raith drops to the ground beside me, his boots landing hard, and he grins. “Careful, sunshine. He won’t leave you alone if you keep treatin’ him like that.”

I don’t stop patting him. “Would that be so bad?”

“That depends,” Galen drawls. “Would you enjoy having a lazy, purring beast demanding attention at all times? Trust me, it will get old real quick.”

Raith scowls at that, and Galen’s lips curve, his focus on his friend rather than the giant feline.

Kazer hisses, and Arizak lets out an unimpressed snort like the pair of them are facing off like the two men. I would laugh if I hadn’t just noticed how Bonfang is glaring at me like I’m a trespasser. Great.

My gaze meets Knox’s, and the male stares me down making me even more uncomfortable. I want to remind him that I have the tattoo. That according to them, I’m supposed to be here, but what would be the point? I haven’t even managed to convince myself yet.

Rinoc is the first to break from the group.

Thane runs his hand over the bear’s furred head, and the creature turns, sprinting toward a mass of trees in the distance.

A dark forest fills the land to the left of the academy, the ancient-looking trees gnarled and twisted, and it’s not long until Rinoc is out of sight.

The other three follow the bear, but Bonfang is the last to go.

He keeps his red gaze on me for as long as possible before disappearing into the darkness of the trees with the others.

“Is that where they all live?” I ask, still staring at the trees even after the creatures are out of sight.

Every so often I swear I see flashes of red eyes from between the branches, and it’s freaking me out a little.

Note to self: never go into the creepy forest filled with shadow creatures.

The thought bums me out, because I’ve missed the trees and nature.

I might no longer be a bird, but I miss the scent of the leaves and the sound of the insects.

No one answers, and I’m distracted when the others start to move, Knox and Thane entering the academy. Raith and Galen wait for me to go first, and I’m not sure if they’re being gentlemanly or simply making sure I don’t try to run. Not that there’s anywhere I can go.

Stepping up a short flight of stairs, I enter a long, narrow corridor that's dimly lit with torches lining the walls. Shadows dance on the patterned filigree wallpaper, and my heart lurches when I make out two small creatures grinning back at me. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping they’ll be gone when I open my eyes again, but the figures are still there, grinning like they’re excited to see me.

It’s creepy as hell. Great. So it wasn’t my imagination.

I walk after Thane and Knox trying to ignore them.

“Oooh, look what we have here, Tarlaz,” a husky, feminine voice scrapes against my mind, the last word echoing over and over. “Seems like we have a late enrollment, and they brought her through the back door. Naughty naughty.”

I whip around expecting to see someone else has entered the corridor, but there’s only me and the four guys. What the hell?

“Hmmm, a bit tiny, isn’t she? Don’t get too excited, Elgyn. She won’t last long, this one,” another voice answers, deeper and more masculine, but with that same echo hanging on the words.

“Did you hear that?” I’m not speaking to anyone in particular, but it’s Galen who I end up staring at for answers. He gives me a puzzled look.

“She is pretty, though. Mmm yes, she’ll make a nice snack for one of the dark beings.” The feminine voice cackles wickedly in my head. “They won’t kill her quickly. Not with those pouty lips.”

A chill slips down my back.

“You’ve underestimated new students before. You’re just jealous of her,” the masculine voice accuses.

“Jealous? I won’t be jealous when they’re tearing her limb from limb, shoving their mangled ? —”

I can’t take anymore. I clap my hands over my ears like I can keep the chatter out.

“Nope! Absolutely do not want to hear that!” I blurt, because I’m not in the mood to hear about a mangled…

anything, right now. Especially not when I’m pretty sure someone is having a conversation about me, and I’m already freaked out enough as it is.

The shadows on the wall make comical surprised faces, their mouths forming exaggerated ‘O’ shapes like characters from a puppet show.

The guys all stop at the same time that I do. Thane and Raith look bewildered, and Galen looks amused.

Knox glares at me. “What the fuck are you talking about? We weren’t speaking, and even if we were, you keep your mouth shut.”

I stare back at him, my eyes wide with confusion.

“Tarlaz, you don’t think she heard us…do you?” The feminine voice says tentatively in my head. At the same time, I notice one of the shadows move, facing the other shadow like she was speaking to him.

“Ha!” I say, my finger snapping up to point at the shadows. “It was you!” I give the guys my best unimpressed expression and plant a hand on my hip. “You could have told me about them.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Galen and Raith burst out laughing. Thane looks both concerned and amused, and Knox simply continues to glower at me.

“Yes, I think you might be right, Elgen,” the masculine voice answers in my head.

My gaze slides to the shadows. They’re both staring at me intently now, like they’re scrutinizing everything about me and picking me apart piece by piece.

When Galen’s laughter dies down, he gives me a pitying look. “You needn’t worry about them,” he says like he finally understands what I’m getting at. “Thank the devil those shadows can’t speak. I can only imagine the endless crude chatter we’d have to deal with if they could.”

“Best to ignore them,” Raith chimes in. “Or they’ll follow you ’round the academy like a bad smell.”

Can’t speak? But I could have sworn… What is happening?

For a moment, I wonder if I hit my head when we traveled to the shadow realm.

Maybe I bumped too hard against Raith’s muscled chest while Kazer ran?

I think about arguing with Galen, because I’m sure I heard the shadows talking, but something about the whole situation makes me uncertain.

I nod absently like I understand, and when Knox and Thane start forward again, I follow them mutely.

The whole time, the shadows on the wall keep pace with me, and I try to follow Raith’s advice, not looking their way. The last thing I want is to be haunted by these two wherever I go.

“Oh don’t be silent now, love. We know you hear us,” the husky feminine voice says after a short while, and this time there’s an excited edge to her tone. Going from what I’ve heard, I’m guessing she must be named Elgen. “Come on, say something.”

Crap. So it’s not my imagination. I continue to ignore the shadows, hoping they take the hint and go away. When it’s obvious I’m not going to talk, the shadows go about enacting rude situations on the walls.

“Fuck, they’re at it again,” Raith chuckles like it’s a common occurrence.

After a while, the shadows change tactics, reenacting gruesome death scenes.

At one point, one of them is pretending to chop off the other one’s head, though the action is over dramatized, bits of shadow flinging off like it’s supposed to resemble gushing blood.

It’s ridiculous, and I can’t help the stupid smile that crawls onto my face.

“We see you smiling, girl,” Elgen says. “Come on, talk to us. No one has been able to hear us in centuries. Not even these four. Aren’t you curious?”

Centuries? Admittedly, I am curious as hell, but it still feels like a bad idea to talk to these two.

“Just think, child,” Tarlaz chimes in. “With our help, you might survive this place.” Peels of his shrill laughter echo in my head, and the sound is so loud that I’m distracted and don’t see a fold in the dark carpet up ahead.

Stumbling over it, I pitch forward, but before I can topple to the floor, Raith is there. He curls a thick muscled arm around me.

“Careful now, we wouldn’t want you damagin’ that pretty face of yours before you make it to your first class.”