Page 28 of Gemini Hunted (Dark Witch Academy #5)

“Not students?” Vasili closes in to straighten Lucius’ tie for him, but his eyes are sharp with what, on anyone else, I would label alarm. “This island’s sole population consists of students and faculty. Plus the occasional random Fae.” He exchanges a wry look with Zephyr.

“That’s right.” Mallory gives an earnest nod. “No one else is allowed inside the wards, especially during the Dean’s Challenge. That would be against the rules. Right, Master Aries?”

“Be that as it may.” Lucius hastens into his blazer. “We’re currently tracked and hunted by a sizable pack of hyena shifters.”

V’s wary face fires with recognition. His diamond eyes glitter like ice. “Sweet fuck. That’s an AIB kill squad. Undoubtedly deployed by my father.”

Right on cue, a low chuckle floats through the open door. A chorus of distant chortles chases it, rising to a hail of inhuman whoops.

That demented chortling makes my scalp crawl. My chest squeezes in a fist of dread. Unlike my dragon, hyenas are just the right size to maneuver in the confines of this dungeon. Their jaws are strong enough to snap bones. They’re cunning.

And they’re nasty.

In the wild, hyena shifters do more than attack humans.

What they kill, they also eat.

“Geez, how is that even allowed?” Neo exclaims, cuddling the kitten for mutual reassurance. “It’s outside interference. Totally against the Academy Codex. Right, Lucius?”

“Zara has been accused of inciting a rebellion against the lawful queen. Now all of us collectively—except the Fae, who have no legal standing in the witching world—are alleged accomplices to the crime. That’s high treason, which is a felony offense,” Lucius murmurs.

“In this case, intervention by the Arcane Investigative Bureau may be classified as a legal action. Which is permitted under the Codex.”

While Ronin swears and Max paces, I fight to clear my head and come up with some kinda plan. I can’t help feeling it’s my fault they’re all in danger. Both my friends and my mates.

The least I can do is protect them.

“Nobody panic,” Mallory announces firmly, before we all lose our shit. “I know what to do. Follow me.”

Bemused, I turn and stare at her. The First Girl swings her loaded backpack over her skinny shoulder with a grunt and heads purposefully for the cavern’s shadowy rear.

Unfortunately, she’s unbalanced by her heavy pack. When she trips over her own big feet in her schoolgirl saddle shoes, Jae leaps forward to catch her.

With a growl, Draco slings her pack over his own big shoulder.

“ Helvitis,” the Icelander grumbles. “Do you have to carry every textbook you own in this thing?”

“Just the ones we need to survive. Including the grimoire that’ll open the passage… I hope.” Mal hesitates. “I’ll need a little time to invoke the spell. It might take me a minute to untangle—I mean, without triggering the booby trap.”

“What booby trap?” Vasili’s eyes narrow.

“Hold that thought, beautiful,” Ash says to him, then turns toward his kid sister with a degree of respect and trust I find reassuring. “Freckles needs a diversion to buy her some time. Let’s give the gal what she needs.”

“Right. That’ll be me then. Who’s with me?” Ronin springs into action, swiftly organizing our gang into two squads. One to protect the passage and provide magical backup while Mal does her thing, the other to play offense and meet that pack of hyenas out in the woods before they’re expecting it.

Needless to say, I wanna be right out front.

Playing offense.

My inner dragon is chafing and fretting about protecting our dragonets and saving our mates in a way that’s increasingly distracting and hard to handle.

Long story short, she’s more than ready to rumble.

But I run up hard against the solid refusal of all three of my alphas—and their out-of-control mating ruts—to tolerate even the idea of me deliberately putting myself in danger.

After a short but intense convo that’s moderated by a very firm Lucius, I end up (frustrated and begrudging, but not actively resisting, because there’s no time for that shit) relegated safely to the rear.

Along with V, Lucius, Mal, Jae, and Neo (plus the kitten).

At least I can join Vasili and Jae on defense.

Lucius and Neo are already huddled over the grimoire with Mallory against the rear wall.

Neo is lighting a ring of candles and Lucius is holding the flashlight and murmuring the spell notes, while Mal inscribes a big pentacle on the flagstones with a piece of chalk.

Meanwhile, our attack squad—Max, Draco, Zephyr, Ash, and Ronin—move out right away. Their immediate goal is to avoid getting trapped in the domus by those hyenas . If Max can get outside and airborne fast enough, he’ll flambé the whole pack.

With any luck, he’ll also fricassee V’s asshole father.

In case Max needs help, Zephyr’s calling in his own airborne backup. His green dragon Xhevith should be here within minutes.

Which only leaves Mordred unaccounted for.

My gaze shoots to the sex demon, who’s risen to his feet to lounge against a pillar and eavesdrop on the spell. But his clever eyes are fixed on me.

He’s V’s demon and not mine.

Still, he’s clearly waiting for my orders.

“You’re kinda the ace up our sleeve, Aquaman,” I tell him. “Because Nikolai Romanov might not even know we have a half incubus, half kraken shifter on our team. You’re our last line of defense. You gotta keep the Horn outta their hands… I mean paws. No matter what.”

“You’re the boss, baby queen.” Mordred shucks Neo’s preppy raincoat and hunkers down to unlace his borrowed boots.

Despite the urgency of the crisis, I take a minute to appreciate the visual of six feet plus of sex demon, naked from the waist up except for the inky tattooed sleeve running from shoulder to wrist on one arm.

With every movement, his delts flex and his pecs ripple.

The deep pelvic vee of his Adonis belt plunges under the scaly black breeks that cling to his bulging quads and muscled calves.

He’s totally channeling Jason Momoa, right down to the goatee and the dark tangle of hair spilling down his spine.

“Dayum,” I mutter. “Helluva time to sex me up, demon.”

“Working though, ain’t it?” He dimples and winks at me, then uncoils his powerful body in a long dive that propels him deep into the black water.

With the Horn of Ceres still strapped to his body.

I’m not particularly a sports fan.

Never had time for organized sports in my law-skirting cat burglar life.

But I know enough to recognize that entrusting our magical artifact to a wild card player like Mordred the incubus shifter is what any sports fan would call a Hail Mary pass.