Page 32 of Keeper of Death (Ouroboros Academy #1)

L ucian was wild. He just found out his OG like to put people on pikes and tortured some witch until she turned him into a blood sucking creature of the night. Well, that part was false. All those vampires seemed fine out in the sun. He had super speed, which was insanely cool, and I wanted that when my superpowers came in.

But this wanker was more worried about what germs my neck might have on it and his mind seemed blown by the fact that he ended up spooning Sage after he ate all our damned food. Like, if I could get a lil snuggle in and blame a magic trance, I’d be all over that.

I was a big snuggler. Maybe it was because my Da was a criminal who never told me he loved me and I craved the contact with another person, but sometimes, a good cuddle was better than sex. I rather wanted to punch Lucian that he got to snuggle Sage before me, but he’d just heal, so my heart wasn’t into it. And I didn’t have permission or a magical excuse to do that.

And Lucian didn’t want to stick around and have a conversation about unwanted snuggles, so he booked it out of there in a blur.

“Were you just saying that to fuck with him?” Sage asked.

“I live to fuck with him, but which part?”

“You told her a man she just met yesterday was snuggling with her in her sleep. Think about it,” Khalid said.

“I don’t want you to hurt him,” Sage said, holding up her hand. “My parents weren’t into that and after I got kicked out, I didn’t do that if I took someone to bed because I was worried they’d rob me if I went to sleep. I was actually wondering how I slept so well considering I was on the ground in a tent in these circumstances. It could have been him, but I think it bothers him.”

Because he was a ponce. I could live with one testicle and I’d sacrifice one to cuddle her, but she hadn’t asked me and consent was one of my big issues. Khalid was one of those cool motherfuckers I couldn’t read that well and his Da was a cop, so he would know not to give too much away. But I bet he wanted a snuggle, too.

Lucian was back pretty quick. Damn. Super speed was cool, but I’d never tell him that because I kind of hated him.

“I found the crystal, but it’s booby trapped and there are people nearby. My eyesight is a lot better and I can pick up things hidden in the trees, so I’m thinking witches left them. I only know what supernaturals smell like once I meet them and find out what they are, but I do know dog smell. The wolves Sage saw earlier are hiding somewhere.”

Damn. Lucian was being useful, so I couldn’t even be mean to him. I was still mad about the food and that he had speed healing, so he wouldn’t be pissing blood after I kicked the shit out of him. That was cheating.

“None of us are wolves,” Khalid said. “They aren’t going to stop and help us unless werewolves have the same connection to Liam as the wildlife. And I think that’s only going to work if Liam is the original werewolf.”

I shrugged and cracked my neck.

“Headmaster Mykene took Doris, but I can make a shiv out of a stapler and a Euro. I can handle some wolves.”

“Where are you going to get a stapler out here?” Lucian wondered.

“Up your arse,” I said, thumping him up the head. “There’s clearly something stuck up there.”

Lucian’s fangs popped out, and he bared them at me.

“Lay your hands on me again,” he dared.

Ugh. He had me there. We started walking towards the crystal. He was going to regret it when I found a stapler.