Page 24

My anger is a tangible thing, almost as real and living as Aero is.

But I don’t know who it’s directed at more. The flying rock bird, the assholes in class, or at myself for being in this position.

The brothers are silent protectors at my back, doing what they do best. But their presence doesn’t stop the torrent of emotions raging through my veins.

My surroundings are as chaotic as my mind with everyone rushing back and forth, trying to stem any more information leaking outside of the academy walls. Fat chance of that happening, though. If it has to do with me, it’ll be the spotlight of the evening news, with false stories coming from every angle. None of them will be an iota of the truth, but that won’t matter.

Only the repercussions I’ll face for what’s been done.

Not that Jasper said any of that. But with Cassian, my backer, calling him while we were in his office and setting a meeting in his own, I know I’m in trouble.

I barely hear one of the demons mutter something about twenty minutes before I’m slamming my door shut, locking it for good measure. Not that it’ll stop someone who is desperate to come inside, but it’s the thought that counts.

I know I should stop and call my mates. Relay to them the whole situation so they get it straight from me, but the blood and dirt clinging to my skin makes my stomach churn with nausea. Most of the blood is mine, I’m well aware of that, but it’s the blood belonging to the others that makes bile surge in my throat.

My clothes fall to the floor, piece by piece, step by step, my panties the last to go before I make it to my bathroom. A flick of my finger has the water running, the heat curling around my trembling form.

The hot water hitting a particularly deep cut on my shoulder has a hiss escaping my lips, but I relish in the burn, knowing I’m alive. That I survived yet another occurrence of someone taking my life into their own hands.

Because, I know, without a shadow of a doubt, those students—my peers—would have killed me without a second thought. There’s no other explanation as to why they jumped in except for that.

My mind blanks as I mechanically go through the motions, cleansing myself of the remnants of combat class. But no soap or otherwise will be able to wash away the stain on my very soul.

When I’m as clean as I’ll get, I get out, sending my magic to the cloud rune on my belly. The slight burn that always accompanies using my runes warms me from the inside out as air whips around me, uncontrolled. It’s a maelstrom of chaos clearly feeding off the residual anger no water will ever wash away.

In no time, my skin is dry, my hair lush and falling around my shoulders in soft waves. But the only thing the cleanliness did for me is highlight the injuries I sustained. My eyes are blackened and swollen, there’s a cut on the bridge of my nose, and my lip is split. And that’s only my face. The rest of me is decorated in bruises, each one darkening further as the seconds tick by.

Gah. Just looking at myself in the mirror makes me sick. Like, what the fuck did I do to deserve any of this? It’s prejudice at its finest, something I thought the world left behind long, long ago. But no. It’s alive and fucking well in the supernatural world, and I’m the lonely outcast it’s all directed at.

Knowing there’s no time to dwell on the subject, I retreat to my closet, throwing on a red sports bra and matching boy shorts. Next comes black joggers, and there, hanging amongst my clothes, is another hoodie that I know damn well isn’t one of mine. The metallic and parchment scent infused in the fibers reminds me of my sweet vampire, Axel.

I still question how the hell those two sneak these into my closet without me knowing, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s a comfort I desperately need right now, anyways.

Like Luka’s hoodie, this one also has a pun written across the chest that puts a smile on my face. I’m just here for the fang-tastic vibes . It’s not something I could ever see him wearing out in public like Luka, but this must be something he lounged around in at home. And to think, he originally struck me as a silk-wearing kind of man when we first met.

Just thinking of my mates reminds me that I need to call them before I’m taken to Councilman Cassian’s office. After slipping on my shoes, I go in search of my bag, finding it in its usual spot next to the door. Somehow, I dropped it there, not even realizing I did.

My phone buzzes in my hand, numerous messages and missed calls lining the screen. I don’t even have a chance to check them before a call comes through, and I answer it immediately, knowing it’s one or both of them.

“Hello.”

“Oh thank the gods. Goddess, I’ve been hearing a lot of shit going around the academy, but no one seems to know for sure what’s truth and what’s not. Jasper has us doing some bullshit, so I can’t get away to come see you. Not yet anyway. What the hell happened?”

Just hearing his voice soothes the battered part of my soul.

I open my mouth to reply, but someone else beats me to it.

“Cor meum, you can’t send a text like you did and not answer for so long. You’ve had me worried out of my damn mind. I’m already halfway to Stonewell.”

Tears well up in my eyes at the genuine concern in both of my mates’ tones.

“I’m okay…ish. You guys know I had the match in combat class. Well, people were pissed I was beating my opponent, and they decided to jump into the fight.” There’s a sharp intake of breath and an answering hiss. “Things got out of hand, which is putting it mildly. Bane killed one of them, and now we’re being summoned to Cassian’s office.”

A screech of tires sounds loud in my ears, followed by the revving of an engine. “When do you leave?”

“As soon as Bane and Zane get here.”

“I’ll meet you there, cor meum.” His end of the call cuts off, leaving me with Luka still on the line, though he hasn’t said anything after my explanation.

“Lu?” I question, worried this might be what kills our relationship.

“Fuck. I’m here, goddess. It’s just… dammit. Where are the others who attacked you?”

“In the cells.”

“I’ll handle it. I love you, goddess. Never forget that, and I’ll see you later.”

“I love you, too.”

My thumb quivers as I hit the end button, taking a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. When I feel I’m semi-succeeding, a knock sounds at my door, ratcheting them right back up. The concerned faces of Bane and Zane greet me as I open it, but it’s the grimaces that follow after that make me grit my teeth.

Yes. I look like shit. I’m well fucking aware, thank you very much.

“Are you ready to go? Zane asks, spinning a set of car keys on his finger.

“Yeah, just give me a minute. We’ll portal there. It’ll be quicker than trying to drive.” I pass by the couch, silently begging Aero to follow me into my room. He gets the message and joins me, stopping just inside the door while I close it.

The one thing I don’t want is to bring him with me. Cassian, nor the other council members, need to know about him. If he is somehow aware, I can just tell him that he’s my transmutation like I originally thought, and I had finally figured out how to put him back. But that’s only if I can shrink him down.

No guarantees.

Dropping to my knees, I clutch Aero’s face, pressing my forehead against his. I gather my will just like I did every other time I’ve attempted to change his size, but this time, I infuse my will with my intentions, my fear of him being discovered. The worry I have over him being injured. Once I’m bubbling with it, I squeeze my eyes closed and push it all through the physical connection I have with him.

His bulk quickly disappears from between my hands, making my eyes shoot back open. Aero, my trusted Pegasus companion, is nowhere to be found.

“Aero?” I whisper, panic thick in my tone.

The squeeze in my soul tells me he’s okay, but I won’t truly believe it until I set my sights on him.

A flutter, something akin to a butterfly's wings, sounds below me, dragging my attention to the floor. There, in the very place Aero was, is a tiny version of my pink Pegasus. And I can’t seem to stress just how tiny he is. It feels like I completely overdid it when I shrank him down. Because shit, I can barely see him as it is.

I scoop him up into my hands, but Bane’s voice filters through the door before I can make sense of just how badly I screwed this up. “Bailey, we need to go.”

“Coming,” I squeak, hiding the alarm that would no doubt come out if I spoke normally. “What the heck do I do with you now? I thought this was supposed to be easy, little man.”

Aero tilts his tiny head to the side, regarding me as if I’m stupid. And maybe I am, because what the absolute fuck. Aero starts flapping his wings until he’s hovering above my hands, then he zooms away, swooping around me a few times before he disappears into the space between my hair and neck. Every wisp of his wings tickles the sensitive skin there, but I do my best to ignore it, knowing we’re going to be late if I stall any longer.

“Bailey!”

“Jesus.” I throw the door open in exasperation. “I’m coming. Hold your freaking panties for a moment.”

Bane stifles a laugh, but one look at the dumbfounded shock on Zane’s face makes him lose it. It’s the same, hearty laugh he’s done before in my dorm, the one that makes me feel all good and gooey inside.

Such a great sound.

But there’s no time to relish in it. Without their prompting, I conjure a portal right in the middle of my living room. Bane goes to step through but stops, looking around with a furrow in his brow. “Where’s Aero?”

Ahhh shit. Think, Bailey, think.

“I talked him into staying here. I told him the two big, bad demons won’t let anything happen to me, and he relented. Plus, he’s exhausted. He missed his afternoon nap.” I mentally pat myself on the back for the good—and believable—lie.

I flash him an award-winning smile to sell it a little more and wave my hand toward the awaiting portal again. “Chop chop.”

Bane shakes his head then goes through. Zane waits patiently for me to go next, him extremely close on my heels as I step inside. We pop out on the other side to the sight of Jasper, Professor Simmons, and Axel waiting for us.

By the set of Axel’s brow, I can tell that whatever they were discussing before we got here has him upset. No doubt he’s been recounted of the details by the professor, learning more than I had the chance to tell him over the phone.

“Good. You’re all here. Let’s go in,” comes from behind me, making me spin around. Cassian, in all his angel glory, stands there with his white, fluffy wings tucked against his back, looking like the textbook definition of an angel. All blond hair and blue eyes, white clothing adorning his frame. Only he doesn’t have that angelic aura to him this time, and it makes me take a step back, closer to the safety I know my mate can provide.

Cassian doesn’t seem to notice, or if he does, he doesn’t comment on it. He just walks past us all, entering his office, leaving us all to follow him in.

I want to stop, at least talk to my mate for a moment before the inquisition starts, but Axel grips my hand in his and tugs me in after him, positioning me in front of him while he shields my back.

“So,” Cassian folds his hands together, placing them on the chestnut-colored desk in front of him, “who wants to start?”

Professor Simmons steps forward without anyone asking him to and starts telling Cassian everything, from the very beginning of class until we arrived here.

While he goes over the details, I zone out, running my gaze around the office. It’s nothing like what I thought an angel would have. There are no white fluffy clouds, no gold harps, and there definitely aren’t any halos laying around.

The only thing in here that really screams angel—besides the councilman himself—is the muted, pale blue color on the walls. A single bookshelf rests between two windows, and in the corner is a small seating area, a single chair with an end table next to it.

In front of the desk rests two chairs, which, if I’m honest, is starting to feel customary for offices after being in Axel’s and Jasper’s. A few random paintings hang on the walls, but there’s nothing special about them, other than being owned by Cassian. Who knows…they could be worth a fortune, but art was never something I was interested in.

“Miss Foss.”

“Yes,” I answer automatically, not worried in the slightest that I missed something.

“Is there anything else you want to add?”

I nibble my bottom lip in thought, but nothing really stands out that he needs to know. I mean, the professor already told him everything, so there’s not much to add.

“No,” I finally reply with a shake of my head.

“Alright.” He writes something down on the pad of paper in front of him. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I went 8 rounds with Mike Tyson, sir.” A smile cracks on Cassian’s face. “Minus getting my ear chewed off.”

My added sass at the end earns me a round of chuckles, considerably lightening the mood.

“You are able to heal yourself, yes?”

“Yeah, but it takes a lot out of me to do so, and if I had done it earlier, I wouldn’t currently be standing here.” He nods at my answer, like he expected it.

“Then I have all I need from you, Miss Foss. You, Mr. Pennington, and Professor Simmons are all free to go.” I blow out a breath, relieved I can get the hell out of here. “Oh, one more thing.” Dammit. “The Acheron brothers are not to leave your side… even in your dorm.” What. The. Fuck. “You’ve disappeared on us once, and now there’s a threat looming over you from inside the academy. Because, mark my words, they won’t let this go. So, the only time you’re to be alone is while you're sleeping in your bed, and even then, they’ll be residing in your living room.”

“They’re…moving in?” I raise my brows, slightly confused, even though his words were pretty damn straight forward.

“That’s correct. Understood?”

“Got it. Thank you,” I murmur, not forgetting my manners regardless of the fact that I want to rebel at the very idea of sharing my space with the demons.

At his nod, I make a break for the door, and Axel follows me out, but I stop when Cassian speaks again.

“Not so fast, Zane and Bane. We need to have a conversation.”

I grimace but keep walking, sure with the fact that they’ll know I’ll be waiting for them right outside. It was my portal that brought them here, and I’ll be the one to take them back. Plus, I’m already in more than enough trouble with Cassian, I don’t need him flipping out because I left without my protection detail.

When the door clicks shut behind me, Axel engulfs me in his arms, breathing my scent deep into his lungs.

“Dammit, cor meum . You look like hell. Why didn’t you heal?” he murmurs into my neck, his hot breath leaving a tingle wake behind.

My arms wrap around his waist, holding him just as tightly. “The headmaster told me not to. He said it wouldn’t look good if I showed up in front of Cassian without so much as a mark while another student is in the morgue.”

“He’s right, but fuck.” Axel pulls back, gripping my chin and tilting my face up to his. “It looks damn painful. When you get back, you need to heal. I don’t give a fuck about anything else. You heal yourself and go to bed. Okay?”

“You’re not coming with me?” I pout, wishing he would.

“I can’t, no matter how much I want to. I had to reschedule a meeting with a client, but don’t make any plans for Saturday. Luka and I have a surprise for you.” Hearing they got together to do something for me sends warmth flooding through my veins. “And we’ll be staying the night afterward with you, if that’s okay.”

“More than okay.” My smile is so damn bright, and my excitement is so damn palpable, I almost forget about the crap day today has been.

“I need to get going, but make sure you let us know when you get back to the academy. I love you, cor meum .”

“I love you, too, vampy.”

Axel laughs, planting a kiss on my forehead, cheeks, and lips before reluctantly letting me go and walking away, leaving me to wait for my bodyguards.

I should be concerned that I’ve been left alone here, but I won’t lie, it’s nice to have a minute to myself outside of the academy without someone constantly breathing down my neck. Plus my bodyguards are right on the other side of the door, so I know they’ll come running if they hear even the slightest sound of distress from me.

But for a moment, I pretend I’m just a normal girl, waiting for her friends to show up.

* * *

“You’re fucking dismissed. Don’t let this shit happen again!” Cassian’s bellow startles me from where I lean against the wall, waiting for the demons to come back out.

Smoke billows from Zane’s nostrils as he storms out of Cassian’s office, and Bane is no better, but he doesn’t let it show outwardly like his brother.

I open another portal, not needing to be told we’re ready to go. It looks like they’re ready to blow this popsicle stick stand just as bad as I am.

Zane passes through first, with me following and Bane pulling up the rear. They call out a quick goodbye, reiterating that they’ll be right back, before I can get my portal closed.

Aero chooses that moment to make himself known, zipping back and forth in front of my face. It’s easy to see that he’s ready to return to his normal size. He won’t hear any complaints from me on that subject. I actually miss him not shadowing me. I know he was close, closer than he’s ever been hiding underneath my hair, but it’s just not the same without him nuzzling against my stomach when my nerves go haywire.

Plus, Bane and Zane are bound to ask questions if he isn’t here like usual. It’s just another clusterfuck of epic proportions I’ll need to navigate with this new development.

One thing’s for sure. I’m pissed, and everyone will know it going forward.