Page 31 of Nine Inch Nasty (Hemlock Academy #9)

Zac

I do not want to be here.

I feel terrible for even thinking that, because just earlier this year, I considered every part of my job essential.

I didn’t enjoy the meetings any more than I am currently, but after everything, and after feeling my heart’s mate wrapped around me in every sense of the word, spending my time anywhere else feels like a waste.

I should truly just be paid to satisfy her, to care for her, and keep her comfortable.

I should not be giving so many of my daylight hours up to college professors that can’t even be bothered to shower properly.

“Sorry, Mr. Waldor, I’m going to have to ask you to pause right there.

I understand your concerns, but I also don’t.

Look, what I do in my personal time is just that.

I know I’m the face of this school, and I’ve poured years of blood, sweat, and tears into making sure Hemlock keeps its reputation as being an excellent, elite academy, but with all due respect, I don’t need your or anyone else’s opinions on my family life.

I am your boss, and I know you’ve been briefed on why I was absent most recently, and how it was unavoidable; but I’m simply not going to change how I live my life because it makes you uncomfortable. ”

“He raises an excellent point though,” that vile woman from the history department purrs, definitely barking up the wrong tree.

She’s got her reading glasses hanging from the corner of her lips, her blouse unbuttoned far too low to be considered work appropriate, and she’s trying desperately to infuse a salacious tone to her words.

“If the headmaster is seen cavorting so openly with a student, what do we tell other students when they approach one of us for a similar relationship? Or what’s to stop any of us from having exciting encounters in our offices? ”

I almost flush recalling the way Delaney surprised me in my office just this morning, re-creating the time she accidentally sucked me off, but there was nothing accidental about it this time.

“I would remind you that that is expressly against the academy’s policies. Any student that propositions a member of my staff will be given one warning before corrective action occurs, and any staff so compromised will also be given corrective action.”

“Unless the student is a conduit, right?” she asks in a snotty tone.

“Yes, that’s right,” a voice from the corner pipes up.

Great. Perfect.

It’s my mother-in-law.

“Y-your majesty!” Sheila gasps, knowing she just incriminated herself.

I scramble to look more professional, then decide I don’t have the energy for that.

Miss Ma’am, the queen, smiles at me and grasps onto my shoulder briefly before standing at my side to address the table.

“For years, Hemlock Academy has been known as the place for conduits to seek out mates; the place for students to attend who wish to not only gain an excellent education with world-class professors, but to potentially become part of a circuit. In case you forgot, Sheila, that’s what we call a conduit’s group.

” Queen Gabby winks at the problematic woman, completely goading her. Fucking love it.

“I remember,” Sheila replies icily, trying very hard to not seem cowed.

“Then you should also keep in mind that even though not all of us are directly connected to a conduit, we are called by the goddess to support them. And make no mistake; even if it weren’t my daughter the lot of you are discussing in this room, I’d be here.”

There’s a smugness to her tone, something I’m just picking up. Almost like she knows something I don’t.

“Conduits are at the heart of our communities,” Delaney’s mom says proudly as she links hands with a few of her mates over her shoulder.

Sheila finally snaps. She stands abruptly, slamming both of her palms onto the table, scattering some of her papers in the process.

“Well maybe they shouldn’t be! I’m so goddessdamned sick of conduits being the darlings of everything!

The rest of us matter, too! Conduits don’t deserve special treatment or special rules simply because they’re all a bunch of tramps that can’t commit to a single mate!

That is shameful, not something to parade around about!

And you! You’ve made our land a laughingstock!

You really expect anyone to respect you when all you do is have intercourse with all of your partners?

This country needs real leadership, not a bunch of sex addicts! ”

By the time Sheila is done ranting, she’s shaking so hard that she seems to be losing control of herself.

She’s always had cloaking spells to hide her species, and legally we’re not allowed to ask for it when hiring if they don’t freely offer it up, but there’s clearly another side to her that is forcibly taking over.

But of course, the queen isn’t here alone.

Several of Delaney’s fathers quickly surround the highly unstable staff member, pulling her away from the table.

“Let go of me! I’ve been hiding long enough, and it’s time to take back what is owed us!”

Should I…be stepping in?

Because at the moment, I kind of just want to quit. Lol.

Well, I’ll be damned. Sheila is a gargoyle. Hmm. What was Cory saying about gargoyles? I think it was important…

She shifts into a rock creature, her face all gnarled and craggly toothed, large wings knocking into the chairs that are thankfully empty on either side of her, and I reach forward to take a sip of my coffee and sigh. It’s cold.

I look out the window, spy the light of my life running up the stairs across the courtyard, being chased by her twins, and my heart just isn’t in this drama.

Delaney’s dads have the situation somewhat under control, throwing up runes to bind gargoyle Sheila in place and prevent her from causing any harm in the room while the rest of my staff members are being escorted out hurriedly, and I make my way over to Queen Gabby.

“Quite the time to sit in on one of our meetings,” I joke, taking another sip of the gross coffee I don’t even want anymore.

“It’s not a coincidence.” She watches her mates incapacitate the gargoyle and takes a sip from a to-go coffee she brought with her.

I bet hers is still hot. “Adam told us about the prophecy. Since we have access to species info others don’t, we’ve been monitoring all the known gargoyles in case something happened, and Delaney mentioned you had a meeting today to go over some concerns amongst your staff.

Had a hunch this treasure of a woman would be reckless enough to do something.

She’s filed several complaints against you at HQ and has been trying to get you fired since you mated Delaney. ”

“Look, I’m really sorry. I know I can—"

“We think she’s right. It’s time you’re let go.”

I’m hit with a wave of shock, and even though I’ve been thinking about where I want my priorities to be all morning, to hear someone at the top of the line tell me I should be released from my job because of who the goddess gave me to love, well…I don’t know what to say.

“Oh gods, sorry. I didn’t mean like, we’re firing you.

Fuck! Damnit, I’m so bad at shit like this.

Look. There are some changes coming. The goddess thinks I’ve served her long enough and wants some fresh blood in.

She claims my contract is up and my mates and I think that since we all started here at Hemlock, we should spend some time giving back. ”

“I don’t understand. And I’m not entirely sure I want you to keep talking about it if I can be honest with you.”

One of Delaney’s dads claps me on the shoulder.

He’s massive, long locs tied up and cool as fuck, and even at his age, has muscles upon muscles upon muscles.

He’s the reason my mate has a case full of toxic draughts hidden in her closet, and I’m trying real hard not to piss myself. He’s fucking terrifying.

But I’m a naga. That’s pretty scary, right?

I relax my shoulders and puff my chest up a bit. Yeah, I’m a scary motherfucker, too.

Delaney’s mom lays her head on his shoulder like he’s a teddy bear.

She’s terrifying. “We’ve already met with Hemlock’s board of directors, and they’ve approved the changes, effective after the weekend.

I’m trying to hold the goddess off that long, but, you know, she’s a bit adamant that Delaney get looped in immediately.

Something about needing her knowledge before a massive penis comes her way? I don’t know. She sounded a bit drunk.”

“Point is,” Mr. Jericho tells me with a grin, “it’s ya’lls turn to run things.

We’re going to watch the school for a year or two while we sort through the staff and try to revitalize this place, as per the goddess, and you, well.

You get to make sure my daughter doesn’t lose her mind.

She has as many mates as her mother does, so she’s now qualified to be the voice of the goddess.

We’ll have our shit fully out of the mansion within the next few days so you guys can move in.

There’s a welcome basket scheduled to arrive with everything you’ll need to know. ”

“Delaney told me you guys liked to joke around. She never mentioned though, how oddly in-depth your jokes were. Good one. So, what are we doing with this gargoyle?”

“I’m giving her an infusion that will lower her magic levels just enough that she won’t be able to fully access her gargoyle powers.

Don’t worry, it can be reversed once we’re confident that she’s no longer a risk to the conduits at this university.

She’s too unstable at the moment though, so she will be under observation for the foreseeable future. ”

“He means we’re lockin’ her up,” another of Delaney’s dads says as he throws some snacks into his mouth.

Didn’t even see that one come in. He’s small and sneaky and utterly intimidating as well, feet crossed on the table as he nods his head to some silent beat.

“She just made a threat to our kid, that shit don’t fly.

And as of two hours ago, we’re now the highest authority of this academy, so we say she shouldn’t be around students.

Oh. Just texted Delaney. She’s expecting you to go and give her some big news.

If you can’t find the balls to do it though, let us know, and mommy and daddies will swoop in and tell her everything for you. ”

I hold my head and stumble, leaning against the wall for support. “Is this really happening?”

Queen Gabby pats me on the arm, a touch condescendingly.

“They’re not so good at peopling anymore, either.

We’ve dealt with too much bullshit over the years, trying to make sure everybody in this realm behaves.

We’re burnt out; and as much as I hate that my daughter has to shoulder this burden, I know she can do it.

Don’t you dare forget how fucking strong she is.

“Change almost never comes at a convenient time. She’s going to become the new queen, new voice of the goddess, whether you’re all ready or not.

That means you and the rest of her mates will make up the new council, taking our spots.

We all got dropped into it as well, amidst a ton of corruption, nonetheless.

HQ is stable. There are people there to help you, and all of us are only a phone call away.

If you’re a part of Delaney’s life, then this is your path.

The goddess was very clear. Well, still think she was a bit drunk, but she knew what she was asking of us.

Go be with your circuit, talk about it, and pack. You’re all going to be great.”

Fuck.

I think I smile and nod, but I cannot put two and two together.

I wander down the hall, out the main doors, stand at the top of the stairs, and watch all the students shuffling off to classes or enjoying the sun, and it’s surreal.

To have everything just taken from me like this…

it’s jarring. But in a way, it makes sense.

Time to close one chapter of my life and start a new one.

Delaney is still outside, tossing a football with her brother and her bio dad off to the side, looking so carefree. Why do I have to be the one to take all this away from her?

But then she senses me, and I can tell she’s looking right at me, even from this far away. She tosses the ball off and says something to her dad, then takes off running.

I’ve always wanted to slide down the handrail that runs down these massive stairs out here, and I give in to that impulse because it might be my last chance.

In my mind, I’m flying down that bar, wind blowing through my hair and leaping off the end right in time to grab Delaney and swing her around.

In reality, I make it about halfway down before I lose my balance completely and fall off and then manage to roll down the rest of the concrete stairs. Yeah, that’s going to fucking hurt later.

Or, you know, now. Cement tends to be a bit hard.

Lights out.