Page 25 of Obsidian and Frost

“What do you want with her?”

“I’m merely curious, so you may feel free to hold off on the territorial threats.”

“Curious about what?”

“Does she have control of her power?”

“Ask her yourself.”

“She’s been acclimating in her room for the last couple of days so that hasn’t been possible.”

Yeah, she had been.

Given what I knew about her trauma after Warlow had explained it to me when he’d had thatbig talkwith me about her, I’d expected her to do that when she arrived here. Fortunately, it didn’t stand out, as she wasn’t the only one who did that.

This first week before classes started up was known unofficially asAcclimation Weekwhere students were encouraged to show up early to either settle back in if they were returning like me, or to get the lay of the land and get accustomed to the new space if they were brand-new like Velra.

I’d been texting a little back and forth with her, trying not to make it too much, just checking in to make sure she was doing all right.

And she was. She just needed to ease into it all in her own way.

Sylas stared at me, expecting an answer.

On the one hand, I wanted to tell him to ask Velra directly. It wasn’t my business to comment on something like that on her behalf.

But, on the other hand, with his whole note andDark Beautything I didn’t want him getting up in her space.

For her. Obviously.

“What you saw in the Grand Atrium the other day wasn’t the norm for her.”

“But it’s happened before?”

“Sure. There are a lot of students here who it happens to. They get upset or unsettled and their power leaks out, they lose control briefly.”

“That loss of control isn’t always tied to volatile emotions. Another reason for that occurring is weak control of abilities, especially magic that possesses great power like hers most definitely does.” He frowned in thought. “But you’re telling me that emotional upsetisthe case for her?”

“Yes,” I ground out. “Why? What’s your angle here? Why are you fixated on her?”

“I believe you’re the one who is deeply fixated on the stunningWraithqueen.”

He moved to get up, but I snagged his arm in a brutal grip and held him there with the full force of my strength. “Tell me, you fucking cocksucker.”

His eyes darkened.

Not dangerously, per se.

But in some other off-putting way I didn’t want to understand.

“Mmm… cocksucker. I am indeed.” He leaned in close, taking advantage of my hold on him that basically facilitated it. His voice was an erotic purr at my ear. “And I’m exceptionally talented at it. You’d scream, beg, and unravel for me. You’d lose yourself as you come like a storm down my throat and then you’d beg me to fuck you like a beast.” A shudder rolled through me as his lips briefly brushed over my throat. “Consider this an open invitation. Fuck knows you need to take the edge off.” He eased back, his far too perceptive gaze burning into mine and seeing things I wasn’t ready to be seen. “Isn’t that right, babe?”

Heat infused me.

Burning fucking heat.

Flames.

Another shudder rolled through me, both welcome and unwelcome this time.