Page 10 of Venomous Lies (Greywood Conservatory for the Arcane #2)
Isla
TUESDAY
“ D espite the unusual circumstances of late, we want you all to rest assured that these small... blips... at the beginning of this year are being handled. I personally assure you that every measure is being taken to ensure your safety here at Greywood.” Parading around in front of the student body, Thatcher was trying to work the crowd as if he could simply convince us to forget about the overnight lockdown that had just been lifted.
When I glanced around, trying to see if any of the students around me were buying the bullshit he was selling, I was unsurprised to see skepticism on their faces.
Well, almost everyone’s.
Echo, Aizel, and Zhara were all on the other side of the crowd, making it impossible to tell what they were thinking.
When I had returned to the suite, everyone else was gone. From the looks of the lounge, they had all slept on the couches last night. If I had to guess, they must have gone for breakfast but they hadn’t left a note .
Not willing to be late to this, I focused on what I could do—showering, changing, and grabbing some food. I hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday, so I made sure I had time to eat before listening to whatever the hell Thatcher was trying to sell us right now.
“To ensure everyone’s safety, we are going to be enacting a strict curfew on campus, excluding late-night classes.
All students are expected to be back in their dorms by eleven o’clock, and staff will be patrolling to enforce this new rule.
” He gave a pointed look to the professors and other staff behind him, cutting off any possible objections they might have had.
“While we look into these attacks, we are also going to limit contact with outsiders to ensure that they are not coming onto campus and hurting more students. This means that as of last night we have cut off all internet, cell service, and other human means of communication. There will be no exceptions to this new rule.”
My mom was going to kill me. There was no way to explain how we went from having spotty service to zero without telling her what was going on here.
“After a week’s time, we will be confiscating all technology to further ensure your safety, so take this time to switch over your notes or other course materials to paper before the week’s end.
While I know this will be a hard adjustment for most of you,” Thatcher continued, speaking loudly to overpower the protests that slipped out, “I have come up with a brilliant plan to help boost morale.
There will be a Mischief Night celebration in two months' time. This will be a student-led event, and while teachers can offer their input, you may celebrate however you all wish.”
‘ He’s got to be kidding, right?’ Cas muttered, sounding unusually shocked by the man’s stupidity .
‘I guess not,’ I answered, watching the professors’ expressions. This was news to them as well.
“You all are dismissed. Classes are cancelled for today, but the curfew will be in full effect starting tonight.”
Everyone stayed silent until President Thatcher exited the stage, then pandemonium broke out. Voices filled the room with a mixture of excitement, disbelief, and anger.
We’d gotten no answers, just a distraction. A distraction that was most welcome even if it was completely stupid.
All around me, people were grouping off and exiting the lecture hall while I stayed seated, unsure what I wanted to do. It was so crowded I had no way of seeing my friends or where they were headed.
I had no idea what to do.
Being so uncertain and unsure of everything was an uncomfortably familiar feeling. Is this going to be a repeat of the academy all over again? My stomach turned at the thought.
‘Beastie…’
Whatever my response would have been was cut off by the presence that came up behind me. Coolness wrapped around my forearm where my mate mark was located. I stood up and smiled as I turned to face Bones.
He had on his signature steampunk sunglasses, a black, long-sleeve shirt, and black jeans. Heat stirred within me as I made no effort to hide my checking him out. He probably couldn’t see me, but given the way he tilted his head and the small upturn of his lips, he had noticed somehow.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he reached for the cigarette he had tucked behind his ear. “You seem… off.”
“You haven’t seen me in two days. We just had some bullshit announcement from Thatcher with no information at all about the dead student and yet another lockdown… Wh y would you think something was wrong?” I asked sarcastically.
“You do realize that mate bonds mean I can tell you’re avoiding giving me a real answer, right?” he replied dryly, his eyebrow arching.
“You can do what now?!” I asked, my heart skipping a beat at the implications. Half the time I didn’t even know my own feelings! Why would I want someone else to sense my emotions?
“Can you not feel?—?”
“No!”
“Let’s talk somewhere private.” He nodded at an open doorway that was surrounded by students, the whole lot of them staring at us in shock and horror.
“If they’re standing there, gawking, we might have to use their bones as decor,”
I joked with Bones as the students continued to stare at us, frozen on their spots. “I bet I could use their open jaws as candle holders or pots for plants.”
As the frozen students all scrambled out of the hall to get away from us, Bones laughed. A hint of dark power lingered in the sound. I rolled my eyes as I looped my arm through his before we exited the room.
Whispers built around us as we left the hall, and I sighed in annoyance as we walked across the quad.
“Us being together is going to make them talk, witch,” Bones said with a small shrug. “They run their mouths about me on a daily basis, and that’s going to include you now with us being mated.”
“Who talks shit about you?” I asked, shooting him a sharp look. Anger started to stir inside of me as I recalled the assholes at the library a while back. Taking me out for parts… I wonder how many parts I could get from their corpses ?
“I do not need you killing anyone for me, Isla. They don’t matter.”
“Maybe it matters to me,” I informed him as we got to the library. “Why are we here?”
“I was going to talk to you, but now I don’t think it’s the right time for that.”
“Oh really? Then what—?” A small gasp of surprise escaped when he scooped me up without warning. Moving on instinct, I wrapped my arms around his neck to keep from falling.
He moved faster than my brain could process it. Suddenly, a wooden door was slamming shut behind us. The lock snicked shut before he walked me over to the table in the middle of a darkened study room.
Bones sat me down and knelt down on the ground between my spread legs.
“I like this arrangement.” I smirked as I looked down at him. “You on your knees.”
He smirked back. “Wait until I get your clothes out of the way.”
Nimble, skilled fingers made quick work of the black slacks I was wearing, pulling them down with my underwear with two swift movements. When he ordered me to take off my top, I was too excited to argue with his tone.
Barely able to still the tremble in my hands, I took off my top and tossed it to the side. It was soon followed by my bra, leaving me completely naked on the table, vulnerable to the bone fae in front of me.
He took off his sunglasses to reveal his violet eyes, and they glinted in the darkness like the predator that he was.
“Bones…” I whined, my anger and frustration forgotten for the moment .
“You said you wanted me, Isla,” he murmured, nipping my inner thigh. “I’m going to give you a taste.”
Mist surrounded my mate for a moment, then the light gray magick dissipated to reveal Bricriu in all his glory.
His normally short white hair was long, the chaotic strands spilling loose around him instead of the long braid I had seen the first time.
His horns jutted from his temples, curling up and back, each segment catching random pieces of hair.
I had the sense that Bones didn’t let many people see him in this form, much less completely relaxed and not precisely prepared. He was letting me peek through the walls he had around himself, and I wasn’t going to make him regret it.
Spreading my legs further apart, I reached down to caress his cheek, the thin skin smooth under my touch.
“I like you like this,” I told him softly, moving my fingers up to touch where his horns started. I kept my touch gentle, letting him show me what he was comfortable with and what he wasn’t.
Moving closer, Bones shifted his head to let me trail my touch up the horn, his fanged teeth bared in a grin.
“If it’s too much or I hurt you?—”
“I’ll let you know,” I told him, gently tugging his horn to urge him closer to me. I was under no illusion that I actually moved Bones closer to me. No, he let me pull him closer. That was the only reason he budged. “Now put your teeth and tongue to good use, mate. This was your idea.”
His long tongue teased me as his fingers easily slid inside of me, my juices making it obvious just how excited I was. His other hand pinned me in place, and a sense of pride filled me when my eyes caught the carving of wolfsbane on his hand that matched the tattooed marking on my forearm.
My mate.
Bones took his time, savoring every gasp, moan, and plea that fell from my lips. As time wore on, I wasn’t sure if I was an offering to him or if his tone and oh-so-careful teeth were worshiping me.
Whenever I tried to back up, needing a brief respite, he locked his arms around me and slowed down his touch.
It was perfect.
He was perfect.
Gods, I need to come.
“Bones,” I choked out, grabbing his horns for leverage as I grinded my pussy on his face. “I need more.”
He growled, and the deep, rumbling sound vibrated deep within me as he pushed two fingers inside of me. Those fingers curled, easily finding that perfect spot, teasing me until I came while cursing his name.