Zodiac Academy 4: Shadow Princess

“Your turn, birthday boy.” Gabriel smirked, leaning in to sling his arm around my shoulders, but I was more focused on Darcy’s bare leg pressed up against mine and her black dress which had a v-cut dropping all the way down between her cleavage. I wanted to run my hands all over it while I tasted the strawberry daiquiri on her lips.

The waitress had brought us even more drinks, but I was nursing my bourbon. If I got drunk, my willpower was going to take a battering and I’d start plotting ways to get Blue alone. Which was risky as shit in a bar full of people and my current company. Then again…Darius was my best friend and Gabriel was my Nebula Ally…would they really sell me out anyway?

Fuck you, bourbon. You do not get a say in this. It doesn’t help that that lusty bitch Venus is back in my chart today either.

Then again, it is my birthday…

The less people who knew about us, the better though. It meant there was fewer chances for slip ups and less people to get in trouble if it ever came out. No, it wasn’t worth the risk.

“Orio.” Gabriel shook me. “I said it’s your turn.”

“Right, yeah. What’s the dare, Noxy?” I asked.

Gabriel gazed over the balcony down at the sea of dancing bodies below. “That guy.” He pointed to a man standing at the bar with a red neckerchief and a moustache he was fucking twirling.

“You mean the douchebag?” I clarified.

“Yeah,” Gabriel laughed, turning back to me. “I dare you to get that neckerchief from him without him realising.”

Darcy laughed and I shot a smile at her. Her hand landed on my thigh beneath the table and my dick jumped to attention.

“Are you gonna do it?” Her big green eyes sparkled and the way she bit into her lip with excitement had me tumbling into insanity. Fuck it.

I tossed back my bourbon, gazing around the faces at the table as I picked an accomplice. The only one of them who wasn’t smiling at me was Tory. She’d managed to create two inches of solid space between her and Darius despite how close his seat was to hers and she looked ready to leave. Darcy glanced at her with a frown and my lips pursed.

The only way my girl was going to stay here for the night was if her sister stayed too. And more than that…she was important to Darcy. I supposed I could make an effort for her. No matter how fucking uncomfortable that might be.

I pointed at Tory and her eyebrows shot up. “Come on, thief, I seem to recall you’re great at stealing things.”

She passed Darius a grin at that and he glowered back.

“Yeah Roxy’s real good at deceiving people,” Darius growled.

“Not as good as you are. Honestly, I don’t think half your friends have realised you have no personality yet,” Tory said airily then firmly went back to ignoring him.

On reflection, maybe bringing up the time Tory had burned his room down and stolen his draining dagger hadn’t been the best move. But it was too late now.

I stood up and Gabriel sidled out of the booth to let me go. Tory tossed back her drink before moving to my side, her expression closed off as she approached me.

“So what’s the plan, sir?” she asked coldly.

“You don’t have to call me sir tonight,” I corrected. “Come on.” I jabbed her in the back to make her move toward the staircase and we headed down into the thronging crowd.

I leaned close to talk over the loud music. “You flirt with him and I’ll get the neckerchief from behind.”

Tory cracked a laugh, shaking her head at me. “That guy is gayer than the day is long, dude. So you flirt with him and I’ll get the neckerchief.” She slipped away into the crowd before I could respond to that and I scraped a hand through my hair, remaining in place.

Shit.

A waitress sailed by with a tray of shots and I grabbed a bright pink one, knocking it back and wincing against the powerfully sweet taste. Heat burned in my chest and I headed through the crowd toward the bar, the melodic thump of the bass pounding in my ears. I pushed through a group of girls who giggled and tried to snare me for a dance, but I waved them off and made it to the bar where the guy was leaning against it, still twirling his damn moustache.

Tory was already behind him, trying to get the barman’s attention. She glanced over her shoulder, catching my eye and fighting a grin. I cleared my throat, stepping up next to the guy and letting my gaze slide down his dark blazer before dragging it slowly back up again.

“Hey,” I said with a nod and half a smile.

His eyes whipped up and down me too and apparently I made the cut as he stepped closer.

“Hey.” He smiled back and I caught Tory rolling her eyes at me over his shoulder. She mouthed try harder and I let my inhibitions fly away as I stepped closer to him. I wasn’t going to lose at this. I fucking invented this game.

“Do you want a drink?” I offered.

He twirled his moustache again and I inwardly cringed. He shifted closer, reaching out to splay his hand across my chest. “Yeah I want something tall, dark and handsome.”

“Well…order’s up.” I nearly cracked up as Tory fell into silent hysterics behind him.

The guy grinned, his eyes flipping to the crown on top of my head. “Oh my stars, is it your birthday?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged and Tory shifted closer behind him. She reached up, brushing her fingers over the back of his neckerchief and the guy went to glance behind him. On impulse, I caught his face between my hands, forcing him to look at me.

A solid lump rose in my throat as I gazed at that bristly moustache which I had absolute no desire to get closer to. “I have a present I need help…unwrapping.”

Tory met my eyes over his shoulder, reaching for the neckerchief again while biting her lip to stop from laughing.

“I have very nimble fingers,” the guy purred and I bit down on the inside of my cheek as I pretended to be into that.

“Good, ‘cause I’ve got a ribbon that needs pulling.”

I’m gonna lose it.

Tory had the neckerchief undone and I knew I needed to give her one more second so I dragged him against me, leaning toward his ear as the scent of his musky aftershave overwhelmed my senses. “I’ll come for you later.”

“Yeah you’ll come real hard for me,” he growled, his hand pushing between us and grazing across my shirt. He pinched my nipple before I could do a fucking thing to stop it. Argh.

I lurched away, heading into the crowd where Tory was waiting, swinging the neckerchief and dancing to the music.

She grabbed my arm, her eyes bright with amusement. “Did he notice?”

“No. He was too busy tweaking my fucking nipple,” I told her, serving me a few alarmed stares from the Fae dancing nearby as I rubbed my chest.

Tory fell apart, laughing as we headed back across the room. “You’re not as much of a bore as I thought.” She shouted over the thumping tune.

“I’m still an asshole though,” I said with a smirk and she grinned.

“Yep.” She snorted as we reached the balcony and headed through the shimmering stars blocking the view of the booth. Everyone was laughing and Darcy glanced between us with the brightest smile as Tory bowed dramatically and tossed the neckerchief at the heart of the table.

Gabriel jumped up to let me back in my seat and I turned to Darcy with a dark smile. “Your turn, Blue.”

“What’s the dare?” she asked as my gaze slipped down to her lips and my insides knotted up. What I’d give for the whole world to freeze right now so I could steal a kiss.

I glanced around the table, my gaze catching on Darius’s frown. I didn’t want to think he was having a shitty time because of our current company. Some of the most important people in the world to me sat around this table. Him included. I wished he could get along with them.

“I dare you to make Darius laugh,” I said, taking a sip of my drink.

She grinned, a mischievous look entering her gaze. “Okay…will you be my partner?”

I nodded and she reached into her purse, taking out a pen and writing something on her hand. She held it below the table for me to read and I frowned as I read the word sucker a second before she cast a shot of water at my face. My head and shoulders were drenched and everyone started laughing, even Darius.

Darcy beamed at me triumphantly as I raised a hand to dry the water dripping from my hair with magic.

“I’m going to get you back for that,” I warned, but it only made her smile widen.

She turned to her sister to continue the game and Gabriel threw me a wink, pushing my bourbon closer to me.

“Drink up, Orio,” he said and I clinked glasses with him before tipping the whole lot into my mouth.

***
 

I was drunk. So fucuuuking drunk. And horny.

Plan of dreams: Step one…get Blue naked. Oh shit wait, I need more steps.

Darcy was dancing with her sister on the edge of the balcony while Gabriel ordered more drinks and I watched them with Darius at my side. Just fucking watched, like it was okay to watch. Definitely wasn’t. But I was four bourbons and two Souraches too late to give a shit.

“I love you,” I told Darius, slinging my arm around him. “You’re so lucky, man. You could just go and be with Tory Vega. Just go and be with her.”

“You’re speaking out of your ass,” Darius said, leaning into me. “Why does that make me lucky anyway? You hot for Tory? Cause I’ll beat your ass.” He clenched my shirt in his fist and I blew out a breath of laughter. He half looked like he was joking and half looked like he meant it.

“I’m not, but you are. By the stars, go and tell her.”

“Yeah.” Darius nodded, bolstering himself up. “Yeah I’m just gonna walk over there and – and- for the love of the moon this is soft.” He raked his hand down my shirt. “What’s it made of?”

“I dunno, man. Cotton?” I plucked at the shirt and Darius leaned into me, bringing the seductive scent of his blood with him. “You smell like freshly baked bed… I mean bread.”

“Do you wanna bite me, Lance?” Darius laughed darkly, catching my face between his hands and squeezing until my lips pursed. Then he angled my head toward the Vegas. “Your Source is over there.”

My eyes hooked on Darcy’s tight waist and the way her body moved in time with the music. I started to get hard for her and shoved Darius back. He does not need to feel my boner. Not again.

I stood up abruptly, my eyes set on my girl as my fangs lengthened. Gabriel appeared with my crown on his head, his silver-ringed eyes hooded as he made his way toward us.

“I’m checking out.” He took off the crown, throwing it at Darius like his head was a hoop toss and it hit him right in the eye.

“Motherfucker,” Darius hissed.

Gabriel rested a hand on my shoulder. “I’m gonna stardust home and screw my wife,” he said loudly just as the music stopped between songs.

The girls laughed and I smirked at Gabriel, pulling him into a hug as I stood up. “Say hi from me. You know, after the screwing. Or is after weirder? Maybe before. No after. Definitely after.”

“Orio I’m gonna be way too fucking busy to say hello from you.” Gabriel grinned then his eyes drifted to the Vega girls and he angled me toward them. Why does everyone keep pointing me at Darcy tonight? It’s killing me.

“Look after her,” he said before heading over to say goodbye to them then stardusting himself out of there. All the teachers at Zodiac were gifted a weekly ration of stardust and I knew exactly what I was going to use the rest of mine for tonight.

Wait, did he say look after her? Why not them?

“After party at King’s Hollow?” Darius offered. “The guys are there, but they won’t care if you come. I’ll tell them I need some time with my Guardian or some shit.”

He definitely hadn’t thought that plan through, but it also sounded like way too much of a sausage fest for me.

“Nah, I’m gonna head back. I’ll take the Vegas so you can go straight there?” I offered.

Darius stood up, pulling me into a tight embrace, his muscles locking around me. The bond between us grew sharper and I clutched onto him. “I’m gonna miss you,” I said out loud even though I’d meant to say it in my head.

“As much as Gabriel?” Darius asked, his forehead knocking against mine.

“You guys need to get a room,” Tory interrupted and we stepped away from each other.

Darius bumped into the table as he moved toward her. “After party at King’s Hollow?” he asked her and I looked to Tory hopefully on his behalf.

She swept past him as if he didn’t exist, picking up her cocktail and sipping it through a straw. Darius clenched his fists, glaring after her and looking like he was about to pop a vein in his temple.

Darcy was still dancing on the spot and I grinned stupidly at her as her eyes met mine.

“Let’s go.” I took the stardust out of my pocket and Darius took out his own pouch. “Night Darius.”

Tory glanced his way, her eyes pinned on him as he tossed the glittering dust into the air and disappeared.

“Ready?” I asked the girls as they grabbed their purses from the booth.

They nodded and I planted a large tip on the table before throwing the stardust over us.

We were dragged through the network of stars and my feet hit the ground outside The Orb. Darcy stumbled into me with a giggle and I was reminded of the first time we’d travelled by stardust together on the night of her Awakening. I steadied her before remembering to move away and looked to Tory.

“I can walk you back to your Houses,” I offered, but Tory waved a hand at me.

“Walk Darcy back, I’m good. Night.” She hugged her sister.

“Are you sure? I can come back with you?” Darcy offered.

“I need to sprawl across the whole bed tonight,” Tory said with a grin. “See you tomorrow.” She waved over her head as she walked off down the path toward Fire Territory and I turned to Darcy, suddenly getting my wish sooner than I’d expected.

“Blue.” I smiled dreamily, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

She is so…everything. Does she know how everything she is?

She moved up into my personal space, tip-toeing to whisper in my ear. “Where can we go that’s private?”

I slid my hands around her waist, half tempted to shove her up against the wall of The Orb and devour her right here. Her blood called to me like a Siren’s song and I ran the pad of my tongue up her throat, making her laugh.

“I know…” I muttered, scooping her up and using my Vampire speed to shoot toward Jupiter Hall. It was closed up at night, but my magic unlocked the door and I ran inside, carrying her to the Cardinal Magic classroom and unlocking that too before hurrying in.

I cast a silencing bubble a second before her lips found mine. She tasted like sin and strawberries, making me groan.

“Do you know how many times I’ve wanted you in this classroom?” I asked between kisses, running my mouth down to her throat. She tilted her head to one side, clawing her hands through my hair as her thighs latched tighter around me.

“How many?” she asked breathlessly.

“Four million, three hundred thousand, two hundred and ninety eight – no make that ninety nine times.” I hardened between her thighs and pleasure bounced through my limbs as I raked my fangs down her neck. By the sun, this girl.

I was just about to sink my teeth into her soft flesh when she pushed me back and dropped to her feet. She slipped away from me, running to my desk and jumping straight into my seat.

“What are you doing?” I growled, stalking after her as she grabbed a pen and paper from my desk, shielding it with her arm as she started writing.

“Nothing,” she sang. “Look away Mr Grumpcakes.”

“That’s Professor Grumpcakes to you,” I teased and she snorted a laugh. Her breasts were brushing my desk and a cascade of blue hair washed over it as she leaned in close to the page.

I approached slowly, my breathing increasing as I tried to restrain myself from flipping her over my desk and fulfilling the fantasy I’d been having a lot lately.

Darcy finally looked up, grinning like the Cheshire Cat as she started ripping the page into six squares. Then she stood, gathering them all into a pile and holding them behind her back.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but it’s getting me so hot,” I growled, stepping closer to her until she pressed a firm hand to my chest.

“Well as you didn’t give me a heads up that it was your birthday today, I’ve had to improvise on a last minute gift.”

“Let me have it,” I insisted, grinning darkly as I held out my hand.

She planted the pile of paper in my palm with a sexy as fuck look on her face. I had to drag my eyes away from her to pay attention to the gift.

The words on the first one stared up at me, bringing a wicked smile to my lips.

I O U

One kiss anywhere you like.

My pulse elevated as I flicked to the next one.

I O U

One strip tease.

“Oh fuck yes,” I breathed, thumbing through the rest.

“There’s only one condition,” she said cheekily. “You can only use one at a time. Don’t be greedy.”

“I’m nothing but greedy when it comes to you.” I grabbed her waist and she slinked away, holding out her hand.

“Well you’ll have to control that. So…would sir like to redeem one of his vouchers?” she put on an overly posh accent and I barked a laugh.

I placed the strip tease request in her hand and she eyed it with a flirtatious smile. I dropped down into my office chair, opening a button at my neck as I watched her with hungry eyes.

She placed her purse down on the desk, taking her Atlas out of it and tapping away on the screen. I took the opportunity to trace the curve of her ass with my eyes and picture her bent over my desk again. A low and impatient growl escaped me and she glanced up with a grin.

Raise Hell by Dorothy played and as the heavy pound of rock music filled the air, Darcy hurried across the room to kill the lights. I was plunged into darkness a second before she cast a fireball which hung above her, twisting and turning, lighting the room in a deep red and gold glow.

“Ten House points to Aer,” I said with a smirk, sinking lower in my seat and spreading my legs to get comfortable.

Her laughter rang back to me then she did a dramatic hair flip which brought a chuckle to my lips. She ground against Tyler Corbin’s desk, rolling her hips to the music. She was trying to be funny, but fuck did it look hot too. Her dress rode up almost all the way to her panties and I sucked on my lower lip as she hooked her thumb under the hem, riding it high enough to give me a glimpse of her ass as she leaned forward over his desk.

She spun around, stumbling sideways and hitting the desk beside it. I chuckled but my amusement died away again as she turned toward me, striding up to my desk and leaning on it, giving me a look down her cleavage.

“Come here,” I groaned, aching to be inside her.

She ignored me, crawling up onto my desk and sending a stapler and a pen pot crashing to the floor as she pushed them aside. Her dress rode up even higher as she knelt up then dragged it over her head and spun it above her before tossing it away. Fuuuck.

A tight lump pushed at my throat as I discovered she didn’t have a bra on and only a tiny lacy thong. I was gonna go mad if I didn’t get my hands on her soon. It was taking every ounce of willpower I had to remain sitting there.

She pushed her hands into her hair and rolled her hips to the music while I appreciated her body and my fangs lengthened to sharp points.

I was rock hard and desperate, shifting forward to rise from my seat. She dropped over the edge of the desk and straddled me in the chair, keeping me in place. My hand slammed down on her back as I tried to drag her in for a kiss.

She twisted her head to stop me, sliding her palm down my chest and undoing buttons as she went. When she reached my waistband, her fingers curled around my belt and into my pants, grazing the tip of my dick with her soft fingers.

I thrusted my hips with a groan and she smiled wickedly at me, removing her hand and taking hold of my belt buckle.

A heady giggle escaped her and she leaned in to rest her forehead to my chest.

“What?” I grunted, grazing my hands over her ass as more blood pumped south, making my head spin and my need for her grow even keener.

“It’s just…this is Orion’s belt,” she started laughing harder and I grinned. Her blue hair tickled my chest and I reached up to bunch my hand in it, tugging backwards to make her look at me.

“It is. And Orion wants you to take it off right fucking now,” I commanded and her lips popped open, desire unfolding in her eyes. She started pulling at it without another ounce of laughter, but I’d had enough of waiting.

I clutched her ass, standing and throwing her down on my desk, her hair fanning across it and making my dick twitch with need. I shrugged out of my shirt then tugged myself free of my pants.

Without giving her any warning, I ripped her panties aside and slammed into her. She cried out, her back arching as I dug my fingers into her waist, pleasure bleeding through every vein in my body. She was burning hot and fucking perfect, her muscles tightening around me as I claimed her with another hard thrust. 

I shifted one hand to circle my thumb against her clit and she moaned loudly, the sound making me even harder as I pounded into her. I took her with powerful thrusts of my hips and she rubbed against my desk, branding it for-fucking-ever. How I was ever gonna teach in this room again without getting hard was tomorrow’s goddamn problem.

Pleasure and adrenaline rolled through my body in a divine cocktail and a bead of sweat ran down my spine. I leaned down to brush my tongue across her nipple before sinking my fangs into the swell of her breast. She moaned, her fingers clawing at my back as I drank her blood, getting high off of every mouthful. Her power tasted like candy and air. She was sweet and sharp and fucking delicious.

I pulled my fangs free and a bead of blood raced across her flesh, turning me on even more. I hooked my hand under her right thigh, forcing her legs wider then drove into her again, savouring the feeling of her body wrapped around me.

Blue shut her eyes with a cry of delight and I clutched her jaw with a growl.

“Look at me,” I demanded and her eyes flew open, her pupils dilating. She came for me, her whole body bucking and her muscles tightening. I held her hips at the perfect angle, her body driving me to ecstasy as I stilled deep inside her, pleasure rocketing through me and making me unable to draw breath as I rode out the high of my release.

“Yes,” she gasped, her hand curling around the back of my neck as she drew me down for a kiss. I didn’t bother to return her breath to her with air magic. It felt too good to feel how destroyed she was beneath me, her limbs holding no strength at all as she tried to clutch onto me. I barely had any left myself.

I trailed my mouth along her jaw and braced my hands on the desk to keep my weight off of her.

She traced her fingers down my backbone, her lips brushing mine and sending a shiver scattering through my body. It had been so long since I’d felt content. But with her, I was starting to see glimpses of my old self, the guy who’d loved life, who’d had a future. And I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed him.

“Happy birthday, Lance,” she whispered and for the first time in fucking years, it really was a happy one.