Void(52)

“So you’ll make them dance to your terrible singing, but public orgasms are off the table?”

He laughed and then pulled away even further, adjusting his pants as he did. “Let’s get them back before anyone notices, yes?”

“Just please don’t make them dance again. They were awful at it. Your singing could use some work, too,” I smirked.

Hyde clutched his chest in mock outrage. “You wound me, Void.”

“You make me laugh, necromancer.”

“Good. Told you I’d get you to have some fun. I knew you could use more of that in your life.”

“You were right. I never knew hanging out with corpses would be so awesome.”

He grinned. “Stick with me, babe, and you’ll learn.”





Chapter 13





“I need the feral cabin for the night,” a stern voice called out from the shadows of my cabin the moment I opened the door to my shack. I jumped in surprise at the voice, but inwardly kicked myself at my transparent reaction.

I was exhausted. I’d spent all day dodging angry paragons and cruel students, trying to catch up in classes that made an example out of me, or I had to wait in the hall, listening from outside the door, since some of the teachers flat-out refused to allow me inside.

After a week of torture, I just wanted to rest and call Reed. I seriously needed a fucking cell phone. He must be worried sick. I even tried to ask someone if I could borrow theirs yesterday, I’d been so damn desperate. The dude had looked at me like I had three heads before scurrying away from me. I was about to break into one of the teacher’s staff rooms and use one of their phones if I couldn’t figure out something else.

But now, when all I wanted to do was talk to a real friend and relax in bed, I had a freaking intruder in my cabin.

I sighed and shut the door behind me. “Gritt. I’m exhausted and need to sleep. Can’t we play your games another time?” I asked, walking over to my bed and sitting down.

Gritt straightened up from where he was perched on my desk. “This isn’t a game, Void. One of my unbonded bobcat shifters is in heat. She needs to stay here, or she’ll drive all the other shifters crazy.” He looked around the cabin before kicking at the chains in the ground. A shifter in heat was a force to be reckoned with, it only happened every couple of years, but it was like one giant horny beacon screaming, “FUCK ME PLEASE!”

I could relate to the impulse, not that I was admitting that anytime soon.

“So where do you expect me to sleep? Out in the forest?” I asked, crossing my arms. I stood up and started rolling up my blankets, already knowing the answer to that. I’d been camping in the past; maybe I could make a tent and stare at the stars all night. At least I could escape the smell of this moldy cabin. Cheddar jumped from his spot on my pillow and ran down the comforter to get out of my way, brushing my ankle in greeting before heading over to Gritt, who looked scared to death of the undead rat.

“What the fuck is that?” he asked, backing up a step. I had to stifle a laugh.

“My pet rat. His name is Cheddar. Is one of your animals an elephant? I’ve heard they’re afraid of mice,” I joked while grabbing a plastic sack to stuff my outfits in.

“I’ve never heard that. And I don’t fear rats, Void,” Gritt said on an exhale before cautiously stepping back to where he’d been. I laughed again, earning a glower from Gritt. “What are you doing?” he asked as I grabbed my things and headed toward the door.

“What does it look like? You’re kicking me out of the cabin, so I’m going to find a place to sleep for the night,” I answered. There was a slight bite to my tone as I spoke. If he wanted to make me leave, then I wasn’t going to be pleasant about it.

“Teacher Selik isn’t here right now,” Gritt snapped, and I had to stop to gawk at him.

“I’m not running to Banner’s room,” I replied with an eye roll, deciding not to mention that we hadn’t even spoken very much lately. “I’m just going to set up camp somewhere outside.”

Gritt scoffed. “Over my dead fucking body,” he said while standing up, making Cheddar run to the makeshift bed I’d made for him out of an old box I’d found. Smart rat.

I cocked a blonde brow. “Careful, Gritt, you’re starting to sound like you care about me.” I watched as he carefully maneuvered around Cheddar’s home before storming toward me.

“Stop being a fucking martyr, it’s unattractive. We wouldn’t make you sleep outside.”

“Really?” I asked, dropping my blankets and clothes and poking his chest with my index finger. “Because the kitchen staff won’t give me real food. The students keep threatening me, and all my teachers keep kicking me out of class. So excuse me if I expect to get kicked to the curb and have to fend for myself. It’s not like I had a real place to stay anyways. You do realize that this cabin is barely habitable, right?”

Gritt had the decency to look a little ashamed, but the flash of pity on his face disappeared as soon as it came. “Maybe you should start fighting back,” he grumbled.

“And become what everyone accuses me of being? Give Headmaster Torne an excuse to kick me out?” I shook my head. “Nice try, asshole. You can’t get rid of me with mind games,” I said before turning to walk away.