Braving the Elements (Darkness #2)(11)

Charles’ forehead hit his palm.

“You were in the battle?” A sandy haired boy smirked at me, nudging a black haired boy standing next to him. “Doing what? Hiding under your master’s bed?”

He also just made the list.

James clapped, quieting the snickers, but not dislodging the sneers. “Fine, pick up your weapon. You are way behind, but apparently one of the undisclosed higher-powers thought you needed to start this class right now, rather than waiting the few weeks until Mira starts the next one, so I guess we’ll have to do.”

Oh yeah, great. Thanks, James, for pointing that out. My classmates don’t hate me enough as it is…

Suppressing a grumble, I scooped up my dagger.

“Showboat,” Charles whispered under his breath, eyeing a lovely blonde with giant boobs.

“Like I meant to sever toes,” I snapped, trying to pay attention as James spoke about elements and metals and God only knew what.

“Okay, practice.” James clapped again. That must’ve been his thing. Clapping.

It was better than that weird maw sound Master Bert made.

“What am I practicing?” I asked Charles out of the side of my mouth.

Charles backed away quickly as James stepped up beside me. “Problem?”

My face heated. “Oh, no. Not at all, no. I was just…”

James’ eyebrows nudged his hair line.

“Turning the blade a color?” I finished hopefully.

“You are infusing your blade with power. If you are able to do it, your blade will turn a color, yes. Probably a lovely shade of purple, if you’re lucky.”

Riiight.

I glanced around. Everyone else had their blades basically glowing, with only a few still working on it. None of them showed any real strength at it, though. Not like Charles or Stefan— My groin swelled and my sexy systems started to ache. Since I’d seen him earlier, the craving had come back in force. His smell, his hard chest, his— “What is that…smell…” James glanced around, trying to identify it. “Warm cookies fresh out of the oven. Delicious.”

Two other men looked our way, sniffing.

“Okay, glowing sword, coming right up.” I closed my eyes, belatedly remembering that this was a different exercise than the fire element one I’d just practiced, and tried to shift gears. Too late. A sudden onslaught of power flooded me. It sneaked in from everywhere, boosting my power-level and clawing at my middle. Joy, heat, bliss, lava— Too much. I needed brakes!

A large palm met my cheek with surprising force. My head whipped around, power sizzling through my body and out through my limbs, finding release.

Everyone gasped.

I opened my eyes to a flaming sword. Bright red light streaked out of the tip and zipped into the ceiling above, tearing a shallow hole before soaking into the walls.

“Thank God it was pointing up,” I whispered with shock.

“Who sent you here, human?” James asked in a suspicious voice. His eyes swiveled to Charles, for the first time realizing I had a guard, not a fellow classmate. If there was one thing Charles did not need help with, it was operating a sword.

Either of his swords, actually. Just ask him.

“That’s classified?” I hedged.

“As you can see,” Charles spoke up, vaguely gesturing toward the hole in the ceiling, “she is a danger to herself and others. We identified her and had to bring her here until trained.”

“Oh, great, a dangerous pet. Who was the idiot who found her?”

I scowled at that sandy haired twerp who couldn’t keep his yapper shut.

“Me.” Charles straightened dramatically, the tattoos peeking out from under his shirt sleeves. Easily the tallest in the class, and certainly the most filled out, Charles was a stack of destructive muscle with a dangerous edge. His smoky gray eyes flashed with danger, his striking face drawing eyes. “I was doing my job as the Watch Captain.”

A few girls gasped and more than one guy shifted insecurely. When Charles wanted to put on a show, he stopped traffic.

“Class, class.” Clap, clap, clap. “Let’s get back to it. Sasha, you are excused. You are too dangerous for this class. Tell your master you will need to wait for Mira.”

My intestines iced over. Not only did he assume I had a master, like a slave, but he was sending me away without instruction. If I wasn’t taught, I’d surely fail. If this guy turned me away, the next instructor probably would, too. “But, I need to learn this…”

“That isn’t my problem,” James retorted, unconcerned. “I can’t have you killing a student because you can’t listen. Out you get.”

“James, really look at her for a second,” Charles murmured. “Take a big whiff.”

Before I could ask what that was about, James indignantly surveyed me. He leaned forward and inhaled. “What…” His eyebrows rumbled, prompting closer examination. “Why does it smell faintly of…”

Suddenly his face drained of color and he took a step back. “Mmm, yes, higher-level, I see.” He turned to Charles and offered a light bow. “She should probably stay. It isn’t distinctly clear that this is his property, hence my not noticing it at first, but…yes. I apologize—I was not aware the Boss took a pet.”

Ice turned slowly into fire. I needed instruction, yes, but I had my pride. Which this man, and Stefan, were stepping on.