Zodiac Academy: The Awakening(107)
“Err, yeah,” I said, waiting to see where he was going with this.
“Why don’t you blow it off?” he asked and I blinked at him in surprise. Not asking me to the dance then, just trying to stop me from going and having any fun with my friends.
“What possible reason would I have to do that?” I asked, tilting my head just enough to make his hand fall from my face.
Caleb’s lips twitched as he noticed the change in my tone and he ran the dislodged hand down my arm instead. “Because then I could sneak out and come to your room. We could have the whole House and an entire evening to ourselves,” he said suggestively.
“That’s pretty presumptuous of you, Earth boy.”
“Earth boy?” he asked with a smirk and he held a hand out to me, a dark blue flower blossoming to life in his palm as he flexed his Elemental muscles.
“Perhaps I’ve gotten what I wanted from you now,” I said, shifting forward to rise from the desk without taking the flower from him.
Caleb let the flower dissolve into nothing again as he stepped forward to stop me, a dark smile lighting his face. “I’m confident you’ll come back for more,” he assured me and the hitch in my pulse made me wonder if he was right. There was no way I’d be skipping the dance for his benefit though.
The door opened behind us and my heart leapt as I looked around and a Vampire who I’d seen in my Water Elemental class stepped into the room. His eyes widened as he spotted us in the compromising position but before I could do anything to cover for us, Caleb’s fangs slid into my skin.
I flinched in surprise and fought back the urge to whimper in response to the pain as he fed on me. His hand fisted in my hair to hold me in place and I gritted my teeth as I rode it out.
After several long seconds had passed, he pulled back, his eyes meeting mine for a moment with a twinkle of amusement in them. My fist clenched with the desperate desire to punch him but I held back, knowing it was only likely to get me knocked on my ass.
“Lesson one for today, Teddy,” Caleb said, turning his attention to the boy who’d interrupted us. “Always prey on the most powerful creature you can overpower. Tory here hasn’t got a lock on her powers yet, so she’s currently fair game. Although unluckily for you, I’ve already claimed her as my Source so keep your fangs off.”
I pushed myself to my feet, pushing Caleb back a step as I retrieved my satchel from the ground beside us.
“Lesson two,” I said coolly as I glared at Teddy who seemed inclined to try his luck with me despite Caleb’s warning. “Don’t underestimate the depths of vengeance. My sister and I have more power than the lot of you, and you’d be fools to think we won’t remember what we went through while we were getting to grips with handling it.”
I knocked my shoulder against Teddy’s as I passed and he stumbled aside, clearly heeding my warning as I headed for the exit.
I pulled the door open but before it could close behind me, Caleb’s voice followed me out.
“Until next time, Tory!” he promised. And as I adjusted my shirt self consciously, I found myself wondering if I was dreading that or looking forward to it.
THE DAY OF the dance arrived and Tory and I headed down to The Orb in our new outfits. Tory had ordered us dresses last minute and I was amused by the way she kept spending our inheritance like we already owned it. We still had to pass The Reckoning to even earn a place here at Zodiac. And if we wanted to see a dime more than our stipend, we had to graduate as well.
My dress was navy with lacy sleeves and fell down to my knees in a fan of silky material; Tory wore a plunging black maxi-dress which showed off her curves and a push-up bra that enhanced them even more. My hair was pulled up in a loose chignon bun while Tory's was curled and hung down her back.
The sky was an artist's palette of pastel tones, the clouds perfectly still as they sat in the endless pool of the heavens. Ahead, The Orb loomed, appearing a deep bronze under the hazy evening light. Students were arriving from every direction dressed in beautiful gowns and suits, an air of anticipation seeping through the atmosphere. I was caught up in it, too, enthralled by the buzz.
I spotted Sofia up ahead in a pale blue dress which danced around her calves. Her arm was linked through Diego's who wore a smart suit and I smiled at the sight of them chatting and laughing together.
Tory and I quickened our pace to catch up, but a hand caught my arm from behind and I was wheeled around into Seth's body. He brushed the tip of his nose against my temple and curled a finger around a loose lock at the nape of my neck, tugging gently to incite a deep shiver in me. “Hey, babe.”
A deep, musky scent rolled from his neck and I fought away the inviting allure of it, pressing a hand to his firm bicep and stepping back. His hair was pulled up into a topknot which gave him a sort of preppy vibe. Especially paired with the fitted white shirt that was pulled taut over his muscular frame and dark pants hanging low on his hips. He looked good enough to eat and the grin on his face said he felt the same about me.
I cleared my throat. “Hi.”
I felt Tory's eyes on me from behind but she didn't intervene and I vaguely wondered why.
“I had planned to walk you all the way from your room, but you weren't there.” He cocked a brow as if that was a total mystery. “It's almost as if you weren't expecting me.”