Zodiac Academy: The Awakening(51)

I withdrew my hand before she could claim it. “Oh hell no,” I began but she cut me off again.

“The Almighty Sovereign Society just want to make sure that you are afforded the proper respect and courtesy as you navigate your return to the Fae world,” she explained, her voice prim and proper despite her muscular build which could give a lot of men a run for their money. “If you need anything at all, you need only ask.”

“Right.” I offered her a tight lipped smile before raising an eyebrow at Darcy.

My sister smirked knowingly before pushing a plate she had filled for me across the table. It was piled high with croissants and fruit and I reached for it with a groan of longing. I decided I’d ignore our current company in favour of demolishing my food.

“I dunno if I tell you often enough how much I love you, Darcy,” I said.

She smirked, pushing a mug of coffee my way too and I descended on it, sighing in total bliss.

“You know you make sex noises over your food, right?” Sofia teased.

“No I don’t,” I countered as I placed my mug down and lifted a pastry to my mouth. “I’m a lot louder than that in bed.”

Diego spluttered on his coffee, hacking his guts up as Darcy laughed. Geraldine seemed caught between looking scandalised and smiling but my opinion of her went up a notch when she released a snigger.

“Too much information, Tory,” Diego said in disgust once he’d recovered and I laughed.

“I could put that information to the test if you like?” a voice came from behind me and Sofia looked over my shoulder with wide eyes.

Before I could turn to face him, Caleb’s hand landed on my shoulder, his fingertips walking up my neck.

I jerked away from him, facing him with a scowl.

“Let me guess, the leech is here for breakfast too?” I snarled, trying to front him out despite the trickle of fear that his touch elicited. A rustle of tension went through the A.S.S. crowd around me but they seemed unsure about getting involved with the Heir.

“Tempting.” Caleb brushed my hair over my shoulder delicately and I pointedly ignored the shiver which danced over my skin as his fingertips caressed me.

He leaned down and I refused to flinch away as his lips brushed my neck and he inhaled deeply. There was no point in me trying to fight him off despite how much I wanted to, he’d only pin me to the ground in front of everyone again. As I’d turned this situation over in my mind last night, I’d come to the decision to weather his attacks with as much dignity as I could muster. I’d put up with him biting me until I could figure out how to stop him for myself. Until then, running or trying to fight him off only made me look stupid.

“But I’m still full from yesterday,” he breathed before placing a kiss against my skin. I flinched at the weirdly intimate gesture and turned to glare at him as he stayed put in the space three inches away.

“If you’re not after my blood then why are you still here?” I asked icily, pinning his dark blue eyes with mine.

“I just didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten you,” he purred, patting my neck like I was a good pet. “Keep it warm for me. I’ll leave you outcasts to your meal.”

Caleb walked away and we released a collective breath of relief.

“I half expected him to flip the breakfast table up or something,” Darcy muttered as we watched Caleb weaving his way between the crowded space. Everyone moved aside for him. Some people even bowed their heads in deference. What the hell was up with that?

“I don’t think that’s his style,” I grumbled. “He just wants us to be afraid of him. To remind us that we’re at his mercy.”

“Well let’s hope we get the opportunity to give his toothbrush the Pete treatment,” Darcy suggested and I snorted a laugh.

“What does that mean?” Diego questioned. Him and Sofia had practically shrunk into the shadows when the Terra Heir had arrived but I could hardly blame them. I wouldn’t have chosen to be on his radar either given the choice.

“I’d just like to give it a dip in the toilet, that’s all.” Darcy shrugged innocently.

Sofia opened her mouth, seeming unsure whether to laugh while Diego gave a bark of laughter before quickly checking around to see if anyone had overheard.

We demolished our breakfast like a pack of starving beasts and I couldn’t help but feel happy about the food in this place. Months of surviving on essential items and basic meals had left a lot to be desired and the cooking in The Orb was exceptional. If I didn’t watch out I knew I’d be gaining weight pretty quickly.

When the bell sounded to tell us to get to our first class of the day, Darcy and I said goodbye to our new friends and the A.S.S. and headed towards our first Water Elemental lesson.

Geraldine had told us she’d be in our class, but luckily for us she’d forgotten something in her room so we wouldn’t have to walk there with her.

After Darcy’s run-in with the Heirs last night, I could tell she wasn’t looking forward to taking a class with some of them present but there wasn’t much we could do about it. And at least this time we’d be facing them together.

We followed the directions on Darcy’s Atlas which led us to the west of the grounds. We began to follow a winding stream before crossing over a stone bridge into an area filled with burbling brooks, ponds and swaying reeds. The path weaved between the various water sources and the sound of dripping and gurgling filled the air alongside a heavy layer of moisture which misted against my skin.