Zodiac Academy: The Awakening(99)
I stood watching Darius in his dragon form for way longer than was necessary but I couldn’t help it. He was beautiful, magnificent, a king amongst beasts. He’d been right when he said that we’d find nothing to tame this hatred between us though. Mine and Darcy’s very existence threatened his position as a monarch of this realm and I knew with one look at his shifted form that a creature such as him would never be tamed.
He was power and heat and war wrapped up in a single being. He’d fight to the death to maintain what was his. And while we remained at this Academy, we were a threat. But for the first time since I’d arrived here, watching him soar through the skies sparked something in me. It was like a primal ache to rise to the challenge he presented. I didn’t want his throne or his kingdom but I did want something else from him. I wanted his respect. And with that knowledge I knew I’d never bow to him. So if he was determined to see me fall, he was going to have to try and make me break.
THE SIREN ORDER Enhancement class was held on the edge of the expansive lake in Water Territory. The sun was glimmering beyond the clouds, making a good effort at breaking through as we strode up the path to where around fifty students were gathering together for the class. Aqua House was far out at the centre of the lake, a group of beautiful domes, its sea green exterior sparkling in the morning light.
We hurried forward so we weren't the last ones to arrive and the Professor looked to us with a welcoming smile. “Good morning girls, I'm Professor Undine,” she said, beckoning us closer. She was young with large blue eyes the colour of the ocean. Her hair was a rich crimson, braided down her spine and almost reaching her ass. She looked like a cross between Lara Croft and The Little Mermaid in her tank top and shorts. An outfit that it wasn't nearly warm enough for.
“Come on everyone, get in the circle,” she called.
Everyone sat down in the grass and we dropped into a space between two guys, looking toward Undine at the heart of the group.
My gaze snagged on Max Rigel on the other side of the circle and my heart juddered. His arms were locked around his knees and his muscles were on show in the tight t-shirt he wore. Everything about him screamed Alpha male and I couldn’t help but appreciate his masculine shape for half a second.
A slim blonde guy beside him muttered something in his ear and Max started grinning. He somehow looked even less approachable now he was smiling.
Undine took something from her pocket and I eyed the strange contraption with interest. A silver ball hung in a nest of wire and as she flicked a finger at it, the ball inside started spinning.
She tossed it at a girl across the circle who caught it out of the air.
“Happy,” the girl announced, reading something off of the ball as it stopped spinning.
“Great,” Undine said. “Who wants to start?”
Max groaned, seeming annoyed and I tried to work out what the hell was going on. “Can't we do fear again, miss?”
“We did fear last week,” Undine said firmly. “And besides, you spend enough of your time terrorising the other students at Zodiac to get your fix, Mr Rigel. You don't need to get it here every week too.”
“For fuck's sake,” Max growled.
“Language, Mr Rigel. That's five points from Aqua,” Undine shot at him. “You know how much I hate the Fs and the Ss.”
“What about the Cs?” Max asked with a smirk.
Undine ignored him, glancing around the circle until her eyes landed on Tory and I. “Ah, this is a good opportunity to introduce you to our Order, girls. Come and stand up here with me.”
We rose to our feet and my skin tingled uncomfortably as I felt everyone's eyes on us. We joined Undine and she gave us an encouraging smile.
“Think of a happy memory you've had this week,” she instructed and I shared a look with Tory.
Happy? We hadn't had much time to be happy with everything that had gone on in the past few days.
“Er...” Tory frowned and I chewed my lip.
A couple of giggles sounded around us and a blush crept into my cheeks.
“You must have something that's made you happy in the last seven days? Or the last fourteen perhaps?” She raised her brows, seeming concerned as she glanced between us.
With slightly more leeway it was easier. Before Geraldine had been attacked, our night with Diego and Sofia had been a lot of fun. I tried to focus on only the good parts and nodded to Undine. “Got one.”
Tory nodded as well with a grin.
“Okay.” Undine pointed out ten people in the circle and they all rushed forward like dogs eager for a meal.
I shrank as five of them surrounded me and the other five ringed Tory.
“Take your coat off,” a girl with dark ringlets urged and someone pulled it from my shoulders, tossing it on the grass.
“Hey!” I went to grab it but the five of them closed ranks.
“Hold that happy memory in your heads,” Undine instructed.
Were we about to fly off to Neverland right now? Because I was pretty sure we needed fairy dust for that.
I tried to relax, knowing this was just the way of the Siren Order. And if I belonged to it, I had to try and fit in.
I conjured the happy memory again and the group around me pressed their hands to my bare arms. One even cupped my cheek.
The Sirens shifted in nearer, starting to smile. I realised one of them was the blonde boy who'd been sitting with Max and my stomach knotted.