I wanted him to own me, just like he said.
To tell me what to do. To guide me. To teach me in a manner that had nothing to do with this class and everything to do with us.
Oh, I’m in trouble.
First, Kols.
Now, Zeph.
And not to mention Shade, who still haunted my every breath.
“You like this,” Zephyrus whispered, his heat surrounding me so entirely that I forgot how to properly breathe. Every inhale filled me with his intoxicating woodsy cologne. It left me light-headed and confused and aching for more.
“You shouldn’t like this,” he continued, his lips falling to my ear. “Is this why you let Shade manipulate you so thoroughly? He gave you a little attention, and you showed him your neck? Are you truly that easy?”
His comment lit a fire in me that ate through the heat his touch had inspired and spurred me into action. My knee connected with his steel thigh, sending a jolt of pain up my leg. That only made me angrier. I stomped on his foot with as much force as I could muster and squirmed in earnest against him.
His hips pinned mine, leaving me utterly defenseless and seething mad. “Let me go.”
“But it was finally getting interesting,” he whispered, his teeth skimming my earlobe. He nipped me gently, drawing a growl from my throat.
“You’re too big to spar with me,” I snapped. “It’s an unfair fight.”
“Fights are never fair,” he returned.
“That’s what magic is for.”
“Ah, but it’s against Midnight Fae Council rules to expose our kind in the Human Realm. So what would you do in this situation, pixie flower? Would you let a bigger male take advantage of you? Or would you use magic on him and bury the evidence?”
I stopped trying to free myself and instead met his smoldering gaze. “Are you asking if I would let him hurt me or kill him instead?”
“A male in this position would do more than just hurt you,” he replied softly. “He’d destroy you.”
“Then I’d have no choice but to truly defend myself.”
“Then do it,” he encouraged. “Defend yourself.”
“You just said magic isn’t allowed in a fight like this.”
“We’re not in the Human Realm.”
“No, we’re in Defense Without Magic class,” I retorted. “Stop trying to convince me to break the rules, Zeph.”
His mouth went to my ear again, his breath hot against my skin. “We’re all breaking rules here, princess. That collar of yours is just the beginning of the quandary we’ve found ourselves in, yes?”
I froze. My lungs ceasing to work.
And he pulled back with a knowing smirk. “We have a lot of work to do, Aflora. I expect you to come prepared for our independent study course. I suggest you use the next two days off to study.”
With that, he released me and stalked out of the room.
I gaped after him, as did several other students.
Kols flashed me an apologetic look, one that confirmed Zephyrus’s statement.
He’d told the headmaster all about my bloodline, as well as the collar around my neck. Not that I could blame him, as the two of them were clearly close even when arguing. But it left me even more alone than before, reminding me that I had no allies in this realm. Whatever assistance Kols provided, it would likely come at a cost.
Because he would always choose his own over me.