Neela

Neela

The forest classroom was garlanded with flowers and dripping with ivy. I’d arrived early, and now that I had the luxury to look around by myself, I noticed how beautiful it was.

The relics of ancient stones dotted the glade’s perimeter, and I wondered if this used to be a place of magical power. The stones were barely visible through cascading ivy, which also covered the forest floor.

I’d leaped out of bed the instant my tattoo buzzed me awake. I didn’t want to be caught out like before, the last to arrive and already on the back foot. So I made sure to get here early.

Herb and Doug followed me every step of the way, Doug lumbering at my feet and Herb keeping a wary distance but not letting his mate out of sight. They settled down at the edge of the clearing, indistinguishable from the foliage in the dappled dark.

I walked around the clearing, touching leaves, smelling the ivy, and investigating the crumbling ruins. The trees around us were ancient and tall, with rough wood interwoven through smooth.

This place was whack. Those crowds last night were whack. I’d heard some noises outside, ventured onto my balcony, and seen a horde of fawning fae. These guys must really like their royalty.

I hadn’t known what to say or do, so it was almost a relief when Leif interfered, and I could escape indoors.

The last thing I wanted was to be recognized throughout the realm. After all, I planned to sneak away to the human village and live out my life anonymously, which would be difficult now that half the population of Verda City had seen me.

I’d have to grow my hair, dye it, and maybe get some contact lenses. No, stuff that, I was in a magical realm—I could probably buy a potion for that.

A fae appeared in my peripheral vision—I hadn’t heard the fucker creep up. Damn these fae and their silent feet.

Ronan looked me up and down, his gaze resting on my hips for a long moment before returning to my face. Man, he was sexy. He wore a gray marle T-shirt that emphasized his biceps and denim jeans that I knew were softer than they appeared. His cut jawline was tense. Even his dead black gaze was attractive. I could eye-fuck him all day long if he wasn’t such a prick.

A lazy smirk spread across his face. “Well, well, the sex-crazed princess graces us with her presence.”

I knew it. I knew Ronan had put Leif up to that trick last night and made me look like a sex addict in front of half the fae population.

“Well, you’d know, wouldn’t you,” I said, trying to embarrass him by referring to our first night together.

But he didn’t show any emotion, typical damn fae. At least nothing that wasn’t carefully crafted in advance and strategically placed on his face.

I took advantage of his gaze being locked on mine in what he supposed was an intimidating manner, and I stalked across the clearing and sat on the bush he’d chosen last time, hoping like hell it was his favorite.

Of course, I couldn’t tell from his crafted expression if I was right, so I hammed it up and wriggled my ass into the molded leaves. “Man, this is even more comfortable than that one.”

It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw his jaw tic, so I chalked it up for a win.

Leif bounded into the clearing in wolf form, a giant silver creature that gave me the shock of my life. The massive dog walked right up to me, and I would’ve toppled out of my bush if it hadn’t quickly grown a branch to support me.

In an instant, Doug was at my side, transforming into her monster self. She wasn’t as large as the wolf by a long shot, but her mouth was bigger and her fangs longer, and Leif backed away and whined.

The wolf transformed into his fae form, buck-ass naked with his big dick swinging, and a pulse of sexual desire beamed through me.

“Get some fucking clothes on,” I snarled and was surprised when Ronan chuckled. “Hear, hear.”

Leif ignored me, still staring at Doug. “You have a freaking snuffle tuff? Do you know what that thing is?”

Nope, but I knew she was my friend. “Of course I do.”

Doug shrank, and her muzzle disappeared, and she tried to leap onto my lap but didn’t quite make it, so I scooped a hand under her butt and helped her up. She rotated in a full circle before settling down to nap. She was like a hedgehog with the same cute soft belly and tiny paws but with grass tufts instead of spines.

I patted her grassy back, and she snuffled contentedly. “If you think she’s scary, you should see her mate.”

Satisfaction hummed through me when Leif scanned the clearing, trying to ID the second snuffle tuff. Thank God I’d befriended this creature; she might be my only real weapon against these fae.

Gabrelle swanned into the clearing, wearing a strappy white dress that made her hair and skin glow. A male I didn’t recognize tagged behind her. He had curly pink hair and vibrant pink eyes like hers, and for a moment, I thought he might be her brother.

It wasn’t until he spoke that I recognized him as Dion. He tossed a foil-wrapped package to each of his friends–excluding me—and grinned. “That’s the best strawberry mousse you’ll ever eat.”

Leif was already tongue deep in his, somehow making it look sexy.

Gabrelle pouted. “Didn’t you bring one for our princess friend?”

Dion shot me a hard stare. “No point befriending her. She won’t be here for long.”

“Couple of thousand years, max,” I retorted. I had no idea how long fae lived, so I was taking a wild guess. “Long enough to show you how much better I am than you. At everything.”

Gabrelle shook her head sadly. “What a shame you only have one month to get to full power before you Ascend…or die.”

I was aware of Ronan’s hulking presence behind me, where he hadn’t moved to take a seat, aware of his gaze on the back of my neck. So it was a relief when he joined the conversation, and I could use the excuse to swivel around and see him.

Yep, still hot.

“And then she’ll still have to pass Gaia’s ultimate test if she ever wants to rule,” he said. “And without a lifetime of training like we’ve had, that will be almost impossible.”

Yep, still an asshole.

“Fine, I’ll bite,” I said on a sigh. “What’s Gaia’s ultimate test?”

Ronan’s fists clenched at my ignorance. “Five Houses govern the realm. They are trained in groups of five. My dad trained with Gabrelle’s mom, D’s dad, Leif’s mom, and Seb’s mom. Er, your mom. They trained together, competed in their yearly trials together, and they rule together. That’s what keeps the realm stable.”

“And when a majority of them die, their heirs take over,” Leif added.

I wrinkled my nose. “How morbid.”

“How practical,” Gabrelle interjected. “I believe things are done the same way in the mortal realm? At least they used to be. A queen dies, and her daughter takes her place.”

“Yeah, but you said a majority of them have to die. So three out of five die, and the other two get booted out of their jobs?”

The royal brats shared a look. “Not quite,” Gabrelle finally said. “They get killed. Otherwise, they can cause difficulty and make the realm unstable.”

I stopped patting Doug. “Like I said, that’s morbid. You fae are a fucking morbid race.”

My slip of the tongue, referring to you fae, didn’t go unnoticed. Ronan snarled. “I told you she doesn’t belong.”

Doug nuzzled my hand to make me keep patting her, which I did. Her fur was softer than grass, and the motion was soothing. At least with her on my lap, I had a friend nearby.

This fae system of government was freaking awful. Five trained together, competed together, sat Gaia’s ultimate test, and then ruled together. And as soon as three of them died, the other two were murdered, so they all died together. Brutal.

Thank God I wasn’t actually one of them. I didn’t want my lifespan to depend on any of these pricks.

I decided to get up and go back to the Rose Palace. I didn’t want any part in whatever was happening here today. It didn’t seem like we had another trial, and I didn’t plan on hanging out here just for the conversation.

I scooted Doug onto the ground, and she leaped down clumsily with a cute little snuffle, then I climbed to my feet. I didn’t need to explain myself, so I marched to the edge of the clearing without saying a word, but my tattoo began burning. I kept walking out along the path through the forest, but my wrist grew hotter until the searing pain was unbearable, and I was forced back to the clearing.

Gabrelle watched me return with a satisfied smile as though my life was a performance for her enjoyment. “Today is a demonstration of Lure,” she said, and I realized with dread that she was our teacher, and my demonic tattoo wouldn’t let me get away.

“No, don’t go,” she said as I moved to return to my seat, flicking a perfect pink lock of hair behind her shoulder. “You’ll make an excellent subject for my demonstration.”

I knew Gabrelle hadn’t Ascended yet, so she wouldn’t have full access to this Lure power, whatever that was. Hopefully, that meant she couldn’t actually cause me too much harm. I cocked out a hip and tried to take up as much space as possible. “Fine.”

She smiled coyly. “Good girl. Now come closer.”

I didn’t need to obey. Checking in with my tattoo, it was happy to let me disregard that command. But then my feet walked toward the ice bitch without running the idea past my conscious brain.

My breath caught, and my mouth fell open briefly before I slammed it shut.

Gabrelle’s sultry smile was all white teeth and plum lips against her perfect brown skin. “Lure gives me power over others’ actions,” she explained, beckoning me closer.

My feet didn’t stop moving until I was an inch from her face and could smell her…passionfruit notes—she even smelled beautiful. “And what do you do with people when you have them under your control?” I asked warily.

Her smile broadened, and she lifted a bare shoulder sensually. “Whatever I want.”

I shuddered. This was a danger I had no defense against. Doug and Herb didn’t perceive her as a threat, so they weren’t baring their teeth. And she hadn’t even Ascended yet. I dreaded to think how powerful she would be once she had—maybe she could hypnotize dozens of people at once or over a more extended range.

“Now,” she said, licking her lips, clearly trying to scare me. “What shall we have you do next?” She put a finger a manicured finger to her full lips. “Walk over to Leif,” she commanded.

No way. I imagined a mental barrier between my mind and her, a protective dome that would stop her commands from leaking into me. I was in complete control of my brain and my body, and there was no way I would walk across the clearing and—

My feet marched across the ivy-covered ground until I stood before Leif, staring into his left nipple. Thank God he’d pulled on some sweatpants, but his chest was bare and muscled and right at the tip of my nose.

“Lick him,” she instructed.

No fucking way—

I ran my tongue up his chiseled body, over the swell of his pectoral muscle, and around his nipple in a slow circle. His dick popped up between us, tenting in his sweatpants, even more impressive than it had been flaccid.

Ronan growled loudly behind me, probably pissed that Leif enjoyed this so much. He wanted his buddies to go total bully all the time, and Leif was not giving off bully vibes.

“Stop,” Gabrelle commanded as Ronan’s growl became a roar. She looked at Ronan, and her white skirt swished around her knees. “You want a turn, moody? Fine. Take a seat.”

He obeyed instantly, flopping into the same bush I’d sat in earlier, and I wondered if she was using Lure on him too.

“Kiss Ronan,” she commanded.

I put every ounce of energy I could muster into my mental shield, willing her commands not to affect me. I felt lucid, not hypnotized or drunk or unaware of my surroundings, so I should be able to stop myself from locking lips with the biggest asshole I’d ever met.

I happened to know he was a kick-ass kisser, but he was also the last creature on earth I wanted to smash.

I definitely would not—

My feet skipped across the clearing, and I straddled him, then pressed my mouth to his.

He grabbed my hips hard, reminding me of that night we first met, only this time, I was facing him. He slid me forward until his hard cock kissed my panties, my wet panties, and his soft salty lips drank me in.

Damn Gabrelle and her Lure, it was so powerful. I devoured his kiss, smashed my lips against his, sucked and nibbled and licked, and my entire body responded.

Was Leif pulsing me with his sexual magic, adding to the Lure? No clue, but suddenly I didn’t want to be anywhere else. My mind and body were as one.

My hands gripped Ronan’s neck, and he grabbed my hips, and we kissed each other like people drowning. I ached for him, dripped for him, wanted him.

I was lost in this male’s body, pressing and writhing against him like he was a lifeline in a storm. The fabric of my panties was soaked, and his fae-denim pants were so thin that his hard cock penetrated me slightly.

A soft moan escaped me, and his fingers tightened around my hipbones, demanding more from me, and I wanted to give him everything.

I ran a hand around his thick shoulder, squeezing his rock-hard triceps as he grabbed and ground my ass.

His lips hummed out an inaudible moan, making me feel wanted, desired, urgent.

I ached with need for him and tried to angle myself for full penetration while he brought a hand up to the back of my head and squeezed my skull.

His chest was so broad and firm. All of him as hard as steel and as vital as oxygen.

My hips ground, and I kissed him harder, then let him splay his hand across my back and pull me close.

Some powerful fae magic was at play, and I was helpless under its power. Somehow the Lure had gotten inside my brain, inside my thoughts, and had made me want this male, and I was too lost in the moment to even care.

“Stop,” Gabrelle commanded, and I instantly climbed off Ronan’s lap, still aching and dripping with need. I stared, panting, at Ronan, who was still sprawled and lazy with lust. His dark eyes were hooded with desire as they stared back at me, peering into my very being.

I didn’t want to crawl back onto his lap; of course I didn’t. Why would I want that? Why would I want to close the gap between us and turn up the heat when I was no longer commanded to? Why was I imagining straddling him again and pushing my panties aside?

Similar thoughts seemed to flow through Ronan’s head if the expression in his eyes was anything to go by. Then it hardened from hooded lust to cold calculation, making it easier for me to step away.

Shaking away the effects of the Lure demonstration, I walked over to where Doug and Herb were digging in the grass for worms.

Leif whistled. “Whoa, she is one spicy chick. A red hot chili pepper.”

I rolled my eyes. “Suck my kiss.”

Leif licked his lips. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

Ronan growled something about an heir pact, and Gabrelle scoffed.

My legs were shaky, so I put a hand against a smooth-barked tree for extra support. “So, is that the end of the demonstration? Can I go now?”

They frowned like I was an idiot, and I supposed that was fair because they didn’t know I was only here because of my stupid bossy tattoo.

“You can leave anytime you want,” Ronan said slowly. “All the way back to Hebes.”

“What a gentleman,” I snapped.

I stalked off, and my tattoo buzzed happily, so I could continue my stalk all the way home. Doug trotted at my feet, and Herb followed a yard or two behind. “Thanks for your help back that there, guys,” I muttered sarcastically.

I had zero clue why I’d snapped that remark about Ronan being ungentlemanly. It didn’t bother me that we had a one-night stand. That he screwed me and then broke my bones. That he kissed me and then told me to go back to Hebes.

I didn’t care at all. So why did the heat of his touch repeat in my mind, and his cut-glass jawline haunt my dreams?

Because revenge. I was obsessing over him because he kept getting one up on me, and I needed to end up on top. I would get my revenge on him and all his entitled pals, and then I would disappear and live a perfect life in the most boring part of Verda.

But first, revenge.