Cold Hearted Snake

cold hearted snake

I know that Slade and Kaspar are right about interrogating the staff at university, but I’m having trouble figuring out how I’m supposed to do something so permanent unless it feels right. Mating with Slade doesn’t feel wrong in theory, but until we’re intimate, I won’t know for sure. I’ve been attracted to him from the second I saw him, but I’ve certainly been hot for people who were not my fated in the past.

His soft eyes meet mine and I see the flush creeping up his neck as he looks at me. I feel this gentle, sweet siren has been told he’s not enough his entire life. After my experience with Magnus, I know exactly how that can damage a person. Reaching out, I take his hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

“I’m willing to test the theory if you are, Slade. But…” I swallow hard, my emotions welling up inside as I drop my gaze to our joined fingers. “…please don’t feel as though you have to do this now—or at all—to help Lucas and me. Clearing him is important, but not at the expense of anyone else’s happiness, especially if they had… other things in mind for their future.”

Ignatius snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. He wants to say something, but I guarantee it’s not about the thing I’ve sensed when the adorable grad student looks at his long time ‘roommate.’ The mage is definitely oblivious as hell to that situation and I will not be the one who spills the beans unless it becomes my purview as a mate. If that happens, it’s open season on serving him a steaming pile of truth about stringing someone I care about along.

Slade squeezes my hand, his beautiful aquamarine eyes sincere as he looks at me. “Don’t be nervous that you’re going to hurt me with rejection; it’s not possible.”

I didn’t know sirens were fucking mind readers, too.

“He’s not reading your mind,” Iggy says with a grin. “He knows because you can hear him sing without being influenced. It’s something only a mate or someone with a powerful enchantment can accomplish.”

A thought hits me and I snort, covering my mouth as the hilarity of the situation hits me. Oh, this is funny. Licking my lips, I fight the urge to tell the stuffy idiot what I just realized—he thinks there’s nothing between him and Slade because he cast an enchantment when they became roommates and has never lifted it. It’s why he’s never even considered the thing I can plainly see, despite not knowing them for very long.

“What’s so funny, babe?” Lucas asks, his head tilted curiously.

I get myself under control, shaking my head at him. “Nothing. I never imagined doing something like this while I was sentenced here. The Fates adore amusing themselves, I guess.”

It’s a lie, but I’ll tell him my theory later.

Liam leans in, his hand reaching out to touch where my hand is tangled with the siren’s. “You know that the bear and I are behind you, no matter what you decide, Salaadir.”

“Fuck, yeah, we are,” Lucas grins as he sprawls in place. “After time with you and the Prince, I’m so fucking on board it’s ridiculous. Fuck anyone who has something to say about it, too.”

He knows I’m worried about what’s going to happen when people find out. I’ve already got a reputation as a killer because of my trial, and this sort of thing will fly around the microcosm that is State U like wildfire. Two students and a prince are salacious as hell, even if they are fated mates. I’ll be fielding a lot of intrusive questions and hateful rhetoric once it gets out.

“ I’m not okay with any of this,” Kaspar mutters grumpily. “But it seems like the most prudent course of action.”

My jaw tightens and I glare at the asshole dragon as if I could crisp him with my mind. “Yes, I’m aware you’re ‘anti-Morgana’ and you’d rather dip your dick in acid than touch me.”

Every guy in the room winces, and I roll my eyes. Men are so fucking weird about their genitals. A threat to pull out their intestines with my claws or inject my snakes’ venom into their eyeballs would be much more painful, but mention hurting their cock and they shrivel like an overcooked hotdog. It’s bizarre as hell.

But useful.

Des pops out from under my hair when I think about venom and I sigh. “Look at what you did, fuckhead. You made my troublemaker choose violence.”

Kaspar snorts. “It’s not my fault you’re centuries old and can’t control your shifts, hybrid.”

The way he says the word makes me bristle and before I know it, all my snakes are loose and I no longer have raven tresses—I’m all gorgon. My eyes itch as they fade to golden and elongate to slits, then a low hiss pushes its way out of my mouth. His ridiculous bias against me has no basis other than what the press reported, and I know he knows that shit wasn’t true. Kaspar is being mean simply to hurt me, and I’m putting a stop to it now.

“Youuuuuu…” I snarl as I point a clawed finger at him, scales shooting up my arm as I stand. “You will ceassssse to treat me like garbage. I have done nothing to earn your ire, sssssstorm dragon, and if you cannot be civil, you will be sssssstone inssssstead.”

My eyes are not on his—yet—because I’d prefer not to follow through on my threat. It would hurt Liam and put me on the radar for the fucking Daybreak Court’s assassins, so for the moment, it’s more of a promise. But if I lift my gaze, he will definitely harden and it won’t just be in his goddamn tight-ass pants.

“Morgana…” Lucas says softly. I feel when he approaches as my forked tongue flicks in the air, but I don’t move. “As hot as this is—and believe me , scaly snake Morgana is fucking hot as hell—you know you can’t turn the dickhead to stone. Not now, anyway.”

Joke’s on you, mate. I can and I will if he doesn’t cut this bullshit out.

“For fuck’s sake,” Kaspar huffs. “All I said is that you can’t control your shifts. Why are you losing your shit?”

My slitted eyes blink and it hits me that he really doesn’t know why I’m pissed. If that’s true, then perhaps he didn’t mean his words the way they sounded. He’s a goddamn fool, but he might not be a damn species-ist dickhole. I draw in a slow, calming breath and do my best to push back the gorgon. It takes a minute, but I get her under control enough to respond.

“I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt again , though it pains me to keep making exceptions for your stupid ass assumptions.” The dragon glares at me, and I stare him down. “I’m angry because your words and inflection conveyed a dislike for hybrids, which is detestable. If you didn’t mean to sound that way, you need to think harder about the words and tone you use when speaking to people. I’m also frustrated as fuck that you cannot simply give me a goddamn break. You can hate me all you want, but maybe keep it to yourself? It’s cruel and totally unnecessary to keep prodding at me.”

Kaspar blinks at me, his eyes wide as he takes in my rant. The other guys look pissed when they hear how I feel, and it’s beyond obvious that he’s in the minority with #TeamMorganaSucks. The dragon runs a hand through hair, his aura agitated as he huffs a smoke ring, then looks at me. “I did not intend to imply that. Hybrids are doubly gifted supes, not lesser beings.”

No mention of your asshole behavior to me, huh?

I open my mouth, but he holds up his hand. The dragon swallows hard, and I see the smallest hint of vulnerability on his face. “I have a reason for being churlish, though it’s not an excuse. Not because of anything you did, but my reason is valid. I will, however, try very hard not to berate you as much. I didn’t think you cared enough for it to be harmful.”

“Dude, are you fucking serious?” Lucas moves from behind me, his icy eyes flashing at the elder supe. “You are way too fucking old to be this dense. Who cares if she likes you or not? Either way, you don’t have a free pass to be an insulting asshole in her house—a house you know we’re trying to rid of the offensive, abusive dipshit who treated her like a damn Kleenex until she took her due. Don’t act like you’re ignorant of the effect you have when you spout bullshit because no one is buying it.”

Slade looks up at him, his pretty face pinched as he sneers. “Even if you have the emotional range of a sponge, you know saying nasty shit to people is hurtful. Try again, and apologize less like you’re making an excuse.”

The dragon spins on his heel, pacing back and forth manically for a moment before he speaks again. “You don’t understand. None of you get it. Only he does.”

We turn to look at the Prince and he sighs softly. “I understand, old friend, but you have allowed your past injury to infect you more than I knew. I thought when you agreed to stay here with us you might thaw, but it seems like you’re only getting worse. Do you want to go home and assign another guard to me? I would dislike it, but if it would spare you…”

No, no. I do not want to be the cause of that.

“No!” I say, grabbing Liam’s hand in panic. “Don’t punish him. I… I can learn to live with it. I have before, and I can’t bear thinking I’ve caused a rift between you and your oldest friend and protector.”

Kaspar turns back to us, his face a mask of shock as he squints at me. “You would let me continue to hurt you if it allowed Li to be happy and safe?”

“Duh?” I reply in confusion. “It’s not like Magnus was warm and cuddly. I’ve lived with worse than some mean barbs. I’ll get used to it?—”

This time it’s Liam who stands. “You will not . I refuse to allow you to take back the appropriate boundary you set. I am certain the bear and I agree we cannot see our mate in pain because my supposed friend cannot deal with his own issues.”

His words get Kaspar’s attention and the expression on the dragon’s face changes again. He scratches his head, looking frustrated before he growls, “I need some fucking space.”

Without waiting for a response, he storms out of the room, and the door slams shut in his wake. I don’t hear his car start, so I assume he’s walking back to their place until a loud boom outside corrects me. Within seconds, a pelting rain hits the roof of the house and lightning cracks across the sky outside the window.

“Well, shit,” Liam mutters as he walks over to look at the sudden storm. “All we can do is wait.”

I wrinkle my nose, feeling Des finally slide back into my hair. “What do you mean?”

The Fae gives me a rueful smile as he turns back to us. “Kaspar only shifts in this realm when he is so overcome by emotions that he fears he will do something rash that will harm others… or himself. I’m not sure which option caused this outburst.”

“He might… hurt himself?” I whisper, feeling ill as I voice the words.

That is not what I wanted.

“Kaspar holds a great deal of pain he has not dealt with healthily. It comes from our past and though I have done everything I can to help him, he is not ready to let go of it yet. I won’t let him hurt you because of that. Making that clear has him very conflicted, so yes, he will probably punish himself.”

“I don’t want that.”

Liam sighs and shakes his head ruefully. “I don’t want that, either. I never have. If anyone is responsible for his pain, it’s the person who caused it. But he can’t confront them, nor can he blame me, so he takes the responsibility himself. I have endeavored for many centuries to get him various forms of help to process that heartstring wound. As a dragon, it will only get worse the longer he lets it consume him.”

Guilt floods me again, and I drop my head to my hands. I shouldn’t feel empathy for someone who has been bullying me, but I do. This kind of thinking lead me to allow Magnus the grasping, gaslighting control he had over me. I can’t go down this path again. We have too much to do for me to dedicate my spoons to helping a dragon who is purposefully nursing an old wound.

Whatever Kaspar needs, he won’t get it from me unless he apologizes—period.