21. Raven

TWENTY-ONE

RAVEN

The morning passes just as easily as it did yesterday. No Erikel, none of his men, not even a glimpse of Sebastian. My gut clenches with the worry this brings, but I focus on the relief we get to bask in for a moment instead.

Pulling out the seat beside Leila, the Bishops choose their spots around the table in the dining hall, giving me the pleasure of Zane on my other side, with Eldon sitting straight across from me, leaving Brax and Creed to flank him.

“Have you had any luck with the book I brought you?” Leila asks as I choose what I want for my lunch.

I look up through my lashes toward Brax to find him glancing at me already.

“No, not yet. We had a look through it, but it all kind of blurred together. So I’m going to take another look tonight,” I explain, and she hums in agreement.

“I’ll keep searching, and if I come across anything else, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you,” I breathe, turning my attention to my friend. That’s what she is. I was dumb to put a lot of shit between us because she kept the guild a secret. Especially since she has proven herself again and again since then, even when it hasn’t been necessary. I need to get over the usual niggle in my gut I get when it comes to trust.

“No worries.”

I opt for the buttermilk fried chicken and the table settles into a comfortable silence as we all eat. I feel relaxed and at ease, except for the tiniest bit of tension in my shoulders when I think about whatever is to come next. I can’t shake it, but it keeps me alert, so it’s probably a good thing.

I almost wish we were back to dealing with Genie and her bullshit. At the time, it was irritating as fuck, but now, I would take it over the mess with Erikel and his men any day. It was playground shit in comparison to this. Now we’re dealing with real realm problems.

Shaking my head, I pull myself from thoughts of what was and what could have been. There’s no use having my head buried in the past. Instead, I consider what tomorrow will look like now that we’ve convinced Figgins to meet us at the compound. Something good has to come from it. It has to. My soul is feeling a little frazzled with the separation from Ari now and the need to be closer to him is getting more difficult to suppress. Those are just my selfish reasons, nevermind the fact that they’re in danger in the forest with the unknown creatures.

Fuck.

Maybe I shouldn’t think about that either.

The only thoughts that will lighten my mood revolve around the Bishops and I’m sure, on some level, that’s not healthy, but fuck if I care. The only issue is, if I start to delve into my thoughts of them, I’ll either get stuck on the almighty L word that plagues me or twisted up in knots over thoughts of them touching my body.

Laughter pulls me from my head completely and I look up to see a group of people walking through the doors leading into the dining hall. It doesn’t take even a second to recognize them.

Erikel’s men.

The students from Shadowgrim Institute.

They’re back. Which I can only assume means one thing: Erikel’s back, too.

Great.

My fork clatters to my almost-empty plate, my appetite gone. Everyone watches their every move, and it’s clear when the group continues to grow that there are more here than before. I can count at least fifteen of them and my gut clenches.

The swagger oozes from them as they saunter between the tables, fully aware they hold everyone’s attention. Their egos could definitely do with a good ass kicking and I would love to be the one to do it.

“Where do you guys usually throw a party?” the guy at the front asks, flanked by his friends on either side. The question is aimed at a girl at a table two rows from us and I can see her gulp nervously from here.

“Uhh, down by the mausoleums,” she mumbles before slamming her lips closed.

“Nice,” he replies with a smirk. “I’m Ruben. My friends and I have just been enrolled at the academy, and what better way to celebrate than with a party tonight, yeah?” His smile widens as he glances around the room. His eyes hover on our table for a brief second before he continues to scan the other students. “Everyone is invited, of course,” he adds, patting the girl on the shoulder a few times before continuing to prowl across the room.

They make a scene of rearranging two of the tables in the far corner, pushing them together so they can sit as one. The crowd is quickly forgotten as they get comfortable and eat, laughing and boasting louder than necessary.

Turning my attention back to our table, the first thing I notice is the frown on Brax’s face, the corner of Creed’s mouth tipped up in a sneer, the ticking of Zane’s jaw, and the white of Eldon’s knuckles.

“The party is definitely to get intel on us,” Leila murmurs, her nose wrinkling with a mixture of worry and certainty, and I nod.

“Possibly. I guess creating a buzz is a far easier way to get us to let our guard down, and what better way to get the hive buzzing than by placing students here? Probably way more effective than relying on those they put in charge of us. I imagine they think we’ll see them as our equals,” I reply, twisting my lips in thought.

“If that’s the case, then maybe we play them at their own game.” Leila seems concerned with her own idea, but as I stare at her, it makes more and more sense.

“Maybe we do,” I state, turning to the Bishops. “I hate to say it, but we’re going to that party.”

Black silk clingsto my body, dainty straps holding it in place as I twist from side to side in front of the mirror. What I want to do is curl up into a ball under a thick duvet and snuggle the night away, but me and my bright ideas have us getting ready for the damn party.

My hair is twisted into a bun on top of my head, revealing the swirls of black that now intertwine with the pink. We’re embracing them tonight. Besides, it fits with my dress and smokey eye make up.

Grabbing my clutch, I step out of the bathroom and falter in the doorway when I find all four of my men dressed and ready, lying side by side on the giant bed while they wait for me.

Brax is the closest, in jet-black jeans with a matching fitted tee, making his muscles look even bigger somehow. Eldon is beside him, in dark blue jeans and a white shirt, while Zane lies in a pair of cream chino shorts and a navy button-up on his other side. Creed is the farthest away from me, wearing an emerald-green t-shirt and black shorts. The green makes his dark eyes glisten as he looks my way.

“I don’t think we should go,” he rasps, eyes raking over me from head to toe, and the others quickly glance my way too.

“I agree,” Zane says with a nod, and I roll my eyes at them.

“Please, we’re not going to be having any fun. No drinking, no dancing, just listening. I may as well look cute while we do it,” I state, and Eldon shakes his head at me.

“You’re sinfully delicious, Little Bird. I want to unwrap you now,” he says, his blue eyes darkening as he moves to stand at the bottom of the bed.

“Everyone else is going to see how hot she is,” Zane grumbles, following suit and folding his arms over his chest as he stands beside Eldon.

“For sure, but that’s why we have Brax. If anyone tries to do anything more than look, he can smash them in the face with that right hook of his,” Eldon retorts with a chuckle, making me grin.

Nodding, I take a step toward the door. “Good. If that’s settled, are we ready to go?” I ask, and I almost make it to the open doorway before I’m swept off my feet.

The thickness of the arms banding around my waist tells me it’s Brax, which is confirmed when he growls in my ear. “You’re going to have me punching every fucker tonight. Behave, Shadow.”

Damn.

My thighs clench and I really consider my options. Staying home with the four of them seems way more fun right now, but the thought of a future where we get to just be ourselves, free to be like this all of the time, makes me stick to my plan.

Brax carries me outside before placing me back on my feet. I’m half expecting to see Leila, but I quickly remember the last lesson of the day. Fitch was waiting outside of the classroom doors when she stepped out, and when she mentioned the plan for the party to him, he completely forbade it.

That’s not an argument we need to get ourselves involved in, so I promised to keep her informed about anything we learn. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a parent care so deeply and react so protectively. I’m sure for her it’s constricting and annoying as fuck, but from the outside looking in, it almost seems… nice.

My fingers lace with Brax’s as Eldon appears at my other side, placing his palm against the small of my back. Creed takes the lead position in front of us this time, and Zane silently holds back a step.

Imagine what it would be like for us to just walk normally. Even if there wasn’t a war building around us, I get the distinct feeling that the four of them would still behave this way. Is this their version of being protective? The answer is obvious and I relax, my heart swelling with appreciation as we head toward the music in the distance.

The marble mausoleums appear by the outline of the forest, and the gathering of students grows. Laughter echoes around us in the night air, lanterns and orbs glowing just bright enough for us to see where we’re going once we step off the lit path.

It doesn’t take long for me to spot Genie dancing with some of her friends as the party comes into full view and my nostrils flare with anger at her mere presence. I should make a scene and slam a damn tree into her, but I have to remember that tonight is about something else. Something far more important than the playground bullshit she brings.

Brax pulls me along to a table in the middle of everyone else, offering us a good vantage point of conversations going on around us as well as a spectacular view of who is mingling with whom. One thing we need to be making a note of is who is effortlessly befriending the guys from Basilica.

That will be a giant red flag for me, but it will also allow us to see who can and can’t be trusted, and if they’re a member of the guild with no given agenda, then I’ll be bringing that shit to the next meeting.

My hips sway to the beat as my men all stand around the small circular table with me. I instantly regret declaring a ban on drinking and dancing because now that I’m here, I’m itching to do both.

As if sensing my thoughts, Zane taps my shoulder. “Maybe we should get drinks so we look like we’re here to do more than just spy on people,” he offers, and I nod in agreement. He smirks, seemingly pleased with himself, before he saunters off with Eldon to do just that.

Creed’s dark eyes turn my way at the same time Brax shifts to stand behind me. With my back pressed to his front and his arms barricading me in, I’m breathless. Creed smirks knowingly as Brax leans in, pressing a kiss to the sensitive spot at the base of my neck.

Fuck.

The control I was commanding earlier is quickly slipping. I should tell him to stop, make him focus, but fuck, my words are lost right now. I continue to sway my hips as I watch the students around us. I’m focused and paying attention…barely, but it counts.

“Silk feels phenomenal against your skin, Shadow,” Brax whispers against my ear, making me shiver as I try to remain as relaxed as possible, but it’s far easier said than done.

“Dammit, Brax,” I bite, practically panting, and despite my internal warring, I pout when he moves, returning to my side as Zane and Eldon return with drinks.

I offer a stern glare to my gargoyle, who simply winks in response before turning to Zane for the sweet yellow drink in his hand. I need it. I need it right now. The glass is barely in my hands before the liquor is burning its way down my throat, leaving me wanting before I’ve had a chance to swallow the first.

Fuck, if I don’t calm down, I’ll be the one running my loose lips to the enemy just to get a rise out of my men for leaving me so needy. I’m my own worst enemy. I know it, but I can’t help it.

“Woah, Dove. What did I miss? What has you so riled up?”

I look up at Zane, my jaw slack for a second on being called out, but it’s Creed who answers him anyway. “It seems she’s struggling with us ‘blending in,’” he says mockingly with exaggerated hand gestures.

He knows exactly what Brax was doing, and blending in definitely wasn’t on his agenda. I don’t think.

“No, I—”

“She needs a distraction. Otherwise, none of us will get any intel from this fucking party, and that’s the only reason we’re here,” Brax grunts, but I don’t miss the fact that he’s rearranging his jeans at the same time as putting all the blame on me.

Fucker.

“Maybe I should be distracted by your cock in my mouth. Put us both out of our misery. Do you want me to take care of that now?” I ask, cocking a brow at him as I stroke my hand over his tight jeans, the bulge of his thick dick obvious.

His teeth clatter as he bites back a hiss, and one of his hands lands over mine, pushing my palm harder against the material.

“Don’t play games with me, Shadow. I’ll have you on your knees in front of everyone here and you know it.” My breath hitches, excitement swirling in my core. Right now, that sounds like an excellent idea.

“Our girl is clearly needy, but like fuck is she being taken care of in front of all these people,” Eldon grunts, tugging Brax’s hand from mine. “Since you got her all worked up with no prize, you can stay here and observe,” he continues, intertwining my fingers with his. “I, on the other hand, am going to give her exactly what she wants.”

I gulp as I look up into Eldon’s mischievous eyes. I should say no. I should stay and fucking focus. I should do anything but be distracted tonight, but when he tugs at my hand, I’m powerless.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip as he guides me through the crowd, bypassing the growing number of tables filling with newcomers, before slipping inside the closest mausoleum. The cool air wraps around me as he closes the metal gate behind us, secluding us from the rest of the party.

I can still hear the music and the murmurs of the party-goers, but it’s all muted in the background.

“In here? Really?” I breathe, looking around. There’s a stone tomb in the middle of the space, which is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside, with a cushioned bench against the far wall. A few trinkets are lined up along the little carved-out alcoves, but otherwise, it’s cobwebs and dust that decorate the place.

“Little Bird, if I bent you over that tomb right now and slammed two fingers into that sweet pussy of yours, they would come out wet. Try and tell me I’m wrong.”

Fuck.

Pouting at his accurate assessment, I’m not ready for the move when he grabs the back of my thighs and effortlessly lifts me into the air. My arms tighten around his neck, and my legs around his waist, as he runs his nose along mine. His hands find their way to the globes of my ass and the way he palms them has me clenching even tighter around him.

“You’re not wrong,” I breathe, and he smirks.

“How do you want this, Little Bird? Fast and to the point to give you exactly what you want, or do you want to walk out of here looking well and truly fucked?” I nibble at my lip. The latter sounds the most appealing, but we’re supposed to be here for a reason and I’m disrupting it all with my needy pussy. “Nevermind, I’ll make the decision for myself,” he rasps, ghosting his lips over mine before he strides across the room.

My back stiffens, bracing to feel the cool stone of the tomb beneath me, but to my surprise, the chill doesn’t come. Instead, I’m hoisted higher in the air, my grip on him completely gone as my thighs hit his shoulders and my back connects with the wall.

“Fuck.” I gasp at the exact moment he nips at my pussy through my panties, and it turns into a drawn-out moan.

I scramble to brace myself against the wall, but there’s nothing to hold on to, leaving me completely at his mercy. Until I remember that he told me to use my magic to hold me against the wall the other day. Settling my magic in my chest, I feel much steadier just in time for him to make my panties disappear.

The next lap of his tongue melds between my folds and I groan. The stone wall is rough beneath my palm, so I reach for his hair instead, which makes him hum hungrily against my clit.

“You’re going to come on my tongue, Raven. Then I’ll fuck you,” he murmurs against my sensitive skin.

I nod, even though he’s not looking at me, and his lips find my pussy once again as I cry out from the flicker of heat dancing over him.

He’s using his magic.

Fuck.

Heat ripples from him to me, mixing with the desire already warming my body, and I feel like I’m going to combust.

Swipe after swipe of his tongue, pleasure claims me, and when his fingers plunge into my core for the first time, warmth dancing over the tips, I come apart. Wave after wave of my climax crashes into me. I cling to it, my moans getting higher and higher as I grow breathless, and Eldon doesn’t stop until my hold on his hair softens and I release my magic to slump back against the wall.

All too quickly, he’s lowering me to my feet. I clutch his shoulders for stability and he smirks down at me, his chin glistening with the evidence of my release. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I swipe my tongue along his bottom lip, tasting myself.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” he grunts, pulling me close so we’re chest to chest before claiming my mouth. He takes charge, delving his tongue between my parted lips, and no matter how much I try to fight for dominance, he wins.

Succumbing to his touch, he inches backward and I willingly follow while we remain attached at the lips. I know we’re near the tomb now, and his desire to bend me over it is close to being fulfilled, but there’s something I want to do first. Something I was denied the other day.

I push off his chest, tearing our lips apart, and his dark gaze narrows. But it doesn’t last long as I drop to the floor, the harshness of the ground biting into my knees. I relish in it.

“I want you on my tongue.”

His tongue sweeps out over his bottom lip as he stares down at me. “You want to taste me, Little Bird?” he murmurs, and I nod, reaching for the zipper of his jeans. I know they can be magically and effortlessly removed, but there’s something about the urgency of needing each other that there’s no time to remove clothes that has me wound tight.

Unbuttoning his jeans, the sound of his zipper echoes around us, and I smile excitedly as his cock springs free. There’s no building up to this, no slow start. I want him, and I want him now.

I wrap my lips around his length, sucking him to the back of my throat in one swift move.

“Holy fuck, Raven. Just like that,” he gasps, his fingers lacing in my hair. His hold tightens when I repeat the move, and with every swipe of my mouth, his panting grows louder.

Trying my best to relax my throat, I take him deeper and deeper until gagging is unavoidable, but he likes that just as much. I look at him through my lashes and find his jaw hanging loose as he gapes at me. His hold on my hair tightens as he steadies me, flexing his hips instead, and I gag around his length again.

“Fuck, Little Bird. I shouldn’t like that,” he rasps, retreating slowly before slamming to the back of my throat and making it close around his cock. “I really shouldn’t,” he repeats, slipping from my lips.

“Don’t stop until my mascara is running down my face,” I murmur hoarsely, clinging to his denim-clad thighs eagerly, and his eyes widen as he stares at me in wonder for a moment.

He doesn’t ask me if I’m sure, he doesn’t doubt my choice, he does nothing but exactly what I ask. With his cock resting between my lips again, he fucks my mouth vigorously, making my thighs slick with my own pleasure as he takes and takes. Again and again, I gag around his length, and I watch as his eyes roll to the back of his head at the same time as tears track down my face.

All at once he’s gone. He goes as far as to take a step back from me as he braces his hands on his knees, heaving every breath as he looks at me through half-mast lids.

“Raven. Fuck, I swear to the heavens, I want that pussy out for me right now. Tempting me with that fucking mouth of yours. I almost sprayed down your throat so many times, but I want to paint your insides with my cum. Make it happen, Little Bird.”

I gape at him in surprise for the briefest moment before I kick into action. Pushing to my feet, I gather my dress around my waist as I climb up onto the tomb, lying with the full length of the stone beneath me.

His eyes darken as he circles me, stopping where my feet are pressed against the tomb, offering the perfect view of my pussy with my knees bent and parted.

“Good girl.” Climbing onto the tomb, he inches closer, his clothes still in place as he settles between my open thighs. “I want to fuck you bare,” he murmurs, and I nod.

“Do it. I’m on protection.”

He stills, looking down at me with furrowed brows. “You’ve been on protection this entire time?” he asks, and I nod lightly, confused about where he’s going with this instead of doing it. “So, to clarify, I could have been fucking you bare all along?”

“Uhh, yeah?”

“You’re in trouble, Little Bird. Withholding that piece of information from me. You better believe we’re going to make up for that,” he growls, grabbing my thighs and pushing them against my stomach as he aligns his cock with my entrance.

He slams inside of me hard and fast and I scream. Blindly grabbing onto his arms, my nails dig into his flesh as he doesn’t give me a second to adjust. He slams into me, unrelenting as I hold on for dear life.

My vision blurs, my pulse ringing in my ears as he leans down and bites at my pebbled nipple through the material of my dress, making me unravel beneath him. My lungs burn with the scream that explodes from my body, consuming me as I milk his cock with everything that I am.

“Shit, Raven,” he moans, and I feel it—the moment he finds his release—the pulse in my core, the ropes of his climax clinging to me as we shatter together. Sweat coats our tangled limbs as we slowly come down from the highest of highs. I gasp when he pulls his dick from my pussy, but it’s quickly soothed by his lips peppering kisses over my face. “You do look stunning with your mascara down your face, Raven,” he breathes against my lips, and I sigh, basking in the afterglow when a loud cackle freezes us in place.

“Sebastian, where have you been?”

We both glance toward the opening of the mausoleum, but no one is standing there. They must be on the other side, unaware we’re in here.

“Ruben. Erikel said you would be joining us soon. I had some things to take care of, but I’m here to join in the celebrations now.”

Yup. That’s definitely my brother.

Glancing at Eldon, he nods and we both climb down from the tomb as quietly as possible, fixing our clothes as we edge closer to the wrought-iron gate between us and them.

“I didn’t think I’d be here celebrating joining a damn academy when I graduated two years ago, but apparently, it’s about the bigger plan and I’m here for the ride. As long as I’m out of Basilica, I’m at Erikel’s beck and call, and you know it.”

“It will all be for the greater good. We’ve got some smaller hurdles to overcome here first, but once we have everything we need, we’re heading to the capitol. Once we’ve brought down The Monarchy, we’ll be doing whatever the fuck we please when we call this place our own,” Sebastian replies, a fierceness in his tone that’s not the same as he uses with me.

“Small hurdles are nothing. You tell me what you want done and I’ll fucking do it. Anything to get us to the end goal as quickly as possible,” Ruben states eagerly, and I glance at Eldon, who is frowning just as hard as me.

“I was hoping you would say that because I need somebody dead,” Sebastian explains, his voice getting quieter as they seem to step away. I have to strain to hear Ruben’s response, and it sends chills running down my spine.

“Tell me the name and consider it done.”