10. Eldon

ELDON

Brax’s response went down about as well as someone slapping your mom across the face. I agreed with what he said without question, we are the Bishops and whatever we say goes, including anything in regards to our new housemate, but even I can’t deny that his execution could have been a little…gentler.

If looks could kill, I would have sworn that was her magical ability. The way her eye twitched, the vein at her temple throbbing with anger as she glared at each of us, had me ready for a scolding from the little bird. Yet I watched in complete bewilderment as she slowly rose to her feet, hitched her bag over her shoulder, and stormed from the dining hall with Leila hot on her heels.

Despite her silence, her rage was evident as we followed her through the halls, sat behind her in the last class of the day, and stayed close by as we stepped from the main academy building to head home. She’s maintaining a cautious step ahead of us, shoulders tense and bunched together as she dips her head closer to Leila, who murmurs something into her ear.

I’ve never wished for enhanced hearing before, but I would do just about anything to listen in on what they’re talking about.

“Do you think Leila is a safe friend choice for her?” Creed asks, staring straight ahead as I consider his words.

“Who would you rather she lean on, Leila or someone like Genie?” Zane asks, making me shiver.

“Definitely not the latter.” I watch Leila toss her head back with a laugh and my veins itch to know what’s happening, but I’m left with these three assholes instead. “Besides, Leila’s always been quiet and drama-free. That will work in our favor.”

“Her father too,” Creed adds, earning a growl from Brax. That’s definitely up for debate, but we’re not getting into that now.

“The only thing that matters right now is Raven listening to us.” Brax’s voice is as gruff as it was back at the dining hall, which means he’s holding his ground.

“I feel like we should explain things to her a little more. She’s not wrong about the fact that we’re crowding her every move,” Zane states, making my brows bunch in annoyance.

“Don’t forget the overstepping, making an ass of yourselves, and attempting to dictate who I can and cannot speak to,” Raven hollers, not even bothering to glance back over her shoulder at us. Is enhanced hearing related to her magic? Maybe I just need to ask her. The way Leila grins back at us, though, and Zane’s neutral expression, tells me he was talking louder than necessary. So half of the campus probably heard him.

“I’m beginning to regret your idea.” Brax swipes a hand down his face as we slow down enough to return to a private conversation.

“There’s nothing to regret, man. You know it. Everything adds up. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.” I spell it out, trusting my gut as every letter slips from my lips. I only get a grunt in response, and when I glance to the side, I find Creed staring at me. He offers a simple nod, confirming he’s in agreement with me.

Is this crazy as fuck? Yup. Is this entirely out of the norm for who we are and what we usually stand for? Yup. Are we still going to act like this going forward? Yup, I’m certain of it. I’m sure Brax and Raven will get over it…eventually.

A growl from in front of us snaps our attention away from our conversation and I turn to find the other Hendrix on campus. The one begging for me to kill him with my bare hands. I stomp two steps forward as I watch Sebastian loom over Raven, but before I can lunge at him, Zane has his arm banded around my shoulders, forcing me to stop.

My body tenses and my eyes squeeze shut as I calm the boiling rage welling up inside of me. As I blink my eyes back open, Zane relaxes his hold at the same time Sebastian steps around Raven and locks eyes with me.

“Rhodes, is it true?” He’s pointing over his shoulder at Raven, who hasn’t carried on walking like I expected. No. She’s fully facing us now, seeing what unfolds.

Fuck.

“Is what true?”

I tuck my hands into my pockets, attempting to appear calm, despite my fury at him for his attack on Raven earlier.

“That you’ve been given the short straw and have my sister living with you. I’ve already spoken with my father and put in a request with the administration team to have that rectified.”

“Is that so? And where are you trying to move her to?”

The sinister glint in Sebastian’s eyes irritates the fuck out of me. “Well, I wanted her off campus altogether, but since that isn’t possible, I’ll settle with the pits instead of a house with a view and all of the luxurious things Silvercrest has to offer. She’s from Shadowmoor, man. She doesn’t deserve to sully all of this with her existence.”

I look past him, locking eyes with Raven, who fails to hide the pain his bite causes, but she doesn’t quiver and hide like many others would. Especially someone who has already been hurt at his hands today. Instead, she steps toward him, hands fisted at her sides.

“Thanks for your concern, Seb, but we’ve already discussed it with the faculty and we’re happy to proceed as we are. I’m sure she’ll be able to refrain from tainting everything, especially since strength training will be starting for the first years in no time,” Creed declares, speaking more words at once than I’m sure he ever has before.

Sebastian bares his teeth, not impressed with our stance, but I don’t have the patience to stick around and listen to any more shit he might throw out. “Good looking out, man.” I clap him on the shoulder, tightening my grip a little firmer than necessary before I breeze past him.

I don’t slow near Raven and Leila either, keeping my pace as I hear footsteps following closely behind me. Every step irritates me, every fiber of my being begging me to turn around and smash my fist into his face again and again until crimson stains my knuckles and smears his skin. The graphic horror of me destroying him plays on repeat at the forefront of my mind as I head down the pathway to our house, keeping me so enraptured that I almost stumble into the person waiting on our front porch.

The soft giggle and swipe of a palm along my back, attempting to slip under my blazer, is all too familiar and I internally berate myself for letting myself get so distracted.

“Eldon, baby, what are you doing tonight? I was hoping to…What the fuck is she doing here?” Genie’s tone goes from sickly sweet to the rasp from the bottom of a barrel in two seconds flat and her eyes bug out of her head, lip lifting with a sneer as she looks through me.

Slowly following her line of sight, I turn to find Raven smushed between Creed, Zane, and Brax. Leila must have turned off toward her house. I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.

“Well?” Genie hisses, wanting an explanation she doesn’t deserve, but before I can part my lips and tell her just that, Raven is storming toward us.

“Eldon, baby,” Raven starts, her tone mocking as she drapes herself over my side and shoves Genie back a step. “You promised me some fun. I didn’t realize this is what you had in mind.” A smile remains plastered on her face as she wags a finger in Genie’s direction, and it’s almost funny watching the horror take over her face.

I should say something to defend one of them, break up the tension before it escalates, but the feel of her gripping my arm and the press of her chest against my bicep has my dick springing to attention.

Fuck.

“Don’t even play games with me, bitch. I’ve heard all about you and your roots. How was Shadowmoor? As filthy as you?” If Genie was hoping to hit a sore spot with Raven, she didn’t aim for the right target because it falls flat instantly.

Raven rises up on her tiptoes to press her lips against my cheek, stirring my cock even further, before she shoulders past our unwanted visitor and unlocks the front door. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, glancing from my best friends to me, before settling a glare on Genie.

“Are you coming, boys?” It’s a purr. A fucking purr and I’m about to cream my pants like a fucking fool, but I’m beyond caring at this point. The kiss was enough to turn me into a raging inferno. The heated glimmer in her chocolate-brown eyes, framed by a few loose tendrils of pink hair, will be catastrophic for my sexual stamina if I don’t get a handle on myself now.

Zane dips past me first, making sure not to brush against Genie, despite the small space, and I don’t miss the grin on his lips as he keeps his head down, disappearing inside without a word. Creed and Brax are right behind him, too, more than eager to get away from the drama as I finally get a grip on my flaring dick’s needs and join them.

The second my foot is through the doorway, Raven places her palm flat on my chest, looking up into my eyes with a heated gaze. “Eldon, say goodbye to our guest.”

I swipe my tongue over my dry lips, fully aware of the game she’s playing, and keep my body angled and eyes fixated on Raven as I follow her order. “Bye, Genie.”

I hear her lips pop, but whatever she’s about to say goes unheard when Raven slams the door shut in her face. As soon as she’s out of view, Raven puts herself out of arm's reach, and I’m quick to rectify that. I rush after her but can’t grasp her arm until she’s right at her bedroom door. Spinning her before she can go any further, her back hits the wall, making her grunt as I step into her personal space, leaving nothing but an inch between us from head to toe.

“Fuck off, Eldon.”

I grin. “Little Bird, you get me hot as fuck. Please, keep talking dirty to me.”

“Are you fucking with me or something?” She plants her hands on my chest again, only this time it’s in an attempt to push me away. I don’t budge.

“What?” My mind is reeling from the touches she just intoxicated me with while putting on a show for Genie and I have no idea what she’s talking about.

“You’re so hot and cold I don’t know where my head is. You warned me about my brother, who I may not have seen for the last fourteen years, but I fucking know what he’s like, only for you to be besties with his scroungy ass after he tried to fucking kill me this morning.” I open my mouth to interrupt but she doesn’t give me a chance. “You’re clam jamming me without care, pissing me off and overstepping the mark, and not allowing me to set boundaries. I didn’t come here to spend my life having someone else dictate it for me. If I could survive Shadowmoor alone, I can take on Silvercrest too.”

Her chest heaves with every breath, her hands still wedged between us as I stare deep into her eyes. “Are you always this explosive?” I ask, unable to stop myself, and she huffs.

“Are you always this frustrating?”

I shrug. “This whole world is fucked, Raven. No matter what I think about many things, I must act indifferent out there. We have to choose our battles wisely and bide our time. That’s how this place works.” I don’t know why I’m being honest and explaining that to her, but I can’t seem to stop myself.

“Tell me something I don’t know. I lived in a town drenched in death and darkness on purpose. On purpose. It’s completely detached from the rest of the world, living in squalor to keep other realms at bay. Did I mention it’s on purpose? Now I’m supposed to know how to walk and talk in a world with an abundance of knowledge and wealth. No one is hiding behind their magic here. I can’t fucking tell how much of a threat anyone is to me, and on top of all that, you guys are running so hot and cold I don’t know whether I’m going to get third-degree burns or frostbite.” She shoves at my chest again with her last word, but I still don’t go anywhere. If anything, I lean in closer, the tip of my nose running along hers.

Our breaths mingle, wrapping around us in a cocoon for two. I’m sure Brax, Zane, and Creed are watching us with amusement right now, but fuck if I care. I’m caught in Raven’s web and I’m more than ready to let her slay me. Whatever she wants.

“That’s why we’re here to protect you,” I murmur, my lips hanging dangerously close to hers as she searches my eyes.

Kiss me. Kiss me, Raven, and let me show you how good it can be.

“You’re not protecting me. You’re controlling me. There’s a difference.”

My lips crash against hers, unable to stop myself from taking precisely what I want, and she melts into my touch. Her hands grip the lapels of my blazer as I press against her, my cock digging into her stomach without care as she sweeps her tongue along my bottom lip.

Fuck yeah.

Moving my hand from the side of her head to her exposed thigh, I hiss at the feel of her skin. Power storms in my veins, willing me to get even more lost in her, when a sharp sting runs through my bottom lip and I gasp.

I lean back in slow motion, noting a hint of blood on Raven’s lip as I lift my hand to my own. Did she just fucking bite me? Stunned, I blink at her, delirious as fuck, as she winks at me before slipping from her spot against the wall and ducking into her room without a backward glance.

Motherfucker.

Sweeping my tongue over my lip, the familiar taste of copper coating my senses, I slowly turn to find the others standing around watching the shit show that is my life.

Zane’s eyes are wide in surprise, while Creed seems intrigued and impressed more than anything. Glancing at Brax, he drops down onto the cushions with a sigh, turning a dry smile my way as he nods.

“You were dead right, Eldon. This is all going to work out absolutely fine. Not a single issue is going to crop up. You’ve got it in the bag, big man.”

Fuck him, and fuck whatever bullshit might rear its ugly head.

If I thought I was addicted before, I was wrong. That was before I got a taste of her.

Now…I’m captivated.