16

I woke in my own bed and tucked in. I blinked around just to double check since I remembered fretting over Nigel and doing homework in the clinic with him until… I was just going to put my head down for a minute. I must have zonked out, but who brought me back?

Hurrying to hit my alarm, I rushed to get ready for the day so I could maybe bring him breakfast. I hadn’t even traded numbers with him, so I couldn’t text and ask him what he wanted first. I was cussing myself for that as I hurried out the door, freezing when I tripped over something.

Flowers. There were a dozen sunflowers bunched together with a note on them. I couldn’t even keep the smile off my lips as I squatted down to retrieve them.

I know I said too much with my pain-relieved lips, but I meant it all. Can we talk?

-Nigel

He also listed his number, so I went back inside and called him.

“Hey, hi,” he greeted.

“Hey, I was coming to bring you breakfast. You’re out of the clinic?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Bevin,” he chuckled. “It wasn’t nearly as bad as you were acting. Not even a bruise left, I promise.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by what I said.”

“No. No, just shocked. Um, I’m not really sure what to do with it.”

“Because you’re seeing someone else? Or I don’t listen to the rumors, but I’ve seen two of them kiss you during lunch. Wow, that sounds like a stalker.”

“No, they’re not subtle, but we’re just… Getting to know each other?”

“I’d like that. Or at least to keep being friends. Don’t—we don’t have to address what I said yet.”

“Friends?” I asked after a moment. “The flowers were gorgeous. I’ve never gotten flowers before.”

“They’re dating you and they don’t even give you flowers?”

“Um, no, but we’re not really… No, no flowers. Yet? Maybe not yet.”

“Flowers should come from the start when you treat a lady right.” He cleared his throat again. “Or so I hear. I’ve never dated. You’re really the only woman who’s talked to me and you’re the prettiest, so that was shocking.”

“You’re nice but shy. I know the feeling. It’s hard to talk to strangers.”

“Yeah, it is.” There was an awkward pause. “I should get ready for the day. I’ll see you at breakfast?”

“Yeah, I want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then.”

We hung up and I smelled the flowers. I didn’t have a vase, but I used a metal water bottle and carefully propped them up against the wall so they were safe. I smiled until my eyes landed on the textbook Wyatt had given me. Sighing, I figured it was time to at least stop ignoring what he’d told me and learn something about it. I sat with it on the bed and opened to the first tab.

The star of Hecate is older than time, rooted in the beliefs of our beginnings, and while it is modernly called a pentagram, its meaning is much deeper than that. For a witch or warlock blessed by a goddess or god (known as a goddess witch or god warlock, commonly called a goddess or god) its meaning is layered.

The power that witch or warlock will be blessed with is more than one being can handle. They are the center of the star as they are the one blessed, but the five points are the ones who will ground them like our sacred elements—earth, fire, water, air, and metal. And just as we always list earth first as our magic is deeply rooted in nature and the planet, one point of the star is most important.

This point is the priest or priestess of the goddess or god. They are the “mate” of the goddess or god, while the other points are consorts. Hecate was the first with her priest who stood at her side and four consorts who protected her from all other sides always. All points of the star are needed for a goddess or god to reach her or his full magical potential and to keep them and their magic grounded.

I snapped the book closed as my heart raced. Five? I was supposed to be with five men . That was… Insane?

My mind spun out as I thought back to the powerful woman I’d met as a child when I was out with Grandfather. She’d had… She introduced a man to us as her priest. I had thought the others were security just like my parents had when they went out but maybe not? Had there been four of them? I quickly opened the book again.

The priest or priestess is not loved more than the others as that would ruin the harmony the goddess or god needs. It’s merely a distinction in our society, generally given to the oldest of the star points. A goddess or god can have children with all their star points, but for legal purposes, lists the priest or priestess as their spouse with the High Council.

The priest or priestess also handles issues that might come about between the star points as five men or women bonded to one goddess or god will not be without issues. But five are needed also for protection as historically our founding families (commonly known as “top-tier” families), who originally held power as they each were born of a goddess or god, have gone to great lengths to get another in their bloodlines or under their control.

Many withdraw from society for that reason alone, some never found or find their star points which can lead to madness and eventually death.

Yup, time to close the book again. Holy fuck.

Be with five men or die? Yeeeeeaaaahhhhh, that was time to close the book before I freaked the fuck out. I stood and went to put it back on my desk but noticed a key on top of the other book he’d given me. Was that there before? Did Wyatt accidentally drop a key when he put the books down?

I thought back and shook my head. No, he’d set them both down on my bed, and I had put them both on the very far corner of my desk so they were out of my mind.

So was it something funny he was doing now to see when I looked at any of this? I rolled my eyes. That sounded like him. I picked up the key, set down the book, and pulled out my phone again.

Me: Ha, ha, I found your key. Yes, I finally read a section of one book and it scared the fuck out of me.

Prof. Sexy: What key?

I narrowed my eyes at the message.

Me: You changed your contact in my phone? Are YOU five?

Prof. Sexy: Yes, but you left it unlocked by me so be more careful. What key?

Me: Sorry, I thought I could trust you.

Prof. Sexy: BEVIN, WHAT KEY?

I sighed, taking a picture of the key and sending it to him, studying it myself as I did. It looked old, maybe something that would open a lock from centuries ago. Did he drop something to open part of a library professors only had access to? There was a symbol of Hecate on it, so that made sense, but also an image of a woman. Odd.

Prof. Sexy: HOLY FUCK!

Prof. Sexy: Hide that. Don’t let ANYONE see it.

Prof. Sexy: That’s a key of Hecate with Bé?inn’s image. Those are thought to be myth.

Prof. Sexy: I can’t come to you now. We’ll talk tonight.

Prof. Sexy: Be safe.

I let out a heavy sigh as I stared at the key. Oh good, now I was being gifted a key from our goddess and the goddess who blessed me to make me a goddess witch?

I was going to need headache potions or my brain might explode.

After some debate, I stuck the key under the bottom sheet of my bed on the side of the mattress by the headboard. That seemed to be hidden but not the first place people checked. It was the best I had before breakfast and caffeine.

I left for the cafeteria, my head all over the place until Nigel came into my view. Right, he was a freshman, so we were in the same dorm.

“Have trouble finding a vase?” he asked nervously.

“Um, no, I used a metal water bottle but then started to look at stuff for my independent study. Sorry, too much in my head.” I blew out a harsh breath. “I need to go on a long run. Today’s perfect since I’m done after lunch. Yeah, that’s what I need.”

“I wish I could go with you, but I have class,” he worried. “Um, is that safe right now?”

“I’ll get one of my friend’s familiars to go with me,” I promised, thinking immediately of Loki. Link wasn’t a friend, but he’d let me spend time with his stallion at least.

“Is it enough to be of use?” he gently pushed.

I nodded. “A huge stallion that would probably love the run.”

“That would get you out of there if there was a problem for sure.”

“I’m pretty fast.”

“As you said, someone’s always bigger or faster. I just want you safe.”

“Thanks, Nigel.” The smile I gave him was genuine, feeling a bit more at ease knowing people cared. Someone bumped me from behind and apologized, but it pushed me into him so our faces were ridiculously close with him looking down.

He kissed my forehead and took my bag from me. “Let’s go have breakfast.”

“Yeah, okay.” My heart fluttered when he actually guided me through the throng of people with his hand on my lower back. It was really sweet, but he didn’t crowd me when we had more space or keep it there possessively, simply to block me from getting bumped again.

“Morning, foxy,” Sergey greeted when we arrived at the cafeteria, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Glad to see you’re okay and on your feet. Thanks for protecting our Bevin.”

I coughed at that but wasn’t sure what to say as Kelton was leaning in for a kiss too.

“Sorry about the confusion, but glad you’re better.”

“Confusion?” I asked.

“You had fallen asleep, but the three of them came racing into my room thinking you were the one hurt,” Nigel explained. “I’m fine, thanks.”

Winter bumped Kelton out of the way and snagged a peck on the lips. “We were looking for you and you weren’t answering your phone. Derek was in the middle of handling stuff and quickly told us you were at the infirmary. Of course we would think you were hurt. Idiot.”

“Gotcha. Thanks for getting me back to my room.”

“Anytime,” he replied with a wink. “Let’s do this. I’m starving.”

“You’re always hungry,” Kelton drawled.

“Right, pot, meet Kelton,” Winter chuckled easily.

We went inside, and after loading up our trays, I saw who I wanted walking with some of the other guards. “Hey, um, Link, can I borrow Loki after classes? He’s already checked out campus some, right? I want to finally go for a real distance run and I thought he might have fun.”

“Not much since even the guards have to keep their familiars at the housing if they’re bigger,” he answered, nodding when my eyes went wide. “So he’d love the run, thanks.”

“No problem. It would be nice to have the company that has a better sense of direction than I do on a big campus.”

He and the guards ended up sitting at our table but having their own conversation. It wasn’t anything noticeable to me. Who cared if university staff sat at the same huge table as students?

Apparently, others did.

“How the mighty have fallen,” one woman purred as she walked by. “From a high and mighty Shaw with servants at her beck and call to sitting with the guards.”

I snorted and met her gaze head-on. “That’s not a fall. That’s an upgrade and freedom from that ‘family.’ Try not to talk about things you don’t know about just for attention. It’s sad and been overdone.” I looked away before she even had a chance to reply and focused on Sergey. “Would Bubba want to run part of the way with us and I can pick him back up after? It might be nice to get out for a bit.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he chuckled, smirking when the woman and her friends walked off without even firing back. “What a stupid thing to be bitchy about.”

I shrugged. “People can be stupid.”

We finished lunch and Winter walked with me to my first class, sneaking another peck before we reached our destination. He was such a goof.

But a sexy one.

Classes were fine. I was still behind on Spell Circles 101, but with Sergey’s tutoring I knew I would catch up fast enough the teacher wouldn’t probably notice and think it was freshman nerves or adjusting. History of Magic I was one big warning lecture at the moment given the section we were studying and assignments to make sure we were listening.

Easy but a downer for sure. Though it was important to get all the warnings out first.

Something was going on as class ended, phones vibrating like crazy as the bell rang, so the teacher didn’t even get the chance to yell at people for not having them on silent. I ignored it, too tired of my own drama to remotely care about anyone else’s.

Except the drama was—once again—mine.

There were notices posted everywhere I looked with Gregg’s picture on them from the High Council file that was for his conviction. There was also a list of the crimes he was convicted and sentenced for, the public record case number, and a note asking if any other women on campus needed to file action against him or his family. Jasmine’s name and number were listed as the contact and that it was completely free.

Holy. Fuck.

I rushed out of the building and saw they were everywhere . Oh boy, that was one way to put the rumors to bed. People were way too curious not to check out the case file.

I debated skipping lunch but then decided I wasn’t going to hide from this like I’d done something wrong. I was the one he’d done this to, and I was the one people had been spreading lies about. I deserved to walk with my head held high and let them choke on the proof.

Sure, now, if I just had the emotional strength to not want to vomit while I headed to the cafeteria. Especially when someone pulled up the video from the case file and had it playing against the wall of the cafeteria.

“So you slipped her the potion?” one of the High Council guards asked.

“Yeah, she went to get books after I followed her to the library and I slipped it in her drink. Look, her father gave it to me. She refused to mate, and they had some deal if she could live for a semester without using the Shaw wealth or name, they would disown her. Her father said it was a childish whim and she was mine. As long as I could get her to give her purity to me, she was mine.

“So I used the potion, but she was stronger than they thought. She was fighting it, confused and disoriented, but fighting it. They lied to me or seriously didn’t know her at all. She wasn’t docile and a properly behaved woman. She was feisty, sassy, and a fighter which was actually more fun, but her parents gave her to me. I could do whatever I wanted and they didn’t care as long as I mated her.”

“That’s not actually a legal thing,” the guard sneered. “She’s a person, not property.”

Gregg snorted. “Do her parents know that?”

“They’ll get theirs. We’re talking about you . No matter what her parents told you, you know our laws, and even if you raped her by taking her purity while drugging her, how did you get to mating?”

He shrugged. “Her parents said she was an idiot who would agree to anything they told her. She would mate me to keep it quiet, drop out of school and become completely reliant on me then. That would create the alliance my family needed with the Shaws, and my parents told me I could do whatever I wanted as long as she was my mate in name and had my kids. Fine, as long as I still got to have fun.”

“You’re seriously a piece of shit. So you rape a woman, force her to be your mate, and won’t even honor that?”

Gregg rolled his eyes. “She’s just a woman. Welcome to our world. They’re there to enjoy and then go sit in the corner and out of the way until you want them again.”

“Only because you’re not man enough to know how our world really works, you sheltered, spoiled jackass,” the guard drawled.

“Whatever, she’s mine. Fine me for the potion and let me get back to taking her purity.”

The two guards shared a look and busted out laughing, one leaning on the table as he grabbed his stomach. The first one who was the lead recovered and actually wiped under his eyes.

“Oh, that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while. You think you’re going free after this? Yeah, a fine for an illegal potion you used on a student. Keep dreaming.”

Gregg narrowed his eyes at them. “She won’t press charges. Her parents won’t let her.”

“She wasn’t the only witness. You came in here and confessed everything—”

“That doesn’t count. Derek Wyatt used magic on me and—”

“ Professor Wyatt was completely within his rights as a faculty member to make you confess after he caught you in the act of sexually assaulting Ms. Millen.”

Gregg snorted. “A Wyatt saving a Shaw. What a fucking joke. I’m going to kick his ass for touching her. She’s mine. She clearly has magic her parents don’t know about and I want it from her purity.”

“From what we heard, that ship has sailed,” the guard purred. “She decided if her parents were going to use it against her and assholes like you would rape her for it, she’d lose it on her terms as is her right . Good for her. Anything is better than losing it to some asshole like you.”

Gregg lost the calm, bored attitude in a flash, rage filling his eyes as he jumped to his feet. “I’ll kill whoever fucking touched her. She’s mine . That was my purity to have. She fucking gave it to someone else? Clearly, they didn’t beat her enough and I won’t let her off easy either. I’ll lock her the fuck up and train her like she should be, on her knees begging—”

“Shut this shit off,” Winter bellowed as he turned me away from it and held me to his chest. “Watch it on your own time.” He kissed my hair, making me realize I was shaking. “He’s locked up, little sexy. He can’t hurt you anymore. It will be decades until he’s out, and if he comes after you then I’ll fucking kill him.”

“Get. In. Line,” Sergey seethed. “Let’s get food.”

I shook my head and tried to pull away. “I’m going to go for a run. I’ll bring gels and stuff.” I looked up at Winter who was frowning. “Let me go.”

“Only for the moment,” he murmured. “Go for your run. We’ll handle things here.”

I shook my head and stepped away. “Nothing to handle. This is just my life. If I was any of you, I’d fucking run.”

“Foxy,” Sergey sighed as I walked away. I grabbed some stuff to eat on the walk back to my room to change just so my stomach wasn’t empty and left. I couldn’t take the eyes as Gregg’s voice echoed in my head saying all of that.

“Quinn, guard her,” Wyatt commanded.

Great, now that would probably blow up. People would already assume he was the one who took my purity. Then I’d still be a slut, just one who slept with their professor.

Not even ten minutes later I was changed and jogging towards the familiar housing with Quinn having a blast next to me. The attendant was the same one as last time, rolling his eyes when he saw me, but I so wasn’t in the mood. At. All.

“I’m on the list to sign out a few familiars. I’m taking two with me for a run,” I told him.

“You can take one as you have to keep them under control,” he countered, glancing at Quinn. “And you already have the one you’re watching.”

“Where is that a rule?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “It’s at my discretion, and you’re a freshman playing with your boyfriends’ familiars.”

“Change your discretion since Link isn’t my boyfriend and his stallion is hardly going to be a problem.”

He sighed. “No, fine, I’m not going against the guards.”

I barely let him finish before I headed towards the barn with Bubba. I opened the door and glanced in. “Bubba, you want to go for a run with me?”

“Stupid question,” he replied as he jumped up and over the wall of his pen. “Yes, of course.”

“Say please,” I pushed.

He even dipped his head to me. “Please, dear lady, give me a break from this prison.”

“Glady,” I mumbled, glancing around and shivering. It really was a prison for familiars and I hated it down to the energy. “Let’s go get Loki.”

The stallion was ridiculously grateful to get the break from his pen as he was used to much more freedom while Link worked.

Julie the owl was even waiting for us when we started off, wanting to have some fun and knowing the best path for us to take. Quinn and Julie actually got along since they knew each other through Wyatt, and they happily chatted as I ran.

“Give me all the dirt on the attendants,” I told Bubba and Loki when the conversation seemed to drift a bit. That was all I needed to say and the two familiars were more than happy to get it all off their chests.

And I didn’t like anything I was hearing. Not only were all the attendants neglectful, a couple of them were creepy and harassing witches who had their familiars kept there. Plus, one was into having sex there like it was people watching him, not familiars.

Gross. Seriously, gross. If the guy had an exhibitionist fetish or something, that was fine, but… In front of familiars that couldn’t leave? Yikes.

My mind drifted back to what I’d read that morning. Five. I was expected to have five husbands really or I wouldn’t be grounded magically and could die? That was crazy.

Did they already suspect and that was why they were fine with me getting to know the others? Or what if they were into stuff like that guy? Fine, not in front of familiars, but did they want the others to watch us?

Did I? I shivered as I kept running, thinking how I would feel if Kelton watched Sergey touch me. Or for Winter to be there when Wyatt spanked me.

Shit, I really, really liked it.

Would they?

I could see Sergey. He loved when I was naughty with him. Winter… I was pretty sure he was up for almost anything. Wyatt liked playing games, which left Kelton. He enjoyed when I was bold with him but… Maybe?

Maybe.

I had other things to think about too as I was pretty sure Wyatt wanted to be my priest. Even thinking that made me start to panic, so I forced myself to listen to the familiars and Julie. I needed a time-out. Right, just run and pretend I wasn’t trying to run away from all the drama in my life.

There wasn’t far enough to run from that.

Pity.