Page 21 of Monster's Heart

That reminded me, I turned to find her and was surprised to see my sweet Luna trembling as she stared at me. She did not look scared or hurt, but she was shaking with some emotion. Took me a minute, but I figured it out.

She was pissed.

At me.

I knew it was wrong, but seeing her so incensed was hot as fuck. I kept that image of her burned in my brain as the headmistress dragged Gunner and me to her office. I would undoubtedly be punished, but it was worth it. I needed the Wolf dickhead to know, hell, I needed everyone to know, Amrin was off limits.

Jealous of one stupid phone call or not, she was mine. Mine to protect. No one better ever lay a hand on her, or else I did not think I could promise not to retaliate with all my strength. Oh, my pretty butterfly had no idea who I was or what she’d unleashed with her sweet, soft submission when she’d so willingly pressed her lips to mine. But there was no going back now.

Mine.

CHAPTER 9

Amrin

I paced the floor outside the headmistress’ office, waiting for Sten.

I could not believe my eyes when he’d come flying out of nowhere to pummel that jerk Gunner. I meant that too. It was like he’d literally come from the shadows to defend my honor.

One part of me was ridiculously flattered, turned on even by his possessive display. Another couldn’t help but wonder where the hell he’d come from.

How did he know I was there?

I mean, I was late leaving the workshop on Charms & Potions because I’d fallen asleep during the lecture, and Professor Wainwright was none too happy with me.

Even if I had slept during the night, which I admittedly did not, the thick glasses-wearing Witch was boring as fuck. My insomnia was getting worse, though. And lately, I’d been thinking I needed to see a doctor. In fact, I’d called one that I trusted earlier that morning.

Dr. Margot Childs was a friend of the family, and someone I trusted ever since I’d gotten my first period at the ripe old age of fourteen. It was pretty late for the women in my family, and I’d always been the odd duck out. She’d been fantastic, taking the time to talk to me and discuss how everyone was different and I was not the freak my sisters made me out to be.

Ever since, Dr. Childs was one of my favorite people. She was the only one from back home who did not act like I was a mistake. Old hurts threatened to rise, but I pushed them down. I was tired and out of sorts, eager to see Sten.

What was Headmistress Blackthorn talking to them about for so long?

I looked through my phone as I paced, setting up my appointment with Dr. Childs in my calendar. She’d finally gotten back to me about my concern over my sleepless nights right after Wainwright’s class. But with Sten and Gunner going at each other like, well, like Monsters, I forgot to add it.

She was coming to the Academy for the Spring Equinox festival, and I was supposed to see her for a few minutes to pick up some supplements. My fingers hovered over the calendar, and I sucked in a breath. The full moon was the same day as the Spring Equinox. That was exceedingly rare and surprising. Magic would be strong that day, and I bit my lip, anxious for it to be here already.

The doors to the headmistress’ office opened, and I turned to see Gunner exit first. He glared at me as he walked past, but I ignored him, used to the stupid Werewolf’s behavior. I didn’t know why he hated me, but he did. As far as I was concerned, that was his problem, not mine. A few minutes later, Sten stepped out of the double doors.

My mouth went dry. He didn’t seem to see me at first, and I took a moment to simply look at him. His black hair was shaggy around his face, his features were chiseled as if by some master, like the David, which was the only real sculpture I knew of. Sten was perfection. And if I knew what passed for supernatural works of art, I was sure he would be even better looking.

He had four horns protruding from his head, two spiraled upward toward the heavens, and the other two were rounded down, like a ram’s. Pointed ears, pouty lips, high cheekbones, and a gloriously stubborn chin. His eyes glowed cobalt blue, while his skin varied in shades from cerulean to navy. But what I really loved was the subtle air of power that seemed to cover him like a blanket.

I still had no idea what he was, his species or subspecies, but I knew he was muting his importance, subduing his powers by some means or other. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I felt it, and for the first time, I felt something else.

“Ah.” I gasped out loud, clutching my chest with one hand as something sizzled inside my chest. Black dots danced behind my closed eyelids, and I felt tears spill down my face as I tried to breathe through the sudden burning inside.

“Luna?” Sten raced toward me, catching me before I could hit the ground.

I opened my eyes, my vision clouded, and that burning sensation dipped lower, to my belly, and lower still, to my core.

Oh fuck.

What was happening to me?

Electricity seemed to crackle in the air around us, and blue sparks erupted from my fingers, like I was a human firework. I gasped again, trying to move out of his arms so I did not hurt him, but Sten didn’t seem concerned. He held me tighter.

“What is it?” I thought I heard the headmistress ask, but I could not make heads or tails of it.

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