Page 33 of Of Bone and Ash

“Oh!” I gasp just as Teos wraps his arms tightly around my center, yanking my chest to his, then shoots us into the sky toward the blue shield Atlas formed around us. “Oh, fuck! Teos!” I scream, eyes wide, as I look down at the people below. Atlas nods, and suddenly, a small gap appears in the shield Teos flies us through as a pained roar echoes below us.

FIFTEEN

Amell

Iclench my fists as I watch the Covington girl wrap her arms around the Ramadan boy before he launches them into the air in a flurry of flames and embers. The Headmistress cusses up a storm as she watches the pair fly off, the fury in her eyes matching my anger as I struggle to keep myself in check. The primal urge to take off after them hits me square in the chest, sparking even more anger in me. I don’t think I have felt like this since, well, ever.

Not once since I came to this godforsaken school have I lost my composure. Not even a flicker of magic was released without my consent. Then that girl walks into my classroom, and I lose control twice in the same day.

I think back to the moment I saw her—when my eyes locked with her steely gray ones. The Tether bond immediately clicked into place on my side, stunning me enough that it took me a moment to gather my thoughts and process what had just occurred. The first reaction was surprise, followed by confusion and the need to grab the girl and ensure she was safe. Then, a bolt of pure lust rocketed through me, making my cock harden in my slacks. Anger was the next emotion, and I welcomed it as I stared at the hauntingly beautiful face of the girl who thought she could walk into my classroom late and interrupt me.

She was dressed in nice clothing, standing out from the other students, most of whom wore sweats or leggings. She had a nice-shaped face and perfect bow-shaped lips that I suddenly wanted to taste. But it was the eyes—the stunning, cold, broken, and emotionless eyes—that held my tongue captive as I stood in front of my fated mate. There was pain there, something dark that I wanted to explore and eradicate. Something or someone had hurt her, and that wouldn't do. She is mine. That thought alone is absurd since she’s just a silly girl, one who would only have other Angels looking at me like I’m weak for having a mate like her.

A silly girl who fucked-up everything in a matter of seconds. She took my life in her elegant hands and flared all the instincts I had suppressed all my life.

Dammit!

Without a single word, the girl reduced me to a babbling idiot and then had the fucking audacity to glare at me when I asked who she was. That wouldn’t do, and I will have to take her behavior into hand if she’s bound to be in my life. Tethered to an Angel or not, she will learn her place.

I lean against the tree behind me, watching as the people still concealed under the strong shield above us dissolve into chaos. The headmistress now has her phone to her ear as she paces, and the Demonic Dragon… I blink in surprise, standing up straight when the unhinged boy roars at the new professor seconds before he's launched several feet backward with a simple flick of the man's wrist.

That’s not right. He shouldn’t possess enough magic to go against the Dragon. I narrow my eyes at Atlas Hawkins, confusion eating at me as I study the man who looks less than intimidating sitting in a wheelchair. He’s young for a Fae, probably under the age of fifty. He has thick black hair and a distinct style of clothing that I can appreciate.

Most Fae and humans dress like slobs in comparison to Angels, but I can tell this man takes care of his appearance. His nails are manicured and have no dirt under them. That part I noticed when he wouldn’t keep his damn hands off the Covington girl. His facial hair is short and well-kept, and his clothes appear wrinkle-free. There is a lingering presence of magic drifting in the air around him, suggesting he’s on the higher power scale for a Fae, but nothing that would suggest he could go up against Demonic magic.

Yanking on my magic, I pull a thread forward, winding it through the air and circling the Warlock as he watches the Evans boy lose his shit. The Dragon Shifter is battling for control, golden scales rippling up his neck as one of his friends yanks him to his feet. His dominance fills the air around us, showing everyone who is actually in charge despite Boris’ efforts to control the flight of Dragons surrounding their leader.

“Why is she here?” Ryland snarls, shaking off the men trying to get him to calm down. His voice is so loud I wince. Fucking shifters. But since this prick is talking about my newly acquired Tether, I don't interrupt his tantrum. I need to gather all the information I can; then he’ll have to be dealt with since it seems like he’s formed some sort of attachment to the girl. It shouldn't be too hard to make the kid disappear. Accidents happen all the time, especially within the Balaur Patrol.

He’s been protected from eradication since he’s officially a part of the Covington family, which is under the protection of the half-breed Dominic Carter. But my Tethering to the girl will trump the silly adoptive rights they claim on the boy. I smirk, knowing Cassiel will be pleased with this turn of events. He’s been trying to find a way to kill the boy. His Demonic magic far outweighs the councilman’s and is a genuine threat to the balance of life.

“She’s an adult and can make her own decisions, Ryland,” the professor replies sternly, staring down the feral shifter with a calm I’m not sure even I could manage. Fuck. He may have to go as well. I’m not sure what his intentions are with the Covington girl, but I don't like people touching what's mine, and I don't like how he’s so protective of her. Then there is the Ramadan boy, who currently has his filthy hands on her. He’ll be harder to get rid of. Phoenix Shifters are tricky to kill, plus his mother is already breathing down my neck.

This will all be easier to handle once I bind the silly girl to me and move her to a safe location. I can leave her there for a few years while I handle my mission here, then figure out what to do with her.

I growl under my breath as I feel my canines lengthen, as the primal urge to bind the girl to me sends wave after wave of discomfort through my body. I can feel my magic vibrate with the need to fly after the Ramadan boy and take the girl back, but the very thought makes my lips curl in disgust.

A fucking Tether.

I’ve lived this long without one, hoping to avoid this fate. If I were to be bound, I would have thought it would be with an Angelic mate. At least she would be easy to co-exist with. But this will not do. I don't have the time or patience to deal with a Tether. I grimace when I remember how young she is. Why did fate pair me with a twenty-year-old Fae girl with no control? After she stormed into my classroom and upended my life as I knew it, I pulled her records on file to get more information. What I found was less than impressive, and there was a large gap of missing information from her birth until her brother took custody of her at the age of seven.

I briefly consider removing Serafina Covington from the equation. No Tether, no added problems. But then I remember how the few Angels who have lost their Tether have lost their minds and a large part of their magic.

“Dammit,” I snarl under my breath as I stride forward, rushing to get back to my apartment. I need to contact Cassiel and inform him I found my Tether, then figure out a way to keep her under the radar. If I move fast enough, I can hide all evidence of the girl, and no one will know I’m saddled with a damn Fae.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I growl in frustration as the headmistress strides up to me, wielding her finger like a weapon. “You will go to my office and call Rafael!”

“I have things to do, and you have a mess to handle. We can talk about the situation tomorrow,” I clip back, clasping my hands behind my back, hanging on to what's left of my nonexistent control. As if on cue, the ridiculous Dragon starts to shift, his eyes scanning the night sky, looking for the girl.

“Ryland, you will stand down and come to my office!” Hawkins demands, slowly pushing himself to his feet, looking unsteady. The Dragon ignores him, the gold scales rippling down his arm and legs as his clothes begin to dissolve. I snarl at the dark magic the boy uses. The stench of Demonic power filling the air makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

“Ryland!” Boris snaps, also trying to get the young Shifter to calm down when he ignores the professor. I watch in amazement as Hawkins releases a burst of magic that doesn’t make sense. It’s not Warlock magic, but something else. It doesn’t hold the dark quality of Demonic magic, but it’s strong enough to freeze Ryland midstep. The scales on Ryland’s neck slowly fade, his shoulders shrinking as he growls under his breath in frustration.

Holy shit. Hawkins just stopped Ryland mid-shift.

“Crap! Get to my office and make sure the Angelic rep is present by the time I get there, or this will be the least of your problems, Ambrose,” the headmistress orders, stomping toward Hawkins and the rest of the Balaur Patrol.

I roll my eyes at the woman, making a mental note to remind her of her place as well. It’s been a while since I’ve had to enforce any protocol, but I suddenly feel much more alive and bloodthirsty than I have over the past decade or so.

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