Page 57 of Every Shade of Shadow

Cassandra extinguishes the flames with a contemptuous wave of her hand. “Jesus, is that the best you can do?” she scoffs. “No wonder you’re still a virgin.”

I shouldn’t let this kind of silly, middle school shit get under my skin, because that’s precisely what it is, but it doesn’t stop me seeing red.

Blood pounding in my temples, I scream a word of power, Aramaic and ancient, summoning a spear of black lightning. She jumps to the left, the spell smashing down beside her feet where it leaves a smoking furrow in the stone floor.

She gasps, eyes widening. For a moment, fear flickers in their depths before rage takes over. “Dark magic? Seriously?” Cassandra hisses, cracking her knuckles. “I’m going to fuck you up.”

I bare my teeth in a feral grin, gathering shadows around me like a cloak. “Jealous?” I taunt, reveling in the uncertainty she can no longer hide. “Or perhaps you’re afraid of what I can do. You know, being a lowborn slut and all.”

Another blast of magic bursts from Cassandra’s hands, Telum Proiiciens, but she fucks up the pronunciation and I deflect it with ease. She tries again and again, each spell weaker than the last, while I stalk closer with predatory grace.

The shadows, whatever they are inside me, pull together and buoy my power.

Cassandra shrieks in rage as her last spell backfires in a burst of amethyst flame, singeing her perfect blonde locks. She’s blasted back, her knees buckling. Staggering, she throws her arms out to the side to preserve her balance.

I spot the boy from last night, Leo, over to the side. He’s smirking, clearly enjoying the show but, like everyone else, doing his best to keep his distance.

I gather my magic and hurl a writhing coil of shadow at Cassandra. She manages to deflect it with a—much smaller—shield in front of her face, but not before it leaves an angry red welt across her cheek. Starting just over her jawline, it reaches all the way up to the bridge of her nose.

"Bitch!" She spits a curse at me, eyes blazing with hatred. Before she can retaliate, though, Leo casts a binding spell, shackling her hands behind her back.

"Temper, temper," he tuts, slowly stepping out into the center of the room. "And such unladylike language."

I almost shout at him to move the fuck away, but even in these passing seconds my rage is starting to simmer and dissipate.

Cassandra strains against the magical bonds, venom dripping from every snarled word as she tries to break free. "You better release me at once, Leo, or I'll…I’ll—” She stutters, unable to finish the thought.

Finally, I come to a stop a mere inch from her, shadows writhing and whispering around us. Cassandra shrinks back against the wall, chest heaving with panicked breaths. The rage in her eyes shifts into pure, unfiltered fear, like I could just reach inside her chest and rip her heart right on out, drop it in front of her feet like a bloody bird.

I place a hand on her cheek, running my thumb across her jawline and actually kind of surprised by how supple her skin is. I might even ask for her skincare routine if I wasn’t about to cut her in two. “Had enough?”

Cassandra whimpers but remains silent.

Good.

And the virgin thing? I don’t know if that was a stab in the dark or somehow everyone knows everything about me here, but it’s pissing me off all the same.

“Maybe you should stop now.”

Some girl says this over in the corner.

“Shut the fuck up,” says Leo, watching on.

I take in Cassandra's trembling form, lingering on the rapid rise and fall of her chest. There’s a headiness in victory.

"On your knees," I command softly.

Cassandra hesitates for a split second before sinking to her knees and lowering her head.

The shadows shift and pull again inside me.

I release a pleased hum, combing my fingers through her silvery blonde hair in a mockery of a lover's caress. I get the appeal this has on Damien. I understand at least some of the pleasure he gets from keeping me submissive. It’s just a taste, yes, but it’s enough.

"That's a good girl," I croon. "Now, open your mouth."

Another protest from the girl in the corner, but it’s weaker.

Cassandra lifts her head and parts her lips. A flush stains her pale cheeks, but she remains silent and unresisting. As for her earlier defiance? It’s evaporated completely.

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