Page 101 of Group Studies

Officer Keres jerked oddly before repeating my command through clenched teeth. His body twitched as he fought my control.

When the two agents on either side of Beryl and Saffron didn’t immediately move to comply, I scowled.

“Two more, in here,” I called out the door. “Guns on everyone who’s not mine.”

Director Flemmings pressed her hands into her desk. “Aphrodite.”

I spun to the Director, sparing a glance at the short man in a suit who stood behind her chair with his hands in the air. The Director took one look at my face and her words caught in her throat.

I giggled, the trilling sound sharp even to my ears.

Saffron and Beryl looked between each other and me with stunned expressions, as if unable to understand what they were seeing.

Without another word, I twirled toward them and tossed my beads at the two confused agents guarding my friends. One of the agents caught my bead on reflex. It sunk into his skin. The other dodged, and my magic landed on the ground, dispersing in a shower of dark sparks.

I moved closer to him and created another bead. “Play nice, or one of your friends can make you take your medicine.”

The agent turned white and held out one shaking hand. I giggled before placing my magic on his palm, where it sunk into his skin. He stopped shaking as my will filled him with confidence.

“Ten.” My hands fluttered together in a flurry of little excited claps. “We did the math. There are what, thirty MA agents here? And now I have ten of them.”

I bounced. “Release my mages.”

My two newest recruits rushed to do my bidding.I squealed in delight.

I studied Officer Kere’s ghostly white pallor. Sweat poured down his face as he fought my will. He burst a blood vessel in one of his eyes, the white filled with tightly packed veiny red.

Some of my giddy lightness left me. My red eyed shadow self superimposed over Officer Keres. Suddenly, the power I wielded didn’t feel as good as it had. The drugged euphoria still hazing my thoughts left a layer of invisible slime. I tried to get Ram to stand and tie up Officer Keres, but the big mage didn’t move off the floor.

I turned to the door once again and pitched my voice to carry. “Two of you, get Ram to the medical wing.” I eyed the guy I didn’t know. “Bring the guy in the suit with you.”

The two came into the door, doing as I asked.

My hand gripped air near my shoulder, desperate to pull on my missing braid.

I looked at Director Flemmings and realized one of my guys still had a gun trained on her. As badly as I wanted him to put it down, I didn’t know what would happen if he did. My magic swirled. The rainbows sparkling off my skin distracted me as they darted around the director's office. I rocked back and forth on my heels, watching them.

Something snapped me out of my mindless staring. I found Officer Keres’ gaze, my worry about the gun on Director Flemmings forgotten. Anger fed off my unease and burned away the slime.

I put my hand in front of me, palm up. Instead of creating a bead of my will, I made a golf ball in my palm. Officer Keres tried to back away from me, but I marched toward him until his back hit the bookshelf.

“You let them hurt my friends,” I snarled. “You didn’t care about the Institute or the people trapped here. You’re just like my master, all you want is power and control.” I giggled. “I’m not doing that again.”

My ball of magic slid into his neck. I watched it disappear, my pulse quickening. Slowly, the MA Officer relaxed as the color returned to his face.

“Gather your men in the cafeteria,” I ordered. “Take Director Flemmings with you and discover who amongst the MA abused students. Strip them of everything they have.”

I turned to the agents under my command. “All of you go with him. Leave the ones guarding the doors.”

Officer Keres gave me a salute. A promising sign my magic had taken hold this time, hopefully.

I spun a circle. The Greek God my body ached for watched me, his wide eyes guarded. Giggling, I ended my rotation looking at the Director. The room emptied.

“I’m beyond horny.” I squeezed my elbows together in front of me and rubbed my cheeks. “Ram drugged me, and my magic’s incredible.” Rainbows danced around the room, my gaze tracked them, before landing on Saffron and Beryl. No longer bound and gagged, they sat with dumbfounded expressions.

“I’m using your office now to take care of some things.” I wrinkled my nose. “Beryl and Saffron have some filing to do.”

Saffron snorted, and Beryl barked out a strained laugh.

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