Page 77 of Group Studies

I took a deep breath, controlling myself. A hint of magic still kissed along my fingers. Pure joy surged through me. I’d stood up to Alrick. I’d used my magic. The world was mine to take!

A black foggy shape with red eyes materialized in my imagination. I stopped trying to merge with Saffron as my euphoria slipped. Professor Garnet hadn’t clapped of his own will. I’d made him do that. Were my actions good or bad? What was right and wrong if all that mattered was how you phrased it?

I ran my hand over my face. “My mind won’t stop circling.” I kissed under Saffron’s ear. “Please, Saffron, help me shut it off.”

He tightened his grip on my waist, throwing open the door.

“Ashe will find you en route,” Officer Keres called as we exited.

With those words, we were stumbling down the stairs. We’d not even made it to the first landing before I wiggled and trapped Saffron against the railing. He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me just as fiercely.

“You shouldn’t have done that to Keith,” he said, pulling back.

I fought to breathe evenly. “I didn’t want to. I promise.”

Saffron’s gaze raked down my body. “He shouldn’t be leaving you like this either.”

He kissed down my neck, settling at its base to nip and suck my skin. I slipped my hands under his shirt, caressing his flat stomach. He dragged his tongue back up my neck and kissed my jawline before filling my mouth with it. I bucked forward, searching for friction, but Saffron pulled back with a groan.

“Not here,” he groaned. “I promised to get you back to your tower.”

I bit my lips together and let him take the lead. We popped out from the maze of small back hallways he’d taken us through in front of the staircase leading to my tower.

Ashe waited at the bottom of the steps, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve got her from here.”

Saffron pulled me slightly behind him, pushing the cookie bag into my hands. “I promised Officer Keres she’d get to her tower.”

Ashe uncrossed his arms. “And I’ll pass on your fucking dedicated work.”

Saffron’s feet slid into a wider stance.

“No, stop,” I said. They froze. My heart squeezed. “Ah, did I control you…”

“No, Kitten,” Ashe said, moving again to show me. “It’s only been a fucking half an hour. What the fuck happened?”

I looked at the stone under my feet, tracing the lighter mortar with my toe. I’d transferred into Professor Garnet and loved it. My magic needed him, but he didn’t want it. He only wanted me. Although my heart fluttered at the thought, my stomach sank. My magic and I were two parts of the same whole.

I peeked at the Greek God. As much as screwing Saffron would ease my carnal desire, it wouldn’t complete my transfer. Professor Garnet called Saffron to ‘take care of me,’ like Ashe got to know me because I was his job.

A tear slid off my cheek and hit the floor. “I don’t want to be someone's problem.”

“Aphy…Kitten,” Saffron and Ashe said at the same time.

“No.” If looks could burn, I would’ve set Ashe on fire. “Move.” To my surprise, he did. I walked up the stairs until I was taller than them. “I’m not fucking you in secret anymore.” My gaze bore into Saffron. “It doesn’t matter how much I want it. I’m worth more than that, and you’re worth more than whatever second removed fuck buddy bull shit we have going on. You’re more than a substitute for Professor Garnet.”

I shook the bag holding the cookies at him and turned to Ashe.

“I’m trying so hard,” I continued. “But you’re as bad as Saff, filling my head with romance in private and then casually mentioning my death to the entire cafeteria. You’re keeping me from even getting my hair fixed. I’ve been skipping meals for a month. You’ve watched me do it! I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of playing games. Both of you, just leave me alone.”

My magic and my body screamed at me to fix this rift and fuck them both on these very steps, but I didn’t listen to it. I was changing. My magic was changing. I didn’t need control. I needed to listen to myself. My magic created a bead out of nothing. My magic saved me from Alrick. Everything I needed was inside me. I didn’t need to control it; I needed to find it and nurture it.

I turned and fled up the stairs, my heart beating so hard, I thought I was going to die by the time I got to the top. I managed to retrieve my key card and cursed when I had no way to lock Ashe out.

With my body still tingling with lust, I made my way into the shower. It wasn’t the same. I missed having the contact of another, but I brought myself to climax over and over in the spray of the hot water.

I wrapped a towel around myself, both disappointed and glad Ashe hadn’t appeared in my tower. And it was my tower. Ashe had a key, but Officer Keres said I could pick my security guard. With a single word, Ashe would never bother me again.

Grabbing my bag of cookies, I curled up on the couch. The fire burning in the hearth had to be a spell, as I never even touched it, but its flames licked the stone.

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