Page 77 of Legend

Despite having spent most of the night with him and now succumbing to him again this morning, I had no idea where things stood with Vyk—or where I wanted them to stand. I knew that he drove me crazy, but he also drove mecrazy. He was the last guy I should want—a set-in-his-ways Drexian who had made no secret of his feelings about both women and humans—but he was the only one I couldn’t seem to resist. Every fiber of my being knew that he was the opposite of everything I stood for, everything I’d worked so hard to achieve, everything I claimed to believe in, yet his deep voice sent shivers down my spine, his touch electrified my skin,and his presence made it impossible for me to breathe normally.

I’d gone into our deal thinking that I could take charge and set the rules, but that had quickly fallen apart. Vyk was not the type to be managed, and all my strategic plans had flown out the window as soon as he’d touched me.

I cursed under my breath as it struck me that he’d countered all my arguments with kisses that had snatched my breath from me. I’d tracked him down to insist that I take the blame for striking Devon, but he hadn’t agreed to anything I’d said. He distracted me in the most thorough way, and only now did I realize that he had made no promises.

“The Drexian is maddening.” I fisted my hands by my side.

He’d insisted that I was his while making no promises to me. Was he toying with me or had he changed his mind about humans? I didn’t doubt that he wanted me, but was it anything more than a lust-fueled fling? I’d enjoyed my share of those, but for the first time, I didn’t like the idea of ending things.

I was typically the one who slipped out in the middle of the night. I was the one who wanted to keep things casual. So why did I want to change the rules now? What kind of spell had the Drexian cast over me? Sure, he was hot and hung, but was that really enough to make me think about spending more than a few sweaty nights together? Was I actually allowing myself to consider what it would be like tobewith him for longer than a matter of weeks? Did I want more?

The real question was, did I want more than he did?

I blew out a frustrated breath as I stomped through the door to my office, barely breaking stride to let the door glide open. My walk had done nothing to settle my thoughts or purge my brain of the swirling emotions making it impossible to focus on work. But I would have to concentrate, if I wanted to make any progress on the search for Ariana’s sister, and my own preparations for the coming year of classes.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I’d almost made it across the room and to my desk before I glanced up. Then I stopped short.

“Devon?” What was the captain doing sitting at my desk? I scanned his face, which showed only faint signs that he’d been knocked out by Vyk.

He stood, his expression inscrutable. Did he think I’d attacked him, or had Vyk already gotten to him and confessed?

“I am leaving.” He didn’t make a move toward me, so we remained on either side of my desk staring at each other.

His announcement did not surprise me, although my stomach clenched because I knew what it meant. “I think you got the wrong idea about the academy. I promise that it isn’t a dangerous place.”

He finally moved, stepping around the desk stiffly. “You are the one with the wrong idea about this place. If you stay here, you will not survive to return home.”

Well, that was dramatic, even for someone who clearly held a grudge against the Drexians because of his unpleasant visit.

“I know things haven’t gone like you probably expected they would, but—”

“This is not about me, although I now know that you won’t be able to see the truth as long as you stay here surrounded by these…” his face contorted with rage for a moment, “usurpers.”

“The Drexians are our allies,” I reminded him.

“We do not need them,” he said through gritted teeth. “Not anymore.”

I had never known that Devon despised the Drexians so much, but it was obvious that he was beyond reason. “You never intended to give a fair report on the exchange, did you?”

He choked back a rough laugh that held no mirth. “None of that matters. Not when this academy won’t be standing for much longer.”

I went still. “What do you mean?”

He held out a hand. “I mean that I came here to take you back before the attack.”

Chapter

Sixty

Ariana

Istopped jogging when I reached the edge of the cliff, braced my hands on my knees, and bent over as I sucked in greedy breaths. The Drexians might have impressive holo-technology that could recreate the most elaborate environments, but I still preferred working out the old-fashioned way. I inhaled the salty air and watched the spray kick up from below as the waves pounded the high rock face.

This was where I came when I wanted to clear my mind. This was where I came if I wanted to run to the point of exhaustion and banish all thoughts of Sasha from my mind, even if it was only for a few minutes. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to think about my sister but worrying about her so much had started to make me feel crazy.

I knew that the Drexians and my friends were doing everything they could to find her but imagining her being held captive by the Kronock made it impossible for me to focus on anything else. At least Fiona’s personal drama had distracted me for a bit, although I didn’t like to see my friend in turmoil. And the thought of the captain grabbing her against her will made the blood pound in my ears.

I clenched my fists until the nails bit into my flesh. Maybe I should pay a visit to the captain and tell him what I thought of entitled men who presumed they could do what they wanted without repercussions. Even better? I could tell Volten what the human had done. He and the other Drexians would be more than happy to explain Drexian honor to the guy.

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