Page 26 of Baneful Magick

Greywood was messing with my sleep.

I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow, but I woke up feeling like I hadn’t slept much at all.Tea.I needed very strong tea more than I needed oxygen, and nothing was going to stand in my way.

But no matter how much tea I needed, I had to be dressed first. Ignoring the mess I hadn’t finished putting away, I found some clothes and shoes before taking a fast shower and getting dressed. I blow dried my hair, using my brush to add some soft curls, then I did some light makeup before walking out to the suite’s lounge. Zhara was sitting there in blue jeans and a green t-shirt, her curly red hair barely held back in a loose braid.Where are the guys?

“Morning!” I grinned and flopped down next to her on the couch. “How was your night? Morning? Details will be needed.”

She sniffed, but I didn’t miss the slight blush warming her cheeks. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh really? So you and Aizel didn’t...” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

“You’re the worst.”

“I could redo my entrance to ask in a better way. Hold.”

“Don’t you fucking dare, Isla!” Zhara shot back as I barely dodged her attempt to pull me down when I tried to stand up. I could barely keep my laughter contained as I leaned back to look at her with wide innocent eyes.

“I’m just trying to be supportive?—”

Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously. “Later. I’ll fill you inlater. Besides, you should have plenty to tell me since you werealsobusy last night.”

I shrugged, not feeling the least bit called out. “We explored some more of the campus grounds and the forest, then we came back to the dorm.”

“That’s it?” she asked incredulously, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

“Why would I lie?” I questioned, searching the suite. “Where are the guys? I need tea ASAP, or I’m blaming them both for my bitchy attitude in class today.”

“We’re here!” Aizel called out as he glided into the room with Echo right behind him.

Memories of my heated dream started flashing across my mind. Watching him jack off for me, his blissed-out face when I finally told him he could come like a good boy... Shit, I needed to think about anything else right now, or I’d combust into flames.

‘Highly unlikely,’Cassius drawled.‘You’re not exactly a vampire without the ability to daywalk.’

‘Now isn’t?—’

‘I think it is considering I had to see your fucking sex dream after you ran off with that boy last night.’

‘Boy?!’I shot back, fighting to keep my face under control as anger heated my veins.‘He isn’t a boy?—’

‘He is to me.’The promise of violence in those words made me freeze. I could almost feel him retreating, that slight show of emotion apparently too much.

‘Cassius—’

‘Run along, beastie. You’ll miss your tea, then your little boy toy won’t be as interested in you.’

‘Fuck you.’

Shields of some kind slammed into place between us, thickening until I could barely feel his presence at all. All of this happened in less than a minute, but I jerked all the same when Aizel said my name.

“Whoa there, didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, gesturing at Echo and Zhara, who were already heading to the door. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” I forced out as I stood up. “Just need that tea to fully kickstart my brain.”

“That we can do!” Zhara called out in a bright voice.

“She’s too damn perky this early in the morning,” I grumbled, falling into step with the incubus beside me. “If you’re another morning person, I might as well kill myself now. I won’t be able to live with the three of you.”

“No, that’s my brother and apparently Zhara,” Aizel replied, locking up behind us. “But I’ve been up for a bit and made coffee with a kettle in my room. Waking up slowly helps me not be an asshole this early.”

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