Page 305 of A University of Betrayal

“Take this position.”

Realizing I was staring into his eyes again, I swallowed, trying to focus on his words, but slid to his angular features.

“What are your intentions, Professor?” I began in a shaky voice. “I know there’s something wrong with you...” I stroked my black uniform skirt as if there were creases to smooth out, but the only thing creasing was my confidence. “And that you’re practicing forbidden magic.” I tried not to look away, managing to maintain eye contact even as the heavy intensity of his eyes threatened to pierce me. “You know I’m going to expose you.”

I shouldn’t have said that. No. Because he took a step toward me.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he began in a sharp, lowered voice, as if he wanted to kill me quietly with his words. “Because I could help you with something the Circle couldneverhelp you with.” Surprise spread through me. “That magic you possess.” A devilish smirk played around the corners of his mouth. “Impressive.”

I felt my eyes widen, clawing my hands into the fabric of my skirt. It was as if my knees wanted to give way.

“Where...” I started, but couldn’t get any more out.

“You seem to have so little control that you risk losing it at the most inopportune moments,” he remarked, stepping even closer. “In the middle of a courtyard.”

My heartbeat was a literal hammering, and it didn’t get any better when I realized that we had maintained eye contact until now, that we were separated by a few inches and that a pleasant citrus note was hitting my nose.

“It was you,” I whispered, and his gaze broke away from mine for the first time... only to slide down to my lips.

A violent flutter shot through my stomach and I gasped softly.

His gaze was lost on my lips, but he looked back up, into my eyes.

“I can help you, Julie,” he murmured softly, his gaze serious. No devilish grin. “All you have to do is accept this internship.”

I felt backed into a corner, and yet I didn’t react with fear, but with this incredibly intense fluttering in my stomach. Panic spread through me and I could feel ice crystals forming on my fingertips.

“No...” I whispered, shaking my head.

“What?” he asked as if I had surprised him.

“No!”I gasped, louder this time, and before I had time to realize it, I was rushing toward him, pressing my hand against his torso and pushing him toward the nearest wall.

Howling

RY X

I could feel the magic shooting through my veins, ready to make its way into the daylight, ready to do damage.

He knew what I was capable of, had apparently watched me when that magic had just burst out of me after Grace had pushed me to my emotional limits. So he should get to know the dark side of this magic too. Maybe then he would understand once and for all that I was dangerous... even if I didn’t want to be.

Ice crystals moved over his shirt, over the gray vest, up to his neck, where they began to form a pattern.

He swallowed, looking from the ice on his torso to me, and I got a better look at his Adam’s apple, where the ice pattern was traveling past.

The professor stared at me, breathing barely audible through his slightly parted lips. Full, even lips. Pale and yet rosy.

I could feel his heartbeat under my hand, his warm chest through his shirt and vest, which rose and fell heavily under my hand.

He sighed, overwhelmed, and rested his head against the wall behind him as if exhausted, exhaling his breath and closing his eyes as the ice traveled further up his neck to his jaw.

The sound sent an unfamiliar tingling sensation through my fingertips, sending tingles all the way to my stomach, to my trembling knees.

I stared, transfixed, at the thick lashes, at the champagne blond strands that fell down his forehead.

He opens his eyes.

And I pulled back.

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