Page 321 of Sigils & Spells

I reared back as if slapped. He was right, of course, I was tamping down my magic use.

But how could he know so much about things I had never dared utter out loud?

Brandon Flint was too close to the truth, and that was dangerous for everyone.

It was difficult to breathe in the stagnant hallway, and whatever was happening to him, I knew this was not the right place. I grabbed his hand, ignoring the lightning bolt that struck where we touched, and I pulled him outside.

That he allowed it was a miracle, and I was not one to question such things. Sometimes you just had to accept a gift, and this was one of those times.

I pulled on his hand when he would have stopped and the huge man allowed it. He followed where I led, through the garden and to the woods where the thick canopy of summer leaves hung overhead.

The academy grounds had sections where all four seasons flourished simultaneously. This one seemed stuck in mid-July. The temperature was warm, and everything smelled sweet and alive. Moonbeams sifted through the thinner patches of leaves, bathing our faces in soft silver light. When I turned, I was struck by how beautiful Brandon Flint truly was.

His chiseled features appeared sculpted by master stonemasons, his body unrivaled. The tight black of his uniform did nothing to hide the curves and nuances of muscles no male should be allowed to claim as his own. He closed his eyes, expelling a deep, long breath, and smoke filtered from his nostrils. The smell was pleasant, and I was surprised I liked it. Very much. Stepping closer, I recognized I was greedy for more of that delectably spicy, smoky scent.

I’d forgotten shifters didn’t like to be cooped up, and I’d kept him in the library for almost four hours. Guilt assailed me, but when I moved to apologize, he hissed. The sound rattled, stilling me in my tracks. I might not be a shifter, but I knew when I was being hunted. Brandon had promised me weeks ago, I would know.

Bastard was right.

“You’ve been keeping your distance from me, Tana. Wise of you, but I must caution you,mo spréach,” he growled the last two words, and they felt like hands caressing my skin.

“Warn me about what?” I asked, swaying closer despite his verbal warning.

“The moon is full, and my control is not as it should be. My dragon covets you, sweet Tana,” Brandon whispered, lifting a hand to my face.

He remained a hair’s breadth away from touching my skin, and I mourned the distance. The way he said my name, fuck, I felt it down to my soul. I’d never been one to lose my head over boys. Sure, there was some rumor about me and a wizard my first year at the academy, but I’d been the one to spread that about. It was the quickest way to stop other idiot males from coming on to me all the time.

Yeah, I’d kept my distance from everyone. Stayed away from the cliques and friend circles. Of course, this year, it had been harder to maintain aloof. Being assigned to room 563W with a group of witches outside my assigned coven was an experience I’d not been prepared for.

Those women were wrecking my resolve, as surely as Brandon was wrecking my panties. Desire sparked inside me until it was a steadily growing flame. I never felt like this before, and whatever magic was in the air, I knew I might never feel it again. It was not like me to throw caution to the wind.

Despite what people thought, wind was detrimental to fire. Too small a flame, and the wind would blow it out. Too great, and the wind would feed it. Right then, I was the flame, and Brandon, he was the wind.

Would he snuff me out or devour me in flames?

Would I ever come back from this?

Fuck it.

I guess I was going to find out.

CHAPTER6

I’d beena good girl pretending to be bad my whole life. Dressed in black denim and leather, my magic always burning beneath my skin, desperate to get out. Tucking it away had cost me more energy than I cared to admit, but my stores were still almost full, and I had a chance at beating whoever was responsible for the tragedy that had struck my family.

Taking something for myself was never even an option. But right then, I wanted.

Oh fuck, how I wanted.

Brandon’s growl grew deeper, louder, and I felt it down to my steel-clad toes. His eyes blazed like silver flames, the pupils going vertical as his dragon peered out at me.

I held his stare, and going for broke, I closed the distance, pressing my face into his heated palm.

Lightning.

Fireworks.

I felt the whole gamut, and the burn felt so damn good.

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