Page 52 of Blood of a Huntsman

Now she second-guessed her choice. She didn't like potions at all. She hadn't enjoyed chemistry in her youth, and that was no different.

“Sorry, I'm—” thirsty. Out loud, she opted for, “distracted.”

"You can take an extra class on Saturday morning at ten o'clock. Greer is supervising."

Cat nodded. Whether she liked the class or not, she had no intention of flunking.

"In the meantime, I think I will take this one. You never know when having a poison in your sleeve will be useful."

Was Alexius teasing her about the previous night? She couldn't quite tell. He always looked like he was making fun of everyone, anyway.

"I promise I'll pay attention if you ever cover antidotes."

The vampire grimaced. "What's the fun in that?"

Some women giggled at the back of the room. Of course they did. A large percentage of Oldcrest’s female population had a crush on Alexius. The other half would probably do him anyway. Had probably done him.

Alexius was around seven hundred years old, young enough to understand this day and age, old enough to know how to use all of his bloodline’s devastating power. Cruel enough to find it fun. Cat couldn't say she knew much about him, but she’d heard the rumors. Every child of the seven had a reputation. Alexius's sin was having a completely screwed-up moral compass. Murder was his solution to most problems. When he couldn't slash a throat, he paid someone to do it for him. Even his family, renowned for doing just that for centuries, had enough of his antics. He didn't respect alliances, often went back on his word, and would have betrayed his own mother if it suited his purposes.

So they cursed him. Paid a coven to tether him to Oldcrest, where he couldn't do much harm.

Of course, regular humans, witches who hadn't been involved, and shifters had no clue about all that. They only knew him as a hot prince with a wicked smile and a vampire's appetite for depravity.

Levi held monthly parties at his place, as was expected of him. The conclave and a select few were welcome to attend. But Alexius's weekly parties were open to just about anyone with a short skirt and firm breasts.

Basically, he was a twenty-year-old frat boy in a body hotter than sin. A dangerous combination. Cat didn't blame her classmates for their infatuations. Hell, she might even have fallen for him herself if she hadn't been harder to impress.

She knew prettier men. Stronger ones. More powerful ones. While her standards weren't very high when it came to her bedmates—she liked them handsome enough to look at and skilled with their extended limbs—she'd never been fond of megalomaniacs.

The last few days had changed her opinion of him. Some. Seeing him work on Maddy had been mind-blowing, and it raised questions. Who was he? The agile, confident healer who knew everything about patching up a human, or the careless, carefree, indifferent man she'd heard about?

Cat didn't think she had the time or inclination to find out. After Anika, she vowed to stay away from anyone who struck her as untrustworthy.

Potions was her last lesson of the day. She had five hours off, and then her sentinel shift.

Earlier today, Cat had received a raven asking whether she was fit to serve, and she'd immediately sent back a yes. Now, she half regretted it. Not because of the shift itself—the distraction couldn't hurt. But because she was supposed to work with him.

Sebastian.

Fuck, why was his scent driving her so crazy? Cat rushed to her dorm and lay on her bed, eyes closed. And through her mind's eye, she saw him. His neck, his veins. Imagined herself biting it. Licking it.

She closed her eyes and breathed in and out. She could control this. She would control this.

But she’d never open her mouth to criticize anyone’s lack of restraint again.

She headed back to her room and locked herself in, concentrating on her breathing until she felt a little more in control.

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