Page 40 of Veiled

I knew the men would be drawn to Hudson, always being in close contact with Hudson, her energies and power, but Remi? Not only was it unexpected, but it is also unprecedented. I didn’t know how to protect Remi. In all my years, I was swimming in uncertainty, and uncertainty led to blind decisions. No, I needed more information. Fuck, I never understood the word until now. So, double fuck!

* * *

Hudson

We only had a five-minute time frame to get from Ryder’s class to Potion Making. He had been throwing me glances for the rest of the class, but I was lost in thought. Absentmindedly, I was infusing and defusing my weapons while I mulled over my thoughts. It isn’t that I felt badly because that little fucking poor excuse for a man deserved it. It was more of the burning rage I felt to kill him. No... that wasn’t right… it was more like to destroy him. I wanted to make sure he never lived again, at that moment.

Fair combat was one thing, but he tried to kill me because he was a saggy nut sack, so I defended myself. Period. I sighed as the class let out. Following everyone one out, I was pulled out of my thoughts when Ryder, standing by the door, blocked my exit and wrapped his arms around me. Remi and the boys nodded and left a few seconds before to, I assume, grab seats for our next class. Ryder, I tilted my head in thought, he was another thing spinning through my mind. The instant soothing sensation I felt when Ryder touched me, as if he grounded me, brought me back into myself, was incredible. It was as if he snuffed out the darkness inside of me at that moment. Why?

“Are you okay?” he asked and peered down on me. His hulking presence was overwhelming when I was only five feet five inches. I laid my head on his chest and breathed him in. Being with him this morning calmed me physically, in a way, but God, I wanted so much more. It was driving me crazy just being around them. At the same time, being around them calmed me emotionally. See? Confusing.

“Yeah, now that I beat the little shit, I feel better, and um,” I hesitated, “thank you. I’m not sure exactly what you did but when you touched me, I felt better… so whatever you did… thanks,” I stammered out. The cool Hudson being vulnerable was kind of lame, I admit.

He kissed the top of my head and tightened his hug, drowning me in muscles before smiling down at me, lighting up the gloomy thoughts. “Well, anytime you want me to touch you and make you feel better, just let me know. I’m right down the hall, you know.” I rolled my eyes, if he wasn’t trying to get me drunk, or run and fucked, he was always joking; he was so silly. I loved that about him. The ability to take tense situations and make them disappear, if even temporarily. Mine. Mine. Mine. Oh, shut up hussy. MINE.

“Ha-ha, yeah, well, I’ll consider that. I’ll see you later.” I reached up on my tippy toes and grabbed him for a kiss, tall ass fucker. He grabbed me tighter and groaned, and I felt him get hard. I winked at him and crossed the hall to Alchemy.

RYDER- Kiss and run? I don’t think that was in any of the books we read.??

HUDSON- We can just write our own book.

RYDER- Dibs on the sex scenes.

I rolled my eyes,of course.

HUDSON- You can write the M/M scenes.??‍??‍??

RYDER- Still totally down for that, M/M turn all the girls on. And who knows dicks better than dicks?

HUDSON- We are getting married, set the date. ??

RYDER-Vegas. Noon, tomorrow. Xoxo??

Iadmit, I was totally prepared for the same type of dark room and worn tables for Potions, but when I walked in, I burst out laughing. Professor King looked up from the podium at the center of the room in the front, and smiled at me, laughter in his eyes. The room was set up with desks on either side, dark wood, worn, but not as much as other desks I’ve seen today. At least I wouldn't have a splinter baby by the time I left class. The room itself was very dark, and in the back of the podium was a staircase that looked like it led to an office. Professor King had his dark hair down instead of in a sexy man bun and had a black cloak on. I kid you the fuck not, he designed this room to look like Professor Snapes classroom in the Harry Potter films.

“Well, I’m glad someone picked up on reference for the new change in my room and attire,” he chuckled.

“You change it every year?” I inquired walking up to the front of the classroom and sitting next to Remi. Jensi and Luca were next to us in the nearby row of seats.

“Yes, last year I had it set up like the city of HalloweenTown, no one got it then either.” He rolled his eyes dramatically and I laughed. “No, Hudson, you’re the first to get any reference to my magic movie addiction. Now, everyone, turn to page 394.” He tapped a wand on the podium. He smiled and I literally had to hold my belly as I cried real tears from laughing so hard. He laughed and once we were both back to normal, the entire class was just staring at us.

Of course, some little bitch angry asshole had to speak up, her nose in the air. “We don’t concern ourselves with human movies that depict magic. They are beneath us.”

King rolled his eyes and gave her a soft smile. “That is unfortunate, Ms. Janie, as you would have learned in your first year of Human Studies and Relations, knowing how people without magic perceive us as well as how they believe they can identify us as different, is very important to not only your survival and safety, but for those in the community as well.” He clicked his tongue in disapproval. “You must learn to think outside of your self-imposed bubble, otherwise you’ll be as much of an empty shell as the others in our society who refuse to see reason. The word progression exists for a reason,” he finished smoothly, maintaining a sweet smile on his face. I blinked. I genuinely think that being kind is just ingrained in his personality, you cannot fake that kind of look in your eyes.

She looked at him with indignation. “Are you insulting the Councils?” The class started to whisper at her words.

He kept a serene expression on his face. “Not at all. What I’m saying is, eyes forward and let's begin our Potions Mastery Class. Any questions pertaining to the values of Human Relations can be taken up with Professor Blair.”

He ignored any further comments and started his lesson on the use of certain elixirs that can improve strength when failing during battle. I instantly loved him. Now this is a person I can see myself being friends with; a genuine kindness that superseded any malice.

“Now, class, what would be the benefits to using elixirs in a battle versus using them in real life?”

Remi raised her hand. “In battle, some elixirs will hone your strength and magnify your abilities. This is also true in non-battle situations. However, when in battle, the elixir blends with and feeds off of your adrenaline, but when in regular situations, it draws upon your regular energy, therefore the temporary boost will end up giving you something akin to a hangover.”

King nodded and smiled. “Exactly, Ms. Remi. What else? Someone else this time.” Jensi raised his hand, King nodded. “Mr. Jensi, go ahead.”

“Sir, it makes you addicted to the elixirs.”

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