Page 24 of The Fallen
DEMON BOUND
ZIAN NHITE
CHAPTER 1
“Please, please, please come with us.” Meagan widens her eyes, pushing her bottom lip out. All she would needs to do is clasp her hands together beneath her chin and bat her eyelashes for the image of Puss in Boots from that Shrek movie to flash in my mind.
I snort out a laugh before I lean away from my desk with a sigh. “You know I have to get this assignment done in the next two weeks, right?”
Meagan glances down at the complex spell work on my desk and makes a face. “Yeah, but you’re a whiz with that sort of thing. You’ll get it done before next week even gets here.” Charlie comes up behind Meagan, nodding along with what she is saying as he wraps an arm around Meagan’s waist and gives a quick kiss to her temple.
I roll my eyes at her confidence in my skill. Ok, yes, I’m one of only five students at Blackstar Academy currently enrolled in the Advanced Summoning class, but the spellwork isn’t easy. In fact, it’s one of the hardest classes I’ve ever been in. Mostly, because each spell incorporates no less than four different disciplines for the spell to work.
But I do need a break. I’ve been staring at the assignment for days now, and I’m starting to dream in spellwork. “Fine. I’ll go. Wait, where are we going?”
“No fun if we tell you,” Charlie informs me with a smirk and I roll my eyes. Why do I even ask? He always refuses to tell me where we plan to go.
I lean back in my chair and peer around their bodies until I see Ben in the kitchen. “Where you guys going?” I holler over to him.
He looks up from whatever healthy shake he’s making and gives me a smile
My stomach flips and fills with butterflies. Yes, I have a huge crush on my best friend, who is also totally straight.
Andyes, I know how stupid that is, but it is what it is.
“Missie B’s.” He laughs when I grimace. I’m not a fan of clubs or large groups of people. Ben knows this. Hell, they all know this. And they still manage to drag me out to them.
“You have to come,” Meagan begs. “Tell him, Astrid.”
Arms the color of deep walnut snake around my shoulders, the subtle citrus smell that is Astrid enveloping me right before their frizzy Afro tickles the side of my face. “Don’t make me get out my handcuffs and commit kidnapping, Issac,” Astrid teases, tone sultry.
“Fine,” I huff out. I pat their arms, pecking a kiss on their cheek, and they reward me with a dazzling smile. Out of my four friends, I’ve known Astrid the least amount of time, but I can’t see my life without them in it. They are quickly becoming one of my best friends, and thankfully, they get along great with Ben, so there’s no awkwardness.
Astrid’s arms tighten around me in a quick hug before they pull away and skip into the kitchen to hassle Ben on what he’s making. Astrid has no interest in Ben’s shakes, but they love to pepper Ben with questions about what he’s preparing and why,making Ben launch into a lecture about the health benefits of whatever drink he’s creating.
Groaning, I get to my feet, then straighten my desk and put away my project for my final. I’m in my last semester before becoming a registered Summoner, and the final project is crazy complex. I have to not only complete a functional summoning spell but also correct and incorporate spellwork the instructor has put together.
“You need a break, so go change and then we’ll head out,” Meagan says, shooing me towards my bedroom.
“I’m already dressed,” I complain, letting her herd me into my room, Astrid follows close behind.
“You’re not going anywhere in baggy sweats and a stained shirt.” Astrid snorts, shaking her head. “Besides Missie B’s changed their dress code. No way you’re getting into any club looking like this.”
I stand in the middle of my bedroom, not really knowing what to do as Meagan and Astrid start going through my closet discussing outfit ideas.
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I watch them in amusement as they pull out random shirts and pants before tossing them to the side. After several minutes of debate, they finally agree on an outfit and come bouncing back toward me with their arms full of clothing. Why are there so many clothes? Seems a bit excessive.
In the end, I’m wearing a tight pair of silver jeans with black leather bands randomly sewn here and there. The pants are so tight they leave nothing to the imagination, and I’m afraid that if I pop a boner, my dick will get strangled. The top is a sheer metallic black that fits me like a second skin. Way too tight for someone who has a slight pooch like me. Black combat boots and fingerless fishnet gloves that reach nearly to my pits completes the look.
I don’t even remember buying half these clothes and I have the sinking suspicion that one or both of them snuck clothes into my closet for just this occasion.
I blink owlishly at the stranger in the mirror before shaking my head. “Nope, not going into public like this. You can see the outline of my dick!”
“Which is exactly why you’re wearing it,” Astrid says silkily, taking me firmly by the shoulders and steering me away from the mirror.
“But—”
“No buts,” Meagan interrupts, sliding in front of me with a comb and four different bottles of hair products. I roll my eyes at her and make myself comfortable on my desk chair. It’s no use trying to talk her out of doing my hair once she’s set her mind to it. I’m just happy she’s not insisting on makeup.
