“Hmm. I guess that explains why there’s a scorched corpse smoking like a burned sausage over there. She smells even worse in death than she did in life.”
Alaric glanced at his wristwatch and cursed. “Fuck, we have less than five minutes before the charms take us back. If Demelza shows up toasted on the sports field, everyone will know I killed her.”
“So? Your father’s hardly going to throw you in the magical penitentiary.”
“No, but he’ll askwhyI killed her, and then he might subject me to a truth spell, which would fuck us all.” I tried to sit up, but Alaric tightened his grip on me while fixing Zane with a panicked look. “I can’t let my father find out about our soul-bond. He’ll use her against me.”
Is that why he’d kept his distance from the moment he figured out who I was to him?
The pieces slowly fell into place.
He had been trying to protect me all along.
“If Demented loses her charm, she won’t be going anywhere, right?”
“Yeah, but…” Zane ripped the mage charm from Demelza’s still-smoking corpse and disappeared.
“You wanted to protect me.” I gazed up at Alaric, seeing him in a whole new light. His gaze softened as he brushed a strand of hair away from my cheek, but before he could reply, we were both pulled away by the mage charms.
40
Raven
Alaric and I landed in a heap on the sports field right before he pulled away from me.
I tried not to feel hurt by the rejection.
What he’d said about his father made sense; it was better for all of us if Daddy Vane’s attention stayed well away from me and my mates. The mage wouldnotbe happy to learn my vampire prince was still alive. Well, not alive exactly, but you get the picture.
Vampires had long memories, and they were petty. If Rasmus and his family had caused the Blood Wars over a tragic love affair, there was no telling what my mate would do if he got up close and personal with Tiberius Vane.
When I looked around, I saw most of the other students had already returned from the forest, some of them in a poor state. I spotted at least two shifters with highly suspicious burn marks on their chests. Both avoided the storm mage’s eye.
One of Demelza’s friends also looked worse for wear, with her hair frazzled and crinkly. She glared at me as if it were my fault her stupid hair had reacted badly to the shitty weather. I thought about suggesting she refresh her Beauty 101 magic, but Alaric’s subtle head shake silenced me as I opened my mouth.
So instead of offering haircare advice, I scanned the assembled crowd, searching for Kai and Glynda before heaving a sigh of relief when I spotted them both.
Kai had several flags sticking out from his shorts pocket, while Glynda had her pink one clutched in her hand.Phew. At least they would avoid the horror of doing circuits.
My flag was still safely tucked inside my bra. Thank the goddess Demelza hadn’t gone looking for it. I definitely would have melted her ass if she’d sexually assaulted me.Oh wait.Alaric had murdered her on my behalf.
The scent of cooked pork still lingered on the wind, or was that my guilty conscience?
Nope.
Not one iota of guilt troubled me on this not-fine day.
That bitch deserved to end up a deep-fried frankfurter.
“Where’s Demelza?” Ivy, the bitch’s bestie, chewed her lip in concern, which surprised me. I wasn’t aware anyone actually gave a shit about Demelza. Maybe she hadn’t been as awful as I thought. Even demons hadsomeredeeming qualities.
Not that I could think of any in these challenging times.
Did thick skin count?
“Sir, Demelza isn’t back!”
Professor Lightfoot huffed and rolled his eyes. “Patience, witch. I’m sure she’ll be backanytime n—”
