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“That’s exactly what this group needs,” Kai said. “An energy sink to handle the pheromone overflow.” He scrunched up his face like something stank and waved a hand in front of his nose.
“Yeah, you act like you don’t like it, but here you are.” Kingston cocked his head and smirked.
“So are you,” Jayce fired back at him. “And you haven’t exactly been first in line to play lately.”
“Yeah,” I jumped in. “What’s up with that, anyway? You’re always running off somewhere.” I gasped in mock horror. “Are you… cheating on me?”
Kingston blinked at me and kept his eyes half-lowered. “How?” he asked flatly.
Everybody laughed, but his joking question made me pause. Were they even capable of seeking out different sexual partners? I knew I was. I didn’t want to—at all—but I knew if I ever ended up stranded somewhere without them, I could charge up with someone else if I had to.
Owen walked by just
as that thought struck me, shooting me a goofy grin as he passed. Exhibit A, right there. I didn’t want him, didn’t even think of him that way. But I still remembered how he’d offered to help me power up if I ever needed it, and I was pretty sure the offer had been genuine.
Ugh. Please don’t let it ever come to that.
Not that Owen was hideous or anything—although his rock demon form wasn’t anything you’d write home about, unless you were trying to scare your relatives—but I really didn’t want anyone but my four.
My body had craved them from the minute I’d met them.
But now? My heart did too.
Xero nudged me. “Hey, Pipes. Where’d you go?”
I smiled and ducked my head, grateful that even though the guys could pick up on my moods, they couldn’t outright read my thoughts. “Man, I don’t even know. Let’s get back to it. History or Magic?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
A week had passed way too quickly. I didn’t feel remotely ready for finals, even though I had pored over the material until it was coming out of my ears. I was way too aware of what would happen if I failed, and Jayce’s “worst-case scenario” wasn’t even close to the actual worst that could happen. All of us failing would suck, but we’d figure a way out of it.
But what if I was the only one?
I sat with my guys at breakfast and made a point to touch each and every one of them, even Kai—although I was sneakier about that one. If I failed today, there was no telling how long it would be before I could be near them again.
I would die. I would legitimately die. I’d done more research since discovering the truth of what I was, and had found out that the feeling of life literally draining from my body when I went too long without touching one of my men wasn’t in my head. It was real. Leapfrogging off of un-bonded victims would only hold me over for so long. I needed my men with me, or at least close by. Always.
The mood was somber in the cafeteria all through breakfast. The only conversation I heard was the sound of students furtively quizzing one another on the subject matter. Everybody was terrified.
“No pressure.” I sighed.
“None whatsoever,” Hannah said sarcastically. “Oh, no!”
“What?”
She looked at me in wild-eyed panic. “When did the classic fallen wars start? When were the dark ages? I want to say 207 AD, but that isn’t right, is it? Shit!” She pulled out her notes and flipped through them frantically.
My mind went blank. I had no idea what the answer was.
“Ugh,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “I’m so screwed.”
The cafeteria began to empty out. Students shuffled along quietly, like dozens of death row inmates headed for the electric chair. God, this is worse than the hysteria. At least that had been active. This was just like a lead blanket crushing everyone at once. It was suffocating.
“Well, guys—” I looked my four men and Hannah in the eyes. “This is it. See you on the flip side.”
Jayce winked at me, then I gathered kisses from all of them. Kai didn’t bother to resist. He was as aware as I was that this could be the last time it ever happened.
When his lips finally broke from mine, stealing his enticing taste of spicy ginger away from me, I took a deep, steadying breath and strode away from them all. We weren’t going to be allowed to sit near each other anyway, and I needed a moment to clear my head. I trudged along behind a cluster of silent students, watching everyone around me act like brainwashed zombies.
