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Professor Mackenzie had snuck up behind us. “Attacking a student unprovoked? Attacking a teacher? Sabotaging his final exam? There are a lot of ways to get him out of here. And I will personally stand for you against every disgruntled bigot who even thinks about complaining. Slaymore was the first paranormal educational institution to admit dragons, succubi, gryphons and gorgons, and we’ll be proud to add krakens to the list.”
He cupped his hands around his mouth and roared at the students. “The marine mythology final is postponed until after the break. I’m sure you all see why. Your grades will be marked as incomplete until you’ve taken the final.” He dropped his hands, then said to me in a normal voice, “You get an A.”
“But…” I flushed, pride warring with my sense of justice. “But I didn’t take the final.”
“Seta, you’ve never gotten below a 93 on my assignments. I think we can assume you’d have done well here.”
A student came running up to us. “Headmistress Losia’s asking for you.” She was looking everywhere but at me.
“We’d best not keep her waiting.” Mackenzie started across the lawn.
Deus bent and picked up my cuff, holding it out. “You don’t have to, but if you want to…”
“I don’t, and I’m tired of keeping the secret. Besides, everyone on campus will know by tomorrow.” I waved a tentacle at the cellphones still pointed in my direction. “It’s time for me to show the world I’m not ashamed of being a kraken, and that we aren’t to be feared.”
Deus grinned. “That’s my girl.”
“You can miss the ferry, right?” Deus ran a hand through my hair.
We lay on his bed in a tangle of limbs and tentacles. His playful smile told me he was joking, even though his rapidly stiffening cock told me he was ready for another round.
I sat up with a groan. “Tomorrow’s weather looks bad. Tonight is the last night I can get out. But it’s only for three weeks.”
I’d opted to return to Slaymore the week before class started, to move my stuff from my dorm room to Deus’ room. Plus, I’d promised I’d join a club with Ayla, and we had to decide on which one.
To my dismay, when my guard had been down—thanks to an incredible orgasm—I’d promised Deus we’d do one extracurricular activity each week. And that had somehow turned into Ayla wanting us to go shopping to get me an entirely new wardrobe.
“Besides,” I added, addressing the elephant in the room, “we have to plan our next political move.”
Ezric had been expelled, just like Professor Mackenzie had predicted.
Headmistress Losia had written up two statements—one condemning student violence and discrimination, and one officially welcoming Slaymore’s first kraken student. Amid the cheers, she’d also announced that paperwork had been filed, with the full backing of Slaymore’s faculty, to pressure paranormal lawmakers to recognize Krakens as a protected species.
There would be many meetings and interviews needed to see our status changed, but it was a strong start, and I was excited to be part of making it happen… even if I was nearly killed in the process.
Ezric’s family had already retaliated in the usual paranormal newspapers and interviews, but they were scrambling behind the scenes.
That the son of a high-ranking slayer family had tried to kill an ambassador from another race looked bad for all slayers, and a number of other slayer families had already reached out to the Bering clan with peace offerings. I was getting the distinct feeling that Ezric’s family wasn’t exactly popular among his kind.
My parents were beyond proud that I was accomplishing what they’d sent me here to do… make the world safer for krakens.
“I am sorry,” I whispered.
Even though he despised Ezric’s actions, I knew he mourned for the Ezric he’d known for so long… not the Ezric I’d met.
Deus looked up at me, and his hands ran up to my shoulders, setting my body alight. I couldn’t believe I’d have to survive three weeks without his touch.
“You know, I think all of us were held back by what we wanted. You only wanted to study. I only wanted to make others happy. He only wanted to prove himself to his family. But we were able to move forward and grow. If Ezric had accepted Slaymore as his family, and let go of the darkness in his heart, maybe he’d still be here.”
I knew my mate was smart, but it had slipped my attention that he was also wise.
“Come visit me,” I blurted out before I could think better of it.
“Over break?” He curled a strand of my hair around his finger.
I was used to regretting my hasty words, but the more I thought about it, the more it felt right. My gaze fell on my imprints, and I bit back a groan. There was no way I could hide them from my eagle-eyed parents. My dad would be proud of the imprint that etched across my skin after the battle with Ezric, but my mom would be most interested in the one about my mate.
“My mother is going to lose her kelp when she sees I’m mated. But if you can sit through her trying to plan our wedding every waking minute… then yes.”
