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He coos at me like I’m a babe, stroking my hair soothingly when a few tears fall, and maybe a few hiccups that sound suspiciously like sobs, but no one draws attention to it. Unicorn, sensing my distress, leaves the porch railing to land in front of me, offering a low coo of her own. We stay like that a while, Morrigan and Azure in silent support, while Diarmuid hugs me like he can keep all the bad things out with his magical hugs, as Unicorn watches on.
When I’m all cried out, I hide my face in his shirt, cheeks burning. I haven’t broken down like that in front of anyone, let alone my fathers inyears.It makes me cringe. “None of that now,” Azure says softly, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder.
“Now explain from the start, sweetheart. Get it all off your chest. It will make you feel a thousand times better.”
“You can share the burden with us, Ness,” Diarmuid adds, petting my hair again as I sit back. I keep my chin dipped as I lay it all out there. Well almost all of it. I leave out the parts involving my investigation board and everything that goes along with that, including the severity of my injuries from the altercation with Ethan. They obviously are aware that I am injured, just not the full extent. I’m not ready to share all of that stuff yet—maybe not ever. But I share everything else; the deaths at the school, the guys coming into my life, my magic awakening, the trauma it has brought up with Ethan’s involvement all the while trying to navigate my classes with all the chaos and struggling with my magic. By the end of it they all appear downright furious. Not at me, but for me.
“I wish you would have felt comfortable enough to bring this to us sooner. Something’s not right. The Academy’s faculty shouldn’t have let it get this far and they should have contacted us about everything that happened,” Azure murmurs, anger making his voice rougher than usual. His brows are drawn down, lips pursed as he stares out at the forest pensively. Even though I already have my suspicions about something going on with the Academy, hearing my fathers having the same suspicions is gratifying. I’m not just overthinking it, something actually is going on.
“You don’t have to go back, we can keep working on your magic here and you can commute again or even apply to another supernatural Academy,” Diarmuid bursts out, arms tightening around me slightly.
A lump rises in my throat at how much they care, but I can’t just run away now. Despite all the speed bumps, I’ve learnt so much. About myself, my magic and I’ve made new friends. Other than Lexi, I’ve never been able to connect with others like this before. Plus, though they have been helping me work with my magic, they don’t know the extent of my power. I mean, I’m sure they can feel it and assume that I’m not telling them everything, but I know that they won’t be able to offer me what an academy designed to teach young supes is able to. “I have to stay,” I say firmly.
Though he doesn’t argue, Diarmuid’s lips purse. I carefully shuffle back from my position—which was half on his lap—and wipe a hand over my face. Taking a few controlled breaths I collect myself and my shoulders feel a little lighter.
“If you’re sure, Nessa,” Morrigan says firmly. “Just know that we’ll back you whatever you choose.”
My chest tightens and I look between the three men surrounding me. A smile curls my lips, I’ve got the best fathers in the fucking realm. “Thank you.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes before Diarmuid perks up, his mouth pulling into a sly grin. “So about thosethreeguys?”
I groan and shove his shoulder and poke him in the ribs simultaneously, making him jump away with a laugh—though he’s careful to avoid aggravating my still bruised body.
I stare down at the message on my phone with pursed lips. It’s like they’re goddamn mind readers. Did their ears burn when we were talking about them today or something?
Two notifications sit on my lock screen. One’s an alert that I’ve been added to a group chat—with the guys no less—and the other is a message notification. My thumb hovers over the message one as I contemplate answering it right away or not. It’s from the group chat that Oscar has dubbedNessa’s Fan Club, so I know it’s definitely from one of them, but not much else. I shake my head at the name but chuckle despite myself. Running a hand through my hair, I give in and open the message.
Oscar:What’s everyone been up to?
I snort. I was agonising over it for no reason. When I reread the message though, my eyes narrow and annoyance flares through me. What’s everyone been up to?Couldn’t you have sent me a message a week ago, you dickhead!
I delete it instead of hitting send and toss my phone onto my bed with a grunt. I flop onto my back on my bed and wrinkle my nose. Obviously they’ve just been busy… or something. I jerk back up into a sitting position and watch the birds flit between the dead tree branches through my window.
Of all things, guys, attraction and dating are some of the things that I have the least experience with. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some blushing virgin when it comes to sex. I have hooked up with a few guys, but they’re nothing compared to the attraction I experience with Corin, Dylan and Oscar. I wince. Those hookups definitely weren’t anything to crow about either.
The kiss with Oscar flashes through my mind and a shiver rolls down my spine. That simple interaction inspired more lust than some of my past hookups—which isn’t the guys’ faults. I can be finicky with things like that and it’s never worked out before so having such a strong reaction with these three is confusing and exciting as hell. Along with a hundred other mixed emotions. In other words, a conundrum that I don’t have a hope of unpacking.
Blowing out a breath, I dive onto the bed on my stomach and tug my phone over to me. Unicorn flutters into the room and sets about fiddling with a hair tie I dropped on the floor, batting at it like an earth-realm cat. I laugh, eyebrows dipping a little in disbelief. I swear sometimes she acts more like a normal pet than a familiar, well a pet who is half wild. Unlike other supernatural’s familiars who are stuck to them like glue, Unicorn definitely prefers to be outdoors. She’d rather spend most of her waking hours exploring the forest and hunting, than she would cooped up with me.
It really doesn’t bother me though, she’s there when I need her and seems to like me well enough. I do remember reading somewhere that sometimes it takes longer for that bond to form between supe and familiar, which in turn means that they like more space before it’s solidified. I personally believe it’s just Unicorn’s personality though.
I shrug, refocusing on my phone, and decide to keep the message simple.
Nessa:Not much.
I hit send and a small part of me buzzes, satisfiedly at the underhandedI’m annoyed at youvibe the text aims at him. Then I grimace. They haven’t really done anything wrong… just sort of ghosted me a little. Before I have a chance to overthink it further my phone vibrates with an incoming text.
Oscar:Sounds awfully boring.
My lips quirk.
Corin:Not much either.
Oscar:Definitely boring.
Corin:There isn’t much to do at the Academy during the holidays.
My eyebrows raise as I absorb that information. Corin doesn’t go home for the holidays? Either he doesn’t like his family, doesn’t have one, or they live really far away. I wonder which it is, but I decide not to pry.
