AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“When you send your magic into the cauldron, how are you visualising it?” he questions, his expression thoughtful.
“I just visualise aiming my magic at it…” I trail off when his eyebrows draw down. My cheeks flush bright red, a squirmy feeling springing to life in my gut and I drop my eyes.
“Has no one ever taught you how to send your magic into potions before?” My cheeks heat even more, something about having the intensity of this monster’s eyes on me while he picks at one of my weaknesses—even though he’s saying it kindly—is embarrassing as hell.This is something I should know.
“I didn’t realise there was a science to it,” I mumble, and swallow hard.Goddess, my emotions are all over the place at the moment.As though that thought draws the urge back to the surface, my mouth goes dry and an ache unfurls in my gut.Shit, not now. The urge to drink blood has been fairly absent since the guys left last night, but it flares to life with a vengeance at the prolonged skin contact between Foster and me.
“Usually there isn’t, but with the power wafting off of you, I’d assume you won’t be able to imbue magic into a potion without a balance stone until you become more proficient in the art of doing it.” My eyes snap to his, the information distracting me from the urge for a moment. So there is an actual reason I’m struggling so badly with this? But my magic wasn’t unlocked when I was younger and attempted this? Foster continues. “When someone’s magic is powerful, its potency is high and that’s what affects the potion, not the power itself, so even before you awakened, an explosion would have been likely if you attempted to create a potion.”
Something in my chest loosens at the explanation. It’s exactly what I needed. It’s not something I’m doing wrong, so much as I wasn’t given the right information or the material necessary for a fair chance. “Thank you,” I say, flipping my hands and lightly squeezing Foster’s hands which now rest in my grasp. “I don’t understand why the professor didn’t say something though?”
My eyes narrow and anger flares in my chest as I search out the professor. In my peripheral vision I see the guys turn to find her with their gaze as well. She’s standing at the front of the room, eyes focused on a pair in the front row. Whenever I worked on this with my dads it was always such a struggle to just get my magic to work at all that we never worked through how to use it to activate a potion properly. I haven’t worked on potions with my fathers since before my magic awakened so it makes sense that they had no idea I’d need it, and my friends don’t teach for a living, so it’s understandable that they wouldn’t have thought my magic’s potency could be causing an issue, but the professor absolutelyshould. When my eyes return to Foster, his jaw is clenched, and his nostrils flare as he watches the professor as well. After a few moments his focus returns to me. “I don’t know,” he finally answers after watching me for a few seconds too long.
Yeah, there is definitely something weird going on around here, and Foster is just the frosting on top of the cake. Despite my body innately seeming to trust him, just like with the other guys, I think I should keep my distance for now. With everything that happened last term, I think I should err on the side of caution when it comes to making new friends, or anything else. Getting close to someone I don’t know could seriously backfire right now. Swallowing hard, my eyes dart back to the professor, and I mentally change my plan to look into the teachers to one of my top priorities.
“Thanks again,” I say to Foster, and mean it. He simply nods before returning to his own assignment. Dylan moves closer to me, and Oscar and Corin step up to our bench. “Are you okay?” Dylan asks, leaning in to me.
I nod sedately, eyes finding the professor again. “Yes, just frustrated.”
“Understandably so,” Corin says, a low growl rattling in his chest, tracking the professor as she crosses the room, his eyes flickering to the glowing amber of his Lycan for a moment before returning to the usual kaleidoscope of colour.
I shake my head and refocus on my work as the guys return to their own stuff. Looks like I’m stuck leaving my potions unfinished until I can get my hands on a balancing stone. The professor will be able to tell if someone else activates my potions so I can’t ask for help either. I don’t want to draw her attention to me, but I’m going to have to let her know that I’m unable to use potion magic for a few weeks. Or until I can get my hands on a balance stone. Well, if my research confirms that that is what I need. It’s something I can ask my dads about, too, when I call them this afternoon to check in.
With my plan now organised, I settle my gaze on the flames under the simmering unfinished potion in front of me and let myself get lost in my head.
I slide my backpack on and move through the crowd of people leaving the potions classroom mindlessly, still lost in my head. So much so that someone manages to grab me by the arm and tug me into a private alcove while I’m making my way through the hallway. I don’t yelp, instead I already have a knife unsheathed from my thigh holster that’s under my uniform with the tip of the blade pressed tight to the person’s lower stomach. Ready to gut them if they try anything.
“It’s just me, Nessa,” Corin rumbles and his bonfire scent washes over me quickly, clouding the small space.
Goosebumps rise on my arms at his rougher-than-usual voice and I swallow, my throat suddenly dry as my teeth throb.Goddess,he smells so fucking good. How do vampires deal with this all day? My eyes zone in on the vein pulsing in his neck and heat unfurls low in my stomach, a soft growl rumbling in my throat. A red haze descends over my brain and Corin curses, ducking down to study my face closer. “Nessa, are you still with me?”
I cock my head to the side, quickly slotting the knife back into its holster before I advance on Corin.Need to bite him. So thirsty.Groaning, he doesn’t resist as I stalk towards him—but he does retreat—the footsteps he puts between us making a primal urge tochase,rise up and attempt to smother me. “Stop,” I bark as I back him into a corner. He’s making it worse and the rational Nessa is fighting the haze, but him moving away from me isn’t fucking helping.
He stops at my words and doesn’t try to squeeze out of the corner, just stares at me.Good boy.I don’t stop until we’re so close our chests are pressed together and I shove my nose into the crook of his neck and shoulder, taking a deep breath.Fucking heaven. I run my nose up his neck and flick my tongue out, tasting his skin. His taste explodes on my tongue and a tremble rolls through my body as I force myself to hold back.He didn’t consent to this, back the fuck up for a second, Nessa.
Taking another deep inhale of his scent, my mind clears enough to force a few coherent words out. “I’m sorry. Thought I could control it. Can I bite you? Please?” My voice is practically a croak by the time I get to my request and the shaking from holding back is getting worse.
“Yes,” Corin says firmly. It still takes a moment for it to fully register though, and when it does my eyes snap to his, flared wide. His pupils are huge, no fear or indecision present in his expression. Still I hesitate. “Bite me, Nessa.”
It’s a growl. A command—though there is no magic behind it. He’s giving me his permission and I finally give in. I strike his throat, newly acquired fangs sliding through his skin like it’s butter. The second his blood touches my tongue, I’m gone.
The growl that was still rumbling in my chest transforms into a satisfied purr and I climb up Corin, legs locking around his waist, one hand sliding into his hair so I can tug his head further to the side so more of his throat is exposed. I gulp down mouthfuls of his blood, fingers curling into his scalp when his hands move to grip my thighs hard enough to leave bruises. I buck into him, arousal pulsing through me in overwhelming waves. So many sensations, almost too many.
I take one more mouthful of his rich blood before pulling back to tend to the wound on his throat. The twin pricks on his throat are jarring.Idid that.Ijust drank blood. Strangely, now that I’ve done it, it doesn’t seem nearly as odd as I thought it would. I blink slowly, before licking at his throat, cleaning up any drops I missed while simultaneously clotting the wounds. With his supe blood, I’m sure the marks will be nonexistent in a couple of hours and I’m not quite sure what to make of the fact that I’m disappointed at that knowledge.I want him to wear my marks.Want people to know he’s mine.
The thoughts have me jerking and I blink repeatedly, staring over Corin’s shoulder at the crumbly texture of the stone wall. Goddess, I must be losing my marbles. His blood settles pleasantly in my stomach and contentment floods through me as it hits my system. The urge to feed is gone and my system feels rejuvenated while at the same time, exhausted. Tightening my thighs around Corin’s waste, I rest my head on his shoulder, hand shifting from his hair to loop around his shoulder.
“Better?” he murmurs after about a minute and I nod, making a humming sound low in my throat that sounds suspiciously close to a purr. “Good.”
He walks across the alcove and settles on the stone seat that’s built into the wall, so I’m now comfortably on his lap. It’s strangely not awkward. I honestly don’t know when I let Corin slide so far past my defences. He releases my thighs and starts running his fingers through my hair, soothingly. “I did have a reason for tugging you in here. Three actually.” I hum in response, no intention of going anywhere even though I’m supposed to have another class right now. “Last night you spoke in my head.”
My head jerks back, eyes wide as I meet Corin’s gaze. “What?”
“You spoke in my head last night,” he repeats, eyes not leaving mine. Still, I feel the need to confirm it.
“Are you sure? Maybe you just have a really vivid imagination.” He quirks an eyebrow at me.
“Well, last night you told me thank you.” His lips twitch as he fights a smile. “There was also the begging I overheard while Dylan was edging you, Nessa.” Corin’s pupils dilate. “Practically screaming for him to let you come.” He says it while maintaining eye contact, not looking bothered at all by his own words, yet my cheeks practically catch on fire. I bite my cheek, embarrassment flooding through me and I go to hide my face when he adds, “It was one of the hottest things I have ever fucking experienced. I wanted to give in and do everything you wanted.”
