Equinox Academy: Dark Prophecy

Chapter 14

Jericho POV

She’s Mine…

“Quiet Lupin,” I watched Kassandra leave the dance floor and I couldn’t take my eyes off her even if I tried. She is a stunning creature and quite amusing if I must say so myself. As she makes her way toward me, I see her eyes flash from Spiro to Calix and then to me. She sends me a sexy as f**k wink that has my c**k twitching and I feel a low groan escape my throat as my pants grow unbelievably tight.

Go to her…

“Lupin for f*****g's sake, if you don’t keep it down, I will intentionally swallow wolfsbane.”

Fine… He grumbles, and I mentally feel him heel. Lupin is my wolf and although he can be a pain in the ass sometimes, we have always been agreeable with each other. It wasn’t until our pretty little minx showed up that he’s been acting completely out of character. Something about Kassandra is causing him to act possessive. I mentally hear him huff in annoyance and I internally roll my eyes. I stand and refill my glass of whiskey just as a distinct smell hits my system. Lupin growls loudly in my head and I can mentally see his hackles rise. Krystal saunters into my line of sight and my skin ripples as she grazes her palms up my arm. I mentally try to calm Lupin down because he’s agitated at her touching me. A low warning growl slips loose and her hand stops in its journey and retreats.

“Jericho, where have you been all night?” Her voice sounded pouty and a bit squeaky although I’m sure she was going for sultry and sexy. Sure enough, when I turned to look at her, she was pouting and trying to be cute. The funny thing is, before this summer, I would have found her affections and actions cute if not amusing. However, I’d been trying to avoid her since we arrived back at the academy, but she’s made it a point to be everywhere I am. Her relentless pursuit has done a lot to earn my and Lupin’s agitation.

Her desperation smells… I snort a laugh because he’s not wrong. During the summer break, unbeknownst to me, her father was dropping a subtle hint about a union between her and me. She apparently was in on the plan to manipulate my father into an arranged marriage because she made it a point to be with me at any chance she could. She was giving off the impression we were some happy couple. I appreciated her scratching the itch during my stay in Brazil. However, I wasn’t privy as to why she was going above and beyond to f**k me at every free chance she got. Apparently, it looked as though we were an insatiable couple when, truthfully, I just had a lot on my plate at home and she was easier to deal with than going out to find some new piece of ass. It wasn’t until my mother pulled me aside and told me what was going on that I realized I was being set up. My mother loathes Krystal and her father. She’s completely against arranged marriages. She and my father are true mates, and she wants me to find my true mate or at least marry for love. Unfortunately for my father, my mother comes from a lower-class family, and he found her by accident. She’s a romantic and I love her for it. So, when she spotted the manipulation taking place, she made it a point to give me a heads up. After our little talk, Lupin lost his s**t and I wanted to throttle her father and her, but I couldn’t just brush her off. My mother reminded me of the influence her father has in our kingdom, which meant I had to play nice, but that didn’t mean I had to go along with her s**t any longer now that we were no longer under her father’s scrutiny. I hated f*****g politics, hate I know I can’t outright kick her on the curve, but I know I have to walk a fine line which makes me nauseous and makes Lupin a bit hostile.

She must feel my agitation but chooses to ignore it. “Jer?” She whines again, putting her hand on my arm, and I again have to fight Lupin down from growling at her. I shifted slightly to put some distance between us and say, “I’ve been here all night although I was with my cousin earlier.” I nodded in the direction of Sophie and Kassandra. She follows my gesture and I see her body stiffen slightly and her face scrunches in what looks to be anger. Eyebrow raised, I looked back at Sophie’s table only to find Kassandra staring in my direction. She gives me a wink and then her eyes lock with Krystal’s and I feel Lupin huff in amusement when she f*****g smirks at her. I think I may have come in my pants. The beautiful creature just baited the s**t out of Krystal and, by the looks of it, Krystal is bristling from the challenge. Then, just as quickly, she dismisses her as if she were nothing. She clearly has no idea who Krystal is and if the expression on her male friend's face is any clue, he’s a bit worried about her sanity. Krystal may not be royal, but she is a part of an exclusive group that is widely known across campus and hell most of the supernatural community. There are a select few students who call themselves “the khrusos”. They are the golden children that are meant to hold high status in the Supe community. Electa, Krystal, and Christiana are the unspoken leaders of this group, and they have the backing of Ren “the matchmaker”, which makes their rule over the school, or more importantly, the female population, that much more extensive. Most women won't even make a move without their blessing. And none will approach or even look at us without fear of repercussions from them. However, Kassandra seems to give zero f***s to social ques which is not only impressive but so f*****g hot my c**k twitches again.

Our Tesoro is feisty…

I internally chuckle at Lupin’s comment and can’t help smirking in agreement. My smirk drops when I hear Krystal’s low growl and hear her snap, “Who is she?” I can feel her rage and indignation coming off in waves. If looks could kill, Kassandra would be dead twice over by the way that Krystal was stabbing her with her eyes. She will not touch her… Lupin growls in hostility and I sigh deeply, trying to tamp down his fury at the girl next to me. Krystal was looking at me expectantly and I forgot she had asked a question. Stifling back Lupin’s irritation, I answered through somewhat gritted teeth. “She is Sophie’s friend. I spoke with her earlier.” Krystal’s lips pucker as if she swallowed lemon juice and her reproachful reply causes Lupin’s hackles to rise again. “Why would you waste time speaking to a commoner?” She says commoner with so much disdain that I accidentally let a growl rumble from my chest. She may as well have called Kassandra filth and Lupin is seconds away from pushing forward and making his presence and how he feels about her known. She must sense the shift because she stills and, through gritted teeth that I’m sure looks like a sneer, I say, “Who I associate myself with is none of your concern Krystal,” I am sure to spit her name with the same disdain that she used. “Do not forget your place.” I finish in a low threatening growl that has her flinching back and her head lowering submissively. Without realizing it, I used my Alpha voice and she had no choice but to either submit or challenge me. We both know that although she is one of the stronger earth users, she is no match for me or my wolf. I hear her whimper as the power radiating off me pulse one last time and at once, I release it point made she all but sprints back to her friends with her tail tucked between her legs.

After a moment, Lupin is calm but he’s still agitated. He wants to go be next to Kassandra again and, to be honest, so do I. However, after that encounter with Krystal, I worry about painting a target on her back. An idea sparks in my head and I decide to do something I normally wouldn’t unless necessary. In this case, I need to feel this woman out a little more and for her safety I need to use a little magic in order to keep her safe. I made a decision and downed the rest of my drink. I motioned to my brothers, who still seemed to be subtly watching her every move. Funny Lupin doesn’t seem bothered by their perusal but was damn near ready to kill the other Lamia that was sitting at the table with her earlier. I stand and pat Calix on the shoulder, grabbing both men’s attention. “Eyes on me boys, I’m going to play.” I flash a mischievous smirk in their direction, and I can see Calix’s mouth twitch while Spiro just rolls his eyes. Both boys seem unfazed, but I know they are just as interested in Kassandra as I am. As I make my way over, I spot Electa, Krystal, and Christiana in the corner near the bar. I know their plotting something and with me making this move I know I may be placing an even larger target on her back.

Lupin’s awareness comes alive inside my head. We aren’t truly hunting, but I have always thought of pursuing a woman as a form of it. Despite my friendly nature, I am also a predator. The women I pursue are prey, but in Kassandra’s case, I’m not one hundred percent sure what I’m pursuing, and that makes this hunt even more thrilling. I can visually see Lupin lick his lips in anticipation in my head as I crossed the room towards her. I can sense the moment she feels my approach. It’s a minute reaction but I see her body still. Her magic pulses out toward me in a probing manner and I have to bite back a moan as it caresses my magic almost intimately. Lupin practically purrs in bliss in my head, and I feel my c**k thicken in response. Jesus, this woman might kill me. Instead of showing how I feel, I lock my face in my careless smirk as her magic retreats slightly. I pulse my own magic out towards her and to my surprise I see her shiver slightly. Her eyes flash up and lock on mine and I see an unmistakable heat there as my magic gently caresses hers. Her eyelids droop slightly, and I approach her slowly so as to not make her feel threatened.

Sophie and her male friend, who I can’t seem to remember his name, stop talking when they sense me rounding the table to her side. As I get closer, her eyes seem to shift from lust to curiosity and a hint of wariness. Holding out my hand towards her, I ignore the other two people at the table and look her directly in the eye and ask, “Kassandra would you honor me with a dance?” She hesitates for a second and I can see a war of emotion play across her features, but it seems her curiosity wins the battle after a minute. She picks up her glass, throws it back like a champ, and slowly slides her delicate fingers into my palm. A spark shoots up my arm from the contact, but I ignore it as I pull her to her feet. She turns back to the table and mumbles goodbye, and we turn towards the dance floor. Deciding now would be the best time to execute my plan, I allowed my magic to pulse forward, and a green light spread around us as we settled in the middle of the dance floor. To everyone else, we would have looked to be dancing in a respectable manner and having a polite conversation, but that’s not what I had planned for the little minx.

She gasps and giggles in delight as my magic forms a bubble around us. We are standing in the middle of the dance floor which, despite the number of people, has been given a wide birth. When my magic is on display, people can feel it and usually give me space. Some find it uncomfortable to be in our presence, especially if their magic levels are lower than ours. Kassandra reaches her hand out to touch it and, although it usually wouldn’t matter due to her power levels, I’m afraid she may disrupt the illusion. I gently grab her hand and place it on my shoulder. She takes it a step further by placing her other hand closer to my neck and my hands drop to her waist in a firm but gentle hold. “What is this?” She sways slowly with me to the soft music in the background. I look down at her and slowly bring my hand up to tuck a long silky lock of hair behind one of her ears. I can’t help it I just have to touch her. “It’s an illusion. I wanted to be able to speak to you without others hearing our conversation. Gossip is a b***h in this school and I wanted to get to know you privately without it being reported back to spiteful ears.” She nods her head and smiles softly at me. Damn if my heart doesn’t skip a beat at the sight. My finger brushes the smooth skin of her back and I hear a slight gasp as I graze a dimple at the small of her back. “Who are you?” I softly whisper as her eyes lock on mine, and I’m captivated by the unusual color of them. I see the emerald green of my own mixed in one of them, but the color variations are absolutely hypnotizing. A sad look crosses her face, and she whispers softly back. “I’m just Kassandra.” I feel her try to withdraw but I only allow her enough space to spin her around as I smoothly step forward so that her soft ass is pressed to my thick erection and her back is flushed with my chest. Her sharp gasp has me grinning as I wrap my arms around her and slowly sway our bodies to the music.

I feel her muscles loosen slightly as she relaxes into my hold, and I can’t help but notice how perfectly our bodies fit together. She’s taller than most women I’m used to, but her petite, muscular frame fits perfectly with my larger body. She’s tall enough that I can slightly tilt my head forward and be right at her delectable pulse point. Ignoring the instinct to bite her as she tilts her head, allowing me access, I softly whisper in her ear the idea that just popped into my head in order to extract information out of her. “Let’s play a game, Tesoro.” She slowly rocks her hips backward against my d**k and I can barely contain the growl, but I know she feels the rumble in my chest. “What kind of game?” her voice is sultry and as she slides down, I inhale a soft breath which causes her sweet scent to invade my senses. Jasmine and peach blossoms swirl through my nose and it's so subtle and sweet my mouth starts to water. I mentally shake away the pure lust coursing through me so I can explain the rules. “It’s a question game,” I whisper, running my nose against the shell of her ear. I nip slightly at the earlobe, and I can hear a small whimper escape her lips when I grind back against her. “We ask each other questions and if the other person answers they get to ask a question. If they don’t, then whoever doesn’t answer, has to get a reward or punishment.” I hear her chuckle softly and she says, “I can choose any punishment I want?” To my surprise, she rolls her hips in a way that rubs my c**k perfectly, making my breath catch again. I bit my lip and tried to calm myself so I could answer. “Yes, anything.”

She smells delicious…

My voice came out gravelly and huskier than usual and I know she noticed because her body shivered slightly at my tone. “Sounds fun. Your game so you can go first.” I tightened my hands around her and I felt her breath shudder in her chest. I smile harder, reveling in the fact that she is just as deeply affected by my touch as I am hers. I decided to start with a softball question to try and get the ball rolling. “What’s your last name?” We began a slow grind against each other and gods does she feel amazing. She whispers softly, “Phoenix.” Huh, Phoenix isn’t the name of any highborn family that I’m familiar with. It’s unique and seems to reveal things about her personality. “What is yours?” She rocks from side to side, rubbing her ass softly against my d**k and Lupin growls at her teasing us so thoroughly. “Lycaon,” I growl unintentionally, and I hear her chuckle slightly knowing she’s throwing us off. I grab her hip, thrusting softly against her ass, and her breath catches. I chuckle under my breath as she slowly winds her hips in a figure-eight, making my already hard c**k leak fluid. Damn, she’s making it hard to think. Lupin pushed a question to the forefront of my mind unbidden and I growled it out unintentionally. “Who was the guy you and my cousin are sitting with?” She seemed to tense at the intensity of my growl and softly stroked her stomach to coax her back into relaxing. After a moment she does, and she answers clearly, making her protective side known. “His name is Kylar. He’s a friend I made today and, honestly, he would probably f**k you before me although he has been hinting at switching teams.” I growl in her ear playfully, and I feel Lupin relax.

“Okay, my turn.” She spins around and slowly wedges one thigh between mine. As if practiced, I dragged the fabric of her dress up and exposed her thigh holsters. The slit was now pushed higher, exposing her hip and a string that had to be a piece of her panties. I drag her body close and wedge my thigh at her core. My pants are thick, but I can still feel the heat of her as she rolls her hips. “She huskily whispers, and she continues to grind on my thigh. “Who was that girl you were with earlier?” I can feel her wetness seeping through my pants and I’m helpless to stop the groan as the scent of her arousal penetrates my nose. I huskily growled, “Her name is Krystal. She is an ex-lover. She is a high member of my court who wants to be my mate, but I refuse to accept anything less than my true mate.” She grinds down harder, and I hear her gasp loudly. I tug her body flush with mine with my hand at her throat and she whimpers so sweetly for me. I lift her leg and secure it at my hip. She begins to lean back at my coaxing, and I run my hand from her throat, brushing the valley between her breasts, skimming my way down her stomach, and just before I can reach her c**t she snaps back up and pushes forward. I release her leg reluctantly and spin her out and snap her back so her back is to my front again. We sway for a minute, allowing me to catch my breath but only a little. This woman has my head clouded with lust and I know I should be asking more important questions, but I can’t seem to think clearly. Another question pops into my head and I know it's not the most important one, but I really want to know. “Who were you dancing for earlier?” This seems to give her pause and I wait with bated breath to see who that sensual display she provided us earlier was for. I know all three of us were entranced but I couldn’t help but notice she looked at all three of us while she moved. Lupin was convinced it was for us, but by the way, she looked and Calix and Spiro. I’m not one hundred percent convinced he’s right.

Abruptly she spins and leans forward, placing her hands on my chest and whispering softly in my ear. “Consequence.” When she leans back, I can’t help but stare into those mesmerizing eyes and see a hint of heat, mischief, and I think embarrassment. Lupin growls softly in my head and I can’t help the slight disappointment that hits me that she won’t tell me the truth. Although to her I simply just smirk and pull her close again. If I can’t get my answer, then I will for damn sure get something else I’m dying to have. “Kiss me,” I say softly against her ear, and she pulls back in a bit of surprise. I couldn’t hide the wolfish smile and I saw her instantly smile back with her own mischievous grin. She leans forward and I can’t help closing my eyes as her scent once again overwhelms me. I felt her lips softly graze mine, the electricity that sparks from that touch caused my lips to part slightly. Just when I think she is about to press those luscious lips to mine completely, she shifts and presses a soft kiss at the corner of my lips.

My eyes snap open as she leans back, and I can see the mirth in her eyes. However, I see the heavy rise and fall of her chest that matches my own and the lust in the air is indescribable. It takes everything inside me not to snatch her back, thrust my hands into her soft hair and crush my lips to hers and take what I want. Instead, I lick my lips and bite them, causing her eyes to drop to them for just a second before she lifts them back to mine. She won this round, but I know I gained some important insight into the beautiful and mysterious Kassandra. She may act like she isn’t, but she definitely feels the spark of connection between us. I just wonder if I’m the only one she feels it with. From what I gleaned from my conversation with Spiro, he felt something unusual as well with the little minx. Sensing I had kept the illusion up for too long, I decided to end our time together and grab her hand gently. We slowly walk off the dance floor and I drop the illusion as we reach her table. She turns to close the distance to her friends, but I softly grab her hand in mine and bring it to my lips. I kiss her hand softly, enjoying the small intake of breath as my lips brush her skin. I lean in quickly and brush her hair away from her face and place it behind her ear and whisper softly into her ear, “Until next time mi Tesoro.” As I lean back and stare into her eyes, she smiles softly and gives me a small nod. I can’t help the joy I feel at seeing her high cheekbones blushing a pretty shade of pink.

I depart with one last squeeze of her hand, and I make my way over to Calix and Spiro. Thankfully, the girls are nowhere in sight because the last thing I need is their attention on me or Kass as I try to conceal the hard-on I’m sporting after our dance. I plop down in the chair next to Calix and subtly adjust my erection, but I know for a fact both my brothers catch the movement. Spiro chuckles softly and I see Calix’s mouth tip up slightly. Spiro shifts to grab the bottle of whiskey and pours three shots for us. Calix's very bored face shifts towards me and asks, “So how was your playtime.” I look into his eyes for a moment and then look back in Kassandra’s direction. I grab the shot from Spiro and toss it back. I focus back on him and say,” I’ve got a feeling that this year is going to be interesting.” Calix grabs his drink and downs the shot just as quickly and to my surprise, he mutters so low I barely hear him, “Same brother, same.”