Fallen Kings

13

Araceli scoots over on one of the couches to give Jonah space, and he grins and plops down beside her. She grabs another tiara and sets it on his head. “There. Now you’re one of us.”

Jonah adjusts the tiara with a smile. “I’m honored.”

I suddenly feel a trickle of lust, and realizes it’s coming from my roommate as she gazes at my brother.

Oh s**t. Araceli has a crush on my brother, and he is so not over Grace.

This can’t be good.Chapter Nine

Olivia

T

he second week of classes goes by as quickly as the first. It’s nice seeing Bastien every day in Angelic History, even though I have to wait until after class to talk to him. Simiel regularly gives me creepy looks during Immortal Ethics, but I make sure I’m never alone with him again. Callan continues to annoy me during every Combat Training class. Hilda has begun the difficult process of teaching us to use our wings in combat, and Callan comes over to help me far too often. I’ve taken to sticking close to Tanwen, who is a natural at it, of course. Her Valkyrie crowd gives me weird looks because they’re confused by our sudden friendship, but they’re not rude to me anymore, which is a bonus. Meanwhile, Araceli and Jonah keep ending up as sparring partners, and it’s like a repeat of her relationship with Derel all over again. Except, from what I can tell, Jonah only sees her as a friend. Ouch.

When I return to my room on Friday afternoon, I find a note on my bed. It’s from Kassiel, just a quick message telling me he’s staying at a nearby motel tonight. For a second I thought it was a letter from the Order and my heart started racing. They used to leave them in the exact same spot. I snort as I fold the note up. The Order won’t be inviting me to their meetings this year, but that’s okay because I’d much rather visit Kassiel.

Pulling out my phone, I shoot a message to the newly formed group chat between our girls’ club. We’re supposed to watch a movie tonight in the Princess Lounge. We’ve been hanging out there just about every night, sometimes watching TV and sharing dinner, or doing homework while Eveanna reads books she’s checked out from the library, usually about humans.

Can’t meet tonight, sorry. I have something to do.

The replies pour in, Araceli first. Is that what you call Bastien now? “Something?”

Tanwen replies, Maybe it’s Marcus.

Eveanna sends a bunch of eggplant emojis and I burst out laughing. Jonah managed to get her a phone over break, although she’s still figuring out how to use it. I am one hundred percent sure he taught her that emoji and ninety-nine percent sure she has no idea what it means. Either that, or she is way dirtier than I thought. It’s hard to tell with fae.

With a wide grin, I slip my phone in my bag and ignore the pings that keep coming after that. The topic of my love life is a source of constant amusement for my friends, and I can’t say I mind their teasing. It’s nice to have a group of women to share things with.

Even though the school is still on lockdown, I have no problem flying off campus after night falls. My Ishim powers keep me invisible, and my necklace stops me from being detected. Kassiel has stayed at this same hotel before, so he must feel somewhat safe there, and it only takes me about twenty minutes to fly over. When I get there, I knock four times on his door, as instructed, while my heartbeat quickens in anticipation.

It’s been weeks since we last saw each other, and my heart aches every time I think of his absence. I’m able to push it out of mind when I’m in class or hanging out with the girls and Jonah, but when I’m alone at night I often think of Kassiel. I worry about his safety or wonder what he’s doing, and it often keeps me up late. Sometimes I even sit by the lake where we used to meet, and I think back on those days when he was my professor. I saw him just about every day for two years and took it for granted. Now I’d do just about anything to see him that often again.

Kassiel throws the door open and grabs my hand, pulling me inside in a flash. We don’t say a word, just cling to each other, and I realize he missed me as much as I did him. Then our lips find each other like two magnets unable to resist the attraction, and I lose myself in his touch, taste, and scent. His lust rolls over me, making me crave him even more, especially since I’ve been on an angel-only diet for weeks now. I’ve missed the dark decadence of his Fallen energy.

“You’re okay?” he asks huskily when he lifts his lips from mine.

“I’m fine. It’s you I worry about. Where have you been?” I press my hands to his cheeks and look deep into his green eyes. He’s absolutely gorgeous with hair just a shade short of black, perfectly trimmed stubble along his sharp jaw, and a mouth made for kissing. “Are you staying safe?” “Safe enough.” Did I mention his English accent? Yeah, even his voice is sexy.

We kiss again, and my hands slide between us so I can unbutton his shirt. He almost always wears a dark suit, which only makes him more handsome somehow. When he realizes I fully intend to start our reunion with s*x he growls against my mouth and grabs the tie of my red coat. The coat falls mid-thigh, just long enough to keep me covered. His growl turns to a moan when he sees I’m only wearing a red lace teddy under it. “Damn it, you’re so sexy.”