The Fall of the Ancient Pantheon

Ch.7 He's My Professor

Lilly's POV

I woke up feeling like I'd been slammed into a brick wall—groggy, disoriented, and a little too comfortable for someone who was apparently just in a car accident. This wasn’t shock, though. Oh no. This felt more like I’d been drugged. Not that I had taken anything, mind you. In fact, I was pretty sure I didn’t take anything. No needle marks, no mysterious pill bottles around. Yet, here I was, feeling like I’d spent the last hour in a coma—or perhaps at a very questionable spa retreat.

A series of beeps pulled me from my thoughts—was that a heart monitor? A hospital? What kind of weird dream was I having? I tried to sit up, but the second I did, my brain decided to punish me. A massive headache exploded, and I had to clutch my temples, massaging out the tension that had suddenly built up in my skull.

“Lay back down, Lilly dear,” a smooth husky voice murmured in my ear, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine.

I froze. Wait, what?

The voice was definitely male—and for some reason, it made me feel all kinds of... things. What kind of magic was this man working on me? The ticklish sensation where his breath brushed my earlobe didn’t help either. My brain was working overtime, trying to process the fact that I was being... flustered by some stranger. What kind of messed-up alternate reality was I in right now?

I snapped my eyes to the guy in front of me, the one who was basically lighting my body on fire with these tiny, deliciously torturous electric pulses every time he was near. “Who—” I croaked, my voice completely betraying me as I tried to ask the most basic of questions.

“I’m Damon, Lilly. You called for help when I was hit by a car.” His voice was deliberately raspy, like it was made for late-night conversations and dangerously close whispers. A seductive purr, if you will. What was this man doing to me?

“Oh,” was all I could muster. I was completely caught off guard. So many questions were racing through my mind—where am I? What happened? Is he okay? Is anyone okay? Why do I feel like I’m about to make questionable life choices?

“Shh, my little flower,” Damon cooed, gently pressing a hand to the back of my head and another to my shoulder to guide me back down onto the bed. “I’ll answer all your questions, but I need you to answer one of mine first.”

Little flower? Was that a pet name? Was this some weird dream where everyone talks like they’re in a romance novel? I nodded anyway, deciding I was too confused to question that.

He sat back down in the chair next to the bed, eyes still never leaving me. “What were you doing at the university?”

I considered my answer for a moment, trying to fight the very real temptation to tease him. “I’m an undergrad. I was on my way to class when I saw the accident.”

“And do you know the officer who spoke to you today?” His eyes narrowed a little, but not in an aggressive way. More like... curiosity.

I couldn’t help it. “I believe you said one question, Damon.” I practically purred, leaning into his game just a little. I have questions too, buddy.

I saw his lips twitch as though he was fighting a smile. “Just answer the question.”

“Party pooper,” I muttered, rolling my eyes for effect. “No, I don’t know Officer Pierce. I try not to get too chummy with the officers who are questioning me... before at least one date, anyway.” I shot him a teasing grin, figuring I could amuse myself while I sorted through the chaos.

Damon's eyes darkened for a split second, and a guttural, animalistic growl rumbled in his throat. “Tread lightly, my little flower.”

Oh, hello chills. They ran up and down my spine, and I had absolutely no idea how I felt about that. Did I like it? I was so confused right now. What was going on?

I tried to gather myself, taking a deep breath before my brain decided to ask the real questions. “Who are you, Damon? Why were you at the university? And why are you so... healthy?” I winced internally as the last question slipped out, because honestly, it didn’t sound like what I meant to say. But I was too caught up in the confusion and weird vibes swirling around to think straight. What was happening to me? Why did being in the same room as this muscular, brooding stranger make me feel like I’d forgotten how to breathe?

Damon watched me intently, but he didn’t answer right away. Instead, he just gave me that half-smile that made my heart skip a beat. Oh no. What had I gotten myself into?

"I am Damon Okeanós, a professor at Guadalupe University. Actually, I'm one of the head professors for the Anthropology department," he finally answered, his voice dripping with casual authority.

My eyes practically popped out of my head. A professor?

As though he could read my thoughts—of course he could—he chuckled. The sound rippled through the air like a soft caress, and I felt an involuntary shiver run up my spine. Goosebumps erupted all over my body. What the hell was going on here?

"Yes, little flower," he said, that same smooth, seductive tone lacing his words. "I am a professor. I was actually on my way to teach the Witchcraft, Religion, and Rituals class today. Looks like my students get a free pass this semester." He shook his head with an amused smile.

I blinked a few times, my brain struggling to process. Witchcraft? Religion? Rituals? This is the guy teaching the class I signed up for?