Nocticadia

by Keri Lake

“Hey, can I get your phone number?” “Oh. Um. I’m not–” “It’s not like that. I, um …. I have a boyfriend?” A lopsided smile slanted his lips as he scratched the back of his head. Idiot, I silently chided myself. I somehow had to pry myself from the mindset that every guy who asked for my number was looking for a hookup. “Right. Sorry, um, yes.”

All this time I assumed she didn't have a phone

“Dracadia was once a monastery,” Kendall said, staring out through the gondola window. “And an asylum, right?” “Yes. It has a rather dark history. But I’m sure that wouldn’t impress someone like you.” At that, I frowned, not quite catching her meaning.

Wtf that mean? Someone like you?

“Ain’t there some kind of medication for it?” “Not yet.” “But that’s what this is about, right? You’re working on one?” “More, or less.”

Lol

Gilchrist frowned, her gaze shifting from mine to Spencer’s. “Dr. Bramwell’s neuroparasitology class? That’s a junior level advanced class. He doesn’t allow underclassmen.” The argumentative tone in her voice struck me as odd, as if I’d chosen to be in grumpy’s class.

My suspicions about him must’ve been true, then. The guy seemed more apt to make out with a textbook before hitting on any of his students.

😂

He’s an asshole, the voice inside my head argued back. Don’t put too much into it. Yeah, he was. An exceptionally good-looking and smart asshole.

“What’s Nocticadia?” I asked, glancing out the window, as the bus rolled to a stop for two more students outside of Hemlock Hall. “It’s what we call the Midnight Lab. A play on Noctisoma.” “Ah. Right. So why midnight?” “That’s when the parasites are most active.”

That’s not a good explanation for Nocticadia

“Once they hatch, they’ll make their way to the noxberries on the surface.” I glanced up to see what looked like little water lilies on the water’s surface, where tiny berries stuck out from the petals. “That’s how the larvae disperse, isn’t it? The moths eat the berries.” “Yep. Unless Bramwell sweeps through and grabs all the infected berries.” “For what?”

“You will record everything in detail.” The sound of Professor Bramwell’s voice dragged my attention back to the front of the room, where he stood with an air of authority that tickled my stomach. I rested my hand over the irritating sensation, annoyed with my reaction.

LOL

Get my thoughts. I wanted to laugh at that. The man was probably holding back a torrent of piss in his pants right now. “Yes, of course,” I responded cordially, biting back the anger that tautened my muscles. “Allow me to impart my thoughts. Dr. Gilchrist needs to keep her fucking nose out of my business. I approved Miss Vespertine’s enrollment. End of story. If Gilchrist has a problem, she can take it up with me. Directly.”

Lol I love that they are all scared of him

Camera lodged between my knees, I assured it was positioned correctly, and pushed it closer, up my thighs. From the bottle clipped to my bag beside me, I took a quick squirt of hand sanitizer and cleaned my hands as thoroughly as possible. Then, resting one arm against the tabletop, I slid my other hand up my skirt, wincing when my fingers met my bare flesh.

hand sanitizer is a bad idea lol

Emo Jesus in a black dress

yelled ‘bazinga!’ from The Big Bang Theory whenever they solved it correctly.

The worst show of all tome

I held out my hand for the picture again, and turned it over to the date on the other side: January 9th, 2003. I was born November thirteenth of the same year.

👵🏻 Jesus a baby

The younger photos showed her long, auburn hair, like mine, and bright blue eyes—beautiful and vibrant, just like my mother.

Creepy. That’s what I look like

“Stay out of trouble, Curious Moth,” he said, as he strode for the door.

🥰

Only the elite and wealthy attend this school. And … you.”

Lol

“The chapel.” After speaking to Professor Bramwell, I knew the chapel had no cameras posted outside. Apparently, Jesus didn’t like spies, and that was fine with me.

🤣

“As I’m sure you’ve discovered, I don’t get along well with others.

Lol

His brow winged

700th time. Overly used phrase

“And so the moth befriended the flame.”

“Jesus. Did you have to take a class to write this bad?” He let out a disapproving grumble.

My lips tingled where he’d kissed me

“Of course you’re wet.” His voice held a sharp bite of anger at the discovery.

Lol

“And because I’m a selfish prick who has to live with the fact that I cannot have you to myself, I’m going to ruin you so that any boy who comes after me will leave you deeply unsatisfied, and you’ll be left fucking your own fingers, desperate to remember the time you had your professor’s face between your legs.”

🥵

Frustrated and painfully aroused, I did exactly that, letting him position my knees apart however he wanted. I needed this. I needed him to finish me, or I’d die of agony. Was that even possible? Could someone die of the desperate need to come?

Haha

I brushed my finger over the mousepad of his laptop, where I was prompted to enter a password. A tug of the drawers to the right of me confirmed that he’d locked them.

Idk how she has the energy to snoop. Girl should be unconscious from that orgasm

Eyes locked on his, I reached up the hem of my skirt and pulled down my panties, slipping them over my ankles. I balled them in my palm and stuffed them into the pocket of his slacks, next to the hard length that brushed the edge of my thumb. “Panties are for the modest,” I said, and turned for the door.

Bold

It seemed the jealousy of Spencer’s uninvited kiss hadn’t entirely faded just yet, and like before, his psychotic comments shouldn’t have sent a flutter to my stomach. The possession in his tone should’ve had me running in the opposite direction. But I’d known bad guys my whole life. The skeevy, slimy types who took from girls and ultimately didn’t give a damn about them. I knew boys who hurt girls for their own selfish pleasure. Who cast them aside afterward, as if they were useless, used-up rags. Devryck was a different breed altogether.

“I needed this,” he rasped, his jaw tense and flexing, as he ground his hips into me so deeply, it stole my breath. “I can’t tell you how badly I needed to fuck you, Lilia.”

Somehow another week passed. Stealing away with Devryck had become my favorite dangerous game.

Rude that we didn’t get to be a part of it

“Jesus, a Maserati?” she asked, the amusement in her voice an improvement from the somber tone moments ago. “And black. How did I know Doctor Death would drive a black car with black leather interior?” She ran her hand over the seat as she settled in. “It suits me.” The Ghibli

$100,000 car and he only gave her 5k 🤔

“What’s the problem?” Lippincott asked, holding the gun loosely in his hand. “Program crashed. I need to reboot. It’s going to take a minute.” “I don’t have a fucking minute.” “Then, I guess you should’ve approved the fucking request from finance to boost the internet.” “Fine.”

LmAo

“Are you in some trouble? Who were those men in the suits I saw back at the manor?” “Evangelists. Looking to spread the word,” I said in a humorless tone.

🤣