The Awakening as Told by the Boys (Zodiac Academy, #1.5)

by Caroline Peckham

“Fuck you,” Roxy snapped and that really only made me like her more. Yeah, I could admit I liked her. She had fight in her, the kind of spirit that couldn't be broken easily.

Roxy's gaze fell to me while Caleb continued to drink from her and for a moment the look in her eyes sent a spike of guilt tearing through my chest. She had no fucking idea what she'd just walked into by coming back here and if she thought this was bad then she was in for one hell of a ride.

so why the hell was he still holding onto her like that?

but I wanted this girl to be my problem.

pestersome plankton.

The urge to step forward and heal it away to remove the evidence of Caleb's touch from her flesh filled me and the Dragon in me huffed with annoyance as I resisted it.

moving closer to her sister as if she planned on saving her from the wrath of the oncoming Fae. I ignored the tug I felt in reaction to that

I growled at him and he arched an eyebrow at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips like he could sense the challenge in the air between us without me needing to say a damn word on the subject.

Yeah baby girl, we rule this place. Better start getting used to that.

he dragged his eyes over my girl.

I didn't know why it was pissing me off so much, but it was. I'd claimed her the moment I saw her,

She was drinking me in, assessing me just like I was her and if I wasn't mistaken, the two of us were headed for one hell of a showdown pretty damn soon.

I wasn’t sure why I found it so hot, but getting under her skin was quickly becoming my favourite new hobby.

Because I didn't want that - I just wanted her to turn tail and run from here like she was supposed to. And yet...the idea of going to bat against this girl was making my pulse hammer and the beast in me stir with excitement.

the fire that burned in her soul and the heat which seemed to simmer between us. This girl was going to be trouble. I could tell already. The best kind of trouble there was.

inhaling her air and forcing her to tilt her head back as she looked up at me.

"I think you're looking for something to wake you up," I said slowly. "Something to rattle your cage and get your heart pumping. You aren't hoping I'm less than I make out - you're hoping I'm all of that and more. Because that fire in you is looking for something to make it burn hotter."

my mind raced with all the ways I'd like to make her bend to my will.

Hello, Savage Princess.

Coercion

Although as I considered giving her a bed, I couldn't help but think about offering her a spot in mine.

Who the hell was this girl who'd just been plucked right out of the Mortal Realm and yet could stand in the face of powerful magic without flinching?

My jaw ticked as I realised I wasn't holding her attention the way she'd captured mine

Her eyes met mine and it was as if none of the rest of the people surrounding us were even present anymore. It was just me and her and I was calling her out. Come on, baby girl, why don't you come show me what you're made of?

Damn this girl. Damn this fucking girl. She was clawing her way under my skin and I was almost certain she wasn't even trying to do it.

And I couldn't help but feel like that was no accident on the part of the stars. Roxy Vega had been brought here, gifted to me so that I could be the one to bring her to heel. And the thought of doing just that was a thrill too tempting to resist.

I was an asshole. A total fucking asshole. And yet I couldn't not look. She was all firm muscle and perfect curves, her tits full and heavy with peaked nipples that made the Dragon in me growl with the desire to step closer to her. Her skin was tanned and satin smooth, making my fingers twitch with the urge to touch her and see if she felt as soft as I was guessing she did. And shit, my dick really liked the idea of that.

I seriously wouldn't have minded her taking that anger out on my body all night long. I'd be more than happy to angry fuck her until her body bent and bowed and finally gave in to the power play between us.

Or maybe she'd stab me to death and cut my cock off for good measure because the look she was aiming my way said that was a whole lot more likely than me getting to spend the night ruining her. But it was a damn nice fantasy to indulge in for a few moments.

And I hadn't seen something I wanted as much as this girl in as long as I could remember.

“So why don’t you take a long, hard look while you can. Because I can promise you, you won’t be seeing this again.”

She didn't burn for me like Roxy Vega did. She didn't offer up any kind of challenge.

The Dragon and the Phoenix curved around each other like they were playing out a scene from legends long since dead but something about the way the two of them almost seemed to actually move across my skin always set me at peace when I looked at them.

"You still trying to lay a claim on her?" he taunted and I cursed myself for uttering such a claim in the first place, but the challenge in his eyes said it was far too late for that now. "It's already done, brother. She's in Ignis now. That means she's mine," I said plainly though I was sure he would be able to detect the undercurrent of a command in my tone. "We'll see."

Well I have a case of blue balls, so unless you wanna help me out with that, I'm not gonna be stroking your fucking hair," I joked, shoving his face aside though not hard enough to actually knock him off of me. "I mean...is that a serious suggestion or..." "Not serious," Max replied for me,

"Oh I'm sorry, am I not allowed to appreciate the hotness of my friends? You know I'd always consider some camaraderie BJs to help ease our stress, though I feel like Darius might choke me with his Dragon dick so I might have to take it slow if I-"

I woke with my arms wrapped around Darius and a headache pounding at the base of my skull. I was disorientated for a second before I remembered last night. Swerving Francesca staying over because I wanted to cuddle Darius – I mean, talk to him about the Vegas - then bourbon. Lots of bourbon.

I was here because of him, wrapped around his son like I’d die if I wasn’t this close to him, and sometimes it did feel like that when we spent too long apart.

“Is that your cock digging into my hip?” Darius murmured as he stirred. I reached between us, grunting as I tugged out the empty bottle of bourbon. “You wish, baby.”

But I swear Washer got away with it sheerly because he was making Nova come at night. He may have been gross, but he was a pretty powerful guy and I guessed his Siren powers helped her to not be repulsed by him.

What the hell did that even mean? My heart led me to guzzling bourbon and watching old recordings of the Pitball games I’d won back in my glory days. Ergh, I was old before my time.

And in particular, her. The one with blue-tipped hair who wore bunny pyjamas and smiled at her sister like not a single dark thing lived in her soul. Not that I’d been paying attention.

my gaze immediately flicked to Darcy Vega for the first time to see if she was one of them. Her gaze bored into me and my heart shoved its way into my throat. But there was no hint of a giggle on her lips. Good, fuck the gigglers. They drove me insane.

She’s a student and your mortal enemy. Not a good combination to be distracted by, idiot.

getting too fucking hot in here as my mind kept darting to the blue-haired Vega girl and the thought of her blood in my mouth.

That was what I wanted. My fist in her hair, her head wrenched back, her neck exposed while I drove my fangs into her and stole magic from one of the most powerful creatures ever born. My cock twitched at the thought of that and I decided I was hot for power.

If you’re hot for power, why aren’t you looking at Tory Vega too? Shut up.

only caring about the Orders of two Fae in this room. Because whatever they Emerged as would play a massive factor into their power level.

FaeBook

Darcy’s face paled and I grinned darkly at the glint of fear in her eyes, running my tongue across my fangs before letting them retract. Are you scared of me, princess? How terrified would you be with my fangs in you then? Maybe I’ll find out soon enough.