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

by Caroline Peckham

Her pulse had leapt at my touch which meant I was under her skin just like she was under mine.

Roxy Vega might just have been right about becoming my new obsession, because I had never found anyone who could light me up the way she did with a glare and a hostile comment. And as her parting words caught up to me, my smile only deepened.

And for some strange reason, her calling me an asshole was the highlight of my damn week.

"You're fangirl enough for me, Cal," he said in a resigned tone and I shook my head at him as I let him stay there, his skin warm where it pressed against mine.

Celestial Families,”

“Your blood-right means the throne belongs to you so long as you prove yourself capable of taking it. And there are enough people who would support your claim to cause a civil war over it.”

like he’d seen something there and surprise crossed his features. “Blue means you…holy shit,” he muttered under his breath. “What?” I demanded, my heart thrashing irrationally.

He nodded vaguely, still staring at me with concern in his eyes. “Have you been acting on what I said to you the other day? You need to follow the light, Lance. It’s important. More important than I can really say.”

The moment he’d passed out in his bed the other night I’d thrown up in his golden-seated toilet as I fought the urge to heal him. I hadn’t slept, knowing he was suffering and not being able to do a thing about it. It was an agony I couldn’t even describe,

we were Nebula Allies,

it was that the second her mouth had touched mine, I’d thought of someone else. And I’d felt the weirdest fucking sense of betraying her.

No, I’m not thinking about her tonight. In fact, no more Darcy thoughts for the rest of the weekend. And by Monday, I’ll have a clear head and a no-bullshit attitude towards our relationship.

as I stared at the girl who seemed to carry the sun with her wherever she went.

When she ordered a whiskey and coke, I swear my dick did some sort of salute. Whiskey girl? Dammit, why are you doing this to me stars?

You’re too sweet for this world, Blue. Someone’s going to eat you up. And it will most likely be me.

I felt myself draw in a breath that wasn’t laced with her scent, her aura, and I instantly missed her. No, it. The blood. Not her. By the stars…

Because I was officially going to see no Blue. Hear no Blue. Speak no star damned Blue.

I just wanted to see her. By the stars, what was I even doing? I kept fantasising about her, dreaming about her and jerking off over imagined scenarios of me dominating her with every inch of my body and now I was hoping to see her on a night out like some desperate little fan boy hoping to try my luck. Who even was I right now?

my girl

my Vega,

Mine.

Roxy was wearing a pair of killer heels which did all the right things for her legs and I couldn't help picture them wrapped around my head while I made a feast out of her which would make her scream so loud she'd lose her damn voice.

her ass landed in my lap and the beast in me raised its head in contentment as I claimed the treasure I'd been aching for. Mine.

I gave him a taunting grin as I wound an arm around her waist and repositioned her so that her ass was firmly seated on my crotch and her side pressed to my chest. I laughed as she gripped my thigh in an attempt to balance herself better and her back arched against me at the sound, giving me even more ideas I shouldn't have been indulging in over her.

on my girl.

He was probably being all ‘do you like my dimples?’ and hopefully she was responding like ‘no, they look like two buttholes on either side of your face.’

my fingers brushed over her waist instead, the rough skin of my hands meeting the softness of her flesh beneath the hem of her shirt. She turned her head to look around at me, her eyes fluttering open and surprise filled her gaze for a moment, but I just held her eye and tugged her closer.

My body fell into a rhythm with hers so naturally that I swear even my heart was pounding to the tune. Her chest brushed mine, fingers skimming up my neck as my hand fell to the round curve of her ass and I tugged her closer.

she turned in my arms, her ass pushing back into my crotch as she hooked one arm around the back of my neck. A real growl escaped me then as she ground herself against me, making my cock swell and my thoughts scatter as I lost all sense of everything other than this fucking girl in my arms as we danced together.

Because all there was in that moment was her and me and the press of the heavens above us driving us together like we might burn up in the fire which blazed between us if we didn't just dive into it now.

destroying the moment before I could claim her in any of the ways I ached to.

But she was a star damned Vega. And that meant me and her were over before we could ever even consider beginning.

my girl

"Did you fuck her?" my father asked, his finger skimming over the photograph of me and Roxy, brushing against the curves of her body in a considered caress that made my hackles raise. "Did you at least let her feel the full power of a Dragon between her thighs and the dominance of our kind bending her to submit to your will? Did you take her body and use it like the beast you were born to be and force her to understand what it is to be owned by the king of all Orders?"

hating the way he was talking about her and the lust filled look in his eyes which went with his words.

the Dragon in me raising its head with a rage I wasn't even sure I fully understood. But the longer he kept speaking about her like that, the more urgently I felt the need to rip his head from his shoulders rippling through my body.

I'd just wanted her. Plain and simple. But that was beyond foolish of me and I knew now that I was going to pay the price for giving in to my selfish desires.

Not with Xavier on the line. He was the only pure thing I had, the only piece of real goodness I knew. I'd sacrifice all I had and all I wished to be for him and Father had clearly figured that out too.

Xavier cried out again as my hand landed on the charred flesh of his shoulder and I clenched my teeth so hard that I was surprised they didn't crack as I sent waves of healing magic into his body.

hating that he flinched then too, knowing he could see that monster in me as well in that moment. Knowing he could see how much of me was just as rotten and vile as the man who had created us. But I had to be. Because it was the only way that I could even hope to protect him from this ever happening again.

trying not to think about those big green eyes which seemed to look right through me. Trying not to feel the twist in my chest as I accepted what I had to do

I thought of her. The girl with the fire in her soul and the power to destroy all I was.

I didn't find myself in my own room. I found myself in hers. I sucked in a sharp breath of surprise as I stood there, looking down at her sleeping form,

mine

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, watching her sleep and letting myself feel all the lust and longing and desire I held for her. I didn't understand why she drew me in the way she did, but I had to mark this as the end of it.

Then the two of us could run off into the sunset together. Not as a couple obviously. Unless… I pictured Cal’s mouth on my cock in place of the one currently sliding up and down it with enthusiasm and a growl rolled through my throat as I reached under the covers and fisted my hand in the hair of whoever was working me over. Short hair. Like Cal’s.

you reckless little pup.” Oh no. She was pupping me. This was bad. Apocalypse bad.

I found the one person I craved to talk to above all others calling. “Cal?” I croaked as I answered.

Darius’s little bestie – not that I was jealous. Except okay, maybe sometimes I wished I could get in on their cuddle parties.

He sighed, slowly closing his arms around me and I finally relaxed, burying my face in his neck. “My mom banned me from attending the family moon march,” I said into his flesh. He smelled so good. I just wanted to stay here forever where things almost felt okay.