Wicked Heirs (Electi Academy #1)

5. ~Orpheus~

5

~Orpheus~

My purple smoke swirling around us dissipated and I called my magic back fully as we rematerialized in my chambers.

My four-poster bed with the purple drapes and black silk sheets was the centerpiece of the large space. A suite more than a mere bedroom really.

There was a large seating area to the left of the door complete with a wraparound purple couch and a frosted glass coffee table.

Either side of my double dresser with the baroque mirror hanging above on the walls covered with black and silver damask wallpaper were two doors—the right leading into my ensuite bathroom and the left into my walk-in closet.

In the far left corner near my bed was an archway that led out to my wraparound balcony where I attended to my magical garden, one of my favorite hobbies.

I smiled to myself as we settled into the space following the discombobulated state of teleportation, because the opportunity had arisen to introduce ourselves to Alena Rose earlier than the Kick Off. Thanks to her own actions.

As soon as I’d seen her venturing over to us, a plan had formed and I’d mind-linked Talon to see to it with me.

And it had worked wonders.

Before I could bask in it, Alena was there slapping my arm and demanding, “What the hell was that?”

I cocked an eyebrow.

“Manhandling me? Kidnapping me?”

I scoffed. Amusing as fuck. “Please. We both know I rescued you.”

“That’s not—”

I got right up in her space and her back hit the wall beside my door. “Like a damsel in distress.”

Her features twisted in indignation. “How dare—”

“Why were you sent here?”

She jolted at the question out of the blue, especially given the circumstances.

That was what I did, what I loved doing. Throwing people off-kilter. It made it all the more rewarding when I struck, because they were completely unprepared, making them putty in my hands.

And, although, I already knew the answer to my own question, I wanted to hear her take on it.

It would help me to gauge her in greater detail.

The deeper you could see into someone, the more effectively you could manipulate them.

And then break them into pieces.

Mmm… fuck. I was getting hard just at the thought of breaking this little Nephilim.

This strikingly gorgeous Nephilim who clearly had an edge to her.

Finally, something a little unpredictable in this place of too many rules, restrictions, and conventions.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Everyone is sent here for a reason.”

“Yeah? Then what’s your reason?”

“My own. I wanted to come here. When I was foolish enough to believe this place’s reputation, of course. That it would help me to reach my full potential, that I’d be able to grow into my power and emerge an independent entity from my father, Saryan Hart.”

She paled. “Your father? The King of the Dark Fae?”

“That’s right.” I grinned and asked sarcastically, “Heard of the almighty Saryan, have you?”

“You’re the Dark Fae Prince.”

“That I am. Orpheus Hart. I see by your reaction that you’re yet another believer of the falsity that the Dark Fae Realm is evil and all those awful things pure creatures like you can’t stand the thought of.”

“I’m not revolted. Not at all. You’re misreading my reaction. Actually, you’re projecting your preconceived notions about my kind and how you think they’ll react onto me.”

Interesting.

“Smart woman.”

“I’m also not a pure creature. That’s a misconception about my kind.”

“More like you’re an anomaly.”

She shrugged. “Either way.”

Hmm. She was already relaxing in my company with her shrugging and sinking against the wall.

That shouldn’t be possible.

It just didn’t happen.

Now she’d gotten her bearings after me suddenly and jarringly whisking her away, she was seemingly fine.

What was happening?

“Now, tell me what you want from me, or drop the ward you placed over the door when you teleported us in here.”

I frowned. “You can sense my ward?”

“I can see it. The sparkling purple film.”

What?

“You shouldn’t be able to.”

“I see you know about my issues with my magic. That doesn’t mean I’m completely useless.”

It wasn’t that. No one could sense or see my defensive magic or that which I used to craft illusions. Only my offensive power and teleportation should be visible. The hidden nature of a portion of my magical abilities harkened back to the trickery Dark Fae were known for and it was an advantage that we had over other species and other magic-wielders in particular.

I swept my hand over my face, crafting a minor illusion verging on a glamour that turned my purple eyes to blue momentarily to her only. They were really the same color and hadn’t actually changed, it was just a falsity, tricking her eyesight.

“Can you see anything more than the color change of my eyes?”

She nodded. “Levitating purple magic over the site of the color change.”

Fuck. “Interesting.”

Her abilities as a Nephilim didn’t include the ability to see anything of the sort.

“Your father was human, yes?”

“He was.”

“And his ancestors? Any Dark Fae in there distantly down the line?”

“Human all the way. Why?”

“No reason.”

I didn’t exactly relish pointing out that she held an advantage over me.

At least it was just in that one small area.

The rest she was seriously weak in and majorly out of her league.

I dropped the illusion and asked again, “So, why were you sent here?”

“Sounds like you already have an idea. I lost control of my powers when two assholes cornered me in a back alley of a club.”

“Your strength?”

“My magic.”

I stepped closer until my shirt was brushing against her flowy dress. She smelled good, like cotton candy. I breathed it in as I spoke in a rumble, “So much fear, little angel.”

Her eyes burned into mine and I smiled to myself as I heard her breath hitch, loving the effect I was having on her.

She swallowed hard then tried to rise above the rapidly building tension between us by talking through it and asking me, “What did you mean about not reaching your full potential and power here?”

“There are significant restrictions and protocols in place that prevent that from coming to pass for any of us. It’s about control here rather than truly aiding us in our journey to become the best versions of ourselves.” I shook my head at her. “But that’s great news to you, isn’t it? You won’t have to be pushed out of your comfort zone, you can just coast, and not have to bother coming anywhere close to tapping into your true power.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Then tell me I’m wrong.”

She shoved her hand into my chest, knocking me back. “How about you tell me where you get off judging me, threatening me, and your phoenix buddy back there throwing a shit-ton of hostility my way?”

“Mmm, I love your fire, little angel. It’s surprising given how useless and afraid you are with your magic.”

“You know nothing,” she seethed.

“I know enough. And every moment spent with you face-to-face and up close is telling me everything else.”

“Every time I ask you a question, you deflect. Now start answering, or all you’ll get from me is silence until you drop your ward and let me out of here.”

“Shame you can’t just flick your fingers and cut through it without depending on me to do it for you, huh?”

“Shut the hell up and answer. Right the hell now.”

I was full-on grinning as more of her feistiness came to the surface.

Just a little provocation and she lashed out right back. Good to know.

“My threat to you was actually a necessary warning. You can’t use your power so you’re vulnerable here, hence me telling you to watch your back and keep both eyes open. For your own good. As for Tal, he does hate you but his reason is his own and it’s not my place to tell.” I stepped up to her again, crowding her and relishing breathing her in, the heat from her skin, and the way her gaze became unsteady, her pupils dilating noticeably at my close proximity. “And my stake in all this? I don’t respect weakness.” I reached out and fingered strands of her hair. “But it is mighty fun to toy with.”

She slapped my hand away and extricated herself from me, moving toward my bedroom door.

Not so fast.

“Not a smart move to walk away from me. Especially when we’re not done talking.”

I called my power, twirling my hand, my magic snaking around her ankles and pulling taut, binding her right there to the floor. I had her arms jerking up above her head then as shimmering purple binds twisted around her limbs and held them up and steady toward the ceiling, effectively pinning her in place and completely incapacitating her.

“What the hell?” she yelled. “You fucking psychopath!”

Closer to sociopath actually, but that was an issue for another time.

I walked to her, folding my arms across my chest and regarding her taut little body in that sexy dress as she tried to thrash, but the binds were so tight that it came across as her undulating instead. Mmm.

“I did warn you not to walk away from me.”

“Release me! Now!”

“All in good time,” I responded coolly, my calm a complete contrast to her irate response and a whole lot of trepidation she was trying to conceal beneath the former.

“I said now. Unless you want me to report you.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“It sounds like a damned good one to me, an absolutely warranted one at that.”

I moved in close and grasped her jaw.

She hissed, but I ignored it, stroking her soft skin with the pad of my thumb, back and forth. Her pupils dilated again and I watched her relax a little.

“Mmm, you like this, little angel?”

“Go to hell.”

“Eventually, I’m sure. But first, hell will be all you’ll experience if you report any of what’s transpired today. Did Isabella tell you about the existence of Obsidian here?”

“No,” she grunted, jerking her head from my grip.

I allowed it and perched on the foot of my bed, leaning back on my elbows as I took pleasure in watching her suspended there before me at my will, trying to struggle out of it but failing and remaining at my mercy.

“Think of it like a secret society, one that benefits all college students here at the Academy. Well, those who respect us and know better than to cross us. Should you report me to the dean, it would jeopardize Obsidian and take away a whole lot of pleasure and fulfillment for them, something that I’m sure you can imagine wouldn’t be received favorably. Especially when they learn who’s behind it.”

“You son of a bitch.”

I smirked. “Got you trapped in more ways than one, huh?”

“You’re a real bastard.”

“I might be a bastard, but your mother is a real cunt.”

She jolted. “How dare you?”

I pushed off the bed, barking, “How dare she?” I bolted forward and fisted my hand in her silky pink hair, making her gasp. “Do you know what she did to my father, to my family? To our Kingdom ?” I pulled tighter and she hissed at me again. “Of course you don’t, because you’re a sheltered, weak fucking thing who spent so much time masquerading as a motherfucking human.”

“Get your hands off me.”

I ignored her seething demand—that was just like a motherfucking angel right there—and forced her face close to mine by my hold on her hair as I rumbled, “But you will know that hell. You’ll know that shame. That fucking pain. We can’t come at her, but here you are right up close and ripe for the taking. Justice will prevail after all.”

“Justice for what? What are you talking about? What do you think she did to you?”

“Three years ago? Ring any bells?”

Realization actually shone in her eyes.

“The Cataclysm,” she breathed.

So she hadn’t been completely sheltered from everything then. She knew about it after all.

“That was a difficult time. It hurt a lot of people. But my mom wasn’t the culprit, it was Constantine Vale, the maniac who went after us all. Abigail Rose was trying to save everyone from his wrath. She was a hero back then and she still is now.”

“A hero, huh?”

“That’s right,” she said, standing firm in her beliefs.

“You’re so fucking na?ve. She ruined my life. My family’s. Talon’s life too. And now you’re here, you’ll pay for her sins.” I growled hauntingly at her ear, “We. Will. Ruin. You.”

Instead of balking at my dark promise, her eyes narrowed and she bit out, “Then you won’t survive the year.”

Damn. That was hot as the fires of hell.

Another source of heat drew my attention and rolled right through me, and I looked to see her eyes lit with golden flames, the sign that she was trying to call her power.

No, it was more than that… it was doing something to my magic.

Even though her gold power wasn’t touching me or my power directly, it felt as though it was, at the mere close proximity of it rather than actual physical contact.

That warmth morphed to something a whole lot more intense.

Engulfing me.

Consuming me.

Tantalizing me.

A groan left me at the same time as a moan slipped from her lips.

I stepped closer. “What are you doing?”

“It’s you. Stop it.”

“This release of power is more than just the slight spell of conjuring food for yourself. A lot more. For it to impact me… pull it back.”

“It’s interacting with your magic. Break these binds and retract yours and it’ll have nothing to fight against.”

Another groan left me as the heat became stifling—in the best way.

I watched her bite her lip to stifle her blissful cries that wanted to let loose, the sight and the whole fucking thing making my cock rock fucking hard in seconds.

I’d never experienced anything like it.

I’d never had anyone corrupt my magic.

I couldn’t allow it.

No one could possess that influence and level of control over me.

I snapped my fingers and broke the binds, retracting my magic.

She stared at me, undeniable hunger blazing in her gorgeous eyes.

I couldn’t stop myself and in the next second, I was grasping her arms and slamming her against the wall beside the door.

“Fuck,” I growled. “I can still feel it.”

Her lips brushed over mine and she moaned, “Orpheus.”

Motherfuck, the way she uttered my name all breathy and desperate was another level.

The intimate touch startled me.

The need there. The depth of it.

A tidal wave of heat rushed through me, making me push my hard body against her sweet softness.

It set my nerve endings alight.

My pulse jumped, my breath quickening.

A painful need burned through me.

I couldn’t stop myself, I leaned in close to her, my breath fanning over her neck. “I’ve never wanted anybody so fucking badly. What are you doing to me?”

She fisted her hands in my shirt and jerked me down to her with a burst of aggression that had my cock pushing against my zipper, the need becoming painful.

And then our mouths clashed.

The kiss was violent and rough, a ravaging as our tongues came into play right away, dueling fiercely and with a whole lot of erotic aggression.

She was grinding against me then, while digging her nails into my shirt in her white-knuckle hold. When I rolled my hips hard, making her feel every inch of my very hard cock, she broke the kiss, panting and beside herself.

“That’s right, little angel, rub your cunt all over me.”

“Dickhead,” she uttered, breathlessly.

I smirked. “This dickhead is seconds away from tearing your panties off and fucking you against the wall until you scream the fucking place down.”

“Yes,” she moaned. “Fuck, yes.”

“Motherfuck, woman.” I grasped her hips and tossed her onto my bed. “Forget the wall,” I said, as I pounced on the bed and crawled up her body. “Gonna ravish every fucking inch of you, Alena.”

She licked her lips as she tracked my every movement.

It nearly fucking undid me right there and then.

As I reached out to push her dress up and expose her panties for my viewing pleasure, a break in the strange spell happened.

I was able to summon at least a lick of sense for a few seconds.

Enough to stop me in my tracks.

Enough to remember that we hated each other.

That we were enemies.

That she needed to be punished.

That she was gonna face ruin at the hands of Obsidian.

I fought with everything I had to get a greater hold on myself.

I couldn’t do this.

I couldn’t give in to this disturbing turn of events.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed off her and bolted off the bed.

As she stared at me, disappointment and confusion warring, and she climbed back off the bed, I held up my hand, urging her to keep distance between us.

My usually highly impressive control was barely there, hanging by only a thread.

Thankfully, I got some help in that area as a flare of blue fire shot through the door, breaking through my ward, and nearly ripping the door off its hinges in the process.

In the very next split-second, Xavier strode on in.

To say he didn’t look happy didn’t begin to do it justice.

“You used me, Orpheus! You fucked with my bloodlust too! How could you do—” He scented the air and tracked from me to noticing Alena there standing beside my bed now. “What’s… a hate-fuck?” he asked, looking between us. Then he focused on me. “That’s not usually your thing.”

I held up my hand. “That’s not what happened. Almost, but it didn’t.” I screwed up my face at the thought now that his arrival had ripped right through whatever strange state Alena and I had been caught up in, and all that hatred rushed back in. “Fortunately.”

“Right back at you,” she bit at me. “I would’ve been absolutely disgusted with myself.”

“Oh, then get on your back again and I’ll see to it,” I retorted.

She sneered at me. “Go to hell.”

“Like I said, little angel, it’ll be you experiencing what it means to be in hell first.”

“And like I said, you’ll regret it if you continue in this vein.”

When I went to give it right back to her, Xavier held up his hand to me.

Then he gestured far too nicely to Alena, “Go, beautiful. Get out of here.” He glared at me. “He won’t be following you, so don’t worry about that.”

She hesitated for a moment, clearly trying to get a read on him, confounded that he was actually giving her a way out.

And then she gave me a vicious look and rushed away.

“We weren’t done,” I muttered, intending to go after her.

But Xavier’s hand to my chest pulled me up short. “I want an explanation for what happened earlier.”

I considered fighting him on it and forcing my way through.

But then it occurred to me that my voracious intent to go to Alena might be a result of that strange state we’d been caught up in more so that Obsidian’s goal when it came to her.

So, I stayed where I was and took a beat, before addressing X, “Having you caught up in our plan wasn’t our intent. But I couldn’t tell you about it directly either, considering you’d expressed that you wanted nothing to do with it. It was also a concern that you might interfere to stop what we’d had planned. Asking about your squirrel blood had been my intention to get you clear.”

“You thought I’d start another argument with the cafeteria staff about it, demanding pig’s blood at the very least?”

“Yes. You don’t like public scenes, so you would’ve headed into the kitchen, just far enough away for a three-year-old vampire to not be able to scent somebody being cut.”

“When I didn’t, you should have aborted what you had planned.”

“I would have if she hadn’t reacted as she had, so disrespectfully and with all that attitude toward Tal.”

“You like that in people.”

“It’s different with her. She’s our target.”

“It didn’t look like that when I walked in here. The scent of arousal was beyond potent, Orpheus. So much so that I mistook it for actual sex being had.”

“It’s a long story.”

“Then you’d better get to it.”

I shoved a hand through my hair. “Her magic… it did something… to mine. Then it sparked this intense desire between us, this pull that I couldn’t… I don’t know… it makes no sense.”

“Hell, that sounds off the wall.”

“It was. And until I have some time to get a handle on it, that’s all I’m gonna be saying about it.”

“You should call off your vendetta against her.”

“Absolutely not.” I sucked in a breath. “I’ll handle it.”

Just like I always handled everything.

There was no way I’d allow this little angel to become an exception to that.

There was no way I’d allow her to undermine me.

Today was just a fluke, just something completely out there.

Just a one-off.

And there was no meaning to it, nothing beyond an issue with our magic colliding in an astoundingly strange way.

I didn’t do meaning—not outside of my two comrades anyway.

That was how it was going to fucking well stay.