But I found that as my own romantic life became more involved, I liked her rule. Whether I could keep it for myself would remain to be seen. I couldn’t even seem to keep my love interests away from one another. Maybe that should be my focus. That, and I had a date for tomorrow. I smiled the rest of the day.

  After classes, I went to see Madame Karathos.

  “Miss Washington. I’m glad to see you. What will work for you?”

  “Next week, Wednesday, would be best,” I said.

  “Very well, I shall see you in here on Wednesday.” She nodded.

  I left her office, and while I still smiled, a sense of… nerves? Foreboding? Settled on me. Taking lessons with Madame Karathos made this whole thing even more real than before.

  And I wasn’t sure if that would be better or worse for me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Saturday night, I stood outside the pool, fiddling with my shirt, feeling shy. That lasted as long as it took Matty to come up behind me and wrap his arms around my middle.

  “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” he said. “Ready?”

  “Yes,” I said, wondering if he thought this was a silly place for a date. I had hopes of how this evening would go. I’d even cast a couple of protection spells on myself, just in case things went as I wanted.

  But he didn’t give off that impression as he held my hand. We walked into the pool area.

  “Where’s your suit?” Matty asked.

  “Under my clothes,” I said.

  “Great! I’ll grab towels.” He dashed off toward the changing rooms. He was back before I’d even decided how to get undressed.

  It seemed like such a simple thing, but I was nervous, and I’d never been swimming in a dark pool room with a guy I was crazy about. I took off my tee shirt, and my leggings. When I was at the edge of the pool and I sat down to slide in, I saw that Matty was still standing behind me, still dressed, towels in hand.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  “You are beautiful,” he whispered, and the words echoed around the room. “I knew you were beautiful, but to see you,” he said.

  “Well, come and join me,” I said. I dropped into the water. To my surprise, it wasn’t cold. I didn’t have any classes in here, which focused on second and third year water mage students.

  He dropped the towels and stripped out of his shirt, socks and shoes. He was in the water with me before I could say anything else, and he took me in his arms, twirling me around in the warm, buoyant water.

  “This is perfect,” he said, kissing me.

  “So glad you think so,” I said.

  He kissed me some more and then pulled away.

  “What?” I asked, seeing his expression.

  “I know it’s not very romantic, but would you be willing to practice something with me?”

  “You mean, as in spells? Homework?”

  Matty nodded. “I know it’s kind of a downer, but I’ve been working on something since you kicked my ass, and I want to try it out. It’s just…” he stopped again. “I really need to practice with someone in the pool, so they don’t get hurt.”

  It was all I could do not to burst out laughing. After all the teasing I’d heard about this date and here was Matty wanting to do the very thing they accused me of.

  “Okay. How prepared for pain do I need to be?” I asked.

  “Well, we’re in the pool, and you’ll end up in the deep end, so probably not much,” Matty said.

  “Oh, you think so?” I asked. “This means you won’t be able to go up against me again. I’ll know all your secrets,” I teased.

  “Well, that may be. But you’re willing?”

  “Absolutely. I want to see what you’ve got,” I said.

  “Oh, I have plenty for you to see,” he said, and he kissed me again.

  Our hands were all over one another. I loved the feel of him, slick against my body, in the water. His hands went around to cup my ass, and I pressed myself against him.

  “God, Olivia. Maybe we should just say the hell with practice,” Matty said.

  “No, I’m really interested to see what you’ve come up with,” I said. Placing my hands on his very well-defined chest, I pushed away from him. “Well, come on then.”

  His demeanor changed then to one less of a love interest to that of a competitor. I allowed my mind to focus on his, seeing if I could poke at him via the dreamscape. When I went to look into his head, I saw a gate in the way.

  Ah, that was new.

  “Nice,” I said.

  “I’ve been practicing,” he said, rubbing his hands. Small sparks of light flew out of his hands as he rubbed them together.

  “Careful. Sparks and water don’t mix,” I called, pulling the magic through me. Whatever he was going to do, it involved hitting me with some sort of magic that would toss me backwards. I needed to be ready to hit back before his spell his me.

  He muttered something I couldn’t understand and the sparks from his hands flew white and gold toward me.

  “Tutela!” I whispered as I opened my hands in the water at my waistline. A greenish glow rose from my hands and formed a barrier in front of me.

  “Hey!” Matty exclaimed.

  “Did you expect me to just let you hit me?” I asked.

  He didn’t answer.

  “You did! No, not even for the great Matty Pearce.”

  “All right then,” Matty said, and I saw the evil grin that spread across his face. “I like a good fight.”

  “Bring it,” I said, waggling my fingers at him.

  For the next hour, the air above the pool was lit with spells. Attack and block, over and over again. Matty was a skilled fighter.

  Finally he held up his hands. “I concede. You’re very good.”

  “So are you,” I said. “I was running out of blocking spells.”

  He laughed, moving toward me in the water. When we were closer, he pulled me to him. “Fighting makes me think of other things,” he said. He brought me to him, and his lips crashed down on mine.

  Everything else flew from my head at the touch of his lips. He felt different—it must be true. Fighting gave him energy for this. For us.

  His hands went down to my breasts, cupping them in his hands. The touch of him on me sent a wave of desire through me that threatened to completely overwhelm me.

  “I have an idea,” he growled against my mouth. “Come with me.”

  I didn’t have the chance to move, because he scooped me up in his arms and carried me toward the side of the pool. Once we reached it, he set me gently on the edge. Within a moment, he’d jumped out and was sitting next to me. As he got to his feet, he pulled me up with him, and once more, he scooped me up, as easily as he had in the water.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around his neck. The way he carried me around made me feel like a princess in a fairy tale.

  All the while, he kept his gaze steady with mine; he never looked away. His attention was completely focused. I delighted in his completely open admiration.

  He walked toward the far end of the pool and leaned down to open a wooden door. When we entered, a cloud of steam went up.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “A steam room. Sometimes the pool is cold. You like it?”

  “It’s perfect,” I said. I’d already started to get cold.

  Matty set me onto one of the tiled benches. He went and closed the door. I’d never been in here. There was an opening in the wall where steam poured out of. A layer of condensation was on the tile.

  Matty went to the corner, and came back with a couple of towels, which he spread out next to me. “I hate sitting on the wet tile,” he said. “I figured you wouldn’t like it either.” He sat down, reaching for me as he did so.

  I landed in his lap. I could feel his cock beneath me, and as it pressed against me, he closed his eyes for a moment.

  “You drive me insane,” he groaned.

  “Glad to know I’m not the only one suffering,” I said.

  “Oh, thank god. I hate to suffer alone,” Matty said, and then his mouth was on mine once more. He kissed me as a man who was starving. His tongue plundered my mouth, demanding entrance, not taking no for an answer. Not that ‘no’ was even on the menu.

  While I kissed him, I braced my hands on his shoulders and turned so that I straddled him. My legs went around him and I pressed my core against him.

  He groaned and reached around to my back to untie the top on my suit. It fell to the floor and my nipples hardened in the air,

  Matty kissed the hollow of my neck, inhaling deeply. “You always smell fucking fantastic,” he said. He continued his exploration as his lips moved down my flesh. When he took my nipple into his mouth, I thought I might just fall over and die. Right there. On the spot. His hand caressed the other nipple, swollen with desire.

  He kissed me down onto my abdomen, his hands going around to slide down the planes of my back to my ass.

  I let myself lean back to give him further access to me. His lips were… divine. I wanted to feel them all over.

  Matty turned, me still in his arms, so that I could lay back on the towel. He continued to kiss down my abdomen until he reached my swimsuit bottom. His eyes met mine, a question in his.

  I smiled in approval, and the answering grin that broke out over his face made me yearn for more of his touch.

  Carefully, Matty pulled down my bottoms and dropped them to the floor. I lay before him, exposed in every way.

  And it felt right. I was supposed to be here, with this man.

  He kissed my belly, and then down onto the top of my sex, and then, his gaze worshipful, between my legs.

  The heat burst into flames from my core, and spread through me, making me wild to have him on me, in me.

  Matty kissed me again, his tongue parting my folds and tasting me. His hand stroked my leg and up my thigh. While he continued to kiss me, his hand moved between my legs, and a finger slid inside of me. I arched up against his mouth. I felt a wetness between my legs at his touch, his lips determined to find ecstasy. I was determined to let him.

  As wonderful as his lips, and his tongue, and his hand felt, I needed more. Closer and closer to the edge he brought me, until I was moaning softly, my head thrashing back and forth. When I fell, I didn’t know I could feel this good, this wonderful, this complete.

  After a moment, he rested his head against my thigh. I was still trying to catch my breath.

  “We’re not done,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling at me.

  “Oh, good,” I said.

  He moved up to nestle between my legs, his cock nudging at my entrance. He whispered something I couldn’t quite hear, and I felt a warmth across my midsection. “Thank you,” I said, knowing that he’d cast a contraceptive spell.

  “I want to make sure—”

  “You just made sure I was doubly protected,” I said. My heart felt like it would burst at his caring. I spread my legs to bring him closer. He kissed me and I could taste myself on him, which I found incredibly erotic. “Don’t wait, please,” I said. I wanted him now.

  He pushed himself up onto his elbows and slid into me until his hips met mine. He pulled out, and then drove into me, all the way to the hilt.

  “Oh, goddess,” I whispered.

  Matty smiled.

  My hands went over my head, and he captured them with his own, his fingers lacing with mine.

  I thrust my hips toward him, wanting more. My legs went around his back, my heels digging into his ass.

  Matty slowed his rhythm, and I made a noise of protest. He moved slowly in and out of me until I was close to complete surrender. Then he drove into me, hard, fast, and he continued as I felt myself reaching the edge of ecstasy once more.

  I could no longer hold off. My body hurtled beyond the point of return, and I abandoned myself to the sensations Matty brought forth. As his thrusts became more frenzied, I began to tremble with liquid fire. I could feel the glow of our joining began to spread out from my middle, encompassing me. The hot tide of passion flared between us. I let myself go, crying out in ecstasy. Matty drove into me once, twice more, and I felt his release within. I met his gaze and saw a raw moment of possession and satisfaction as he looked down at me, his eyes still hungry.

  In that moment, looking at him, wrapped in his arms, covered by his hard body, I saw the universe in his eyes.

  I fell into my bed, tired, satiated, and happy. I slept with no dreams. It had been the perfect day.

  Chapter Seventeen

  My door burst open the morning after my date with Matty. Jade and Thalia were both in pajamas.

  “Well? What happened?” Thalia landed on my bed.

  “You got home late,” Jade said.

  “I did,” I said, stretching and smiling.

  “You did it,” Thalia said. “In the pool?” Her voice went up in disbelief.

  “I’m never getting in the pool again,” Jade said.

  “It wasn’t in the pool. I wouldn’t have done that,” I said. “But—”

  “What?” They both yelled.

  “We spent an hour practicing a new spell he came up with. At his request,” I added archly.

  “No,” Jade said.

  “Why didn’t you get to practice?” Thalia asked indignantly.

  “I did. I went through all my blocking spells.”

  “Who won?” Jade asked.

  “It was a tie,” I said, laughing. “Then we went to the steam room.”

  “And?” Thalia said.

  “It was amazing,” I let my head fall back onto the pillow.

  “Was this your first time?” Jade asked.

  “What?” I sat up again. “No, it wasn’t. But…”

  “But what?” Thalia asked.

  “Well,” I said. “It showed me that the one time in high school didn’t even count. Like, it fell right of the scale,” I said.

  They both laughed like crazy.

  “Come on. Get up and get dressed and we’ll go out,” Jade said.

  They both walked out.

  “Don’t stay in bed, lazy ass!” Jade’s voice called from her own room.

  I smiled up at the ceiling, and then with a small laugh, ran for the shower. I would take as long of a shower as I could.

  I was looking forward to spending the day with my friends. And maybe the night with Matty.

  The three of us walked in the garden, talking and laughing. Jade had plans to meet Levi later, and when asked, Thalia pinked, and changed the subject. I thought it might mean she had a date, or something like that. If she wasn’t ready to talk about it, I could wait.

  As we walked through the more formal garden, I saw a familiar head of wavy dark hair.

  “Olivia!” he called out.

  Jade stopped.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered.

  “Being friendly,” she said. “Hey, Silas.”

  “Hi, Jade, Thalia,” he said.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “It’s nice to see you outside. Can I tempt you into walking with me?” Silas asked.

  “Um, well,” I began.

  “Sure,” Jade pushed me. “We have stuff to do,” she took Thalia’s arm.

  And they left me.

  I watched them go, my mouth open a little.

  “Surprised?” Silas said.

  “Not that I mind your company, but I am, yes,” I said.

  He laughed. “And you’re in it deep with Pearce, yeah?”

  “I am,” I said again.

  “Walk with me a bit. It’ll be out here in the gardens, where we’re around others. Not even Pearce can fault you.”

  “He might fault you,” I said.

  “True, but I can handle it. Let’s talk about something else. Why haven’t I seen you before?”

  “Probably because I spent all my time studying,” I said. Why this question would make my cheeks warm, I couldn’t say.

  “Well, I’m glad to have finally met you. Even if it was in the middle of a night, surrounded by brimstone.” He stopped. His entire body went rigid. In that moment, I could see the predator within. I wondered what he looked like when he shifted.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Silas said, turning away from whatever he’d seen in front of him.

  “Nothing my ass,” I said. I stopped, and stepped around him, looking off into the distance.

  There, about a hundred yards from us, stood Matty. And his arm was around that crazy girl Wendi. The one who kept grabbing at me. Trying to threaten me, or intimidate me, or whatever.

  He leaned closer to his, his smile wide on his face, and he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

  She laughed, and it was the first time I’d seen her looking like something other than an angry prune.

  “Come on, Olivia,” Silas said quietly. “You can talk with him later. You don’t know—” He stopped when I held up a hand.

  Tears filled my eyes, making my vision momentarily blurry. I felt the blood pound in my temples, and my magic coiled around me like a serpent, waiting to be released.

  Silas walked along side me, not speaking. He was wiser than I gave him credit for.

  As we got closer to the school and the dorms, Silas said, “You’re going to be all right.”

  “Please don’t,” I said. I’d given myself to him not twelve hours ago, and he was out canoodling with that prune-faced, hateful girl? Of course, he didn’t know that about her, but he should have, I thought. He should have. Of course, he shouldn’t be canoodling with anyone else in the first place!

  I savagely brushed the tears from my eyes. Silas kept pace with me, walking me all the way to my pod. He pushed the door open and then waited while I unlocked my door.

  “I’m here, for whatever you need,” he said solemnly.

  I searched his face, but saw nothing other than sincerity. There was no laughter, none of the joking that he usually employed.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said.

  “With her, of all people,” I said.

  “She’s not you,” Silas said.

 

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