Page 75 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 1

Grayson stared at that handsome face. The voice in his head that warned him of becoming attached, of trusting, of wanting too much, of putting himself at risk started to babble. But he shut them out. Those steady gray eyes were stronger at this moment than his doubts.

“Yeah, yeah, I want you to come up.”

DANGEROUS

Ryder followed Grayson’s lithe form up the stairs to the young man’s rooms. He stalked after Grayson. His eyes focused on that firm ass and long legs. For a moment, he imagined those legs over his shoulders and his cock in Grayson’s tight back passage. Then he’d turn his head and kiss that sleek calf and let his fangs sink into the tender skin. His mouth flooded with saliva and his fangs ached.

What were they going to do in Grayson’s rooms?

What did he want to happen? The raw scent of arousal that arose from Grayson every time he came near told him that the young man found him attractive, if nothing else. Every Vampire had the ability to Seduce. It was like a low level Eyros power, but far more unconscious than that.

How many times had he seen a human’s eyes go glassy with desire and their body go slack with invitation? Offering every single part of themselves to him? To accomplish this was as easy as breathing for a Vampire. Balthazar had written--likely on page 103--of the manual that the Vampires were to keep that part of themselves in check with the students. At least for the first semester. But that, he knew, would likely just make the Vampires--and the humans--all the more keen for one another. It was likely going to backfire in Ryder’s opinion if Balthazar intended the students to think that Vampires were tame.

But Grayson was not a student.

He was only pretending to be one. And Ryder wasn’t interested in Courting. Wasn’t supposed to be. This would just be a passing fancy for both of them. If they did anything at all.

At that moment, Grayson unlocked the door to his rooms. He paused in the doorway before half turning around and leaning against the doorframe. Grayson’s long legs crossed at the ankles and a faint, almost challenging smile appeared on his lips. Ryder’s cock pulsed in his pants, which already felt way too tight.

If we do anything at all? Who am I kidding?

“I don’t know if it’s true, but Christian and Julian told me that all Vampires have to be invited inside our rooms. So… I’m inviting you, Ryder,” Grayson said, his cheeks pink, as he swept his hand towards the interior.

“I heard that, too. But I believe it’s just a myth. Something to make the students feel safer,” Ryder said.

“When they’re not really safe?” Grayson’s expression was neutral and Ryder wondered what he was thinking.

Ryder wanted to assure the young man that he was safe, at least. But that wasn’t true. Lawson had attacked him. Every Immortal in existence seemed to be paying Grayson too much attention. And Ryder was just dying to taste his blood and feel the hot tightness of Grayson’s body wrap around his cock. Grayson was not safe at all.

“They’re here to offer themselves to us,” Ryder finally answered. “They are not safe.”

Grayson nodded slowly after a time. “The parade showed me that. At first, the powers just seemed neat, but then it changed. You really got to feel how powerful you guys are.”

“We showed only a fraction of how powerful we can be.” Ryder grimaced. “We’re not tame, Grayson. We’re not pets. We’re not safe.”

Another nod and then Grayson said, “Luckily, I’m not either. Come on in.”

Grayson swept a hand inside and Ryder inclined his head before he stepped in. He was surprised when his skin tingled as he walked through the threshold. He rolled his shoulders back to try and shake off the sensation, but it lingered longer than he would have liked. Balthazar and Caemorn really had managed to do something here. That was one smart thing, one nod to the Vampire’s true nature in this fun house mirrors school.

“You okay?” Grayson asked as he shut the door behind them.

“There really was some kind of magic,” Ryder said. “See?”

He held up his arm and the hair was standing on end. Grayson ran his hand over the lifted hair. Ryder shivered, but for a different reason. Grayson didn’t seem to notice his hooded eyes though or the way his breath caught. He wasn’t smelling any arousal from the young man either. Had he completely misread Grayson’s attraction to him? Perhaps the arousal hadn’t been for him at all but one of the other Vampires.

Like Caemorn! No… no!

Ryder twisted his neck from one side to the other as his body tensed up like it did before he shifted and fought. But there was no enemy here. Not one he could fight. If Grayson was attracted to Caemorn then…

Is that the real reason he asked Grayson to the “interview” tomorrow?

“What do you like to drink?” Grayson asked as he slid behind a bar and into the kitchen. “I wouldn’t mind softening the landing some more with booze.”

“Is that pool table standard issue?” Ryder asked as his gaze swept over the common room.

It was a comfortable space with intimate corners for speaking sweet nothings in the cusp of human ears, of letting hands linger for longer than they should and roving where they shouldn’t, and for lying down together with the crackle and pop of the fire to accompany moans of desire. His cock hardened more. He swallowed and turned back to Grayson.

Of course this place is to encourage intimacy. Everything about this school is to lure us and the humans together.

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