Page 79 of Academy of the Wicked, Year Two

"I can handle myself," I grumble, finally bringing the toothbrush to my mouth with deliberate determination. "You can shoo and go take your willy wonka dick and tendrils with you."

His laughter catches me completely off guard — a rich, deep sound completely at odds with his usual carefully controlled demeanor. The sound reverberates through the bathroom, genuine amusement that makes something in my chest tighten with unexpected pleasure.

"You shouldn't be mad just because you're exhausted," he says, eyes gleaming with mischief I've rarely witnessed in him. "Especially considering how much we?—"

"Don't even finish that sentence," I warn, pointing my toothbrush at him threateningly, toothpaste foam somewhat undermining the intimidation factor.

His smile turns decidedly wicked.

"I was merely going to comment on our physical activities."

I narrow my eyes, not trusting the too-innocent tone one bit.

"I wasn't expecting you to visit me in my dreams, too," I counter, remembering the strange, shadow-filled dreamscape where we'd somehow continued our connection even after my conscious mind had surrendered to exhaustion. "What's up with that?"

"Duskwalker ability expanded," he explains with casual nonchalance that doesn't match the intensity of what we'd shared in that realm of dreams and shadows. "It was quite the rejuvenating experience on my end."

He actually winks at me, the gesture so unexpected from his typically serious demeanor that it momentarily leaves me speechless. This playful, almost flirtatious Cassius is a revelation — a side of him I never expected to witness, let alone be the cause of.

I take it back.

I hate him.

"Go fuck yourself with a tendril," I finally manage, trying to sound annoyed despite the smile tugging at my lips.

His chuckle follows me as I turn back to the task of brushing my teeth, determined to complete at least this basic hygiene practice before surrendering to the sleep that pulls at me with increasing insistence.

"I'll leave you to it," he says, his voice warm with amusement. "Try not to drown in the sink."

With that parting shot, he withdraws, footsteps receding down the hallway with that silent grace that marks him as something beyond ordinary. The bathroom suddenly feels larger without his presence, the absence of his energy creating space that feels almost hollow.

I focus on the mechanical act of brushing, the simple routine requiring more concentration than it should. My mind drifts despite my best efforts, thoughts turning to the dream connection Cassius had so casually referenced.

It had been unlike anything I'd experienced before — sensual and fulfilling in ways that transcended physical connection.

The dream space had allowed for experiences impossible in ordinary reality, our bond translating desire into manifestations that defied normal limitations. His shadows had surrounded us completely, creating a realm where space and time seemed to operate by different rules entirely.

Monster sex on crack.

My tired brain supplies helpfully, the crude assessment making me snort around my toothbrush. But it wasn't entirely inaccurate — the intensity had been beyond ordinary experience, my moans echoing in dimensions that existed somewhere between reality and imagination.

We'd seemed to exist there for days rather than hours, time stretching and compressing according to laws I couldn't begin to comprehend.

No wonder I'm so tired.

My reflection stares back at me through heavy-lidded eyes, the image of someone who's had an extremely eventful night of intimacy.

The marks at my neck and chest pulse with gentle warmth, the bonds with Cassius and Nikolai apparently satisfied by recent activities. I wonder briefly about Atticus's mark at my wrist, whether it feels similarly appeased or if it carries different expectations.

The thought of Atticus sends a different kind of warmth through me — not the satisfied glow of recent pleasure but something more complex.

Guilt mingles with curiosity, wondering how he might feel about what's transpired between Cassius and me. The bond between us is still so new, its nature and limitations unexplored territory.

He obviously knows we’re bonded just like with Nikolai. Plus, with him somehow using Grim in the mix to see everything, I’m pretty sure he’s very aware of everything that transpired behind closed doors.

One problem at a time.

I remind myself firmly.

---