Page 16 of Poison Ivy
My heart races as I look up at him. This close, I can smell his cologne - that dark and spicy scent that makes my head spin a little. I know I should move away and get as far as I can from him, but there’s a thrill coursing through me that I can’t deny.
His hand comes up to grip my chin, tilting my face up to his. His eyes have taken on a hypnotic swirl, and I force myself to lower my gaze. He is trying to probe my mind, to learn those secrets I’m desperate to keep.
“There’s more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there, Ivy?”
“None of your business.”
He smirks and releases me. “Run along now, little Ivy, and stay away from Vex if you know what’s good for you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Thanks for the warning, but I can handle Vex.”
“I’m sure you can,” he says, his tone patronising. “But consider this a friendly warning. Next time, I might not be around to save your arse.”
“Won’t need it,” I grit out and turn on my heel to march away from him, hearing him laugh at my retreating form. “Bastard.” I grimace and then inhale deeply, trying to clear the smell of him from my senses. “Why do I want you so fucking bad?”
But I can’t have him. Nor Torin nor Bram. They are Poison’s, err, poison. Not mine. Not Ivy’s. Ivy has no business sniffing around those cruel guys when they are tormenting and lusting after Poison every chance they get. No, I need to push them from my mind and focus on why I’m here and this arsehole assignment that was delivered to me last night. Time is already ticking, and I have to figure out a way to get this done, sooner rather than later.
“Ivy,” a chilling voice says from between the stacks at the back of the library where was I was going to slip out for the shortcut to Runic Objects class.
I freeze and plaster a smile on my face, even though I want to run and never look back. “Professor Swann.”
He reaches out his too-thin hand with his creepy long fingers and grasps my wrist, pulling me further into the darkness. “We need to talk.”
9
TATE
That girl has piquedmy interest in more ways than one. I feel like I know her, but I’ve never seen her before in my life. But that sass, that no-fear attitude, looks strange on her. Slipping down the aisle where she stormed off, I follow silently and see her being pulled into the stacks near the back door, which hold the darkest of tomes. It’s also the place creatures go for a quick fuck between lectures.
Narrowing my eyes, I pick up my pace and move down the stacks before the ones I saw her disappear into. If Vex has his hands on her again, I’m going to rip them off. I don’t know what it is about her that is turning me into this possessive arsehole, but there is just something I can’t put my finger on.
“Talk about what?” I hear Ivy whisper.
“Why you didn’t report in last night,” a low hiss I recognise as Professor Swann, the Grimoire Level 5 studies professor.
I freeze, pressing myself against the bookshelf to listen. Why the fuck would Ivy need to report to Swann? She is not in his advanced lecture. He teaches one class, and I’m in it.
“I did,” she murmurs.
“About the next assignment.”
“Should we be discussing this here?” she whispers, lowering her voice so I have to strain to hear her.
“We shouldn’t be discussing it anywhere. But the boss is getting very concerned about your lack of forthcoming.”
“What lack?” she asks. “I have no choice, so what is there to report?”
“You always confirm. Always.”
“Fine, well, here’s me confirming. I got the assignment, and I will do it.”
“Good,” Swann says in a normal tone.
I’m beyond intrigued about this little conversation, so I pull a book out a fraction to peek through the stacks. I see them standing there. He is looming over her tiny frame, and she is glaring up at him with more defiance than any student I’ve ever seen send his way, including me.
Who the fuck are you?This girl has me completely intrigued. One minute, she’s this nerdy, meek little thing, the next, she’s standing up to one of the most feared professors at Thornfield with fire in her eyes.
I watch as Swann looms over her, his skeletalframe making him look like death incarnate. But Ivy doesn’t back down.
