Page 4 of Bizarre Bonds
Despite what he did say, I can’t totally ignore the faint pulse of warmth from the glowing spot on my chest. It comes with the vague but undeniable awareness that not far away, Peri’s heart is beating nearly as quickly as my own.
Alongside the rhythm flow the twinges of uncertainty and embarrassment that’ve trickled into me since we first realized that she’d locked us into these strange bonds—and that she couldn’t remove the connection.
The awareness of her makes my gut twist. I simultaneously want to go comfort her and to stay as far away as I can.
I never wanted—I mean, Ididwant her, in all her dazzling, buoyant sweetness—but I never would have indulged those desires?—
As I step into the building, the sight of Shanty waiting in the hall derails my anxious train of thought.
The siren tilts her head toward the other end of the pale-walled hallway. “The rest of the administrative staff would like to speak with you.”
My stomach knots tighter. As I follow her, I can’t help making one pointed observation. “You waited until Rollick was gone.”
Shanty shrugs with a rustle of her dark blue hair. “The headmaster had other matters to attend to. He’s already spoken to you at length about the situation, I’m guessing.”
And the rest of the board members know that the demon is vaguely fond of me. He might have overruled the idea of whatever this meeting is about before it started.
I did help lead a team of the academy’s most incorrigible students to defeat a sorcerer who’d been harming shadowkind and humans alike for years… but it’s hard to imagine they’re calling me in just to congratulate me on a job well done.
When we step into the bright room with its curving table, I find one chair placed on the opposite side, across from the board of administrators. Normally I’d be sitting behind the table with the other board members, but today the interrogation spot is clearly meant for me.
If my stomach could sink any farther, it’d be dropping through the floor.
Shanty joins the four figures already waiting in their spots along the table. Pearl shoots me a dimpled smile, but the succubus is the only being who looks at all content.
Her wife, Toni—the only other human on the board—is leaning her wiry arms on the table, her posture stiff. Gnash the tiger shifter tips his burly frame back in his chair, his gaze narrowed at me as if he’s considering pouncing. And Al’s sallow face is set in an expression of distaste, but to be fair, that’s pretty much always how the vampire looks unless we’re discussing one of his favorite historical eras.
I take my seat and fold my arms over my chest. “What’s this about?”
Gnash snorts. “I think you already know, kid. Rollick told us all about this special new mark you got. We’d like to know why one of your students thought it’d be a good idea to get all mate-y with you.”
Pearl shoots him a chiding look and aims another smile at me. “It’s standard procedure, to confirm that nothing untoward happened. So we can officially say we discussed the situation.”
The others don’t look so sure they’ll get that confirmation.
Shanty sighs. “Why don’t you tell us everything that’s happened between you and Periwinkle?”
I swallow thickly. “There isn’t much to tell. She’s been in my Geography and Culture class. I’ve given her a little advice outside of that, nothing more than I’ve offered plenty of other students. I was assigned to lead the team of unstable beings she was a part of, and I directed her the same way I did the other three.”
Toni arches her eyebrows. “So you had no interest in her beyond the professional?”
Another jab of guilt lances through me. I don’t think it’d be wise to lie about this—Peri won’t, if they ask her.
And if I lie, who am I to say I haven’t done anything wrong?
“I’ve felt some attraction,” I admit in an even tone. “I’d imagine you’re all aware that what we feel isn’t exactly under our control. I’ve never acted on those feelings. In fact, when I realized the interest was developing, I took steps to keep more distance from her.”
Al’s lips curl with more disdain. “Wassheaware of this ‘attraction’?”
Shame flares along the same line the guilt traveled. “Yes. I hid it as well as I could, but her main shadowkind power is picking up on emotions. When she indicated that she’d noticed, I was firm about the fact that nothing was going to come of those feelings. She never pushed for me to give in to them.”
But maybe I should have put distance between us sooner, and then she wouldn’t have noticed at all. Maybe I did indulge in my attraction farther than I should have let myself.
Why would she latch on to me this way if I haven’t led her to believe it’d be welcome, one way or another?
How the hell can I expect any of my colleagues or students to respect me as an authority figure when I’m encouraging mating bonds with beings who should be off-limits?
The same concerns are echoed on the faces of the administrative board. If I can’t convince myself I haven’t screwed up, how can I expect them to believe it?
