Page 50 of Fortune Academy: Year Two
There always was when it came to Hendrik.
“I’m sure Dante told you of my vision,” the Dark Mage continued.
The Hunter shook his head, his loose warrior’s tail leaving strands to brush against his face. “Didn’t see the use of that. The future has already changed, so your vision is pointless.”
“Has the future really changed?” Hendrik snapped, his tone taking on a tinge of panic that surprised me. His fingers dug into my shoulders and I bit down on a whimper. “She’s the girl from my vision. I saw her reject her Virtues and destroy all the realms in the process.” He pushed away from me with a curse, sending me ramming into the table with a grunt. “Does she seem to be getting along with her Virtues? I can feel who they are, and none of them seem to be getting along very well. Even you; she would have killed you today had I not intervened, and then my vision still would have come true. Damn it!” He flicked his wrist, sending a wave of magic to crack a line down the wall that sent half of Dante’s weapons clattering to the floor. “I need to accelerate my plan. My Mages aren’t going to get caught up in this Calamity bullshit.”
Dante shot to his feet with his hand on the hilt of his weapon, but I waved him down. I would deal with Hendrik.
Nursing my stomach, I staggered to my feet and marched over to the Dark Mage, transforming my hand into my trusty “Claw” as I spun him around. I latched onto his throat, pinning him with the sharp points that grazed against the vein throbbing in his neck. “If you’re so worried, why don’t you tell me what your vision showed you? What are you so afraid of?”
He glanced down at me with an irritated expression. “I’ve seen what happens, little pet. The universe made a mistake. It can’t see left from right anymore and couldn’t pick a proper Champion out of a heroes lineup. You’re like me, pet. You’re dark. Having the patience and sacrifice necessary to fully bond with your Virtues is an impossible task. You picked a Dark Mage as one of your Virtues, for fuck’s sake. An emotionless Hunter. A hormonal wolf. A two-faced mentor and a Demigod that will fuck anything that moves. Don’t you see the irony?” He leaned in, heedless of the blood running down his neck as my demonspawn nails pierced his skin. “If you fail, you die. I die.Everyonein the path of Calamity dies.”
My skin crawled with the absolute certainty in his voice and hurt plucked at my two-thirds dark heart. I had been running from my duty as a Champion and the reality of my heritage. I did not like being confronted with it. “I don’t care what you think you saw,” I snarled as I pulled away. “Some stupid vision isn’t going to dictate my life, Calamity or not.”
“Said like a true demonspawn,” he said with a low hiss to his voice.
“Enough,” Dante snapped, pulling me away from the Dark Mage. “Visions are always pointless to discuss. I work based off of fact and necessity. Right now, Lily is out of control when it comes to her dark powers. So she needs to get to Kaito to reestablish the binds thatkeepher in control. If she hurts anyone and the Dean finds out what she is—”
“No,” I said with finality. There was no way I was going to let Kaito anywhere near me. He was my first Virtue connection and the first to betray me. He’d pay for taking advantage of me like that.
Confusion flickered across Dante’s gaze before he schooled himself into a Hunter’s still stance. “What do you mean no?”
“I’m not going to deny what I am, Dante. I’m not going to be used for someone else’s agenda. If Kaito wants to be my Virtue, he’s going to have to learn how to accept all of what I am.” I transformed my fingers back to human and poked him in the chest. “As will you.”
His body reacted to my touch, subconsciously leaning towards me as the draw of the Virtue connection made me wet my lips. He cleared his throat before putting space between us. “There is still the matter of your control, and of the Dean. If you’re discovered… You don’t know what she’s like. Kaito and I have been protecting you from her.”
“Where does she think I’ve been these past few weeks?” I’m sure the Demis would have been thrilled to report my absence.
“She has no idea you were gone. Kaito has been reporting that you and your roommate were ill from black magic backlash and locked up in your room.”
I gave Hendrik a raised brow. “And you supported this?” The Dean definitely would have confirmed that with him.
He shrugged. “I didn’t want the Dean to know I lost you, so yeah.”
I sighed. “Well, there’s nothing to worry about, anyway. I have my demonspawn side well under control, in spite of what you think.” As long as I didn’t inadvertently summon any more demons, but he didn’t need to know that little detail. “As for my succubus side, I can feed on Hendrik and keep it in check.”
The Dark Mage chuckled “Are you sure you’re not still hungry? I’m happy to help, pet.”
“Enough out of you,” I said, unaMused.
He grinned.
Dante rubbed his temple. He wasn’t the only one getting a headache. “If you’re not going to talk to Kaito, then I need to.” His jaw worked as his calm facade slipped. “There’s a reason we didn’t tell you that Hendrik was one of your Virtues. We never expected you to be stupid enough to bond with him.”
“Excuse me?” I snapped, but then Hendrik came up from behind me and pressed his nose into my neck.
“And yet she did. You saw it for yourself.” He drew in a long inhale. “You saw how she liked it.”
Dante stiffened. “You’re not good for her, Dark Mage.”
Hendrik flashed a dangerous gaze up at the Hunter. “And you are?”
Man, I could cut the tension in this place with a knife.
Or the Claw.
“Can both of you just put your penises away for two seconds?”
