Page 16 of Fortune Academy: Year Three
While the Demonspawn shrugged, leaving Hendrik and Dante shackled, all my Virtues homed in on me. I stared back at them until I realized what Hendrik was talking about.
These were all my mates and we had twelve hours to kill. I turned in a small circle, taking in the hungry stares of Orion, Hendrik, Dante, Logan, and Kaito. Now that I had almost sealed the mate-circle, there was no denying the pull we had toward each other.
Gulp.
Kaito, always happy to play the mentor, jumped in on the teachable opportunity and cleared his throat. “Now that the mate-circle has been sealed, all of us are drawn to you, Lily. We are here to serve you and help build your strength in preparation for the final battle.” He took my hand and turned it over, giving the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist a kiss. I shivered as the demonstration of his power spread warmth down electrified nerve endings. “We are all in-tune with you now. You helped me accept who and what I am, and now I can give you so much more.” He kissed me again, sending another surge more powerful than the last and I yanked my hand free before I jumped him right here. He grinned. “You feel the change, don’t you? If a kiss does that, imagine what more I can offer, what we can all offer.” He came closer to me, making me fall back a step. “The easiest way we can help you is by sharing our bodies with you. Our love, our adoration, and our worship.”
Damn. When did Kaito become so… direct?
“You had your share of ‘worship,’” Dante cut in, crossing his arms and looking entirely unamused.
“She’s not a piece of meat,” Logan countered, snapping his teeth for effect. “You just assume she wants us all to screw her tonight. She’s not ready for that.”
I knew my wolf. What he really meant washewas not ready for that. As an Alpha, he was supposed to choose who his partner mated into their pack, but there’d been no choice for him at all. His alliance with the other members of my mate-circle were shaky at best and it would take time for him to come to terms with our family unit.
Because, that’s what all my guys were to me. We were a family. A dysfunctional family that would probably get everyone we knew killed, but a family nonetheless.
Then it dawned on me what they were all actually arguing about. “You all want to… um… At the same time? Together?” My face turned red hot. And being a princess of Hell, that was a feat.
Orion shoved the other guys out of the way as he rested a massive hand on my shoulder, the motion a claiming one that I loved as he stroked his touch up my neck. “Logan’s right, little star, but so is Kaito. You need all the power you can get to fight Calamity and that’s why we’re here in the first place. If you’re not ready for that, no one is going to push you.”
I blinked up at him, stunned. Was this the same sex-crazed demigod from the Academy who hosted mind-bending orgies and hated me for shoving him into a bond he wasn’t ready for?
“Orion,” I whispered, touched by his concern. “You’re so sweet, but I never said I wasn’t ready.” My skin heated again despite my confidence. I loved all my Virtues and it felt like I was just now finally starting to learn them all, one-by-one, but the idea of them all taking me at once…
Uh, hot much?
I swallowed hard and forced myself to continue, “If you’re all ready to share me—”
“Who said anything about sharing?” Orion boomed, towering over me with wide eyes as if I’d just proposed we all stick lava up our asses. “Everyone has gotten a turn with you. I’m saying it’s my turn. Screw everyone else.”
Yep, there’s my selfish demigod I know and love.
“Orion,” I began, my tone stern.
“Enough,” my Hunter snapped. He moved to shove Orion out of the way, but his shackles kept his arms bound. He growled as if he just remembered they were still there—simply a nuisance to get rid of. Red magic coursed through Dante’s skin until it gathered at the cuffs around his wrists, shattering them into pieces. He shook his hands free of molten dust and glowered. “If anyone deserves time alone with Lily, it’s me. I’ve sat on the sidelines with Hendrik, then Logan.” He left out the part where we’d already had plenty of specialalone timeon Hell’s surface. Greedy bastard.
All of my Virtues argued at once. Male voices clashed together as each demanded that it was their turn to be alone with me.
What the actual fuck?
At first I’d been flattered, even excited at the prospect that my Virtues had finally accepted what they meant to me, but this was not what I had bargained for. I would not be fought over like a bone with my mates who were all supposed to love and support me.
“Ugh! All of you, shut up!” I shouted, my anger building until a shockwave shot out from my feet, making them all stumble. I glared as I balled my fists. “I’m not some screw toy to just pass around. I didn’t sign up for this.” I stormed past them, shoving Orion and Dante out of my way. “You can all stop arguing, because I’m sleeping alone.”
I caught Hendrik’s amused gaze as I marched past him before storming down the halls.
All of my Virtues knew better than to challenge me right now, but the Dark Mage might just be stupid enough to test my verdict.
If he thought he was going to change my mind, he’d sorely regret trying.
Chapter 7
“I miss Olivia,” I grumbled as I grabbed another red velvet pillow and slammed it to the ground. It bounced and didn’t give me the satisfying sense of destruction I needed, so I searched the guest room for something else to abuse.
I had to admit, Hell was a lot fancier than I had imagined. The Demonspawn had caught up with me in the halls and guided me to a room at the end they insisted was reserved for royalty and hadn’t been used since the Queen’s last visit.
The room positively glittered with ruby gems stuck into anything that had space, evident by the massive chandelier, the oval mirror near the bathroom, and even in the trim of wood that ran around the vanity desk. However the most notable element of the room was the bed. King-sized was an understatement. Maybe double or triple-King would be more accurate.
