Page 43 of Fortune Academy: Year Three
Tucking my chin to my chest and hugging my shoulder strap of my backpack, I sped-walked toward the Dark Mage dorms.
The gothic spires looked particularly ominous under the bleeding sky. I knocked on the door and a female in a dark cloak answered.
“What do you want?” she asked. I knew she recognized me as one of the Monster Mentors. Being friends with Olivia gave me some clout and leeway when it came to the Dean’s rules, which was ironic seeing as Olivia had once been a meek Dud. We’d both come so far.
“Here to see Hendrik,” I said, trying to act casual as I brushed a blonde curl over my shoulder. “I’m his tutor for Monster Class,” I lied. When she continued to stare at me I added, “He’s failing and the Dean says if he doesn’t get his grade up we’re both getting Blood Duty for the next year, so let me in.”
The Dark Mage frowned, but didn’t seem interested enough to question me further. She let me inside and I followed her up the staircase to Hendrik’s room.
I stumbled when we passed his original oversized suite and she kept walking. “His room is down here,” she said over her shoulder.
So, he’d not only lost his reputation and role as leader, but he’d also lost his room. That had to hurt.
She kept walking until we reached the end of the hall where the smaller dorms housed some of the newer mages. She knocked on a door. “Someone to see you, Hendrik,” she snapped.
“I’m busy,” came a muffled reply.
“Don’t give a shit!” she shot back. “Talk to your tutor or you’re going to get more Blood Duty on your docket!”
A curse sounded from the other side and chains rattled at the door as Hendrik undid the interior latches.
The female mage smirked. “He’s a real delusional asshole, but it’s your life. Good luck.”
I stared after her as she walked off. The Dark Mages were all generally insensitive and arrogant, being soulless and all they couldn’t help it, but that one really got on my nerves.
Hendrik was a lot of things, but delusional wasn’t one of them.
The door swung open and I found myself face-to-face with a pissed off Dark Mage wearing only black sweatpants, leaving a gorgeous body on full display as my jaw hit the floor. He stared back at me until I realized it wasn’t shadows playing tricks on me and the splotches over the hard muscles were in fact deep black and blue bruises.
“Hendrik?” I asked, running my fingers over his stomach. “What the hell happened?”
He glowered at me with those eternally dark eyes before he turned. “You shouldn’t have come here,” he grumbled as he disappeared into the darkness of the small room.
I stood there for a moment until I realized he’d left the door open for me, so I walked inside and closed it behind me.
It took me a minute for my eyes to adjust, but I was a Demonspawn fully capable of seeing in pure darkness. I realized the lack of light wasn’t the only thing contributing to the dismal conditions, but also a familiar drifting… fog.
“Like my dreams,” I whispered.
“What?” Hendrik asked as he poured whiskey into glasses and conjured ice with a whisper of magic.
“The hard stuff, huh?” I asked, taking my glass.
He knocked his drink back, fluttered his eyes closed, then poured himself another. “It’s been a rough couple of months.”
“No shit,” I said as I dared a step closer. I set my glass down and slipped an arm around his waist. He didn’t push me away, but his body tensed and I realized he probably had internal injuries with the level of damage that was done. “Want to talk about it?” I tried not to let the anger seep out onto my tongue because whoever did this to him needed to pay.
He sighed and shrugged me off. “I’ve been doing my job.”
“And what job is that?” I asked, crossing my arms. “Blowing off your soulmate and getting yourself beaten up?”
“I don’t have a soul,” he reminded me before he knocked back his second drink.
Rage bubbled up inside of me, making fire flare at my fingertips and I shoved him against the wall. He grunted at the impact and I knew it probably hurt, but my stubborn Dark Mage glared back at me with raw defiance. “I’ve been very patient, Hendrik, but you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
He muttered a spell and vanished in a puff of black smoke, reappearing behind me and crushing me against the wall before I had a chance to turn. He grabbed my wrists and held my arms over my head, pinning me with his hips against my ass. “You do not talk to me that way,” he growled, his words a sensual threat brushing across my neck. “You’re on my turf now.” His fingers curled around my wrists and squeezed until he hit my bracelet. It burned hot in retaliation against his magic. We both hissed with pain as he momentarily released me long enough for me to spin around and wrap my fingers around his neck.
“You do not talk tomethat way,” I countered. “I’m not your pet you can just boss around anymore.”
