Page 50 of Fortune Academy: Year Three
“Stay here,” I ordered them, not that I needed to. The Academy’s defenses were on overdrive when it came to Central Hall and they’d be trapped in an electric net before they got two feet out of bounds.
Taking a deep breath, I left them in the lobby and mentally prepared myself for facing the Dean… as well as Dante.
I’d have to play this exactly how Olivia’s vision had gone. The Dean needed to be let in on who this girl was. Despite Calamity chipping away at her sanity, in this we shared a common desire. We both needed Fortune Academy to exist. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to plot world domination and seek revival of her long-lost lover trapped in Hell. Fortune Academy was unique in that it could merge with Hell’s occupation in the fabric of space-time without being destroyed or having adverse effects from those trapped inside—at least, not too many adverse effects. Regardless, she wouldn’t want Fortune Academy to cease to exist any more than I did.
“Okay, here it goes,” I said on an exhale as I stepped into the waiting room and found my Hunter waiting for me.
I chewed on my lip before approaching him. I kept my chin high as I crossed my arms. “Hey.”
He glanced up at me. “Hey.”
We stared at each other for a moment before I rolled my eyes. “Look. I know that you’re infected with Cole’s rage and you and Hendrik have an… arrangement, to work it out.”
He frowned and his hand went to his dagger as he stood, fumbling at the hilt that didn’t seat quite right. The blade shifted, revealing the Angelstone shoved into the scabbard.
That took hiding in plain sight to a whole new level.
Catching my gaze, his orange eyes gleamed with rage, but I sensed a nudge in the dormant mate-bond that he wanted nothing more than to grab me and release all his frustration on me like Hendrik had.
But we couldn’t. Unlike Hendrik, my Hunter wouldn’t survive if I let my succubus-side out even for a moment. I’d gotten better control over that part of myself, but with Cole’s influence in the mate-circle, I didn’t trust myself not to lose control.
Not until we were all together again and the mate-circle linked us as one. I held onto that dream that I’d finally get to be myself with all of my guys and they could be themselves with me.
Instead of being his charming self, the Hunter seemed to have regressed to the angry assassin he’d been before we’d met.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” I snapped.
“Why did the Dean call me here?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.
“Because I have a young Queen of the Royal Covens out in the lobby along with one of her mates thatyoucaptured for Monster Studies.”
That got his attention.
The Hunter blinked a few times before responding, “How is that possible?”
“Do you remember what we learned in Founder Histories? One of Queen Evelyn’s mates is a time-traveling warlock.” Not that Dante needed to know I’d only just learned that a few minutes ago when Olivia had excitedly told me about it when she ran into me rushing over to the Dean’s. She’d actually suspected who the vampire really was, but didn’t want to influence the future from her vision by warning me before Evie showed up.
Time-travel made my head hurt.
“So what does that mean?” he asked, his fingers flexing as if he wanted to punch somebody. “I hope the Dean isn’t going to make a big deal over this. I brought that vampire in.” His jaw worked with irritation. “Hunting monsters is the only thing keeping me sane right now.”
“That and a certain sexy Dark Mage,” I teased.
He glowered. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Oh, hit a nerve, did I?” I asked, poking him in the ribs.
The Hunter grabbed me by the arm and slammed me into the wall harder than I expected, leaving stars sprinkling across my vision.
Well that escalated quickly.
I went still as he pressed in close. “Hendrik is the only reason I haven’t found you in the night and done something I’d regret. That damn demon’s rage has influenced me worse than anyone in the mate-circle and I want to fuck you and hurt you at the same time.” He pushed away as his orange eyes danced with flames. “I refuse to hurt you, Lily. So I take it out on monsters, instead. And Hendrik is one of them. The soulless bastard and I have two things in common. Our rage, and our love for you.”
It touched me to hear my Hunter speaking of love, even if he did look like he wanted to rip my throat out.
“Let’s explain to the Dean, but I’m going to do the talking, okay?”
He glanced at her door. “Is that really a good idea? If she knows she has one of the Champions under her thumb, she might want to contain that power for herself.”
