Page 35 of Ascension

“I guess it’s fractionally better than the usual uniform.” Maybe if he didn’t make it so fun to mess with him, I would have just thanked him for thinking of me when he asked Madame Cora to alter my uniform. Instead, I bite back, knowing he loves the back and forth just as much as I do.

“Though I would much prefer my own clothes,” I throw over my shoulder pointedly. I make my way over to my closet in an attempt to find something in my meager wardrobe. Remembering his promise that my clothes would be delivered today.

He meets my gaze with a triumphant look in his eyes, puffing out his chest. His smirk grows smug, and he gestures towards the closet. I pull open the door, huffing out a breath of annoyance. Not expecting to see anything but the few items picked up at Madame Cora’s. Instead, the closet is exactly like my closet back home. Or is my closet back home? All of my clothes, the same layout. I look back at Adrian, turning to face him this time, my brows creasing in silent question. His smile widens as he scans my face.

“I cast a small illusion, it’s a portal to your closet at home. You can’t use it to go back to the mortal realm, but you can access your clothes from here.” He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze.

“Thank you.” My eyes train on him, communicating my sincerity through my gaze. He nods and walks over to my desk, breaking the earnest mood.

“I see you’ve been busy,” he muses, lifting a text at the top of the pile before idly leafing through the pages. My eyes catch on the book below it, bringing back my annoyance with him. The words in his description run through my head once more.

“Some of the information in those books is absolutely fascinating,” I say sarcastically, my tone biting. I cross my arms, narrowing my gaze at the back of his head. “Truly eye-opening.”

Sensing my sudden ire towards him, he slowly turns his head to face me, brows furrowed in confusion. His eyes glance back to the books, inspecting the others. Placing down the book in his hands, he trades it for the text in question‘Gods and their Powers’. A broad smile stretches across his face.

“Is this the book by any chance?” he asks, barely restraining his chuckle. He holds out the book as though I don’t already know the one he’s holding. I sneer at him and his cavalier reaction.

“Has anyone told you how sexy you are when you’re jealous?” Snickering, he seemingly takes great pleasure in my annoyance.

“As a matter of fact, no. No one has ever told me that because I don’t get jealous,” I tell him matter of factly. Willing myself to believe the statement as well. He just continues to grin at me, eyes scanning down my body in amusement. Not believing my account for a second.

“Well then, what exactly was the fascinating information that you discovered?” He crosses his arms in a smug gesture, eyes laughing, daring me to come up with a lie on the spot. I purse my lips, just continuing to stare at him, not giving in to his little game.

He pauses a moment before continuing, realizing I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“Perhaps that interesting information was about me?” he asks encouragingly, needling me into responding. He flips open the book, finding the passage on himself, and pausing to scan the pages until he finds the part with the damning words.

“Perhaps it was this passage here, calling me a ladies’ man?” he asks, chuckling at the words as he holds the page out to me. “Unfortunately for me, I did date the god of lust, Aurelia, millennia ago.”

My eyes narrow further, feeling a burning sensation in my chest. Okay, fine, maybe I’m a tiny bit jealous. Closing the book, he points to the author’s name, ‘Demetra, demigod of lust.’

“Her daughter. Aurelia didn’t take it very well when I left her, not wanting to be in a relationship with someone constantly cheating on me,” he adds, placing the book back on the desk. “It was a very toxic relationship, we were both just having fun until we weren’t.” He shakes his head, his lips pulling down at the memory.

“Demetra wrote that book, allowing her mother to slander whomever she felt had wronged her. The school shouldn’t even allow such a text to be available to students. Her accounts are very far from factual.” He scowls back over to the book, shaking his head. The burn of jealousy dissipates at his words and the sneer drops from my lips.

Turning from the desk, his lips lift up in a smirk once more, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He prowls towards me, footsteps slow and measured. My body sparks with anxious excitement as he draws closer.

His fingers thread through my hair, tilting my head up and pressing me into his hard chest—my body melts at his touch, and I relax into him, letting loose a long breath in relief. I look up at him through my lashes and he eases my back up against the wall. Eyes hungrily roaming over me, losing their teasing edge.

“I haven’t been able to get you out of my head all day,” he growls, lips descending on mine. I meet them eagerly, moaning against him with the contact. His mouth claims mine, hungrily devouring me. His desperation proves his words to me.

My lips part, allowing his tongue to stroke against mine teasingly. My heart flutters in anticipation, urging my body on, begging for more contact. I wrap my arms around his neck, pushing my lips harder against his. Bringing one leg up, I let my heel run up the back of his thigh before winding around his waist.

Driving him against me where my body craves his touch. A whine of protest leaves my mouth when his lips part from mine, but it dies a moment later as he grinds his growing erection against my core. Growling in my ear. The rough fabric of his jeans rubs against my thin lace panties and he nips my earlobe, sucking it into his mouth and sending shivers down my spine. His thick possessive hand runs up my thigh, fingers skimming over my heated skin.

My lips graze soft teasing touches against his neck. Smirking against his skin when he impatiently rocks his hips against me, urging me on. I press them firmly against his neck, sucking on the sensitive skin. The sensation causes him to grind his straining cock harder against me, craving the friction as much as I do.

He pushes my skirt up, muttering a curse when he sees the burgundy lace panties he urged me to get yesterday. His fingers run teasingly along the seam, my body yearning for him to rip them off of me. After what seems like an eternity, his thick finger moves over the front of my soaked panties, stroking my aching clit. My lips part in a whimper at the contact. Pleasure clouding my mind, my body reacts on its own, pushing harder against him. The touch lights up every nerve ending in my body. He moves his neck out of my reach, capturing my lips once more in a searing kiss.

My thoughts pull me out of the moment like a bucket of ice water crashing down on me. Having already promised myself I would get answers out of him. I couldn’t be swayed by the pleasure washing over me from his intoxicating touch. I have to keep a level head. At least until I get the answers I need.

Reluctantly, I lower my leg, Adrian pauses, pulling his lips away from my now still ones, feeling the pressure from my leg easing. He studies me, eyes darting between mine, his brows creasing in concern. I close my eyes, drawing in a sobering breath and almost whimper in protest as his hand moves from my wet panties. I back away from him slowly, holding a hand out as I notice him moving to follow.

“Please stay there?” I ask more than tell him, barely recognizing the need thick in my voice. “I have questions, which I know aren’t going to get answered if we continue,” I explain, walking towards the other side of the room by my bed. At my words, a devilish smirk plays across his lips, no longer concerned with my retreat.

“Is this really necessary?” he asks, gesturing to the space I’ve put between us. His eyes glinting mischievously before he takes a step closer.

“Nope, that’s not happening. You stay on that side of the room, and I’ll stay here,” I cut him off, taking a step back. Voice wavering, my body lighting up with the thought of him drawing near.

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