The sight of a fiery dog bounding toward me while students screamed sent me right back to the orchard where ten-year-old me cowered under a tree, utterly terrified. The rational side of my brain knew this dog creature was a shifter, not a demon, and probably someone’s idea of a stupid prank. But my magic had never behaved rationally.
It reacted to my fear and burst from me in a blazing inferno.
Tables and chairs around me set alight. Glynda blinked away before she got toasted, and the windows at my back exploded in a violent firestorm. The huge dog yelped when its tail caught fire. I guessed whoever had cast a fire spell on him before he arrived ensured it didn’t burn him. Sadly for him, my magical fire wasn’t so discerning. It burned anything it touched.
Cold water hit me in the face, shocking me enough to dowse the magical flames, and then a tall male pulled me into his arms and we were gone. Blinked away from the dining hall amid a volley of screams and angry yells.
I sincerely hoped he’d stolen me before anyone realized I’d caused yet more damage. The thought of another week of early morning detentions was unappealing, even if I loved the herb garden and glasshouses.
When the world stopped spinning, I opened my eyes to see densely packed trees and deep shadows. The male who’d whisked me away stepped back. He seemed more curious than concerned.
I leaned against a tree while trying not to vomit. Did anyone ever get used to teleporting? I hoped so, or my future sucked big time.
Once I’d recovered sufficiently to stand up straight, I stared up at the male. Glossy black hair curled over his collar, and blue eyes gazed at me. They were so pale they seemed almost colorless.
From the faint smirk quirking his lips, nothing about my chaotic magic scared him, and I saw no sign of burns on his arms or face, despite him diving into the middle of a firestorm to whisk me away.
“You were wrecking the joint,” he drawled. “Just doing my duty as a diligent student.”
I snorted. I somehow doubted this rake did anything unless it benefited him in some way. My gaze took in the swirling tattoos on his muscular chest, clearly visible through what remained of his scorched shirt. Then I focused on his aura.
He had the darkest aura I’d ever seen. Midnight blue with hints of pale lilac. Dark auras usually signaled black magic or evil, but I got the sense this male straddled the line between dark and light.
“Who are you?” I asked after a moment. The skin on my chest itched, an all-too-familiar tugging sensation urging me to step closer and touch the male. I winced as the pain behind my ribs increased. From the scowl on the male’s face, he felt the same discomfort.
He kicked away from the tree he’d been resting against.
“Zane.”
“Why did you pull me away?” Cool rain filtered through the tree canopy, soaking my overheated skin. Steam rose, dispersing some of the magical heat away from my body. The amulet around my neck still felt hot against my skin, but I took comfort from it.
Zane watched my fingers stroke the stone, and his eyes narrowed.
“Where did you get that necklace?”
“You can’t answer a question with another question,” I griped, glancing up as the rain grew heavier. Thunder grumbled in the distance, warning of another incoming storm. Was the academy a lightning rod or something? Storms hit the place with alarming regularity.
Now that the fear had faded, all I wanted to do was sleep. I belatedly remembered I’d missed my tutoring session with Miss Windborne but caring about that took energy I no longer had. I’d make excuses tomorrow morning. If she punished me, then so be it.
Zane huffed with annoyance. “Fine. I stole you away because you looked scared.” He seemed almost as surprised as I was about that. “Now tell me where you found the necklace.”
The forest swayed as a ferocious wind picked up. “We should get out of here,” I said, remembering the fallen trees from the last storm. Being squished by a giant Sequoia didn’t appeal.
“I’ll take you back to your room once you tell me about the necklace.” His jaw ticked with annoyance at my refusal to answer his question.
“Ugh, fine! I don’t know where it came from. I can’t take it off, and neither can anyone else, so I guess it’s imbued with magic. Happy now?”
He stared at my amulet for a moment longer before cocking his head to one side. “Interesting.”
“Not really.” As grateful as I was for being rescued from another disastrous magical incident, his weird behavior annoyed me. “Can we do that thing now?”
“What thing is that, pet?” His smile widened as he stepped closer. An unwelcome spike of lust shot through my core at the same time his aura sparked. The tattoos on his chest lit up, and I realized exactly what kind of magical being he was: an incubus.
“Stop that now,” I growled, surprising myself with the level of venom in my voice. “Do not use your sex magic on me!”
He laughed. “Sex magic? Pet, I’m not doing a damn thing. This is all you.”
“No it’s not! You’re making me… feel stuff… and I don’t like it!” Okay, that was a lie. I really did like it a little too much. Stars above, from his pretty eyes to his smoking hot body, the incubus was sex on legs.
