Like falling for a mortal who only wanted to use you for a good time.
And I’d mastered control when it came to my desires. Or at least, I thought I had. But as anger flowed through me, I wasn’t so sure.
My monster pushed beneath the surface, wanting nothing more than to rage.
Against what, I wasn’t sure. Everything was going great—well, notgreatbut they weren’t bad—Violet and I were... talking. Sort of. Starting fresh...
Then Norman had to slither his way in and break up the moment, and then Professor O’Connor and his stupid fuckingintuitionhad to crash the party and...
It’s just words, Bane, it doesn’t mean shit.
Except, it did mean something.
Professor O’Connor was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a fraud. He was known among the students and faculty here as one of the most intuitive professors.
I wanted to believe what he interpreted was true—that maybe there would be a light after the storm, but I knew that was wishful thinking. I’d already flown too close to the sun with Anne, and she paid the price for my stupidity. As far as I was concerned, that was all the proof I needed to know my fate was sealed.
Love wasn’t in the cards for someone like me.
So why did ithurt?
Why did it feel like Professor O’Connor was dangling a carrot in front of me that I’d never have?
For what?
Shits and giggles?
Violet claimed to have feltlove,but it was more than evident, despite her natural inclination toward the runes and their magic, that she didn’t know what she was talking about. She’d never read runes, nor did she have any prior knowledge of intuition, that much I could tell.
But for a moment... I wanted to believe her, too.
I wanted to believe that this pretty little pixie with a soothing touch and bright eyes could see the truth, therealme.
That maybe, she could see what others couldn’t.
That I was just as deserving of love as the rest of the creatures that walked these halls.
At least, that’s what I wanted to believe.
But it didn’t make it true.
My wings flutter beneath the surface of my jacket, and I know I need to get the fuck out of dodge. I need to be free. I need the wind in my hair, and the feeling of weightlessness as my body glided through the air.
I need to stretch my wings and fly until I could forget about this damn day.
Forget about Violet, and hope.
Because I was a glutton for punishment. I always wanted what I knew I shouldn’t.
So I did the only thing I could think of doing. I slid off my jacket, draping it over the side of the couch arm, and carefully unbuttoned my shirt. The relief as I took my shirt off, tossing it with my jacket felt good, even in the small space of my private dungeon. My wings rippled beneath my skin as my inner monster paced, wanting nothing more than to flex its great span. However, I knew this room wasn’t quite big enough for my entire wingspan.
I cracked my neck, stretching if only because I knew if I didn’t, I’d feel it later. I stood in front of the mirror of the corner, and I closed my eyes, reaching out as I whispered the words that would fix everything.
I felt the energy wrap around me as I reached out through the mirror into its depths, pulling me through like a vacuum, and before I knew it the familiar smell of the forest surrounded me.
I braced for impact, having done this song and dance plenty of times. Students like Delaney, Wanda, Norman, and the select few other students who knew about the Forest of Lir mostly came in through the main gate, because they didn’t have wings.
Immediately, as the air hit me, my wings expanded. The chill air encased my body, a welcome relief to the heat roiling within me. I breathed in deep, letting the crisp air fill my lungs as I gave my monster what he desired.
