I widened my eyes, letting my genuine excitement bleed through. “I’d like to try one of the potions you’ve made using her venom.” I leaned forward just slightly, reaching out my hand with a casual brush against his forearm.
The moment I touched him, even with our suits between us, the air shifted. A faint jolt shivered under my skin. It had nothing to do with my venom, and my breath caught.
Drecken stiffened, just a fraction, his magic popping off him and whispering around me.
My magic buzzed in my veins in response.
He was watching me now, too intently. It was different than the way anyone had ever looked at me. It made my stomach twist and flutter all at once.
I forced myself to clear my throat and pull my hand away from his arm.This was supposed to be a mission.“I, um…I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Drecken’s face smoothed back into composure. He lifted a hand, magic humming as a vial shimmered into existence between his fingers. He set it before me, voice calm again. “As promised.”
I couldn’t hold in the excited yelp as I grabbed the bottle securely in my palm. “I have more venoms, if you need any.”
His blue eyes sparked with interest. “I do, actually.” He plucked an empty vial from his drawer and held it out. “I’ll be forever grateful.”
As I leaned over his desk, my gaze skimmed across his notebook.
A personal item.
I was close enough to it.
His eyes flicked to my mouth as I hovered my fang over the vial in his hand.
“What kind of venom?” I asked, my entire body buzzing with need from being so close to him. I was glad he was a warlock and couldn’t smell the dampening between my legs, but I knew he could sense auras and figure out how turned on I was.
“Any,” he breathed out.
I excreted my venom into the vial, keeping my tongue over the other fang so I didn’t drop any. I took the chance to slide his notebook behind me as I filled the vial half-way. “This one causes hallucinations and diarrhea. A fun combination, really.”
“You’re very generous for giving me so much,” he rasped.
I couldn’t look away from his gaze. “Thank you for the potion, Professor Grimsworn.”
He winced. “Call me Drecken, okay?”
“Of course,Drecken.” I purred his name deliberately, letting it linger. “I’ve never tried fatal potions before. Only venoms and poisons.”
“Have fun.” His answering smirk was razor-sharp. “I’ve got plenty of potions to share with you in the future.”
“Can’t wait,” I whispered, potion and notebook in hand as I turned and left his room, my heartbeat pounding out of my chest cavity.
As I made my way back into Jarvins’s classroom, I dropped the notebook on his desk.
My professor stared at it like I’d just set down a bomb.
“You actually got that from Drecken?” He gaped at it. “Without his knowing?”
“And he gave methis.” I dangled the potion vial between two fingers, letting it catch the light. “It replicates my mother’s venom.”
“Yourmother’s?”Dimitri asked in shock. “Can’t she turn anyone to dust?”
“My first fatal potion,” I said fondly, popping the cork off it.
“Venom baby, have you tried potions meant to hurt before?” Slater’s worried eyes scanned over me. “I know poisons and venoms are your thing, but potions?”
“Not yet. I actually haven’t tried potions at all yet.” I swirled the potion. “But I’m curious, aren’t you?”
