I crushed the empty blood bag in my fist and hurled it into the garbage, throwing myself onto my bed with a growl. Ihateddrinking blood from a bag. I much preferred a chalice.
Rune’s soft snores seeped through the walls, interspersed with bizarre little hissing noises, like a snake settling comfortably into slumber.
Shewasa basilisk, I supposed.
But how the fuck did she manage to sleep like that?
rune
. . .
The first dayat Apex Elite Academy called for the best kind of poison.
I squeezed the dropper over my tea, stirring the drop of shimmering black liquid into it. It was just enough neurotoxin to calm my nerves and shut off the annoying part of my brain that overthought everything that could go wrong today.
Nothing would go wrong.I’d make damn sure of that. I had already checked my schedule three times. I was prepared.
This first quarter of the year, we had four classes. Charm and Deception: Level 1 and Strike and Subdue: Level 1 were on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. History of Kalista: The Foundation for Supernatural Agents and Analytic Tactics 101 was on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Good morning, venom baby!” Slater bounded in with a bright smile. His red hair was still sticking up in ten directions from bed, but his bodysuit clung perfectly to every muscle. I could see his skull tattoo on his neck through the thin opening of the suit’s neck.Hot.“What’re you putting in your tea?”
“Neurotoxin,” I purred, washing my spoon in the sink so I didn’t accidentally poison anyone else before taking my first sip.
He sighed dreamily. “You say ‘neurotoxin’ the way most people say‘I love you.’”
I smirked over my mug at him. “Aw, aren’t you cute?”
He clutched his chest dramatically. “Stop complimenting me. I’ll fall in love.”
“You’re full of it,” I giggled.
“Who am I kidding?” He sighed cutely before smiling so hard his dimples poked out. “I’m going to fall in love no matter what, so please keep complimenting me.”
I bit down on my bottom lip. “Want to know something fun?”
“Always.”
I leaned closer, enough that he’d feel the heat coming off my skin. “Some of my venom can act as an aphrodisiac. Just a little touch…” I let my index finger trail up to his mouth and brushed his lips. “That’s all it takes to heighten urges.”
He didn’t move; he just stared at me like I’d done something completely miraculous. I’d successfully rendered him speechless.
Zuko strolled in with an infuriatingly sexy smirk on his lips. That black suit hugged every inch of his frame. His orange eyes dropped straight to where my finger lingered on Slater’s lip. “You flirting or poisoning him? Not that it matters.”
“Can’t it be both?” I teased, pulling away from Slater and taking a sip of my tea. I didn’t actually use my venom on him, but Fates, I wanted to.
“Sure it can.” Zuko’s grin widened. “Speaking of both, did you know that the venom from my fangs causes immense pain but my cum has aphrodisiac properties?”
I choked on air. “You—what?”
He stepped closer, and I had to admit I liked the way my pulse jumped at his proximity. “You heard me, pretty little poison. Surely, you knew that was the case for the majority of male basilisks, right?”
“I didn’t know that,” I admitted.
“You want to try some?”
My knees actually wobbled. “Fates, Zuko…”
Yes.
