“You—you’re withthemnow?” he sneered. “You’re cheating on me?”
A laugh bubbled out of me so hard I had to lean forward and clutch my stomach. “Don’t make me laugh, D. We aren’t together anymore. You don’t get to claim betrayal when you’ve already been discarded by me.”
“Discarded?” His hands twitched with barely restrained rage. “Nobody else will ever make you come like I did.”
Zuko’s fangs lengthened, and with a guttural growl, he lunged. His teeth sank into Darian’s cheek, one of the only uncovered parts of him from the suit, tearing into flesh.
Darian screamed. It was a hoarse, primal sound. It was the sound of pride shattering under agony, and Ilovedit.
The venom hit fast. Darian convulsed, his back arching, veins darkening visibly under his skin.
It wasimpressive.I really wanted that venom in my arsenal.
“You should really stop arguing longer than you can last in bed,” I said, brushing invisible dust off my shoulder.
Zuko pulled back with blood slicking his mouth and spat it back on Darian. “Trust me.” His eyes glowed as he made eye contact with me. “I’ll make you writhe and moan louder, longer, and harder than this icicle ever dreamed of doing.”
Heat bloomed in my abdomen. “I have no doubt about that, toxin.”
Slater reached for me, brushing his warm hand down my arm and leaving goosebumps in his wake. He was gentle despite the rage burning in his eyes. “You okay?”
I nodded once. But the truth was that I could still feel Darian’s icy hands burning my cheeks. Ghosts of him lingered on my skin, and I hated it.
Slater’s eye twitched before he lunged, and his fist cracked across Darian’s jaw.
Zuko straightened, exhaling through his nose. “Damn, Slater, good hit.”
Slater stood and fist-bumped him. “Thanks, brother-mate.”
The classroom door slammed open with a loud bang. “Enough!” Pops’s voice lashed down the hallway like a whip, and all of us froze. Even Zuko stepped back instinctively, which surprised me.
Pops strode into view, his brown eyes scanning the scene with sharp, agent-trained precision. His gaze locked on Darian, who was crumpled on the floor, bleeding from his eyes, mouth, and nose, and then slid to me. “What in the Fates is going on?”
I turned slowly, my throat dry. My body still hummed faintly from the venom I’d burned through. “Darian was harassing me.”
Pops stepped toward me fast, his hands going to my shoulders. “Rune.” He looked me over in one sweeping glance, hands squeezing once, searching. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head slowly. “I’m okay.”
He cupped my cheek briefly, calloused thumb brushing across my skin like he needed to reassure himself I was still solid, and it was much more comforting than Darian’s hands on me. His jaw flexed.
When Pops spoke again, it was through gritted teeth. “You should’ve called for me. I was right there, Rune.”
“I didn’t plan on it happening,” I whispered.
He turned his head sharply toward the others. “Squad One, return to your house. Now.”
There was no room for argument.
Slater flinched slightly at his tone. “Rune, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll meet you at the house.” I nodded at him, giving him and the rest of them a quick smile of reassurance. “I’m going to talk to Dad first,” I said, already stepping back.
Pops gave a single nod, but his eyes stayed on me, dark with worry. “Straight there. No detours. I’m calling your mom, and I’ll meet you after.”
“I know.” I turned, but something prickled at the back of my neck.
When I glanced back, I noticed Dimitri staring at me. His face was tight, but his eyes flickered with something close to worry and anger. His fists were clenched at his sides. One hand flexed, curling and uncurling like it wanted to lash out. His fangs had dropped halfway, but he bit down, sharp enough to cut into his lip.
