by Jaymin Eve
I moaned again. “Fuck. Asher. Seriously. You’re killing me.”
His fingers slid down and stroked across me, slipping under my thong just as his mouth closed around my nipple. My fingers glided into his hair and I clenched my fists, holding him to me. He slid a finger inside, followed by another, and usually I found it hard to have sex in the shower or bath, because the water washed away my natural lubrication. Not this time though.
I was as wet as this damn pool.
He moved to the other breast. “Can’t neglect this one,” he said with a low rumble. I was too far gone to reply as he continued to stroke my body, the pleasure almost overwhelming.
His thumb glided across my clit, and the low swirls in my body, the pleasure drugging my veins, exploded. I cried out as I rode his hands, his mouth on my nipple as he dragged out every last second of pleasure.
When I finally stopped rocking and moaning, he lifted his head and I froze at the deep rich silver that faced me. There was not an ounce of green left in his gaze.
“Asher?” I said somewhat breathlessly. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, his voice a deep, purring rumble. “That was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”
Despite my recent orgasm, my body was already screaming for more, and I was reaching for him when he stood, gently setting me on my feet.
“What about you?” I said, sliding my gaze across his rock-hard body. The swim shorts did nothing to hide his erection, which was long and hard and completely unsatisfied.
He shook his head. “You said no sex until the third date. I’m an Atlantean of my word.”
I just stared at him, shaking my head. “I’ve changed my mind. That’s a stupid human rule anyway.”
Asher laughed. “Anticipation is half the fun, Maddi. Come on, let’s go and watch some movies while we wait for the guys to return. If we stay here, I’m definitely not going to be able to keep my hands off you.”
My legs wobbled as I started to follow him from the pool, the aftereffects of the orgasm still tingling through my body. Asher reached out and grabbed my hand as I stumbled, keeping me upright.
“What if one of them brings someone back here?” I said when we reached the stand. “I’m not really up to dealing with girl drama tonight. Maybe I should just head home.”
Asher shook his head. “Nah, we really don’t bring anyone back here. Especially not chicks. It’s our rule. We have a top-floor apartment in the magic users’ wing for that.”
I ground to a halt, taking him by surprise. “I’m a chick.”
Asher’s heated gaze ran across my bare breasts. My bra was lost somewhere in the pool, and I couldn’t be bothered searching for it. “I noticed.”
“I mean … I’m here, so … your rule?”
“You’re diff—”
“If you say different,” I interrupted, “I’m going to punch you. Don’t separate me out from other women. They’re my people.”
His laughter was starting to become my favorite sound; it was so deep and husky, and it sent shivers down my spine. “I meant different because we’re all pretty sure you’re Atlantean. We just have to figure out how. You’re one of us.”
My lips trembled, and I hoped he thought my eyes were watering because of the pool, and not because of those words. “Okay, then,” I managed to say. “Let’s go watch a movie.”
When we were back in the house, he pointed toward a nearby door. “Bathroom is there. Towels and everything will be inside. I’ll grab you some clothes.”
I didn’t bother to close the door. The shower in here was four times the size of the one I used in the magic users’ dorm. There was a ton of dials and switches, and I eventually figured out how to get the rainfall head working. Warm water washed over me, the wall showerheads massaging my muscles while I used bodywash to clean myself. When I got out, there was a towel and small pile of clothes waiting on the sink for me.
The mirror showed all the makeup caking my face. I used a hand towel to scrape most of the black off. Asher had left me a long-sleeved shirt that smelled like him; it was loose and hung to midthigh. There was also a pair of boxer shorts that I slipped on underneath.
Padding silently out into the living area, I sank onto the couch and waited for Asher to finish his shower as well. My stomach growled; I hadn’t eaten since breakfast this morning, too depressed by the thought of missing the dance.
“I ordered some food,” he said, appearing in his stealthy way.
I narrowed my eyes. “Two questions. One: did you just hear my stomach growl? And two: we can order food to our rooms?”
Asher dropped down next to me, dressed in a pair of sweats, no shirt on at all.
“You’re gonna need a shirt,” I said before he could answer my questions. “Seriously. If you want to keep your honor intact, then get a shirt on.”
He smiled, and my eyes were drawn to the five o’clock shadow.
“And no more dimples.”
His smile grew, and I dropped my head back on the couch with a groan.
The chair shifted as he got up, and then he was back, a fitted black shirt hiding all of his glorious muscles from me. It didn’t help though; my fingers still itched to touch him.
“To answer your questions,” Asher said, sitting even closer this time. “Supes all have great senses. Magic users are not on par with shifters, but those of us with Atlantean blood are stronger. I caught the faint sounds of a hungry stomach.” That was a tad embarrassing. “And the average student can’t order food to their rooms, but we can.”
Of course they could.
I was starting to think there was almost nothing inaccessible to the Atlantean-five.
26
Asher’s house had a huge flat-screen. He let me choose the movie, and I had no idea what most of them were, so I just randomly selected something. It turned out to be pretty good. Lots of action and funny one-liners.
The pizza he ordered disappeared fast; I ate almost as much as Asher, much to his amusement. “I’ve always been partial to shifters,” he told me. “They love their food. Witches, on the other hand, are all about starving themselves.”
“Shifters, hey?” I said, trying not to let that bother me. He’d given me one orgasm. I didn’t own him. There was no indication that we’d ever even get to the third date, but still … it bothered me.
He shrugged. “Witches are growing on me. Especially when they have a perfect mix of fey about them.”
I elbowed him. Jerk. “Growing on you. Imma grow my fist in your nose in a minute.”
He smirked. “That made no sense at all, but to save my ass I’ll just say that I’m suitably impressed by your threat.”
I settled for flipping him off.
Asher chose the next movie, and as we relaxed, I yawned. It was getting pretty late now, and I was tired after a big day of dresses, makeup, and dancing. The alcohol had worn off, and I was ready for sleep. I must have drifted off at some point, because I woke sometime later to soft voices and a warm blanket draped over me.
“She okay?” I heard Jesse murmur, his low voice distinct.
“She’s fine,” Asher replied. “Just tired. I’ll move her to the spare room in a minute.”
Ouch. Spare room. Not his room. If that wasn’t a huge reminder of our current relationship standing, then I don’t know what would be. “No need,” I said sleepily, pulling myself up. “I’m just going to head back to my dorm.”
Asher and Jesse stood behind the couch, staring down at me. “It’s late, and we’d prefer you stayed here,” Jesse said softly. He was still wearing his suit, but had ditched the jacket. “It’s safer than walking across campus at night when there are assassins out there.”
I looked between the two of them and shook my head. “I’ve been wandering around the Academy for the last month on my own. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Their expressive faces went cagey all of a sudden, and a niggling thought drifted through my mind. It went back to what Asher had said to me at
the dance. “You’ve been following me, haven’t you?”
No confirmation, but also no denial.
I let out a huff. “Fine. I’ll stay here tonight, but I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”
And I wasn’t sleeping in no stupid spare room. I’d just stay right here on the couch. It was comfier than my bed back in the Academy, and that was saying something. Plus, I was proving a point. What point, I hadn’t decided, but it was a point.
“Sounds good. I’ll put another movie on,” Jesse said. He jumped over the back of the couch, landing beside me. Asher followed suit, on my other side. I tried to discourage the little swell of happiness that rose up as the three of us sat companionably together. Only temporary.
“Are you the only one back?” I asked Jesse.
He nodded, draping an arm around me. Asher shook his head, and then not-that-gently knocked off his friend’s arm. Jesse laughed. “Well, well … is the elusive Asher getting possessive over our Atlantean girl? Never thought I’d see the day.”
Asher’s reply was relaxed. “I was just doing her a favor. Your heavy ass tends to drape across whoever is next to you, using them as a pillow.”
They continued to banter back and forth, and the easiness of their relationship was comforting to me.
The next time I opened my eyes, it was morning, and I was literally surrounded by male bodies. For a second I tried to process the absolute insanity of my situation. The insanity of me trusting any men enough to sleep in the same room as them. I never would have done such a thing in my old life, but these guys … they were different. I knew it on a fundamental level.
Wiggling around to see better, I could tell that the others had stumbled in, removed some clothing, and then fallen asleep wherever they landed. Calen was at my feet, almost curled around them, and I resisted the urge to nudge him in the ribs. His mouth was wide open, his breathing loud, and I could smell the alcohol on him.
He still managed to look attractive though. How, I had no idea. If I’d slept like that, I’d have looked and sounded like a swamp monster. I felt weird being in the center of them like this, so I tried to unobtrusively sneak out. Jesse and Asher, who each had an arm over me, tightened their hold, stopping me from moving.
“Ugh.” I let out a huff. “You two muscle-bound dickheads are going to tear me in two.”
Jesse popped one eye open and narrowed it on me. “Shh, this dickhead is trying to sleep, love.”
I swung my elbow, hitting him in the ribs. “I’m not your love, and you’re invading my personal space.”
Asher let out a rumble in his sleep. My eyes locked on his broad chest, and I was hit with a memory of all those muscles under my hands last night, and that delicious V he had that led into his swim shorts…
Jesse’s smirk caught my attention. “What?” I said.
He shrugged. “I see how it is. You’re not shoving Asher away and demanding he get out of your personal space.”
“Because you’re an ugly fucker,” Asher mumbled, his eyes opening as he uncurled like a sleeping jungle cat, all grace and long limbs, golden skin everywhere. My hands itched to trace the edges of his tattoos peeking out from under his shirt, and I reminded myself to ask him what they meant.
I really wanted to know if it was Atlantean.
The intensity in his eyes this morning was equal to the look he’d leveled on me last night when he destroyed my sanity by giving me the best orgasm of my life.
I wanted another one. Stat.
“I gotta go,” I said in a rush, not trusting myself around him. “My friends will freak out if I’m not in my room.”
Calen laughed, and I realized he’d been awake for a while. “The way those two were going at it with their guys on the dance floor, I doubt either of them ended up in their rooms either.”
There was the slightest slur to his words, like he was still kind of drunk, or maybe half asleep.
I paused. “Even Larissa?”
He nodded. “Oh yeah. He had his fangs in her and everything.”
I blinked. “Is that … is that something vampires do?”
We hadn’t covered the sex part in Race Morphology yet. Calen pulled himself up, his wrinkled dress shirt completely unbuttoned, and … so were his pants. I didn’t even want to ask why that was.
“Yeah, it’s part of our foreplay,” Rone said.
I turned toward him, trying not to act too excited that he was talking to me. Not just talking, but sharing personal vamp business with me. “So … you guys bite and drink each other’s blood while having sex?” I asked hesitantly, not sure if I was overstepping.
“Yep,” Rone said as he stood from where he’d been asleep in an armchair. He stretched his massive frame out, arms above his head. He was much more put-together than Calen, no buttons open, but he had ditched his jacket. “We do a lot of blood play … mostly with vamps, because we get the whole blood thing, but it happens with other races too.”
I should have been disgusted by the thought of them biting and drinking blood while fucking, but it didn’t seem weird to me. I thought it was kind of hot. Maybe I was part vampire too.
That’d be hilarious. Maybe I was all four races. Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen.
“You should stick around,” Axl said, walking in from a nearby bathroom. He was showered, dressed in neat chinos and a polo shirt, and had a thick, ancient book in his hands. “We can have breakfast around the pool.”
I didn’t look at Asher, even though I wanted to see his expression. What did he think of me sticking around a little longer? Mr. “I don’t date” was probably freaking out about me getting attached or something.
“That’s a good plan,” he said, surprising me. “You can join us for our swim after breakfast. It’s a daily ritual.”
Jesse nudged me. “Come on, swim with us. You know you want to.”
My lips twitched. “You made that sound dirtier than it should have, but yes, I would love to stay and swim with you. Can someone get a message to Ilia and Larissa, let them know I’m here?”
“I’ll let them know,” Axl said. “I’ve got to head into the Academy and speak with my professor. I’ll talk to your friends and order us breakfast while I’m there.”
I looked down at my borrowed shirt and shorts. “Can you ask Ilia to pack a bag for me. She has access to my room.”
I should have just gone with Axl, but I didn’t really feel like doing the walk of shame in Asher’s clothes across the Academy. I had enough problems with the Clovers as it was. Imagine if they caught wind of that.
“I’ll take care of you,” he said, shooting me a sweet smile.
Asher just shook his head. “If you all could stop hitting on Maddi, that’d be great. She’s here as our friend. Okay? She’s one of us. An Atlantean. That’s a bond deeper than you all trying to plant your dick in her.”
Laughter rang out, and there was good-natured ribbing going around while I raised an eyebrow in Asher’s direction. That hadn’t been his story last night. And sure, it wasn’t his dick, but...
He leaned in closer. “Different rules for me,” he murmured, and my blood boiled again, my body aching.
Whatever Asher and I were doing, be it just exploring the chemistry in a short-term thing or otherwise, I was so fucking into him. I just had to hope that I didn’t lose my heart somewhere along the way. Something told me if that happened, I’d never get it back.
Axl left, and the others drifted off to their rooms for showers and to change. I decided to wait until I had new clothes before showering, but I still needed to pee, so I hurried into the same bathroom I’d used last night. When I was done, I washed my hands.
I scrounged around for some toothpaste, resorting to the old “finger brush.” It was like being a teenager again and sneaking around with a boyfriend. Or in my case, sneaking around so my mother’s boyfriend didn’t “accidentally” climb into bed with me. I’d taken to carrying toiletries with me on a daily basis, because I had to escape so freque
ntly.
Until the Academy, the best day of my life was when I got my first job and crappy apartment.
I shook off the darker emotions that were creeping through my mind … the sorrow that pressed down on my chest. It was so easy to allow it to suck my happiness away and take me back to the tired, scared, emotionally broken girl I was before. I’d come a long way since my mother’s death, and I refused to go back.
A polite sort of knock sounded on the door and I walked across to open it. Axl was framed in the doorway. “You can’t be back already?” I said, astonished.
He shrugged. “I’m fast, and I might have cheated a few times. Technically magic shouldn’t be used outside of classes, but if you don’t get caught…”
I laughed and pulled the door open wider. “Did Ilia have anything to say?”
A pained expression pulled at his face, creasing the corners of his eyes. “She was pretty adamant that she wanted to see you. I’m afraid she wasn’t happy about the ‘no outsiders’ rule for our house, but in the end she relented and gave me your bag.” He held it out to me. “She also said that if you didn’t have—” He cleared his throat. “—a six-way with all of us, then she was greatly disappointed in you.”
It looked like it physically pained him to repeat her message. I threw my head back and laughed out loud. “You’ll learn to ignore Ilia and her big ideas.”
He nodded. “Yes, I can see that she likes to push the boundaries. My brain also pushes me toward new discoveries, but I’m afraid I’m not quite as adventurous as Ilia.”
I patted his arm, taking the heavy bag. “No one is, don’t feel bad.”
He backed out then, and I shut the door firmly before I rifled through the bag. She’d packed a lot of clothing, including five sets of skimpy underwear and two bikinis. Of course she wouldn’t throw in my one-piece swimsuit; nope, she went for the sexiest things she could find.
I held up a red lace bikini, which literally just had a small square over the nipple. Hello, side boob. The rest was a web of lace that covered nothing. Narrowing my eyes, I shook my head. I definitely did not buy this. Considering it was red, which was Ilia’s signature color, I was going to guess this was hers. She had a hell of a lot less boob than me; I’d be almost naked in this.