Fortune Academy: Year Three Page 3

  Am I a shifter, too?

  “You’re no wolf, but your heart has chosen one,” Logan responded with a growl to his words. “You must bite me to finish what we started.” He grated his hips over me again, making my core tighten as pleasure spread through me.

  For the first time, I let go of my control. I let the instinct powering me take hold as I did as my wolf commanded.

  I bit down until I drew blood and a shockwave slammed against the walls of our small room, sending mushrooms and blue moss flying in all directions. A sparkle took over the air and made my world seem ethereal and surreal.

  Fuck me, I commanded in his head, and my wolf heard me. He slammed into me so hard that I screamed.

  My wolf snarled and rammed me again, shoving the full length of himself inside of me as our bond snapped into place.

  Finally. All five Virtues surged their power through my veins, building me to new heights as walls crumbled in my mind. Memories flooded in and my breath caught as Logan pumped me hard, losing himself in his claim over my body and my soul.

  Rage, aggression, bliss. So many raw emotions swarmed over us as a primal part of me took over. My fingers transformed into my Demonspawn claws, scraping down his back and making Logan snarl. His blood burned hot down my arms as he grabbed my hips, lifting me and angling me so that he could fuck me deeper.

  “Mine,” he growled, his skin slapping against mine as he took me fast and hard. “Finally, you are mine.”

  Chapter 4

  Sealing the bond with Logan should have sent me to a pinnacle where everything became clear. My purpose, my potential, and my powers.

  Yet, while satisfied and humming with power, I felt like something was missing.

  Logan’s chest heaved as he stared up at the ceiling speckled with blue and red glittering stars. Our love-making had caramelized the mushrooms, giving the air a sweet tang to it while raw power drifted all around us.

  “It’s beautiful,” he said, his tone relaxed as he stretched. “Fuck. I haven’t felt this amazing… well, ever.”

  “Hmm,” I replied, not able to join him in his bliss, not when it still felt like a piece of me wasn’t complete.

  Which only meant one thing.

  I have another Virtue out there… somewhere.

  He shifted onto his elbow. “What is it?” He trailed his finger down my arm, sending goosebumps in the wake of his touch. “Did I hurt you?”

  The concern in his voice made me smile. I gave him a tender kiss. “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want,” I assured him. “It was perfect.”

  He sighed and tossed me my shirt. “Then why are you so… unenthusiastic? Not the reaction I was hoping for after claiming you.”

  It felt nice to have a piece of my wolf inside of me. The primal, exciting connection made me feel alive, but too many other things were getting me down. “Some of my memories are coming back,” I admitted as I slipped my shirt over my head. I searched for the rest of my clothes and found them contaminated by blue dust. I shook them out as I spoke. “I remember this place.” It scared me that I would have memories of Hell. I hadn’t been… alive, when I was here. At the time, I wasn’t even really, well, me.

  The Blood Stone hummed at my chest and I shivered with the realization that the memories coming back to me might not be my own.

  “Did something bad happen in your past?” he asked, then scoffed. “What am I saying? Of course something bad happened, but I meant like, really bad.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Unless there’s something else?”

  I didn’t want to tell Logan about the possibility of another Virtue. The effects of the truth shrooms had burned out after bonding with my wolf, which was just as well.

  For now, he should enjoy being my mate, because I’d meant it when I had claimed him just as he had claimed me. I put on my best smile. “I just was hoping to have some big revelation when I Awakened, you know? Like I’d shoot fire from my fingertips or gain the knowledge of the universe.”

  He chuckled. “You’re so needy, princess. Not satisfied with the most powerful orgasm of your life?” He waggled his brows.

  I put on the rest of my clothes before punching him in the gut, which didn’t do much and kind of felt like punching a brick wall.

  A sweaty brick wall that I wanted to climb like a tree.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  Dante poked his head into the chamber and grinned. “Call you what?”

  “Princess,” Logan answered. He gave me a knowing grin. Dante might not have made the connection of who I really was when it came to my Hellbound lineage, and if my wolf had any mercy he’d keep it that way. “She’s a royal brat sometimes, don’t you think?”

  I balled up a wad of glowing blue moss and mushrooms and threw it at the wolf. “I am not!”

  Dante laughed, but I could feel his appraising gaze over me. He studied the black blood trickling down my leg and the wound that had already started to heal. When his orange eyes met mine, I nodded.

  I’m okay.

  He crossed his arm before replying in my mind. You better be, or I’ll slice that wolf up into tiny little pieces and feed him to the spirits I just drove out of the tunnels.

  Logan cracked his neck. “Just because you two have figured out how to speak privately doesn’t mean I can’t hear you whispering.” He scratched the back of his ear. “It’s irritating.”

  Dante narrowed his eyes. “You just fucked her, so I’d say I’m allowed a little private conversation.”

  Logan growled as he crouched, perching himself on his fingertips. “It wasn’t a simple fuck, you Neanderthal. I claimed my mate. I’m just as much part of this mate-circle as you are now, so watch your fucking mouth.”

  “Guys,” I snapped, not having the energy for this testosterone. “This isn’t a competition. I belong to both of you.” I made a point to meet Logan’s gaze, then Dante’s. “We’re all going to have to get used to this dynamic, but for now I’d appreciate it if you two would get along.” Logan bared his teeth and Dante went for his blade at his waist, making me roll my eyes. “Okay, maybe ‘getting along’ is a stretch. How about you two just don’t kill each other?”

  “No promises,” Logan said.

  “Bite me, wolf,” Dante spat back.

  “As you wish,” Logan taunted as the air around him shimmered. His eyes gleamed, betraying that claiming me had come with a boon, just as it had for all of my Virtues. Every one of them had gained some heightened control over their gifts and Logan was no exception.

  I didn’t sense any pain from him as his form began the shift. His bones crunched and he readied himself for the transformation. He took his time as his features changed until finally he towered as a wolf three times the size he’d been before. His fur gleamed with silver that sparked with magic and his crystal blue eyes glowed with fresh power.

  I sucked in a breath when the silver wolf launched for the Hunter. Dante didn’t need my help, though, and moved out of the way with lightning speed, redirecting Logan’s momentum out of the chamber.

  Instead of turning on him, Logan trotted down the path without looking back.

  Smug bastard.

  “Come on,” Dante said. “I cleared a path, but the wards I put up won’t keep the spirits away for long.”

  Sighing, I took my Hunter’s hand and ventured out into the darkness.

  Freaking Virtues.

  The tunnels warmed as we went, pulsing with heat that came from somewhere below, offering a reprieve from the relentless cold on the surface.

  When the heat made the air shimmer, I knew we were close to the next layer. A rumble of voices broke the silence and one in particular made me smile.

  Jess.

  “Are you all blind? I’m one of you, you nimwits! You could have killed us!”

  Logan kept close to my heels as I exited the tunnels and found Jess cursing out an army of Demonspawn. The creatures didn’t seem so terrifying as they wilted under Jess’s onslaught of profanities.

  Some of my Virtues were here, too, and Orion noticed me first while Hendrik leaned against one of the tunnels and glared at the Demonspawn.

  The demigod’s golden form stood out like a sore thumb against the sea of red and black. This layer of Hell swarmed with activity and the tunnels expanded into massive caverns that glittered with a city cut into the stone. Slick, black walls boasted gothic architecture that reminded me of some of the buildings back at Fortune Academy. The Demonspawn in front of us wore protective armor over toned bodies, bodies that weren’t as stringy and inhuman like the creatures that I had summoned before. They still had long, black talons and glowing red eyes, as well as horns and tails, but they all had a distinct human appearance to them. They slowly began splintering off as Jess waved them away, finally seeming to get somewhere with the underlings. A few stared at me, showing teeth and hissing, but they kept their distance.

  Orion waved and smiled, oblivious of the angry Demonspawn looking as if they were debating on eating me. “About time, little star. I was starting to wonder what was keeping you.” He messed up Logan’s scruff with a rough scratch, making my shifter growl. All of my Virtues were connected now and they definitely would have felt Logan’s claim on me.

  “We were, uh, getting through the tunnels,” I said truthfully, only to be rewarded by a panty-melting grin that said he had wicked things planned for me when he got me alone. “Okay, so I spent some time with Dante and Logan, but Dante almost died! And Logan…” I glanced down at the wolf whose blue eyes glittered with pride. “Well, he’s one of my Virtues.” I sighed and rested a hand on Orion’s hard chest. “Just like you are.”

  Orion pinched my chin. “Is that so?” When I blushed, he scooped me up, ignoring the warning coming from my wolf as he grabbed my ass. “T
hen you won’t mind if I do this.” He pulled me to him and gave me a long, toe-curling kiss.

  The taste of him intoxicated me and I wanted nothing more than to indulge in a reunion with all of my Virtues. I wrapped my arms around his neck and loved how his hard body flexed against mine.

  Jess cleared her throat, reminding me that we had other things to worry about. “You done eating each other’s faces?” she asked us before turning on Hendrik. “You going to let them waste our time like this?”

  “Hmm,” was his only reply. The Dark Mage glowered at us while he leaned against the rocky tunnels, arms crossed and expression pensive.

  I wondered if he was thinking about Olivia. The distant worry in his eyes surprised me. Maybe I had underestimated his empathy for my best friend. He’d used her as a pawn against me, but what if that had all been for show?

  “Well I for one am tired of hanging out by the tunnels,” Jess said, crossing her arms as she sauntered to us. She tapped long black talons over her forearms and her horns cast an ominous shadow at my feet. “Are you done screwing your mates, or can we get on with the reason we’re here?”

  “Where is… here?” I asked as Orion set me on my feet. Logan whined and wound around my ankles, making it clear that he wasn’t going to let me out of his sight.

  “You mean you don’t know?” Jess asked with wide eyes. “You’re the one who brought us to the Demonspawn city.”

  “The Blood Stone brought us here,” Dante clarified as he glared at the Demonspawn guards who finally splintered off, leaving us alone. The Hunter kept one hand on his dagger anyway. “And you were the one who was supposed to give Lily an anchor to work with. I’d say you did a poor job of that.”

  Jess scoffed as her pointed tail flicked around her feet. “I’m not a lower-level demon, you know. I’m just a student at Monster Academy so this is the deepest level I could reach on my own.” She jerked her head, indicating the tunnels. “The Academy is just beyond the Demonspawn city. It acts as a protective barrier for anyone trying to get on campus.” She narrowed her eyes at Dante. “It was probably the Hunter that sent us off course. Hell doesn’t like anything affiliated with witch spirits. Did you really have to bring him?”

  “Yes,” I said, my words final.

  I needed all my Virtues to get through this Hell and whatever else came next.

  It didn’t escape my attention that one of my said Virtues was missing. “Where’s Kaito?”

  Hendrik shoved off the wall, finally seeming to have something to say. “He walked right through those demons and they didn’t bat an eye.” He joined us and his eerie black eyes reflected the red glow all around us, making him look more pissed off than usual. “Is there something you want to tell us about your mentor?” When I didn’t respond, he narrowed his eyes at Dante. “Well?”

  “Nobody knows what kind of supernatural he is. I don’t think even he fully knows his origins,” Dante said, then turned to me. “But I have a feeling we’re about to find out.”

  “I don’t care where your mates wander off to,” Jess snapped. “We have other shit to worry about. The Demonspawn are on high alert because our travel here has opened up a portal between Fortune Academy and Hell, which means the Dean is going to be coming after us.”

  “Wasn’t that the point?” Dante asked. “She’s the Conduit. Once we get her down here, Calamity will be trapped. If any realm can contain chaos, it’ll be Hell.”

  Jess stabbed a clawed finger into his chest, drawing blood. “Maybe if we’d been able to travel to the lower levels where the Queen could help us… but not here. If the Dean follows us from the outer layers, she’s going to ease into this place like slipping into a hot bath. Don’t underestimate that bitch.”

  All my Virtues started arguing at once, including Logan who growled and snapped at Jess’s feet.

  “Enough!” I yelled, sending them all into silence. “Jess. Do you have a place you can take everyone while I go find Kaito?” We all needed to stick together and if Kaito was going off the rails, I needed to be there to help him come back to us. “If we all go parading after him, he’s just going to run deeper into Hell.” I sensed the fear and flight in him. Coming here had unlocked something inside of him that frightened the most mysterious of my Virtues. I had to do this alone.

  “I’m not leaving you,” Dante insisted, followed by sounds of agreement from Hendrik, Orion, and a yip from Logan.

  I rolled my eyes. “Of course, the only time you guys agree on anything is when it goes against what I want.”

  “Luc,” Jess said with a wild grin. “He’ll know what to do.”

  Dante shifted between me and the Demonspawn. “Who is Luc?” He spat the name as if he already hated the sound of the guy.

  Jess smirked. “Only the hottest of Hell’s Demons who also happens to run the Barracks down here, among other things. If you really want to protect your little girlfriend, you’ll come with me and let me do the talking.” She swept back her hair as she grinned. “He has a total crush on me.”

  Orion gripped my wrist, sending energy tingling through my nervous system. “Kaito can take care of himself. We should all go meet this Demonspawn leader together.”

  “No.” I peeled Orion’s fingers off of me. “I can feel his suffering. Can’t you?”

  My Virtues went silent, confirming that the mate-bond was just as strong for them as it was for me. All of their wants, needs, and desires swarmed around in my head and my love for them squeezed my heart until I thought I would burst.

  Orion was scared, even if he wouldn’t admit it. He’d been around the block, gone to Heaven and back but he’d never been in a place like Hell. He didn’t know how to protect me down here and our relationship was only just now starting to grow into something more. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea of sharing me, but even he was glad that Hendrik, Dante, and Logan had my back. For now, he wanted us all to stick together, but I couldn’t just abandon Kaito.

  Not when I felt his suffering jutting through me like a spear.

  Logan paced while Hendrik and Dante shared a look, seemingly having an unspoken moment of agreement. The two had a weird love-hate relationship going on and it intrigued me, but I didn’t like it when they allied against me. “You’ll take the wolf,” Hendrik instructed.

  “Agreed,” Dante added.

  I scoffed and crossed my arms. “Wasn’t it just a few hours ago you were determined not to leave me alone with Logan?”

  “That was before he passed my test.”

  Logan perked up. What test? he asked, his voice invading our minds and making us all jump.

  “Whoa.” Orion crouched and scratched behind Logan’s ear. “Since when can you talk in our heads?”

  “We’re all connected now,” Dante said, finally releasing his hold on his dagger. “Logan is one of us, and so is Kaito. If we want to get out of here alive, we need to start relying on one another.” He glanced at the Dark Mage. “And all of us need to put Lily first.”

  The Dark Mage glowered and raw magic thrummed around him like charged electricity. He thrived off of suffering and being in Hell was probably wreaking havoc on his powers. “Fine,” he said, turning on his heel and shoving past Jess who snarled in response. “But if anything happens to her, I’m taking it out on you, Hunter.”

  Chapter 5

  Getting Logan to stop following me was a fruitless activity. He did prove himself useful, though. As we ventured into the Demonspawn city, it was hard not to stick out and the only thing keeping the locals from crowding me was the angry canine showing his teeth.

  The Demonspawn down here looked more like Jess with half her human-sleeve melded with their demonic form. Black horns and claws, as well as fangs, red eyes, and swiping tails removed any doubt about their origins. But the humanoid figures perplexed me.

  Do you think they’re all wearing human sleeves? I asked Logan.

  He snarled at some Demonspawn who got too close, but word must have gotten out who I was. The murmurs included words like “Your Majesty” and “Princess.”

  I don’t care, as long as they keep their distance, Logan snapped back, his words coming with a growl inside my head. Let’s just find Kaito and get back to the others. I don’t like how they’re looking at you.