“No, Fee, you’re a sentimental fool who thinks she can help everyone.”

“Not everyone. But, right now, I can help Iza.”

He sighed, and his shoulders dropped a little. “I’ll send the money.”

Iza sagged in relief, looking up at me like I was wreathed in rainbows or glitter or something. “Thank you, Fee. Thank you, Master Malachi.”

“Yes, yes. You can go now.” Mal waved her away.

Iza left before I could stop her.

“You do not get to dismiss my—”

“Servant?”

“Friend. I was about to say friend.”

He walked closer, wrinkled his nose, and swept his emerald gaze up and down my sweaty post-training form. “Want me to help you shower?”

There was no mockery in his tone and no hint of amusement on his face. Was he seriously asking if I wanted him in the shower with me? Naked. My stomach gave a traitorous flip, and my mouth went dry.

I tentatively dropped the shield Azazel had helped me build and tasted Mal’s emotions. Red-hot lust hit me in the solar plexus, shooting straight to the apex of my thighs to tighten with sweet pain.

His eyes flared. “I could touch you, Fee. Bring that ache to its climax.” He leaned in, so his breath kissed my lips. “All you have to do is say the word.”

My blood rushed to the surface of my skin, hot, potent, and wanton as images of his bare torso filled my head. His fingers would slide into me, rubbing, teasing, circling, and … This wasn’t me. It was him in my head. Fuck. I bit back a ragged moan and brought my shield back up. The intensity of desire cut off, but there was no ignoring the latent throb of my body. He’d woken it up in a new way, and now it wanted satisfaction, but I’d be damned if that satisfaction came from Mal.

“No, thanks.” I smiled tightly. “I can do a better job solo.”

Mal blinked slowly, and for a moment, he looked almost lost. Disappointed? But then his eyes narrowed, and a smirk painted his lips. “Nice shield. Azazel has been teaching you well.” He held up his hands and backed up. “We leave in an hour. Don’t eat anything too heavy. I’m the one who has to carry it.”

He turned away, and even though it was childish, I couldn’t help but stick my tongue out at him.

I pulled out my hair tie and headed to the bathroom

“You should have taken him up on his offer,” Cyril said.

I jumped. Shit, for a moment, I’d forgotten he was in the room.

“You want him,” Cyril said. “Your pheromonesss say ssso.”

“That’s just Mal’s ability. He can make you feel things.” I tapped my forehead. “Put suggestions in your head.”

“Oh, I know all about the suggestion,” Cyril said. “But I also know that suggestion won’t work if you’re not amenable.” He hissed and slid off the bed. “And I can sssmell how amenable you were.”

I slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it. Pfft. What did he know? He was a python. A talking python.

I did not want to have sex with Mal.

Did I?

Chapter Three

The stars were out in full force on the pinnacle, but at least it wasn’t super windy tonight. The chill was still intense. It gnawed at my face and found its way under my coat and into my hood. No. I did not want to have sex with Mal. I just needed to have sex, and I’d relieved some of that tension in the shower. Sometimes solo worked best. I needed to get back to my house and grab Errol, my vibrating companion. Ah, how I missed him.

An errant gust of icy air slapped my face. “Fuck, it’s cold.”

“It’s always cold,” Mal said. “You should be used to it by now.” He stood at the railing and stretched. No coat, no hat. His long-sleeved black polo shirt hugged his frame like a second skin. How was he not shivering his ass off?

I hopped from foot to foot on the spot. “Don’t you feel it at all?”

“Oh, I feel it. It feels good because, you know, I’m hot.” He winked.

God, he was arrogant, but I’d learned that was just his way of communicating with the world. Although I had no doubt that he thought he was God’s gift to women.

“Your body will acclimatize to the underworld,” he said. “You’re a demon, and we’re built for these climates—intense heat or severe chill. It’s what fires up our blood.”

He walked over, taking his time, his gaze locked on mine. It was like facing off with a feline predator. That’s why my pulse began to race. That’s why my breath came faster. No other reason.

“You ready to get up close and personal, Fee?” His tone dropped an octave. “You know these are my favorite moments. Just you and me beneath the stars, flying through the night air …” His eyes darkened and dropped to my mouth.

My libido shook itself awake and purred, inhaling his scent. He smelled like the stars and the open night. Fresh and free.

Nope, not letting my guard down this time.

“My hands on your delectable ass,” he said. And there was that crooked, mocking smile.

The air trapped in my lungs escaped in a huff. Bastard. I stood tall and looked him straight in the eyes. “I have people waiting for me.”

“Demon spawn.”

“Children.”

He frowned at me. “Demon spawn, Fee. Soldiers in training.”

“Not soldiers yet.”

He canted his head. “Well, climb aboard.”

He loved doing this to me. Making me climb him. Making me wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He loved it when I struggled, but hours in the training room with the punishing Azazel had honed my muscles. I hopped up easily, clinging tightly to him with my thighs gripping his hips.

I leaned back and smiled sweetly at him. “Shall we?”

He masked his surprise by launching us into the air, and this time, I didn’t squeal. His hands settled on my ass as promised.

I sighed. “Do you have to do that?”

“You want me to let go?”

He did just that, and although I was locked on tight, there was no mistaking the pull of gravity

“Just hold me, dammit.” I grit my teeth.

“Well, if you insist.” His hands splayed under my butt cheeks, hoisting me up so I grazed his crotch before settling back into position.

I sucked in a breath at the hardness that nudged me. Don’t look at him, don’t look at him.

“Calm down, Fee,” he drawled in my ear. “It’s just an erect cock. A natural reaction to having a woman’s thighs wrapped around you. It won’t bite.”

“What?” I kept my tone light. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Ouch.”

Ha, point to me. Now, stop thinking about his cock. Focus. “How is the mobility situation coming? Have you found a way for me to travel to and from quarters?”

“Nope.”

“Are you even working on it?”

He gripped me tighter, fingers digging into my ass cheeks.

Shit. Focus, woman. “I don’t like being dependent on anyone.”

“Get used to it. Because unless you sprout wings or suddenly develop the ability to teleport, you’re stuck with needing us.”

I wanted to protest, but the river rushed toward us in all its rainbow glory, and then there was no breath to argue.

It was midday when we landed in the courtyard of the Academy. As soon as my boots hit the grass, I extricated myself from Mal’s warm body and put distance between me and his erect cock.

Do not look down.

I looked down.

You could see the outline of it straining against the fabric of his jeans.

He followed my gaze and shrugged. “You’re not the only one with a python.”

“Except mine’s much bigger than—” I shook my head. “No. I’m not engaging.”

I spun on my heel and headed toward the entrance to the building. “I’ll be in the lounge.”

Unlike Azazel, who shadowed my every move when he was on guard duty, Mal left me to my own devices once we got to the Academy. The wards here had been tripled since the Dread attack, and they’d moved the whole building early instead of waiting for the end of the year. Yep, the damn Academy moved every year, which explained why the location was so hard to pin down. Only those who needed to knew where it was now located. And as only a Dread or that darned dagger could kill me, I was safe here.

The lounge was heaving today, but then it was lunchtime. Older cadets sat by the hearth with cups of coffee and plates of food. The younger ones were engaged in games. I scanned the room until I caught sight of ivory horns. Palin jumped up and waved frantically at me. Clayna looked up from her book and smiled. It even reached her eyes. The knot in my chest eased a little.

I raised a hand in greeting and wound my way over to the pair. The dark circles that had hugged Clayna’s eyes were gone now. She was struggling with Fredrin’s death more than the others. He’d saved her life and died for it. The guilt tore at her. I felt it every time we were together. Her grief was entwined with relief and guilt. The poor child was in pain. I cracked my shields as I sat down and opened myself to their emotions. I caught a frisson of excitement from Palin and something warm and new from Clayna. A lump formed in my throat.

Love.

She was feeling love.

“You came,” she said.

“I promised I would.” I settled back in my seat. “So, what are we playing today?”

Palin tapped the board game on the table with a talon. “It’s a deck builder game. You have to gather points and trade with each other.”

Clayna put her book down. “We haven’t played this for a long time.”

And we hadn’t played the dungeon game since Fredrin died. It had been their go-to game, his favorite, and neither child could bring themselves to play without him.

I rubbed my hands together. “Well, let’s get stuck in.”

I reached for the board as a shadow fell over me.

“Master Luena.” Palin looked up in surprise.