Zodiac Academy 4: Shadow Princess
Shadow Princess: Chapter 17

I tapped on Orion’s bedroom window with adrenaline spiking through my body. I couldn’t stop grinning when he pulled the curtain back then smothered my laugh as his eyes widened frantically. He pushed the window up, reaching out and snatching me inside with his Vampire speed. It was almost eleven at night but I’d checked to make sure no teachers were around before I’d snuck in. Besides, I was wearing a black sweater dress with equally black pantyhose and my hair was tucked into the hood of my dark coat. Totally invisible.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” he whispered anxiously, pushing the window shut and pulling the curtain so hard he almost ripped it down. I knew he was right. We’d only recently made a deal to be more careful, but we were so limited in when we could spend any time together that what choice did I have but to make reckless decisions? Meeting with him was always reckless.

I cast a silencing bubble as his arm tightened around my waist and he tugged me against his warm chest. I glanced up at him as my hand rested on his stomach, the heat of him wrapping around my icy skin. He still had his suit shirt on, the buttons loose where he’d removed his tie and giving me a glimpse at his muscular chest beneath.

“Am I in trouble?” I teased and he swung me around to dump me on the bed, leaning over me with a menacing smile. I shrugged out of my coat, reaching for him as my heart pounded with anticipation. I’d been going mad in my room thinking about him. Seeing him around school made my fingers itch for him, my soul burn for him. It was torture being so close but being unable to bridge the gap between us.

“You will be if you get us caught, Blue.” He dropped his mouth to my ear, raking his fangs along my flesh and sending a hungry shiver through me. He growled like a beast and I arched into him, wrapping my hands around his shoulders and tugging at his shirt.

All of this pretending not to be together drove me insane. But I wondered if it was the thrill of this game we were playing that had me so hooked on him or if it was something more than that. All I knew for sure was when I was with him, it felt like the stars were singing our names.

“Yoohoo!” Washer’s voice carried from somewhere and I leapt up so fast I nearly headbutted Orion in the face. He lurched backwards then hurried to the bedroom door, tugging it open a crack. “I can sense you in there, Lance. Mmm a lot of lustiness on the breeze. Have you got company?”

“He’s talking through the fucking mail slot,” Orion snapped and my heart beat unsteadily for a moment before I remembered we had a silencing bubble in place.

“My power reserves are low and I can always bring a sweetener. A bottle of your finest bourbon, hm Lancey? Let me in, don’t be a prude.”

I shuddered, pulling my knees to my chest as all the lust I’d felt a second ago totally and utterly died.

“Is little Franny with you?” Washer called hopefully and my neck prickled at that. It was pretty obvious Orion and Fran had slept together but the idea of them being in this actual bed suddenly made me stand up.

“Maybe you should tell him to go?” I suggested and Orion glanced at me with a frown.

“I’m not opening that door while you’re here. He’ll give up in a minute.”

“There must be room for a little one,” Washer implored. “Just a teeny weeny.”

“Ew ew ew,” I breathed and Orion threw me an apologetic look.

“Oh are you finished? I feel your lust fading – don’t leave me out next time you naughty boy.” Washer sighed heavily then Orion nodded to confirm he was gone a beat later, grimacing in disgust.

I felt like a layer of grime was sitting on my skin and I needed ten showers to get it off. He’d gotten one thing right. My lust was gone. Gone gone gone. And I couldn’t see it coming back any time soon. From the look on Orion’s face, he felt the exact same way.

“Drink?” he asked, skimming a hand over his beard as he surveyed me.

“Yeah, ten shots of tequila to burn that moment from my memory please,” I said and he broke a grin.

“You got off lightly. One time, he stuck his teeny weeny through that mail slot.”

“No,” I gasped.

“Yeah, it only took a new door and ten counselling sessions to stop the nightmares though.” Orion smirked and I broke a laugh as I followed him out into the lounge, unsure if that story was entirely a joke or not. I definitely don’t wanna know.

I was pretty pissed at Washer for pouring a bucket of cold water on our moment alone, it wasn’t like we got that many of them.

“Red wine okay?” Orion offered and I nodded as he disappeared into the kitchen across the open plan room.

I ran my fingers across the back of the couch, recalling the last time I’d come here. It seemed like a dream. It was one of the happiest moments in my life and I often used it to push away the shadows when I felt them drawing in.

As we definitely weren’t going to jump on each other any time soon, I figured now was a good time to actually talk for once. I mean, we had so little time together that when we were alone my first instinct was to rip his clothes off. Sure, we talked afterwards but could we manage it now? Like a normal couple.

Yeah a Solarian Princess screwing her Vampire teacher who is firmly team Heirs is totally normal.

Orion returned to the room with a couple of glasses of wine, his intense gaze burning into me as I took one. I dropped onto the couch and kicked my shoes off, pulling my feet up underneath me. Orion sat beside me, though we still weren’t touching thanks to Washer.

“Have you been practising holding back the shadows like I showed you?” Orion asked in full professor mode.

“Yeah, it’s getting easier to hold them in…” I chewed on my lip.

“But?” he asked with concern.

I swirled the red wine in my glass, watching it spin around in a vortex of darkest crimson. “I keep hearing that voice. And when I’m dreaming it’s like she’s so close to me. I don’t feel as in control. Sometimes…I want to go to her.”

“You mustn’t. Not ever.” Orion’s throat bobbed as I looked up at him and the fierce emotion in his eyes started a fire in my veins.

“I know. I’m trying, Lance,” I said earnestly. “It’s just when I’m asleep their power is all consuming. Have you been having any dreams?”

He shook his head in answer, a deep frown lining his forehead. He took a mouthful of his drink before placing it down on the coffee table with a look of contemplation. “What does the voice say?”

“She wants me to go to her.” I shrugged. “I don’t know why that voice in particular is so clear.”

“No…me either. But I’ve been trying to replace out. The problem is, texts on dark magic aren’t easily available. Even the archives here at the academy don’t keep books on it. It’s a crime to have things like that in your possession and the ones I own don’t have nearly enough information on the subject, but I think it must be because you and Tory formed a connection with her when you went into the shadows on the night of the Lunar Eclipse.”

“How many laws do you break in a day?” I teased and he smirked, taking hold of my ankle and tugging so I laid my leg over his knees.

“Maybe I’m attracted to trouble.” His fingers brushed against my calf and even the memory of Washer couldn’t stop the electric energy that sparked along my skin in response.

I inhaled and he watched my lips before continuing to brush his fingers up and down my calf.

“Your sister isn’t managing the shadows so well,” Orion said, his eyes dark.

I nodded, my heart tugging at his words. “I know. I’m worried about her. Is there anything I can do?”

“Just make sure she’s practising what we learn in our sessions.”

“I do remind her, I just hope she listens.” I sipped my wine as worry spun a web inside me. I didn’t like the idea of her practising with the shadows on her own, but when Tory wanted to do something, it was pretty impossible to stop her.

“If she’ll listen to anyone, it’s you,” Orion said and his words gave me hope. I just had to try harder to make sure she was getting control of them, but sometimes it felt like there was space growing between us recently. It was full of unspoken words and the weight of this secret I was keeping from her.

“How long have you been practising dark magic?” I asked, my voice hushed even though I knew no one could hear us.

“Since I was a boy – it’s not the same as being Awakened. You don’t need your Element to harness the darkness. My father taught me most of what I know. I never realised it was something other Fae didn’t do until my parents made me make a magical vow with them to never tell anyone at the high school I attended. It only really hit home when my father died and we had to lie about how it had happened to the press.”

“How did it happen?” I asked as sadness crept through my chest.

His brows pulled together and his gaze remained on the movement of his hand on my leg when he answered. “He liked to experiment with dark magic. He had a theory that magical Elements could be transferred from the dead permanently. He couldn’t accept that they could only be borrowed temporarily. He was an air and water Elemental like me, but he dreamed of fire.” He took a long breath, lost to some memory for a moment before continuing. “We used to collect bones together. He only ever wanted them from fire Elementals. And one day he decided to try and draw all of their magic into his body at once.” He paused for a second. “I was there when it happened. The fire consumed him, devouring his body so fast I didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye. All that remained of him was ash and bone.”

“Lance,” I breathed, my heart slicing to ribbons. “That’s terrible.”

“She’d never admit it, but it broke my mother. She tried to make me into him for a long time. But when I rebelled, she turned all that bitterness in her heart against me instead.”

“You must miss your father,” I said softly.

“Yeah, I know he wasn’t a perfect man and…I mean this might sound fucked up, but some of the best times I ever spent with him was out digging up graves to steal powerful Fae bones.” He glanced at me with a hollow smile and my heart beat harder at the idea.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

“Yeah,” he said with half a laugh. “And that’s not an easy feat, Blue. Graveyards in Solaria are highly guarded. Especially where powerful Fae have been laid to rest. And in an effort to be completely honest with you, Darius and I still use my father’s old tactics to get our hands on bones for our practice sessions.”

“But why?” I shook my head, my stomach knotting uncomfortably. “Is it all for power?”

“Yes and no,” he said thoughtfully. “I made a pact with Darius a long time ago that I’d help place him on the throne and in the process, destroy his father.”

My throat thickened as his fingers stopped moving on my leg. “But why dark magic?”

“Lionel is not only one of the most powerful Fae in Solaria, Blue, he’s also cunning, methodical. He will have prepared for the possibility that his son might turn against him. It’s how he is. So I gave Darius an edge against him in the form of dark magic. He’s learning to harness the Elemental power of bones. Once he’s mastered it, we have a plan in place for him to challenge Lionel for his position of power.”

My heartbeat quickened with excitement and a little fear. “Do you really think he can take him on?”

“Yes. He will naturally become as powerful as him in time, but that isn’t enough. He needs to destroy his father. He needs to wipe him from the world in a single fight. So when Darius is ready, I’ll help him gain access to the bodies of the most powerful Fae Elementals in the history of the world. The problem is, the Celestial Councillors’ family graveyards are the best guarded in Solaria.”

“And do you really think Darius won’t become like his father?” I asked, my voice quavering a bit as I recalled how he’d attacked my sister in the past.

Orion’s jaw tightened and he leaned forward. “I know he has his flaws, but I swear he’s not like Lionel. He regrets what he did to Tory even if he’ll never admit it.”

I knew Orion must really have seen some good in him. He wouldn’t have placed the entire fate of Solaria on this plan if he didn’t. But could I place the same faith in a guy who’d hurt Tory, who made it his personal mission to force us out of this academy?

I thought of him on the night of the Lunar Eclipse, how he’d tried to save us and something softened inside me ever so slightly. I didn’t trust him, or even forgive him. But maybe there was hope for him yet.

I inhaled slowly. “Why are you telling me all of this? I mean…we don’t exactly talk about it, Lance, but aren’t I Darius’s enemy? Doesn’t that make me yours too?”

He reached out to take my hand. “I trust you instinctively, Blue. Since the first day we met, the stars have reeled you towards me and me towards you. Don’t you feel it?”

I nodded, unable to drag my eyes from his as I was pulled into their glittering depths. “But why?”

His mouth twitched at the corner and he broke my gaze again. “There’s only one reason that makes sense to me, but I could be wrong. Maybe I fear I’m wrong too.”

“What?” I pressed.

Sure, I’d had thoughts about why this bond between us was so powerful, but I could explain it away through the intensity of a forbidden relationship. If I was being really honest with myself though, I knew it was more than that. I hadn’t trusted anyone for years, why would my heart suddenly choose the most risky man possible for me to put my faith in? It didn’t make any sense. Not unless there was more to it…

“I think….maybe…” Orion frowned then let the barriers around his magic down and I gasped as my power rushed to meet his. I moaned from the feel of it, his magic soaking into my blood and settling there like it was where it belonged. He felt like air and light and freedom.

“Lance,” I said breathlessly as he caught my hand and more of his magic crashed into mine like two waves colliding in a stormy sea.

“I think the stars picked you for me, Blue. I think you’re my Elysian Mate.” His fingers intertwined with mine and I bathed in the caress of his magic, tipping my head back to rest against the couch as I absorbed his words.

Elysian Mates? Me and him? It made sense in its own way, but it scared me too. That fate was currently winding us together, making it impossible to pull away. And if it was true, it meant we’d already been tested and there were no doubt more tests to come.

“Are you sure?” I asked, my mind spiralling with the possibility.

“No.” He shrugged one shoulder. “We’ll replace out sooner or later though, I guess.”

I finally withdrew my power from his, my thoughts too hazy to focus on anything while we possessed each other like that. A low growl rumbled through Orion’s chest and I smiled at him, tugging my leg back to fold beneath me once more.

“It goes against everything in my nature to be able to power share with you,” Orion said with a smirk. “As a Vampire, I’ve always done things alone. It’s not easy to let people in, especially not so deeply as to share magic with them. The only Fae I’ve ever managed it with are Darius, you and-” He halted mid-sentence, a flash of pain crossing his features and I sat up straighter.

“Who?” I whispered.

Orion shut his eyes as he seemed to wrangle some dark memory. It took me a moment to realise he was fighting the shadows and my breathing became more rapid as I shifted up beside him, laying my hand on his arm to try and coax him out of the darkness.

He released a breath, opening his eyes which were curtained by shadows. “Clara,” he croaked. “My sister.”

The grief in his expression tore me apart and I stayed close, waiting to see if he’d elaborate. The way he was being so honest made me think he’d tell me anything if I asked, but I didn’t want to pull this from his lips. I wanted it to be his choice.

“Do you want to know what happened to her?” He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear, skating his fingers down to my jaw, his expression broken. I longed to fix the shattered part of him I could see gazing back at me but I had no idea how.

I nodded mutely, wondering if he could hear how fast my heart was beating.

“She was manipulated by my mother and Lionel,” he said heavily. “After she graduated from Zodiac five years ago, Stella got her claws in her. She started working for the Acruxes like my family always did, but it wasn’t like her. We’d spent years talking about the new lives we were going to build for ourselves. Neither of us ever planned to work for them.”

“Why did she change her mind?” I questioned, picturing the girl I’d seen in the photograph at Lionel’s house with her soft brown hair and freckly cheeks.

“Lionel…he…,” Orion cleared his throat and I could see the rage swelling up in him toward the Dragon who ruled our lives. “He bonded with Clara, he made her his Guardian like I am to Darius. Then he let her drink exclusively from him as her Source.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “She was a Vampire like you?”

He nodded.

“Why would Lionel ever let her do that?” From everything I’d learned about Fae, it seemed completely backwards for someone as powerful as Lionel to let any Vampire ever feed on him.

“Because he needed her to cooperate,” Orion said, his voice empty. “He gave her the one thing Vampires can’t resist above all else. The taste of pure power. It’s a burden we have to bear, Blue. Vampires are a slave to it. It’s a primal need. It’s why we claim the most powerful blood Source we’re able to. It’s why your blood pushes me to the edge of insanity.”

His eyes slid to my neck and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat as I tried to understand. It was sad to think that it had such a hold over an entire Order. Without blood, they were powerless. And in Solaria, being without power was worse than a death sentence. No wonder they hungered for it from the core of their being.

“So what did Lionel want her for?” I asked, part of me frightened of the answer.

“The same thing he wanted you and your sister for,” he said in a snarl. “He took her to that very same place on the clifftop and called a meteor from the sky. She walked willingly into that pit for him while I was bound on my knees beside Darius. But when the shadows came for her, she didn’t come back, the darkness killed her.” He looked away and my heart splintered as I sensed the pain of that grief radiating from him.

I curled up beside him, resting my head on his shoulder and holding him, because there was nothing else I could offer. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, placing a kiss beside his ear.

His arm slid around my waist and he held me against him for what felt like an eternity. “Lionel forced the Guardian bond on me and Darius that night. He’ll do anything to gain control over those around him. He figured I was the best man to look after his son and nothing was going to make him see otherwise. So he stole my life from me then stole my sister in the same breath. After that, he pulled some strings so I’d get a job here at Zodiac to watch over Darius and that’s when we decided to fight back against him. It’s been a long time coming, Blue. But I’ll see Lionel Acrux dead if I have to tear all the stars from the heavens to do it.”

A tear slid down my cheek and dropped smoothly onto his shirt. He turned to me abruptly, wiping his thumb across my cheek with a desperate frown. “Don’t be sad.”

“But it is sad.” I wound my arms around his neck and he pulled me close, his steady breaths brushing against my ear.

“When Lionel brought you down into that pit, I relived my worst nightmare. I don’t ever want to be in that position again. Powerless, unable to save you. But I realised you don’t need me to rescue you, Blue. You and your sister came back from the dark without anyone’s help. And Lionel should fear you both for that reason alone.”

His fangs brushed against my neck and I could sense his hunger rising as he restrained himself.

I drew my hair away from one side of my throat, tilting my head to give him access to my blood. Orion groaned as he sank his fangs into my flesh and he held me tight to keep me in place. I sighed as the sharp pinch of his bite gave way to a dark pleasure only he could provide me.

“I want to help you stop him,” I said with fervour. I’d stand against Lionel in any way I could. I’d feed Orion power to keep him strong and I’d even suck up my pride when it came to Darius Acrux if I had to. “We’ll destroy Lionel for what he’s done and make sure he never hurts anyone we love again.“