Black Sun Academy: The Next Generation (book 1)
Chapter 16

Gavin

The moon shines brightly bathing the campus in its golden glow. I gaze up at the midnight sky admiring the vast array of stars twinkling in the night. I was planning on a late-night run but somehow found myself standing in front of the student dorm building. Glancing up at the windows, most of which are dark because the time is hedging towards one in the morning, one window catches my eyes as a light flickers to life.

A curtain is shuffled to the side and brilliant green eyes are staring down at me. I suck in a breath at the unexpectedness of seeing Blaise standing there. She tilts her head to the side in curiosity and I lift my hand wiggling my fingers in a little wave. Seconds later I drop my arm feeling like a jackass for such a crap wave of hello. Thankfully I see a smile touch the corner of her lips and I quirk mine in response.

Realizing I probably look like a creeper I give her a nod and turn away from her. I still feel the need to run so I make my way past the faculty housing and into the fields where I then strip and uncage the beast inside of me. Turning my furry head skyward I let out a howl and then begin to run across the clearing.

∞

Blaise

Waking up Wednesday morning I recall the strange dream I had while I slept. In the dream I woke up and had the overwhelming urge to look out my bedroom window. Once I pushed the curtain aside, I looked down and to my surprise saw Professor Dearil gazing up at me! I stared at him curiously for a few minutes before something flashed in his green eyes. Maybe he realized he shouldn’t be near the dorm staring up at the windows like he was or what but a second later he gives me a nod and then walks away. After this odd occurrence I laid back down and fell back to sleep almost immediately.

Running a hand through my bedhead hair, I roll out of the bed to take a quick shower. I wash my hair with vanilla scented shampoo and then do the same with the conditioner. Once I’m done with this task, I put on my shower glove and squirt a good amount of strawberry scented shower gel onto it before scrubbing my body. After I’m done shaving, I step out of the tub and dry myself off. Going into my closet I pull a green cotton maxi dress from off its hanger and walk out into the bedroom. Rummaging through my underwear drawer I pull out a green lace thong that matches the color of the dress to a ’T’, and then get dressed. Just as I’m slipping my feet into the pair of flip-flops, I wore on Monday I hear Clover stirring in her bed.

“Mornin’,” I greet her cheerily. I smile at her as she sits up in her bed. Her hair shooting out in all directions looking like a cross between a poodle and someone who had just stuck their finger in a light socket. “I’m in dire need of a coffee so I’ll meet you down in the cafeteria, okay?”

Clover mumbles a ‘yeah’ and I pick up my phone from the nightstand and stuff it into my side bag before walking out the door.

Making my way over to the coffee station I take hold of the largest paper cup they have available and fill it to the brim with the dark liquid crack. It amuses me to think that just a couple of years ago I would have turned my nose up at the idea of drinking coffee straight. I used to love it when my grandparents would pick me up a Mocha Latte with extra chocolate syrup and whipped topping. Now the thought of that drink makes me sick to my stomach.

Placing a lid on the steaming hot beverage, I turned to replace a seat and nearly walk into Carden! Yeah, that wouldn’t have been a hot mess at all. “Hi-ya, gorgeous!” His grin is infectious as he looks down at me, and I smile back at him.

“Hey stranger,” I say in response because he’s the only one I didn’t get to see yesterday.

“Yeah sorry, I really wanted to stop by and check on you, but my day was full of assisting Professor Seedling in the greenhouse.” I’m surprised to learn that the professor teaches two different classes here. But I guess it would make sense since one would need to know all about plants to make potions.

“Ah, well, you’re here now. You wanna sit with me while I wait for Clover to arrive?”

“Heck yeah!” Carden exclaims. “Let me grab a cup of coffee and then I’ll join you.” I can’t help but laugh at him and then I tell him he’s a dork before turning around to look for an empty table. The same table the guys and I had sat at together previously is vacant and so I make my way over and take a seat. A minute later Carden sits down next to me. Placing his steaming cup on the table, he turns in his chair and looks at me.

“So... I was wondering if you’ve got any plans Friday night?”

I shake my head no and then say as much. “Nope, not yet anyway. Why?”

“Well, the seniors in the west wing are having a party and I thought you might want to go with me – as my um, date?” Carden suddenly becomes super focused on his coffee cup, and I can’t help but smile. He’s so adorable!

“Oh, um, sure. I’d love to go with you. Do you mind if I ask Clover if she’d like to come too?” His smile falters for half a second and I see my mistake because he wants it to be a date. “Or never mind.” I add as heat reddens my cheeks.

“I’m pretty sure she’s already planning on going. From the sounds of it, the entire student body is planning to attend.” Just as he says this Clover takes a seat on the other side of me.

“Planning to attend what?” She questions as she pops an orange slice into her mouth. “Oh, wait,” she says in between chews. “Are you talking about the party on Friday night?” Clover looks at me, “did you want to go with me? I guess I never really stopped to ask and see if you knew about it.”

“No, it’s okay. Apparently, I’ve got myself a date for the party.” I grin widely at her and her face lights up.

“Who?” she asks excitedly. Tilting my head towards Carden, I widened my eyes at her hoping she understands. “What? No way! Well, that should make for an interesting night,” she adds elbowing me in my side at the same time.

Glancing at Carden I see him arch an eyebrow, but I stand from my seat and said, “I’ve got to head to class. I’ll see you all later, okay.”

Slumping into a desk in my Study of Humans class I see that I’m the first to have arrived this morning. I pull out my pen and notebook and lay them on the desk in front of me. After this I prop my elbows on the desk and my head into my palms to stare blankly at the whiteboard at the front of the room. My eyes flutter shut and I conjure up the memory of my ‘barely’ kiss with Braeden. A fantasy begins to build in my mind involving all four men who have managed to capture my attention.

Four sets of lips travelling over every inch of my body. Hands touching, caressing. I’m not sure who but someone’s hand glides down across my stomach before slowly inching their way further south. Just as they cup me, I whimper a moan and then nearly jump out of my skin because someone has placed a hand on my arm outside of my fantasy. My eyes pop open and I replace myself staring into the ice blue of Nox’s gaze.

The flush that takes hold of my skin is instantaneous and I’m so turned on that it takes me a second to realize I’m no longer in my fantasy. “Hi!” I squeak out in embarrassment. His beautiful face is lit up in amusement and I know without a doubt that he heard me moan.

“Pleasant dream? Hope I was in it,” he says with a smirk like he already knows he was. Nox winks causing my heart to stutter, and I force my eyes away from his gaze and look back to the front of the room where, thank the stars, the professor has just strolled in.

Somehow, I manage to keep my eyes from looking Nox’s way for the entire class until there’s just a few minutes left and a piece of paper falls on my desk. Turning my head in his direction I look at him and he nods, indicating for me to open up the note. Figured since we’re friends now you should have my number. Shoot me a text so I can have yours. Seeing his phone number written on the paper causes me to smile and then I turn it into a crooked grin before looking back at him and nodding okay.

Class ends and we stand up at the same time. “What’s your next class?” Nox asks as we walk out of the room.

I grimace at the thought of my intro to elements class. I love the class, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that this will be the first time I have occupied the same space as Morgan since Monday evening. “Ugh, I have intro to the elements.”

“Don’t like the class?” he asks in a curious voice.

“No, no. Love the class it’s just that the person I suspect cursed me is in that class and it’s the first time I’ll be in the same room with her since the incident...” My voice trails off as I watch his eye flash red for a second.

“You. Know. Who. Did. It.” Nox growls out and I stare at him. I’m scared by how angry he sounds and don’t want him to do anything crazy, so I place a hand on his arm to encourage him to calm down.

“No. I don’t know for sure it’s her so I’m not going to tell you who I suspect. But I better get to class. I’ll shoot you a text as soon as I have a chance though, okay?”

I don’t give him a chance to answer as I turn on my heel to dash up the stairs.