Tales & Darkness Page 10

  Who knows? Magic and time travel are weird.

  “Do you think we will ever get back to what we were?” Quin asks me.

  “I think, if you love her, it doesn’t matter what might be. You need to steal her heart once again,” I say. “You’ve done it once.”

  “I’m never giving up on her,” Quin states.

  “Then why are you here talking to us? Didn’t we spend ages making sure you two have all the same lessons?” Warren says, raising an eyebrow at Quin. Quin laughs and high fives Warren before jogging after Tavvy, and I chuckle.

  “Want to see my room?” Warren asks me.

  “Are you asking me out on this date you promised?” I ask. “I didn’t forget.”

  “To my room?” he chuckles. “I can do better than that.”

  “Your room, my room. Any room is good enough for me,” I tell him, and he grins, tugging on my hand and leading me through the crowds and inside the academy. I’ve never seen the academy look as amazing as it does now. The walls are freshy painted white, there is new stone flooring that shines like glitter, and there isn’t a dust ball in sight. The money the new council have sent to the academy has certainly helped with many things. We head through the people in the freshly polished staircase and head up the other stairs to the boys’ room. Warren lets me into his bedroom and shuts the door as I look around. I walk over to his bedside unit where there is a photo of us and the Tale brothers, all laughing outside the council rooms on Tobias and Noah’s birthday last month.

  “It’s a good photo,” I say.

  “It’s my family,” Warren whispers into my ear, making me shiver. I turn around and kiss him, reaching my fingers into his hair. He groans against my lips, a shiver shaking through my skin in response. We quickly pull all our clothes off before I push Warren onto the double bed and climb over him. His hands roam over my body, teasing and pinching in places he knows I love as I slide onto his length. He rolls us over, kissing me hard and thrusting in and out of me fast, both of us chasing the building orgasm. I cry out as my orgasm crashes into me at the same time I feel him finish, both of us shaking in pleasure for a long moment.

  “I’ve decided I really, really like going to this academy,” Warren says, and I laugh as I roll onto my side, and he holds me close as I look at the photo of us all.

  “Me too.”

  Epilogue

  “The arcades are an old favourite of mine; that’s why we are here on my birthday. I can’t believe you’ve never been to one, Warren,” I answer his question, looking excitedly around the busy arcade. I’m eighteen today and had the craziest, most magical year, and now I want nothing more than to do something a little normal today. The guys did say we could do anything, but I doubt they thought I’d choose this place.

  “You will catch up with human things like this, mate,” Knox says, patting his shoulder, and I chuckle.

  “I’m going to the two pence machines,” I say excitedly, pulling out my bag of two ps I collected in my piggy bank at home that we stopped off to get. The guys all head towards the shiny car games, where I’m sure their competitive nature will mean someone’s getting hurt before the night is over.

  “You sure have a lot of two pennies,” a girl chuckles as I drop my heavy bag on the glass top of the machine next to the one she is using. I look over at her, seeing she is about my age with shiny straight brown hair that stops at her waist, and big blue eyes. She has a checked shirt tied up at the front on, tiny denim shorts, and high black boots. I almost stare at her belly button piercing for far too long because it’s a snake shape with a red crystal hanging out of the snake’s mouth. “Are you new to town? I don’t think I’ve seen you or your friends around.”

  “Nope, we are just passing through. And they are my boyfriends,” I feel the need to add that for safe keeping. This girl is super pretty, and I’ve realised I’m pretty possessive. It didn’t take long for everyone in Lost Time Academy to know not to touch my guys.

  “All of them?” she asks with wide eyes. “That was some hell of a collection.”

  “Why choose, hey?” I ask, and she laughs, going back to her game. She adds three more two ps, and a red jewel heart keyring falls down, and exactly the same keyring but in blue gets knocked down with it. “Wow, that’s super lucky!”

  “Thanks! I never usually win anything,” she says, holding the keyrings. She looks over at me, holding the blue heart out. “Here.”

  “Are you sure? Why would you want to give that to me?” I ask.

  “My mom always said be kind to a stranger, and maybe a stranger will be kind to you when you need it most,” she tells me, and I nod, taking the keyring.

  “Thank you. I never even got your name,” I say, tucking the keyring into my hoodie pocket. “I’m Madilynn, but you can call me Madi.” I look over as an older man walks into the arcade entrance, waving at my new friend.

  “It’s Alexandria, though my friends call me Lexi. Good luck on the machines!” she tells me before gathering her bag and running to the man. For some reason, I think we will see each other again.

  Which is crazy. I put my two p in the machine and smile as coins rain down. Today’s going to be a good day.

  Also by G. Bailey…

  This academy is like no other…

  My name is Lexi Cameron, and until three weeks ago, I thought I was human.

  It was all a lie.

  I’m a demon, and I’m signed up to attend The Demon Academy.

  I soon find out it’s the darkest, cruellest school around, and not many survive a full year, let alone three.

  Welcome to DA, where unless you are a high demon, you can expect to be treated like trash.

  My plan?

  To be invisible and get the hell out of this academy, but it doesn’t work out that way…

  I have one angel teacher trying to get rid of me, the students of DA making sure I know what a demon can do, and I’m not going to survive Demon Academy for long.

  That is until the Lucifer sons see me.

  They want to break me,

  they love to play games with my heart,

  and even if I wanted to run from them…I can’t.

  I’m apparently their mate.

  And just like their father’s home, hell can’t be escaped.

  Dark Bully Academy Romance. 18+

  Chapter 21

  The cat talks

  “You know my bowl is still empty as you feed these mortals,” Amethyst protests, sliding her tail around my legs as I try not to smile while I serve a middle-aged woman soup from the steaming pot in front of me.

  “Thank you,” the woman gratefully says as she gets a bread roll off the side, and I nod, smiling gently at her.

  “Don’t forget to check in at the clothing and bedding section before seven p.m. They close up after seven for the night,” I explain to her, knowing she is new and it’s getting late. Then again, everyone is new these days. I run my eyes over her patchy and ripped dress, the rucksack on her back, and her hollow cheeks. She isn’t eating much, and I bet she is sleeping rough most nights.

  My parents run the local food bank and have done for many years while we live in the church apartment. The food bank has turned from a small little organisation into one of the most needed organisations in the world after New York, London and Greece were destroyed a few months ago by god knows what. Many people said it was a natural disaster; some said it was a woman who had powers. It’s hard to know what photos are photoshopped and what story is real these days.

  Either way, the world changed from the peaceful one I had grown up in. The survivors didn’t have anywhere to live, let alone a way to find work and get food. Food soon became scarce as world trade came to a stop, and only recently has it been sorted out enough for us to give out food in places like this. We live just outside Edinburgh, and Scotland became the best place for everyone to run because the Scottish government decided to try and help. Only issue is, they didn’t really help like they said they would on the telly
.

  The government just doesn’t care about them. I reckon they said they would help to look good, and that’s why I am here after school every day helping my parents the best I can to run this place. We have a hundred rooms in the church and eighty of those rooms have four people families in them. The other twenty rooms usually change as people realise they can’t get work in our town and move onto the city nearby.

  “Thanks for the advice,” she says, her voice thick with emotion as tears fall down her cheeks. I reach over and place my hand on her arm for just a moment. It isn’t easy for people to ask for help. Pride is a tricky thing after all. It stops you getting help most of the time.

  “You should get going. You’re going to be late to that date,” mum reminds me, coming to my side. I didn’t even see her come out of the backroom where she was helping my dad cook. Mum does the paperwork, and dad cooks. It’s a good team, even if they are in love in that sickly over the top way. Mum gives me a look of understanding as her deep cerulean blue eyes drift over to the woman walking away, and back to me before she tucks her black hair behind her ears. I unclip my yellow apron that has some holes in and burn marks on it and hand it to her. We share an apron, among many clothes, as we are the same size. Dad says we are short and sweet. I don’t think sweet is a word to describe me, but it certainly does describe my mum. She clips it on and stands back, placing her hands on her hips as she surveys the room. It’s busier than usual today, which isn’t a good thing, and I see it in her expression.

  “It’s just a first date. He might want to just hang out and he might not like me,” I point out.

  “Sure, two seventeen-year-olds just ‘hanging out’. He looks at you like a friend too,” she sarcastically replies. The only person that beats my mum’s level of sarcasm is me, and even then I’m impressed by the things she comes out with.

  “Your mother is lying. The boy looks at you like he wishes to eat you whole,” Amethyst remarks, and I turn to glare at her, wishing she wouldn’t talk to me in front of people. “I’m certain his new mission in life is to get inside your panties.” I blank my expression, a thing I’ve gotten used to doing since Amethyst first spoke to me.

  I’m pretty sure talking to your cat isn’t normal and quite possibly could get me locked up if anyone found out. Mum doesn’t hear Amethyst. Lucky her. I lean down, picking Amethyst up, and carry her to the back door.

  “What have we talked about before?” I whisper to her, making sure no one is around before I talk.

  “No talking to you when mortals are around. I know, I know, but my stomach betrayed me. I am so hungry,” she grumbles, sounding like she is one meal short of dying or something. I stroke her silky black fur, hearing her purr as I carry on walking.

  “Your stomach always betrays you, and you are always hungry,” I point out.

  “It has been such a long time since food arrived in my bowl,” she says, acting like she is going to pass out soon. I swear this cat is so over dramatic. Why couldn’t I have picked a normal, non-talking cat? One that would just meow at me when it was hungry? No, I get the inner monologue of the craziest cat in town.

  “I fed you at twelve, you little liar,” I mutter, and Amethyst just looks up at me with her strange purple eyes. I should have known purple eyes weren’t normal for a cat when I picked her up from the shelter.

  I should have known there must have been a reason that no one else wanted to adopt her and five families had brought her back after a few days. But oh no, I was a sucker for a sob story. I was so, so excited to get a cat for my sixteenth birthday, and my parents have it ingrained in me to help the needy.

  That is until I realised this cat could talk, and she is crazy with no boundaries.

  “So long since I ate. I might die at this rate, and then what would you do without me?” she moans, and I shake my head as I push the door open.

  “What couldn’t I do without you, huh?” I mutter to her, and she only innocently purrs in response. I run up the stairs and into the apartment, kicking the door shut behind me. I place Amethyst on the floor and quickly fill her food bowl up before going to my room. I don’t even get a thank you before she is eating her heart out. I try three different outfits on before giving up and looking at myself in my mirror. My skinny jeans are a little too tight, but that isn’t a bad thing, and my white shirt might be a risk given the fact I regularly miss my mouth when I’m eating. I’m gonna risk it. I brush my straight brown hair and look at my pouty lips before putting on some pale nude lipstick. A little mascara later, and I think I look okay.

  It’s not a real date anyway.

  Or at least I’m telling myself that, or I’d never leave this church.

  Chapter 22

  It’s not a date

  “You look very beautiful today,” John says, fixing his tie that looks like something his dad gave him as I try to smile. I’m pretty sure when I force a smile, it does not make me look attractive. I look like the Cheshire cat from Alice In Wonderland. I decide to focus on my date, seeing if I can find something to make this less awkward. Why are dates always awkward? The whole suit doesn’t work well for John; it’s too big, for one, and he looks seriously uncomfortable in it as he wriggles in his seat every few seconds. He is sweating a little bit, and I watch one drop of sweat slide down his forehead to his nose before he wipes it away.

  “This isn’t a date; you don’t have to do the compliment thing,” I point out.

  “It isn’t?” he asks with a frown marking his pretty face.

  “Nope,” I say, picking my menu up. “And I will be paying for my food.”

  “But I—”

  “Look, you are sweet and good looking. It’s just we aren’t compatible, and we both know that. My parents have been going on at me that I don’t have any friends and I don’t date…so here we are. Once this date is over, they will stop going on at me for at least two weeks,” I say and instantly regret as tears brim in his eyes. Mum and dad say I’m always too harsh to everyone, but I’m sure I didn’t say anything too mean then.

  Did I?

  “I should leave,” John says, pushing up his glasses. Before I can protest, he is running out of the restaurant, and I shake my head, knowing that was a bad idea.

  “A man should never leave a woman as spectacular as you all alone,” a smooth, deep and sexy voice purrs. “Who knows what trouble you could get into.” I look up to see the most flipping gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen. Silky white locks of hair fall over his forehead, his eyes are a perfect shade of green that I can’t even compare to anything else, his skin is tanned, and his muscular body fills out the tight white shirt and black trousers he is wearing.

  Holy all things in hell, where did he come from?

  “I think I scared him off,” I mutter. I’m surprised any words came out of my mouth at all; I feel like it’s just dried up from the holy hotness in front of me.

  “A little thing like you?” he teases and tuts his tongue, and I laugh. “May I join you?”

  “Sure,” I say, and he smirks as he slides into the seat opposite me, his leg brushing against mine, and I shiver. “I’ve been ever so rude. My name is Luc, what is yours?”

  “Alexandria, but people close to me call me Lexi,” I reply. Luc is a sexy man name for sure.

  “Alexandria.” My name is spoken so softly on his lips I find myself liking my name for the first time in my life. “You shouldn’t shorten it, it suits you.”

  “Isn’t Luc short for something?” I ask.

  “Well, while you ask—” He stops talking as my phone rings in my bag.

  “I’m sorry, one second,” I say, and I see him nod in the corner of my eye as I open my bag, pushing aside my keys with a giant heart-shaped keyring I won in the arcades a few months ago, and grab my phone. I frown when I see it’s my dad calling me. He never calls me. I unlock my phone and answer the call, hearing nothing but heavy breathing for a second before dad’s hurried voice shouts down the phone.

  “Come back home. Now!” Th
e line goes dead, and I shake my head in confusion, shoving my phone back into my bag.

  “I’m sorry, I need to go,” I explain.

  “Is everything okay?” he asks so politely.

  “Yes, I’m sure it is. Sorry again,” I say, climbing out my seat and looking back at Luc as I walk away. Flipping dammit, I finally meet a hot guy, and I’m leaving him behind. I run out of the restaurant and across the empty street to the church, only to pause when I see a shadow of a man in the doorway.

  “A church is a funny place for a family of demons to hide.” The gravelly voice makes me nervous as I step back, and the man steps forward into the light. He wears a hood that drops down to his stomach, with two slits for his eyes that I can’t see very well from what looks like a mask under the hood. He holds two shiny red swords in either hand, and something about him really scares me.

  “Halloween isn’t for another three months,” I tell him, looking around me and seeing nothing but the empty street and the diner in the distance. If I run to the diner, maybe Luc is still there, and he can help me hide from the creeper. The cold wind blows around me as I look back at the strange hooded man.

  “Your parents have been captured for breaking the sacred demon law. Come with me now, or you will break the same law and face the same fate.”

  “Where are my parents?” I ask him, stepping back once more. Something is so very wrong. Did he just say my family are demons and broke the law? What a flipping load of crap.