Rebel Academy: Crave

Chapter Five FOX

There are times that I own the fact I’m a Rebel, shimage, and bad boy. And others when I regret no longer being the obedient son that I’d once been for my family, before what had come to be known as the Kitten Incident. This — being lynched by a snake, whilst being snuggled in the arms of Hecate in a castle that looked like a wedding cake — was one of those regret moments.

I missed dad. Yet there was nothing like being strangled to make you hunger for life.

Why had mum dropped me off here if I wasn’t good enough to be one of the students? Why hadn’t she simply thrown me to the wolves, which was the traditional punishment for mages? Plus, why hadn’t I caught her lie that she’d never meant me to enroll in Rebel Academy, only to be murdered?

White lights danced in front of my eyes. I slumped, as my eyelids fluttered. Sluggishly, I began to count backward from a hundred for one final time…

Pink fires blazed across the bailey. Startled, I blinked back to consciousness.

In a flurry of crow feathers that rained down like tears, a witch appeared in front of the statue, and the Omega whimpered. The witch’s obsidian dress swept the snowy ground beneath her feathered coat; I bet that she wasn’t freezing her balls off and not just because she didn’t have balls. Her silver blonde hair tumbled to her shoulders, and a feather was tucked behind her ear. Her eyes glimmered in sparkling pink.

Her intense gaze spoke of war, death, and vengeance.

She’d have been beautiful if she hadn’t also been Damelza Crow, mum’s fanatical best friend, who was Head of this coven.

My dick shriveled at the memory of Damelza shoving me into a corner as a kid for daring to ask if she was part crow. I could cope with a time-out now, however, rather than a hanging.

“Stop playing with the new student, even if he is our snared fox,” Damelza chided like Hecate was only roughhousing.

Hecate pouted, before her snake released me, and I gasped in desperate lungful’s of air. Then Hecate smirked, letting me go. I yelped, cracking my knees on the cobblestones, as I landed.

It looked like the goddess was as much a rebel as the students.

“Cheers, you’re a life-saver,” I rasped, rubbing at my neck. My shoulders were tight, and I carded my hand through my unruly hair. It’d been a long time since I’d seen a witch and I couldn’t help how I shook. “You know, Hecate and I’ve eloped. All that was merely our passion that got out of hand. I’m meant to be starting my induction here in the morning, however, so if you could tell me where I can find the Principal, then I’ll save my kinky fun with my new wife for a more appropriate time.”

Bad mouth…stop talking, stop talking, stop…

“Do you know the one thing that I hate more than werewolves?” Damelza clasped her hands behind her back, eying me like I was a fascinating new hex to be countered.

I cocked my head. “Scarecrows?”

Damelza’s lips pinched. “Mages.” I wrapped my arms around my middle, as Damelza prowled towards me. “A mage has not stepped foot within these blessed walls for centuries, and the first song that you sing is “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead”…?”

I was having another one of those regret moments.

“In my defense,” here came my first Rebel House Points, “I didn’t sing “The Wizard’s Vengeance”.”

Damelza blinked at me. “Well, I shall simply have to thank Hecate for small mercies.” I grinned: score. “In her infinite wisdom, Hecate’s already Chosen your Wing of our academy with your kinky fun and her snake. I’m in full agreement that you suit the Randoms.”

“Woah, hold on,” I pushed myself shakily to my feet, “I’m not saying that I doubt your psycho Sorting Hat…wait, that’s exactly what I’m saying…but Randoms…? Like the guy who you chat to but you don’t even know his name…?”

Damelza’s smile was sharp. “Like the mage who you don’t bother speaking to because his name doesn’t matter.” I blanched. When Damelza stroked her hand down the thigh of the Hecate who was holding the keys, Hecate simpered. “Had a miracle happened, and Keys here had Chosen you, then you’d have been with the elites of the academy: The Princes in the North Wing.” She nodded at the Hecate who was swinging her torch. “Our third goddess represents the powerful Immortals, who shall be your mentors and patrons in the West Wing.”

I bounced on the spot. “I wasn’t ready before. Let’s try this Choosing again. In a former life, I was an immortal prince who was worshiped by—”

“Stop talking,” Damelza’s cheek twitched, “or you’ll have the shortest student record between arrival and visiting the Principal’s study.”

I stiffened. “Let me guess…”

“I’m the Principal, indeed.” Damelza fiddled with the feather behind her ear. “What was that special little song you sang again?”

I froze, for once in my life managing to keep silent.

When a chill wind blew down my neck, I jumped. The scent of the woods cocooned me. Rebel Ghost had returned to protect me from Damelza, and I didn’t care if I was lying to myself because the sensation of her magic was electric.

No woman had ever touched me…anywhere…before, and technically they weren’t even now. But who cared about technicalities when my skin goose bumped and my breath quickened?

Then ice-cold lips feathered tentatively against mine, and I pressed back eagerly. This was my first kiss, and it was with death. Yet Rebel Ghost tasted like life.

I gasped, and my dick hardened uncomfortably in my tight pants. I took everything back. This was the best welcoming committee ever: a bronze goddess, werewolf, and a kissing spook.

Who had this Rebel once been? Why was she still hanging around kissing mages? And more importantly…please, Great Pan…don’t let her stop.

Even though I now had no home, she made me believe that she could become mine.

Then Damelza rapped on Hecate’s ass — clang, clang, clang. Hecate hissed in outrage.

“Sorry to break up your sexy times with yourself,” Damelza yawned, “but it’s late, I’m bored, and you’re creeping me out with all the kissy faces.” I flushed and could’ve sworn that the spook snickered against my neck. “Time to be branded.”

“Whatever…wait, what?” I scrambled backward, but the Hecate with the torch snatched me by the hair, hauling me closer.

She grabbed my wrist, before swinging the torch around. Pink flames leapt out, searing the back of my hand. I howled, and the Omega howled in sympathy along with me. At last, Hecate let go of my hair, and I huddled on my knees, cradling my branded hand, which throbbed with a curling R.

“You couldn’t just have marked me as a Rebel with a name tag?” I demanded.

“It’s R for Random,” Damelza replied, primly.

I groaned. “Hex me to death now.”

“Sadly, that’s against Health and Safety.” When Damelza waved her hand, the night sky lit up with an explosion of fireworks that showered us in a showy display of the RA crest, followed by:

I oohed and aahed, before politely clapping. Okay, the wicked was rude, but I hadn’t seen fireworks since I was a kid. So, if Damelza wanted to call me a worthless son of a spineless hedgehog in Catherine wheels, then she could.

Oh, but it’d hurt.

Damelza’s cheek twitched again. “I always thought that your mum was exaggerating about you. Well, that was a mistake. Let me make something clear: you’re here to learn control of your magic, and in turn, you’ll help your patrons master their powers. This academy is dedicated to excellence.”

My eyes narrowed. She wasn’t telling me something. I could feel it vibrating through my power of Confess, but she was clever at omitting the truth, which wasn’t the same as lying, no matter what parents teach.

What was the Rebel Academy’s secret?

Every time that Damelza had mentioned the academy, SECRET had flashed up in neon, along with an edgy blast of “Secret” by The Pierces. I didn’t always see the truth in words but sensations, smells, or creepy music chilling my bones.

When I prowled towards Damelza, she backed away in surprise. “Hit me with another one of your motivational sayings. I can’t get enough of them.”

Damelza puffed up. “They’re carved onto my study wall, and you’ll have a copy of the Rebel’s Mottos with your spell books at the start of term. But if you insist: Persevere even if you’re cursed—”

“Gateway,” I blurted.

Damelza became ashen, before she flew at me far faster than I’d ever seen anyone move. I yelped, as she rammed me across the courtyard, slamming me into the wall. Then she pinned me with her arm across my throat. My pulse pounded too loudly in my ears.

Then I realized that someone was leaning on the wall next to me with half-lidded eyes. I almost forgot that I was being crushed by a witch because if sin had been brought to life, then this student would’ve found a way to make him wickedly sexier.

Why were my pants so tight again…?

The student smelled like coco and almonds. My tongue swiped across my lips, craving to dart across his and see if they tasted as delicious as he smelled. When he winked, I pinked because his gaze was too knowing.

The black haired, alabaster skinned, ruby eyed...way too burningly beautiful incubus.

He lounged in the academy uniform of pink blazer and tie with black pants, as well as long pink gloves like a sexy hook-up, rather than an Immortal. I could only tell that he was one of my new patrons by the I, which was embroidered on his blazer in a black crest.

How long had he been standing in the shadows? Since I’d had my first kiss? Snuggled a werewolf? Started a feud with an all-powerful goddess?

Wow, this had been a busy night.

Then Damelza lowered her face so close that her nose was touching mine, and even Rebel Ghost and the Immortal naked together in a giant tub of rocky road ice cream couldn’t have distracted me from her. And I loved rocky road ice cream. “Who’s been talking to you of our secret Gateway?”

I took a deep breath. “Oprah Winfrey, Benedict Cumberbatch, Merlin because that wizard is such a gossip…”

The Immortal snorted with what sounded suspiciously like laughter, but Damelza’s eyes flashed electric pink.

“Silence, Crave,” Damelza hissed, before shaking me. “Who?”

Truth: Someone dies of a nasty case of boot to the balls tonight.

I fiddled with my cuff links. “I’m blessed with the power of Confess, remember? I’m dedicated to the excellence of seeing through your lies.”

The Immortal — Crave — definitely snickered that time.

Damelza took a careful step away from me. Her pale face scrunched in concern. Well, wasn’t that interesting? “The first rule of the academy is that students aren’t allowed to use their powers on witch professors. We’ll all be wearing charms against your magic, which your mother has spent years perfecting.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets to hide their shaking. Why would mum have bothered with that unless she’d always meant to send me here?

I forced myself to smirk. “I hate to tell you that they’re not working.”

Damelza brushed her hand across the feather at her ear, which must be the Anti-me Charm. “You weren’t expected until the morning. Now try to read this with your power of Confess: my academy has been the pride and joy of the House of Crows for generations. I only agreed to accept a mage like you because your mother offered to fund our dragon polo while you’re here.”

I gaped at her. No one had ever asked me to read them before. What a time to discover that I had performance issues. Especially as I’d felt…nothing. There’d been no vibrations, sparks, or bursts of song.

So, had it been the truth? Did that mean mum had bribed (even I wasn’t going to sugar-coat that one with a lie about donations), my way into the academy? The House of Jewels was known for buying its way into power. My hand in marriage had been meant to be just such a bribe.

Weirdly, I no longer felt guilty about that.

I rubbed my fingers over the brand like I could erase it. Was this what it felt like for everybody else who was trapped in ignorance and darkness?

Well, that sucked.

“How do the dragons ride the horses?” I asked.

Damelza sighed, before grinning. “Excellent. Now, decisions, decisions…”

She raised her arms like a crow’s wings, and the bailey lit up with a file that hung from one side of the courtyard to the other, flicking from page to page with a casual click of her fingers.

I gawked at my own strengths, weaknesses, and measurements that were written across the entire castle. When pictures of me as a kid appeared, my hands clenched into fists: me curled on my mattress in the attic (when had dad sneaked that one?), wearing a bow tie at one of mum’s dinner parties, playing with Hartley and her cat plushie…

“Wait, are those baby photos?” I dived for Damelza, but Crave caught me around the waist, holding me back.

The band of Crave’s arms was cool. He was strong but gentle, resting his chin on my shoulder. His breath gusted against my skin, calming me.

Damelza paused on a photo of me grinning at the camera. My eyes were so bright and happy. I’d forgotten that I’d ever looked like that as a kid before…well, the Kitten Incident.

Crave turned to press a single kiss to my neck like he understood. I jumped at his touch, and my skin tingled.

Damelza frowned. “Do you have any talents that aren’t typical of mage criminality?”

I bristled, even as I smiled brightly. “I’m wily as a fox, snuggly as a cat, and prickly as a hedgehog.”

“Or just a prick?” Crave whispered in a teasing Irish voice; his breath was warm against my neck, and it flushed me with heat as well.

I stifled a laugh. “It’s like you know me already.”

Damelza gave a sly grin. “I’m pleased that you two are getting on so well, since Crave is both your mentor and patron. Also, the Immortals have never had a whipping boy, unlike the Princes, but their good grades deserve a reward this upcoming year.”

I wrenched myself away from Crave’s hold. “Whipping boy? Sorry, but can’t you hear that…? The non-magicals in Christ Church are screaming for Superman’s help because a student’s stuck in a tree or it could be a cat… Whoops, did I just reveal my secret identity…? Anyway, I’d better go and save the world and not hang around for any of this whipping…”

Damelza snatched my collar, before I could run. “The brand on your hand connects to the wards around the academy. You’re imprisoned here. There’s no running, even if you’re Superman.” I paled, tearing at my lip with my teeth. Hecate had truly done a number on me. “And what are we…barbarians?”

Don’t answer that…

Damelza shoved me back into Crave, who wound around me like he was the cat. “The whipping boy is an ancient tradition. It simply means that if the Immortals misbehave, then you’re the one who’s punished. It teaches them responsibility and self-control, which makes the unit stronger. Plus, if there are spells or potions to be tested, they have you to try them out on in class.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I’m allergic to being the guinea pig.”

Damelza arched her brow. “Are you allergic to execution?” I flinched. “The original mage who was the only one to become a Rebel here so many years ago was walled up alive for his crimes. Whipping boy or walled up alive?”

I snatched Crave into my arms. I hadn’t realized how much smaller he was than me because he exuded more charisma than should be legal. Then I twirled him, until he was breathless and laughing.

“Whip me, baby.” I flashed a wicked grin.

Crave curled his tongue behind his teeth. “If you desire it.”

“Confess,” the bronze Hecate with the keys bellowed like a curse.

I glanced over Crave’s shoulder at Hecate. “Okay, I was Jack the Ripper… Wait, I ate the last chocolate chip cookie… Okay, okay, I left the plug in and sank Atlantis. Wow, you’re good at this.”

“Silence!” Damelza roared. Her coat dissolved in a flurry of feathers, just as the pink fires blazed up again. “Hecate has renamed you as Confess, just as she names all students. You’ve been born again into the academy.”

“Original,” I muttered.

Damelza’s lips thinned. “But truly fitting, Confess.”

In a flurry of black feathers, she disappeared.

I shivered, before disentangling myself from Crave and marching to snatch up my suitcase. I wiped off the snow in furious swipes. Branded, trapped, and reduced to whipping boy without the ability to use my power on professors.

I was starting to understand why this was viewed as the deadliest of the academies.

All of a sudden, the Blood Amulet that trapped my magic weighed heavily around my neck, searing me.

I measured everything in BM and AM: Before Magic and After Magic.

BM, I’d lived in the main house with my sister, dad, and mum.

AM, I’d been trapped in the attic.

When I’d first been moved from my rooms and realized that all my toys and books were being left behind, I’d sobbed. Until Hartley had struck me.

“Mages don’t cry,” she’d hissed, even though she was crying as much as me.

Who was the liar now?

When I’d been thrown into the warded attic like I was a dangerous criminal, I’d curled up on the floor with my arms around my knees.

I’d always been terrified of the attic because when I’d been tiny, I’d heard noises from it like someone was living up there. Hartley had taunted that it’d been monsters.

I’d fearfully peered around the dark. “P-please can I s-stay with you?”

Hartley had shaken her head.

Tears had blurred my vision. “Why’s m-mum locking me up h-here?”

Hartley’s smile had been twisted. “Because this is where the monsters live, remember?”

I’d wailed, and dad had dropped to his knees to pull me into his arms and stroke over my shaking shoulders. I’d already noticed the chains shackled to the wall.

Maybe somebody…more than one person…had already lived here before me? Was this where the mages of the House of Jewels lived?

I’d quaked that I’d be shut up and hidden away forever.

“I won’t let your mum do this…not again. I’ll save you, no matter what I have to promise or suffer. I’ll keep you safe, cub,” dad had whispered in desperate pants.

Truth: I’ll save you, just like I couldn’t save your older brother from being thrown to the wolves.

I’d screamed at the shock of my new power and the revelation that I had heard my secret older brother trapped in the attic all those years before and that he’d been sacrificed to the werewolves.

Dad’s gaze had been sadder than I’d ever seen it, as he’d slipped a Blood Amulet over my neck. “I’m sorry, but mum insists that you wear this if you’re to continue to live with us.”

I’d choked. Instantly, I’d felt ensnared, as if my new powers and true self were being forced behind an invisible wall. I’d clutched onto dad’s shoulders like he could make the sensation stop, yet he’d been the one to put the amulet on me.

It’d always hurt to imagine what dad had sacrificed to get permission from mum to take the Blood Amulet off so that I could learn to shift or to earn small comforts like my mattress, a TV, or a text from Aquilo. Yet every time that dad visited me with a joyful grin, he brought something new for me.

But the strain of it had killed him.

I’d killed him.

Crave’s hand clasped mine, warming it, and my ragged breathing steadied. I blinked, brought back to the cold reality of the academy.

When had I started to tear at the Blood Amulet, bruising my neck?

Hurriedly, I dropped the amulet.

Crave’s gaze was shrewd almost like he could see the truth, before he dragged me to the corner of the bailey, where a dragon gargoyle perched with its wings outstretched, as if it’d been caught in the moment of fleeing.

Crave’s eyes glittered crimson in the dark, before his lips ghosted against mine. My pulse fluttered in my neck, and I leaned forward.

Just a little more…come on…

Two kisses in one night would mean…touch, love, and someone both desired and wanted me.

It’d mean two more kisses than I’d ever had before.

Incubi were experienced, right? Crave wouldn’t be able to tell that I hadn’t popped my cherry…?

I clasped Crave’s hips more firmly, but he only giggled against my lips.

Then he whispered, “Your sexy self doesn’t get travel sick…?”

Pulled out of my haze (could incubi mesmerize?), I mumbled, “Hmm…? Is that the lead into a dodgy pickup line about riding your spaceship because if so, I applaud your traditional approach.”

Then my eyes widened, as the gargoyle winked at me and its mouth opened impossibly wide, sucking Crave and me into the darkness.