Surviving Plagues (Artemis University Book 3) Read online

  “Yes, that,” I said a bit too quickly, understanding filling Mel’s eyes and Craftsman probably picked up on it then too. The others didn’t know but I was half owner of a supe jet charter company because of the Townsend estate. Which was what made Claudia connect this all together and helped the idea.

  I didn’t get how taxes all worked with us as I knew supes didn’t use human banks and report it all to the government since we lived so much longer than humans.

  But I also knew now that we paid supe taxes as well to afford our councils, elders, and those jobs needed including our supe police department. That was a joint council thing and my eyes glazed over the last time someone tried to explain it to me.

  And the taxes I would need to pay as a fairy were being held in trust if Faerie ever got back up and running or we had answers there. So I would definitely pay taxes and not just cheat paying my share. It just wouldn’t all be to the humans. However, it would probably go a lot to the fairies of this country if I wasn’t the last.

  I didn’t even want to think of how that would work if I was the last when I was found out. I was my own council and the last? Yikes!

  “So that’s how it would be deductible and I could pay you both actual salaries for the behind the scenes work I won’t do,” I told them.

  “I missed something there and clearly Izzy did too but fine, we’re not in the full know yet,” Darby muttered. “So why discuss this with Craftsman and me?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Yes, I’m such a bitch that the three of us are going to eat out in Vancouver all break and you two are fucked. I’m filling you in for our break even if it’s the three amigas for the blog. I was hoping you and the doc would help get it all plotted and like one big Vancouver map of where we’re going in relation to portals. You’re both masters of efficiency after all.”

  Everyone was talking about ideas and places as I got lost in my head. I ended up ducking outside and looking up, seeing the hail was coming down in a weird way like I’d never seen it before.

  It was coming down inside whatever wards or barriers the school had. It was confusing how the frogs could get through but the hail had to come from inside. The line of what was “dangerous” must be pretty vague. Frogs—no matter the amount—even if bespelled, weren’t bad if there was nothing lethal about them. But a magical storm with hail probably hit the malice chart higher.

  I went back to studying, but my brain kept drifting and after dinner when we were all heading for bed, I found myself wanting to check something out. That feeling I’d had before that something was coming, something was off, was a powerful tool if I could learn how to use it.

  I magically reached for what I thought was the warning system or power that most thought of as their gut instinct and I followed it.

  And ended up on the quad. Hadn’t I been thinking there was something drawing the frogs and bugs there instead of avoiding so many people? I followed it until I was standing right at the middle of the quad staring down at nothing. Nothing but grass.

  But I felt something there. Squatting down, I held out my hand and felt the pulse of magic answer my scan. I reached for it and flinched when I hit something solid and not just the ground solid.

  No, something metal.

  And still all I saw was grass.

  “Glamour,” I murmured. “Someone glamoured it. Smart.”

  “Yes, very,” a voice agreed, scaring the shit out of me until I saw it was Professor White. “You were curious as to how the hail rained down under the wards as well, I take it?”

  “Yes, but I’m not sure if I understand the difference between barriers and wards.”

  “Ah, yes, understandable,” she replied as she squatted down as well. “Barriers are a type of ward. A ward basically is a connected spell. I could put up a ward around my garden to warn me if someone crosses it so I can catch the critter eating my greens. They have a wider range than a barrier that keeps everyone out.”

  “Makes sense, thanks.” I moved my fingers along the metal to find the edge and lifted. It took a few tries to jar it out of the dirt since the ground had been wet and cold from the hail, but then I managed to lift it.

  And the glamour fell. I was holding what looked like a larger, intricate metal jewelry box. An antique type one that was probably expensive even without the magical aspect.

  “Ah, yes, that explains a lot,” Professor White told me as she reached to take it. I let her, brushing off my hands as we both stood. “This is a specific type of reservoir. I believe you saw one similar when you work with the Higgins family. This isn’t made to simply hold energy but for a specific purpose and spell that takes a long charging to make it work.”

  “How did it get here is the question.”

  “Yes, and one we’ll have to leave for the moment, I’m afraid,” she told me, nodding when I shot her a disbelieving look. “I will explain it all to Edelman later, when there are less eyes on him and the school.”

  “That’s a big thing to ask me when I don’t know if I can trust you, Professor White,” I muttered. “If I was a more distrusting person I would think you just caught me pulling up something you planted and were now going to destroy the evidence.”

  Her eyes danced with amusement. “Oh, I think I’ve shown you that I’m worthy of more trust than that, young fairy.” She chuckled when I cursed under my breath.

  “Seriously, does everyone know the world’s worst-kept secret?” I grumbled.

  “No, it’s a very well-kept secret but I felt your energy before that charm and—”

  “You had a fairy lover before,” I drawled. “Yes, it seems to be a running theme of every woman who busts me. Does every supe female have a tryst with a fairy?”

  White snickered. “If she’s lucky. This whole generation is truly missing out on love they can never fully understand with the fairies gone. But I would assume you’re working on that too, yes?”

  “No comment.”

  “Hmmm, wise. Something else that would be wise is for Craftsman to stop staring at you like a man who knows what you look like naked. It’s disturbing as a teacher and I won’t be the only one who notices soon.” She winked at me. “But well done snapping him back in line. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that over break as well, young comitissa.”

  She bid me goodnight and walked off with the box, leaving me so shocked that I didn’t even get to ask what that word meant. I really needed to ask someone given it was the second time a person referred to me as that.

  But first I needed to fill in some people that White knew what I was and she busted my relationship with Craftsman.

  20

  Pulling up that box did the trick as the plagues stopped. Everyone was shocked that Monday came, the first day of review week, and no locusts. No darkness on Tuesday. Some still left campus Tuesday night and I was one of them, taking the portal home just in case the goal was to catch me leaving campus on my bike. But nothing. No one so much as bruised.

  And that was it. No answers, no other threats or drones dropping flyers… Nothing. It was odd. We were all relieved—of course—that the shit was over but you could feel the tension on campus of people waiting for someone to jump out and do something next or take credit. It would fade with break. Hopefully, but most of us turned our full focus where it should be.

  Finals.

  Yuck.

  I was in a pretty good position with Darby’s help and honestly I knew I was stressing too much over it but it was hard not to. Yes, I’d made it through midterms but those weren’t finals. One test to cover a whole semester was insane.

  However, for my two intro classes it was just the section on vampires. Runes was the luck of the draw of any we’d learned the semester. I had those on lock. We were already doing the physical training playoff so that left my final debate, which I was really, really glad to be done with as public speaking wasn’t going to ever be my thing. English was essay questions that he gave us possible topics for.

  And then there was geometry.
I truly thought I had it down but it was complicated and it was only going to get worse next semester. I would rather have more complicated spell circles I could put into context than more abstract math, but magic was tricky and I was mostly scared it wouldn’t work like I needed it to when I needed it to.

  Mel met me on the way to the cafeteria on Friday afternoon and handed me a fancy envelope. “Father asked me to hand out the invites on campus and report anything of note. FYI, he’ll be taking a date to that.”

  I raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, I hope it’s your mom or he’s going to be sleeping on the couch for a while.”

  She snorted, shaking her head at me. “No, the prince. I figured you caught wind of their annual holiday party. It’s a huge thing, winter wonderland theme up in their mountains and they outdo themselves each year.” She gave me a worried look when I took the invite. “It’s customary that unmated royals take dates from prominent families in the hopes of sparks or a match.”

  I shrugged, swallowing my feelings on that. “We’re off the books casual. He can do what he wants.”

  “It’s a big deal to be invited. Make the right kind of splash into society, Tams,” she warned.

  Yeah, I would definitely do that. I read over the invitation and found who I wanted, making my way directly to Ayesha. She raised an eyebrow at me and I showed her the invite.

  “I know Natalie’s working with her family over break but I want to hire you guys to do me up right. I want to make a splash.”

  “What are you thinking?” one of the other senior scholarship witches that were all friends with Natalie asked.

  I thought about it a moment and smiled. “I want to be the ice queen. I’m talking like people snap and say dayumn when they see me kind of splash. And not Frozen, prim ice queen but darker, like black ice gorgeous but dangerous. I want Maleficent type of ice queen where I walk in and give everyone a ‘well, well’ but instead of mocking all the glittering people, I want to be the one glittering.”

  “I like it,” Ayesha purred, tapping her fingers together with scheming intent. “You want fierce. You want show-stopping fierce that screams, ‘bitch, you know you wish you could have an entrance like that.’”

  “Yes, that.”

  “So more ice queen from The Huntsman but without the crazy?” one of the others checked, nodding when I did. “Yeah, we can work with that. And I think instead of sparkles or beading, we work crystals in the dress and flare. You’ve got the juice to power them all up and they’ll glitter better than diamonds and give you an ethereal glow like nothing else can.”

  “Perfect.” And I even knew the dress I wanted them to use as a base. I’d seen one of gobs of secondhand dresses they’d been buying up and it had stood out to me as the best of the lot.

  Now I knew why.

  It was a lacy white mermaid dress with train and long flared sleeves. There was next to no back, off the shoulder and low cut but with that elegant flavor that would make a bride a bride above all others. Fine, I wasn’t wearing it to my wedding, but it was the perfect base.

  I went with them up to their room after lunch and picked it out. I hung it up and showed them how I wanted sections cut away instead of just gaps in the lace to show a shimmer of skin under the material.

  Ayesha showed me what they had been saying with the crystals. Basically they would turn me into a glowing gem but not tacky like a cheap chandelier. No, quite the opposite as they showed me how they could change the color of the silver body chains that would hold all the crystals into see through. So it would look like the crystals were part of the dress and me.

  Even on the train. It was fucking perfect. They also showed me some options for a chain headdress that would be the same style on my hair but they’d leave the silver to show in my bright red locks. We decided to do a variation of what Izzy had for the welcome ball so I had some of my hair pulled up but a waterfall of curls that would have crystals in it.

  And these weren’t like cheesy crystals or cheap stones. No, they were magic crystals that shined like diamonds but more so since they were iridescent and showed different colors with lighting and magic.

  Then they played with some Jack Frost ideas of makeup and ice in my hair sort of feeling. It was awesome.

  “Your phone says Darby’s calling,” Ayesha told me as someone else was working on me. “Is he your date?”

  “He will be once I ask. We’re meeting up. Answer it and tell him to come here instead. We have to figure out how we’re coordinating.”

  “Oh yeah, this seems his kind of scene,” she drawled, doing as I asked and laughing at whatever Darby’s response was.

  “Tell him I think he’d look hot in a light gray suit and it will probably get him laid.”

  “He’ll be right here,” Ayesha muttered after he must have heard what I’d said. She hung up the phone and they all started laughing. “Well, that’s one way to get a man to behave.”

  “I have lots of those kind of tricks,” I purred. I smirked at Darby as he showed up moments later. “I was invited to the Vogels’ big holiday winter party and I need an escort. Do you want it to be you?”

  “Damn, girl,” Ayesha hissed.

  Darby cleared his throat and took in what we were already up to. “It would be my honor to escort the loveliest guest they’ll ever have to the event.”

  “Oh yeah, he wants to get laid,” one of the other women snickered. “Nice one, Darby.”

  “Thank you.” The smile he gave me was genuine, though like he wanted to be with me and not just in the hopes he got laid.

  Which he totally probably would. Time to be honest and if the guy escorted me through all the headaches to something I was making a splash at after a couple of months dating… Yeah, he was getting laid.

  “You’re right that he’ll look smoking in a light gray tux,” Ayesha muttered as she moved over to him. “Matching vest but pearl white shirt and tie. Perfect with the glasses and stern vibe. We style his hair with the wet look slicked back and add some frost to match you and make it clear that touching you is worth the frostbite a man might get.”

  “I like that,” I chuckled, winking at Darby. “You’ll just have to be careful getting the dress off me later so they can showcase it for their business after I make a splash.”

  “Of course,” he coughed, giving me a heated look like he couldn’t believe I was being so blunt.

  Silly vampire. He should be used to that from me by now.

  We worked with them enough so they could get started in between studying—or after exams for all I knew—but then it was time for our studying… Or so I thought.

  Darby, the always stern and focused vampire, was completely distracted and with his mind in the gutter. Izzy wasn’t around so the next thing I knew we were on my bed making out. His kisses were more demanding than normal and he kept nipping my skin as his hands roamed my body.

  I think he realized I was confused as normally he was more into the ramp up before getting to the devouring but I was quickly losing clothes.

  “Sorry, agra,” he murmured against my lips. “I need to feel you against me. The thought of being inside of you soon is driving me crazy. I can’t wait to make love to you.”

  “Me too,” I admitted in between kisses.

  We ended up naked with him grinding against me as he pinned my hands over my head again. He really, really liked that. Darby was tight with control but more than that, it was that I’d trust him. We both knew I could break his hold but I’d trust his lead and that he’d take care of me.

  It just flat did it for him and he showed his appreciation several times.

  “I think this is getting serious for me, agra,” he whispered after we were done and cuddling. He rubbed his hand over my side and hugged me tighter when I flinched. “I’m not asking you to be serious or exclusive. I’m saying my feelings are… This is terrifying for me. You mean a lot to me.” He blew out a harsh breath. “I’m saying I’ve gone way past playing around and if that’s all that i
s for you—”

  “It’s not,” I promised. “I just can’t get more committed and tell you what I would need to yet. I’m a hot mess, Darby. I’m barely holding on most days before I run around the quad screaming with my underwear on my head. My feelings are real too and you matter to me, but I can’t give anyone more than I am right now.”

  “I know, I know, agra,” he promised, kissing my shoulder. “I just needed you to know that before we step out in society as a couple. I might be your date but that’s how parties like this work. If you’re matched up, it’s a date for appearances and family alliances. If you’re dating or together and go to something like this, you’re a couple.”

  I turned in his arms and studied his eyes as he watched me for a reaction. I could see the worry and flipped on my telepathy in the hopes it helped me.

  “Please don’t reject me. Please want to be a couple. Please start falling for me like I am you. You fix something I’ve always felt broken in me, agra. Please want me as I want you.”

  Well dayumn.

  I leaned in and kissed him. “There are worse choices I could make to be a couple with. At least you’re good for me. I guess I won’t get mad if someone calls you my boyfriend after this.”

  The kiss he gave me made all the weirdness I felt at talking about relationships and feelings totally worth it. There was a lot in the kiss and the way he touched me. We snuggled down and must have fallen asleep because Izzy came in a bit later and sighed when she saw us.

  “Do I at least get to see some hot cock? If I’m never touching one, I at least want to see some good ones in real life.”

  “You can show her,” I mumbled in Darby’s chest. “She’ll appreciate your third leg.”

  “Maybe another time,” he drawled. “Thanks for the good review, agra.”

  “It’s what I’m here for,” I teased him.

  Not really, but it was fun to push his buttons.

  She let us get dressed and we actually studied a bit before dinner. I noticed I had some missed messages and my stomach churned when I saw they were from Hudson. Would he tell me he had a date to the party? Was it going to be something serious? What if they clicked?