Lure Academy Read online

  “Aren’t you going to take a break? I’ve never seen you do anything else but study.” Now he was sure Alexi was fixing his gaze on him, so he turned around.

  “No. I want to finish this tonight.”

  Kain saw that Alexi wasn’t looking at his face, but lower, way lower. A smirk grew on his lips.

  “Suit yourself. I’m taking a shower, and then I’m going to see the new prisoners before the stupid Midnight Ceremony ruins my night. I thought you’d like to come. Mikal asked about you.”

  “Did he?” Alexi was trying to convince himself not to talk to the bulge inside Kain’s pants.

  “Yeah… Since your last mission you’ve stopped coming to Oriens. He was thinking it might have something to do with…”

  “Mikal should mind his own business.” Alexi turned his gaze from Kain’s lower regions. The blond was way more likable when he shut his mouth. “I can think of some ways of shutting his mouth.” He shook away the offending thought and moved into a sitting position, facing his desk.

  Kain merely shrugged. He was simply trying to make conversation. “Oh, well, might as well go on with the plan. He was staring at my hard-on, anyway.”

  Alexi was staring intently at all the books and materials on his desk, brows furrowed and lips pursed. He was unconsciously squeezing the edges of his mattress, knuckles almost white. “Mikal… that annoying bastard doesn’t have anything better to do? And asking Kain about me… well, why don’t you just tell him the entire thing, you manwhore? So I could feel perfectly miserable and get this over with.”

  “Hey, man, chill. Was just saying…”

  Alexi was startled by the other’s soft voice. Maybe he was over-thinking the whole thing. Relaxing a bit, he felt his muscles tense again when he heard shuffling behind him. Like clothes dropping onto the floor. Alexi turned just in time to see a shirtless Kain struggling with his own belt. “Right… taking a shower…” He gulped while tracing the blond’s upper body with his hungry eyes. Kain was rather slim and delicate, his narrow hips almost feminine. Alexi internally laughed at his thought, knowing that in reality his roommate was anything but feminine and delicate. You wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side. He was entranced by how the strong muscles moved under his smooth skin, and he found he couldn’t take his eyes off the tattoo that was covering Kain’s right pectoral - the sigil of his inner demon, an intricate pattern of lines and circles. Every cambion who had gone through training and released their personal demon with all its power had a unique sigil on their skin, which they could camouflage when needed, but glowed dark and effervescent when the cambion attacked. Alexi’s own sigil was on his left shoulder.

  Alexi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when Kain finally managed to take off his belt and unzip his fly. Behind the thin fabric of his black boxers, the blond’s cock seemed even bigger and more edible. Alexi found himself gulping down more saliva as he was imagining what that hard piece of flesh would feel like between his expert fingers. Squeezing… caressing… maybe licking… No. He had to turn around. He simply had to look away. No, this was Kain Svjetlo… this was the one taking all those cases, the cases that should have been his. “Just look away, dammit. Look away!” And that he did. Blocking all of his senses, he didn’t hear his roommate strip off his boxers and going into the bathroom. When he snapped out of his self-induced trance, the shower was already running.

  ♥

  Kain couldn’t understand how Alexi had been able to turn his gaze when things had just started to get interesting. Slowing down his stripping had been useless because his roommate didn’t look at him even once afterwards. So, he was standing now under the hot water, with a huge, aching problem between his legs. “Might as well take care of it.” Gripping his flushed cock, he pictured Alexi sprawled onto his bed, just like he had found him when he had entered the room, only now he was naked, butt in the air, shamelessly begging for attention.

  ♥

  When the blond walked out of the bathroom, Alexi was engrossed in his book.

  “Last call. You sure you don’t want to come?”

  Alexi cleared his throat, willing his voice not to tremble. “Yes.”

  “Okay, then. Laters!”

  After he heard the door close, Alexi raised his eyes from the page he had been trying to read. He realized he had gone through something like ten pages since Kain went into the shower, but he couldn’t remember a thing of what he had read. Thoughts and ideas kept swirling in his head, and since he had seen his roommate almost naked, it had been even more difficult for him to make sense of anything. Sharing the same room with Svjetlo wasn’t easy for Alexi. “Every time I see him I see my own past. And that would’ve been fine, just natural. But there’s more to it. I see something else as well. He’s strong, he’s beautiful… he’s everything I’ve heard about him before knowing him. And I’ve never thought I’d give him credit. He doesn’t know it maybe, but he’s my enemy. I can’t let him get to me like that. I have to do something.”

  The books and articles he had on his desk weren’t enough for what he needed. He already knew everything there was to know about the Dukes, but it was all in theory. He needed the real thing, the files of the Duke cases which were solved by Lure, or rather, by Kain Svjetlo. He couldn’t have access to them. “Unless…” Not sparing another thought, Alexi took his jacket and got out of the room. He was headed for the South Pavilion.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The corridor in the North Pavilion was bathed in a dim, purple light. To Sophie, it seemed huge and like nothing she had ever seen. Lamia was walking in front of her, giving her time to get used to the new surroundings. The walls were covered in purple velvet and paintings of mythological creatures. A mermaid embracing a skull in one painting, a satyr chasing a nymph in another, a fairy, a centaur, a djinn. No unicorns, as Sophie noticed. It looked like unicorns could only be found in the West Pavilion.

  She followed Lamia to the end of the corridor, passed the stairs leading to the upper floors, where she assumed the classrooms were, and went down a smaller staircase that led to the semi-basement. They reached a tall, wooden door with no particular name on it, just the seal of Lure Academy.

  “Here we are,” said Lamia. She smiled broadly seeing curiosity flickering in Sophie’s eyes. She opened the door and held it for her roommate.

  If the corridor and the Pavilion itself looked stunning to Sophie, The Red Chamber took her breath away in a second. It was a large room with a round pool in the middle, filled with hot, steaming water. The walls were covered in red velvet for reasons Sophie would learn later. There were soft pillows of all sizes scattered across the floor. The room was divided into four parts, each having an obvious purpose. On the right side of the pool, there were six king-sized beds, three sofas and a couple of armchairs. All of them were red, covered in rich velvet and huge pillows. Here and there, there were small tables on which Sophie could see different objects, bottles and fruit. She didn’t have to be a genius to understand what they were: sex-toys, lubes, aphrodisiacs. Just seeing so many “tools” in the same place made her shiver. On the left side of the pool, the walls were covered in tall mirrors, and there were thick mattresses on the floor. The space behind the pool was the most interesting to Sophie: there were three large beds. That wouldn’t have been unusual if it weren’t for the chains and cuffs of different sizes which were attached to the bedposts and even to the tall ceiling.

  “These are for…” Sophie’s voice was thick with surprise.

  “Yes, for the prisoners,” answered Lamia to her roommate’s unasked question. “At least for the beginning. After a couple of minutes, they start to like it and stop fighting it.”

  “So, I guess The Red Chamber is for practice lessons.”

  “Yes, but not exclusively. Actually, The Red Chamber is for all the cambions to relax and have some good quality time when they can afford it.” Lamia didn’t forget to spice her comment with a wicked wink, at which Sophie couldn’t help but blush and smi
le.

  Sophie took a few steps and touched the red velvet on the walls, the soft pillows, and some of the objects scattered on the tables. When she turned to look at her roommate, her attention was captured by a small door across the room, between the mirrors and the prisoners’ spot.

  “Oh, that’s the door to the dungeons,” said Lamia, noticing her friend’s interest. “Well, dungeons is an inappropriate term because they are really nicely designed, clean and comfortable, like everything in the Academy. We care about our unfortunate prisoners. There is a long corridor behind that door and it goes deep into the East Pavilion. Only the best cambions are allowed to use it as they please.”

  “Then why is it out in the open?”

  “Everyone knows their place here. You won’t go in there if you’re not sure you can handle it.”

  “Fair enough.” Sophie scanned the whole chamber with her enthusiastic, brown eyes. All she had seen in this one day seemed unreal, and the impressions and emotions overwhelmed her. She felt good, maybe a little bit scared, but she felt like home. Protected. The steamy water in the basin was giving off enough warmth for her to feel a tickling drop of sweat trace her spine. And then, the tickling was gone when Lamia circled her waist with her arms and pressed her small, perky breasts against her back. She was slightly taller than Sophie.

  “I know you’ve noticed how different you are, how your cravings are stronger and more elaborate than the others’.” Lamia’s voice was low and seductive. Whispering into her ear, she traced her sides with her warm palms.

  Sophie’s breath hitched at the foreign feeling. She had never been touched this way before. In her small French town, in the house on top of the hill, her mother had kept her safe and out of temptation’s reach. Now, she felt like she could melt into her friend’s arms. Lamia smelled of jasmine and oriental spices, her voice was intoxicating, her words sinful.

  “You’ve felt how religion is such a foreign notion to you, something unreachable, so impossible to understand; how your father’s teachings of obedience and virtue never sank in, and remained a mystery.” Lamia’s fingers were now digging into Sophie’s rich hair, combing it, massaging her scalp. “You’ve refrained from these feelings and desires for so long. In here, with us, they’ll bloom beautifully, and you’ll be able to let go and indulge in things that you’ve only dreamed about.”

  Sophie could feel hot, wet kisses being planted on her neck and jaw. Lamia’s hands had left her hair and were now dangerously advancing to the roundness of her breasts. Her breathing had become shallow. With closed eyes, she was concentrating on the soft touches, marveling at how good they felt.

  “At first you’ll learn, and then you’ll watch. You’ll come here during practice classes, sit on a sofa and watch the other students trying their skills on the prisoners… or their friends.”

  Hot, vivid images flooded Sophie’s mind. She leaned in closer to her roommate’s chest, letting herself enveloped by the girl’s sweet warmth. When Lamia bit her earlobe, her delicate hands squeezing her breasts, thumbs going to tease at the perky nipples through the fabric of her blouse, Sophie jumped slightly, a needy moan leaving her lips.

  “You’ll see their energies floating in the air, charging the atmosphere with the need of release; prisoners breaking their chains to embrace their captors, seduced by their bodies and touches, willingly giving away their energy, becoming addicted… Perfect bodies glistening in sweat… moving, rubbing against each other, hands stroking… moans and cries, pleas… and everything there, right in front of your eyes.”

  The brunette’s nimble fingers were now shamelessly pinching Sophie’s hard nipples. Sophie felt like she was going to explode, the caresses, the husky voice and sinful words being too much for her. Her pussy was soaked and her hot juices had already ruined her panties and jeans. She couldn’t stand it anymore. In a quick motion, she threw her left hand behind her, grabbing Lamia’s wavy hair in a determined fist. Craning her neck in an awkward position, Sophie crushed her lips to Lamia’s. She felt her breasts being squeezed harder and her friend’s tongue poking at her inexperienced lips. She opened them, letting Lamia’s sweet muscle ravish her mouth. She moaned into the kiss, pulling her roommate’s hair mercilessly, feeling her wet pussy throb. The deep, passionate kiss sent waves of pleasure through her body.

  A loud bang made them both jump and draw away. The most needed air she could now inhale freely made Sophie pant, her heart ramming into her chest as she turned her head and spotted Kain standing in front of the door to the dungeons.

  Instead of being surprised, Lamia simply smiled and hugged Sophie close to her body, resting her chin on her left shoulder.

  “Oops, didn’t mean to startle you,” said the blond cambion, wearing his wicked, trademark smirk. Of course he did. He walked towards them, rounding the pool, his moves bold and elegant. His eyes were gleaming and his cheeks were slightly flushed. His entire body seemed to be enveloped in a fresh, golden aura. One couldn’t see the waves of positive energy, but they were there, filling the space around him.

  “Kain, can’t you wait ‘till tomorrow?” Lamia motioned to the small door across from them.

  “Never. Besides, I needed something to clear my head before the Ceremony.” He got right in front of the two girls and was now looking down at Sophie. “This must be our new colleague.”

  “Sophie, meet Kain Svjetlo. Kain, this is my roommate, Sophie La Volpilliére.”

  “La Volpilliére. French women are nice.” Instead of shaking hands, like a normal person would have done, Kain touched her cheek, looking her straight in the eyes. Brown met blue, Sophie’s dark orbs drowning into Kain’s icy depths. Right then, she felt like a bond was formed between her and that sexy demon, and she prayed he felt the same. She wasn’t scared of him. Actually, having him so close made her aware of the fact that she couldn’t understand the others’ reluctance when it came to Svjetlo. His touch was tender, albeit possessive.

  Still cupping Sophie’s cheek, Kain moved his eyes to Lamia. Without a word, he leaned in and captured the other girl’s lips into a bruising kiss, pressing his body against Sophie, trapping her between the two of them.

  Sophie inhaled sharply, marveling at the manly scent Kain’s skin spread along with a strong, almost palpable energy that aroused her. Her senses were overwhelmed by this strange aura, happiness flooding her heart, images of a wide plain, covered in green grass and bloody poppies coming to her mind. She could smell the freshness of the air and feel the hot rays of the blinding sun burning her skin.

  Coming back to reality, Lamia’s breasts were digging into her back and Kain’s rock-hard member was brushing her stomach. She felt the urge to rub herself against that big cock, wishing their clothes to simply vanish into thin air. Which was physically impossible, just like the idea that the kiss between the blond and her roommate would last forever. When the two of them drew apart, Sophie felt empty and cold. Even though Kain took a step back, she could feel all the places where he had been pressed against her burning and throbbing with need. She had to control herself.

  “See you around, then.” Kain winked at Lamia and then looked down at her girlfriend. “You too, Miss La Volpilliére.” With that, he was out of the room, leaving the two roommates alone in The Red Chamber.

  “Don’t worry, he’s always like that. He’ll take anything he’s given.” Lamia let go of Sophie and walked to the door.

  “Why would I worry?” Feeling confident all of a sudden, Sophie smiled at her friend seductively.

  Lamia arched her left brow, looking amused. “Good, good.” She turned to walk out of the room.

  Sophie followed her and grabbed her hand. “I feel like I’m going to like it here.”

  Lamia smiled knowingly at her, leading them out of the building. “Let’s get back to our room. The hetaerae might already be waiting for us.”

  ♥

  It hadn’t been easy to get his hands on the Duke files. After Kain left, Alexi had remembered he could always co
unt on someone when he needed something particularly difficult to get – Kvasir. Kvasir was Alexi’s true father and the fourth ranked incubus. Given that cambions never had any kind of relationship with their real parents, Alexi was a huge exception both at Lure and in Kvasir’s life: he was his only son. For reasons he couldn’t comprehend, his mortal women had only given Kvasir girls, so, naturally, he cared a lot about his one boy, and the other incubi and succubi came to accept that eventually. Needless to say that Alexi never had to beg too much for something, because Kvasir would always act promptly on his son’s wishes. And even though this time he needed one hour to convince his father he really needed the files, and another one hour and a half for both of them to convince Ke-sar, who had to convince Lilith, Alexi did get the files.

  Unfortunately, by the time he got back to his dorm, he realized he didn’t have time to even throw a quick glance over them. He checked the time and saw he was already late for the Midnight Ceremony. “Shit,” he thought. “When will we give up on this stupid, pretentious fuss and make things simple for everyone involved?” He threw the thick files in a drawer, then stormed out the door and down the stairs. He hadn’t attended the last couple of welcome ceremonies because he had been gone on various missions, but he had to attend this one. At least as thanks to Kvasir and out of respect for Lilith, who had been so nice to let him take the files. As he crossed the large courtyard to Septentrio, Alexi started asking himself questions he hadn’t had the time or inspiration to ponder on before running to Kvasir. “Hmm… it’s weird, though,” he thought. “It did take some effort to convince them I really need to read those files, but why did they even listen to me? It’s incredibly inappropriate to take a cambion’s case files and give them to another to study without even asking for approval. There’s something fishy about this.” He didn’t have time to think more about it, and he didn’t want to either. The fact that he got them and he’d get to read them the next day was all that mattered. He’d think about the Pantheon’s motives and the consequences later.