Forged in blood and fire, p.2
Forged In Blood and Fire, page 2
“Soon, sweet Cadence. I’ll be seeing you very, very soon and then you’ll be mine.”
Chapter 3
Remi:
Something’s different, I can smell it in the air. I’m not sure what it is or where it’s coming from, but it smells like vanilla and honeysuckle imbued with magic. My mouth waters from the delicious scent and my wolf stirs inside me. My head spins trying to understand what could have such an effect on me, but I'm at a loss. I send out a quick text to the guys asking if they feel it as well and then hop out of bed to shower before getting ready for my Monday classes.
All I can think about is that amazing smell. I’m determined to find the source. My wolf is even more intrigued than I originally thought, pacing back and forth in my mind wanting to hunt for it, to find it. “Not yet, it’s not time. We have school.” I remind him. He whines, knowing I'm right and goes back to pacing.
After getting ready and grabbing a coffee and a bagel from the local coffee shop, I hop back into my car. I quickly check my phone to see that there are no new texts and take off towards the school, anxious to see the guys and talk to them about what could be going on.
As soon as I pull into the parking lot I see Abel, Zade, and Brooks laughing and chatting it up while leaning against Abel’s 1967 Chevy Impala. The dude loves his classic cars and the Impala is most definitely his baby. Lucky bastard.
After I park, I hop out of my car and start walking towards the guys. Brooks slaps me on the back as I join the group and gives me his charming one dimple smile.
“Good morning sunshine! So glad you could grace us with your presence!” He beams at me.
“Fuck off Brooks” I grunt and turn towards the others with a raised eyebrow, “Why didn’t anyone reply to my text? Something's going on and I can’t figure out what.”
Abel gives me a calculating look before clearing his throat, “I sensed a shift this morning as well, but didn’t think too much of it. It’s probably nothing to worry ab-”
“My wolf is going crazy from whatever the fuck it is, so I definitely think it’s something to worry about. He hasn’t stopped going crazy since we first smelled it!”
Zade grunts but doesn’t engage in the conversation, just silently observing from where he stands. Brooks gives me a wide-eyed look like I've wounded him from not playing his games this early in the morning, but I pay it no mind.
“Let’s get going, the bell is going to ring any minute and you know how Mr. Kells is if we’re late.” Abel looks uncomfortable with me not taking his opinion seriously and instead tries to change the subject. I let it go for now, even more determined to talk about it later. I nod my head and we make our way to the main entrance of Mountain View High. When we walk through the front doors, we are immediately swarmed by the masses lining the halls. But as soon as everyone feels our presence, they open a wide berth around us allowing for easy access down the hall. The students have always been wary of the aura that surrounds our group, constantly trying to stay clear of our path.
We step inside Mr. Kells classroom right as the bell rings. He gives us all a disapproving look but says nothing as we take our seats. This is one of the few classes all of us have together. I hate Pre-Calc but it’s one of the classes I need to graduate, so I have to suck it up.
Just as I'm leaning over the desk to ask Abel for a pencil, since I left my bag in my car when I was in a rush to get to the guys, I notice movement at the front of the class. The whole room descends into deafening silence as the most stunning woman I have ever seen steps foot inside the classroom and walks silently over to Mr. Kells, handing him a slip of paper with shaky hands.
My jaw must be on the floor because Brooks nudges me with his elbow from my left side and whispers “Dude, you’re totally drooling.” Snapping my jaw shut, I can’t help questioning myself. Did she see me? That’s fucking embarrassing if she did. When I look back at her, she’s standing there, mouth agape, staring at me, Brooks, Zade, and Abel with the most beautiful pink blush rising to her cheeks. Her breathing is shallow and it feels like the air is charged around her. When she sees us all staring right back at her, she quickly diverts her attention back to Mr. Kells who, none the wiser, is still telling her about his expectations for this class.
As soon as he’s done giving her his spiel, he turns towards the rest of the class. “Everyone, this is our new student Cadence Valentine, today is her first day at Mountain View High so please be kind and help her if she needs anything. Miss Valentine, please take the open seat next to Mr. Thompson there on the right.” He points to the seat next to me and I just blink between her and the seat.
She scurries over to sit next to me but doesn’t say a word. The pink blush is now more prominent on her face than before. Does she feel the same insane attraction as me buzzing through her veins?
“Mate” my wolf hums happily in my head. Prancing around, swishing his tail in triumph.
I gasp under my breath, “No... There’s no way...” but even I don’t believe it. I subtly inhale a sniff from her direction and sure enough, that delicious scent from this morning is wafting off of her in waves.
Fuck...
Zade:
My heart feels like it’s going to beat right out of my chest, I feel like I can’t breathe. I spare a quick glance behind me at the new girl, Cadence, and my breath halts again. She’s so beautiful, her perfect curves and her icy blue eyes. I never expected to find my mate, but the minute my eyes fell on her, I knew.
My mind wars between happiness and sadness at this revelation. What will she think when she finds out her mate is a Demon? We aren’t exactly known for being cute and cuddly. What if she hates me? Or worse... What if she rejects me...?
I desperately need this class to be over so I can get outside and breathe in some fresh air. Her smell is intoxicating and my head feels fuzzy from being in such close proximity to her. The air around her vibrates with magic and my mind swarms with questions about what she could be...What the hell am I going to do?
I need to talk to Abel. He always knows way more about this stuff than I do... He’s always been the smartest one in our little group.
I’m having such a hard time paying attention to anything being said by Mr. Kells, my mind keeps wandering back to Cadence. Does she know? Does she know what she is to me and me to her? I’m excited but also terrified to find out. I spare another quick glance in her direction but this time she isn’t looking at the teacher, no, she’s looking directly at me. Her breath catches and she gives me the most gentle, shy, smile before she turns her attention back to the front of the room. My whole body ignites like it’s on fire and my cock strains against my jeans from that one single look.
I’m so fucked...
Brooks:
As soon as the bell rings and class dismissed, I rush to put everything back in my bag and practically race out of the room. What the fuck was that? I need to know more but I have a much bigger problem to deal with right now. As soon as I saw her. my fangs elongated and a thirst like nothing I've ever felt before washed over me. My throat feels as dry as the Sahara Desert and I need to feed.
That was the longest hour of my life, I felt like I was walking a tight rope every second I was within close proximity to her. She’s the hottest girl I've ever seen, but she also seemed so timid and tiny. Not my normal type at all. I like them a little closer to my height and normally a little thicker.
My mind wanders and I can’t help but question what her blood would taste like on my tongue... Fuck...
Normally I meet Jade after first period for a quicky in-between classes, but I can’t focus on that right now. I can’t focus on anything other than feeding right now. I rush out of the building, racing to my car where I keep my emergency stash incase my hunger gets too out of control, but just as I'm about to swing the door to my car open and dash inside, I feel a hand roughly yank my shoulder.
“Dude, where’s the fire?” Remi asks, a confused and panicked expression on his face.
“I need to feed. Something's wrong.” I rasp, quickly checking over our surroundings. There are no students in the parking lot thanks to school being in session.
He doesn’t hold me back a second longer, releasing me before I quickly dive into my car and retrieve what I need. Gulping it down, the bag is empty in less than two-minutes and I feel so much better. Panting, I look over at Remi and give him a sheepish smile,
“Sorry dude, I don’t know what the fuck happened, but I was about to fucking lose it.” I chuckle and shake my head.
“When exactly did you first feel it?” he asks, his expression guarded. I can tell something’s bothering him but can’t place my finger on exactly what it could be.
“When that new girl walked into class. I took one look at her, and it felt like my whole body was dehydrated and I hadn’t fed in a month. What the fuck is that about?” I ask him, frowning at the memory of the strange occurrence.
He curses under his breath and quickly looks away from me, avoiding eye contact. He doesn’t say anything else, just turns around and stomps away leaving me looking after him even more confused than before.
What the fuck is going on?
Abel:
The bell rings and I slowly start packing up my belongings, confused at how to deal with the situation unfolding in front of me. I’m elated to have found my mate, my magic is swimming through my veins, trying to reach out to her but she hasn’t looked at me since I first caught her staring when she was being introduced to the class. I know I don’t look as good as the other guys[3], but I am still above average. I’m slim but well-built from weekends working out with them.
I push my unruly red hair out of my eyes and adjust my glasses when I see Cadence making a beeline for the door. I quicken my pace and gently place my hand on her arm to gain her attention. She jumps, and I feel a tremble run through her body. Oh shit, I must have scared her. I clear my throat, “I'm sorry... I didn’t mean to startle you, I just wanted to introduce myself and see if you needed any help finding your way around?” I ask as I retract my hand.
She turns around and looks up at me. She’s only a couple of inches shorter than me. Her cheeks flame a beautiful shade of pink as she exhales, “Sorry, you just took me by surprise.” She chuckles quietly but the smile she gives me doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“I’m Abel, it’s nice to meet you, Cadence.”
She blushes again, her attention wandering to my lips and then down to the rest of my body. A slow Cheshire grin starts to grow on my face as I watch her slow perusal. She quickly glances back up to look at my face and realizes I caught her looking. She clears her throat, darting her eyes to the surrounding students still lingering in the hallway.
“N- Nice to meet you, Abel. It's been a while since I've been in such a crowded place, it’s a bit overwhelming to be honest. Makes me feel a bit out of my element and kind of on edge.”
I furrow my brow in confusion. What does she mean? I look more closely at her and take more notice of her appearance. She’s wearing a long sleeved black and white flannel with the buttons completely done up and thick black leggings with studded leather boots even though it’s 70 degrees outside. Her skin is pale, and she seems a little too thin. As I’m looking her over, I notice a small scar poking out of the neck of her shirt. I growl low in my throat and wonder what’s going on with this girl. My concern must be evident on my face because when I look back up at her, she’s looking at me with wide eyes and a tortured look on her face.
I open my mouth to ask, but she cuts me off before I even get the chance,
“It was nice to meet you Abel, but I need to get going to my next class. I don’t want to be late on my first day. Bye!” She quickly runs off in the opposite direction, not once sparing a glance behind her. I’m left standing there completely stunned.
Chapter 4
Cadence:
What the hell is wrong with me? I stood there completely mortified while Abel examined me. I know he saw one of my many scars and then I ran away like a coward. Come to think of it, all four of those guys in my pre-Calc class were looking at me way too closely. They were the hottest guys I've ever seen, and when I laid eyes on them my magic went crazy inside me. It’s still buzzing just under my skin and I feel like it’s going to explode out of me. I walk into my second class of the day, World history, and stop dead in my tracks when I see one of the guys from first period sitting next to the only open spot left in the room.
He’s tall, his legs are bunched up under the desk because there isn’t ample space. He must be at least six feet tall, with chestnut brown hair and the most glorious milk chocolate skin. He’s stacked with rippling muscles, and he has the most beautiful and intricate sleeve of tattoos on his right arm.
I wonder what it would be like to lick- Woah. What the actual fuck? I’m gonna stop right there with that crazy train of thought. I can feel myself getting wet just from that single thought and shift uncomfortably.
When I look back up at his face, I see his sky-blue eyes trained on me and an angry scowl written across his gorgeous face. I anxiously look away and make my way over to the teacher to hand her my slip. She welcomes me and tells me to take the empty seat next to Tall, Dark and Handsome. Fuck...
I slowly make my way over and sit down, avoiding eye contact at all costs. There’s a tightness in my chest from the way he’s looking at me but I’m not sure why. It's not like he means anything to me, I don’t know him, I’ve never met him before.
My magic on the other hand, settles at the close proximity and reaches out for him. It buzzes quietly under my skin, almost like a purr which is odd because it hasn’t been this calm in a long, long time.
On my left side is a short girl in a sundress adorned with sunflowers and anklet boots. She’s grinning from ear to ear while staring at me. “Hi! I’m Cassie! I heard there was a new girl. It’s so nice to finally meet you!” She’s beaming at me with the most welcoming smile I've ever seen, while she bounces in her seat. She has beautiful golden blonde hair that reminds me of rays of sunshine and honey brown eyes that scream warmth and loyalty.
“Hello, I’m Cadence.” I respond, timidly. My last experience when it came to having a girlfriend ended pretty badly. I shudder thinking about it and urge the memory to go away, instead turning my attention back to Cassie who talks animatedly beside me.
The rest of class she chats my ear off and I quickly learn that she has an extremely bubbly personality and she’s even friendlier than I originally thought. She invites me to sit with her at lunch and a genuine smile creep across my face.
“Sure, it’ll be nice to finally have a friend.” I beam at her, and she giggles.
I manage to steal a couple glances at the mysterious boy sitting next to me, but every time I look at him his attention is on the teacher. When I look away it’s like I can feel his gaze drilling a hole into the side of my head. I’m confused, why give me such cruel looks, and then stare at me the whole class? It doesn’t make any sense.
I try to ignore the growing pain in my chest from his hot and cold attitude, instead turning my attention back towards the teacher hoping to distract myself from my wayward thoughts and confusing feelings. When the bell rings Cassie links her arm through mine and leads me towards the cafeteria.
When we arrive, there’s a buzz of activity and at least a hundred students milling around. Oh my god, there’s so much noise and so many people. I feel like I'm suffocating and automatically want to turn around and leave. At home, it’s always quiet except when Steven is doling out whatever punishment he deems necessary. It’s such a contrast to my surroundings right now. Trying not to convey my feelings across my face. I suck in a deep breath and continue to let Cassie drag me over to her table. When we sit down, she starts introducing me to a couple of her friends, none of whose names I’ll remember. She chats animatedly with them while I pull out my sack lunch.
Steven insisted on packing it for me and as soon as I open it, I see why. Even when he’s not here he still manages to torment me in some way, an apple, and a meat sandwich. No cheese, no sauce, just bread and meat.
Cassie looks over at me with a confused look on her face and asks, “That’s your lunch? Please tell me you’re joking, girl.”
I blink at her, unsure of how to respond. My brain is having a hard time coming up with a quick excuse that will sound believable about why I have barely anything to eat.
“I- Uh...” I begin but just as I'm about to try and answer her, I roughly get shoved from behind. My body jolts forward, I don’t make any moves to turn around or to make any noise. Flashbacks from Steven beating me over and over replay in my mind and my breathing starts becoming erratic while the room starts to spin.
I vaguely hear Cassie from beside me, “Dude, what the fuck is your problem?!” She stands up, turning to face whoever bumped into me.
I still can’t move. My limbs feel frozen to the spot and I can’t slow my breathing either, shakily taking in ragged breaths. The phantom pain and terror have its claws deep in me and I can’t climb my way out. I hear muffled shouting coming from all around me, but I can’t make out what’s being said.
After what feels like a lifetime of panic and not being able to breathe, someone lifts me out of my seat and swiftly carries me out of the cafeteria. I can’t see who’s carrying me because of the tears that are clouding my vision but my senses are filled with the scent of leather and honey. It’s heady and intoxicating which helps to slow my breathing. My savior is so warm that if I wasn’t in the throes of a panic attack, I might be able to actually fall asleep. His arms are enveloping me in a bridal style embrace and it’s the safest, most secure I've felt in as long as I can remember.
I try to wipe my eyes to clear my vision so that I can get a look at who is carrying me, but he just pulls me tighter to his chest as he takes us further from the cafeteria. After a couple minutes, he sits down with me still cradled in his lap and shifts to sit me more upright. I wipe my tears and exhale a shaky breath that I didn’t know I'd been holding.
