Academy for Courting Curses - Tara West Page 0,4
was as the griffin had told her, but she refused to give up hope. She’d unlock the wand’s secrets, even if she had to use dark magic. “Why do you hate witches so much?”
Her features hardened until she resembled a statue of granite. “They subjugated the shifter race and refuse to acknowledge our realm.”
Interesting. The griffin had told her humans no longer existed in their realm, that they’d been separated centuries ago and locked out of the magical world with special enchantments, their memories of magic erased, their history altered. This happened after a brutal war between magical races and humans that magical creatures did not wish to repeat.
She thoughtfully rubbed the thin scales on her chin. “I could learn a lot from you about modern times.”
“You could.” Demonique turned her back. “But I won’t help you.”
“You will when I chain Alexi to that wall and start stripping away his flesh.”
She spun around and launched at her with a roar, her chains rattling and preventing her from reaching the bars. “You bitch!”
“That was unkind.” Gae stepped back with a scowl. She raised her hands, black smoke pouring from her talons and slipping between Demonique’s bars. The kitten stumbled back, falling on her backside when the smoke wrapped around her slender throat. Eyes bulging, she gasped for breath, flailing on the hard stone floor like a fish out of water. She tried in vain to pull away the ropes of smoke as Gae twirled her talons, winding them tighter. Not long and the kitten would succumb to the dark magic, but Gae didn’t want to kill her.
“Are you ready to play nice?” she asked with a bored drawl while the poisonous fog continued to pour from her.
Demonique flailed for several more seconds before nodding with a jerky movement.
With a snap of her talons, the smoke gripping Demonique’s throat dissipated in a cloud of dust. The she-cat sat up, drawing deep breaths and clutching her neck.
Gae flicked her talons and more smoke poured out. Demonique’s eyes widened, but she did not fight. The poison turned bright violet. Pulsing little hearts flowed out of Gae’s fingers, wrapping around the she-cat, soaking into her skin and hair.
“You will teach me everything you know,” Gae said, “and you will become my lover.” She paused, waiting for the kitten’s reaction, pleased when she saw no repulsion in her eyes. “In exchange, I will not kill your precious Fae. Do we have a deal?”
She nodded. “As you wish, mistress.”
Gae grabbed a jug of cool water and poured some into a goblet. She thrust it through the bars, her talons scraping Demonique’s skin. The spark that passed between them was undeniable. Gae licked her lips in anticipation. “Drink. It will cool your throat. And do not call me mistress,” she said sternly. “I am your queen.”
Grasping the water, Demonique hung her head. “Yes, My Queen.”
Chapter One
Two days we’ve traveled with these stinky witches and stuck up Fae, and Teju hasn’t licked our pussy, Serah’s siren grumbled while they flew over yet another mountain.
Quit whining, Thelix, Serah admonished. In case you’ve forgotten, we’re at war.
Our pussy isn’t at war, Thelix groaned. Our pussy wants love and peace and lickings. Lots of lickings.
Supposedly, Thelix was an ancient ancestor who just so happened to share possession of Serah’s body and mind. Thelix’s magic gave Serah the power to use her persuasive siren tongue. Her thoughts popped into Serah’s head at random times throughout the day, usually when Thelix was bored or horny. She had the temperament of a feral cat and the libido of a starved siren. Though she got on Serah’s nerves on a daily basis, Serah’s mates adored her, especially when she talked dirty. If Serah was being honest with herself, she knew she couldn’t live without her siren. She thought of her as a mouthy other half.
Serah clung tightly to a scale on Ladon’s neck with one hand, and clutched her wand with the other as they soared through the clouds. A thick frost permeated the magical bubble she’d formed around herself, the cold air seeping into her skin. The bubble wasn’t as thick or sturdy as Teju’s bubbles, but she was still proud that she’d made it herself. It not only shielded her from the elements, but it also helped her stay on Ladon’s back. Her magical powers were growing each day, thanks to Teju’s tutoring. She breathed in deeply the intoxicating and pungent smell of ocean air. She’d missed the ocean. She’d spent too long locked