risk to everyone around him and that was a surefire way to get the Council involved. After all, Turned Descendants were only permitted to exist contingent on their ability to control themselves, unlike Turned humans who lacked the ability altogether and only became more rabid and animalistic as time went on.
The more I thought about it, the more obvious my choice became.
“I can’t risk this happening again,” I said, knowing the risks and dangers full well. “If the Council even suspects he’s a danger, they’ll vanquish him without a second thought. I have to teach him to control his bloodlust.”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that,” he said somberly. “Would you at least do me a favor?”
“Of course.” It was the least I could do after everything he’d done for me. “Anything.”
“Can you promise me you’re not going to attempt these teaching sessions by yourself?” He put up his hand to stop me before I could protest. “It doesn’t have to be me, but I hope it will be. I just want to make sure you have someone watching your back in case things go sideways.”
I thought about it for a moment and then nodded. He just wanted me to be safe and play it smart, and really, I wanted the same thing. “I promise I won’t attempt any kind of rehabilitation measures on my own.” I flashed him a big smile and he responded with his own pearly-white, dimpled grin that melted my heart into soup at the sight of it.
“So, does this mean you forgive me for lying?” I asked, hopeful.
“Yeah, I forgive you,” he said, closing the gap between us. “But I do have one more favor to ask you.”
My knees naturally parted to welcome him into my space.
“I have to warn you, though. This is very serious.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, my heart picking up its pace. “Let’s hear it.”
Flattening his palms against the desk on either side of me, he lowered his head, his jaw brushing against my cheek in the most delicious of ways. “Don’t ask Caleb to the dance.”
Grinning, I bit down on my lip as my body hummed from his proximity. “And why is that?” I asked, though I had no intention of doing any such thing.
He turned his head slightly, his breath warming the space around my ear as he breathed in the scent of my hair. “Because I think I might die of a jealousy.”
Inwardly swooning, I turned to look at him, accidently bringing out lips within a feather’s touch of each other. “Well, I definitely wouldn’t want that.”
“Nor would I.”
“I don’t suppose you have someone better in mind?”
“Actually, I do.” His gaze dropped to my mouth and my heart ping-ponged in my chest.
“Do you think he’s available this close to the dance? I mean, it’s kind of last minute.”
His gaze returned to mine as he flashed a perfect, dimpled grin. “I’m sure he could make himself available for you.”
“Trace?” Aching to feel the warmth of his skin against my own, I reached up and touched my hand to his cheek, tracing his dimple with my finger as a gentle charge hummed between us.
He responded with a deep rumble at the back of his throat as his eyes slipped shut.
“Would you like to be my date to the dance?”
A playful smile curled his lips as he said, “I’m actually busy that night, but thanks for asking.”
“Very funny.” I swatted him against the chest, and he quickly caught my hand and held it there.
“I’d be your date for the end of the world, Jemma,” he said as he cupped the back of my neck and pulled my mouth to his. A delicious growl sounded in his chest as I parted my lips and tasted his tongue.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I drew him closer to me, circling my legs around the back of his as I mashed his body to mine.
My skin sizzled with electricity as he slid his hand under the hem of my skirt, stroking my leg and then gripping my hip with his fingers. It was all I could do not to moan into his mouth.
Heat and need pooled low in my belly and I clutched onto him harder, wishing the classroom and the school and the entire world would just disappear around us.
“Just say the word,” he murmured, speaking against my lips as my body reached a fever pitch.
My mind was racing, my body starving for more—for more of him, for more of this, and for more of