Dark Descent: The Arondight Codex - Book One R Nicole (general ebook reader .txt) 📖

“What?” I finally managed to whisper.

Wilder’s gaze lowered to my lips, then his hands were on my face, his fingers twisting into my hair, pulling me close. Dazed, I melted against him, and let him kiss me. I was hardly aware of the world around us as I slid my palms over his waist.

His lips were soft against mine, his stubble rasping my skin as he deepened the kiss. His touch ignited my senses and I felt my Light simmer, the sensation flaring as his tongue twined with mine. As soon as we fully touched, he pulled away like he’d been shocked, his grasp loosening. What just happened?

A loud cough sent us ricocheting farther apart. Spinning towards the sound, I gasped as I saw Jackson leaning against the doorway of my room, his arms crossed over his chest, and a look of pure thunder on his face.

“Jackson,” I exclaimed.

“Well,” Wilder declared, rather snootily, “I can see you have another pre-arranged liaison. Let me give you two your privacy. I’m not into threesomes unless there’s two women, just so you know.”

“Wilder…” I sighed.

He glared at me and then stalked off down the hall.

“Great,” Jackson drawled, “just great.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, facing him.

“I’m going home,” he said glaring after Wilder. “I just came by to see you before I left, but I see you’ve already replaced me.”

“What?” My mouth dropped open and my heart twisted. “No, Jackson. Never!”

“You’re so blind,” he said, shaking his head. “I tried to tell you for months how I felt, but every time…” He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Now I see I never meant that much to you.”

Realisation slapped me in the face and I stood there like a moron, stunned by the fact that he, and everyone else, was right. I was blind. Jackson and I had been friends for years, and he was the only family I had, without actually being biologically related. He meant the world to me, but romantically? I’d never seen him that way. You couldn’t make someone love you and it never ended well, even with good intentions.

“Jackson.”

“Goodbye, Scarlett,” he said backing away. “Have fun with,” he glanced around and waved his hand with a flourish, “with your new life. Oh, and don’t forget to use protection.”

“Jackson, please,” I called after him. “Don’t go.”

But Jackson wasn’t listening. I’d just broken his heart, after all.

He left me standing in the hallway, adrift and alone in a strange world, a victim of my own stupidity.

17

My stomach churned as I stood outside the gym.

I was going to be sick. Like, full-on, projectile across the room, out my nose sick. I hadn’t been this nervous about seeing someone ‘the day after’ since the crush I had on David Ivans in high school went viral… for all the wrong reasons. Walking down the corridor past his locker to get to my regular English class was a nightmare for months afterwards. Ironically, I’d been teased over my inability to fit in and their choicest morsel of ammunition was a fabricated story about my supposed devil worship. Man, if they only knew.

Standing outside the gym, I felt like I was walking past David Ivan’s locker all over again.

I could still feel Wilder’s kiss burn against my lips, but unfortunately, I could also see the image of his back and Jackson’s cold glare was seared into my retinas. I’d close my eyes, and like a horror movie, there it was painted on the back of my eyelids in full technicolor.

Jackson was into me. Romantically. I thought about kissing him and the image didn’t mesh. I just didn’t see him that way. What was I supposed to do? Force myself to love him? No, it wouldn’t be real. Love like that was a privilege, not a right. You couldn’t demand romantic love from someone.

I scowled, not sure if I was angry at Jackson for not telling me sooner, or myself. If I knew… I snorted. If I knew, I’d still have to let him down.

The closed door stared back at me mockingly. Knowing I’d only be punished with extra squats if I was late, I pushed into the gym and strode across the expanse, ignoring the accusing glares the other Naturals were firing at me. Squats were the worst.

I tensed as I edged into the private room where we trained. Wilder was shirtless in the centre of the mat, a staff in his hands. He was twisting and turning, his muscles flexing as he skillfully wove the staff around and around. I squirmed, slightly aroused, but mostly embarrassed.

When his pattern finally allowed him to turn, he straightened up and slammed the end of the staff on the mat.

“Wilder—” I began lamely.

“You’ve been summoned,” he snapped. “Greer will see you in the conservatory.”

“Conservatory?”

“Fourth-floor,” he stated, turning his back on me.

“Wilder, can we—”

“I wouldn’t keep her waiting, Purples,” he interrupted. “Not after the stunt you pulled last night.”

I closed my eyes and sighed. All I could think about was him kissing me and now it was ruined. In the cold, hard light of day, I was nothing more than a mistake to him. I hadn’t felt this heartbroken over a guy since David Ivan had laughed in my face and called me Satan’s bitch.

I knew this was about me going after Jackson and not him. In that moment, in true Natural form, Wilder expected me to choose and I hesitated… again. In his eyes, it was over.

Turning, I stalked from the room, determined not to let his reaction get to me. Right now, I was about to be roasted by the powers that be. Weighing the two—love and duty—I knew one predicament was more dire than the other.

I just didn’t know which one.

* * *

The conservatory turned out to be a large sunroom that opened up onto the roof of the Sanctum. It was made out of stone, but the ceiling was a bubble of impossibly clear glass. Beyond, I could