Page 37 of Monster's Past

He nods. “I do. We can try later, if you want? Or would you prefer to get some sleep?”

I snort. “I’m not going to be able to anyway. But if you’d rather have a rest...”

“As opposed to spending time with you? I’d be a fool for sleeping.”

“I’ll be unconscious for most of it,” I point out.

“And not for the rest,” he counters. “And if it means that you can get a greater understanding of what you are and how your powers work, then it’s fine by me.”

I shift on the bench and lean in so I can kiss him, wanting him to know just how appreciative I am of his support. He cups my cheek in his hand and kisses me back softly, but even that’s enough to remind me of the need swimming around within me, desperate to be sated by something only he can give.

Perhaps tonight can hold the answer to more than one thing for us.

CHAPTER16

Anja

It’s lessweird to be in the Charms and Potions classroom than it was the first time. Probably because we’ve been out of bed after hours several times now and it’s never gotten either of us into any trouble. The academy has to know they’re inviting people to sneak around like this when they banned us from going back to one another’s rooms.

Cethin cuts an even bigger mugwort root than last time and pushes it into the already bubbling cauldron. He sprinkles in the lavender and something I don’t recognise, a serious expression on his face. He checks some notes on his phone, and then steps back.

“How long do we have until the potion finishes?” I ask him. Despite weeks of lessons, I’m not very intuitive when it comes to potions. Which I guess makes sense when I consider what my magic can actually do. At least I seem to have found myself a boyfriend whodoesknow what he’s doing.

“About half an hour,” he responds. “Why?”

“It doesn’t need tending to, right?”

He shakes his head and narrows his eyes at me. “What are you planning?”

I bite my bottom lip and head over to the door to check it’s still locked. Satisfied that it’s fine, I head over to the desk beside him and hop up, sitting on it and considering the best way to suggest this. I lean forward, knowing the shirt I chose to wear tonight leaves very little to the imagination when I do that.

Cethin’s eyes darken and a faint gleam of purple starts to glow within them. A good sign for me getting what I want. “What are you up to?”

“That’s something you should come and find out,” I say in my best come-hither voice, though I’m not entirely certain I manage it very well.

Or I’m not until I see the way he reacts.

Excitement builds within me and I reach out to pull him to me by his shirt. “Getting alone time has been difficult,” I murmur. Though we do seem to have been doing just fine on that front, none of it has been properly alone where no one can disturb us.

“And you thought that in the middle of a classroom was the right time to change that?”

“We’ve kissed in here before, what’s the harm of another?” I meet his gaze, knowing he can probably sense the desire coming from me. I certainly feel as if I’m being obvious.

His lips quirk up into a bemused smile. “A kiss?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Just a kiss?”

“I’m not promising anything.”

His eyes flash purple, definitely not in anger this time. He leans in closer, his breath fanning against my lips. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“I do, Cethin,” I whisper, meeting his gaze so he canseehow much I know what I want.

My eyes flutter closed as he leans in and presses his lips against mine. His touch is hesitant at first, as if he knows that this time we won’t be stopping at just a kiss.

I pull him closer, impatience growing within me as I do. My hands travel down to the bottom of his t-shirt and I tug at it, allowing my fingers to slip underneath. The warmth of his skin only increases my desire.