Valkyrie's Harem (Academy of Immortals 1)

“Wow. That’s like, a major social faux paus.” She must notice my confused look. “In the supernatural world it’s not okay to assault one another using your abilities. Not in a safe place like the Academy. If we were actually in the Crusade, maybe, but you were sleeping. Yikes.” She smiles. “Don’t worry. I won’t use my abilities on you, you know, unless you want me to.”

“Right, and uh, what would those be?”

She tilts her head and I get a glimpse of her ears. They’re pointed. “Healing mostly, but like your last roommate I have sharp teeth, too.” She grins and shows her incisors. A chill rolls down my spine. “I don’t drink blood though or try to creep into your brain like Marielle. These are simply for fighting.”

“Yikes, well, remind me to stay on your good side.”

Elizabeth laughs. “That’s the plan.”

While she unpacks, I open my bag and see the black book. I flip through the pages, getting to the one Christensen showed me before. I take an opportunity to study the illustration. Not just the woman, but the scales. It’s not the first time I’ve seen that symbol lately. The four horsemen have the scales as a symbol as well.

Maybe the professor is on to something, but what?

It’s been two days since I’ve had a solid workout—two days longer than I think I’ve gone in my life—and my body craves something physical—other than sex. I change into a tank and leggings and head out of the dorm toward the training facility on the lower level of the building.

“Hildi!”

I pause at the bottom of the staircase and see Marielle. The wound in my neck tingles, like a call to the vampire.

“Hi, Marielle.”

“Listen, I just want to apologize for what happened last night. I was jealous seeing you and Marshal talking and adding alcohol on top of all the emotion…everything got out of control.”

“You could have just asked me,” I reply. “I would have told you that there’s nothing—"

“That you have a thing for him? Because that was immediately obvious.”

“Wait, what? I don’t have a thing for Marshal.”

Marielle makes a face. “Uh, girl, trust me, your blood doesn’t lie. You’re way into him. I mean, I saw flashes of it. The things you two have done—” I lunge for her and cover her mouth, looking around to make sure no one has heard. Luckily people are involved in their own conversation and not paying us any attention.

“Shhh! What you saw,” I say in a low voice, “was just two bored people. Nothing more.”

“Uh, if that was what happened when you’re bored, sign me up.” She runs her hands up and down her arms. “You two were electric.”

“Stop.”

“What? Why deny it? If I could find someone that made me feel that way, I’d be fucking them right now.”

“It’s complicated. We’re just not into each other like that.”

“Sure, okay,” she says with clear disbelief. “Whatever. I do want to apologize though—really.”

Marielle is a beautiful, powerful girl, the kind of girl I don’t want as an enemy, but I can’t trust her. She’s been inside my head. She broke my confidence. I keep these thoughts to myself and simply say, “Thank you for apologizing.”

“We can still be friends, right?” Her tone is hopeful and it’s clear she doesn’t get what she did wrong.

“We’ll see.” I edge away. “I really need to head down to the training room.”

“Right.”

My hand grips the railing. “Please don’t say anything to anyone about Marshal, especially him.”

Gods, if he found out, I’d never hear the end of it.

“Oh, I won’t. I’m amazing at keeping secrets.”

I take a step down the stairs. Somehow, I don’t believe that.