Lock and Key (Nocturne Academy 1)

“So…that was all you saw? An image of the Witch Queen and her Blood Knight? And on those grounds alone you decided to come out with me tonight?”

“Well, no…” I admitted reluctantly. “I didn’t decide because of that. In fact, I didn’t know what the picture meant and I still don’t. And I had no idea if it was safe to go with you. But I just…” I shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself.”

Griffin frowned, his face like a thundercloud and I got the feeling he was genuinely upset with me.

“Megan, did you not hear any of the warnings I gave you when I first made my invitation? Do you know how dangerous it was for you to come to me tonight—especially wearing the key that could unlock my rapacious thirst?” he demanded, glaring at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I couldn’t help myself. There’s just something that draws me to you!”

“For all you knew it could have been luring you to your death,” Griffin growled. “Have you not heard a word I said tonight? Have you forgotten already that I am a murderer, twice over?”

“You’re not,” I said, frowning back at him. “I don’t believe you did that for a minute!”

“Then you are the only one in the entire Other community who doesn’t,” he said dryly and shook his head. “Megan, my little witch—what am I going to do with you? You have no sense of self preservation at all.”

“That’s not true,” I protested.

“Yes, it is,” Griffin asserted. “Look at the facts:” He ticked them off on his fingers. “You shame-marked a rather large Drake who could have let his beast out and eaten you in two bites. You took on a senior witch—the leader of the Windermere Coven no less—only this afternoon. And now you are out in the night with a Censured Nocturne who also happens to be a convicted murderer—and I bet you didn’t tell your aunt where you were going or call your friends before you came with me, either—did you?” he asked.

I hung my head a little.

“Well…I was afraid they might try to stop me,” I admitted to him—and to myself. “I just wanted so much to be with you…”

Griffin put a finger under my chin and lifted my face until I had to meet his eyes.

“I want to be with you too, little witch,” he murmured. “But you have to be safe. Please promise me you will never risk yourself for me again.”

I thought I could safely promise that, now that we both knew he wasn’t going to go crazy and rip my head off.

“I promise,” I said. “And I know it sounds like I’ve been acting kind of reckless but I didn’t mean to. I just kind of…fell into all the trouble I had my first week at the Academy.”

He sighed. “Just like you fell into my arms, I suppose.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you complaining?”

“Oh, no.” Griffin gave me a sardonic smile. “How can I complain when all this trouble has ended with us being together? Even if you are more trouble than any four witches put together.”

“You…” I slapped at his arm and the long sleeve of my Henley pulled up with the gesture, revealing my scarred arm.

I moved quickly to pull down the sleeve and hide my scars, but Griffin was quicker.

“Just a moment, Megan,” he murmured, catching my hand in his. With his other hand, he pushed the sleeve all the way up, baring the neat white rows of scars that marched all the way from my wrist to my elbow.

“What are you doing? Stop,” I said uneasily, trying in vain to pull my arm away.

“I don’t think so.” Griffin sounded thoughtful. “It occurs to me that you have heard the worst of my past, but I have heard almost nothing about yours.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” I said uneasily. “I mean, my mom died and my dad left me with my aunt and she sent me to Nocturne Academy where I met you. End of story.”

“Of course that’s not the end of the story.” He frowned. “Will you really make me invoke the truth-telling part of my mark on you? Must I ask you directly how you got these scars?” He nodded at my arm.

I sighed and bit my lip. I had told the story to Avery and Emma and Kaitlyn but it somehow felt scarier to share it with Griffin. They were my coven-mates but he was beginning to feel like a part of my heart. What if he heard what I had done and rejected me?

He seemed to know what I was thinking because he cupped my cheek and looked into my eyes.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” he murmured. “I shared the worst thing in my past with you and you didn’t judge me, though you probably should have. I can do no less for you.”