Worthy of Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 4) Page 4

  “Shhhh, it’s ok. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You are with me now. You are safe.”

  He whispered over and over again, kissing my temple and laid us down on the bed. His soothing voice, repeating his promise to me was the last thing I heard as my sobs finally dissipated, and sleep dragged me under.

  * * *

  I took a deep breath, it came out ragged thanks to the crying symphony I had performed the night before. My eyes slowly opened and settled on the small rays of light that filtered through window shutters. The day looked beautiful outside, but just like the past week, I doubted I would step a foot outside this hut. Besides, I was too comfortable in this bed. The warmth of Art's body radiated off him, seeping through my pores as he cradled me against him. My back rested against his chest and his arms wrapped around me. His body swallowed me, but I didn't care.

  I felt safe. I was safe.

  He hummed against my neck, and his hand squeezed my breast. My eyes widened, all sleep left me. I looked under my Garfield sleep shirt, and sure enough, his freaking hand was on my breast.

  “Art, stop groping me!!”

  "What?" He jerked upright and fell backwards from the mattress. "Shit!" He yelled when he landed on his ass.

  I kneeled, gasping and covering my mouth as I looked over the edge at him. He sat up quickly. One eye open and the other closed. His hair was sticking out every which way as he forced himself to blink and wake up. He was so not a morning person. I repressed a laugh and placed my hands on my hips.

  He frowned rubbing his head. “Did I cup your breast again?”

  “What do you think?”

  "Damn it!" He got up, fixing his pants, and sighed defeated. I had woken up, with his hand on my breast every night for the past five days. "I'm so sorry, Lia. I don't know what is wrong with me. Apparently, you were right the first night. I am a pervert."

  “Yeah, well. No need to state the obvious. I swear to God, Art…”

  “I know, I know. You are going to castrate me. I haven’t forgotten.”

  His eyes went to my legs, and I looked down scared. Had I hurt myself again?

  "Can you look for me, please? I can't do it."

  I pleaded looking into his eyes. He nodded, knowing if the scratches were there, it would just be another opening for a breakdown. I just couldn’t handle that. Art sat beside me on the bed, and he carefully lifted my sleep shirt all the way to my thighs. I focused on his powder gray eyes, waiting for his reaction. His gaze lifted to mine and he smiled kindly.

  "Your skin is a bit swollen, and red from the friction, but there are no scratches." Reaching for my hands, he kissed them and stood. I followed him with my gaze as he grabbed the baby lotion and brought it to me. "Apply a bit of it on your legs. It will help with the swelling." I nodded just as his eyes shifted to the clock on his night table. "Nine thirty? Shit. I'm late!"

  My eyes widened. Late? Was he leaving? "Late for what? Where are you going?"

  I asked, feeling the anxiety crawl towards my chest.

  Art rushed to the armoire and took out a pair of jeans. He removed a blue t-shirt from the dresser, grabbed a clean pair of boxer briefs, and rushed to the partition. He didn’t answer.

  “Art?” I called again, kneeling on the bed.

  "Sorry. There is somewhere I have to be. I didn't attend yesterday, and I can't miss another day, or…" His voice trailed off, as he stepped out from behind the partition pulling his jeans up and zipping them. The shirt was scrunched up around his neck. He walked back to the dresser and applied deodorant then finished putting on the t-shirt. My eyes instantly fell over his chest at the way the shirt accentuated his muscles. It was a V-neck, fitted T, and oh my, I could even see the squares of his perfect abs through it.

  I blinked, returning to the present and frowned, unhappy that he hadn't answered me. His hands plunged in the washbasin, and he forked his hair wetting it. Reaching for the brush, he tamed the strands at the top of his undercut, brushed them back, and secured them tightly with a hair band, that gave them bit of a ponytail. He whirled towards me and kissed my cheek. I chuckled. He smelled like baby powder.

  "I'm sorry, Lia. I really have to go. Why don't you go back to bed and sleep a bit more? I'll only be gone for about two hours, and I'll bring you breakfast when I come back."

  I nodded, giving up. He wasn’t going to tell me where he was going. “Fine, but I have to warn you. There is a really good chance that I’ll go through your things while you are away.”

  He chuckled, and reached for the portal stones. The archway opened into what looked like a supply closet, and I frowned. What the? Throwing one last glance at me over his shoulder, he winked, dimples flashing.

  "Have fun, Bòidheach."

  Sighing, I let my body slump back into bed. I reached for the pillow on his side and hugged it to my chest, then pulled the sheets over my head. Taking a long whiff of the pillow, I smiled as my eyelids drifted close.

  This man was obsessed with baby products.

  ART

  * * *

  I stuck my hand between the paper towel rolls and pulled out a notebook. I took the pencil from the spiral and placed it behind my ear then turned towards the door. It opened before I clasped the handle.

  “Hey, Jim,” I said, greeting the janitor.

  His eyes widened, and he smiled. "Hi, Art. I wasn't sure I'd see you today." He frowned looking at his watch. "You are late for class. It started a few minutes ago."

  I made a face. I hated being late. “I know. Thanks for holding my notebook.”

  "Of course. How is your magic village?" He asked lowering his voice, so no one else would hear him, and I chuckled.

  I looked around us suspiciously. “It’s hidden in plain sight. As usual.” I whispered and winked. He chuckled as I walked around him.

  “Did you bring your swords today? I thought maybe you could teach me another trick after class. My Grandkids loved the one you showed me last time. They think I’m cool now.”

  I smiled, looking at him over my shoulder. Jim was an older man with a heart of gold. His life had become dull and haunted by the ghost of his past. I had confided in him after I first portaled into the university and he caught me. We became friends, and he had kept my secret. I trusted him. Our friendship and the realization of the magic that existed in his otherwise dull world had awakened something in him. It had given him hope again and the courage to reach out to his son and mend their relationship. Now he was part of his son's life and spent time with his grandchildren every weekend.

  "Not today, Jim. I'm sorry. I can bring them next Friday and teach you another one." His eyes sparkled excitedly with the possibilities, and he nodded.

  “I’ll be here.” He patted my back. “Have a good day, Son.”

  The hallway was empty which allowed me to run towards the classroom. I took a deep breath and opened the door. One by one the students gazes settled on me, as I walked through the room towards the front. Everyone became quiet as I approached professor Thompson.

  "Hey, Clark. I wasn't sure you'd come today. I was just holding down the fort."

  "Thanks, Phillip. How was your vacation?" I asked, placing my notebook on the desk beside him and sitting on it.

  “Oh, we went camping with the kids. You know, family vacation, and you?”

  I looked at him, while the images of everything that had occurred since Cyn met my little Sis flashed in my mind. I shrugged. "Uneventful."

  “Well, I have to go meet the student council before I start today. Good luck Clark.”

  "Thanks, Phillip. Have a good day."

  Turning myself on the desk to face the class, I put my fingers in my mouth and whistled, bringing everyone’s attention back to me. The Materials lab was the biggest classroom in the institution with over three thousand square feet of space and more than sixty, fully equipped workstations.

  “Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Materials Lab for your Graduate in Architecture.” The students began to clap eagerly, and
I joined them smiling. Jumping down from the desk, I walked forwards. "Ok, listen up. I am professor Clark Allen, and I will be teaching you how to construct your designs and experience the production process of Architecture. Here, you will be able to build your projects with our state-of-the-art equipment. You will learn metalworking, C.N.C routing, woodworking and 3-D printing. This isn’t just a place to build your models. It's a place to research the practicality of the designs you have created, explore new materials for its construction, and develop problem-solving skills that you will need during your projects. Feel free to choose one of the workstations as your own, and it will remain yours for the rest of the semester. I'll be with you every step of the way. Just call my name, and I'll answer any questions you may have." I clapped and pointed to the floor to ceiling racks at both sides of the room. "Ok, guys. On each side of you, are all the materials you might need. Please walk over and choose the element of your preference. Today you will just be getting acquainted with their weight, molecular structure and the way they respond to your manipulation as you try to build your models. The most important part of construction, is knowing the strength and weaknesses of the elements you have chosen to bring your design to life, and turning those weaknesses into an advantage, that will work in your favor."

  * * *

  I walked throughout the classroom as I saw the students begin to put their imaginations to work. I stopped at a station and lowered my safety goggles before the sparks from the iron being cut reached me. I focused on the young man's technique as he rotated the bar, slicing it perfectly. Turning off the machine, he reached for the torch and softened the end then fused it together to the building structure he was creating.

  I smiled removing my goggles. "Shawn, right?" I asked, hoping I hadn't confused the name.

  "Yes, professor Clark."

  "Nah, just call me C."

  Shawn was about twenty-two years old, and since I looked only around three years older than him, it seemed wrong for them to treat me as their superior. Plus, I really hated titles. I nodded towards the piece.

  "You've done this before."

  He smiled. "Yeah, I learned in my older brother's shop. How does it look?"

  "Very intriguing. My best friend, Cathair, does ironwork like nothing you've ever seen. He would be an amazing influence on you if this is your preferred material."

  "Oh, that would be amazing. I would love to meet him. His name is Cathair?" He asked, and I realized my mistake.

  “It’s an old Irish name,” I said, like it was nothing and quickly changed the subject. “I like the unusual curves you are creating with the iron along the roof of the structure. What will its function be, a museum?”

  His gaze filled with passion as he answered. “A school.”

  “Very good. I truly appreciate students that push the design boundaries.”

  Giggling suddenly came from the workstation behind us, and Shawn looked over my shoulder. "C, you have a sweet pair of honeys checking you out at six o'clock."

  I laughed, and focused on the piece he was building. “That would be a beautiful school.”

  “Oh, he could push more than the boundaries with me, any time, any place.”

  Came from one of the girls behind us, and Shawn pressed his lips together not to laugh. I looked over my shoulder to find two young women sharing a station. They blushed as my eyes settled on them and they quickly looked down at the paper-modeling piece they were building.

  I looked at Shawn and sighed. “Anyway...”

  “Seriously though. How is it fair that a professor is so fine looking? How are we supposed to learn anything? Did you see those arms?”

  "For real, and he's like twenty-five. How in the hell does he already have two Ph.D.'s in Architecture and Construction?"

  The girls’ voices had lowered, and they were barely audible. Yet, my Warrior nature had instantly kicked in. My hearing was too fine tuned not to catch their words. I looked at Shawn, but I was certain he hadn't heard them this time. I smiled.

  “Very promising. A masterful blend of gothic and modern design. Please, do not forget to show this to me once it’s done.” He nodded, encouraged by my words and continued to work.

  Turning around, I stopped at the girls' station. "Meghan & Kallie. Correct?" They nodded with sparkling eyes and flirtatious smiles. "What are you building there?"

  “A concert hall and center for the arts.”

  I nodded appreciatively, while my gaze followed the details around the structure.

  "Are you single?” Meghan asked, and I couldn't repress the laugh. Looking at her I straightened.

  “I’m not sure that is an appropriate question to ask your professor, especially with the strict no dating policy the institution has.”

  An amused glint entered her eyes. “It was worth a shot.” I chuckled.

  “Is it true you donate your time to the university, and don’t charge a penny for teaching?” Kallie added.

  I shrugged. "I like building things." They looked at me as though my answer was irrational. "I like where you are going with this. Please show it to me once it's done." I turned to leave.

  "Hey, Clark," Meghan called, and I looked at her over my shoulder. "So that is a 'no' to dinner then?" I chuckled and moved on to the next station shaking my head.

  "You can't really blame them, you know? I mean, you are hot as fu..."

  "Don't finish that sentence please," I said rubbing my temple.

  The girl shrugged "It's the truth." She extended her hand. "Jaime, nice to meet you."

  My smile died, as I looked around the classroom. Dread filled me. I hadn't even noticed there were more females than males this semester.

  A girl from the table next to Jaime's winked at me and blew me a kiss. I grunted. This semester was going to be a nightmare.

  I opened the portal back into my hut and found Lia curled up in a ball on my bed.

  I repressed a chuckle. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed engulfed in a peaceful sleep. I was glad. I smiled when I noticed the bed sheet hung from her foot, lying half on the floor, and leaving her uncovered. She slept restlessly, like a child, unless she was wrapped in my arms. Moving towards the table, I placed the two bags of food on it and pulled off my t-shirt. It was dusty from the construction site. So were my jeans. I took a quick bath and changed back into my cotton pants. I was exhausted. I hadn't gotten much sleep in the last week. Her nightmares had come every night since she had been here. Removing the food from the bag, I prepared two containers with pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon. I made sure to place more on Lia’s, grabbed two forks and brought them to the night table.

  I stared at her as I sat on the bed. She looked so adorable. My heart squeezed when the memory of her distress the night before came to me. I hated seeing her that way. It had taken even longer than other times for her to be able to snap out of it. Nevertheless, I had noticed in the past couple of nights that when I held her and talked to her, it helped her calm down. It was as though she could tell the difference between the dream and the present. Maybe it was the body contact, or my voice filtering through, I wasn't sure, but as long as it helped me reach her, I would continue.

  I had always strived to help those around me. It was just something that seemed hardwired into me since I was a child. I was a caring man, attentive. The guys always made fun of me, but in all honesty, I wasn't embarrassed by it. I always went out of my way to make sure everyone around me was taken care of. Seima said I spoiled people too much, and it was true, but I saw nothing wrong with that. I liked being there for them and being able to help them through their hardships. It gave me comfort. Perhaps it was an unconscious need to compensate for what I lacked.

  Maybe it was just who I was.

  My gaze focused on Lia. I wanted to help her get through this like I had others. Yet, knowing she had been a victim of the Romans because of our secret. That they had caused her pain because of a senseless war they had sworn against my people, made the urge I felt to b
e there for her stronger than anything I had felt before. Her pain was my pain, her sobs choked me, and every single one of her tears tore through me as it fell from her eyes. I wanted to walk into that cave where Felix was, and tear him apart limb by limb until there was nothing left, just from seeing the pain in her eyes and hearing her cries. I shut my eyes, taking a settling breath and forced the anger out of me. The need to seek justice was not a rational one, and I understood that, but it was a struggle.

  With my eyes still closed I cupped her cheek and pressed my forehead to hers, I continued to breathe slowly, until I was once again relaxed. There was something soothing about her presence. My eyelids lifted and I looked at her smiling. Her hair was all over the place, her lips had parted, and I was pretty sure she was drooling. I repressed a chuckle and kissed her cheek.

  "Good morning, sleepy head," I whispered in her ear and saw her eyelids twitch. Placing my fingertip on her nose, I began to tickle it until she woke up.

  "What the hell Art? Are you trying to pick my boogers or something?"

  I laughed. She rubbed her eyes just like a child and yawned. “Well, it always worked with my brother, although it used to piss the heck out of him.”

  Her gaze finally settled on me. "Yeah, I can't imagine why."

  I took one of the containers from the night table, a fork and placed it on her lap. “I brought you breakfast.”

  She perked up at that. "Mmmm, it smells so good." She ripped the fork out of my hand, opening the container. "Now, that’s what I’m talking about."

  I chuckled as she winked and took the first bite. Reaching for my portion, I grabbed the fork, and we ate in silence for the next hour.

  * * *

  "Here, let me throw those out," I said, taking the empty container from her hand. I lifted my arms over my head and stretched, feeling the tension in every muscle. I really needed to rest. Returning to bed, I sat beside her. "I suppose you didn't get a chance to snoop around like you wanted while I was gone, did you?"