Chapter 17
Even before I opened my eyes, I could feel warm sunlight seeping into the bedroom, and I knew it was time to wake up. The faint smell of sex and spiced perfume still wafted through the air, and when I slowly peeled my eyes open, a small satisfied smile broke across my face.
Morgana and Vesta were deep asleep on each side of me, and they both had their slender arms draped over my scarred chest. The two of them reminded me of sleeping statues with their long, silken eyelashes, rosy cheeks, and slightly parted lips. Their sweet-scented bodies were pressed tightly against my skin, and as much as I wanted to let them sleep, I knew it was time to rouse them awake.
We had another class to get to, and this time, I wanted to be the first one to arrive, especially since it was premonition class with Headmistress Theodora.
“Hey,” I whispered as I brushed the hair out of the sleeping witches’ closed eyes. “It’s time to wake up. We have class.”
“Class?” Morgana mumbled, and her voice was thick with sleep.
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “Premonition.”
“Satan!” the brunette squealed before her eyes wildly fluttered open, and she looked around the room. “What time is it? Are we late? Didn’t the others think to wake us--”
“Easy there.” I grinned. “We still have time… look at the sun… it’s barely risen.”
“Oh,” the bookish brunette sighed with relief. “Still, I suppose I’d better get to my room and find a fresh uniform… Vesta, are you awake?”
“Barely,” the elvish witch sighed with her eyes still tightly squeezed shut. “You heard what Cole said… we still have time.”
“But I want to clean up and get dressed before we head to class,” Morgana insisted as she pulled off the sheets. “Remember, it’s not just any class, it’s premonition with Headmistress Theodora!”
“I know that,” Vesta mumbled with her head buried deep into the pillow. “There’s no need to raise your voice.”
“Sorry,” Morgana replied as she picked up her discarded clothing, “but we really should get going.”
“Fiiiiiine,” the lavender witch moaned before she pulled herself upright and turned to look at me with half-hooded eyelids. “Thank you for the amazing night, master… even when I fell asleep, I still dreamt of your glorious cock.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” I smirked. “I had quite a fun time as well.”
Vesta flashed me a sexy wink before she climbed out of bed and collected her scattered clothing, and then the two witches both blew kisses in my direction before they slipped out the door.
When they were both out of sight, I chuckled to myself, tossed the sheets off my naked body, planted my feet on the floor, and then stretched.
“Shall I prepare a bath for you, sir?” Cordelia’s high-pitched voice rang through the air.
“Ah!” I gasped. “Sorry, Cordelia… sometimes I forget you’re there.”
“It happens more often than you’d think, sir,” the old, invisible maid responded. “Anyway, no matter… would you still care for a bath?”
“Yes, thank you, Cordelia,” I responded. “A bath would be perfect.”
“Excellent, sir,” she said as the water began to run. “I’ll have breakfast prepared for you and your ladies as well.”
“What would I do without you?” I grinned.
“I’m sure you’d manage,” the maid giggled, and if she were visible, I’d bet she would be blushing.
I chuckled to myself as I stepped into the bathroom, and when the bathtub was filled with warm, light-blue water, I submerged myself in its ecstasy. My body instantly relaxed, and all my tight muscles seemed to uncoil at once. The room smelled of rosewood, lavender, and lemon, and it flooded all my senses as I leaned back and enjoyed this small morning pleasure.
After I washed my hair and scrubbed myself clean, I forced myself to step out of the water and dried off with a towel, and when I returned to the bedroom, there was a clean uniform waiting for me on the bed.
“Thank you, Cordelia,” I said as I dressed.
“Of course, sir,” she answered. “Breakfast is ready and served down in the common room… I believe the others are already digging in.”
“Perfect.” I smirked as I neared the sea-glass mirror, and I thought I caught a flash of movement from the corner of the glass, but perhaps I was just imagining things.
“You look well, Cole,” a familiar voice said from behind me, and when I spun around, Headmistress Theodora stood in front of me, dressed in a tight white gown, with a small smile plastered on her beautiful face.
“Headmistress!” I gasped. “You startled me for a moment there… err, can I help you with something?”
“I just wanted to thank you for what you did to the Mors Academy,” Theodora answered before she tucked back a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Luna informed me it was your idea to attack the treacherous school with the shadow doubles, so I gathered I’d personally thank you before class began.”
“Oh… well, you’re welcome,” I chuckled as I stared at her form fitting gown. “You didn’t have to come all the way here for that.”
“You know it’s no trouble at all…” She grinned before her pale blue eyes trailed down my body, and for some reason, a twinge of arousal coursed through my veins, but I quickly shoved the feeling aside. “Well, I’ll see you in class, then. Enjoy your breakfast.”
Before I could answer, she snapped her fingers and evaporated into a cloud of purple smoke, and as the mist cleared, I shook my head and chuckled softly to myself. I thought it was strange she would want to thank me in my bedroom, but perhaps she had an ulterior motive. The idea that she wanted more from me than she was letting on sent pleasant shivers down my spine, but I also knew the thought was something I’d have to set aside for now.
I had a class to focus on, and other delicious ideas could wait for now, so I brushed my long, black hair out of my pale blue eyes and adjusted my collar before I spun on my heels and headed out the door.
When I stepped into the common room, all the women were dressed and spoiling themselves with a full breakfast. They were so immersed in their food, they didn’t even hear me approaching, and I couldn’t blame them.
The food looked absolutely divine, and I wondered if it was because we were in for one hell of a class.
“Good morning, master,” Akira said after she plopped a berry into her mouth. “Grab a plate… Cordelia truly outdid herself this morning.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” I said as I looked around the crowded coffee table.
I spotted plates of pumpkin pancakes, stacks of wild berry pixie muffins, boiled and scrambled griffin eggs, freshly baked cinnamon toast, pitchers of exotic fruit juices, and pots of spiced coffee.
As I fixed myself a plate and situated myself comfortably on the sofa, I briefly wondered what today would hold. What else could we learn about ancient premonition? It was no secret premonition was my favorite class, and as I filled my belly, I grew more and more excited.
“I’m nervous,” Morgana said as she set her empty plate down on the table. “Am I the only one?”
“No.” Penelope shook her head. “I am, too… not only is premonition a difficult class, but now we’re facing ancient premonition, and the last thing I want to do is choke in front of Headmistress Theodora.”
“I agree,” Vesta purred as she ran her slender fingers through her gleaming green locks. “My nerves are completely shot… I can’t even eat a bite of this delicious meal… my stomach is in knots.”
“Maybe you could use a hit of my dragon breath,” Nyx suggested with a coy smile. “It does wonders for uncontrollable nerves.”
“Oh, come on,” Akira said as she dismissively waved her hand through the air. “You’re all overthinking it… the best strategy is to go in with a clear head.”
“Easy for you to say, Akira,” Morgana huffed with furrowed eyebrows. “You never worry about anything.”
“That’s not true,” the black-eyed witch retorted. “I do worry about things… I just don’t feel the need to express it all the fucking time.”
“Besides,” I cut in before the two witches could continue hounding each other. “Akira is right… the best way to go into this class is with a cool, calm, and collected attitude. So, I order all of you to relax before we head to class. Understood?”
“Yes, master,” the women responded in unison, and their shoulders collectively slumped as the effects of the blood pact kicked in.
“Great,” I sighed. “Now, let’s go… I want to grab a table near the front of the room this time.”
The women all nodded in agreement before they collected their bags, and we headed out the door. As we trailed down the corridors, I could tell my women weren’t the only ones who were worried about ancient premonition because each passing student either had a pair of furrowed eyebrows or small frowns plastered across their faces as they headed toward class. The energy was tense and so thick I could have cut it with my bonded blade.
“Well, here we are,” I said as we stepped inside Theodora’s cluttered but beautifully adorned classroom.
The walls were made of deep red velvet, and rows of intricately carved bookcases were lined against the back of the room. The floors were made out of deep, dark mahogany wood, and piles of patterned carpets covered the center of the room. A black diamond chandelier dangled from the ceiling, and the tall red candles lit up the classroom. Theodora’s desk was at the front of the room, per usual, and it was almost bare, aside from a roll of parchment, a feathered quill, and a small gold goblet.
However, the one thing that stood out the most were the small gold cages hanging from the ceiling. They were filled with little critters like colorful birds, silver mice, dust-gray rats, chubby possums, and black bats.
“What a lovely room,” Morgana marveled as she spun in a small circle. “Look at all the books!”
“Yeah, but Satan… look at the students,” Akira chuckled under her breath. “They look like they’ve seen their own ghosts.”
“I’ve seen my own ghost,” a familiar voice said from behind us.
When we spun around, the beautiful blonde Circe stood there with a small smile etched across her face. Beatrix stood by her side, and when the honeyed-brunette met my eyes, she quickly looked down and fumbled with the unusual charms on her necklace.
“You’ve seen your own ghost?” Morgana repeated in a skeptical tone. “How?”
“Duh, I died,” Circe giggled as she looked around the room. “What a lovely room… but I can’t help but feel like everyone is on edge… am I right, or is it just me?”
The serpentine witch was right. As we stared at the beautifully decorated room, I couldn’t help but notice the air was still thick with tension. The class wasn’t flooded with students just yet, but still, each pupil had eyes as wide as saucers, and their lips were quivering with anticipation.
“Everyone is worried about how they’re going to do in class today,” Faye explained as her golden-green eyes darted in different directions.
“Ah.” Circe smirked. “Well, if they keep a cool head, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“That’s what I said,” I muttered as my eyes fell on an empty desk by the front of the room. “We should probably take a seat.”
“Oh, yes, how lovely,” Circe agreed. “We’ve had to sit in the back for the past few lessons, and I much prefer to sit closer where I can hear better.”
I chuckled and shook my head as I stared around the classroom. It was filling up quickly, and judging by the strange owl clock above Theodora’s desk, it was almost time for class to begin.
Then, as I pulled out a piece of parchment from my bag, a gust of wind whipped through the classroom, and a small cloud of purple smoke erupted in the middle of the room.
When the mist cleared, Headmistress Theodora stood there dressed in a different, auburn gown, and her dark hair was piled up into a mass of curls on top of her head. Her cheeks and lips were painted with rouge, and her bright eyes were filled with mischief as she glanced around the classroom.
“Well, well, well,” she purred with a small smile. “Everyone’s a little bundle of nerves this morning… no need to strain yourselves with concern. If you pay close attention, take your notes, and follow instructions… all will be well.”
Just the sound of her soothing voice seemed to be enough for the class to relax. In moments, I could feel the tension leaving the air and soft sighs filled the room as Theodora paced back and forth with her hands folded neatly behind her back.
“That’s much better.” The headmistress smiled. “Now… before we begin… who would like to remind the class what the four levels of psychic abilities are? You should all know them by now… ah, yes, Miss Morgana?”
“The four levels are apportation, telesthesia, psychoscopy, and telepathy,” Morgana recited with her chin raised up in triumph.
“Yes, we’ve gone over these before,” Theodora remarked as she studied the class, “but perhaps Miss Morgana should remind the class what each ability specifically focuses on?”
“I’d love to,” the bookish brunette said with a keen sparkle in her eyes. “Apportation is the ability to manipulate any object with your mind, which can be achieved through the motus spell. Telepathy is the skill of mind-reading… which is arguably one of the most difficult aspects of premonition. Thirdly, telesthesia is the skill of seeing or sensing danger or obstacles before they appear, which we have learned through the periculum spell. Finally, we have psychopathy, and that is the talent of acquiring information through touch… and the spell for that is ‘secretum mentis.’”
“Excellent as always, Miss Morgana.” The headmistress nodded. “Now, as you all know, the ancient spells are far more difficult to perfect than what we’re normally accustomed to teaching, but I have faith in all of you. With the right amount of practice, I know you will be able to achieve greatness… so, without further ado, the first spell we’ll be performing is an older and far more powerful version of motus. With this spell, you will not only be able to control the elements, but you’ll also be able to burst heads open and rip hearts out from rib cages.”
As soon as the headmistress uttered those words, the entire class erupted into excited whispers and soft giggles. When I glanced around my table, each witch had a giant smile splashed across her face, and all sense of foreboding and concern had utterly washed away.
Now, the room was filled with bloodthirsty excitement, and I relished in it.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Theodora chuckled as she waved her hand through the air. “It’s all exhilarating, I know. But if we want to perfect the ancient spell, we must pay close attention. If you utter one word incorrectly or mispronounce a single vowel, your head will be the one exploding into a thousand bloody bits and pieces… understood?”
The room fell deadly silent at once, and Theodora nodded when all eyes were solely focused on her.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she chuckled before she edged over to her desk and then pulled open one of the drawers.
We watched in silence as the headmistress retrieved the crimson book of ancient spells and carefully set it down on her desk. Then, with the power of her mind, she flipped the pages until she found whatever she was looking for.
“Ah,” she purred. “Here we go… yes… lovely… alright.”
“Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm,” Morgana whispered under her breath as Akira rolled her black eyes.
“Here we are!” Theodora said as she tossed her hands up into the air. “Now… before we begin, I’d like everyone to close their eyes and take in a deep, steady breath. Feel the darkness all around you and relish in our lord’s evil grace. Let his unholiness penetrate your soul and enter your minds… yes, that’s it. Can you feel it?”
As I remained still in my seat and closed my eyes, I could feel an icy, comforting chill creeping up my spine, and in moments I could sense deep darkness penetrating my open mind and sweeping over my entire consciousness.
“Now…” Theodora said after a minute or two. “Open your eyes… doesn’t that feel so much better?”
I smiled to myself as a cloud of darkness hovered over the entire class, and I could feel pure evil seeping into my bones and taking over my whole body. I’d opened my mind to Satan and allowed the dark powers that be to take total control.
And now, I was ready for fucking anything.
“I can feel a shift in the air,” the headmistress purred as she carefully studied the entire room. “Now that we have the perfect setting, let us move onto the actual spell, ‘modus antiquorum.’”
When the spell left her red lips, an ear-splitting screech instantly filled the air. The entire class groaned, and when I looked up, a bat inside a gold cage was violently trembling. Its shrill cries penetrated our eardrums right before it burst into a cloud of red gore and tiny bones.
“Ewww,” Akira snickered. “That was fucking awesome.”
“I hope everyone was paying close attention.” Theodora smiled as cages of different animals floated down and were set in front of us.
When my cage landed on my desk, I saw a starved, withered rat scurrying around in a frantic circle, and when its beady eyes looked into mine, it opened its ugly mouth and snarled at me, like the pathetic thing stood a chance.
“Alright,” Theodora said as she folded her hands in front of her. “Go on, then… destroy whichever animal has been set in front of you using the ancient motus spell.”
Before I even had a chance to utter a word, I heard a small explosion from behind me, followed by a short scream.
When I whipped around, a witch with short, dark-green hair trembled in her seat and was covered in thick red blood and brain matter. Next to her, a headless student was splattered over the desk as wisps of smoke seeped out from her gory opening.
“Oh, dear,” Theodora sighed as the decapitated body finally slumped to the floor. “I supposed she didn’t pronounce it correctly… see what I mean? Now, please proceed with caution. I don’t want to lose any more witches, for Satan’s sake! We are trying to grow the academy!”
My entire table gulped as they stared down at their trapped animals, and before anyone could utter a word, I leaned in and beckoned them to come closer.
“You’re going to be fine,” I reminded them. “You have the pact to protect you… and Beatrix, Circe, you two will do an excellent job as well. Just focus, okay?”
“You’re right, master,” Faye said, and her mouth was set into a firm line. “I’m not afraid.”
“Neither am I,” Akira added with a fervent nod. “Let’s fucking do this.”
“Yeah,” Circe chuckled before she rolled up her sleeves and tossed back her beautiful blonde hair. “I died once, and it wasn’t so bad… if I die again, then it’s Satan’s will.”
While the others prepared to utter the spell, I narrowed my eyes at the pathetic rat in front of me and willed it to blow up into a million bloody pieces. I thought of nothing except the blood running through its tiny veins, and I pictured its beady eyes popping out of their gooey sockets. I relished in the thought of its small, fragile bones exploding into a thousand pieces, and when I felt like I was ready, I took a deep breath, and then the corners of my lips pulled up into a grin.
Modus antiquorum.
In seconds, the filthy, starved rat started to shake within its confinements, and its small withered body burst into countless bloody bits and pieces. Gore, blood, and bone splattered all over my desk, shirt, and face as a putrid stench wafted through the air, and the others all stared at me with wide, delighted gazes.
“Well done, Cole!” Theodora praised with bright, gleaming eyes.
“Master!” Akira grinned. “That was amazing.”
“Give it a try,” I suggested as I wiped a severed rat tail off from my table. “It feels incredible.”
The other women narrowed their eyes at their own confined animals, and without further hesitation or an ounce of fear, they focused on their target. Within seconds, each small animal combusted into a cloud of red smoke.
The rest of the students took notice, and quickly, the classroom was covered in splashes of animal blood.
“Fuck, yeah!” Penelope shrieked with pride. “That did feel amazing.”
“It almost felt like an orgasm,” Akira added with a small smirk. “Just not as great, of course.”
“I want to do it again,” Circe giggled. “Satan, I can’t remember the last time I felt so powerful.”
“Now that we’ve all mastered the art of ancient motus… let’s move on, shall we?” Headmistress Theodora purred. “As Morgana mentioned, another ability we’ve covered is the art of retrieving secrets and information through touch. We’re all familiar with ‘secretum mentis’… now just imagine what can be possible when touch isn’t even required? All you have to do is open your mind to the darkness and mentally utter the words, ‘aperire secreta.’ Then all secrets you wish to obtain shall be revealed.”
As the headmistress smiled coyly around at the class, she snapped her fingers, and in the next moment, a giant cloud of purple smoke erupted near her desk. The smoke cleared after a few seconds, and in its place was a warlock tied to a chair. He had deep, plum-colored hair, sallow skin, and red-rimmed brown eyes, and he was covered in blood, dirt, and Satan only knows what else.
“No!” The filthy warlock squirmed as he looked pathetically around the room. “Please, let me go!”
“And where would you run off to?” Theodora asked in a saccharine tone. “Your entire academy is gone. We’ve ensured each brother of yours met a terrible, cruel, and unforgivable end.”
When the headmistress uttered those words, she turned around to meet my gaze, and I saw the corners of her lips twitch up into a small smile. Then she flashed me a discreet wink before she turned to look back down at the warlock.
“You’re lying!” he spat as saliva dripped from the corners of his lips. “Why should I believe a word you say?”
“I don’t give a damn what you believe,” she chuckled, “but I will believe anything that comes out of your mouth… and trust me when I say… the pain you’re about to endure will be like nothing else you’ve ever experienced.”
“Wait… no!” he screamed, and the veins in his forehead began to visibly throb.
“Tell me… when did your beloved and deceased headmaster decide he was going to worship the elder gods instead of our one true lord?” Theodora asked with her head tilted to the side. “There’s really no point in lying… none of your comrades are alive.”
Instead of being smart, the idiotic warlock spat at the headmistress’ feet and narrowed his eyes as he glared up at her.
“Fuck you,” he growled. “I’d rather die.”
“Oh,” Theodora said in a sweet voice. “That’s perfectly alright with me…”
We all held our breath as the headmistress raised her hand into the air and aimed it right at the warlock. His pale, sallow face quickly grew red, and his features twisted into an expression of pure pain and undeniable anguish.
“Now,” Theodora purred. “Let’s try this again. When did Headmaster Ravana decide to turn to the elders?”
“H-H-He… changed the curriculum during m-m-my preschool year,” the warlock stuttered. “I-I-I… that’s all I know… please.”
“It doesn’t even matter.” Theodora smiled. “Now… let’s send you back into the dungeons. We’re running low on your kind.”
“Wait, no!” he squealed like one of the mice inside the cages. “Please don’t send me ba--”
Before he could finish his plea for mercy, Theodora snapped her fingers, and the treacherous bastard was sent back into the dungeons to suffer and rot.
“Well, now that we’ve covered two crucial components of ancient premonition,” Theodora said, “I think we’d better end the lesson there.”
A chorus of disappointed groans filled the air, but Theodora paid no mind to it. Instead, she turned to her desk and began to look through her book, which was odd, since the class was supposedly finished.
“Excuse me, Headmistress?” Circe said with her hand raised up into the air. “What about the other two abilities?”
“We’ll try and cover that as well,” Theodora answered with a small smile. “In time… but for now, practice what we’ve already learned.”
The class murmured their agreements, and we spent the rest of the class period practicing our spells on different creatures of various sizes.
Finally, Theodora clapped her hands and looked around the classroom. “I think we’ve exercised enough of your power and energy for one class. Now, off with you all. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
As students began to collect their belongings and head for the door, my coven took their time to pack their quills and parchment.
“I’m starving,” Akira said as she brushed a chunk of furry flesh out of her hair.
“Me, too,” Faye grunted, and she pressed her hand against her stomach. “That spell really drained me.”
“Yeah, we just had a huge breakfast,” Nyx mumbled, “but for some reason, I feel the need to gorge on a whole unicorn.”
“Even the horn?” Circe giggled.
“Sure, why not?” the blue-skinned witch chuckled.
“I used to collect dead unicorn horns and hooves,” the serpentine witch sighed. “Now, the more I think about it, the more I’m craving meat.”
“Let’s just get to the banquet hall before you eat each other,” I laughed.
“Cole,” Headmistress Theodora interjected. “Would you stay behind? I need to speak with you.”
“Sure,” I said as I looked at the others. “Go on… I’ll meet you later.”
The women nodded in agreement, but I could see a mixture of curiosity and confusion in their eyes as they slowly left the classroom. When we were alone, I turned to look at Theodora, and I thought I recognized the sparkle of mischief in her pale blue eyes.
“What’s going on, Headmistress?” I asked as I set down my bag on a nearby desk.
“Well,” Theodora began, “Perhaps Professor Crimson would like to explain.”
When I turned to the doorway, I saw the necromancy professor standing at the threshold, and she wore a long red gown that was the same shade of ruby red as her hair. She had her hands folded in front of her, and a small smile crept across her face when she met my eyes.
“Hello, Cole,” the redheaded professor purred. “Are you in the mood for a little adventure?”
“Err… well… where am I going?” I asked with an awkward smile. “I need to know that before I can answer.”
“You’re going to hell,” both witches responded in unison, and my heart just about stopped inside my chest.
I could feel the smile on my face die as I dropped my belongings, and a cold chill swept over my entire body. No Wicca as far as I knew ever ventured to hell and lived to tell the tale.