Chapter 5
Another work day.
“I made us breakfast.”
Conrad had gotten up early and surprised us with sweet pancakes with syrup and berries I collected the day before.
Turns out Nicholas hates sweets, so he wasn’t happy with this and only ate a bowl of fruit – we had a lot.
“Thank you,” I say hugging Conrad after eating. Then stand on my tiptoes, I pull him down to me and press a lingering kiss to his lips. His lips are hot against mine. I expected it to feel weird, but it felt natural, as it does with Nicholas. I pull back sightly to gage his reaction. He is surprised, but happy. I give him one more kiss before taking a step back. I glance at his younger brother and he is smiling, he looks genuinely happy to share with his older brothers.
“Do I get a kiss too?” I turn to Vincent who gives me a brilliant smile. He is sinfully handsome, they all are. Nicholas is the emotionless, broody one, Conrad is the sweet, kind one and Vincent, the cheeky one.
His forwardness makes me feel nervous.
“Vincent,” Nicholas says in a warning tone. He is amazing at reading my emotions. “It’s alright, Nick,” I tell him and walk over to his oldest brother not wanting him to feel left out.
I move to peck his lips, only he surprises me by picking me up and crashing his lips to mine. In seconds he has his tongue in my mouth. It is clear he hadn’t kissed anyone before, not that I am surprised. But it is an amazing kiss.
We pull apart a moment later and I can feel his arousal digging into my leg.
“Vincent!” Nicholas is clearly annoyed and pulls me away from his brother and into his arms.
“You will scare her away.” He leads me out of the cottage not giving his brother a chance to react.
“Nicholas, she hasn’t any shoes on!” Conrad calls following us with my shoes. Nicholas stops. “I’m sorry, Katrina,” He apologises. “I can’t lose you,” He whispers not wanting his brother who is putting me shoes on me to hear.
“I’m yours forever. Cloud loves you already.” He can’t help but laugh. We both see his tail in the bushes near us. It begins to wag hearing his name.
“I’m sorry, Katrina,” Vincent approaches us. “I didn’t intend to scare you.”
“I know you didn’t. I care for you too. And call me Kat.”
The brothers make peace, they both understood one another’s reasons, so neither are angry.
“Let’s do an outside lesson today.” All the Forester brothers are tutoring me today. Nicholas has free rein of my lesson plan and the school. And that is how we end up on one of the schools training fields with Cloud.
We has only been there a few minutes and I am sat with the giant puppy’s heads on my lap with the brothers trying to explain the normal way to cast a spell when I notice the principal and a teacher approaching.
Cloud’s ears perk up and he moves into a defense stance sensing they mean harm.
Seeing this, Vincent runs over, meeting them, likely warning them off since they lower their staffs. Mr Harington says something to the teacher, sending him away. The teacher doesn’t look happy but has no choice but to do as told.
The moment the teacher is out of sight Cloud relaxes.
“Don’t think he likes your teacher friend, Jules,” I say with a grin as Mr Harington stops a few feet away.
I know I should call him principal or Mr Harington, but I don’t. He doesn’t seem to mind too much. We were friends before I came here. “It appears not.” He moves closer to get a better look at Cloud who bows his head in response.
“Fascinating.” He looks him over and then strokes his heads. “Beautiful boy.” Cloud is lapping up the attention. “I don’t think he’s a normal Ceberus.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve had a lot of reports of wild dogs hanging around the woods. One must have mated with a Ceberus and this guy is the result.”
“It makes sense. None of the Ceberus looked like him.”
“Yes, he’s a real beauty. I hear he’s your familiar?” He asks me. I nod and am about to answer but stop when Cloud bolts after a big fat rabbit hopping by.
“He’s hungry,” Conrad thinks out loud.
“It’s…” I am about to say too fast. But then a long tongue come out of the middle head. It wrapped around the rabbit and draws it in. I watched wide eyes as he dislocates his jaw to reveal a head filled with dangerous, razor sharp teeth. The rabbit is pulled into his mouth and he begins to swallow it before he closes his mouth.
The rabbit squeaks as its head is crushed and it is killed as Cloud closes his mouth.
“No doubt, he is a hybrid. That is how Cerberus feed.”
“I’m glad he’s on our side,” I say impressed and a little scared how easily he could kill me if he didn’t like me.
Cloud comes back a moment later and plops back next to me happily.
The Principal chuckles but then looks to me.
“I’m glad found your familiar and congratulations on your engagement.”
I don’t question how he knew. “I am glad you two are here because I have some unsettling news.” Everyone turns more serious.
“What’s happened?” Vincent asks, all traces of the cheeky guy gone.
“I’ve had my suspicions for a while that someone has been monitoring my student files. I have tried putting in protective measures but that person in question keeps finding ways around them. For the last few months I’ve had no problems until a few nights ago.” He explains how someone broke in and stole a file.
“I don’t understand how it keeps happening. But last night someone broke into the girls dorm.”
“Who did the file belong to?” Nicholas asks as though he already knew. At the same he moves behind me where I now stand and drews his arms around my waist. This worries me.
“It was Katrina’s file and her dorm. Luckily her room mate was out too. The person got away.”
“How did this happen?” Vincent asks angry. Nicholas’s arms tighten around me.
“I have all the staff on watch but they always get around my precautions.”
“They must be staff,” Vincent thinks out loud.
“I came to the same conclusion. But this is the first time they have gone after someone.”
“But how can you be sure they are going after me? Why would they? I don’t know anything or have any money.”
“I suspect they have been checking all new arrivals test scores looking for high levels.”
“But Nick is a nine, why bother with me?” Vincent and Conrad seem to be thinking the same, but I’m not angry at them. It is what we are all thinking.
“You’re not a level nine,” He answers.
“Exactly, so why not…” He shakes his head causing me to stop mid sentence.
“You don’t understand. A untrained high level is incredibly rare, easy to brainwash and be tricked into using their power for bad.” I nod in understanding. “And you’re a level ten.”
“What?” Conrad and Vincent are as surprised as me.
“I can’t be.”
“You are,” Nicholas replies this time. “I heard rumours level tens don’t need help focusing, but you are the only person I’ve ever seen who cast a spell without a wand or staff to focus your magic. Not to mention you don’t use real spells, you don’t even have to speak to perform magic.” I remember the butterflies and blush.
“But I can’t do a protection spell,” I argue.
“You perform protection magic everytime you fall.”
I think back and it makes sense. “I never thought of that before,” I mumble embarrassed.
“Our little Kat is a level ten?” Neither Vincent or Conrad seem to believe it.
“Yes. With training she could do anything and under different circumstances I would train her personally. But with this person around…” The principal looks to Nicholas. “I want you to take Katrina home with you and continue her training, perhaps your brothers and fathers can help?”
“That’s no problem.”
“You’ll still recieve you diploma, but it isn’t safe for her here.” He looks to me again and takes one of my hands in his. “You are a breath of fresh air and I love you as my our child. I want you here but it’s not safe. I’m contacting the Magic Council to send help tracking the rogue down.”
I’ve always been a little empathic, so I know he isn’t lying. It’s how I knew the Forster brothers geuninely love me after just one kiss. I know most would worry Nicholas is using them for their power, but I know he isn’t.
“Once they are caught you can return and I’ll help you. I’ve never met another level ten but perhaps the council could assist me in developing a real course for you.”
I do care for him. He is a good man. Annoying at times, but has a good heart.
We speak for a little longer before going our different ways. But he promises to call the Forster residence to keep us informed. But I’ll contact my parents myself once at the guys house. The principal won’t record where I have gone and hopefully the person won’t put mine and the Forster’s departure together. But if they do I’ll have at least half a dozen level nines to protect me.
Vincent calls someone to send a large car. We are taking Cloud with us. Nicholas reluctantly left me to collect his belongings from his dorm and the classroom we used. Conrad went to the cottage to collect things left, including Snow. We might have to put the owl in a cage for its own protection.
Vincent accompanies me to my dorm. I can feel the worry pouring off him.
How come I couldn’t sense Nicholas feelings before I knew who he was?
I suspect it was because we had never actually had any skin to skin contact. It’s strange like that.
“Will your parents mind me coming with you?” I ask as I pack my things. “I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
He moves in and steals a kiss.
“They will love having you. They always wanted a daughter. But a girl hasn’t been born in the Forster family for a long time.”
“So I shouldn’t expect us to have daughters?” I think out loud causing him to smile. Blush realising what I just said.
“We might. Never say never, Kat.”
He steals another kiss. “Does this mean you are marrying me and Conrad too?”
“I thought we already decided that? After that kiss you gave me earlier I thought both our feelings were clear.”
He doesn’t say anything but can’t stop smiling. We leave my dorm and thankfully don’t see anyone except the dorm mother who has been swore to secrecy by the principal. But promises to tell my roommate I am sorry and will contact her when safe.
We arrive outside just in time to see Nicholas walking to the girls dorm. He looks relieved seeing me.
“I’m fine. Let’s get these in the car and get Cloud. The car is here, right?” He nods his head and steals a kiss. “Conrad has managed to get Snow in dark box to sleep. He is rearranging things to fit Cloud.”
We arrive at the car only a minute later. I can see Cloud hidden in the trees which surrounds the school.
Calling his name, he runs straight over and seems to understand what is happening.
The driver stares at him terrified.
“Don’t worry. He’s harmless.” I put my hand in one of the dogs mouths to prove a point and all he does is drool on me.
He is harmless to me. He loves me and I love him. If I asked he’d kill the driver, but I don’t go into details not wanting to scare him.
I let him stroke Cloud to ease his nerves and soon we are on the road.
Cloud seems interested in Snow’s box but I try my best to explain to him.
But he doesn’t seem to understand. We end up having to stop at a market on our way and we buy him a bag filled with cooked chicken breasts. They had full chickens but I didn’t want to risk the bones splintering and hurting him.
I had to wait in the car and let Conrad and Vincent go since Cloud wants out when I do.
Thankfully that did the job. He went to sleep leaving Snow safe.
“Does your parents have any familiars or pets?” I ask thinking about their safety.
“Our dad has a familiar, a raven called Kole and mam has a pet dog, a toy poodle called Suga,” Conran replies. “But don’t worry, I’ll go in with Snow first and make sure they are out of Cloud’s way until he’s trained.”
I nod and thank him. “He might be alright with Suga but best to be safe.”
“There is plenty of space for him to run and the property is gated off,” Nicholas tells me.
“That’s good. I want him and everyone else to be safe.”
“And there are plenty of wildlife that sneaks on the land that he can eat,” Vincent says and Nicholas agrees. “Yes, moles and all kinds digging up the garden.”
“Magic seems to attract even the non-magical creatures,” Conran explains.
