Bloodline Secrecy: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel (Bloodline Academy Book 2), Lan Chan [readict TXT] 📗

“It’s called an ambush, my dear,” Jacqueline said.

It finally dawned on me what was happening. Now I was the one blushing. My mouth opened but nothing came out.

“Don’t look like that, Lex,” Jacqueline said. “This is a new experience for all of us.”

I shoved my hands into the sleeves of my top and crossed them over my chest. Like that would be some kind of barrier to this suddenly mortifying situation.

“I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable,” she said. She narrowed her eyes at Kai. “It’s just that if I didn’t take matters into my own hands, I would never get my foot in.”

“Maybe that’s a sign to mind your own business, Gran,” Kai said.

She turned her nose up at him. “This is my business. I don’t want to have to hear about things second-hand from Cassie.”

Oh my God.

“Do I really need to be here?” I asked. “I’ve got a very important sorting class coming up that I need to brush up on.”

“Don’t even think about leaving,” Kai snapped.

“Stop giving me orders!”

He glared at me. I glared back. There was an apple on the fruit plate. It would make an excellent weapon. Kai arched his scarred brow. The motion sent a tingle all the way through me. Dammit he was gorgeous.

“Don’t you dare, Blue. You’ve got terrible aim.”

I saw red. “Well, your circles look like they’ve been drawn by a turtle on acid,” I spat back. Jacqueline burst out laughing. I couldn’t help staring. It was the first time I’d seen or heard real mirth from her. She’d always been kind to me but there was a polite professionalism about it. This was new.

“At least I don’t have to worry about her holding her own against you,” Jacqueline said. She winked at me.

“You have no idea,” Kai muttered under his breath. Lucky for him he was smiling, so I decided to rethink throwing something at his head. He nudged my plate towards me. I could feel him fighting the urge to give me another order. This was going to grate on my last nerve.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

I gave him a look that said I knew exactly what he was doing, but I picked up a sandwich, nonetheless. The silence stretched out. It was apparent that the only thing we all had in common was the Academy. They seemed content to just be present in each other’s company. I was in awkward-ville.

Given my background, it wasn’t a stretch to say the boys weren’t exactly beating down my door. Sometimes Kai would say something to me, and I had to shake myself because I was suddenly hit with a wave of incredulity. Like I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Sufficed to say my experience at making conversations with boyfriends’ relatives was non-existent. Sitting there shovelling food into my mouth at breakneck speed was going to give me indigestion. I wracked my brain for something to say.

Jacqueline must have sensed my frantic thoughts because she nodded towards the demon blade strapped to my back.

“I see you’ve started carrying it around with you again,” she said. I nodded.

“I had a meeting with the nymphs this morning.”

This made Kai put down his plate. “And?”

“We’ve come to an understanding.”

He blew out a breath and rubbed his jaw. “Good. I’m tired of the complaints about them terrorising the other students.”

“Oh, so it’s okay for them to terrorise me?”

He grinned, pushing his chair back again. “You thrive on adversity.”

I had to look away from the suddenly dark edge to his features or we’d be in trouble. “They’re going to try and teach me to be faster,” I said, my voice a little husky. “I may have to learn how to meditate properly.”

Kai narrowed his eyes at me. “What did I say to you months ago?”

“Don’t start.”

I could see his jaw flexing like he was trying so hard to stop himself from saying I told you so. Thankfully, Jacqueline interjected. “Professor Eldridge and I have regular meditation sessions,” she said. “You’re welcome to join us.”

I tried not to smile at the idea of the two Amazons in yoga pants and sweatshirts doing meditation. If that’s what it took, I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

“I’d love to!”

“Fantastic! I’ll send you the schedule. Just come whenever it doesn’t clash with your other commitments.”

Kai coughed, suddenly looking pale. There was a calculating gleam in his eyes as he watched me and then turned his attention to his grandmother. I had a feeling he didn’t relish the idea of us spending time without him. Somebody was too much of a control freak.

I felt marginally better when the warning bell for class rang. “Thanks for lunch,” I said. “I really have to run.”

Kai moved with me, opening the door for me on our way out. Jacqueline’s office wasn’t in the same section as the rest of our classes. The hallways here were less crowded and there tended to be more teachers about than students.

We were walking past what I thought was a supply closet when Kai wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me inside. It turned out to be a small atrium that I hadn’t ever noticed. My interest would have been piqued had it not been for the six-foot-something Nephilim pressing me up against the closed door.

His head dipped as he placed his palms on either side of my shoulders. “I’m going to be late,” I breathed.

“I’ll teleport you.”

He kissed me. Some things you got used to out of sheer repetition. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to the sensation of his lips on mine. Or the spark of fire that ignited in my gut as his scent wrapped around me. When he gripped my jaw, the pressure was at fiery odds with the gentleness of his tongue sliding across my lower lip.

The demon blade rattled behind my back. There was a moment of blinding clarity when the blade’s intentions shattered