Deviant Academy

An Actual World Legend

Rachel’s POV

“I can’t believe I’m missing out on tourney class for this.”

“Oh, come on,” says Stella, shoving me playfully. “Don’t you wanna get another look at her?”

“I know I do,” says Nate, winking at me. “More than just a look.”

I really hate that guy.

I know what you’re thinking—why do you keep f*****g him if you hate him so much?

Well, the answer is complicated. For one thing, there’s no better lay in the world. It’s not his looks—though, admittedly, his reddish-brown, dreamboat hair, ripped physique, and strong, square jawline are enough to leave most girls weak at the knees. It’s his ability—his super-strength. And, well, the size of his d**k. Okay, and his skills in bed. The guy is certainly experienced.

Beyond all that, though, it’s the fact that he’s an easy lay. And the guy I really want—Dash—is not an easily lay. 

Dash isn’t a particularly difficult lay, either, mind you—I can usually get him into bed without too much use of my Compulsion. But I’m always left wanting more, and he always, well… just leaves.

No matter how good of a Siren you are, you can't get someone to fall in love with you. 

At least with Nate, I don’t want anything more from him than s*x.

We end up waiting around in the cafeteria for almost two hours before they finally show up. 

Harley doesn’t look much different from last night. She showered, I think, so at least she doesn’t look like quite the trash bunny she did last night. But her hair is still unbrushed and unkempt, much like her new roommate’s, and she still has that ghastly, busted lip that she hasn’t bothered to cover up.

I really don’t see the big deal about her.

“Harley Harris,” Nate greets as soon as she and Payton arrive, standing up and flashing Harley a big, toothy grin. “I’m Nate Worthington. Welcome to Deviant Academy.”

I roll my eyes for more reason than one. Nate and Stella love to call this place Deviant Academy, just like they love to call our group the Deviant Squad. Personally, I’m not fond of either term. The word “Deviant” is derogatory, and just because the Deviant Society has embraced it doesn’t mean we should. What’s wrong with the term “Magics?”

“Hi,” Harley says disinterestedly to Nate, eyeing the buffet table behind him hungrily.

She is thin, though not as thin as me. Who knows when the girl had her last real meal, after how long she was on the run? I almost feel bad for her, until I remember that she’s had multiple opportunities to come here before.

What changed her mind? Seth?

Granted, Seth is hot—I’ve even f****d him myself a time or two, when I wanted to get the whole hot-for-teacher thing out of my system. He was a little freaky for me in bed, though—which is saying something—and anyway, he didn’t seem all that interested. It was fine by me that he wasn’t, really. I’ve never really been all that interested in anyone besides Dash.

I glance at Dash now, praying he won’t look as interested in Harley as Nate is. He doesn’t, but he doesn’t look disinterested, either. Great.

“Excuse us—we should get some food,” Payton says politely to Nate, taking Harley gently by the arm. Harley flinches a bit dramatically, if you ask me, but follows her to the buffet. 

Nate watches them like a hawk as they go through the line, then jumps back in as soon as they’re finished. “Why don’t you sit with us?”

Harley doesn’t look particularly excited about this, but lucky for her, Payton is smart enough to know the most important rule about the Academy: You Don’t f**k With the Deviant Squad. That includes turning down invitations to dine with us.

I don’t know Payton very well, but I make a mental note to learn more about her. Being Harley Harris’s roommate has certainly made her several notches more relevant.

“So,” says Stella once they’ve taken their seats. “What changed your mind about coming here?”

“Stella,” warns Dash, shooting her a look. “Manners.”

I poke at my food, burying my frustration at his jumping to the girl’s defense.

“It’s fine,” Harley says. “I didn’t have much of a choice. It was this or the MRB.”

I can’t help but give a shudder at that. I myself once got close to being caught by the Magic Roundup Bureau, before my parents managed to smuggle me up here.

They’re Normals, by the way—my parents. But we don’t talk about that.

“You could’ve taken them,” Nate tells Harley. “From what I hear.”

She smiles a grim, insincere smile. “Not without killing them.”

Dash glances up at this, dark eyes scanning her with the first look of true interest that I’ve seen from him so far.

I don’t like that.

“Seth must have been very convincing,” I tell her, clearing my throat. “It was those ice-blue eyes of his, wasn’t it? They’ll get you every time.”

She doesn’t so much as look at me; all she does is shrug.

Growing frustrated, I attempt to tap into my Empath abilities. As far as my Psychic side goes, I’m really more of a Siren than an Empath—I can Compel people to some extent, but I have a harder time reading them. From this girl, though, I get nothing.

Guess she’s a pretty skilled Psychic, herself.

“So, what do you ladies have in store for today?” Nate asks Harley and Payton cheerfully. “A little shopping? A little exploring?”

Payton gives Harley a moment to answer, but steps in when she doesn’t. “Yeah—all that. Nothing intense. Figured it’d be good for her to take it easy for a few days.”

“Sure, sure—for a few days. And then, come Saturday night, we can celebrate.”

“Again?” whines Stella. “But we just had a party last night.”

“That was before an actual world legend came to our school,” he reminds her. “We’ve gotta give her a proper welcome, don’t we?”

The last thing I want is to host a party for this felon in my own home, but given that it’s technically Nate’s home, there’s not much I can do about. So I smile my best fake smile and say, “I think it’s a great idea.” And then I turn my gaze on Dash and ask him through gritted teeth, “Dash, what about you?”

His gaze is still on her; it hasn’t wavered once. Thick, dark hair falls into even darker eyes as he says in that voice that kills me every time, “Sure. Why not?”

And with that, my heart sinks.