“Oh hell yes, let’s go check it out!”a taller male student cried out, and the class emptied in a hurry aside from me, Temps, and our professor.I stood up, gesturing at the window with my head as I slung my bag over my shoulder.Temps rolled her eyes but followed me down, and we walked up to the window to read the flyers that were still stuck to the panes.
Come one, come all to the Illusion de Lumière Carnival!Death-defying stunts, fire-breathing, soaring through the sky on the flying trapeze, and more!Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.Spooks and sweets for all!Corn maze!Fun house!Games!Every night from now until November 1st.
“A carnival?Already?It’s still September.”Temps turned away from the window, shaking her head as we crossed the room toward the exit.
“It’s Rockport by way of Salem, dude.Spooky Season begins when the first leaf turns orange.”
She laughed, but I definitely didn’t miss the way her eyes tracked over to Harkert as she passed, or the way his own followed her right back.The energy wafting around was something else, making me feel like I’d smoked too many clove and wormwood cigarettes.I hurried along after her, though, ready to snatch up one of those flyers the moment we got outside.
As I passed Harkert, I flashed him a grin, certainly laying it on a little thick.“See ya, teach.”
He leveled me with a stare, the muscles of his jaw working as he clenched it.“Ms.Chamberlain.”
“Oh, come on.Lighten up.”I reached the door, pausing to grip the jam and turn up the heat on my stare, ever so grateful that I’d cut this skirt to hit me at the mid-thigh.“It’s Lizzie.”
He didn’t say anything, and Temps called for me down the hallway.Still, as I took off after her, I could feel the burn of Harkert’s eyes on my skin.
This is going to be fun.
Four-Tempering Temptation Often Requires Turmoil
Caleb
Thatclasswas…notnormal.When I’d come back here, agreeing to fill Mr.Morrison’s class because of his extremely untimely demise, I’d done so on the condition that I be allowed to simply exist and teach.I wasn’t looking to perform “tricks” for our students, nor was I interested in putting on a show, leading study groups, or serving as a faculty advisor to anyone.I had traveled to get away from Rockport, and coming back was no small feat.
Dean Owens had assured me that it would be “an effortless transition.”About that.
“Ugh,” I pinched the bridge of my nose under my glasses, pushing them up and then just taking them off altogether, “I do not have time for…interestingstudents.”
Still, even in the empty classroom, I could feel both their presence, lingering in the space around me like ghosts bent on disrupting my day.One semester, that was all I was meant to teach in this class, and already there was a complication that shouldnothave been happening.
Ms.Montgomery had caught my eye at the bonfire, and I’d only prevented myself from going over to speak with her because the other one appeared.Now I’d learned that Ms.Chamberlain was also attending my class, and I was just as “affected” by her.Worse slightly because, unlike her friend, “Lizzie” was decidedly more aggressive about her interactions.
A trait that brought out the dominant side of me that wished to provide punishment for such a smart mouth.
No.You will not even entertain the flimsiest notion of this.You are their professor.Book closed.
Unfortunately, my mind was not entirely my own this morning.I’d been so distracted by the relocation, moving into my new flat, unpacking here at the school in the office I’d be using, and trying to avoid having a massive breakdown from simply returning here, that I’d neglected the more animal part of myself.
I hadn’t been to a club or reached out to any submissives in the usual chat to aid in relieving some built-up tension.
My thoughts swirled back to the women in my class, the ones who were nearly twenty years younger than me.
Ms.Montgomery had warm, tan skin, a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks.Her long, almost black hair dripped down her back in tumbling waves, and she gave off such an air of innocence and inexperience that I could hardly stand it.Everything about her had portrayed this image of delicate fragility, one that I couldn’t keep myself from zeroing in on with the intent to break it.
Her friend, on the other hand, had been the total opposite—a woman of fierce attitude and obviously sexuality.Similar yet different, her deep-colored skin was complemented by a long braid that effortlessly flopped over her shoulder, with wisps of hair framing her face, a style that remained perpetually messy.Her eyes had been hazel, where Ms.Montgomery’s had been a deep brown.
And both of them had possessed pouty, full lips that would look so very pretty wrapped around my—
“Stop, Caleb.”
The echo of my hand slamming down on the small classroom desk slowly faded in the silent room.I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe evenly as I got up and erased the board behind me.Wind continued to howl outside, and then rain pelted the window as thunder cracked outside.Rain was so common on Night Grove campus that I almost didn’t notice it, but the flapping of paper against glass got my attention.
A carnival.
I stared at the flyers that quickly soaked up the water cascading down from the deep gray sky.The fact that a traveling circus of sorts had come to town was rather surprising.The fact that they were flinging their posters at a magical academy was nearly impossible to imagine.There was no way the performers could know what we were.The dean and school board had done everything in their power to keep the truth of this place a secret since its creation centuries ago.
And yet, students would undoubtedly flock to it—any excuse to indulge themselves.
