Chapter 93 Hidden door

Chapter 93 Hidden door
THE ACADEMY LIBRARY

The library was quiet and packed with students preparing for their exams.

Twila sat at a scratched wooden table in the back corner, mindlessly chewing on the cap of her pen. Her eyes drifted away from her textbook to stare straight across the table.

Niles sat across from her, wearing a red sweater that fit his shoulders well. His hair fell casually over his forehead as he quietly read a history book.

She no longer felt angry, the urge to yell at him or call him a monster was gone. Instead, she felt an odd pull drawing her toward his handsome face.

"You are staring at me so hard I can literally feel it burning a hole in my face, Twila," Niles whispered without looking up from his book, a small, charming smirk on his lips.

"I am not staring at you, you arrogant bloodsucker," Twila replied, resting her chin on her hand. She didn't glare at him or look away, instead, she smiled.

Niles finally looked up, his eyes wide with shock. She hadn’t insulted him or threatened him, she sat there looking completely relaxed and calm.

"You are being incredibly nice to me today," Niles said as he closed his book. "Did somebody hit you on the head with a rock, Twila, or are you starting to like me just a little bit?"

"Don't push your luck, vampire," Twila said playfully, rolling her eyes. A hot blush crept up her neck as she secretly admitted she was drawn to him.

"You look really beautiful when you blush," Niles murmured, leaning his chest over the table. His eyes softened with adoration. "It makes me want to pull you over this desk and kiss you senseless."

"You are such a smooth talker," Twila whispered back. She didn't pull away, instead, she leaned into his space a bit, breathing in his scent.

"Can you guys please flirt a little quieter? I'm trying to hack a government magical database right now," Delaney complained from the next table, his black eyes glued to his laptop screen.

"Nobody is flirting with him, Delaney," Twila shot back, lightly kicking Delaney's chair.

"Whatever you say, Psycho," Delaney replied, his fingers typing quickly across the keyboard. "But you are blushing so hard you look like a tomato."

Before Twila could throw her pen at Delaney, Neon walked over, carrying a stack of heavy books that he dropped loudly onto the table.

Amorette followed him, her pink skirt swishing softly. She smiled brightly at him.

"Neon is a genius, guys," Amorette said happily, gently touching his arm. "He just explained the entire history of blood magic to me in five minutes. I am definitely going to pass my test now."

Neon turned bright red, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He looked at Amorette as if she were the most perfect girl in the world.

"You are really smart too, Amorette. You just overthink the trick questions too much," Neon stuttered, losing his cool act.

Island watched them from across the table, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"You two are so sickening to watch," Island groaned, resting her head on Cassian's shoulder. "Just kiss already so we don’t have to suffer through this awkward torture anymore."

"Island, shut your mouth!" Amorette gasped, her face turning as pink as her hair as she hid it in her hands.

Neon coughed awkwardly, staring at his sneakers, but a happy smile spread across his face because he wanted to kiss her too.

"At least they are trying to study, unlike some annoying people," Cassian said, pointing a finger toward the dusty corner of the library.

Levi had Nyx pinned against a bookshelf, kissing her neck so intensely that she let out tiny, breathy moans that echoed softly in the quiet aisle.

"Get your hands off me, water-boy. We are in a public place," Nyx scolded him in a harsh whisper, yet she didn't push him away. Instead, she wrapped her leg around his waist to pull him closer.

"Make me stop, Banshee," Levi growled, biting her collarbone above her jacket. "You look so hot today I can't even focus on my books. You are driving me crazy."

"You are such a delight," Nyx said, smirking darkly. She grabbed his hair and kissed him deeply, ignoring the Squad watching them.

"Okay, seriously, everyone needs to shut up and look at this screen right now," Delaney demanded loudly, breaking the romantic tension.

Twila stood up and walked to Delaney's desk, looking down at the screen.

Niles stood up and moved behind her. He stood so close that his chest brushed against her back. He didn't grab her waist, he simply stood there, letting his presence wrap around her.

Twila didn’t step away or tell him to back off. She leaned back into his chest slightly, letting out a soft sigh as the mate bond stirred happily in her stomach.

Niles stopped breathing, his eyes wide with shock because she accepted his touch in front of their friends.

"What is it, Delaney?" Twila asked, staring at the complex blueprint on the screen.

"I scanned the deep catacombs under this library, exactly where we found Neon sleeping in that glass tube," Delaney explained in a low voice so the librarian wouldn’t hear.

"Orion didn’t just build that secret room to hide a boy, he was hiding something much bigger."

"What are you talking about?" Cassian asked, walking over with Island behind him.

"There is a second door buried under the floor down there," Delaney said, pointing at a pulsing red dot on the screen. "The magical heat signature coming off it is off the charts. It is burning my sensors."

"A second door?" Twila whispered, feeling a chill run down her spine.

"It’s not just a door," Delaney typed quickly, zooming in on the red dot. "It’s an underground vault, and whatever is locked inside is vibrating with ancient dark magic."

"Could it be another one of Orion's machines?" Neon asked, stepping closer to look at the map.

"I don't think it's a machine," Niles said. His deep voice sent a tremor through Twila's back. "That heat signature looks like a living creature, Delaney."

The entire Squad fell silent, staring at the screen in horror.

"Orion locked a monster under the school," Island breathed, her eyes wide.

"And it looks like the lock is breaking open by itself," Delaney whispered, watching the red dot flash faster on the screen.