Surreptitious

Chapter 41: Preparations

Several days passed and the Salvatore collective had no idea what to expect regarding the Necromancer and when he would make his appearance. Alaric seemed skeptical that he would come for them soon, reckoning he’d want to build up Mandon (as they started nicknaming Landon-Malivore) and his strength and capabilities more first before he made a comeback to the school. Then again, he was also adamant that he had no interest in the school initially, but there was also the small fact that Hope and Josie might have pissed him off enough for him to seek revenge.

There was a lot of activity over these few days as they tried to prepare as much as they could for whatever may come. Some research into the matter suggested that Hope might in fact be the only one who could possibly stop Mandon completely, and so the Necromancer might return for them to destroy her for that soul reason. But then he would definitely take some time rather than take a chance. Hope Mikaleson was nothing if not extremely resilient.

In order to strengthen their position, the teachers of the school had taken it upon themselves to start preparing the students for possible danger. The witches were being taught basic offensive magic spells, while the wolves and vampires were receiving extra intensive hand-to-hand combat skills training. The wolves were scrappier, making them better fighters, though the vampires were by far faster and stronger. Ideas were being pooled together in order to figure out better ways to utilize everyone’s natural skills.

In addition, extra protection and barrier spells, as well as parameter alarms have been set up all around the school and school grounds, allowing for several opportunities for anyone to be alerted should any strange magical creatures attempt to breech the area and get to the school. They had been tried and tested and the alarm sounds were loud enough to wake even the heaviest sleeper.

It was one Saturday night late when Hope and Josie found themselves wrapped up in each other’s arms in Hope’s bed. The memories of nearly losing each other so soon after coming together still drummed painfully through their minds, so no one questioned the fact that they wouldn’t leave each other’s side once they had returned. Lizzie started feeling like she was the one with the single room, though she minded very little as it delighted her to see her sister so happy – all demented dark witches set aside.

“Aww, you have a heart-shaped freckle.” Josie giggled lightly, running her index finger lightly over the spot just on the inside of Hope’s hip bone, causing gooseflesh to expand across the milky skin stretching from Hope’s hip to her navel as she could feel Josie’s warm breath on her naked skin.

“I never noticed.” Hope smiled widely as she uttered the words, her tone a little husky at Josie’s proximity. She beckoned silently for the siphon to crawl back upwards to meet Hope face to face, but when she looked down all she could see were those sparkling copper eyes that were alight with playfulness. Her own eyes started glowing gold to match. Ever since Josie’s wolf had burst through Freya’s spell, the glowing eyes had returned – to Hope’s delight. This time, however, it seemed like the girls could practice more control and restraint over the glow. Now they only tended to illuminate under two conditions: anger, and arousal.

Josie was definitely not angry at that moment, and neither was Hope. Nearly losing one another had apparently kicked their hormones up a further notch.

Josie, ignored Hope’s plea for her to move and instead bent down low right then, skimming her lips over the sensitive skin of the dip on the inside of Hope’s hip bone, right where she had found the freckle, and kissed it tenderly. Hope’s back arched without her permission at the hot touch of Josie’s lips and she inhaled deeply before clearing her throat.

“Don’t you dare…” Hope warned her mate, playfully glaring down at her with those wolf eyes.

“Dare what exactly?” Josie mumbled with her lips against Hope’s skin still, then allowed them to travel in a string of soft kisses to Hope’s belly button.

“I’m exhausted. You wear me out…” Hope grinned as she admonished Josie meagerly. She loved the affection, honestly.

“Tired of me already?” Josie let her lips curve into a smile as they ghosted upwards from Hope’s navel, dragging a scorching hot line with the tip of her tongue all the way up the middle dip of Hope’s abdomen.

Hope’s muscles clenched and released as she could feel liquid fire settling low in her belly and finally reached for Josie’s face with her hands, unable to lay still any longer. “Never.” She mumbled as she pulled Josie’s face to her and then swiftly slipped her tongue past Josie’s waiting lips, seeking out hers to wrestle with in an intensely heated kiss. Josie shifted her body to lay between Hope’s thighs with her hips, while hands dug into the pillow on either side of messy auburn locks.

That was when the parameter alarm started blaring. The kiss broke apart sloppily as Hope quickly looked to the clock on her nightstand – it read 12:35 am. If the alarm was going off there was no way that it wasn’t bad news. Josie immediately rolled off of Hope and slipped out of bed, searching for her clothes on the floor while Hope herself went about pulling a clean pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from her dresser. Both of them, along with the entirety of the whole school, was suddenly on high alert as people scuffled from their rooms and grew tense, awaiting an announcement or instructions.

“Hope!” Kaleb came running up the stairs. Some of the senior students took on extra patrol duties at night and he happened to be on right then. “It’s a bunch of wolves. They said they were looking for you.”

Wolves? Hope wondered, confused as she glanced back at Josie standing just over her shoulder. But then it hit them both at the same time – the Crescents! What would they be doing there, of all places? They both rushed outside to meet with them, while the seniors on patrol ushered the rest of the student body back to bed, assuring them that there was no danger that night.

“Hope, Josette… we need your help.” It was Nimyra, bruised and bloodied as if she had been beaten heavily. The siphon rushed to her side first to help her. “Josie” she uttered softly and took the wolf-witch’s arm to keep her steady. She smiled in return and said, “Nim. Call me Nim.”

Behind her two male pack members were carrying River between them with his arms slung around their shoulders. He was nearly passed out as he just moaned from pain every now and then. One more female pack member was standing just off of Nimyra’s shoulder, clearly antsy and agitated. “The hybrid pack, Dawn – they call themselves, they found us. We tried to fight but they killed two of ours and we ran, barely escaping. We can’t go back. We can’t go forward without help. River would kill me if he knew where we were, but right now he’s too out of it to even realize. But I… I trust you two. Please – help us…”

And Hope could find nothing but fear and sincerity in those steel blue eyes.