Elijah awoke early to the sharp pain of a pinch. He blinked, groaning as he turned to see Cassandra glaring at him with a smug look. "I didn't even do anything yet," he muttered, rubbing the sore spot on his arm.
She held something out to him, and he deadpanned at the sight—a leash. "No," he said flatly.
Cassandra crossed her arms. "I told you, you're on time out. That means staying in my line of sight for the rest of the week. When I say sit, you sit. No questions asked."
Elijah studied her expression, trying to gauge if she was serious. She absolutely was. With a sigh, he muttered, "Why did I have to marry crazy women?"
Ignoring his grumbling, Cassandra nudged the leash toward him. "Put it on."
"I'll listen, but I'm not putting that on," he replied firmly.
Cassandra pouted, clicking her tongue. "Fine, but don't think I'll make this easy on you. Now, let's take a shower."
Elijah grabbed one of his many school uniforms, dragging his feet toward the bathroom. As he opened the door, he noticed Cassandra trailing behind him. "When you said 'let's,' I assumed you meant separate ones."
She shook her head, her expression unwavering. "I told you, I'm not letting you out of my sight. That includes the shower."
He sighed again, wondering if it was possible to ask the gods for a do-over on his life. Resigned to his fate, he stepped into the shower. Despite his best efforts to focus on his routine, his eyes couldn't help but wander to Cassandra's figure. Out of all his wives, her body was the most stunning, like something sculpted to perfection. A thought crossed his mind that he couldn't stop in time, and his body reacted accordingly.
Cassandra smirked, noticing his reaction. "I told Selene you liked my figure the most," she gloated, striking a casual yet teasing pose.
"Hmph," she added, turning her back to him. "But you're still on time out, so you can forget about touching me. With good behavior, you might earn something later."
Her playful teasing only added fuel to the fire, and Elijah's patience snapped. The consequences? He decided he liked his odds. Before Cassandra could react, he grabbed her.
"Wait—" she began, but her words were quickly cut off as he ignored her protests.
After their shower, Cassandra glared at him while buttoning her teacher uniform. Her damp hair framed her face as she crossed her arms. "Hmph. Ignoring my words like that… You really do think of me as a joke."
Elijah, already dressed and combing his hair, shot her a smirk. "Well, maybe you shouldn't tease me so much. Besides," he added with a confident shrug, "you didn't seem so disapproving once we started."
She flushed at his remark but didn't deny it, instead muttering under her breath as she finished getting ready. Cassandra shot him one final glare before ushering him out of the room. "Let's go eat breakfast. You're still on thin ice."
Elijah followed, suppressing a grin. Even with all the nagging, he couldn't deny that his mornings to come would not be dull.
When Elijah got downstairs, the dining room felt unusually quiet. Most of his family was absent, with only his parents, Mireille and Lucien, and Elara present. Elara sat at the table sipping from a steaming cup of coffee, and Elijah's brows furrowed slightly. Vampires didn't need coffee—it wasn't like they could get tired—but Elara always did have her peculiar tastes.
Cassandra, trailing closely behind him, directed him to his seat as though he were a wayward child. She took the chair beside him, her sharp gaze fixed on him like he might break the rules at any moment.
Scanning the room, Elijah noticed Bella wasn't there; she'd likely left early to clean up the aftermath of the night before. The rest of his siblings and their grandparents were also nowhere to be found, leaving the table oddly barren.
Elijah sighed as he settled into his chair. Turning to Thomas, he asked, "Can I get some wine?"
Before Thomas could move, Cassandra's firm voice cut through. "No. He can't drink in the mornings anymore, Thomas."
Elijah frowned deeply, slumping in his seat but choosing not to argue. Mireille and Lucien exchanged amused glances, clearly entertained by the situation.
"Elijah," Mireille said, her tone soft but teasing, "you're up earlier than usual today. Something happen?"
Elijah sighed dramatically. "Cassandra says I'm on time out."
That earned a snicker from Elara, and even Mireille couldn't hide her grin.
Lucien leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "It happens to the best of us, son."
Elijah groaned, his frustration bubbling over. "Father, she's crazy! She woke me up with a pinch—an actual pinch—and then tried to make me wear a leash, like I'm some kind of dog!"
Cassandra, still eating her breakfast with calm precision, paused just long enough to retort. "Well, I wouldn't need to punish you like a dog if you didn't act so reckless and selfish. And if you call me crazy one more time, I'll show you just how crazy I can be."
Elijah, still sulking, muttered under his breath, "Lucky I'm too afraid to file for divorce…"
Without missing a beat, Cassandra calmly drove a knife into his leg and resumed eating as though nothing had happened.
Elijah let out a sharp yelp, yanking the knife out. "Mother!" he called desperately, looking to Mireille for help.
Mireille chuckled softly, shaking her head at her son. "Cassandra, darling, maybe you could take it down a notch. Just this once?"
Cassandra didn't even look up from her plate as she replied, "Mother, you shouldn't coddle him like this. That's part of the reason he acts the way he does."
Mireille smiled indulgently and turned to Elijah. "Well, dear, it seems there's not much I can do for you. You're on your own."
Elijah groaned, slumping further into his chair as he focused on eating his breakfast in silence. Cassandra, still perfectly composed, continued her meal as though nothing unusual had transpired.
Cassandra finished her breakfast and stood up, wiping her hands with precision. "Now let's go," she instructed, her tone firm yet calm.
Elijah sighed, dragging himself to his feet reluctantly. They headed out to Cassandra's car, which she preferred over simply using her vampiric speed. This was something Elijah couldn't quite wrap his head around—speed was far more efficient, after all. He had asked her about it, and her answer was annoyingly poised:
"Maintaining class and image is just as important to living as anything else."
Elijah had begrudgingly accepted her logic, though his idea of class was far different. Elegance in killing, for instance, was a virtue to him—well, except for yesterday. That mess with Marcus had been far from elegant, but the guy had earned it.
As they pulled into the school parking lot, Cassandra parked neatly and stepped out of the car, motioning for Elijah to follow. She extended her hand toward him in an almost playful manner.
"Want me to hold your hand?" she asked sweetly.
"No, thanks," Elijah muttered, brushing past her. He wasn't falling for that trick; it was just another way to assert control.
They walked through the halls until they reached the teachers' lounge. Inside, a handful of teachers were already gathered, chatting and sipping their morning drinks. They all noticed Elijah immediately, their curious eyes flitting between him and Cassandra.
"Why is he here?" one of the teachers asked, clearly confused.
Cassandra, as cool as ever, responded without missing a beat. "Treat him as if he's a pet. And ignore him."
Elijah scowled at her description but kept his mouth shut.
As he scanned the room, his gaze landed on a familiar face: the woman he had caught snooping in Bella's office yesterday. She seemed startled to see him, her cheeks flushing red when he smirked and said, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"
The teacher's blush deepened as she stammered, "P-please forget about that."
Cassandra's brow furrowed as she watched the exchange. Her sharp instincts flared—why was this teacher acting so flustered around Elijah? Did they have some kind of history?
Elijah noticed her glare and decided to diffuse the situation before Cassandra's imagination got the better of her. "Why, of course, I won't tell anyone," he said smoothly. "Me and my sister are rather close."
The teacher blinked in confusion. Sister? She realized Elijah was referring to Bella. While she knew Bella was a Velmont, she hadn't known Elijah existed—he was from what some of the staff disdainfully called the "trash class."
Cassandra interrupted the awkward conversation with a pointed question. "How do you know Elijah exactly, Elisabeth?" Her tone was deceptively calm, but her narrowed eyes betrayed her growing irritation.
Elisabeth froze, panic flickering across her face. "I-I met him in the Headmaster's office yesterday," she admitted, her blush returning.
Before Cassandra could press further, Elijah tugged on her hand to draw her attention. "Relax," he said casually. "Me and her have no prior relationship. But maybe you should ask our dear sister Bella about what happened."
Elisabeth, flustered and clearly out of her depth, quickly excused herself and hurried away.
Cassandra sighed, clearly annoyed, but chose to ignore Elijah for the rest of the morning as she busied herself with paperwork.
Meanwhile, Elijah wandered the teachers' lounge, his sharp eyes scanning the room. After a while, he remarked to Cassandra, "I must say, we do have some rather fine teachers at this school. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Bella hires them based on their looks."
Cassandra didn't even look up from her work, her voice calm yet laced with a subtle challenge. "Oh? And which ones do you think are beautiful?"
Elijah stiffened, realizing the trap he had walked into. "Uh… no comment," he muttered, deciding it was best to keep his observations to himself. Getting stabbed over breakfast had been bad enough—he wasn't about to tempt fate again.
Elijah slumped into a chair in the teacher's lounge, arms crossed, waiting for Cassandra to finish her paperwork. He was already bored and tempted to wander off but knew better than to push her patience further after the morning's events. When Cassandra finally stood up, she walked past him with her usual composed air, stopping just long enough to grab him by his loosely worn tie. She gave it a firm tug, forcing him to stand.
Elijah sighed and stood immediately, adjusting his tie as Cassandra let go and strode ahead. She didn't even glance back to check if he was following, confident that he wouldn't dare stray. As they approached the classroom, she opened the door and gestured for him to enter first.
The students inside immediately went silent, their eyes wide with shock. Rumors about Elijah's stunt yesterday—kissing Cassandra in front of the class and then storming off—had spread like wildfire. Now, seeing him alive and with their teacher, speculation began anew.
Ignoring the whispers, Elijah sauntered in and took a seat near Selena. When she noticed him, her expression was nervous but composed.
Leaning toward her, he whispered as Cassandra began her lecture, "Tell me, are you angry at me for snapping at you yesterday?"
Selena hesitated before answering honestly, "Well, no, I'm not particularly mad at you. I did find it a bit… disturbing how you killed all those people and tortured him, though." She glanced at him, lowering her voice for the last part. "And when you kissed that girl…"
Elijah grinned at her discomfort. Leaning closer, he whispered charmingly, "You are my wife, Selena. If you want to spend time with me, you only need to ask."
Her face turned crimson as she quickly looked away, focusing on her notes. Elijah chuckled softly, but his amusement was short-lived. A piece of chalk zipped through the air, hitting him squarely in the forehead with enough force to sting—and, for a brief moment, pierce his skin.
"No talking," Cassandra warned from the front of the room, her glare silencing the entire class.
Elijah sighed and settled into his seat, feigning interest in the lecture while his thoughts wandered.
It was Tuesday, meaning they had magic practice on the training grounds. Cassandra led the class to the open field, where other groups were already practicing spells. The other students kept their distance, treating the "trash class" like outcasts.
Elijah stood next to Selena, glancing at the reactions of the other groups. "Being the trash class does have its perks," he said casually.
Selena tilted her head, her amethyst-like eyes curious. "Why wouldn't you want people to expect anything from you?"
Elijah smirked, as if the answer were obvious. "No one expects a weakling to be the strongest. And proving people wrong? That's always satisfying. Though for you, it's a bit different. If I remember correctly, your goal is strength, and with my grandmother teaching you ancient magic, you've already got a leg up on the so-called best in the talented class."
Selena's eyes lit up briefly at his words, though she frowned. "But I can't just use ancient magic here," she said hesitantly.
"Why not?" Elijah asked, grinning. "I'll show you."
Curious, Selena followed him to an open area. The class was expected to practice basic spells, so Elijah decided to do just that—at least at first.
Muttering a chant, he conjured a small fireball in his palm. A few of their classmates glanced over, surprised. Elijah rarely participated in lessons, and his lack of effort had earned him a reputation as the worst student in their grade.
Without warning, he summoned another fireball—this time without a chant. He held it aloft, explaining to Selena, "First, you summon the fire. Then, you control it. It's not that hard to make it look like regular magic, but doing it this way is so much better."
He demonstrated by sending the fireball toward a target, but instead of hitting it directly, he willed it to curve midair. It looped around the target before striking it from behind, drawing gasps from the onlookers.
Selena stared, wide-eyed. "How did you do that?"
Elijah shrugged. "It's simple. Use your will to force the fire to do what you want. It gets easier with practice." He gestured for her to try. "Here, I'll help you, summon the fire."
Selena hesitated but eventually concentrated, tapping into her ancient magic. Unlike modern spells, ancient magic didn't require chants—just raw power and focus. It was draining, but the results were worth it.
After a moment, she managed to summon a fireball, though it hovered unsteadily in her hand.
"Force it," Elijah urged. "Make it do what you want."
She gritted her teeth, directing the fireball forward. At first, it wobbled, drawing laughter from some of the other students. But when it hit the target, the resulting explosion silenced everyone.
The blast left a small crater, and the flames burned even the dirt, refusing to die down. The other classes immediately stopped to stare, their gossip shifting from mockery to disbelief.
"No way," one student muttered. "The trash class has talents like that?"
The sudden attention only made Selena more embarrassed. She turned to Elijah, who clapped for her.
"You learn quickly," he praised, though he added with a teasing grin, "but learning to control your power might do you some justice."
Selena flushed, averting her gaze.
Cassandra watched the scene from a distance, her expression neutral but her thoughts calculating. Selena was undeniably talented—her raw magical power was extraordinary, even for someone so young.
In a few years, Cassandra thought, she could become a truly great witch.
Elijah decided to help Selena practice her control using water magic instead of fire, given how destructive her flames were. Her first task was to alternate the temperature of the water at will—a challenge that initially frustrated her. After several attempts, she managed to freeze the water into solid ice. Elijah offered her a small clap and said, "Good job, but now comes the hard part. Heat it back up."
The next phase proved even more difficult. Still, Selena focused intently, her determination unwavering. By the time lunch arrived, she had managed to restore the water to its liquid state, though it was far from perfect.
Selena looked at Elijah expectantly, clearly wanting to join him for lunch. Elijah, however, shook his head. "I have to eat with Cassandra. We'll probably stay in the classroom."
Selena hesitated, then asked, "Can I come too?"
Cassandra, who had been observing the training session from a distance, nodded with a faint smile. "Of course, Selena. You're always welcome."
They made their way back to the classroom, which was empty by then. Cassandra pulled out a lunch from seemingly nowhere, surprising Elijah. He raised an eyebrow at her but turned to Selena instead. "Have you been feeding properly?"
Selena nodded but added hesitantly, "I have… but I don't really like the taste. It's not the same as yours."
Elijah chuckled, finding her embarrassment endearing. "You get flustered too easily. Here." He bit into his wrist and extended it to her without hesitation.
Selena's reluctance melted away as her thirst took over. She drank deeply, more hungrily than usual, which did not escape Elijah's notice. Once she was done, he handed her a handkerchief. "You've been starving yourself, haven't you?"
Selena dabbed at her mouth, avoiding his gaze. "I've been feeding… just not finishing. It doesn't taste as good."
Elijah frowned, crossing his arms. "Stop holding back. If you're hungry, ask. Modesty and shyness won't help you here."
Cassandra cut in sharply, her tone firm but kind. "Selena, you don't need to listen to his foolishness. You're perfect as you are."
Selena blushed at the unexpected praise. "Thank you."
Cassandra's teasing smile widened. "Of course. After all, if you think about it, you're my wife too."
Selena's face turned crimson. "What?"
Elijah's expression soured. "How come you like her more than me? Don't tell me you prefer women, dear Selena."
Selena stammered incoherently, but Cassandra intercepted smoothly, her gaze sharp as she smirked at Elijah. "And what if she does? Honestly, it might be better. Unlike you, who cheats on us, we could cheat on you with each other. I'm sure she'd appreciate someone gentle and kind over a narcissist like you."
Elijah groaned. "It wasn't cheating! And how is that even logical? You can't cheat on me with each other—you're both my wives. And I'm not a narcissist."
Cassandra ignored him and turned to Selena with an encouraging smile. "Selena, wouldn't you consider Elijah kissing another woman cheating?"
Selena fidgeted, unsure whose side to take. "Well… when he kissed her, it did make me feel… strange," she admitted softly.
Cassandra's triumphant look spoke volumes. "Exactly. Cheating."
Elijah sighed, exasperated. Cassandra gently patted Selena's shoulder. "Don't worry. We're better than him, and we'll keep being better."
Selena smiled shyly, though her cheeks still burned. Elijah could only shake his head.