“Just look into my eyes,” he told her, calling on his charm while the beast guided his movements.
Natti crinkled her brow, and her eyes drifted to his. Seth gripped her hand tighter, pulled her closer, and slowly guided her into the corner he once stood in. He wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her and to infect her with his touch. Extreme doses of his magic—doses Seth never dared to use before—began to pulse into her while they stood gazing at each other.
“Ah, Seth?” Natti winced and let out a low hiss. “What are you doing?”
Seth flashed an innocent smile. “It’s okay, Natti. I just want to look into your beautiful eyes.”
Her lips attempted a nervous smile. “You’re lying again. You don’t just want to look into my eyes, do you?”
“Relax.” His fingers ran down her neck, making her shiver. A Connection finally formed between them, allowing him to erase her growing fears. Natti took in a relaxing breath. She rested her hand on his chest for support, her body sagging under his spell. He brought her even closer, beginning to shift her thoughts and emotions towards pure, undeniable lust.
“Seth? Seth, what are—?” She let out a small moan. “I—I don’t feel so well.”
“Just keep looking into my eyes and don’t leave their focus.”
Natti broke eye contact and cradled her head. “Seth, I mean it. I don’t feel well.”
He pulled her chin back toward him. “Don’t look away!”
Her body swayed. “Seth . . . I . . . I think I need the nurse.”
Seth glided his hand under her shirt and over the bare skin of her abdomen, causing goose bumps to appear. “Relax, and stay focused on my eyes, Natti.”
He used the full power of Natti’s name, which sent a visible shiver through her body and allowed him to pull her full attention back to his eyes again. Seth smiled with some excitement, sensing his magic slipping gently into her mind. He amplified his application a notch more. She groaned and grasped his waist for support as the overdose worked its way through her system.
“That’s it, Natti. Let all your thoughts drift away.”
Unexpectedly, he felt her pulse radiate from her body, through his shirt, and into his own body. Confused, he placed a hand over her breast. Her heartbeat was rapid, causing every vein to throb under her skin. Her eyes rolled back, and her legs buckled under. Seth watched in shock and quickly caught her in his arms.
“Seth . . .” Her words were weak; her eyes closed. “Stop . . .”
The predator released its hold over him, allowing Seth to drop his charm and realize what he had just done, what he tried to do. “Natti?”
“Stop . . .” she spoke, hardly conscious.
“Okay.” Fear coursed through his system, making every inch of him shake. “Okay, I’ve-I’ve stopped! I’ve stopped, Natti! Come back!” Natti rested against his chest, breathing deep and steady. He stroked her hair, but she didn’t move. “Oh shit. What did I do?”
He pressed her closer, rubbing her back gently while his thoughts raced. He glanced around the empty hall before finally coming to a decision. He picked her up and carried her down toward the first floor.
“Seth?” Natti groaned before her mind collapsed back into unconsciousness.
“I’m taking you to the nurse’s office,” he whispered to her, heavy guilt pulled at his heart. “You’ll be all right. Oh, I pray you’ll be all right.”
A gentle heat caressed Natti’s entire body, easing her awake. She opened her eyes to find herself lying on a cot. An old, cream curtain was drawn around her, blocking out the florescent glow from the overhead lamp. She raised herself up, rubbed her eyes, and then pulled the curtain back. Her head screamed from the abrupt light shining into her eyes. White, shimmering specks showered her vision. She closed her eyes, giving them a moment to adjust before trying to open them again, though she couldn’t move her lids past a squint.
A plump, short woman smiled at her. “You’re up! Wonderful!” She picked up a small flash light and walked over to Natti. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Natara Stone,” Natti told her. The nurse lifted one of her eyelids, shining the light into it. The bright yellow beam caused Natti’s headache to flare; the specks blurring her vision doubled in size.
“Month of birth?”
“August.”
“Student Identification Number?”
“Um, zero-zero-zero-eight-six-nine-nine-five-four.”
The nurse raised her brow and shined the light into her other eye. “Impressive. Many students can’t remember their Student I.D. on a normal day. Now, what month is it?”
“September?”
“Correct. Well, you seem fine enough, but I’m still sending you home. Your father has gone to pick up your things and will be on his way back here.”
“What happened?” Natti asked while she rubbed her temples.