Page 5 of Wings of Deception
He catches up easily, pointing out other rooms along the hall. The main level has shared bathrooms, with each dorm housing their own private ones as well. This floor also sports a small kitchenette with beverages and snacks. I’ll find anything with substance in the main hall cafeteria, and after what Dina told me, I definitely won’t go hungry.
“This house is the smallest of the three and only has eight floors. As house leader, I’m at the top. The binder from the office should include your room number. Can I see it?”
I take the slip of paper from my pocket and pass it over. As I wait for him to read it, my mind whirls while I try to absorb everything. I’m going to live in a fucking castle! How cool is that? Since entering the grounds of this gorgeous school, I thought I might see Dina, but not yet. She’s most likely off hanging with her friends, lounging somewhere epic that I haven’t discovered yet.
My gaze returns to Ezekiel as his face lights up, eyes widening slightly.
“What?” I ask, my voice trembling as terrible thoughts fly through my mind. What if there was a mistake and I can’t stay here? Would I end up stranded and alone or forced to live with my parents in their new home?
“Scholarship students are usually on the first floor as those are the smallest rooms, but it looks like someone must have bumped you up. Let me guess, Professor Castiel was your tour guide today? You’re on the seventh floor.”
“Why would he do that?” I stammer, completely taken aback by his kindness.
“Why does anyone do anything?” he counters with a dark grin. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”
I only realize we’re headed back outside when we reach the front door. Ezekiel already has it open, my suitcase in hand, and I just stand there like an idiot. “Uh, isn’t the seventh floor that way?” I ask, pointing at the stairs.
“It is. Exceptional detective skills, Hayliel. While youcanget to the seventh floor by the stairs, I much prefer to fly.“ He shoots me a wink that has my toes practically curling in my sneakers, but the roiling storm in my stomach distracts me from all else.
I can’t expose myself this soon. It’s my first day and I’ve only met two freaking angels!
“No,” I blurt out. Panic consumes me as Ezekiel raises an eyebrow in question. “What I mean is that I’d rather take the stairs this time to familiarize myself with the layout. Otherwise, I’ll probably fuck up the floor count and accidentally enter the wrong room, only to wind up catching someone shaving their asshole, and then I’ll be stuck with that image forever.” Fucking fuck. I’m babbling like a fool, but the goddamn word-vomit won’t stop.Shaved assholes, Hayles? Really?
Thankfully, Ezekiel speaks up before I continue embarrassing myself. “Have you caught many people shaving their asshole?” His voice wavers slightly and, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was trying to hide a laugh. “Actually, I don’t want to know the answer. We’ll take the stairs. I wouldn’t be much of a house leader if I let you come face-to-face with someone’s ham flower on your first day, now would I?”
I bark a laugh and immediately blush.What in the seven hells was that?I’ve never laughed like that in my entire freaking life. What the fuck is happening to me?
Ezekiel grabs my suitcase and moves up the stairs, checking on me every few steps and calling out which floor we’re on once we hit the landing. Up and up we go, until it feels like we’re in a time loop and this will be my life from now on. Damn. How in the world do the Earth folk do this? Without my immortal strength and stamina, I’d probably have died after the third floor.
The further up we go, the fewer doors there are along the hall. There’s a lightness in my chest that has me on the verge of giggles as I imagine what my nearly top floor room will look like.Just how spacious will it be?
When we finally make it to the seventh floor, I’m more than ready to explore my new home. There are only four doors along the hall, each one marked with a silver number on the front.
Ezekiel puts my suitcase down as I reach for the door marked 7-0-2, but before I can turn the knob, his hand covers mine.
Every nerve ending lights up beneath his touch, but I don’t look at him. Fuck, Ican’tlook at him. For whatever reason, I don’t have a single ounce of control around this guy, and I’m afraid that if I look at him when he’s touching me, I won’t be able to stop myself from doing something really fucking dumb.
The scent of leather wraps around me, invading my senses. Beneath it, there are hints of jasmine and musk that have me practically salivating. Fuck. They don’t make men like this outside the university, at least not where I come from.
His skin is rough and warm against my wrist, the tips of his fingers caressing me in a way that sends shivers all the way to my toes. We stay this way until a loud moan from the room across the hall breaks me from the trance, and I yank my hand back.
My house leader appears completely unfazed by the exchange. “It’s locked,” he says, pulling a key from his pocket and handing it to me. “I have copies of every key for this building. You should have one in your binder, but if you ever lose it or have trouble accessing your room, come find me. Most students don’t use the stairs because each balcony has a wing sensor. You’ll find instructions to set that up in the student binder.”
I nod, taking in his words while I unlock the door and push it open. He doesn’t come inside, choosing instead to lean against the door frame while I take in the massive area.My new home.
“I’ve got to get cleaned up, so I’ll let you get settled. Most of the students are easy to get along with, at least within the Fallen. So, as much as I see you eyeing that bed, I’d recommend mingling a little.”
Giving him my full attention, I thank the Archangels that he doesn’t seem to realize my thoughts on the bed had nothing to do with sleep and far more to do withhim.“Thanks for the tour, Ezekiel,” I say, handing back his key. “I won’t stay locked in here, I promise.”
“Good.” He smiles and turns to leave, but stops before I shut the door. “Oh, and there’s a start-of-term house party in two days. It’s not exactly mandatory, but only the social pariahs don’t go, so … show up. Okay?”
I smile, giddy beyond belief. “Okay.”
He shuts the door, and I wait a solid sixty seconds before squealing and jumping on the bed.
I don’t know if the excitement will ever wear off, but once I’ve made a mess of the sheets, I hop off the bed and head over to the desk in the corner.
My binder sits on top, begging for me to look through it, so I do just that. What kind of person would I be if I let down this inanimate object?