Something pulls me from slumber. A need, a restless ache I can't describe.

My eyes flutter open, and I shift in the bed, nestled between Killian and Malachi. Malachi's arm rests heavily around my waist, his hold possessive even in slumber. Killian lies beside me, my head pillowed on his chest, rising and falling with each steady breath.

Blinking against the dark, my gaze roams the room, searching for what woke me. Shadows stretch across the walls, and then I spot him. Kade. He's asleep in the chair by the corner, his long legs stretched out, his head tilted back, and his hands steepled in front of him. His face, even softened by sleep, holds an edge, all harsh lines and harsh beauty. It's unfair, really. Unfair how someone so cold can look so... utterly, devastatingly beautiful.

I rest my head back on Killian's shoulder, blinking sleepily at the brooding dragon across from us as sleep tries to pull me back under and just before she succeeds, Kades eyes open, stormy grey peering at me through the darkness, silent and still as the night outside.

The next time I open my eyes, golden sunlight is spilling across the room. Killian's watching me, his fingers tracing gentle patterns over my cheek, his eyes warm. I turn to glance at the chair, but it's empty. Kade's gone.

"He left early this morning," Killian whispers, catching my look.

I hum softly, not fully awake enough to respond. Killian brushes a piece of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear with a tenderness that makes my heart ache. I reach up, pressing a sleepy kiss to his mouth, and he smiles against my lips.

I don't know what possessed me to do it, to treat him like he's mine but I can't help myself, my eyes drawn to his lips like a moth to a flame.

Behind me, Malachi stirs, shifting closer. His arm tightens around my waist as he shifts, burying his face into my neck. There's a contented rumble from him before his relaxed once more.

The precarious situation I'm in finally hits me, nestled between the two of them like this, like it's natural for me to be between two men, to be shared-

I cut the thought off.

"We should probably talk." I murmur quietly.

Killian raises an eyebrow, glancing over my head at his sleeping twin. "About?"

I look at him, confusion tightening in my chest.

I sigh, my voice low. "It's just... this thing between the three of us."

Killian watches me, his gaze steady, and I feel my cheeks warm. I shift, suddenly self-conscious under his scrutiny, but before I can overthink, I push forward.

"The . . . Sharing." I mutter, narrowing my eyes slightly. "Is that common in your world?"

His eyes hold mine, intense and unyielding, and I feel a flush rise to my cheeks, my heart beating faster. Under his gaze, I start to squirm.

"It's not exactly common, but it does happen. Especially with how the species have thinned over the last few centuries. Bonded groups have become more... necessary."

I frown, filing away that bit of information. "The species are dying out?"

Killian tilts his head, studying me. "Yes and no. Once, each species kept to their own, living apart in distant communities. But as the numbers dwindled—fewer mates, fewer births—they began bonding across species to strengthen alliances. Power was passed down through the strongest bloodlines. That's why we have demon, angel, and dark blood in us. Our ancestors adapted to survive."

I let his words sink in, the weight of that history pressing down on me. The idea of ancient bloodlines merging to survive, creating stronger, more complex beings—it's overwhelming and strangely beautiful. I feel the importance of his words settle in, grounding me in this new world I've only begun to understand.

I wonder what I am, demon obviously but what else runs through the blood in my veins?

I'm silent as I run through the information, focusing on the bonded part once more - the sharing.

Killian lifts a hand, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"What's going on in that head of yours?"

I look up at him, blinking back into focus. "Is that what you and Malachi want with me, to share me?"

Killian only stares at me, his gaze intense and I start to shift under his eyes once more.

Behind me, Malachi pulls me back into his chest, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck, the action lazy. "If you'll have us, baby girl, we'd be yours. For eternity."

A glance passes between Killian and Malachi, something unspoken, and then Killian nods at me, his eyes softening. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, a happy hum escaping me as warmth spreads through my chest.

But there's a spark of curiosity in me, one that's only grown since I arrived here. "You two... I mean, with this whole world... There's so much I don't understand."

Killian sits up a bit, propping himself on his elbow as he watches me. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," I reply, only half-joking. "Like... how have you stayed hidden so long? And what else is at the academy?"

Killian's lips twitch, amusement flickering in his eyes as he studies me. "That curiosity of yours is going to get you into trouble," he murmurs, his voice warm but teasing.

I roll my eyes, but a smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. "You're not wrong."

He sits up fully now, crossing his legs as he leans forward, meeting my gaze with that steady, intense look that seems to reach right through me. "We've stayed hidden because we had to," he says. "For centuries, our kind learned how to keep secrets, blend in with humans, and protect our own."

Malachi stretches beside me, propping his head on his hand, looking just as intrigued by the conversation. "As for the academy... it's like a sanctuary for us. Every species is welcome, as long as they can control themselves."

"Which isn't as easy as it sounds," Killian adds, a slight smirk on his face. "There are Vampires who struggle with bloodlust, Fae who can't resist playing with minds, Shifters who can't keep their forms in check."

I blink, trying to take it all in. "So... you're all just learning to coexist?"

"More or less," Malachi says. "We learn, we grow stronger, we protect each other. But the academy isn't just for studying. It's where alliances are made, where families like ours train for whatever threats might come."

Killian's hand brushes mine, grounding me in this strange new reality. "We'll show you everything," he says, his voice a quiet promise. "One step at a time."

"But the humans?" I shake my head, "I mean, when I was accepted into the academy they didn't know I was like you, hell, I didn't even know what I was."

Killian nods thoughtfully, a glimmer of understanding in his gaze. "You're right," he says, his tone gentle but serious. "Humans are accepted here too. Some come because they have connections to our world—family members who are supernatural or latent abilities that haven't fully manifested. Others come just for the unique education the academy offers, unaware of what truly goes on."

Malachi leans in, his eyes sharp and curious. "The academy has spells, enchantments, wards... layers of protection to keep humans from seeing too much. Most humans stay oblivious. They get the experience they're promised and leave, remembering only what we let them."

I frown, absorbing this. "So, I was just another human student... until I wasn't?"

Killian's gaze softens. "Exactly. Sometimes, students like you come here without knowing their full heritage. But the academy is designed to reveal what's hidden, bring dormant abilities to the surface."

"Think of it as fate or instinct," Malachi adds with a smirk. "The academy has a way of drawing in the ones who belong, even if they don't know it yet."

I chew on his words, realization dawning. "So... it found me, just as much as I found it." Just when I needed it, I think, almost bitterly.

"Why did you choose this town?" Killian asks, his eyes earnest on mine.

I shrug, "Someone I knew in my old life told me about it, said I'd feel welcome and find peace here. That I'd be safe. That he'd visited as a child and sent me here. I came mainly for the library, for the knowledge it holds, hoping it would give me information on what was wrong with me."

"What other creatures exist at the academy?" I love the conversation along, not wanting to think or Elijah and the life I left behind right now.

Malachi chuckles, brushing a thumb over my hand. "That might take a while."

Killian starts, his tone gentle but serious. "We're Drakons. Descendants of dragons. There are only a few of us left. You might say we're... rare."

I blink, processing. "Dragons," I repeat, trying to wrap my mind around it.

"There's a whole spectrum of paranormal creatures at the academy," Killian continues. "Fae, Shifters, Sirens... all mixed with other species like angels, witches, demons, elementals - thought they're rarer then dragons, skinwalkers, nymphs and many more. Not everyone takes on the powers of their strongest bloodline, some take on nothing and others take on a multitude from the different sources in their blood "

"The person the attacked us? A witch?" They nod. "They travel in a coven of three; maiden, mother, crone - though that's just a name, they can be any gender or age."

I look between them, my curiosity now a wildfire. "And what about you two? Is there anything I should know? Besides what you are?" Angel, Drakon, Demon.

Malachi smirks, his teeth flashing in the morning light. "We're protective. And territorial. Especially when it comes to you." His hand tightens around mine, a gentle but possessive squeeze.

Killian's gaze softens. "You've got us. We'll be right beside you."

My chest feels tight, and I smile, my hand reaching to cup Killian's cheek. "Thank you," I whisper, barely holding back the swell of emotions that their words stir in me. I'm not used to having people that care.

Killian presses a kiss to my forehead, and Malachi's fingers trace gentle circles on my hip. For a moment, all the questions fade away, leaving just the three of us, wrapped up in each other.

But then the reality of the day ahead sets in, and I groan, sitting up. "School," I mutter, shooting them a half-hearted glare. "Can't we just... stay here?"

Malachi chuckles, pressing a quick kiss to my shoulder. "We'll protect you from the dark creatures of the world, but not from classes."

Killian stands, grabbing a shirt from the edge of the bed and tossing it to me with a smirk. "Get dressed. We'll meet you downstairs."

And with one last shared look, they slip out, leaving me smiling as I ready myself for the day ahead.