The thorn screwed deeper into his skin, now, he could feel it enter her bloodstream. Not just that, the excitement of getting a reaction out of her gave away to… admiration. It tugged at his gut, turning it until his mind kept replaying the scathing raise of her brow.
Such power was shown with such a little movement.
Ladislas started to outline his own opinion, noting with sadistic joy that the three people who had countered her started to sink further into their seats as they realized the direction in which he was headed. He took his time, climbing up to the back of the room, looming over the various students before he made his way down to the middle of the room where Anna sat.
Her back was still stiff.
He came to a stop next to her seat. He saw Lewis and Marie look at him in shock as he held out his hand. Ladislas didn't look at Anna.
She slipped the paper out from under her notebook and handed it back to him. Her finger brushed lightly against the pads of his. She felt a jolt extend from the spot, spreading throughout her body until her mind lightened.
She followed his lithe form move back to its original position at the head of the theater. She should have opened that chit of paper. She should have seen if he had taken her side with spite coursing through him or pity.
She had to know if he knew what she was.
She had to know.
- - - - -
It was six in the evening and Ladislas had run out of coffee to keep him hyper and interested. He was teaching a course to the first-year students of undergrads as well as grading papers. It was more torturous than being bored without any work to do. He would rather have a poison-laced spear embedded in his heart than go through his every other month.
At least he trusted those medieval warriors to intentionally try to kill him. These students, though, were doing it with a dull knife, thinking that they were geniuses.
Finally, there was a knock on his office door and Ladislas threw the offensive essay paper he was reading down on the desk and leaned back and closed his eyes in dismay.
"Come in," he called out. It was not office hours, which meant that no student would come by to talk to him. It was probably one of the other professors. Thank god.
"Sir?" the voice came.
His eyes flew open and he hastily straightened up to look at the woman standing at the door. She looks much more attractive outside of the classroom and away from the people she associated with. Her hair, though short, was tied back, framing her small face and showing it off. She didn't sound like she had come to challenge him. Neither did she have a smirk on her lips as he had expected.
"Miss Dunn?" he asked, startled. It was a much pleasanter surprise than he had originally thought.
Whatever she was about to say died on her tongue and she froze. There at the door, she blinked at him.
Anna had seen him in various forms. Always in a prim and proper suit, even with his member hanging out, not once had he looked this way. He was sitting behind the desk, his jacket thrown over the back of his chair and his vest on the armrest. His usually crisp shirt was slightly ruffled and the top buttons were undone as if he had wrenched them open in frustration. Even his hair was disheveled, making him much more human and approachable than usual.
Watching her confused state, he was immediately concerned. An excel sheet about everything he knew about her sat on his desktop. From what he gathered, this woman was more attuned to the world of blood and gore that he lived than the normal one she pretended to lead. Yet, she hovered at the threshold of his door looking as young as she was.
He opened his mouth again and she snapped her mouth shut, letting whatever was on her mind rest as she strode into the room. She recovered from her trance and looked determined.
"Apologies for dropping by so late. I am extremely tired," she said calmly, the words soft and melodic to his ears. It was completely at odds with how she usually interacted in class: biting, ready for a fight.
"Yes, it is late," he responded automatically, wondering why she had gone out of her way to meet him when she was trying her best to avoid him the rest of the time. "How can I help you?" He placed his elbows on the table and leaned in to take a closer look at her.
"You aren't used to checking papers, are you? For a man who snuck his way into the university and pretends to have years of prior experience in the teaching field," she whispered conspiratorially, sneaking a glance at the discard file.
"Of course," he said immediately. It was only when he heard himself respond in kind, a mindless and automatic thing he had done with everyone that he realized her motivation. She had wanted to play him and see who he really was.
Anna grinned.
"So, you did lie on your CV," she said in satisfaction. Now that his brain was working, he heard it in her voice. How her words had been a hidden dagger waiting for him to fall into her trap. She molded her words perfectly. And she was relaxed when she did it like she was an angel of prying out information from people.