Dark Fae

After returning to her dorm, Elise successfully accesses Gareth’s Atlas by using her birthday as the password. She discovers a hidden email folder from a mysterious figure called “King.” The messages reveal that Gareth was coerced into attending secret meetings in Acrux Courtyard on every full moon, and King threatened that Elise would pay in his place if he failed to appear. 

Elise has a brief, hostile confrontation with a student named Cindy Lou who is jealous of the attention Dante gives her. Then she decides to investigate the courtyard at midnight since it is a full moon. Her stakeout is unsuccessful, as no one arrives. As she explores the empty courtyard, Ryder startles her and uses his hypnotic powers to trap her in a vivid sexual fantasy. Angered by her submissive role in his vision, Elise uses her power to shatter the illusion. She then attacks Ryder, violently feeding on his blood. Ryder is aroused by the assault and offers her a deal to continue feeding from him in exchange for sexual favors, which Elise rejects before hurrying away at vampire speed.

The narrative flashes back to Gareth’s point of view. Gareth worries about the debt he owes to protect his sister. He is briefly distracted from his fears when he helps a new student, Cindy Lou, find her way, and she thanks him with a kiss on the cheek. Hurrying to class, he accidentally collides with Gabriel. While helping gather Gabriel’s dropped belongings, Gareth glimpses an Atlas screen showing Gabriel’s large bank balance and repeated, large payments from an entity called “Falling Star.”

Gabriel grabs Gareth’s shirt, slams him against the wall, and accuses him of spying. When Gareth mutters an insult as he walks away, Gabriel blasts him with water and traps him with vines, leaving him bound and humiliated in the corridor. Gabriel threatens to drown Gareth if he ever looks into his business again. Left alone, Gareth realizes Gabriel’s overreaction proves he is hiding a secret about the money. He resolves to discover what it is and use it to blackmail Gabriel so he can secure the funds needed to ensure his sister’s freedom.

The narrative returns to the present. Dante calls his mother, who is a Werewolf like the rest of his family. He learns that his unstable uncle Felix is causing turf wars in his absence, making Dante feel his leadership position is threatened. Back in his dorm, ongoing tension with his roommates Elise and Gabriel boils over when they disrespect him. Feeling his dominance challenged, Dante decides to make a show of power. He grabs Elise, transforms into his massive dragon form, and shoves her out their top-floor window. He catches her in his hind leg talons just before she hits the ground and soars into the sky, creating a storm with his magic. Gabriel, in his winged Harpy form, gives chase and attacks Dante, forcing him to release Elise. Unable to fight Gabriel while he holds Elise, a thwarted and enraged Dante flies off, unleashing his storm over the academy.

Gabriel flies Elise to the dorm rooftop, shielding them from the rain with his magic. He advises her not to return to their room, which causes Elise’s carefully controlled grief for Gareth to overwhelm her. Gabriel comforts her, revealing he had a vision of catching her and saying that fate brought them together. Seeking to feel something other than pain, Elise initiates a kiss, which Gabriel reciprocates. The moment quickly escalates, and he leads her to a private, sheltered space he maintains on the roof. They engage in a passionate sexual encounter. Afterward, Gabriel’s talk of fate makes Elise feel safe. Choosing to trust the feeling and set aside her suspicions, she falls asleep in his arms.

After sleeping with Elise, Gabriel is disturbed by their intense connection because it violates his strict rule of forming no attachments. His Sight, a magical ability to see glimpses of the future, confirms his fear: Elise is his Elysian Mate, a fated, powerful bond. Believing this connection puts him in danger due to his mysterious past and the unknown people hunting him, Gabriel decides he must break the bond by making Elise hate him. He confronts her in the school hallway and reveals their fated connection. When she laughs and dismisses the idea, he binds and gags her with vines and throws her across the floor, warning her to stay away. Though his actions cause him pain, he believes it is necessary. Back in their room, he finds Elise’s note under his pillow and reaffirms his resolve to reject their fate.

Elise attends her mandatory counseling session and discovers the counselor, Miss Nightshade, is a powerful Siren who can sense her deep grief. After resisting the Siren’s influence and threatening her, Elise storms out. Elise forms a plan to mislead the counselor by creating a cover story about a deceased father. In her late-night Astrology class, she finds herself caught in a territorial dispute between Dante and Ryder and sits elsewhere. Although Gabriel rarely participates in class, he answers a question about Elysian Mates. Elise feels his words are directed at her. Elise gets Leon to sit with her and questions him about his former roommate without revealing that Gareth is her brother. Leon reveals Gareth became distant after joining a secretive, cult-like student group called the Black Card, whose members are associated with the drug Killblaze. Though Gareth’s death was ruled an overdose, Leon confides he never showed signs of having an addiction.

The narrative flashes back to Gareth’s point of view. Gareth is desperate for money and is failing to find blackmail material on Gabriel. His new roommate, Leon, asks for help getting onto the Pitball team despite missing tryouts. During their conversation, Gareth discovers Leon possesses an extremely valuable and rare white jasper crystal. Realizing it could solve his financial problems, Gareth decides to steal it.

Gareth helps Leon secure a spot on the team by impressing their coach, Professor Mars, who praises Gareth as future Captain material. Although Gareth begins to like Leon, his desperation to protect his sister outweighs his guilt. Late that night, he waits for Leon to fall asleep, steals the crystal from his pocket, and leaves to pawn it through a shady contact. He justifies the theft as necessary to keep Elise safe for another month.