Devon's Discipline Read online

  Devon’s Discipline

  By

  Adaline Raine

  Copyright © 2014 by Stormy Night Publications and Adaline Raine

  Copyright © 2014 by Stormy Night Publications and Adaline Raine

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.

  www.StormyNightPublications.com

  Raine, Adaline

  Devon’s Discipline

  Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson

  Images by Period Images

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.

  Chapter One

  Devon Dawson struggled to keep her papers in order as she stuffed them into her bag. It was the start of the fall semester and her schedule included five courses. She slid awkwardly as her shoe skidded across the floor, wet from the rain outside, and crashed into the wall.

  “Fantastic.” Starting the day off great.

  The entrance to the large projection classroom beckoned to her, and she glanced inside before stepping through the door. She had never had a class in there and it felt more like a theater than your typical room. She brushed a piece of her long black hair out of her face and went to take a step inside but stumbled and sent the contents of her book bag down several steps.

  “Fuck.” Her purse, papers, folders, small laptop case, and pens went flying. She reached down to gather them and promptly lost her balance. A hand reached out and grasped her elbow before she could follow her belongings down the stairs. When she turned her head to see who had caught her, she felt her jaw drop. The man had intense blue eyes with a dark violet flame in the center and she gasped as his eyes met hers.

  “Are you all right?” he asked as he released her arm.

  “Yes,” she answered quickly. “Thanks for catching me.”

  “You’re welcome.” He retrieved her belongings and piled them back in her arms. “I’m Professor Matthews. Go find a seat.”

  Devon felt a wave of heat flush over her face as she sank down into the first empty spot. What a stupid first impression to make!

  The professor took attendance moments later and she raised her hand at the sound of her name. Great, now he knows exactly who I am.

  His lesson passed quickly as they went over the course outline. They would be watching recent documentaries covering the origins of modern day witches, werewolves, and vampires who were all very real, though not as Hollywood portrayed them. The notes she jotted down were similar to the ones scrawled in her old notebooks.

  Why did I take another supernatural course? She had taken one in high school and the topics appeared to be exactly the same.

  The classroom filled with the noise of shuffling papers and chatter. The noise snapped her out of her memories and she stood up.

  “Is there something I can help you with?” Matthews called over the noise.

  “I was listening intently to your lesson and lost track of time. I apologize.” Devon gathered her things slowly and moved into the aisle.

  “I didn’t do much talking.”

  “Perhaps I find documentaries fascinating.” She paused as he took the steps in stride until he reached her.

  “Tell me something. Usually I have a bunch of freshmen in here because they think this is a cake walk. Why are you here?”

  “Underclassmen are stupid if they think a course about supernatural creatures is an easy grade. I took a course in high school and almost flunked.” She rolled her eyes. “They should know better.”

  “Why would you risk another go-round if you almost failed?”

  Devon looked up as the last of her classmates filed out of the room. They were now alone and she kept thinking about the embarrassment she felt from almost falling. “I watched all the documentaries on the agenda already and I had free time. Your class is listed as an elective and it fit into my schedule.”

  “Is the topic important to you?”

  “Very.” Devon adjusted the bag on her shoulder. Dear gods! His voice caressed her as if he was running velvet up and down her legs.

  “I’m glad you believe in something.” He nodded towards her necklace. “Do you practice?”

  “I dabble at best. I’m not much into organized religion, but I am spiritual.” Devon looked down at the small Celtic pentacle hanging on her silver chain. It was a symbol of protection and she never took it off.

  “I’d like to discuss the topic more, if you are free sometime after class.”

  “Uh, yeah, I know it’s a topic we’re covering.”

  His eyes sucked her in again.

  Could she really consider the possibility of him being interested in her, or was it something else? “I, uh, have another class to get to. Thank you for helping me with my stuff before. I’m so clumsy.” She rushed up the stairs, knowing her next class started soon.

  “No problem, just be sure to pay attention to your surroundings.”

  “Okay, I will.” Devon hurried up to the hallway. Her phone chirped to indicate five minutes until her next class but at least the class was nearby. She made it there in record time but could not focus. The thought of spending time alone with Professor Matthews gave her goose bumps.

  Why did he talk to me?

  * * *

  Devon sat quietly at dinner and didn’t engage in conversation until she felt someone give her arm a hard poke. “What?”

  “You have been as quiet as a freaking mouse all night! What’s going on with you?” Barbi, an underclassman, poked her again. The girl was nice enough but could easily get on your nerves. She had been invited to live there by her and Lucy, her best friend since high school, since she had not secured a place in the dorms.

  Devon gathered up her dishes, rinsed them, and set them in the dishwasher. “I don’t know. I had a new class today with Professor Matthews and I just keep thinking about him. I mean, I made a total ass of myself. I was looking at the big screen in his classroom so I dropped all my shit, and then I almost fell.”

  “He only lets in underclassman and believe me, I fought to get in his Monday and Wednesday class. Did you know there is actually a waiting list?” Barbi’s eyes sparkled in awe.

  “No, I didn’t know. I had free time and I got in.” Devon closed the dishwasher and turned back around. “Did you notice anything different about him?”

  “I just noticed how attractive he is. Like, full on schoolgirl fantasy attractive.” Barbi giggled.

  “Okay, too much information!” Devon groaned.

  “Professor Dreamy is not worth your time,” Lucy snorted from her position on the couch. The room had an open layout and she could easily hear their conversation.

  “Maybe he isn’t worth your time,” Devon huffed and made her way over to the armchair near the couch. She flopped into it and pulled her feet up.

  “I’ve got to read the last three chapters of this book before class starts, so my butt is going upstairs,” Barbi stated and walked towards the spiral staircase. It led up to the second floor, where there were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house, though small, met their needs well.

  “Okay, see you.” Devon gave a wave.

  “Night.” Lucy also waved at the younger girl then turned toward the armchair. “I don’t like your choice in eye candy.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Josh refused to take any classes in the same building as him.”

  “So, your boyfriend doesn’t like him. So what?”
/>
  “Josh is my mate and he’s very observant of how people are. If he avoids him, there must be a reason.”

  “Maybe he stepped on his tail.” It was a low blow even though she didn’t like the jock. Josh was third in command—whatever that meant in the werewolf pack Lucy belonged to. The two had been mated for about a year, and though the wolf thing didn’t matter, she felt uneasy around him. Why is she giving me such a hassle over him?

  “You could try to get along with him.” Lucy rose to her feet.

  “He could try to get along with me.”

  A burst of orange flashed through Lucy’s eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” Devon dropped her eyes to the floor. Whenever her friend grew angry or irritated her eyes turned amber.

  “Josh never did anything to you! You met some stupid professor and now you’re all ga-ga for him?”

  “He saved me from falling down the stairs,” Devon whispered.

  “How close did you get to him?” Lucy growled under her breath.

  “He grabbed me, but I’m not head over heels for him. I’m happy I can still be attracted to someone.” Devon began playing with a stray string on the cushion.

  “You’re attracted to him?” Lucy bounced up and down on her feet. “I would drop his course and be done.”

  “One conversation does not equal me jumping into bed with him. Besides, we’re going to meet up and discuss the topics more.” Devon raised her head and saw the orange glow fading back into brown.

  “Just pay attention, okay? Don’t get in over your head.” Lucy headed towards the front of the house. “I need to run.” She opened the door and slammed it behind her.

  A “run” meant she needed to shift into a wolf to work through her agitation. Certain cycles of the moon tipped her aggression easier than others, but usually she was pretty mellow. Devon moved to the couch, pulled down a throw blanket, and cuddled up. Lucy would be naked when she came home and would need someone to let her in.

  Her thoughts drifted back to Professor Matthews. Why had he let her in his class if he only let underclassmen in? Could he have heard about her parents and want to help her out? Could he possibly know what she was doing to herself? She knew she had to change her path, but no one cared enough to help her.

  * * *

  Three weeks of the semester had gone by and already Devon had a bad attendance record. The grief she had pushed away tugged her to the bar over and over again so she could drown out the sadness. The only course she attended on a regular basis was Supernatural 101, taught by Professor Matthews.

  Today she hid in the very back of the room behind a large pair of dark sunglasses. Normally she engaged in class discussion, but last night she had too much to drink and she’d woken up with a hangover. She sank down as far as she could in the seat as the class wore on.

  The minutes ticked by slowly until the time indicated class was over. Devon stood up with her bag. She had not bothered to take notes.

  I didn’t participate at all and he didn’t even notice.

  “Ms. Dawson? Come here a moment,” Professor Matthews called up the stairs as she headed towards the door.

  “Sure.” She spun around and clomped down the stairs. Devon reached his desk then leaned her hip against it. “I have a headache. Is this important?”

  “I don’t allow sunglasses in here. Next time I will take them off in the middle of class.” He reached forward and plucked the glasses from her face.

  “Hey! Those are mine!” She snatched them back, but she knew the damage was done. His eyes widened as he looked over her face, obviously seeing her bloodshot eyes with the huge bags underneath.

  “If you’re not going to participate in class or follow the rules outlined in the agenda, then I’d rather you not be here.” Matthews crossed his arms as she tried to think of a response.

  “I usually participate and I did read the rules but I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.” Despite her personal demons, Devon wanted to excel.

  Does he know how hard I’m struggling?

  “Do you have a hangover?”

  “Why do you care?” she snipped, then bit down into her lip.

  Why did I snap at him? Haven’t I been begging for someone to pay attention to me?

  “You sound rather defensive right now, even though all I asked was one simple question. I suspect you have been left to your own devices sooner than you were prepared to be.” Matthews dropped his arms to rest his hands on top of her shoulders. “My schedule is clear this afternoon. Is there something I can help with?”

  “In case you haven’t read the paper, both my parents are dead. But it doesn’t matter since I’m an adult. I can handle myself,” she stated firmly while fearing she sounded like a little girl lost in a store because she’d wandered away from the safety of her parents. Without her parents she had no motivation or purpose.

  Don’t you have another class more important than me and my life?

  “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you don’t sound very convincing. I’m offering—”

  “I don’t care about anything you have to say.” Devon shrugged his hands off. “I told you I’m an adult. You didn’t seem to hear me.”

  “When you are here in my classroom, you will speak respectful words to me. Are we clear?”

  Devon opened her mouth to tell him off when she found herself lost in the violet swirls of his eyes. She tried to think of a good comeback when his hand shot out and closed her mouth.

  “I expect respectful words. Are we clear?” Matthews had a firm grip on her chin, and she nodded without breaking eye contact. “Good.”

  Devon felt her heart pound against her chest as she stared at him. The rational part of her brain argued she could simply pull away, but a deeper thought wormed into her consciousness. She wanted to do exactly as he said.

  “You have other classes to get to. It would help your grades immensely if you actually went to them.” He released his hold but didn’t move away.

  “I’m going to most of them,” she grumbled and slid her sunglasses back on. How the hell does he know I’m not going?

  “Try going to all of them.” His tone dripped with authority and turned her on, though she hated to admit it.

  “Is there a prize if I do?”

  “Yeah, it’s called passing the semester.”

  “Are you serious about getting together to discuss some of the topics we’re covering?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

  “Do you have time tomorrow?”

  “If I move around a meeting I would, but a few minutes ago you stated you could care less about what I have to say.” Matthews cocked his head to the side, and she felt a rush of heat come over her face.

  “I don’t want to talk about me, but I would like to get as many different perspectives as I can, especially since the subject of our final project is unknown.” She straightened and found herself pressed dangerously close to his body. “My classes are done by two.”

  “Can you get to The Bookworm by two-thirty? It’s quiet there and it’s just up the road.” A smirk was playing on his lips, and Devon wondered what thoughts flitted through his mind.

  “Sure, and I’m sorry about before. I’ve been having a really tough time with things lately.” She took several small backwards steps until they had distance between them.

  “I accept your apology and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Matthews returned to sit at his desk. “You should go or you’ll be late to your next class.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to miss it.” Devon retreated up the stairs and rolled her eyes. Each professor had asked for her daily schedule and he seemed to have memorized hers. “Bye.” She swore she heard him laugh as she reached the door, but when she glanced back she saw him involved with a stack of papers.

  Why the hell did I ask him to meet with me? What am I doing?

  * * *

  “I can’t do this… I can’t…” Devon paced in front of the main campus building where her last clas
s had been held. It was the day after her promise to meet up with Professor Matthews and she had ten minutes to get to the tiny cafe. Her stomach felt tied up in knots. Why did I act like such a brat and then ask him to talk? Oh my gods, he re-arranged his morning, but I don’t want to go anymore! Why am I so nervous? Finally, after another five wasted minutes of agonizing, she hurried to the location and went inside.

  “I found a table over by the window unless you want to sit outside.” Matthews stood up from the small couch near the door and gestured towards the large picture window across the room.

  “No, by the window is great.” Devon forced her feet to move and could not help but watch the way his jeans hugged the curve of his ass perfectly. He’s my professor. What am I thinking?

  “You said you only dabble in the craft? Did you ever seek out anyone else?” He pulled her chair out and she sat hesitantly, then scooted it in.

  “Uh…” She set her book bag on the floor and looked up. Devon felt like a rocket scientist caught in a game of Simon Says. Why can’t I think of anything to say?

  “There used to be a campus group some years back—before the path became accepted by others.”

  “I can do some spells, but really only for my protection. I’ve also asked for guidance from a certain god or goddess if I’m indecisive about something.” Devon played with her necklace as the waitress approached.

  “Can I get you something?” The cute blond smiled broadly at Matthews and didn’t acknowledge her at all.

  “I’ll have a tall vanilla latte with double light whipped cream, caramel syrup on top, and chocolate syrup on the bottom,” Devon smiled sweetly.

  “Uh… what?” The blond started as if she hadn’t seen her. “I’m sorry, honey, what do you want?”

  “Coffee in a big cup with sugar and half and half and lots of whipped cream.” Devon simplified the order since she’d only made it sound complicated to get the woman’s attention, as the waitress had seemed fixated on Matthews. He didn’t seem amused at her joke.