He wore a simple white tank top that strained against his chest, dark jeans, and heavy boots. A red flannel shirt was tied carelessly around his waist. He looked less like a student and more like a force of nature.
Suddenly, a rhythmic throb pulsed in his chest. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It wasn't a heartbeat. It was a demand.
[Ding!]
[The Sovereign's Toll: Active]
[Status: Lust Debt accumulating...]
[Penalty for Failure: Immediate deletion.]
Ren clenched his teeth. The memory of his old life,the 5'3" frame, the ridicule, the smell of that cold pavement, it all flashed in his mind like a nightmare. He would do anything to never go back.
As the Academy bus hissed to a stop. The doors folded open, revealing a woman standing on the steps.
She was a stunning lady, easily in her mid thirties. Her name tag read Mrs. Lorenzo, the Freshman Coordinator. She wore a sharp, professional pencil skirt and a white blouse that struggled to contain her ample breasts. Heavy-rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, giving her a "strict teacher" vibe that only made her more alluring.
She was looking down at a tablet, her voice business-like and cold. "Next. Name?"
"Ren Camry," he said.
His voice was deep.
Mrs. Lorenzo froze. She slowly lifted her gaze, her glasses sliding slightly down her nose. When her eyes landed on him, taking in the golden tan of his skin, the rippling muscles of his arms, and those sharp predatory eyes, her jaw literally loosened.
[Insight Eye: Mrs. Lorenzo]
[Social Rank: B (Staff)]
[Experience: 9]
[Condition: Aroused/Shocked]
—(Whispers of Desire: Mrs. Lorenzo)—
(God... is this a student? He's magnificent. That voice just sent a shiver straight to my thighs. I need to keep it together. Be professional. But those shoulders... damn..)
She swallowed audibly, her throat working as she tried to find her voice. "Ren... yes. Get in. Find a seat quickly."
Ren gave her a slow, knowing nod as he brushed past her. The scent of his sandalwood cologne and raw masculine pheromones hit her like a physical wave.
He stepped into the bus. The chatter stopped instantly. It was as if someone had turned off the sound. Every girl on that bus was staring.
The bus was packed, but there was one seat left in the front row. Sitting by the window was a girl who looked like a younger, more innocent version of Mrs. Lorenzo, likely her daughter. She wore a modest, flowy dress and was staring out the window, her expression carefully neutral, as if she were too "pure" for the world around her.
Ren sat down next to her. The seat felt small under his 6'3" frame, his thigh inevitably brushing against hers.
[Insight Eye: Bella Lorenzo]
[Social Rank: A (Elite Student)]
[Experience: 1]
The girl didn't turn her head. She kept her gaze fixed outside, her face a mask of indifference. But the System didn't lie.
—(Whispers of Desire: Bella)—
(Whoa... he's hot. Why is his skin so dark? It looks so smooth.... My heart is beating so loud he's going to hear it. Stay calm, Bella.)
Ren leaned back, his arm draping over the back of the seat, almost encircling her without touching her. His heart gave another heavy, demanding throb.
The "Toll" was rising. He looked at the back of Mrs. Lorenzo's head, then at the girl beside him.
The day hadn't even started, and he already had his first targets.
As the bus pulled into the Academy gates, Ren stared out the window. The "old" Shino would have been intimidated by the sheer scale of the marble statues and glass skyscrapers, but Ren only felt a cold, calculated hunger.
After a brief, blurry orientation in the main hall where Mrs. Lorenzo's eyes had drifted to him at least a dozen times during her speech, then the students were ushered toward the dormitories. One by one, names were called. One by one, the crowd thinned.
Until only Ren remained in the empty hall with Mrs. Lorenzo.
"Ren Camry," she said, her voice breathy as she tapped her tablet. She wouldn't look him in the eye. "Right. You're the scholarship student. Because your registration was processed late... we couldn't fit you into the main dorms."
Ren shifted his weight, his large frame casting a long shadow over her. "So, where am I sleeping? The street?"
"No," she said quickly, finally looking up. "We've arranged a space for you. It's a garage unit next to the campus gym. It's private, at least. Follow me."
The walk was quiet, save for the rhythmic clack of her heels and the heavy thud of Ren's boots. He watched the way her hips swayed, his heart giving a violent, painful kick against his ribs.
The Debt, he thought, his jaw tightening. It's getting louder.
They reached a heavy metal roll-up door. Mrs. Lorenzo struggled with the latch, and Ren stepped in behind her, reaching over her head to grab the handle. For a second, she was pinned between the door and his massive chest. He could smell her floral perfume mixed with the scent of her own nervous heat.
He yanked the door up with a loud rattle.
The space was massive, but derelict. Dust motes danced in the dim light. There was a sagging couch in the center, piles of gym scrape in the corners, and an old iron-frame bed pushed against the far wall.
"You'll have to buy a lock," she murmured, stepping inside and looking around with a grimace. "And you'll definitely need new furniture. It's a mess, Ren. I'm sorry the Academy doesn't have better for…"
"It'll do," Ren interrupted. He wasn't a spoiled brat; he was a man who had died and come back. A roof was a roof.
"The bathroom is through that door in the corner," Mrs. Lorenzo said, pointing to a single, weathered wooden door attached to the back wall of the garage. "It's a bit cramped, but the plumbing was recently serviced."
She walked over and turned the handle, stepping into the small, tiled space first to check the light. Ren followed, his massive frame nearly blocking out the light from the garage as he stood in the doorway.
"The light cord is a bit finicky, you have to…"
She reached up, her blouse straining against her chest, but as her fingers brushed the string, a thick, black spider dropped from the shadows of the doorframe. It landed right on her manicured hand.
"Eek!"
The scream was instinctive. She spun around, her heels slipping on the dusty floor, and launched herself forward. Ren didn't even think. His reflexes, honed by his new body, snapped into action. He caught her mid-air, his large hands locking firmly under her thighs and around her waist.
Silence fell, heavy and suffocating.
Mrs. Lorenzo's breath hitched. She was perched in his arms like a bride, her chest heaving against his tank top. Her glasses were crooked, and her face was inches from his.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Ren's heart was screaming now.
[Insight Eye: Mrs. Lorenzo]
[Condition: Peak Arousal / Conflict]
—(Whispers of Desire: Mrs. Lorenzo)—
(Oh god... his arms are like iron. This is wrong, I'm staff, he's a student. I can't make a move... I'll get in trouble. He might report me. But if he... if he just touched me...)
Ren looked at her trembling lips. The "old" Shino would have apologized and put her down. He would have stuttered and felt ashamed.
But Ren saw the green light. He heard her permission in her soul.
"Mrs. Lorenzo," he whispered, his voice a dark, velvet command. "You're shaking."
"I... I am?" she breathed.
He didn't wait for an answer. He pulled her closer, his hand sliding up to cup the back of her neck. He didn't ask; he took. As his lips crashed onto hers, the System let out a triumphant chime.
[Ding!]
[Toll Payment: Initiated.]