Paranormal Academy

by Limited Edition Box Set

Damn. I’d been busted.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” The deep tone of Slade’s voice made me shudder.

  “I, uh…” I struggled to come up with a lie.

  Of all my guardians, I found it hardest to be dishonest with Slade. It wasn’t that I made a habit of lying, but I’d done my share in the last six months that Thomas and I had dated.

  Why keep up the ruse? Jax was already pissed at me. His reminder of all the things they gave up to be my guardians was a bitter pill to swallow. If Slade felt the same way, I’d find out soon enough.

  “Rose texted me a few minutes ago. I’m not sure what’s happening, but she’s in some kind of trouble. I’m going to find her and bring her back to the realm.”

  The moment his brows folded, I prepared for the worst. Great. He would yell at me just like Jax had.

  “So you were going to leave campus without telling anyone where you were going? Samara—”

  “Stop it, Slade! I won’t stand here and argue with you too. We’re running out of time to help Rose.”

  When I tried stepping past him, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to face him. “What do you mean, you won’t argue with me too?”

  “Jax and I just had the biggest argument we’ve ever had.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he caught me sneaking back into my room. I went to the human realm earlier to break things off with Thomas.”

  “You did?” Slade asked. He loosened his grip on my arm and caressed it with his thumb. “I’m sorry, Samara. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

  I lowered my gaze and shook my head. “I couldn’t go through with it.”

  Silence claimed the space between us for a moment. Then he tipped my chin higher. “So you and Thomas are still together?”

  Nodding, I wiped at the tears escaping my eyes. “I thought about casting a spell to wipe his memory, but we ended up making love. That’s when I realized I couldn’t end things. I love him, Slade. Right or wrong, he owns a piece of my heart.”

  I waited for him to berate me just like Jax had done. Instead, he grabbed me and pulled me to his chest.

  “Don’t cry, Samara. Jax will calm down. We’ll figure things out. Right now, we need to go find Rose.”

  “You’ll let me go?”

  He nodded. “It’s not safe for you to go alone. Besides, your tattoo isn’t working right. It should have alerted me you were close by. We can’t rely on it to keep us connected.”

  My cheeks burned with guilt. I eased back to look at him. “Yeah, about that… Nothing is wrong with the tattoo. I placed a spell on it to hide my location. I didn’t want you guys showing up at Thomas’s or making a scene.”

  He pursed his lips and stared at me. “Now I see why Jax was pissed.”

  It was more than my admission about spelling my tattoo that had upset Jax. He’d unloaded many years of pent-up frustration, but I kept that information to myself. I’d already wasted too much time since Rose’s text. We needed to leave now.

  “I know you’re upset with me too, but can we please search for Rose first? I’ll take any lecture you want to give me after we find Rose. I just hope Natasha is with her.”

  “As I said before, we’ll figure everything out later.” He released me from his embrace. “Which direction are we going?”

  “It doesn’t matter as long as we’re off campus. I need to open the portal without alerting anyone.”

  Slade scooped me into his arms as his wings expanded from his back. “We’ll get there faster if we fly. Hold on to me.”

  The instant I wrapped my arms around his neck, we lifted off the ground. His wings flapped, reminding me of gusts of wind blowing on a stormy night. The faster we flew, the tighter he held me.

  I gazed down at the torches flickering over the grounds, lighting the multiple sidewalks and paths around the academy. Everything looked so small from up here.

  The campus faded in the distance as we flew over the Whispering Woods. Treetops wavered from the air currents coming off of Slade’s wings. We were so close to them, I half expected to feel the leaves brushing against my legs.

  Slade began to descend into a large field on the south side of campus. We glided toward the ground, stopping just on the other side of a small stream. Slade planted his feet against the grassy terrain then, lowered me.

  Taking a step away from him, I brought my hands in front of me and called upon my powers. Within a millisecond, a lavender light formed inside my hands. Each second I focused on the light, it gained strength. As soon as it morphed into a casting orb, I flung it toward the ground.

  A portal opened. The light inside crackled, beckoning me forward. Just as I moved toward it, Slade grabbed my hand.

  “We do this together.”

  Nodding at him, I clasped his hand tighter and moved into the portal. The energy inside lashed at us. It felt like tiny zaps of electricity running through my body.

  I concentrated on where I wanted to go, visualizing the spot in the woods where Rose and I had found the mugwort. The surrounding trees and tiny creek flashed through my mind. Then the portal opened to the same scenery.

  Slade remained by my side as we stepped into the woods. I drew the energy I used for the portal back inside me, absorbing it through my palm. It didn’t hurt me the same way it did when Jax had hurled the energy I launched at him back at me. I was in control this time.

  My heart raced as I scanned the woods, searching for any sign of Rose. The moon provided a scarce amount of light through the bare branches.

  “Dona mihi per visionem nocte.” I spoke the spell to grant me night vision, then the surrounding trees and bushes brightened enough I could see.

  Slade had already released my hand and began searching the area. He was lucky that he didn’t have to use magic to see in the dark. It was a natural ability of a gargoyle.

  “Do you see anything?” I kept my voice to a whisper in case someone besides Rose was listening.

  “Negative,” Slade answered. “What about you?”

  “Nothing so far.”

  We moved along the creek, searching through the brush and fallen logs for Rose. When we began to approach a large oak tree, twigs snapped behind us.

  “Did you hear that?” I whispered.

  “Yeah, I heard it, but I see nothing.” He continued to scan the area. “Stay put. Erect your protective shield while I check it out. Yell if you see or hear anything else.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

  As if he needed to reaffirm that I wouldn’t disobey, he squeezed my shoulder and raised his brows. “Promise me you won’t wander off.”

  “I swear I won’t.” I hated the fact I had broken his trust and that he needed an oath to believe me. To reinforce my promise, I spoke the words that would create the shield. It took only seconds for the silver barrier to surround me. It’s pearly light shimmered against the night sky.

  Satisfied that I was protected, Slade nodded, then walked away. I kept my eyes and ears open for any other movements or noises. Aside from the wind and the sound of Slade’s footsteps, it was quiet.

  Still, something about the air didn’t feel right. The warm breeze chilled. All the energy surrounding me slowed until the outline of the trees faded. It was as is if I was standing in a place void of any life.

  Another twig snapped in the opposite direction of where Slade had gone. I turned in a circle, checking every direction for a glimpse of my friend or even Natasha. Perhaps she was out here with Rose.

  When no one appeared, my heart pounded. Something was definitely off. Fear spiked inside me. I needed to find Slade.

  Just as I turned toward the area where he’d disappeared, I came face to face with a man. Dressed in a regal cloak, his silver hair spoke of his age, but his dark brown eyes framed by wire-rimmed glasses haunted me. They were oddly familiar.

  It took a moment to sink in, but I finally realized where I’d seen him before. He was the man who’d bumped into me a few nights ago at the bar.
The same night I was supposed to meet Rose.

  “Who are you?” I asked as he stalked closer. “Why are you here?”

  “You know why I’m here,” he taunted.

  I retreated a step, trying to maintain a safe distance between us. Even with my shield surrounding me, I still felt exposed. Something about him had my magic pulsing a warning. An eerie feeling washed over me the longer I stared at him. “I don’t even know who you are. How could I know why you’re here?”

  “I’m here for you, my dear.”

  His words chilled me to the bone. I raised my hand, firing off an orb of energy. The man twisted his body around to avoid my assault on him. The orb hit a nearby tree, sending sparks flying.

  When he faced me again, he smirked. Then his eyes darkened, resembling the same ebony shade of Jax’s whenever his dark magic seeped through. With a wave of his hand, my barrier disintegrated.

  Oh, shit… My heart thundered in my chest. If he could break through my shield that easily, I would be no match for him.

  I turned to run, but he grabbed my arm and jerked me forward. One hand moved to my neck, gripping it tightly just as a searing pain flooded my side. All the air in my lungs rushed out as I tried to scream.

  “You shouldn’t have stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong, little witch.”

  My stomach rolled. Nausea overtook me and the bitter taste of bile crept up my throat. Despite how much I tried to escape him, my limbs ached and protested, as if cement encased them.

  His arm twisted and the pain between my ribs increased. I cried out for Slade. Where was he? He should have felt my distress through our bond. Oh, goddess. The bond was still under my spell. Slade would feel nothing.

  The man glanced over his shoulder. Without a word, he released me and turned, walking in the direction Slade had disappeared. He wasn’t but two steps away when Slade came running toward us. The moment he spotted my attacker, he narrowed his eyes. “You…”

  I didn’t miss the way Slade glared at the man, as if he knew him. My guardian’s gaze shifted to my chest. The look of horror on his face had me tilting my head down, only to find a knife penetrating my flesh just under my arm. Gripping the handle, I pulled it out inch by inch. My screams shattered the silence surrounding me. Blood dripped on the ground, next to the fallen knife, soaking the grass at my feet. I felt weak, so weak. It grew too difficult to stand, and then I collapsed.

  “Samara!” Slade’s piercing cry echoed through my head. He charged toward the man, shifting into his gargoyle form. He hadn’t completed the change when a black, smokey orb collided with his chest. He grunted from the impact, then stumbled backward.

  I needed to help Slade. He wouldn’t be able to shift if the man kept attacking him. I lifted a shaky hand, releasing an orb. It fizzled and fell only a foot from me. I didn’t have enough strength to do any damage.

  The silver-haired man rushed Slade, flinging a few more dark orbs in his direction. Slade kept trying to shift, but each blast sent him to the ground. I watched the battle in horror, unsure who would be the victor.

  They disappeared behind a cluster of trees. I heard groans and the sound of the orbs crashing. The wind began to whip around me, a dead clue that my guardian was using his affinity with air. I prayed he could knock the man back long enough to shift. Then the stranger wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

  As I lay against the earthy floor, with my lifeblood seeping out of me, I realized the seriousness of what Jax and my other guardians had warned me about. I shouldn’t have searched for Rose. All it had led to was a trap, and I only had myself to blame. I’d failed the people I loved, right along with my coven.

  And now the ancestors had failed me. Where were they when I needed them most?

  *

  Grab Abducted by Magic, the next book in the Guardians of Magic series

  About the Authors

  Elena is a nocturnal creature who loves sipping vanilla lattes and devouring as many books as she can. She talks a lot, bitches a little, and laughs often.

  Most days you’ll find Kelli knee-deep in chocolate bars, coffee, and kooky characters. She is a connoisseur of chocolate, professional percolator, and a master in the art of procrastination.

  Rising Princess

  A Faerie Princess Spy Academy Prequel Novella

  Solo Storm

  When Her Brother Died, She Became Heir Apparent to the Throne…

  Eighteen-year-old Darby Fitzgerald has enough to worry about as princess of the leprechauns, one of the ten clans of the Alliance of Faeries. But as she attends orientation at her private school for royals and nobles, she never expects to find that her throne is at risk—and that the man who wants to take it is the last person she expects…

  With her family’s hold over the leprechauns slipping, she doesn’t know who to trust among her ladies-in-waiting, her guards, and her staff. As she navigates her relationships on shaky new ground, she grows closer to Griffin, her handsome, loyal bodyguard who is always there for her, while clashing with Flynn, the dark angel of a man who’s entered her life unexpectedly.

  Meanwhile, her rivals are causing major trouble for her as she tries to take her assessments and protect her household—and she doesn’t know how to stop them from striking again.

  Now, she has to navigate the politics of Alanza to solve a crime and win one of three places in the most challenging program of her life.

  If she can’t win a place, her family may lose power. For good.

  Can she solve the clues in time?

  Copyright © 2019 Solo Storm

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, incidents, and dialogs are products of the author’s

  imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events is strictly

  coincidental.

  1

  The neon green lights above her danced over her pale skin and the bodies around her pulsed to a frenetic, diabolical beat, but all she could feel were his smoldering eyes on her bare back.

  “Darby, drink!” Brielle yelled at her over the music. Brielle clashed her glass against hers drunkenly, sending a tidal wave of liquid from both their drinks over the edges.

  Darby moved her cocktail to the other hand, shook off the splattered one, and licked the remaining alcohol from it, before taking a sip of the drink.

  She watched Griffin carefully, looking for any sign that he had noticed her admirer. But her observant bodyguard hadn’t seemed to pick up on his interest—a good thing, since she didn’t want to be dragged home before midnight on her last night in Dublin.

  The PYGmalion nightclub, filled to the brim with college students, gave her the perfect cover for a carefree night with her friends.

  But she, Darby Fitzgerald, was not a typical earthlie college student—she wasn’t an earthlie, nor in college.

  She, Darby Fitzgerald, was the future queen of the leprechauns, one of the faerie clans among the ten united through the Alliance of Faeries.

  And, she, Darby Fitzgerald, would be headed to just outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the next morning, to attend her first orientation to Alanza, the International School of Faerie, built high amidst the mountains and waterfalls of the Tijuca Forest, where she would meet all the other important future leaders, advisors, and nobles of the faeries.

  Brielle chugged the rest of her drink and slammed her empty glass on the table. “Griffin, you want to grab us another round?”

  Darby rolled her eyes—typical Brielle. She always treated Griffin like a servant, though she knew that he did not work for her to fetch drinks, nor anything else.

  “None for me,” Quinn said, holding up her half-finished drink. “I still have to pack tonight.”

  Griffin opened his mouth to respond, but Brielle talk
ed over him.

  “You’re not packed yet?!” she exclaimed, turning her back to Griffin.

  Griffin gave Darby an exasperated look and stalked off without a word. She knew he found Brielle annoying, but he also knew why Darby kept her around. Brielle’s family was one of the wealthiest among the leprechauns, and royalty only stayed in power through funding from their allies. Brielle was an only child and the heir to the Barrington fortune, so Darby really couldn’t afford to piss her off.

  “I’ll go with him,” Fiona offered quietly, so only Darby could hear. She disappeared into the crowd, moving toward the bar after Griffin.

  “I do my best packing last minute,” Quinn said. She laughed at the shocked look on Brielle’s face. “Besides, no one will be paying attention to me. We’re there to support Darby.”

  Brielle pursed her lips. “On the contrary, my friend. That’s why we have to look our best.” Brielle wrapped her arm around Darby’s shoulder. “We can’t let our princess look shabby in front of all the other princesses, especially when she needs to find the best-placed prince possible.”

  Brielle’s words punched her in the gut. She had always grown up knowing that when she turned eighteen, she’d be going to Alanza, like every other son and daughter of noble birth.

  She had also known, as a daughter in a royal family, that she’d more than likely be marrying for alliance.

  It was only recently, however, that she had the added pressure of being first in line for the throne. Her elder brother, the heir apparent, passed away nearly two years ago, after completing his own first year at Alanza.

  She had always grown up hoping that she could find a suitable husband that was both a good match politically, and someone she could learn to love. She had three other sisters if her parents needed an alliance, and she was the eldest. Shouldn’t she be able to choose her own husband?