by S. L. Morgan
“Do what I said, now!” he demanded and ran down the hall where Ethan’s owl flew off.
“What a jerk!” I said in disgust.
“It’s fine,” Lusa said in a soft voice. “He’s gotta find E before one of the school authorities do.”
“You know Ethan pretty well, don’t you?” I asked, following her into the room after she hit the hall lights and they shut off.
“Yeah, we do,” she said, distracted and looking out the window. “No. This can’t be happening…Dom is in his wolf form. This is not good,” she said, bringing her perfectly painted nails to her teeth.
I watched the large wolf disappear into the woods, knowing that Dominic and Ethan just busted two rules this school apparently didn’t take lightly. My wolf, on the other hand, wanted to be a part of the search and rescue mission, but she laid low. Thank goodness.
“You think someone will understand after we inform them that there was some shadow person in our hall? Owls should get a pass on something like that. They can’t be around the darkness.”
“The administration won’t understand. Both of them will be punished harshly if they’re caught.”
“Well, after your boyfriend yelled at you like that, I think harsh punishment is a good thing.” I tried to lighten the mood with a goofy joke, knowing this really was bad.
Lusa burst out laughing at my comment and shook her head as she walked over and shut our door. “Dom is not my boyfriend,” she said as she lit a small candle and closed the curtains to our room before she stretched across her bed. “He’s my twin.”
“What the hell?” I answered. “I mean, I only thought that because you’re the only person I’ve seen him smile at or hug, I guess, but I don’t understand. A vampire and shifter can’t be twins—that’s not even fathomable. What’s going on with that?”
“Dom and I are brother and sister,” she said, studying me. “We are twins. I grabbed my mother’s genes, a vampire…and Dom got dad’s, a shifter. Both full-blooded supernaturals. We come from a very unique family line.”
“No shit,” I said.
“Stop with the cussing,” she said with a smile. “I think we’ve raised enough red flags for the night.”
“Yeah, okay, but seriously, I’ve never heard of anything like this,” I said.
“You come from a very sheltered world, it’s understandable, but you’re right, it normally doesn’t work that way. When two supernaturals procreate—a vampire and shifter in my parents’ case—the stronger supernatural DNA is the one that determines what the child will be.”
“I would imagine the shifter is stronger than the vamp,” I said, trying to give my shifter side a win.
She laughed. “Well, you have learned tonight what the elites of Immortal Academy know, the shifter and vampire have equal power or else both Dominic and I would be the same species of supernatural being. We are one of seven sets of twins who have ever experienced this phenomenon. We were told that it was most likely because of our parents’ heritage that this happened. My mother is a full-blooded direct descendant of House Draugar, and then my dad’s side—the side Dom takes after—is House—”
“House Braeclaw?” I questioned in shock.
“Yes,” she said the word with a sigh. “It’s why Dominic is the strongest shifter here and why his alpha behavior developed early.” She looked at me with a question in her eyes, “You’re a mystery to both of us, you know? E won’t leak a bit of information—it’s like he’s guarding you or something—but all we want to know why you are the only one that Dom’s alpha commands have zero effect on.”
“I’m still trying to process a vampire and shifter popping out of the same person, much less that Ethan Carter—a winged shifter—is your cousin, and he is protecting me from something.”
“Yes,” she smiled as I sat back on my heels in front of her. I was glued to the floor with all of these revelations. “I noticed it when I saw him attach to you from the moment he sat with you that day at lunch.”
“I thought it was pretty cool a winged shifter would even have a conversation with a ground shifter, then I was blown away he was an owl shifter of all things.”
“He’s a gem to all of us. His parents were poached and killed in the human world when he was little. That’s when mom and dad took him in, and he grew up with Dom and me.”
“His parents were owls too?”
“Yes,” she said.
“And they were related to your parents?”
“My dad’s sister was an owl.”
“Now, you’re really tripping me out.”
“I know, but you can’t share this with anyone. Especially your friends. You have to promise me.”
“I can’t even process it, how could I share it. So let’s just say you hook up with a shifter, you could have a shifter and vamp as twins for kids? Maybe pop out an owl?”
“We have no idea for certain what kind of offspring will come from us, but we don’t think about that too much. Trust me, Dom isn’t here for the girls. He’s so into being a wolf shifter that I think he’ll grow into some old professor here with no offspring to carry on the crazy family line.” She laughed.
“He’s probably afraid. He’s so into the whole alpha wolf crap, he’d probably die if his lady birthed an owl or vampire.”
Lusa’s face frowned, “I hate that you know him as Master Dominic. He really isn’t that person. Dom has a heart of gold, he just doesn’t plan on giving it to anyone.”
“And there you have it. Master Dominic or not, he’s kind of a selfish jerk. I feel sorry for the girl who falls for him, or if he actually did happen to fall in love, he sounds like a dude who’d be into what makes him look good and that’s it.”
For the first time ever, I saw the dangerous vampire come out in Lusa’s expression, “And that’s where you’re wrong, Jenna, and rude. You don’t know him. You sound more judgmental than a fairy.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you, sheesh. I just call it how I see it.”
“Well, if you think he’s into things that make him look good, then why is my brother risking losing his status as a master and getting himself thrown into the dungeon for at least a month to go help save our cousin? If E gets caged into the dungeons for this, Dom won’t let him go alone.”
I saw the sincere sadness on her face, and it broke my heart. “You’re right,” I said. “I’m sorry I took a shot at him like that. He’s your brother, I was out of line.”
“You know what? We’ll find out what happens tomorrow,” she said in a shaky voice. “We need to go to sleep and hope for the best. Please, I beg of you, don’t tell anyone what I told you. The academy doesn’t want a spectacle made out of us, which is why Dom and E will both face the same punishment as any other average shifter if they get caught.”
“You think they will?”
“I think Dom is stealthy enough to help E and get back without anyone noticing, but you will quickly learn that there are eyes on everyone at this school constantly.”
“That’s hard to even conceive since it looks like we have a dark spirit on our hall, and no authority has said a word about it.”
“Sometimes I question those in authority here. It’s not the same school it was when my parents’ ancestors founded the academy. I try to keep an eye out for when and if bizarre things occur. After the way E acted tonight, let’s just say something isn’t right, and it might be him picking up on it sooner than Dom and I could have. He’s been acting differently ever since he got here, and Dom and I have both noticed it. This school has him very unsettled.”
I pulled my covers up over me as I laid down on my bed. “He’s not the only one. I’m feeling something too, and my friends walk around like nothing’s wrong and Jenna is the crazy one. Well, that’s what I notice in the minimal interaction we’re allowed to have. The school has sort of separated us.”
“You’re fighting the school, they’re not. You need to be careful.”
“Or I’m thrown into the dungeons?” I closed my eyes
, feeling tired. “Lusa, you better not be draining me of energy.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” she said. “Why would you say that?”
“Because my mind should be reeling with questions and I should be worried about Ethan, but I’m ready to fall asleep like I haven’t slept in a week.”
“Someone is doing this to you. It’s not me.” She looked over at the door. “Can you fight it off like you do with Dom’s commands? Can you resist it?”
I yawned. “No.” My eyes felt like they were burning, and my lids were so heavy I couldn’t keep them open to save my life.
I fell back into my comfortable pillow, trying to fight, but I was going out. The same deep sleep that had been washing over me every night was taking me off to restful bliss. It was a vampire draining me.
“What!” Lusa’s voice rang in my head in shock. “Mistress Sirena?”
The name of House Draugar’s headmaster rolled off her tongue in disbelief, and the next thing I knew, my mind was shut off, and I was out.
Chapter Twelve
I woke up the next morning, my head killing me and my lips parched. What the hell happened last night? I thought, stepping into my shower. My thoughts were scrambled, and it was frustrating. My inner wolf was sound asleep, and that wasn’t normal, so something must’ve happened, but I couldn’t remember what.
“How you feeling, Jenna?” Lusa’s voice was filled with concern as were her clear-blue, gemstone irises. She and I walked out of our bathrooms at the same time, and I was beginning to think she had some fairy in there with her, doing her hair and makeup and making her shine in half the time it took me to blow dry my medium-length hair.
“I feel hungover or something. I don’t feel right at all.” I rubbed my forehead, then looked at her, recalling some of the events. “What happened last night?”
She swallowed hard. “Well, E shifted, Dom went after him, and I gave you a little history lesson on our family heritage after you thought Dom and I were dating,” she softly said.
“That’s right. The wolf and vamp twins and I’m not to say a word about it.” I suddenly remembered the deep sleep I was put in. “Tell me you didn’t drain my energy last night just to knock me out!” I snapped.
“No,” she covered her heart, “But I know who did, and it won’t happen again.”
“You’re going to tell me who got a hold of me right now,” I demanded, losing trust in the girl by the second.
“Jenna,” she reached for my hand, but I pulled back, “Okay. I get it. Do you remember E and Dom shifting last night?”
“Yes, what happened to them? Do you know yet?”
“Yes. They’re fine, and they’ll stay fine if we both just forget about everything that happened, including the person who put you to sleep.”
“This is so monumentally messed up. You do realize a vamp doing that is a complete violation, right? You know in the real world of schools where shifters can shift at any time without getting busted for it?”
Mumbling out my frustration, made me recall Lusa saying Mistress Sirena’s name last night.
“Jenna, please.”
“Please, what?” I snarled. “I heard you say her name. Why is Mistress Sirena involved? What the hell is going on in this school?”
“Here, sit,” she said, forcing a smile on her face. “Listen, this is mine and Dom’s second year at this school. We’re aware the professors can take advantage of students they don’t trust, and neither of us likes it, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Nothing you can do about it?” I snapped. “So we’re all their victims?”
“Not if you follow the academy’s rules. That’s all. From what I can tell, you’re the only student here who questions everything and fights the system. They’re all watching you—waiting.”
“Waiting for what? What am I going to do, call the supernatural police on them? From what I’ve learned in my classes so far, this place trains those in supernatural authority, so what exactly can I do, and why do I have a target on my back for thinking this place is messed up?”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t.” I could see the truth in her eyes. She was an innocent victim of this place too. “All I know is Mistress Sirena warned that if you said anything about what she did to you, she would reveal what happened with Dom and Ethan last night.”
“Doesn’t add up or make sense. Why would she threaten them?”
“Because she wasn’t the only professor that saw them. Professor Von Tassle saw it too—felt it, really. She’s the eyes and ears of this school.”
“House Mage’s headmaster? A witch is secretly spying on us here?”
“It’s not like that,” she said sternly. “Dean Edgewood relies on all his professors’ talents to keep his school running like a well-oiled machine. If there’s a bad apple, they kind of throw it out before it affects the entire school. Students who rebel tend to go away, and no one knows to where. All we know is that the ones who’ve been a problem never come back. He can’t have discord when dealing with the strong blood of an immortal.”
“So…” I paused for a moment. For the first time in my life, I was absolutely speechless. “How can he expect us all to just fall into place? What if the students—like me—were forced to come here? I didn’t ask for this.”
“The school will make you a better shifter. I’m already a stronger vampire myself, and that’s just a year in. Look at Dom, he’s thriving here.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I said, feeling like the poor girl was brainwashed as bad as my friends were in this place. “I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“If Mistress Sirena asks you anything?”
“Well, the only way she’ll get it out of me is if she does her vampy energy drain and compels me to tell her the truth.”
“Which she will. I know her.” She bit on her thumbnail in thought. “Can I try something on you?”
“No. No way, I’m not going under compulsion.”
“You’re right.” Her eyes pooled with tears just as my wolf was rousing. The wolf seemed to whimper as soon as she felt the energy of the brokenhearted vamp. “It’s just—Dom can handle the dungeons, but Ethan can’t. He’ll never be the same if he’s locked up. He’s so pure and innocent, but no one will understand.”
“What he said last night—what he was chanting. Do you know why he would have said that?” I asked, remembering his Immortals don’t die—Immortals will die chants.
“I have no idea, and Dom said after he got him to shift back and talk to him, E didn’t recall saying it. It was like he was in one of his dream trances. He does that sometimes.”
I let out a breath of frustration. “Before you drain me and compel me, please tell me first what you’re compelling me to do, and then tell me you have the talents of the stronger vamps to give me my strength back when you’re done. I imagine today’s workout with Dom is going to be like any other day so long as we’re all keeping secrets, and I’ll need my energy.”
“You’re right about Dom. He’ll act like nothing happened. As for the rest, yes, I can restore the energy I drain from you after the compulsion. All I will do is have your mind go blank only if Mistress Sirena questions any of this.”
“I’m trusting you. I have a witch as a best friend and I will—”
“There’s no need to worry,” she smiled. “I owe you, we all owe you for this.”
“Let’s just get it over with.”
“Miss Silvers,” Mistress Sirena’s high-pitched voice stopped me dead in my tracks. “I need a moment of your time.”
I stopped, and Nick, the elf, looked at me, almost knowing I was busted for something. “I’ll be fine. Just let everyone know I’ll be at lunch later. Guess I flunked my quiz from yesterday.”
He nodded, but I could see the concern on his face. Good. Finally, someone else was catching on to the weirdness of this school.
“Yes, Mistress Sirena,” I said.
“About last night,” her eyebrow arched so
high it practically went into her forehead. “What do you recall, darling?” Her smile was snake-like—if snakes actually could smile before they struck you and pumped you full of venom.
“I recall getting woken up and…” My mind literally went blank. “Um, I don’t know. Maybe it was a dream?”
“Shifters don’t dream.” Her thin red lips pulled up on one side. “Be truthful, dear.”
“I honestly don’t remember anything. Should I?”
“You question everything at this prestigious school, and Dean Edgewood is starting to ask us about your rebellious streak. You’ve been heard vocalizing doubts about what he’s done to better the immortals at Immortal Academy. We don’t need students who think they know more than ancients.”
“No, ma’am,” I said, feeling entirely at her mercy.
“Good.” The silver streak in her dark brown hair set off her hazel irises, but her gaze was severe and her smile threatening. “Enjoy your lunch then; hopefully, your attitude will change, and you’ll learn to appreciate your heritage and why you were privileged enough to come to this amazing school.”
“Yeah,” I stammered. “I mean, yes.” I plastered on a smile, wanting to get as far away from the woman as possible.
“You’re dismissed.”
I turned to leave, feeling like I was caught in the middle of something dangerous and way over my head. My friends would be no help, they were too brainwashed into this system too. I had to wonder if Dom—ugh, I just called him Dom—Master Dominic and Lusa felt the same way, or if they felt exactly how I felt right now: serve the three-year sentence and then get the heck out of here.
“About time,” Vannah said, and for the first time, she looked at me like something wasn’t right. “Everything okay? Did you pass the quiz?”
“Flying colors.”
“Have you decided who you’ll go to the Ageless Ball as?” Emma asked.
“I’m sorry, what do you mean? Go as?” I asked, confused.
“I’m not surprised you missed that part,” Vannah said. “We have to dress up as a mortal that we wish would have never died—pick someone we wish was immortal. A favorite monarch, people like that.”