by S. L. Morgan
“One thing at a time. No, Lusa is lost to this school. She’s under its spell. She’s been different since coming back from the blood thirst quest. I can’t even talk to my sister.”
“Ethan. They can’t hurt him. We can’t let them hurt him.”
“I know,” he growled. “I have to think this out. Right now, you’re the only one who this school hasn’t affected. You and me. We’re alone and in this together, Jenna. You have to focus on one thing right now.”
“And that is?”
“Play the game. Let me take care of Ethan. I’m going to suggest to the dean that he let me take E on the masters’ quest, but I have to keep him quiet until we leave.” His eyes were somber when they met mine. “You have to keep it all under control until we leave. Can you do that? I can’t help Ethan if I’m trying to keep you safe too.”
“I don’t need your protection. I’ve got this. I just want the hell out of this place.”
“Play the game, Jenna,” he ordered in the tone that didn’t work on me, but my wolf practically nodded in response and saluted him too.
“Okay. Play the damn game. What game are we playing again?”
“You need to act every day like nothing is wrong. You keep your thoughts shut down, and let me try to figure out how we’re all going to get through the next three years alive.”
“You and Lusa are out of here in two years,” I reminded him of his freedom.
“Looks like I’m coming back as a professor,” he said with certainty. “I’m not leaving my cousin and you here. The rest of the students need help too.”
“I don’t get it. This is happening because the creepy dean wants you and me together? Stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s just an assumption. The dean was too excited about us having that connection. The dean must see something in both of us. Something that has him offing immortals at this school.”
“Good God. I’m not okay with this crap.”
“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that we get on this mission and get you and Ethan away from the school. I will feel safe if E is with us and away from the school.”
“How are they killing them?” I asked.
“No clue.”
“Lusa mentioned Ethan’s parents were owl shifters, both poached and killed. Since Ethan is an immortal, I’m assuming they were too. Immortals don’t die, Dominic. So what the hell killed them, and what is killing the kids at this school?”
“Million dollar question, Jenna.” He sighed. “Listen. We can sit out here all day and throw our theories around, it’s solving nothing. Let’s focus on one thing at a time. I need to keep Ethan calm, and you need to keep quiet and play along like everything is normal. Can you do that?”
“Well, since I lost my friends tonight, I’m going to have a bit of trouble.”
“You’re with me. You’re my girl. I don’t want you with your friends. I want you to myself.” He looked at me like he was trying to impress on me what to say and do like he did Ethan the night we all shifted. “You following me?”
“Possessive, dominant boyfriend that I would never be cool with? This should be easy.” I rubbed my forehead, feeling a massive tension headache coming on.
“Jenna, you have to do this. They’ll buy that trash of a relationship. Your friends won’t care.”
“Fine.” I stepped back, my head killing me now. “I’ll do it.”
“If we’re going to keep everyone safe, you have to do it.”
“We have to get on that mission,” I said, getting ready to reveal my escape plan to him. I went to speak, but I was up against the tree, Dominic’s lips tensely pressing against mine. His hands came up on my sides, and he pulled me into his body.
My nerves relaxed, my body reacted in a quick, violent shiver. Without thinking, I reached up to frame his face and urge him for more of this kiss that muted my sudden headache. I felt more secure, connected, and grounded than I had ever felt in my life. This was an overwhelming sensation that made me feel like we were connecting on an even higher level. I craved more from him, but the stubborn guy wouldn’t give it to me.
I was floating in this strange kiss and in the euphoria that my inner wolf was experiencing right now. Good grief, what was he doing to me?
“You two,” a cackle came from the creep’s mouth. “Save it for later. Now, come on.”
Dominic stepped back, and I watched his fierce expression soften before turning to Dean Edgewater. “Does this mean we’re on dish duty?”
Dean Edgewater walked up to Dom, placed a hand on his shoulder, and looked at me with a smile. “I’ll leave it at a warning between us three for now since no one in the school saw you two run off to these trees but for me.” He grinned, his teeth reminding me of a predator, not the fake nice dude he was trying to play off right now. “As much as I enjoy watching the power of you two develop at my school, you’re going to have to take it slower, or I might be forced to keep Jenna back from the mission.” He arched an eyebrow playfully at Dominic. “Maybe I’ll send Ethan on the trip to watch over his cousin. I know if that owl shifter picks up on you getting out of line like you did with Jess,” he laughed wickedly, and it made me nauseated, “then he’ll definitely come back and report you being out of line with my special little wolf shifter here.”
“Yeah, I’m the one at fault. Dom tries to act like he’s the one,” my voice was shaky under the snake eyes of this creep, but I kept it cool, “but come on, I just can’t resist him.”
“Yeah, it’s upsetting quite a few shifters here. Two more were sent out of the school tonight. Their parents opted to pull them out after we told them what their ultimatum would be if they continued to conspire against you two.”
“What?” Dom frowned. “People have a problem with Jenna and me?”
Dean Edgewater fell for it, “Yes and rightfully so. Dominic, you are the strongest shifter here, and that lures shifters and all supernaturals to want to unite with you. Some stronger than others. Sadly, those who crave the mateship with you and have learned they can’t have it? Well, they resort to extremes to get that. In Kat’s case, using Abigail, the pixie, was a poor decision.” He looked at me. “The plans they had to help steal your alpha away were not good. So we called their families, told them it was a violation of this school’s policy to seek harm to another. They were either to be sent to the dungeons, or their parents could take them out. See, we’re not all that bad here, it’s not straight to the dungeons.” He grinned. “Well, not if I’m having a good day.”
“Thanks. I can’t imagine what they would have caused if I lost my alpha mate.”
“You’re not mated yet, young one. That day is to come, and I’ll be the first to say Immortal Academy will be even more esteemed above all academies when this reaches the elite supernatural councils.” He laughed like this was all his doing, while I wanted to punch him in the face. “Ah,” he exhaled, “Anyway, back to the school grounds for the both of you. It’s nice seeing your relationship blossom.”
“Isn’t it?” I plastered on the best smile I could and reached for Dominic’s hand. “Time to go.”
We left in a rush. I had to focus like Dom asked. On the quest, I would find a way to tell him about my plans to get the hell out of this place and hopefully find someone to help us wipe out whatever or whoever was behind these deaths.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The next three days were spent with Dom and Co., and it wasn’t bad at all. The weird connection Dom and I formed—the connection that Dean Edgewater seemed to be killing immortals over—actually helped me sleep at night when my mind should have been reeling with fear, wondering if one of those shadow people were coming for me next.
I also felt his strength powering up my wolf, and she, in turn, was also helping keep my mind clear of the atrocities I’d witnessed at this forsaken school. Dom did pretty good with keeping Ethan chilled out too. I felt horrible knowing now that I’d jumped to the conclusion that Ethan was being used to kill immortals
. I knew better—my wolf knew better—because owls never went near the darkness, they warned and protected innocents from it. Ethan was rare, though. He was an enigma.”
I was ready to get out, get help, and most of all, get away from Dean Edgewater’s cheeky, freakish smile that seemed to be lurking around every corner. Dude had his eyes on us more than Dom’s fan club, and if only they could all control their hormones, they might live to see tomorrow.
“Hey, babe,” Dom’s voice chimed in a flirty tone as I hopped down the steps with a backpack filled with my clothes to change in after I’d shifted. Luckily, the bag had unique straps for my wolf form to carry on her back, so I didn’t need to worry about how to get to it when I was in wolf form, it would still be with me. It wasn’t the easiest maneuver to get the pack on while I was in wolf form, but my wolf managed to pull it off.
“You have to say that every time you see me?” I asked.
“It’s sort of growing on me.” He smiled and snatched my hand in his.
I had to admit, it was growing on me too, but I’d never tell another living soul. No random kisses were going down unless we felt the dean’s scrutinizing gaze on us, or we needed to calm Ethan down. Those kisses were growing on me too, and it was a bit uncomfortable for me, reacting like I was a star-struck, Dom groupie.
There was something in these two simple, tight-lipped kisses that got my insides going nuts. I was sensing his protection, loyalty, and honor that he kept hidden away from all of us. His wolf was yet to make an appearance, but I think that’s only because this was nothing more than Dom and Jenna trying to survive the school and Dom and Jenna turning into the saviors of this place.
I didn’t ask for any of this crap, but innocent supernatural lives were at stake here, and now it was somehow tied to Dom and me. I really wanted to know who the heck my parents were to have given me some gene that would make sparks fly between House Braeclaw’s golden son and me.
“Where’s your mind at?” Dom asked after close to five minutes of silence while I felt his warm hand covering mine.
I squeezed his hand, sent a smile his way, and picked up my dragging pace. “Right where it needs to be, ready for the quest.”
“Alright, you’ve gone through some strenuous exercises, and you performed pretty well. You need to keep your stamina going, though. This first part is not in shifter form. We’ll probably lose the weakest out of the bunch. I’ve got Ethan calmed and collected, he’s staying here in case you get transported back. I need his owl eyes on you if you get teleported back to the school for failing an obstacle.”
I stopped and looked at him, “No. No way. You can’t put him in the grips of the people—”
He covered my mouth with a finger. “Shh,” he glanced around. “I know what I’m doing. Ethan is fine, if he weren’t, he’d be going with us.”
“I won’t fail,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Jenna, the mission is designed to force you to fail. Even me. It’s the whole point of it. The big glaring lesson? Learning from your mistakes in the real world.”
“That’s the lamest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I know, but that’s the quest we’re on. If we survive it, then awesome. If not, Ethan is going to be back at the school for us.”
“Lusa?” I said. “Can she help him while we’re gone?”
“Lusa’s too vamped out, she’s useless.”
“Same with my friends. Is there even a way to stop this?”
“If it isn’t my two favorite kids,” Dean Edgewater’s cunning voice interrupted us.
“Ready to leave in about three minutes. Is there something you need?” Dom’s voice was colder than it had ever been toward the dean.
“Nope.” He slipped his hands into his usual black, billion-dollar slacks. “Just making sure the masters are all ready for the quest. Sorta wondering who’s going to get axed first on the quest and sent back to us.” He grinned.
“Axed? As in killed?” I asked the dean while Dom squeezed my hand to tell me to stop pushing the man.
“Yes, Jenna, killed. Master Dominic explained the rules of the quest, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” I giggled and hated the sound of that coming out of me. “I’m joking, goofy. Kinda hard to die if you’re immortal.”
“Exactly, right. Now, get on your way, and I’ll be looking forward to hearing about all your scoring and how you did. I’m sending Brenda out, she’ll be my eyes on the quest. She’s a great hawk shifter,” he said and turned to leave.
“Damn it,” I said under my breath. “How do we get rid of the hawk chick?”
Dom looked at me and smiled, “Get them on the ground in their natural form and teleported back.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“I hate the hawk shifters. They’re arrogant idiots who think they’re worth something because of their sight. The ones at this school are the worst, they practically live in a damn birdcage in the dean’s mansion.”
I laughed, “True. I haven’t seen a Brenda yet or met one.”
“Oh, she’s here, you’ll recognize her when you see her. She’s rude to Ethan. She and I already have gotten off on the wrong foot, so that’s going to make tossing her down a canyon that much easier for me.”
“Sheesh, sort of violent, don’t you think?”
“No one feels their death on the quest. In fact, she’ll shift into her bird form on the fall, maybe I’ll throw her butt into the campfire,” he laughed. “Relax, we’ll get her out of earshot. Finley will go soon after her. If you’re still around, then Scott is usually the next to go, and Ian after that. Then we can talk out how we plan to take the school back and figure out what’s going on.”
“If I slip up and get teleported back?”
“Then I’ll be pissed I just lost my partner, but you’ll have to see what I planned out there when I get back and be ready to move to action with whatever I do.”
“That sucks. It won’t work. We need to plan together. Besides, I have something of my own that I think we should do.”
“Well, if we’re going to do this, then treat this quest like your life really does depend on it and don’t die. Then we’ll plan and figure it all out. They set the timing for the quests for two weeks. After that, if we’re not back, they come looking for us. Let’s get to it and get this thing going.”
I nodded, too bad in two weeks they’ll be looking in the human world for us. I was definitely sticking with that plan. Plan A. If Dom didn’t agree, he was insane. He was crazy to think that he and I could do this just the two of us. And no, mating to gain strength by merging the power of our two wolves was not an option. This fake relationship was already starting to do crazy things to my mind, so I wasn’t about to go down the committed to each other for life road.
Chapter Thirty
We sprinted through the forest, leaping over fallen trees and bushes. It was energizing to get farther and farther into the dense trees, but I could still feel the grim atmosphere of the academy looming in the distance behind us.
Dom let Finley take the lead, being that she was appointed new Head Master of our shifter units. I was behind her, Dom was behind me, and Scott and Ian paced alongside each other. We followed Finley’s lead in slowing our jog once we reached a shimmering golden rope bridge.
“Alright, we’re getting close to the real deal,” she said, turning back to us as we caught our breath.
“When will these fairies ever learn that highlighting their part of the quest and obstacles to take us out is a dumb idea,” Scott said, peering over the cliff that the bridge spanned across.
“Don’t get too cocky, Scott,” Finley smirked. “Fairies set things up, and you never know when their element will take you down.”
“I think it was the fairy that got you the last time!” Dominic laughed, only to get a playful punch in the arm by Scott. “Watch your step. This bridge is most likely part of the first trap.”
“Good call,” Ian said. He stood next to me and stretc
hed his arm out, pointing up toward the shiny silver rocks. “See that?”
I strained my eyes to follow his finger. “All I see are bright silver, stupid-looking fairy rocks. God, I need some shades out here.”
I heard the group laugh while Dominic held out his sunglasses to me. “I had a feeling you were still honing in your skill and letting your inner wolf have your eyes. Put these on, it’ll help mute the fairy colors.”
“As much as I don’t want help on this, I hate the bright colors, and I’ll admit, my wolf is having a hard time connecting with me since being at this stupid school.”
“She curses the Immortal Academy?” Scott teased with a dramatic sigh and smile. First time I’d seen the dude smile. “How dare you, do you know how many supes want to be accepted here, and yet you hate it?”
“I have my reasons.”
“And what would those be?” Finley eyed me.
Why did I feel like this chick was interrogating me since having our very first conversation?
“I hate the rules here. They’re lame. Say one bad word and risk being on dish duty for a week.”
“Which you’ve gotten away with so many times I’ve lost count. Seems like dean might like you, so that’s actually a good thing.” She smiled.
Yeah, it only cost three innocent immortals their lives. “Whatever. I think I’ve just managed to recover my foul mouth quickly, that’s all.”
“She hates that she can’t shift whenever she wants. Can we get on with it before we end up waiting for a week to cross?” Dom said, ending the conversation by pulling his alpha card out on Finley and helping everyone refocus on more important things. “Don’t forget, you’re still in earshot of the school. We’re only three miles out, and we have a hawk spying on our butts.”
“Yeah, she’s a goner as soon as I catch her hidden in these woods in her natural form,” Scott said.
“She’s mine,” Ian said with a grin. “That’s my girl, and she’s hands off to all of you.”