Lorelei's School of Deviltry, Semester One: An Academy for Supernaturals

by SF Benson

  I squirmed, trying to free myself from Milos’s grip. “No.”

  “Aw, come on, Lilith. Are you telling me you’re perfect? You’ve never misjudged someone?”

  Those words froze me on the spot. Of course I’d had made errors in judgment. Before I joined SHU, I had tons of misconceptions about other species. For instance, I assumed all witches had evil intentions. I also thought every demon existed only to serve the Devil. Technically, I was right and wrong on that last one. Demons also served the King of Hell. Recently, I’d made them about Milos the day he kissed me. If I expected more from him, I had to be better.

  “You’re right. I’m wrong,” I said sharply and then added a forced grin. “Happy?”

  His arms dropped as I pushed away from him. “Lilith, wait!”

  “I’m a big girl, Milos. I can get home on my own. See you tomorrow.”

  Hindsight is truly twenty-twenty. For if I’d had it, I would have enjoyed that moment a little longer. It would be some time before I had another one.

  Chapter Fifteen

  For some reason I assumed life would proceed normally after becoming a vampire’s girlfriend. As I walked to class, I felt as if every passerby was talking about me. And that feeling of being watched? It wouldn’t go away. The sensation troubled me. If no one else sensed it, though, how could I be sure it was real?

  By the time I reached Vulnerabilities, I discovered just how precarious my life was quickly becoming. As I approached the room, angered voices greeted me. Milos and Maksim were outside the lecture hall. Those two were supposed to be best friends. What on earth could they be fighting about?

  “You’re turning your back on us!” Maksim barked and pumped his fists.

  Oh, crap! Was he going to hit Milos?

  “The hell I am!” Milos’s nostrils flared, and then he shoved a finger into Maksim’s chest. “This is between her and me. Not you or anyone else.”

  The scene played out in slow motion. Maksim pushed Milos. My new boyfriend stumbled backward, but quickly regained his footing. He returned with a right cross to Maksim’s jaw. Bone crunched and a bystander screamed, “Fight!”

  Doors banged open. Hurried footsteps collided with the linoleum floor. Soon vamps and other creatures circled the two friends. Maksim, still on the ground, extended his leg. His foot hooked Milos’s ankle. In a blink, my boyfriend lay on his back. Before another punch could be thrown, an instructor with salt-and-pepper hair stormed into the circle and grabbed Maksim by the collar. The male turned toward Milos, held out his palm, and a bright purple light flashed. When it dulled, the vampire was pinned against a wall, held by an invisible force.

  “Everyone back to your rooms!” The mage looked at me. “Except for you, young lady.”

  Crap, crap, double crap! How did I get sucked into the situation?

  Once again, footsteps scurried over the tiles and doors slammed. When the hall cleared, the mage released Maksim. “I don’t want to hear who did what or why. The three of you are to report to the headmistress’s office. I’ll meet you there.” When no one moved, he shouted, “Now!”

  Maksim clenched his jaw and then stalked toward the exit. Milos glanced at me, shaking his head. Message received loud and clear—do not say a word. I quickly departed, leaving him behind.

  Appearing in Mistress Lorelei’s office was not good for my campaign. I was told to stay out of trouble but managed to walk myself right into it. Milos didn’t have to worry about me. Frankly, I couldn’t comment on the fight. I had no idea what started it.

  Unless…

  What if Maksim had been following me? Those creepy sensations could be from him. Wait! That couldn’t be right. He was already in the building when I arrived. But maybe another vamp did the spying and reported back to the others? That was a real possibility. Or Miss Vamptastic was behind the whole thing. She was my stalker. She could have gone to Maksim and told him to talk some sense into Milos.

  “I’m afraid you’re right.” The familiar voice came from my left.

  I glanced over and saw Milos. “What do we do?”

  “We don’t do anything. I’ll simply say the fight was a misunderstanding between friends. If our relationship is mentioned, I’ll deny it. You have to deny it too.”

  “Okay.” Lying made me uneasy, but the threat of expulsion was a lot more discomforting. I’d have to explain it to Mom, and she definitely wouldn’t be happy.

  When we entered the admin building, a gremlin ushered us into the administrator’s office. The mage was already there along with Maksim. Milos and I arriving together didn’t look good.

  Mistress Lorelei sat ramrod straight behind her desk. She still wore the black lace gown and sparkling earrings. Was the attire her uniform? The only thing different about her was the ghostly pallor. She seemed a little dustier that morning. Even her lipstick wasn’t as bright. Did somebody pull her out of the grave for the meeting?

  “Mr. Olin informs me that there was a fight between you boys.” Her dark eyes swept over me. “He speculates that you, Miss Martin, are the reason for it. Somebody had better explain.”

  How the crap did the instructor come up with that idea? It wasn’t like either guy mentioned my name. Maybe the bee with an itch leaked a little falsehood to Mr. Olin.

  The three of us exchanged a knowing look. Thankfully, Maksim didn’t volunteer to go first.

  “It was my fault, Mistress.” Despite addressing Mistress Lorelei, Milos’s gaze remained locked on Maksim. “Nothing but a misunderstanding between friends.”

  Her eyebrow shot up. “Is this true, Mr. Novak?”

  His gaze narrowed, and an ugly twist took over his mouth. Time seemed to creep by as we waited for Maksim’s response. Finally, he shrugged and said, “Yeah. Just a misunderstanding.”

  Mistress Lorelei’s head bobbed and some of the pallor dissipated, giving her that washed-out sepia appearance again. Then her dark eyes landed on me. “What role did you play in this misunderstanding?” She lifted a thin finger. “Before you answer that, Mr. Olin said you were in the middle of the scene.”

  I wasn’t actually in the middle. Just kind of on the outside.

  I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. All I had to do was tell the truth. No harm, right? “I was only in the middle because I’d just arrived at class. I heard the argument and ran over, hoping to stop it.”

  The headmistress’s lips curled up into a cold and calculating smile. “You would have us believe that your intervention was of a benevolent nature?”

  “Yes!” I blurted out. “As a candidate for the Tribunal, I thought—”

  “Your thinking is erroneous. We do not practice benevolence on this campus.” She folded her hands. “With that in mind, Mr. Petrovich and Mr. Novak, since you enjoy being the center of attention, you can report to Frigz. My personal gremlin will assign you janitorial duties for the next two weeks. They must be completed before dinner each day. Mind you, your studies cannot suffer either.”

  The office door swung wide, and the short, pudgy creature hobbled into the room. He quirked a scrawny, deformed finger at the two vamps before revealing his jagged, yellowed teeth. “Come with me.”

  Milos gave me a sad expression before following Frigz. Maksim dragged his feet and lumbered out. When the door closed, Mistress Lorelei turned her attention to me.

  “Miss Martin, I am sure your efforts are greatly appreciated in your hometown, but on my campus they are not.” I opened my mouth, but she raised her palm. “We also do not appreciate the campaign you are running.”

  The scrawny mage asked, “If I might interject here, Lorelei?”

  “Go ahead, Barric.”

  “It would be my recommendation to end this farce now before it goes much further. Appoint Kamila Tesarova to the Tribunal seat.” His ice-blue gaze fell on me. “If Miss Martin cannot refrain from her subversive behavior, I’d gladly make a recommendation for another academy. I have heard rumors of an inclusive supernatural school opening in Falls Creek. Perhaps it
would be a better fit for Miss Martin.”

  The headmistress clapped her hands. “Excellent idea! What do you think, Miss Martin?”

  Was she kidding?

  A snarky comment was poised on the tip of my tongue. I didn’t like being talked about as if I were a furnishing in her office. I especially didn’t appreciate how they were planning my future without me.

  Pushing my shoulders back, I said, “If it’s all the same, I’d prefer to continue my campaign. The students here deserve a choice.”

  Mirthless laughter came from Mistress Lorelei and Mr. Olin.

  “Choices aren’t options at Lorelei’s, Miss Martin,” the mage informed.

  “Wait, Barric! Perhaps we can reach a compromise.” She stood and planted her palms on the desktop. “You will be allowed to continue this charade provided you cease your incessant talk about inclusivity and fairness. You will run the campaign according to the dictates of this school. Mr. Olin will take over as your campaign manager. If you should win, he’ll continue to oversee your actions. Do we have an understanding?”

  Seriously?

  She wanted me to become a supernatural puppet. I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do that.

  “Then I’ll withdraw from the race. I’ll just continue on as a student.”

  Mr. Olin nodded. “That works for now. But you must not continue your discussions of inclusivity.”

  What?

  Were they trying to silence me?

  I’d been working with SHU and pushing for inclusivity since I began high school. I wasn’t about to quit. It was too important to me—to all supes!

  “No!” I shouted.

  Mistress Lorelei said, “Be mindful of your tone, Miss Martin. Failure to comply will result in your immediate dismissal.”

  I might have to follow their directions, but I’d find a loophole.

  Mr. Olin added, “I’ll check in with your instructors to make sure the topic doesn’t come up in any assignment as well.”

  “No disrespect, Mr. Olin. But why? I have a dorm adviser.” One who simply loved butting into my affairs.

  A wry smile touched his lips. “True, Miss Martin. I’m your academic adviser.”

  “Since when?” I didn’t even know I had one.

  “Since day one. I decided your schedule. Regrettably, I failed to keep tabs on your activities. I’m rectifying the mistake by taking a more active role in your education.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “Starting this week, you’ll report to my office every Friday before study hall and present all completed assignments along with your student agenda. If everything passes my inspection, then I’ll sign off on your continued enrollment.”

  “I approve of that plan, Barric,” said Mistress Lorelei with a gratifying sigh. “The probationary period will continue for the semester. We’ll re-evaluate the situation prior to next semester’s registration.”

  Un-freaking-believable!

  I was on probation for having an opinion. Apparently, I forgot to check my personality at the gate. I needed to have a long conversation with Mom—the sooner, the better. Perhaps if I appeared contrite, Mistress Lorelei would allow me to contact my mother.

  “Fine,” I said in a monotone. “I’ll stop talking about fairness and inclusivity. Is there any way I can call my mother? She’ll want to hear from me about this.”

  “We can reach out to her,” Mistress Lorelei said.

  “She’ll still want to hear from me,” I insisted.

  Mr. Olin and the school’s director regarded one another—probably having a silent discussion about me. As their heads bobbed, I was sure of it.

  The mage stretched out his hand and a purple portal opened. “You’re allowed twenty minutes. You must make up for your absences in Physics and Scareology. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” I pushed to my feet. “Thank you.”

  Rushing over to the swirling gateway, I looked left and right before stepping through. I was half-expecting a gremlin or some other creature to appear and prevent me from going through. The portal dropped me off in our kitchen where Mom was enjoying a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. Her favorite mug almost slipped out of her hand when she saw me.

  “What are you doing here, Lilith?” Her brow wrinkled. “Did something happen to Cyrena?”

  “No, Mom.” I sat beside her at the kitchen island. “I’m the problem.”

  The concern slid from her voice as she said, “Lilith Evelyn Martin, what have you done now?”

  It wasn’t the first time Mom had addressed me that way. When a person preached an unpopular opinion, trouble had a tendency to follow. In my case, trouble was more like an unwelcome third appendage attached to my shoulders. The entire time I attended Falls Creek High, teachers called Mom regarding my radical ideas. They contacted her so much I was certain our number was on speed dial.

  “Nothing new,” I admitted. “I had the chance to run for student government at Lorelei’s.”

  Rather than displaying joy, Mom frowned. “Had? Let me guess. You ran on a platform of inclusivity and fairness?”

  “Yup.” I popped the p.

  “And the headmistress didn’t care for it?”

  “Nope.” I popped the p again.

  “What else?”

  Mom knew me too well. My issues were always complicated ordeals. “I met someone.”

  “Lilith.” Her tone was full of foreboding.

  “We haven’t done anything but kiss,” I mumbled. The conversation made me highly uncomfortable.

  She sighed. “What is he?”

  My muscles froze. Panic swelled inside me, threatening to swallow me stomach first—which would be preferable. When I told Mom about Milos, she would skin me alive. Then she’d find a witch to stitch the flesh back on just so that my mother could flay me again. By the time Mom finished peeling me, I’d be as raw and as naked as a mole rat. The thought alone made my arms tingle.

  “A vamp,” I muttered.

  “Blessed Siren save me!” Mom pushed to her feet and set her cup in the sink. She opened the cabinet on her right and pulled out a bottle of Demon’s Mark. Oh, my news was major. I’d never seen her drink before. “Why a vampire? Haven’t I told you about the curse?”

  “You did, Mom. It just…kind of…happened.”

  She poured out a sizable portion into a glass before facing me. “Is this serious?”

  “No!” I blurted. “We’re just dating. I like hanging around Milos.”

  Mom lowered her drink. “Milos? Russian?”

  “Czech. His last name is Petrovich.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “I once knew someone from that family. He’s bloodborne. You could have done a lot worse. Still… He’s a vamp. You can’t have a real relationship with him.”

  “I know. We’re just hanging out. We know the risks.”

  Risks…

  Not once did Mistress Lorelei or Mr. Olin say anything about Milos and me breaking the rules. Perhaps I was on to something with my theory…

  “Mom, I have to go back. I was only given twenty minutes.”

  “Okay. Is there anything you need me to do?”

  Despite my misconduct, my mother always supported me. She’d chastise me whenever needed, but Mom would be the first one to step up and help. If I required anything from her, she never hesitated.

  “My adviser said something about a supernatural academy opening in Falls Creek. Can you find out more about it?”

  “Lilith?”

  I held out my palms. “Just for information, Mom. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. I’m no longer running for office.”

  “Very well, my darling girl.” She set her glass on the counter and closed the space between us. Wrapping me up in an embrace, she said, “I love you, Lilith. Just be careful. One day I’d like grandkids.”

  “Okay, Mom.” I had to say something even if it was way too soon for me to worry about a family.

  It wasn’t too soon, however, to think about Mr. Olin’s dictates. T
here was no way I would bypass an opportunity to talk about inclusion. I just had to be sneaky about it.

  For instance, my term papers and essays could be creatively written. As long as I didn’t give my instructors reason to question me, neither would Mr. Olin.

  As far as discussing inclusivity… Well, I’d have to play it by ear. The hybrids would undoubtedly listen to my message. The shifters were questionable. Of course neither the vamps nor Lilin would be open to my ideas. I wouldn’t stay quiet for long.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I was a little surprised when the portal dumped me near Amatory Hall. Honestly, I thought I’d end up in the headmistress’s office, but I had no desire to see her again.

  My concern was finding Milos. I wanted to make sure he was all right. Plus, I wanted to know what started the fight. Best friends didn’t punch each other out. Argue? Yes. Get pissed off and not speak for a while? Most definitely. Fighting was out of the question.

  Not knowing whether he was in class or stuck on janitorial duty with the gremlin made finding Milos difficult. After spending half an hour walking around campus, I headed back to the dorm. Since I had to make up my morning classes, I didn’t think blowing off the rest of the day would matter much.

  Wrong.

  When I opened the front door, Samantha was on the other side.

  Again.

  If I didn’t know better, I would have said she was stalking me or something. Her constant presence made me more than a little suspicious.

  She folded her arms and lifted an eyebrow. “Is there a reason you’re not in class, Lilith?”

  Beads of sweat ran down my spine, making me suddenly chilly. I absolutely hated being called out. One would think I would be used to it—since I had a tendency to attract trouble—but I wasn’t.