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

by SF Benson

  “Not feeling well,” I quickly lied. “Mr. Olin gave me a pass. Said I could make up my classes.”

  “Really? I don’t recall your having any classes with him.”

  “He’s my academic adviser.” I matched her posture and adopted a snippy tone. “Maybe dorm staff aren’t aware of everything.”

  A glimmer of animosity shone in her eyes; then she blinked and it vanished. That didn’t bother me as much as the subsequent shift in her aura.

  Nobody would consider me an expert in deciphering the various supernatural impressions. After all, there were species I’d never encountered or studied, but I was fairly certain the burgundy seeping through her aura wasn’t right. Not for a Lilin anyway.

  “Perhaps you should visit the Healing Center,” she suggested. “We can’t have any sick supes on campus.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but then it occurred to me Samantha handed me the perfect excuse. Going to the Center would give me a chance to get some much-needed answers.

  I faked a cough. “Yeah. You’re probably right.”

  As I turned toward the door, I felt her intense gaze on my back. When we first met, she seemed too pretentious. Instantly, I didn’t like her. After being at Lorelei’s for a while, I definitely didn’t like the woman. There was something off about her.

  Give me enough time, and I may figure it out.

  §

  The Healing Center was the happy exception to Lorelei’s. Everything else—the buildings, the classes, the decor, even the food—embraced something scary except for that spot. It was the most serene place on campus. Immediately, I fell in love with its ivy-covered stone walls and stained-glass windows. I swore angelic voices sang when I opened the heavy wooden door. Weird.

  “Come in,” said a wrinkled female with severe black hair cascading over her pale shoulders. Her locks were so dark it looked like someone used too much dye. She had an ethereal quality to her as she smiled and revealed tiny decayed teeth. “How can we assist you?”

  We?

  My eyes bounced around the room, but I didn’t see anyone else. Blowing air through my cheeks, I studied the burgundy halo surrounding her. It was the same aura I noticed with Samantha.

  Strange.

  The female in front of me didn’t say another word. She simply gave me an expectant stare. Before I could answer her, however, I needed a plausible reason for being at the Center.

  “I have a bad headache.”

  She tilted her head from side to side and then said, “You’re a succubus. Perhaps it’s time for your Genesis?”

  “Naw. I’ve already had my first one.”

  Thankfully, succubi didn’t endure monthly periods like humans. For those who hadn’t had their first Genesis, sometimes it made our bodies a little wonky. Mom said it had to do with our emerging powers. Fortunately, I sailed through mine. When I became sexually active, then I would have a second one in preparation for childbirth.

  Eeewww…

  It wasn’t an event I was dying to experience.

  “One of the healers could check you out. Make sure it’s nothing more serious.”

  “Sure,” I said absently. My gaze drifted over the muted shades of purple in the lobby—fluffy pillows, curtains leading to private areas, and thick throw rugs over the stone floor. “What species are the healers?”

  “We have a variety here to help every student. I’m a witch and primarily work with the mages. We have both succubi and incubi on staff.”

  Interesting.

  “Maybe you can answer a question for me. My sister thinks that each dorm only has an adviser from the same species. You know, vamps with vamps and all that. I say she’s wrong.”

  The female kept the same insipid grin on her face. “Your sister is correct. It’s a way of making sure the needs of the students are met. It would be strange to have a witch living in a vampire house, don’t you think?”

  Even stranger to have the witch living with Lilin!

  “Yes, it would.” I cleared my throat. “You know, my headache seems to be going away.”

  The witch spread her hands. “This is a welcome space free of chaos. Just spending a little time here can work wonders. Why not take a moment and walk around the pond? If there is anything troubling you, be sure to give it to the nymphs. They are there to serve.”

  Creepy little voyeurs…

  Crap!

  I hope none of them saw Milos and me making out the other day!

  “Thanks.” Just before I turned to the door, I added, “Will do.”

  Glancing down at my watch, I saw it was lunchtime. I had to find Nico and see if he’d learned anything.

  For appearance’s sake, I stopped by the Healing Waters. I held my head back, closed my eyes, and inhaled. Suddenly, a twig broke in the distance.

  My heart pounded as I began looking for the intruder. “Who’s there?”

  “Just me,” said Milos. “Where have you been?”

  “Home.”

  His eyebrows knitted together.

  “I had to tell my mother what happened. I didn’t want Mistress Lorelei spreading erroneous info.”

  He smiled. “I get that. Fortunately, my folks can’t be reached. They’re very traditional.” When I didn’t say anything, he said, “You know, they sleep during the day and party at night.”

  “Oh, so vamps call it partying?”

  He chuckled. “Only when you do it the way my family does. Each night they hit a different hot spot—Milan, the French Riviera, Hollywood. I think my folks might have a little supernatural ADD.”

  I laughed. “Honestly, it sounds like fun. Seeing some place new.”

  “Only if you like that kind of life. After a while, it gets boring.” He came closer. “So what happened with the headmistress after I left?”

  “I’m done with the campaign.”

  His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  “I had no choice.” My gaze flicked to the sky. “Making matters worse, Mr. Olin wants me to stop the inclusivity rhetoric.” I looked at Milos. “How am I supposed to do that?”

  He smiled crookedly. “You won’t. You’ll find a way around it.”

  “How? I may be able to get away with it on my assignments, but actual discussions? I can’t see a way to accomplish it.”

  “There’s always a way, Lilith. We’ll make it happen.”

  Vamps might rule things on campus, but I seriously doubted if they had that much influence.

  “I have some news that might make you happy.”

  “Let’s move away from the pond. I just learned nymphs hang out here.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “The healer. Didn’t you...” It occurred to me Milos might have never needed healing. Instead of arguing the case, I grasped his elbow and dragged him to the other side of the trees. “What’s up?”

  “I spoke to Nico. According to those he asked, only vampires and Lilin are required to keep their distance from each other.” Milos gazed into my eyes. “Maybe it has something to do with the curse?”

  “That’s possible, but how would you explain a witch living in Amatory Hall?”

  His lips parted as he ran his tongue over the edge of a fang. After a too-long minute, he said, “I can’t explain it. Are you sure?”

  “Can you recognize auras?”

  “Not as well as I should. Why?”

  “Samantha is masquerading. I watched her aura shift from silver to burgundy and back again.”

  “Maybe she’s a hybrid.”

  “Somehow I doubt it. Hybrid auras don’t shift back and forth.”

  Milos rocked back on his heels. “So what does it mean?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe we should check your adviser. Make sure he’s not pretending too.”

  Milos nodded. “Leave it to me. My parents have a private investigator on retainer. I’ll get the info to him.” He glanced into the distance. “I’d better go. Frigz has Maksim and me doing clean-up after lunch.”

  His words remin
ded me about the earlier fight between the two guys. “What happened with Maksim? I thought he was your best friend.”

  “I thought the same thing.” Milos raked a hand through his hair. “Turns out Milena told Maksim about us. Of course, she added her own twist on the facts.”

  “Like?”

  “She implied we were…” An exceptional but beautiful blush crossed Milos’s pale face. “You know...”

  My jaw fell open. Miss Vamptastic might be a world-class slut, but not me. Besides, I couldn’t go there with Milos. No matter how tempting he was.

  “You were fighting to protect my honor?”

  “Naturally.” He leaned in and gave me a quick peck. “See you later?”

  “When?”

  “Study Hall? We can figure out what we missed today.”

  “Sounds good.”

  I practically floated back to Amatory Hall. It was my hope the investigator would discover the vamp adviser was a fake too. The whole keep-away-from-each-other rule was probably invented by the two pretenders. If it were true, then Milos and I could continue to date each other without worry.

  “Hey, Lilith. Can we talk?”

  Turning around, I saw Nico exiting the front door. “What? No lunch?”

  “You’re not missing anything. It’s Thursday—mystery gumbo.” He removed his backpack, reached inside, and handed me a wrapped sandwich. “Here. I’ve already had two.”

  Unfolding the napkin, I saw it was peanut butter and jelly. “Thanks.”

  He jerked his head toward Common Hall. “Let’s walk.”

  “What’s up? Milos said you two spoke already.”

  “Yeah, but I’ve learned something else after talking to a few demons. They have only one directive on campus. Don’t eat each other.” Nico chuckled. “It’s kind of a necessity, you know? The mages and hybrids have no restrictions. It seems that only vamps and Lilin received the list of limitations.”

  “Do you think it’s because of the curse?”

  “The one Morcana casted? No. Vamps are bloodsuckers, but they won’t suffer bloodlust just for a taste.”

  I took another bite of sandwich. “What about Samantha?”

  “What about her?”

  “Do you know what species she is?”

  Nico ran a hand through his hair. “She’s Lilin.”

  “Uh-uh. Check out her aura. It’s burgundy.”

  Nico swore. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No. I saw it. There’s something going on around here, and it’s not good. Milos will check out the adviser in his dorm. Something tells me that he might be an imposter too.”

  Nico shook his head. “Where were you this morning?”

  “I got into a little trouble.”

  “Again?” His eyes widened.

  “Don’t give me that look. It wasn’t my fault.” I finished the sandwich and wiped the crumbs from my mouth. “Milos and Maksim were fighting about some nonsense Kamila started.”

  “Not good if you’re—”

  “The campaign is over.” Nico’s head jerked back. “The headmistress wanted me to stop running on a platform of inclusivity and fairness. She wanted a standard campaign.”

  He folded his arms over his chest. “You mean she wanted you to act like the school’s puppet?”

  “Exactly.”

  He smiled, and it was the most beautiful expression I’d ever seen on a guy. I hoped Becca realized how lucky she was to have him.

  “What’s next for you since you’re no longer running?” We stopped outside of the library.

  “Staying out of trouble until the end of the semester. I’ve asked my mom to look into a school back home.”

  “You’re from New York, right?”

  “Falls Creek. It’s in upstate New York.”

  “Really? Sybil, London, and I are from the city. Torin’s the foreign student.”

  “Ireland, right?”

  “Yeah. His folks are still there, but he has an aunt and uncle in the States. When we leave on break, you should come hang out with us in the city.”

  “That could be fun.”

  “It always is.” He started up the stairs. “We still have some time. Do you want to copy my notes from the morning classes?”

  “Yes!” I raced up beside him. “That would be so helpful.”

  It really was too bad that Nico wasn’t available. Mom would have approved of him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Milos was late giving me some time to think about what we’d uncovered so far. The mandate regarding vamps and Lilin not interacting wasn’t a school-wide rule. As far as my kind went, the command apparently came from a being who wasn’t even Lilin.

  Why?

  Other than the fact Samantha wasn’t who she said she was, why would a witch care whether two species got together? It wasn’t like it was a personal affront to the female.

  Or was it?

  “Was what?” Milos said as he entered the room. “Sorry. Your thoughts are floating down the hall.”

  Just once I’d like to think about something without someone overhearing.

  “Have you heard back from the PI?”

  “That’s what took me so long. I had to find a gremlin willing to open up a portal back home.” He tossed his backpack onto the table and then straddled a chair. “Turns out the adviser for Bloodbath Hall has ties to an ancestor.”

  “Draven?”

  “Yeah.” Milos’s eyebrow quirked up. “How did you know?”

  “Good guess.” I ran a hand through my hair. “What if Samantha is related to Morcana?”

  He shrugged. “What difference would it make?”

  “My thought exactly. But…” I leaned over the table. “If Samantha was an ancestor of Keleva, it would make more sense. Her mission might be making sure no other Lilin suffered Keleva’s fate.”

  Milos shot me a thoughtful look. “Less conspiracy and more concern?”

  “Right. Problem is, I saw the wrong aura.” Shaking my head, I asked, “You said you couldn’t discern them.”

  “Auras?” His eyebrows knitted together. “I can but with limited success. Why?”

  “Can you see mine?”

  His gaze softened as a slow smile built on his handsome face. “It’s beautiful just like you.”

  My cheeks heated. “What color do you see?”

  “Silver tipped with crimson.”

  “Right. Samantha’s was burgundy. The wrong aura for Lilin.”

  “So we’re back to the conspiracy?”

  “We never left it, Milos. There has to be a reason for a witch hiding out amongst incubi and succubi, and it can’t be a good one.”

  He stood and began pacing the small space. “Okay. What about this scenario? What if the vampire assigned to my dorm is also undercover?”

  “Is that what the private investigator said?”

  “No. There was nothing nefarious about the guy.”

  Tilting my head to the side, I tapped my chin. “Have you looked at his aura?”

  “Yeah.” He stopped walking. “Same as mine.”

  “Strike that theory. Next.”

  Milos rubbed the back of his neck and resumed his frenetic movement. “Okay. What if the vampire has his own agenda?”

  “Like?”

  “What if he was working to break the curse?”

  “Then how do you explain the rule?” When Milos didn’t answer, I asked, “Vampires did get the same statute, didn’t you?”

  “Not exactly.” He scratched his temple and paused beside me.

  “What were you told?”

  “It was strongly suggested we keep our distance from Lilin. Supposedly, biting one of you was considered poisonous.”

  “Oh.” My voice was so small it sounded foreign.

  Vamps were given a warning as if my kind were some sort of toxic being. Technically, the curse did make us harmful, but an alert didn’t have the same meaning as a rule. We needed more information. But who would be willing to help?

>   “Milos, this sounds a lot like a plot against Lilin. Do you think Kamila might be behind it?”

  “Come on, Lilith. She’s a bit of a handful, but I don’t think Kamila has the power to hire and fire. If anything, Mistress Lorelei would know about Samantha.”

  Maybe…

  Hiring meant a resume was on file along with records vetting the female. We just needed to find them. I smiled up at Milos. “Would you happen to have any B&E skills?”

  “You want to break into the headmistress’s office?” His voice lowered. “When?”

  “Tonight. We’ll have to break curfew to do it.”

  “We could use some help. Think you can convince Nico to help us?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Why Nico?”

  “He’s half sorcerer. I’m guessing the admin building will have wards. We could use a magical being to break them without setting off an alarm.”

  That made sense. “I’ll talk to Nico after dinner. We’ll meet you outside of your dorm at ten thirty.”

  Milos nodded, then sat down. “Maybe we should take a look at our classwork?”

  “Got that covered.” I reached into my bag and pulled out photocopies of Nico’s notes. The three of us had Vulnerabilities and Physics together. Handing Milos the copied pages, I said, “I got these from Nico.”

  “Good job, Lil!” The vamp quickly scanned the notes. “Looks like we have a major project coming up for Physics. Want to work on it together?”

  “Of course.” I lowered the pages. “Hey, we need to talk about something else.”

  “Yeah?” He glanced up and immediately frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “You need to know what all happened after you left with the gremlin.” I paused for a moment as I summoned up the strength to tell Milos.

  He dropped the notes and reached for my hand. “Something tells me I’m not going to like this. Your thoughts are all over the place.”

  On purpose.

  “Mr. Olin suggested terminating my registration. He mentioned a school back in Falls Creek.”

  “I’ve never heard of a supe academy there.”

  “When I went home, I asked my mother to check into it.”

  Milos yanked his hand away. “Why, Lilith?”