Paranormal University: Third Semester: An Unveiled Academy Novel

by Jace Mitchell

  Claire touched the blade sheathed on her hip, her hand gripping it tightly. “Show them to me, and then we’ll decide who’s suffering.”

  “As you wish.” Hades squatted down and appeared to be fooling with empty air. After a moment, a three-headed dog appeared next to him, staring at Claire.

  Cerberus, she thought, knowing from her lessons what the hell she was looking at—a creature born in Hell if any ever had been.

  Hades moved to his right and pushed open a door that had no handle or knob. He and the dog slipped inside before Claire and Frank could move.

  Frank stared at where the dog had been. “I’ve heard of that damned thing before, but I can go the rest of me life without ever seeing it again.”

  The thought going through Claire’s mind was whether they should wait on Al or not—there was no way they could try to find him with Hades leading them to Jack, Marissa, and Samantha. They had to go with the god. Al would have to be okay on his own. “Come on.”

  Claire walked forward, feeling no fear despite the circumstances, only the consuming desire to see Marissa and Jack.

  She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  The god waved his arm in front of everyone. “We’re all here.”

  And they were, even if Claire didn’t know everyone she was looking at. Five strangers and three people she knew—two of them were her best friends.

  Jack tried to smile, but his face and neck were a bruised mess. Claire searched out Marissa next, and her eyes filled with tears at the haunted look of her friend. A bandana or something similar was wrapped around her mouth—obviously to keep her from practicing any spells—and her face was severely scratched. Samantha’s right arm hovered protectively over her ribs, and Claire thought she must have broken at least one.

  The three of them were sitting on the floor, bound hand-to-foot.

  Jack was the first one to speak. “Howdy, Claire. Glad you could show up.”

  Claire’s eyes flashed to Hades. “Untie them. Let them go. Now.” Her jaw flexed so hard she barely opened her mouth as she spoke.

  The dog growled, all three heads at once. Claire’s hand rested firmly on the butt of her knife. The middle head of the dog barked. She didn’t touch the hat yet. She didn’t want anyone to know it was important. She felt the pistol’s weight on her leg as well, but she wasn’t ready to pull that just yet, either.

  “Now, Hades,” Claire demanded.

  Jack’s face was full of fear. “Be careful, Claire.”

  Claire didn’t look at him at all. She kept her eyes on the god. “Your choice. We can all die here and now, or you can let them go.” Her mind was made up, and there wasn’t any changing it. No pleading nor begging, not even logic. The lines were drawn.

  Frank unsheathed his own blade and spoke to Jack first. “Hush it now, lad. Adults are talking here. What’s it going to be, Hades?”

  The door behind Claire swung open. She turned her head quickly to see who it was.

  “No worries, just me,” Al announced since no part of him was visible. “I didn’t want to miss this party.”

  The five people Claire didn’t know spread out behind Hades, each one of them facing Claire’s group of three.

  Three men, each looking weirder than the next, and two women.

  “And who are you fine people?” Frank asked. “Might ye be the Five?”

  The dog was growling continuously, and Claire was fine letting Frank ask the questions. She needed to understand what her next moves would be, and those of her compatriots. Saving her friends was paramount; murdering this villainous god and his crew of psychopaths was secondary.

  “There is more happening here than you know, Myther,” the red-haired woman told Frank. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come to our side?”

  Frank rubbed his blade between his thumbs. “Only two things I like are beer and bowling, and it doesn’t look like ye have either of that here.”

  The black woman shrugged. “Fair enough.”

  A man wearing a nice suit stood almost at the end of the line. He extended his hand toward Claire, and fire bloomed in it.

  That’s not possible, Claire thought even as she stared at the orange flames.

  Hades didn’t look behind him but nodded as if he knew what was happening. “You see, things aren’t exactly as they appear here.” Hades took a few steps backward, falling behind the line of five cult members. “Go on. End them.”

  Claire ripped her blade from its sheath. Her eyes hadn’t left the little ball of flame hovering above the man’s hand. “Frank, you got any idea what the hell is going on here?” Nothing that they’d studied said anything about humans possessing powers, not unless they were all witches.

  “Lass, ye guess is as good as mine, but if it’s all the same to ye, I’d rather not waste time chit-chatting about it.” A bright light flashed where Frank stood, and he was gone.

  Claire didn’t need any other instructions.

  The dog leapt at Claire but yelped as something slammed into its side, sending it skidding off-course across the floor.

  “Free your friends. I’ll help Frank,” Al yelled, sounding as if he were facing the enemies and not Claire.

  Cerberus pulled himself up off the floor, glancing around cautiously to look for what had hurt him.

  Frank had gotten behind the man with the fireball; he slashed with his blade, intent on opening the man’s back. Another light flashed, and Frank yelled with pain as someone kicked him in the back. He sprawled in front of the crowd, eyes wide, trying to scramble back to his feet. “What in the fuck was that?”

  The shorter man with coke-bottle glasses spoke. “You’re not the only one who can teleport, fuckwad.”

  Frank’s face grew angry as he shoved himself up onto his feet. He turned around, the blade still in his hand.

  Claire had taken another few steps toward her friends, but now she too was staring at this crowd of people she couldn’t begin to understand. They all have powers, she thought. Maybe different ones, but each of these five can do something dangerous.

  She didn’t take her eyes from the Five. “Frank, be fucking careful.”

  “Just go get ye friends, lass.” Frank bent slightly over and grabbed a second blade from his pants leg.

  Claire glanced once more at the dog, but the thing seemed more confused than angry. As if he couldn’t decide who to attack.

  The man holding the fire was suddenly flung into the air, the flames extinguishing as he was slammed into the far wall face-first, blood erupting from his mouth and nose. Coke Bottle Glasses was Al’s next target, his invisibility cloaking him as he attacked.

  Frank jumped into the fray, his speed almost unbelievable.

  Claire quit focusing on them and removed the hat from her jeans—it was time to use it so that she could free everyone. She placed it on her head and rushed to where Jack was sitting. A swipe of her blade cut the binds on him without him noticing she was touching him.

  “What the hell?” he whispered harshly as his arms and legs were freed.

  Claire glanced at the crowd. Frank was ricocheting off a wall with his blade pointing at the fat man. Coke Bottle Glasses had teleported back to the group, and Al was busy leg sweeping one of the women. Claire grabbed the second blade from her pants and thrust it into Jack’s hand. “Free Marissa and tell her to get those damn spells working.”

  Jack shook his head, obviously not understanding what was happening, but knowing Claire’s voice when he heard it.

  He stood, slightly shaky, but she couldn’t worry about it. She backpedaled, eyes on the fight in front of her until she reached Samantha. Claire hadn’t wanted to use a pistol at this close range, but she was out of weapons. She pulled it from its holster and placed it in Samantha’s hands—it suddenly appearing out of nowhere. “You stay back here and only take sure shots, understand?”

  Sam’s face was a mixture of confusion and hope. “Claire?”

  Claire forced the gun into her hand and then pu
lled back. “No time for questions. Just take sure shots. Missing in close quarters could cause one of us to get hurt.”

  Jack was cutting Marissa’s bonds, but his strength was obviously low, and it was taking him time. Cerberus had rejoined the battle and was snapping at the air, trying to find the ghost.

  Hades had backed up to a corner of the room, his helmet remaining at his side. He was smiling at the chaos.

  Fuck him, Claire thought. She rushed forward, blade bared, aiming directly at the fat man. He was positioned so that she couldn’t hit him anywhere vulnerable—his side was to her as he squared off against Frank.

  Claire slashed at his left arm, the blade sinking into flesh and sending blood spraying across the floor. He let out an angry grunt, automatically reaching for whoever had cut him. Claire felt his hand clamp onto her arm with a strength that she’d never felt before. A strength that shouldn’t exist in any human.

  The fat man threw Claire, tossing her away from him as if she was nothing more than a half-empty trash bag. Claire rose from the floor, barely able to hold onto her blade as she went. She landed fifteen feet away, crashing into a glass table. It shattered, cutting her back and sending shards spraying across the room.

  Her hat had fallen three feet from her. She was visible to the room again. Most weren’t looking at her but were struggling to gain an advantage in hand-to-hand combat.

  Hades saw her, though—his eyes were directly on her. The smile on his face had faded some.

  He’s wondering how I did it, Claire thought. He’s wondering how I turned invisible.

  “Claire, get up!”

  Claire’s head whipped to the left. Marissa stood over her, battered and bruised but extending a hand. Claire grabbed the hat off the floor and then reached up to grab hold of her friend’s forearm.

  Marissa screamed from the other side of the room. “No!”

  Claire’s eyes narrowed as she automatically searched for the voice.

  “It’s not me!” Marissa shouted again.

  Claire looked up at her friend, still holding one another’s arms. She watched as the skin on Marissa’s body melted, shape-shifting right in front of her as if it were no more than water. A moment passed, and then Claire was staring at the black woman.

  “Hi, sweetie,” the stranger cooed. Her fist rushed down and slammed into Claire’s jaw, sending stars fluttering across her vision. The fist came down again, and then a third time.

  The woman let go of Claire’s arm and she collapsed to the floor, trying to hold onto consciousness.

  Hades’ voice boomed across the room. “Bring me that hat.”

  The woman kicked Claire in the ribs for good measure, then bent over her to take the hat from her hands.

  Claire desperately tried to fight her off, but the blade had fallen to the floor, and her left hand did little more than swat at the woman.

  “That’s enough fighting now, sweetie.” She stood and turned, ready to head back to Hades with his prize.

  Jack was in her way. “I don’t know what the hell that is, but I know it’s not yours.”

  Claire sat up halfway, leaning on her elbows. “Jack,” she managed weakly, “get it back.”

  He wasted no time, crossing the distance between them in mere moments, his blade slashing in a fury. The woman dodged left and right as his knife swept down again and again.

  Claire pulled herself up, her jaw hurting and her vision still blurry. The woman’s skin appeared to be melting again, as if it wasn’t completely there, although Claire didn’t know if that was because of her own injuries or the woman’s shapeshifting ability.

  A light wind brushed by Claire’s side and then the woman was bent over, clutching her stomach.

  Al! Claire thought victoriously.

  The ghost ripped the hat from her hands, and then Jack brought the butt of his knife down on her temple. She collapsed to the floor.

  Jack turned around. “We don’t have time right now, but I want one of those. Grab your knife.” He bent over and picked the knife up off the floor, handing it to Claire with a wry smile.

  They both turned to look at the wreckage. The fat man and Coke-bottle glasses were squaring up against Frank. The leprechaun had blood dripping from his mouth.

  Marissa was against the wall, whispering spells, but they weren’t working. Samantha stood in the corner with the pistol raised, but her hands were shaking.

  There’s no way she can fire that thing, Claire thought. We’re losing this. We’re losing it worse than we’ve lost anything before.

  Claire looked for Hades. He remained in the back, his eyes on the hat. He didn’t appear to care about anything else around him. His three-headed dog was moving toward Claire, teeth bared in each of its mouths. Coming for the hat.

  Only one idea came to Claire. The last thing they had, at all. She swiped the hat from Al and shoved it on her head. The dog stopped and sniffed the air for her.

  The fat man swung at Frank, barely missing him as the leprechaun stumbled backward, exhausted.

  No time, Claire thought. She forced away the pain and mental fatigue and rushed across the room, passing first Jack and then the dog. Both of them turned in her direction when her wind whipped by them.

  Coke Bottle Glasses teleported behind Frank as the fat man lunged, both taking hold of him. Having regained consciousness, the man in the suit staggered to his feet, taking in his surroundings. Fire lit in his hands again, and he looked across the room at Jack.

  Hurry, she thought. For the love of God, hurry.

  Claire reached Sam. Her hands were still shaking on the pistol. Claire slowed, knowing that this had to be quick. The moment the pistol disappeared, Hades would know what had happened. Even now, the dog was sniffing the ground and slowly making its way toward her.

  Claire glanced at Hades.

  The fire grew in the man’s hands as he regained his stability.

  Claire closed her eyes, took in a breath, and reached for the pistol. She’d done this before, and she’d done it well. Yet again, everything hung in the balance of her ability to shoot evil in the face.

  She opened her eyes and snatched the pistol from Sam’s shaking hands. It disappeared to everyone else in the room. Claire turned and pointed the pistol at the god, her movements sure and swift. Her grip balanced with both hands, she pulled the trigger.

  Once.

  Twice.

  A third time.

  The bullets slammed into Hades’ chest in a tight pattern that left black holes staring back at Claire.

  Everyone in the room stopped and turned to the sound, even the fat man who was belting Frank.

  Claire took her hat off, then let her hand fall to her side. Hades looked at her, one hand going to the wounds in his chest. No blood leaked out. He staggered forward a step, his eyes growing wider, and then he fell to his knees.

  “What have you done?” the other woman asked. “What have you done?”

  Hades, still touching the holes in his chest, smiled at Claire. “Do you think this is it, girl? Do you think you’ve won?”

  Rumbling started beneath the ground. The pistol was still aimed at Hades, but Claire looked at Frank.

  He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant.

  The leprechaun burst upward, breaking Coke Bottle Glasses’ grip on him. As he fell, he launched his leg out, kicking the fat man across the jaw and sending him sprawling to his knees.

  The white woman rushed to Hades, and as she reached him, he threw a fist out and slammed it into her chest. She smashed into the wall and slid down onto her ass. Hades fell to both hands, leaving him on all fours. Yet, there was still no blood.

  He kept his eyes on Claire as the rumbling grew worse all around her. “I am immortal, girl. I walk amongst the dead. I fly amongst the clouds in Mount Olympus. Do you think this will stop me?”

  “Jack!” Claire shouted as Frank stomped Coke Bottle Glasses to the ground.

  “You ready to leave?” he called back.

  She n
odded her head vigorously. “Yeah. I think now’s a good time. Marissa, grab Samantha!”

  “Already got her!” Marissa shouted.

  Dust from the ceiling floated through the air. The crumbling base was reaching up to the rest of the building.

  The dog was next to Hades now, one of his heads licking the god’s hand while the other two whined. A large chunk of the ceiling fell and shattered into pieces. “Where are you going, Claire? Do you not wish to see what happens when you anger a god? Do you think you can run from me?”

  Claire didn’t know what was about to happen to Hades or his followers. They were staring at their fallen god as if they couldn’t believe what was happening, despite the fact the church was going to fall down around their heads.

  Claire had a decision to make: ensure these people and their god died or get her friends to safety.

  “If I were you,” she told Hades, “I’d hope we never meet again. For your sake.”

  Claire turned and looked at her crew. “Let’s go.”

  Jack shook his head and grinned even as dust particles from the ceiling floated around his face. “About freakin’ time.”

  Claire took off, her pace taking her quickly to the door. She pushed it open and held it for the group. Frank came next, speeding through and turning down the hallway. The students followed, not as fast, since Jack was nearly hobbling.

  “Al, you with us?” Claire shouted as she let the door swing shut.

  “Ahead of Frank!” The ghost called back.

  The shaking floor was getting worse, making the glass windows to her left rattle in their frames.

  “I’ll see you soon, Claire!” Hades called from behind the closed door.

  Something crashed from the ceiling behind Claire, and she took off, almost running into the backs of her three friends when she caught up to them. “Slowing us down, Jack-ass!”

  Jack looked over his shoulder as he hobbled along. “Going to slow us down a lot more when I turn around and beat your ass.”

  Claire heard the doors behind her swing open. “You’re not leaving.”