Demon Blood Academy: Term One

by Jayme Morse

  Then, to make matters worse, they’d made me try on every dress in Kassidy’s closet. Who knew that a girl could have so many dresses? I still wondered how she had gotten all of them to Demon Blood Academy.

  The worst part about it all was that the very first dress I had tried on was the one they had all agreed I would look best in for the dance, and yet they had insisted that I try them all before making a decision.

  I was beyond grateful when they had all fallen asleep and even more grateful when Zay had come to escort me to breakfast the following morning.

  “Just okay, huh?” Zay asked with raised brows, snapping me out of my thoughts.

  “Sleepovers just aren’t really my thing, if I’m being completely honest with you.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I kind of got that sense about you.”

  “How?” My eyebrows rose in question.

  Leaning in closer, his eyes locked on mine. “So, you know how I followed you for a few weeks, right?”

  “Yeah. About that. I actually have a question. How were you able to follow me when you were supposed to be here taking your classes?” I asked.

  “Kieran gave me the task of bringing you here,” he explained.

  “Oh.”

  “So, anyway, when I was following you around for weeks, I never saw you hanging out with any girls. Just Nick.”

  “I mean… I have a few girlfriends,” I replied with a shrug, though I wasn’t sure that ‘friend’ was even the best word to describe them. ‘Acquaintances’ was more like it. “But girls have never just seemed to like me for some reason.”

  “They’re jealous of you,” Zay told me.

  “How do you figure?”

  “Trust me. They are.” He glanced around the cafeteria and then, in a lowered voice, said, “Girls here are jealous of you.”

  “How do you know that?” I asked with narrowed eyes.

  “I’ve heard them talking.”

  “Maybe you misheard them. There’s not even anything for them to be jealous of.”

  “Sure there is. You are prettier than all of them,” Zay told me.

  The heat rose to my cheeks. I wasn’t sure that I’d blushed as much in her entire life as I had with Zay.

  “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

  “That’s true,” he agreed, “but anyone would be crazy to think you’re not beautiful.”

  “Thanks,” I told him.

  He opened his mouth to respond, just as I glanced up to see someone hovering over our table, their amber eyes locked on mine.

  It was Professor Walker.

  “Hello, Lux,” he said. “How are you today?”

  “I’m okay,” I replied awkwardly. “How are you?”

  “I can’t complain. Listen, there’s something I would like to discuss with you in my office once all of your classes are over. Do you think that can be arranged?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I paused. “Zay’s my Guardian, though.”

  “You are?” Professor Walker’s eyes flicked over to meet Zay’s.

  Zay nodded. “Yeah. Kieran assigned me to her.”

  “Interesting,” Professor Walker murmured. “You can wait outside my office for Lux, then.”

  “Okay,” Zay agreed.

  The professor turned back to me. “I’ll see you around three o’clock, then?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Perfect.”

  Then, without saying another word, he walked away from our table.

  Once he was gone and out of earshot, I glanced over at Zay.

  “I wonder what that’s all about.”

  “I guess you’ll find out later,” he replied with a shrug. “Hurry up and eat your breakfast. We need to get to Flight Lessons.”

  “I’m all done,” I replied.

  Zay frowned. “You haven’t even touched your breakfast.”

  “I told you I never eat breakfast,” I replied with a smile as I rose from the table and headed for the garbage.

  Just as I dumped my scrambled eggs and toast into the garbage, I noticed a pair of eyes staring at me from across the cafeteria.

  As I glanced in that direction, I realized it was Camille. Our eyes met and then Camille quickly glanced away—but not before I noticed the look of hatred behind her eyes.

  It only made me wonder one thing.

  Why did it seem like Kassidy and all of her friends hated me?

  ***

  Lux

  Flight lessons class had already begun when me and Zay arrived.

  “You’re late,” Professor Moore acknowledged, though the tone in her voice was anything but scolding.

  “Sorry,” Zay apologized. “It won’t happen again.”

  “Even if it does, the world won’t end,” the professor replied with a shrug.

  I smiled. I couldn’t help but like Professor Moore. Of all of my instructors, she was, by far, my favorite.

  “While I know this is Flight Lessons class, Headmaster Blake has informed me that I need to teach you our Code Red lessons today.”

  “Code red? What does that mean?” one of the students spoke up.

  “Are we under attack?” another student asked.

  “No, we’re not under attack. It’s all just a protocol. It means that, for one reason or another, the school is currently under a high alert. Generally, nothing ever comes out of it, but it’s important for us to all be prepared. I need to help educate you on what to do in the event of an attack,” Professor Moore explained.

  Even though our teacher didn’t seem too worried about it, my stomach tightened into a knot. After the arrow that had been shot at me in the cafeteria the day before, and after me and Zay had watched Neil die in the hallway, I just got this weird feeling that whatever this security alert was about, it couldn’t have been good.

  I glanced over at Zay. His jawline was clenched and the worry in his eyes was undeniable. If I wasn’t worried before, the look on his face was enough to scare the crap out of me.

  “So, does anyone have any ideas on what you should do in the event of an attack?” Professor Moore asked the group.

  When no one answered, she went on. “Okay, so the first and most important thing for you to do is go to your dorm rooms. You should close your windows, as well as the blinds. If no one can see you, or hear you, in your dorms, they won’t try to hurt you. However, you might find that you’re in a position where this isn’t an option. Maybe you’re wandering the halls or maybe you’re even outdoors at the time of the attack. With the exception of this class right now, you’re not permitted to be outdoors today. However, if you do find yourself outdoors—today or at any time in the future—when an attacker presents themselves, the protocol on what you should do changes. Obviously, you won’t be able to go back to your dorm room if you’re outside or if you’ve left Demon Blood Academy.

  “So, if you find yourself in a position like that, it’s important to do your best to defend yourselves. Flying can help you dodge any weapons that might be aimed your way. Although you will want to discuss this further with your Possession instructor, another option is to try to compel whoever it is you’re in danger of. If you get inside their mind long enough, you may be able to compel them not to attack you—or, at least, long enough for you to figure out what to do or get help.”

  “Professor Moore, are there any weapons we can use on our attackers?” a guy asked.

  “Well, yes, you can use a weapon, but the problem is that you must first be able to recognize which type of attacker it is you’re dealing with. The type of attacker determines which weapons you can use to defend yourself with. However, Professor Jordan is going to cover this during your Demonic Creatures lesson today.” The professor paused for a moment. “Now, I am going to dismiss you all early today. I didn’t receive word that we were under Code Red until just minutes before our class began. I need to find an alternate location to hold the rest of my classes today so that none of the other students will take the risk of going outdoors when they should all rea
lly just stay inside. Have a good day and please stay safe.”

  As all of the students began to flurry away from the professor, I glanced over at Zay.

  “Wait for me right here, okay? I need to ask her a question.” Without waiting for his response, I walked over to our instructor. “Professor Moore?”

  Our teacher glanced over at me. “What is it, Lux?”

  “If we were going to be attacked, who is it that would attack us?” I asked in a quiet voice, hoping that even Zay wouldn’t overhear me.

  I knew this probably wasn’t a question that I should have been asking, but I couldn’t not ask it, either.

  Professor Moore frowned. “Unfortunately, Headmaster Blake didn’t provide us with those details, but I have my own suspicions.”

  “Who do you think it could be?” I asked.

  My professor’s eyes locked on mine. “The Angels.”

  ***

  Lux

  “Why would the Angels want to hurt us?” I asked Zay as we walked down the hallway towards the Possession classroom together.

  I was trying to make sense of it all, but I just couldn’t seem to.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked, darting his amber eyes over in my direction.

  I shook my head. “No, it’s not obvious to me. I thought Angels are supposed to be good. Why would they want to hurt us?”

  “There’s good and bad in everyone,” Zay reminded me.

  “I know, but it still doesn’t make sense that Angels would go out of their way to threaten Demons to the point where there’s a Code Red alert,” I insisted.

  “Since the beginning of time, there’s been an unspoken war between Angels and Demons,” he explained. “You might think that the Demons are the ones who started it—or that we’re the ones who continued it once it began—but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. I’m not going to delve into the entire history of what started all of this, but Angels have always had it out for Demons.”

  “But why?” I asked.

  “Because they believe that we’re all evil and that we should all be eliminated,” he explained, just as we stepped foot into the classroom.

  Just as we entered the room, I heard a girl say, “This Code Red alert all has to do with Professor Cranby.”

  “They think she was killed by an outsider?” another girl asked.

  “That’s what I heard,” the first replied.

  “Well, that’s not what I heard,” a third girl chimed in. “I heard this all has to do with Lux Whitmore.”

  As I walked past them, the girl’s eyes grew wide. The girl, who was obviously caught off-guard by my presence, darted her eyes down at the floor to avoid my gaze.

  I half-wanted to ask her what any of this could have to do with me, but the truth was that I was almost afraid to know. As much as I wanted answers about the secrets everyone seemed to be keeping from me, I was afraid that they would be right. If all of this was because of me, it would have only made me feel guilty and, most likely, more afraid.

  There was also the fact that sometimes rumors were just that—rumors. Like the rumor about me killing any human I kissed. Not that I knew for certain that was only a rumor, but I wanted to believe it was.

  I didn’t even blame anyone for starting these rumors or believing that they could be true. The reality was that I had only arrived at Demon Blood Academy days ago and now there was suddenly a Code Red alert. Even I couldn’t help but think that it seemed slightly suspicious.

  It made me wonder if it was possible that I could be the reason they were all on high alert, but why?

  Chapter 22

  Zay

  I couldn’t help but feel guilty. I hated trespassing, but I had gone into Lux’s mind again, just to listen in on her thoughts. They were jumbled and nervous, and I didn’t blame her for that.

  I just wished that I could do something—anything—to help her better understand. But Kieran had made it very clear that I couldn’t tell her anything. Still, I kept looking for reasons to go against what Kieran wanted. Of course, I was afraid of what the consequences would be, but if the truth could help Lux in any way, then I would have been willing to take that risk. For Lux, I would have been willing to take the fall.

  The only problem was that I wasn’t sure if telling her the truth would help her. Depending on how she reacted to the news, it was possible that it could put her life in even more danger.

  It was more than just that, though. There was something else I was worried about, too. I knew that it was incredibly selfish for me to even think it, but I couldn’t help myself.

  I was afraid that I would lose Lux if she knew the truth.

  Not only was it selfish for me to think it but it was foolish of me, too.

  When it came down to it, I knew that I couldn’t lose something I’d never had in the first place. And the truth was that I wasn’t sure if I would ever have Lux. Not in the way I wanted her, at least. There were just too many factors piled against us.

  From the time we were born, the odds had never been in our favor.

  There was this intense, undeniable tension between us. I could feel it, and I knew she had to have felt it, too. When we had dove from the cliffs, we had come so close—so incredibly close—to kissing. I had seen it in her eyes and felt it in the way she had trembled.

  I knew that I would have stopped the kiss and not because I would have wanted to stop it, but because I couldn’t kiss her. Not when she didn’t know the entire truth. Not when she didn’t know the full gravity of what kissing me could mean.

  The truth was that I was afraid that if she knew the truth, she wouldn’t have wanted me. I was afraid that she would find a way to distance herself from me, that she would cut me off completely.

  And even though I hadn’t known her for very long, I was already certain about one thing.

  I didn’t want to live without her.

  Chapter 23

  Lux

  “This is the first time there has been a Code Red alert since I have become an instructor at Demon Blood Academy,” Professor Walker said as he sat at his desk and stared out at all of us.

  “I know that none of you can truly grasp the severity of the situation at hand. Some of your other professors may have told you that there’s nothing to worry about. They’re only trying to reassure you. There’s a very real possibility that we could get attacked. While I normally don’t recommend my students to compel anyone, given the potential risks and consequences, this is one of the few occasions when it very well could be your best option for survival.

  “That brings us to a very important question, one that some of you are probably wondering. How do you possess someone? How do you get inside someone else’s mind and, more importantly, control their actions?” he asked.

  Glancing around the classroom, he waited for someone to raise their hand.

  I waited for Kassidy to volunteer an answer, but she didn’t. For some reason, she must not have wanted anyone to know that she was able to possess someone. It made me wonder why she was treating it like some sort of secret. It crossed my mind that maybe Kassidy was lying and that maybe she didn’t actually know how to possess someone at all.

  When no one answered, Professor Walker continued. “I figured that none of you would know. If you actually knew how to properly possess someone, you probably wouldn’t be here right now.” He paused, swallowing hard. “So, instead of merely telling you how to possess someone, I am going to show you.”

  Rising to his feet, he walked across the room. “Of course, I’ll need to provide you with a little know how. Before you can truly possess someone, you must first understand the basic gist of it. So, what I’m going to do is explain how it works to you and then I’m going to demonstrate on someone. Since I am an older Demon and happen to come from a powerful bloodline, it’s likely that I will be able to possess the majority of you.”

  I sunk back into my seat, hoping that I would somehow fly under the radar. I hoped Professor Walker wouldn’
t use me as his example.

  The last thing I would have wanted was for anyone to possess me… ever. I didn’t care if it was just a classroom demonstration. My mind, my body… they were my own personal space. I didn’t want anyone violating that for any reason.

  “Before you can possess someone, the first thing you must do is think about how badly you want it,” Professor Walker began. “It might sound sort of silly, but you won’t be able to possess someone unless you truly desire it. So, you will clear your mind of all thoughts and focus on your desire, your need, to possess them.” He paused. “This is exactly what I’m doing right now. I’m thinking about my need to possess the one who I’m planning to use for my demonstration.”

  I tried to follow his gaze, figuring that he would be looking at whoever it was who he was planning to possess. But his eyes didn’t seem to be fixated on any one individual. In fact, I didn’t have even the foggiest idea of who he might have been planning to possess, which only made me feel even more nervous that it may have been me.

  “Next, you will need to focus on getting into the mind of the person or the otherworldly being whose mind you are trying to possess,” Professor Walker went on. “It’s hard to describe this, but what you really need to do is push yourself. Your mind, your body, your brain. Push yourself both mentally and physically. Push yourself like you have never pushed before. Push yourself to your limit, to your breaking point. The harder you push, the easier it will be to enter the mind of anyone who you’re looking to possess.”

  Without even glancing around the classroom, he said, “This is where I begin pushing.”

  Lux watched as his eyes narrowed and his jawline hardened with his concentration. I had never seen someone look more focused before.

  After a few long moments, one of the male students sitting in the front of the class bolted upright from his seat. He turned and stared out at the other students for a moment before turning to the front of the room.

  As the student approached the whiteboard, Professor Walker said, “I am currently compelling Noah. To prove this to you, I am going to turn around. He will write something on the whiteboard and, without turning around, I will tell you what I have compelled him to write.”