by G. Bailey
“Exactly,” I agree, nodding. “It’s not the best plan, but we can’t afford to be picky right now.”
“All right, then,” Silas says, beginning to pace. “Landon and I can wait on either side of the door. Boots, if you can come up with a way to lure them in here…”
“Are you sure Millie should do that?” Hunter asks, glancing at me. “I mean, we can’t afford to let you get hurt.”
“It’s fine,” I tell him, squaring my shoulders. “I’m willing to bet they’re under orders not to let any of us get hurt. They can’t have their prized lab rats getting damaged. So are we doing this, then?” I ask, getting to my feet and putting my hands on my waist.
“It’s not like we have much of a choice,” Shade replies.
The others murmur their agreement, and moments later, the guys are assembled on either side of the door. They’ve grabbed what makeshift weapons they can find - Silas is holding a chair while Shade and Landon have kitchen knives, and Hunter has armed himself with the coffee pot - and are watching me tensely as I steel myself. I give the others one last glance as I move to stand in the front hallway; they nod to me, signaling that they’re ready.
Time to put those improv skills to use, I think dryly, before I let out what I hope is a convincing moan of pain. There’s a long silence, and nothing from the other side of the door, so I do it again, louder this time, stumbling to the ground for added effect. “Hey…” I call weakly. “I don’t feel so good!” Low voices can be heard outside, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. “There’s something wrong with me,” I insist, practically yelling now. “It’s this fucking charm you guys put on the floor! I’m not even touching it!”
There’s another pause as we wait with bated breaths for them to respond. “What the fuck is she talking about?” one of the guards mutters to the other.
“I have no idea,” comes the reply. “She’s probably faking it.”
“I’m serious!” I protest, letting out a choked groan. There’s no such thing as melodrama in a situation like this. “What the hell are you doing to me?! Did Hawthorne put you up to this - torture the hybrid to make sure I’m weak? Is that it?”
“Listen, kid,” begins the first guard, “I don’t know what you’re going on about, but-”
“For fuck’s sake!” Shade yells, sounding surprisingly genuine. “She’s dying in here! Do you really want your prized pet showing up at the lab coughing up blood?”
“Blood?” The second guard sounds concerned. “You never said there would be-”
“There shouldn’t be,” the first guard snaps. “Probably something wrong with her powers. Fucking hybrids, I swear. They never tell me anything around here…”
There’s the sound of movement and then fumbling with the doorknob. I can see the others tensing up, and a bead of sweat runs down the back of my neck. We’ll only get one chance at this. One wrong move and it will all be over. I can hear the lock being undone, can see the knob twisting - we’re seconds away now, split seconds…
But before the door can even open, the sound of a blast echoes down the hallway, sending my heart rate flying. I scramble to my feet, glancing at the others, who haven’t even moved yet. My first reaction is panic—are the humans attacking again? Have they really gotten that bold as to try something at one of the Shifter Academies? How are we supposed to fight them with no powers? I open my mouth to cry out as the sound of grunts and scuffling can be heard from the other side of the door, followed by another blasting sound and a yell of pain. Fuck. We’re in trouble now. I’m on the verge of telling the others to run for it and hope for the best, but then everything goes quiet out in the hallway. It was like an earthquake—intense and loud, but over in seconds. I’m left to exchange a confused glance with Silas, who can only shrug his shoulders in wonderment. Slowly, I straighten up and creep down the hallway, coming to a stop by the door. I can hear heavy breathing, and there’s a shadow under the door; someone is out there. The only question is, who?
A tense moment follows, and then another, the sound of my heartbeat loud to my own ears. And then, as if in a dream, a familiar voice comes from the other side, a voice I was already convinced I wasn’t going to hear again. “Hello? Millie? It’s me, Josie!”
“Josie?” I hiss, hardly daring to believe it. “What the hell? What are you doing here?”
“I came to get you out of here,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. “Can I come in?”
“Uh…” I glance over my shoulder at the guys, who are watching me with shocked expressions on their faces.
“Be careful,” Landon warns. “It could be a trap.”
“I say let her in,” Shade counters. “If she tries anything, we’ll kick her ass.”
“I can assure you, that won’t be necessary,” Josie responds. “I’m here to help you. All of you.”
“I… Okay,” I reply at last. “Give me a second. I’m going to open the door.” Moving slowly, as if one wrong move will set off another explosion, I take a step back and pull the door open, bracing myself for some kind of trick - a hostage situation, maybe, or an imposter posing as the deceased school recruiter. It’s more astonishing than I can express when I find myself standing face-to-face with Josie herself. She’s looking decidedly worse for wear; there’s a nasty gash on the side of her face, and she’s battered and bruised, a far cry from the elegant woman who first found me in that abandoned warehouse. But she’s here, and very much alive; before I even realise what I’m doing, I’m rushing forward and flinging my arms around her, pulling her close. “You’re okay!” I cry.
“I am,” she says, grunting a little. “Although I broke a couple ribs back there, so…”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.” I let her go. “It’s just… you’re a sight for sore eyes. That’s all.”
“Well, don’t speak too soon,” she replies as I close the door and she makes her way into the common area. “Gentlemen,” she says, nodding to the assembled guys, who look like they’ve seen a ghost. “It’s good to see you all in one piece.”
“We should be saying that to you,” Silas replies. “We saw you get buried back at the convention center! How the hell did you make it out of that?”
“You of all people should know how sturdy these shifter forms can be, Mr. Aconite,” Josie responds. “You’ve survived a lot worse than a bit of falling rubble. If you must know, though, protection spells are sort of a specialty of mine. More so than teleportation, even.”
“What are you doing here?” Shade asks, crossing his arms, ever suspicious. “It seems awfully convenient that you just happen to show up and take out those guards right when we’re trying to get out of here.”
“I understand your concerns,” Josie replies, “but for what it’s worth. It wasn’t a coincidence. I spent the last half hour waiting for those guys to get up and leave. You gave me the perfect opening.”
“Why, though?” Landon asks. “I mean, I’m not complaining, but still… I thought the Academy was on orders to resume the experiments.”
“That’s exactly the problem,” Jodie responds. “I’m afraid that the school board has lost control of themselves. Things are going downhill, fast.” Her expression hardens, and she turns to face the rest of us. “I’m not Samantha,” she says, sounding like she’s trying to convince herself as much as the rest of us. “I don’t care what Hawthorne says—I’m not about to just stand by and let him take advantage of the students here. If that means risking the wrath of the board, then so be it. But we can discuss all that later,” she adds, putting her hands on her hips and focusing on me. “We have more important things to worry about right now. Ms. Brix, how would you like to find your friends and leave this place?”
“That would be really nice, Josie,” I tell her, relief washing over me.
“Good,” she says, turning to the charm that still sits on the dorm room floor. “Let’s start with this, then. I’ve always hated these things.”
Chapter 20
It’s
eerily quiet in the hallway when we finally creep out of the dorm, one by one, on edge with wide eyes. The first thing I notice is the two guards, seated on either side of the door, and when I see that their eyes are open and staring, I jump. “It’s okay,” Josie murmurs, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I paralysed them. It should wear off in an hour or so, which is plenty of time for us to high-tail it out of here.”
“When can I learn to do that?” I ask dryly, stepping around the two men with the others following closely behind. I come to a stop outside the opposite door, which is closed and locked, turning back to the others. “Hazel and the twins are in here,” I say. “We just need to figure out a way to get their attention, and then-”
But Josie is already shaking her head. “Don’t bother. They’ve already been taken downstairs. Hawthorne wants your friends and acquaintances out of here first - we’re going to need to go intercept them before they can teleport back to the island.”
“Why is he doing this?” Hunter asks as we make our way down the hall. “It all feels so… so…”
“Calculated?” Josie supplies, her expression grim. “That’s what I thought, too. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I’m afraid that maybe Hawthorne…” She bites her lip and trails off. “Never mind.”
“What?” asks Silas as we reach the top of the stairs. No one is out and about, which is just as well; a ragtag group of shifters led by a battered-looking witch would attract attention that we can’t afford right now. “What do you think Hawthorne is doing?”
Josie sighs, turning to look at him, and for the first time I notice how much of a toll the last day has taken on her - she looks utterly exhausted, and this is far from being over. “I think Hawthorne may have orchestrated the attack on the convention center,” she says at last.
My hand flies to my mouth, and the others come to a sudden stop. “You… You think he would go that far?” I ask, not wanting to hear the answer, even though deep down I know it already.
“Again, I have no proof,” Josie tells us. “I can only go on what was being said in the board meeting. The others weren’t amenable enough to get him what he wanted. So…” She shrugs her shoulders. “Was it just a coincidence? Maybe. But I’ll tell you one thing: that attack was planned and organized. This wasn’t just some random pro-human riot. They would have needed inside information, equipment… And this was exactly the push the board needed to resume the experiments. They’re backed into a corner, and they’re panicking.”
“I can’t believe this,” Hunter mutters, running a hand through his hair.
“I can,” Shade shoots back. “It was only a matter of time before he went completely insane.”
“Come on,” Josie says, turning back around as we begin to descend the stairs. “We don’t have much time.”
I take the opportunity to reconnect with my shifter magic, which was almost unbearably dampened by the charm. In hindsight, it was almost too lucky that Josie was the one to come get us; because it had been enchanted by witch magic, only a witch could have undone the spell, and I’m sure as hell not a good enough shifter to even begin to reverse that kind of magic. I’m only just now beginning to come to terms with the fact that if we leave, it could be the end of my time spent studying—possibly for good. Am I capable of mastering my forms without the help of my teachers?
I’m going to have to be, I tell myself grimly as we reach the downstairs landing. There’s no other option.
The common area is blessedly empty, although perhaps that’s not a good thing; the dormitory seems eerily devoid of students in spite of the relatively early hour. The faculty is most likely already trying to move the U.K. students back to the island where they will be inaccessible to the rest of us. They’re not in for a fun time, either, and I feel a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach when I realise that they’re being pulled into this too, whether they like it or not. If we make it out of here, the Academy will start testing on the general student population again, like they did with Silas and that kid Brody. If we leave, we’re signing them up to be next in line, but what choice do we have? Letting them take us will just expedite the process, and no matter what Hawthorne claims, giving a bunch of trigger-happy humans shifter abilities will make things worse, not better. There has to be a way out of this that doesn’t involve upsetting the balance of the whole world… doesn’t there?
We’ve just made it out to the sculpture garden when Josie stops dead in her tracks; looking up, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest when I see Lyle standing a short distance away, his arms crossed over his chest. “What do we have here?” he asks, taking a few steps forward. “I thought students were restricted to their dorms.”
“I could say the same to you,” I fire back. “What are you doing out here?”
“If you have to know,” Lyle replies, “I’m under orders to make sure nobody wanders outside without express permission from President Russo.”
“I guess we’re in luck then,” Josie says, “because I’m one of the faculty fellows for the U.K. Academy. I’m bringing these five to the -”
“You really expect me to buy that?” Lyle demands, scoffing. “I was warned about you. The board sent me here to make sure you didn’t try anything while they’re taking care of your friends.”
Hunter’s eyes widen. “You mean Hazel? Are they taking her away right now?”
Josie moves forward, glaring down at Lyle. “Listen, kid,” she says, “I don’t know what kind of instructions you’ve been given, but I’m under strict orders to get these students out to the main building in time for the first group to be transported, and you’re in my way.”
“Bullshit,” Lyle replies without missing a beat. “Russo would’ve let me know. You know what I think?” he continues, giving Josie a menacing look. “I think you’re having a crisis of conscience, and you’re trying to fuck with the board’s plans. I’ve got news for you: it’s not going to happen.”
Landon snorts, shaking his head. “You really are a piece of work, Lyle. Do you know that?”
Lyle just smirks. “So I’ve been told. You’re not going anywhere.”
“He’s stalling us,” Silas says, sounding panicked. “They’re probably taking Hazel and the twins away right now!”
“How observant,” Lyle mutters.
“I say we just go through him,” Shade snaps. “We don’t have time for this shit.”
“You can certainly try,” Lyle replied, and in an instant, he’s shifted into his vampire form, his eyes glowing red, his face twisted with hate. “And don’t bother trying your little lullaby again, Brix,” he adds, turning his glare on me. “You’re not going to get the jump on me this time.”
“That’s it,” Shade mutters, rushing forward and transforming. He springs towards Lyle, but the vampire is stronger, and he knocks the wolf out of the air like he’s nothing.
“Shade!” I yell, running to his side.
“I’m fine,” he growls. “Worry about Lyle!”
I look up to see Josie already transformed, her brow furrowed in concentration as she works a spell, but she’s flagging, and we can all see it; between her injuries and the magic she used to break us out, she’s running on empty. Silas is standing beside her, struggling to get into his dragon form, but he’s not back to a hundred percent either, and it’s just the opening that Lyle needs. Striding forward, he picks Josie up by the neck and lifts her into the air, squeezing hard enough to make her gasp and sputter. Her focus broken, she snaps back into human form, clawing desperately at his hands.
I close my eyes and summon my magic, struggling to concentrate, but before I’m even able to transform, there’s a sudden movement to my left, as quick as a gust of wind. Opening my eyes, I see Hunter charging forward, transformed into his vampire form, his eyes blazing and his fangs bared. It’s something to behold, especially considering how much trouble he had before, and Lyle seems taken aback. A split second later, he’s dropping Josie to the ground as Hunter knocks him down, the two
vampires clashing in a battle of supernatural strength and speed.
Landon helps Josie to her feet as I help Shade, who lunges forward again, ready to continue the fight, but Hunter yells out to stop him. “Go!” he cries. “We don’t have time!”
“What about you?” I ask, frozen with fear.
Hunter glances over his shoulder, and for a brief moment, his eyes, now red, meet mine. “I’ve got this, Boots,” he says, and something in his tone makes me believe him. “Go rescue Hazel!”
The rest of us don’t need telling twice. “Come on,” Josie says, gritting her teeth and beginning to run. The rest of us follow suit, although I can’t help but pause to take one last look at Hunter, who is grappling with Lyle as if his life depends on it. Sending up a silent prayer that he’ll be okay, I follow the others out of the sculpture garden, skirting around the side of the administrative building. “They’re doing the transports from the parking lot,” Josie says, peering around the corner.
I follow her gaze and see that she’s right; already, a cluster of about half a dozen students have assembled on the hill, alongside a couple of faculty members, who are busy doing headcounts and preparing their spells. Hazel is among them, along with Ruby and Xander, which surprises me; as American students, they shouldn’t be sent back to the island, should they?
Of course they shouldn’t, some cynical part of me thinks. Hawthorne knows we’re friends. It was never about the education - they want us separated, and that means getting the people we love as far away from us as possible. For all we know, they’ll bring them back to the island, lock them up, and throw away the key until it’s time to strap them to a lab table.
“Do you recognise any of those faculty members?” Silas asks, coming to a stop alongside us.
“One of them is American,” Josie replies. “The other is Myrtle Thorne; I’ve done a few jobs with her in the past. A fight will just draw attention, so we’re going to have to talk our way out of this. Follow my lead, okay?”