The Academy of Underachievers: Year One

by Alex Dafney

  “I don’t want to go back tonight.”

  I shrug a shoulder up in indifference. “Okay. Do you want to find a hotel?” When he doesn’t respond, I glance over to him, finding him staring out the front windshield. “Jet?” My eyes bounce from the dark and desolate roadway to him in quick succession. “Jet!” I yell as I lift my foot, placing it to the brake and pushing down so I can pull to the side of the roadway.

  The pedal meets the floorboard, but the car doesn’t slow, only speeding up. My hands clench the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white as I keep the car on the road at the increasing speed.

  Jet remains gazing forward, a blank stare on his face as if he’s under a trance. The wheel begins to shake under my hands, moving to the left as I fight to correct it.

  The thumping of the tires hitting the reflectors in the middle of the road is damn near deafening as I jerk with everything in me to steer the car back into the proper lane. My heart hammers in my chest as I look down at the speedometer, realizing we’re doing well over the speed limit. “Jet!” I scream as the car begins to slide across the roadway to an embankment.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Briar! Can you hear me?”

  My eyes remain closed as Jet’s raised voice comes from somewhere in the fog of my mind. A not so gentle slap to my cheek has my eyes opening wide, staring at Jet’s handsome face that is only inches from my own.

  A defeating sigh escapes him as he tilts his head back, staring up at the night sky that is littered with stars. “Fuck.”

  I glance around us, finding myself lying in dampened grass, a massive fire blazing over to my left and a slight throbbing in my head.

  Jet lowers his head, staring down at me with concern. “Are you alright? Is anything broken? Are you hurt?”

  I push myself up on my elbows, groaning as every muscle I use aches. My eyes settle on the fire that’s a reasonable distance away from us, widening as I realize it’s Jet’s classic car that is in flames. My eyes snap back to his as I push myself to a seated position. “Oh my gosh, Jet. I’m so sorry! The brakes weren’t working. Then the steering wheel wouldn’t turn.”

  He shakes his head, a loud scoff escaping him. “You silly woman.”

  Before I process what’s happening, Jet is tugging me toward him, wrapping his arms around me tightly. His lips press slowly against mine, me melting into his embrace with overdue satisfaction.

  He pulls back sooner than I would like, resting his forehead against mine, a natural smile working to his lips. “I don’t care about the car. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

  I stare into his eyes for what seems like hours, yet in reality, is a few brief seconds.

  “I should’ve asked the first time, but can I kiss you?” His lip quirks up in a bashful smile.

  My heart beats rapidly as a swarm of butterflies settles in my stomach. “Yes,” breathlessly escapes me before his lips meet mine in a soft, slow kiss.

  He pulls back again, leaving me disappointed as he rises from the ground. “Can you stand?” He asks as he offers me both of his hands to pull myself up.

  I groan as I rise from the hard ground, my body aching in protest.

  Jet keeps both of my hands in his, staring down at me with concern still evident in his gaze. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

  I shake my head quickly, knowing I’m likely achy from the impact.

  He drops one of my hands, pulling his cell phone from his pocket and punching the screen with one finger. “We’ll have a car soon. Do you want to go back to the Academy?”

  Tilting my head side to side slowly, I attempt to work out the kinks in my neck before shaking my head. “Not really.”

  He pulls me toward the road as headlights bounce through the night. The car stops in front of us, and Jet opens the back door of the SUV, holding it open as I slide across the seat.

  “Damn, brother! Is that your car?”

  Jet nods, a heavy sigh leaving him as he pulls the door closed behind him, looking at the driver in the rearview mirror. “Yep. Tough break.” He gestures his hand toward me. “This is Briar. The girl I’ve been telling you about.” Looking over to me, he gives me a kind smile. “Briar, this is Riley. My older brother.”

  My eyes widen with surprise, having had no idea he had a brother.

  Riley offers his hand over his shoulder as we begin to move forward.

  Gripping his hand, I give a small shake. “It’s nice to meet you. I was unaware Jet had a brother.”

  Riley laughs as we drop hands, him moving his back to the steering wheel. “I suspected as much, although Jet has told me all about you.”

  I glance over to Jet sitting beside me, his brows drawn together.

  “Don’t start, Riley. It’s already been a hell of a night.”

  Riley shakes his head lightly, laughing as he does. “Don’t worry, bro. I’d never tell her how you call me whining like a pre-teen about your feelings for her.”

  Jet leans forward, punching him in the arm, causing the car to jerk. I gasp, clasping my hand on the door.

  “Take it easy, Jet. I’d rather not total my car tonight.” Riley glances up at us in the rearview mirror, his brows coming together. “What the hell happened anyway?” His eyes bounce from the roadway to the mirror as Jet focuses on me.

  “What did happen? I remember pulling out of the restaurant parking lot, but then there’s a blank spot in my memory.”

  Turning, I look at Jet, seeing the confusion on his face. I let out a long breath. “I had just made a joke about not putting a scratch on your car, and then you seemed to be in a daze. I hit the brake pedal to move us off to the side of the road so I could check on you, but it didn’t work. The car sped up instead of slowing, then the steering wheel wouldn’t work, and the car just went across the roadway.”

  The muscle in Jet’s jaw works as his face is consumed with anger. “This wasn’t an accident.”

  I nod in agreement, even though I don’t want to admit it was likely another attack.

  “Has the person responsible for the roof incident been taken in?” Riley asks with a hint of authority in his voice.

  Jet’s eyes remain locked on mine. “No. Take us to your place.”

  I shrink into the seat, worry consuming my mind.

  Jet places his had on my thigh, giving a small squeeze. “Don’t worry, babe. We’ll figure this out.”

  I want to believe him, but it seems whoever has it out for me, isn’t going to give up until I’m dead.

  My eyes flutter open the next morning, a moment of confusion swirling before I remember where I am. A moan escapes me as I push to sitting in the plush bed that Jet and I had shared. Glancing around the room as I stand, I find he doesn’t seem to be in here any longer.

  Opening the door, I start to move down the long hallway toward the living room, where I hear muffled voices.

  “You need to be careful, Jet. Someone is going to great lengths to attack this girl, and I know you. Don’t get yourself killed trying to protect her. You need to take your dad’s advice and stay the hell away from her.”

  I pause, waiting to hear Jet’s response, even though I know I shouldn’t be eavesdropping.

  Jet lets out a long breath. “Thanks for the warning, but I’m not going to stand idly by while some unknown force tries to harm her. And I sure as shit won’t be staying away.”

  Riley makes a tsk noise. “You’re acting like a child. You know the promise of marriage isn’t just going to disappear!”

  I flinch as something hits the wall I cower behind, a loud thump coming from the room.

  “I’m not fucking marrying Angie! I don’t give a shit what contract dad and Mr. Lewis signed before I was born, it’s not happening!”

  Riley lets out an exasperated sigh. “Dude. It’s a blood contract. The only way out is for one of you to die. What are you going to do? Kill Angie Lewis, so you don’t have to marry her?”

  I pull my bottom lip in my mouth, chewing nervously as I wait fo
r Jet’s response.

  “I don’t love Angie. She’s a different person than who she was when I learned of the contract. Then, I thought I could make it work with her, but now, there’s no way.”

  They both remain quiet for a long moment. Just as I’m about to stride into the room, I pause as Jet begins to speak again.

  “I have almost two years before the contract comes into place. I’ll figure out something by then. I have to. I’m falling for Briar.” A heavy sigh leaves him.

  My heart skips in my chest as a smile pulls onto my lips. All this time, I thought Jet only wanted to be my friend. Hell, I would’ve wrecked his car weeks ago if that’s what it took. I suppress the laughter that wants to emerge at my internal joke, starting to move toward the living room. “Good morning,” I announce cheerily.

  They both look over to me with startled expressions to my sudden entry.

  Jet’s expression shifts as he rises from the couch he sits on. “Morning, babe. How did you sleep?” He moves toward me, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

  “Good.” I turn to Riley, who scowls at us. “Thank you for letting me stay.”

  He gives a once nod before taking a seat in a worn leather recliner. Jet moves by me, disappearing into the kitchen. Within a moment, he’s returned to my side, passing me a warm mug of coffee.

  “Thank you.” I look up at him through my lashes, giving him a soft smile.

  We move toward the couch, sitting next to each other.

  I look over to Riley as he scoffs loudly, shaking his head. “Never thought I’d see the day my little brother was smitten.”

  A pillow soars by my face, landing in Riley’s lap.

  “Shut up.”

  Riley flings the pillow back our way, Jet snatching it before it hits me.

  “How much of our conversation were you listening to, Briar?” Riley arches one brow up, a smug smile playing at his lips.

  I swallow my coffee slowly as he glares at me. “Um, some.”

  He lifts one eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate. Cupping my hands around the mug, I turn to Jet, giving him an impish smile. “I heard what you said about Angie.” Moving my gaze to Riley, I raise one brow. “And I heard what you said about Jet staying away from me.”

  Jet lets out a heavy sigh, sitting back on the couch and lifting his hands, raking them over his face. I continue to sip my coffee as the room fills with quiet tension.

  “It’s nothing against you, Briar. I don’t want to see my younger brother caught up in some paranormal vendetta against you.”

  As I open my mouth to let him know I understand his concern, Jet speaks over me.

  “This doesn’t concern you, Riley. Stay out of my business.”

  I sit back on the couch as the two of them stare at each other over me.

  “You are my concern, and I’m simply stating that you need to look out for yourself, not try to rescue some damsel in distress.”

  My mouth drops open at his clear insult.

  Jet rises from beside me, his hands clenched at his side. “Do not talk about her like that.”

  Riley gives him a challenging look, lifting his leg and crossing his ankle over his knee. “I haven’t said anything untrue. It’s unfortunate your willing to risk your life over a piece of ass.”

  Jet launches across the room, sailing directly into Riley. My eyes widen in horror as the chair tips back, falling to the ground as they both swing at each other with closed fists. Jumping to my feet, I rush to them, gripping Jet’s t-shirt to pull him back. Riley’s fist connects with Jet’s face, causing me to wince at the sound. I tug on the back of Jet’s shirt, urging him to get off of his brother as his fist slams into him.

  “Jet!”

  He pushes away from Riley, me stepping back as he moves, assuming the fight is over. “Don’t ever talk about her like that again, do you understand me?” Jet’s tone is low and menacing, but apparently not to Riley.

  Riley swings out his leg, kicking the back of Jet’s knees, causing him to crumble to the floor. As he lands with a thud, Riley quickly pounces on him, wrapping his arm around his throat and squeezing tightly. “Calm down, bro. I just needed to know you’re serious.”

  He looks up to me, a smirk playing at his lips. “I’m sorry for my remarks. I assure you it was only to get a rise out of this guy.” He gestures his head toward Jet, whose face is beginning to turn bright red.

  “Let him go,” I say as my eyes remain wide.

  Riley shakes his head at me, keeping his arm locked tightly around Jet’s throat. “No can do. Not until he taps out.”

  I look at Jet, who seems on the verge of passing out and too stubborn to forfeit. It’s not like I haven’t seen my brothers pull these same asinine stunts, but I can’t bear to watch Jet turning a shade of purple. Stepping the few short feet between us, I grip Riley’s ear, pinching with my fingernails.

  “Ow, fuck! Let go!” Riley’s grip around Jet slackens, allowing him to break free.

  Riley quickly lifts his hand, but I jerk my hand away, watching as he cups his ear while turning to glare up at me. “That has to be a foul.”

  I shrug my shoulder upward, spinning away from him and returning to my previous place on the couch. Gripping my coffee cup in my hand, I watch anxiously as they face each other, both wearing scowls.

  “I needed to know how much you care about the girl.”

  Jet lifts his hand, pointing over to where I am. “Her name is Briar, and you owe her an apology.”

  Riley lifts his arms, folding them across his chest with a smirk pulling to his lips. “I already apologized.”

  Jet looks as if he’s going to attack his brother again, so I quickly stand, stepping between the two of them. “Enough.” I glance at both of them. “There’s no reason for you two to be fighting over me.”

  Jet narrows his eyes to slits, staring over the top of my head. “I’m not going to stand by while someone talks to you like that.”

  I don’t have time to respond, Riley countering.

  “Just like you’re not going to stand by while someone comes after her. I was testing you to see if I wanted to put my ass on the line for her. You passed.”

  Jet continues glaring as I face Riley, not knowing what the hell he’s talking about. His eyes meet mine, motioning his head toward the couch. “Have a seat. We’ll discuss this further.”

  Jet grips my hand from behind me, pulling me toward the sofa.

  Riley uprights the recliner, taking a seat and facing us. He lets out a deep breath, resting his elbows on his knees. “Give me a recount of what happened last night.”

  Bringing the coffee cup to my lips, I take a sip of the now cold liquid before explaining the events of the night before. Upon finishing, I glance between the two men in the room who both wear similar frowns.

  “What about the night on the roof? Tell me everything you remember.”

  I nod as Riley sits back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest and giving me his full attention.

  “I awoke from a dead sleep to someone whispering my name in my mind.”

  Riley interrupts me before I can continue. “Was it a male or female voice?”

  I give him a questioning look. “Female.”

  He nods, reaching over to the table that sits next to him, sliding open a drawer and pulling a legal pad from inside. “How would you describe the voice?”

  I tug my lower lip into my mouth, trying to remember the sound of the woman’s voice. “It was flat yet appealing. Not sexy like Mistress Aurelia’s voice, but had the persuasion to it.”

  Riley nods as he scribbles a pen along the paper. “Keep going.”

  I begin to tell him of moving through the hallway, eventually ending on the rooftop. “The whole time I was trying to stop myself, but it didn’t seem I was able to.”

  He looks up from the paper, his brows drawing together. “You were conscious during this? You’re not just telling me the memory.”

  I nod my head. “Yes. I knew exactly wh
at was happening the whole while I moved across that roof. I could hear her voice and knew that I wasn’t acting on my own will, but I couldn’t stop.”

  He lets out a long whistle, tapping the pen against the pad. “Damn. I know senior agents in the force that are unable to retain consciousness during an enticement spell.”

  I give him a one-shoulder shrug, not fully knowing what he’s speaking of.

  “You’ll make one hell of a Paranormal Agent with that talent.”

  I scoff lightly, shaking my head. “If it weren’t for Jet, I would have hurled myself over the edge of a building. I wouldn’t call that talent.”

  Everyone is quiet for a long second as Riley makes notes on his paper.

  “Actually, it is quite impressive, and you will be trained to use that to your advantage for the fieldwork. I only know of one guy in the entire agency that has the mental capacity to stay in control during an enticement spell. You should be proud of yourself.”

  My lip tugs up to one side.

  “Whoever did that to you, had to of been close to conjure that spell. Do you remember seeing anyone?”

  I shake my head, taking a sip of my cold coffee. “I didn’t see anyone. Not until Jet tackled me.” I glance over to him from the corner of my eye, noticing the intense look on his face.

  “How could someone get through the protection spells around campus? We’ve never had anything like that happen.” Jet shakes his head lightly, lifting his hands and raking his fingers through his hair.

  Riley gets a contemplative look on his face, lifting his hand and stroking the stubble along his jawline. “That would mean it’s someone on the inside.”

  Placing the cup to the table in front of us, I sit back, wrapping my arms around me protectively. If that’s the case, whoever did that to me, is closer than we thought.