The poor thing. She has no idea what’s coming for her.
Chapter Five
Olivia
The angels stretch their shining wings out and catch the sunlight, practically blinding me—and then they descend. They hit the ground in a rush, landing in a triangle around me, so close that the rush of air makes my hair fly back. I’m suddenly surrounded by three of the most gorgeous men to ever walk the Earth, and you’d think that would make it my lucky day, except none of them are smiling.
The one in front of me is the biggest, with muscles Thor would be jealous of and the strong jaw and golden hair of Captain America. His wings are pure white and edged in gold, and everything about him is large and imposing and all male. He gives me a look that tells me he’s the boss here, and he’s used to getting his way. His alpha male attitude is a major turn on, I’ll admit.
Until he opens his mouth, that is.
“You don’t belong here.”
Does he know who I am? Has Jonah told him about me? Time to find out. I prop my hands on my hips and face him down. “Is that so?”
“Leave now, and it won’t be a problem,” his voice commands. I’m not sure he has any other way of speaking. He’s obviously used to telling people what to do. Unfortunately for him I’ve never been one for following orders.
“Hmm,” I pretend to think about it with my head cocked. “How about no.”
I start to brush past him, but one of the other muscular men stretches out a bronze and white wing to block my path. This guy’s got olive skin, dark brown hair with a hint of a curl, and a sensual mouth I’d love to kiss. He stands with a deceptively casual pose and has a cocky tilt to his chin, like he knows how good-looking he is and knows that you know it too. He could be Latino, Middle Eastern, or something else—he’s got one of those faces that could pass for just about anything. A lot of angels do, actually. Probably because they’re not from Earth originally.
“We’re not done speaking with you,” he says.
“Listen to us,” the third angel adds in a sharp voice. He’s beautiful, as all angels are, but in an unconventional way. More interesting-looking than handsome, with strong cheekbones, a sharp jaw, and cold eyes radiating intelligence and arrogance in equal measure. He’s tall and lanky, and with his shiny black hair he reminds me of a raven, even though his wings are dark gray with silver streaks. If he were in a superhero movie, he’d be the sexy villain you love to hate. “If we say you don’t belong here, then you don’t.”
I let out a huff. “Is this because I’m half human?”
Their leader nods. “Exactly. We don’t want your kind here.”
“It’s for your own good,” the bronze-winged angel says. “You shouldn’t be at this school.”
“I think I know what’s best for me, thanks.” The sarcasm drips off me like sweat. This is not how I planned this first interaction with my brother’s friends. Nope, my plan involved a lot more flirting and seduction and convincing them to reveal their secrets after a round or two of hot sex. That’s definitely not in the cards now that I’ve seen what overbearing assholes they are. I’m going to have to come up with a Plan B to get information from them. “I’m not leaving, so you might as well put those flashy wings away and let me pass. Or better yet, tell me where I can find the dorms to put my stuff.”
“I can help you with that,” a female voice says behind me. She moves to my side while frowning at the men. “Really, you three. I expected better of you.”
She takes my arm and leads me away while they scowl at us. She has strawberry blond hair, pale skin, and big, warm eyes with a hint of sadness that I nearly miss. I recognize her immediately from a photo I saw on my brother’s phone.
“Thanks, but I was handling it.” My blood is still burning after interacting with those jerks, even as it sings with desire too. I wanted those men, all three of them. One at a time or all-together, I’m not picky. Being a succubus is such a pain sometimes.
Except I’m not the only one experiencing the lust. A steady trickle of it gives me a little boost of energy, and I realize all three men are not only looking at me with disgust, but with desire too. Thanks for the snack, boys.
“I’m sure you were, but women should stick up for each other, especially when men are involved.” She gives me a kind smile. “Besides, you seem a little lost. I can show you around. I’m Grace, by the way.”
I can’t believe my luck. First, I run into my brother’s friends, and even though they turned out to be grade-A jerks, the encounter saved me from having to track them down. Now Jonah’s girlfriend is befriending me. I can definitely work with this.
I give her a friendly smile, turning on the innocent, naïve act I gave Jophiel. “You’re right, I could use some help, thanks. I’m Olivia, but call me Liv.” I glance back at the men. They’ve returned to the bell tower and are glaring down at me through a large window, although they’ve put away their wings. “Is everyone here so rude?”
“Not everyone. Those are the Princes, as they’re called here, and they think they can boss everyone around.” She shakes her head. “I suggest you avoid them, if you can.”
Following the path, we curl around the bell tower but not out of their sight, unfortunately. “Why are they called the Princes?”
“They’re basically angel royalty. All of them have at least one Archangel for a parent.” When I look confused, she explains, “Archangels are the oldest and most powerful of all angels, and the seven of them form the council that rules over us—which means those three men basically rule the school. They can do anything they want and get away with it.”
I’m tempted to look back at the men again, but I restrain myself, even though I can feel the weight of their gazes upon me still. “Are they really so bad?”
“They didn’t used to be. I was once close with them.” Her eyes drop and her smile falls. “But something happened at the end of last term and everything changed.” She takes a breath. “As I said, it’s best you avoid them.”
“I’ll try.” Except avoiding them isn’t in the cards. They must know something about my brother’s disappearance, and I’m going to find out what it is. “Do they always perch up there like crows?”
“Most of the time. They’ve claimed the bell tower as their own. That building they’re in is the main hall, where most of your classes will be. Anything that requires sitting at a desk will be in there. I can show you around the rest of the campus too if you’d like.”
I give her a warm smile. “That would be great.”
She leads me down a path next to the large green lawn, toward the lake and other buildings in the distance. Students sit together on the grass or stretch out under the sun with their eyes closed, wings out and fluttering in the breeze as they enjoy a peaceful moment before classes begin. For a moment, I envy them. They don’t have to lie about who they are or hide their true nature from everyone around them. They don’t have to worry about what will happen if they get caught.
“That’s the gym over there,” Grace says, breaking me out of my thoughts. She’s pointing at a large building beside a big field near the lake. “Combat Training classes are all held in there or on the field. You’ll also be taking Flight classes there or at the lake.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Combat? Flight? Shit. I am totally unprepared for these classes. I’ve never fought anyone before, and I’m scared of heights.”
“Don’t worry, many people arrive here not knowing how to fly or fight. You’ll get the hang of it all soon enough. What other classes do you have?”
I pull out my class schedule. “Angelic History and Demon Studies.”
She nods as we continue down the path. “Every year you’ll take Angelic History and Combat Training, and each year you’ll have to take a Supernatural Studies course, but the order you take them in doesn’t matter. Most of us take Demon Studies first so we know what we’re up against.”
I hold up a hand to stop her. “Hang on. Demons are real?”
&nbs
p; She blinks at me. “Of course they are.”
“Wow. Okay.” I suck in a breath. “Sorry, this is all new to me. A week ago, I thought the world was full of humans and that was it, and now I learn there are not only angels, but demons too.”
“And fae,” Grace added. “Although they prefer to stay in their own realm, so you probably won’t ever encounter one. Don’t worry about them for now.”
“Good idea. My head is spinning enough as it is.” The lie is easy, always so easy, especially with Mother’s necklace on. I can hear her voice in my head now. “One of the best ways to seduce someone—or deceive them—is to pretend you’re not very smart or capable. People are always quick to believe someone is dumber than they are, especially when you’re a woman. You can use that to your advantage.”
Grace gives me a smile that is almost pitying. “I’m sure this must be very overwhelming for you. Oh, you should also have a class based on your Choir.” She glances over at my schedule. “That’s odd. It says, ‘to be determined.’ Do you have any idea what type of angel you are?”
“Um, I didn’t even know there were types of angels.”
“There are four Choirs, and all angels belong to one of them depending on how they control light,” she explains with the patience of a saint. “Erelim create a burning light that can injure others, sort of like a laser. Malakim use light to heal the body and mind and can make plants grow too. Ishim, like me, manipulate light to make themselves and other objects invisible. And Ofanim use the light of truth to sense lies, see through illusions and glamour, and some of them can even see the future on rare occasions.”
“How would I know which one I am?” I ask as we continue down the path.
“It’s genetic, so people take after one of their parents.”
“No luck there. I grew up in foster care. They told me my father was an angel, but I never met him, and my mother was human.”
“That could make this more challenging. Have you noticed any magic since getting your wings? Anything unusual?”
“Nope. Nothing.” Lies, lies, lies. They’re just rolling off my tongue now.
She shrugs. “Sometimes it takes longer. You don’t need to worry. The professors here will help you figure it out.”
I sigh. “Or maybe since I’m half-human I won’t have any of these powers.”
“I doubt that, but I don’t know much about it, sorry. Headmaster Uriel might be able to tell you more.” She stops outside another building, this one with an outdoor patio. “This is the cafeteria. It’s a buffet, so you can turn up whenever you’re hungry and get as much food as you want. You can also get food to go if you want to eat in your room or by the lake.”
“Is it expensive?”
She laughs softly. “No, it’s free for students. Pretty much everything here is.”
My eyes widen. “Wow. That’s really generous of the school.”
“Aerie Industries funds the academy, and they take good care of us. As they should, since most of us work for them when we’re done here.”
My tour with Grace continues, and over the next few minutes she shows me the headmaster’s house, the library, the student store, and then she leads me down a short path toward a four-story stone building. “That’s the dorm. You should have been assigned a suite already, which you’ll share with another First Year student.”
“Dorms, huh? I’ve never stayed in one of those.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Just a local community college for two years.” I shrug. “What about you? Do angels go to college?”
“Some of us do. We grow up in angel communities around the world, but since we don’t get our wings until we’re twenty-one, it gives us time to get a degree first if we want. I went to Stanford, for example. Seraphim Academy is sort of like a graduate school in that sense. Of course, sometimes it still feels like high school.”
Her dark eyes catch on a group of women walking past us as she says this. They’re beautiful, even for angels, and they hold their heads high and walk confidently, like they’re used to people leaping out of their way. Every single one of them has an athletic figure and identical straw-colored hair. The one in front has her hair tied back in a perky little ponytail and she meets my eyes and sneers, before they turn as a group and head toward the dorms. The one in the back bumps me hard with her bag before she walks inside.
It’s difficult not to call her out as she passes. “I see what you mean. Who are they?”
“Seraphim Academy’s resident mean girls. They’re all descended from Valkyries and think they’re better than everyone else because of it. That one in the front was Tanwen, their new leader, even though she’s also a First Year.”
“Wait, Valkyries? I thought that was Norse mythology. You’re saying they’re real too?”
“They are. As you’ll see in Angelic History, any sort of winged being in mythology or religion can probably be traced back to us.” She waves a hand dismissively. “Anyway, I suggest staying out of their way as best you can. It’s better if you don’t get their attention.”
“So, avoid the angel royalty and avoid the mean girls. Is there anyone I don’t have to avoid?”
“Everyone else should be fine, I hope. Although we don’t get many half-humans here, so some people might be rude to you about it.”
“Just what I need,” I mumble.
“I don’t think anyone will bother you,” she says with a smile. “If you ever need anything or have any questions, just let me know.”
I give her a genuine smile in return. She’s nice when she didn’t have to be. I appreciate it. “I will. Thanks.”
Grace seems like a kind and caring person, which makes me almost feel bad for deceiving and using her. Almost.
Chapter Six
Olivia
Grace and I split up outside the dorms, and I head inside to check out my new home and meet my new roommate. This building is done in the same white stone and gothic design as the rest of the buildings on campus. There’s a small lobby with an elevator and some vending machines, and a guy sitting behind a temporary desk with a clipboard. His nametag reads Blake, and he’s got ashy blond hair and way too tan skin. Someone has been spending a lot of time in the sun.
“Checking in?” he asks. “Name?”
“Olivia Monroe.”
His lip curls. “Oh, you’re the half-human. Sign in here.”
I sign the line, and he pulls a key from a drawer in the desk. I knew pretending to be part human would make me an outsider, but I had no idea it’d be this bad. It stings a little, even if I’m not actually half-human.
“You’re in room 302 with Araceli.” He snorts. “That’s fitting.”
I grab the key. “What do you mean?”
His lip curl turns into a full-on sneer. “No one wants that pointy-eared freak here either.”
I roll my eyes. That’s enough of that. “I can’t speak for her, but I’m not going anywhere, so you might as well climb off your high horse already.”
He leans back and shrugs, and I pocket my key and stomp off. Looking for Jonah here might be harder than I thought if everyone is a total prick to me. Then again, they’d treat me a lot worse if they knew I was actually part demon. Breeding with a human is forbidden, but breeding with a demon? It’s so taboo, it’s unthinkable.
I peek inside the common room, which has leather couches, heavy wood tables, and chairs with thick arms. There’s a large-screen TV on one end, but it’s turned off. Floor to ceiling windows let in tons of light, and sliding doors lead to an outdoor patio with tables and chairs. A few students are lounging around reading books, using their laptops, or chatting with each other while eating snacks. One of them spots me and nudges her friend, and then the room goes quiet as the entire place stops to stare at me.
I give an awkward wave before stepping back from the door. So much for getting through this year without much notice. It’s clear that everyone knows who I am, and they have a lot of feelings about it already.
I don’t really care what these people think, especially since everything they know about me is a lie, but I need to find information on Jonah, and it would be a lot easier if people would talk to me like a normal person.
I hop in the elevator and head up to the third floor. As the door opens, I step out and nearly bump into someone getting on. It’s the sneering Valkyrie from before, who Grace said was named Tanwen. Her blue eyes narrow when she sees my face. “Get out of my way, human trash.”
My eyebrows dart up. “What did you call me?”
“You heard me.” She crosses her arms and looks at me like she’s daring me to fight her.
The elevator door shuts before I can come up with a smart reply. What a bitch. I’m more angry than offended, especially since if Valkyrie girl knew I was actually a succubus, she’d probably piss herself.
I shake it off. I don’t have time for petty shit, I have a mission to accomplish, and to do that, I need to get my base of operations set up.
There’s another small lounge area here in front of the elevator, and on the other side is room 302. My key unlocks it, and I step inside a small living room with a mini-kitchen and a bathroom. Two doors on either side lead to the bedrooms, and I’m relieved to see I won’t be sharing a bedroom with someone else. I’ll still have a roommate, but we each have a little privacy—a really good thing when you need to feed on sex to survive. Not that I expect to be doing much feeding here. That would be far too dangerous. But hey, you never know.
There are two women chatting in one of the bedrooms, so I head for the empty one before they see me. I dump my bag on the double bed and look around the small space. It’s got a desk, a closet, and a window overlooking the lake. It’s not much, but it’s not bad either. Everything looks clean and well-maintained, although it’s sparse enough for us to add our own touches. Reminds me a lot of some of the places where I lived while in foster care, and it feels just as lonely. Yes, I really did grow up in foster care, since neither one of my parents could raise me safely, and loneliness was my best friend—until Jonah.
Seraphim Academy 1: Wicked Wings Page 3