Monster Unleashed: Blood Moon Academy Book 3

by Demi Dumond

  I growled and scratched at it, but I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere that way. It was a heavy wooden door and it wouldn’t budge.

  The others came around the corner and I nodded to them before following the blood trail down the hall. What the hell had happened here?

  They slowed as they approached, and I saw the horror dawn on their faces at the gory trail of blood and tissue.

  I turned into the room with the open door where the trail led. Oh, shit. The minute I entered the room, I knew who the victim was. It was Archie. I knew him by scent, because by the looks of things there wasn’t enough of him to even identify.

  All that was left was a mass of opened up chest cavity, internal organs, and entrails. The scent of death and decay were heavy in my nostrils. Along with another scent, well two to be exact. One was the Headmaster, which I knew because I had smelled it hundreds of times. The other scent was somehow also the Headmaster, only different. What kind of Jeckyl and Hide fuckery was going on here?

  My mind raced back to Archie and I wondered how the hell he ended up here in this condition and in this room. As far as I knew, he had graduated. Cleaned out his room and everything. He was a good kid. We had partnered up a few times at the gym. He was a good spotter and was looking forward to getting the hell out of this academy. And as far as I knew, he had.

  The kill smelled about a week old. And it wasn’t the only one. My wolf sensed hundreds of bodies or more had been in this room. There were so many scents, I couldn’t even differentiate between them or isolate anybody else I might have known.

  Sadness washed over me. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was what Malachai was talking about when he said that nobody had ever survived the academy. Never in a million years would I have suggested that this was the reason, though.

  I went back into the hallway and shifted into a human again. At least for me that would dull the smell of death a little bit. Whatever this was, I wasn’t going to be able to solve it alone.

  5

  Keira

  I sat there and tried to figure out if I heard correctly. Did the Headmaster just ask me if wanted to know how he was going to kill me?

  Well, hopefully the answer to that was maybe. And even that was just to stall him into doing more talking and less killing. Hopefully before all of this was over, I would have a chance to send a shitload of dark purple magic fireballs at his ass. Even if they didn’t stop him, it would make me feel better.

  The better question was why was he talking to me at all? He paralyzed me with a spell earlier and judging by the blood trail out the door, he wasn’t bluffing about murder. Why didn’t he just kill me already?

  Then I remembered Ian and Malachai and Rafe. And Tor. I had a bond with them. I knew that they could feel me, and I could feel them. For a split second, as long as I dared with that thing that was the Headmaster in the room, I closed my eyes and did my best to concentrate.

  They were there. They were okay. I could feel them. And that meant that they could probably feel me. Maybe I should make a play for time. Keep him talking. It might be my only chance. Although after seeing what he did to me, Tor, and Ivy; I wasn’t sure what chance they had. At least it was worth a try.

  I opened my eyes. “Sure, let’s say, for the sake of argument, that I was interested in hearing how you kill the students.”

  I said it, but in truth I really didn’t want to know. That blood trail out in the hallway looked like the real deal. Between the gruesome sight and the smell, it had rattled me to my core. I choked back my revulsion, trying not to vomit in front of the Headmaster and onto the gorgeous carpet beneath my feet.

  I saw a flash of suspicion cross his face and I worried he was on to me. But then it passed. He fixed his glasses, and then cleared his throat before he began.

  As if we were having an engaging conversation between two friends, not him discussing the details of how he casually murdered students. The whole situation I was in right now was super fucked up.

  By the look on his face, he couldn’t wait to tell me. Like it was a piece of juicy gossip that he couldn’t hold in any longer. My mind reeled as I realized that he was actually getting off on scaring the shit out of me.

  I tried to force myself not to freak out no matter what he said, to not give him the satisfaction. But the truth was I was growing more terrified by the minute.

  Because before, even when he was lecturing me and threatening me vaguely with the dungeon, it was creepy but not necessarily gleefully murderous.

  That meant that Malachai, and by extension Professor Kiln had been right about everything all along. I steeled myself to hear what the Headmaster couldn’t wait to tell me.

  6

  Malachai

  Ian and I followed the sounds of Rafe’s howls through the academy.

  He led us farther away from the dorms and the classes and everything that was familiar. In fact, the farther he led us away from everything I knew, the worse I suspected it was going to be. Worry nagged at my insides.

  Keira and I were connected by our bond and by dark magic, and I could feel dark magic pinging everywhere. It was in the hallway, dragging on the floor, and hanging in the air.

  I could feel that Keira was alive. There was thick dark magic practically dripping off of the walls, but most of it wasn’t Keira. And yet it was different than the magical signature that the Headmaster usually gave off. I couldn’t put my finger on what was different.

  It reeked of licorice and old spice. I had never breathed in that particular kind of magic before, but I knew it wasn’t good. Why hadn’t Keira defended herself? Why hadn’t she used her own dark magic?

  As soon as I saw the orange hallway, I slowed. The hair on my arms stood up like the place was full of static electricity. Something awful had happened here. Ian went running past me.

  I swallowed and tried to will myself to move forward, even though I was afraid of what I would find. Then I saw the blood trail. It was like a horror movie.

  I forced myself to run ahead. Whatever the fuck this was, I could feel that Keira was still alive, and she needed my help. That was all that mattered.

  Rafe came naked out of a room down the hall where the blood trail ended. I took a step in that direction, but he shook his head for me not to. The traumatized look on his face made me want to hurl.

  “It’s not Keira,” he said. “That’s the only good news.”

  “Holy shit,” Ian said, gagging on the smell of the disgusting trail of old blood and tissue leading down the hall. The scent of death was everywhere. “What’s the bad news?”

  Rafe’s face tightened and turned even more grim. His jaw tensed. “My wolf smelled the distant scent of hundreds of bodies. All killed in that room,” he pointed at the heavy wooden door marked Advising, “and then dragged into that room,” he pointed back at the room he didn’t want us entering, “and then the bodies were cleaned out and new ones brought in.”

  “No!” I said, not wanting it to be true. Even though I knew deep down that it was. Even though I had the physical proof that nobody ever left this academy alive. This was too much for even me to fathom.

  “Okay,” Rafe said, “we’re done wasting time. Keira’s in there right now, that’s where the trail ended.” He ran to the door and started pounding. “Crowe, you piece of shit, you let her go right now before I rip you to shreds. You hear me?”

  He pounded on the door, he pulled on the doorknob, and he shouted obscenities at it for at least a minute before he paused. His hands were bleeding and he was sweaty and out of breath. Nothing was working. We couldn’t even hear what was going on inside. What if they couldn’t hear us?

  “Hold on, let me check something,” I said, elbowing my way to the door. I held my hand out to the door handle but didn’t touch it. It hummed with dark magic. I put my ear to the door itself and it hummed as well.

  I banged on the door out of futility. “You’re wasting your time. It’s been sealed with dark magic. Even if you destroyed door, we s
till couldn’t get inside.”

  “That can’t be true.” Ian said. “There has to be something we can do. We have to get her out of there.” His voice cracked. “Before it’s too late.”

  I hit the door one more time before turning to the others. “I’m going to go get Professor Kiln. Maybe she knows how to get past the spell on the door.”

  “What are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Rafe asked.

  “I don’t know,” I yelled back, because I was already running down the hallway, picking out landmarks as I went so that I would be able to find my way back once I got to Professor Kiln.

  7

  Headmaster Crowe

  Keira was putting on a brave face, but I could smell her fear. It was intoxicating. The beast in me tried to jockey to the front. Why would we tell her what we’re going to do when we could show her instead? But I held him back.

  This was a game, after all. A game I had finally won. Keira would no longer be a problem. And I would be satiated for months after feasting on her flesh, her energy and her dark magic. She was easily my most prized meal at the academy. I wanted this part of the game to last.

  “Well, let’s see. This is how it happens. I have another form that is nourished and strengthened by the flesh of the dead. In order to do that, I have to kill my prey. My beast form has killer claws and fangs that will disembowel you, my dear, right where you sit. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not a pretty process. It makes a terrible mess on the carpet, but it’s so worth it. And besides, I have a spell that helps me clean up afterward.” I ended with a smile and a nod of my head. That’s what a civilized soul does. It leaves everything as spotless as it was before.

  “Then why is there a blood trail for everybody to see down the hallway?” she asked. She was always impertinent, always accusing. It was so annoying. I wasn’t going to miss her. Not at all.

  “Maybe my cleaning lady forgot,” I began. Then I remembered that my cleaning lady had been an impromptu late-night snack after interrupting me one night in my office.

  And with all of the Keira forbidden magic drama lately, I had forgotten to interview more cleaning people. Pity. But soon remedied.

  I cleared my throat. “In any case, the spell works to clean up any mess, but only in this particular room. I like to call it the kill room.”

  “Imaginative,” she answered. “You do know that I have friends and that they’re going to figure out where I am. They’re going to come and find me and then they’re going to kill you.”

  Her bravery was remarkable. I was going to miss that attitude when the screaming started. I studied the certainty on her face about what was going to happen as she sat up awkwardly on the fainting couch. Her eyes kept watch as if I were going to pounce any minute. Which was true. The next few minutes were going to be fun. Dashing hope always is.

  I cleared my throat. “My dear, if you had fifty men outside and fifty more top-notch mages with them, they would still never get in. You see, this is a very special room. The magical enchantments in here are unbreakable. That door is locked to the outside world. It’s locked physically, it’s locked magically, and not even telepaths can get a message in.”

  She shifted in her chair, her expression falling into worry.

  “I assure you this room is absolutely and completely impenetrable. There is no way out.” I paused and smiled for effect. “Well, there’s no way out for you anyway.”

  8

  Rafe

  I pounded and kicked and scratched at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. The most that would happen was bits and pieces of wood shavings would fall, but there was no real damage. It seemed hopeless.

  What I wouldn’t give for an axe. I looked at Ian, who had also taken several turns at the door. He was breathing heavy and leaning against the hallway.

  “Keep an eye out,” I said, heading down the hall. I was going to search every room here until I found an axe or sledgehammer or something that I could get that door down with.

  “Keep an eye out for what?” he asked.

  I didn’t answer. I was busy breaking down every door I came across. It felt very reassuring to break down door after door after suffering so much failure trying to get to Keira. If nothing else, at least I was venting my frustration.

  So far, the rooms contained nothing but office furniture, cleaning supplies, and other small odds and ends.

  Sucking in a breath, I stopped to think. The likelihood of there being an axe lying around in one of these random rooms was pretty slim.

  Still, I had nothing better to do but worry. Keira was in danger, and that sturdy wooden door wasn’t going to knock itself down.

  What I was really doing was trying to distract myself from feeling helpless. I decided to kick one more door down. Then I’d go back and see if Ian had come up with any new ideas.

  I kicked the door. It banged open with a loud crack and a satisfying thud against the inside of the room, which was dark. I stepped in and switched on the light. Then, much to my surprise, I saw a shiny steel axe sitting in the corner all by itself. It was the most beautiful thing.

  Not believing my luck, I ran over and picked it up. The only other objects in the room were a bunch of metal stacking chairs and a cheap desk.

  The axe was heavy, and it was in good shape. With a grin, I ran back to the obnoxious orange hallway and the door marked advising.

  Ian had his back to the door and a dejected look on his face.

  “Did I mis anything?” I asked, sprinting toward him.

  He took one look at me and the axe and took a step back.

  “No,” Ian said.

  I could tell by the look on his face that Ian had something to say. “What is it?” I asked him.

  “Keira and I share a bond,” he began.

  I nodded at him and squared my shoulders. Both Keira and our bond were sore spots right now. “You and me both. What of it?”

  “Okay,” he said. “Usually I can hear her thoughts. I can feel what she’s feeling. Right up until she was taken in there.”

  I stared at him. Was he saying it was too late? Was Ian really suggesting what I thought he was suggesting? “Are you telling me she’s….”

  “No,” he said, understanding the implications of what I was asking and shaking his head emphatically. “I’m not saying she’s not okay. It’s just that it has to be unbelievably strong magic to shield mind powers. I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. And then felt a renewed sense of energy and desperation. “I’ll get us in there. And I hate to say this, but I’m glad you’re here. Whatever is going on in there, I believe we can take it on together.”

  Ian nodded at me in agreement. I could see it in his face. He wanted into that room as badly as I did. We had to know that she was okay.

  I wasn’t particularly afraid of the Headmaster before, but what I smelled in that room was an awful lot of death. I wondered what horrors waited in that room and what was happening right now to Keira.

  I palmed the axe, feeling its comforting weight and heft. “Step aside.”

  Ian got further out of the way. A half a second later, I brought all of my weight and all of my worry and all of my anger down onto that stupid wooden door through the axe.

  After the swing, I waited a second for the wood to splinter in half, to see a hole in the door that I could build on. At least to see a very deep dent and maybe even a peephole into the room so we could try to communicate with Keira.

  Instead, the axe thudded into the door and then bounced off. It missed bashing me in the face by inches as it flew through the air and landed int the hallway with a loud clanking noise.

  It didn’t even have the decency to stick into the wood. In the end, it had no effect at all.

  Ian and I exchanged a confused glance.

  “What the fuck?” I asked. Then I went and grabbed the axe again and chopped half a dozen more times, giving it everything I had. I chopped until my back ached, I was covered in swea
t, and I was breathing heavy with the effort of the onslaught. And still the effect on the door was zero.

  I slumped down with my back against the wall.

  “Can I try?” Ian asked.

  I handed him the axe and slid out of the way.

  He went at it like I had. Until the veins in his eyeballs were popping out and he ripped a piece of his shirt sleeve. And in the end, it was as pointless for him as it had been for me.

  Ian slumped down next to me. “What are we going to do now?”

  I didn’t have an answer for him.

  That was the moment that I heard footsteps approaching. It was Malachai and Professor Kiln.

  I turned my head and watched them approach, allowing myself a sliver of hope. I knew that if anybody could help with this, it was her.

  Professor Kiln walked up to us, her footsteps clopping through the hallways.

  “Advising?” she asked, staring at the sign on the door as she scrunched her face into a scowl. “How did I not know about this place?”

  She walked up to the door and held her hand out but didn’t touch it. “You feel that?” she asked. “There’s enough enchantments on that door to keep it closed until judgement day. Maybe even longer. It’s forbidden magic too. But it’s ancient, too old to be the Headmaster’s magic.”

  She looked down at me and Ian. “Tried to chop your way in, did you?”

  We nodded.

  “We have to do something,” Malachai said, indicating the blood trail down the hallway. “Who do you think even did this?” he whispered. “The Headmaster?”

  Professor Kiln followed the trail to the room with the rest of the remains. When she came back, her nose was still wrinkled up. “That is not possible. Only a Sobek does that. And believe me, the Headmaster isn’t that exotic.”