Monster Unleashed: Blood Moon Academy Book 3

by Demi Dumond

  Once the bookmark was in, we all crowded around again to see what the spell was. It was titled Time Anomaly Cessation, written in very fancy letters at the top of the page.

  “I’ll cast a spell that will help you find the items first and then you guys are going to have to split up and go looking for them in the morning.”

  She ran to her bedroom again and came back with a handful of pebbles. She threw them on the table next to the spell book. Then she concentrated for a moment over each one, muttering under her breath.

  “Okay,” she said, “there are four of them hidden around the academy.”

  She picked up one of the rocks that was a bright blue color and handed it to me. “You should start with this one. And you should take a couple of guys with you. It’s on the lower level. Now listen up people, I can guarantee that these items are all going to be booby trapped, so be careful.”

  I frowned. “Wait a minute. Are you telling us to skip class and go on a magical scavenger hunt?”

  She turned to me, a surprised expression on her face. “The one thing you don’t understand, Keira, is that Julius Crowe set the time bubble up for a reason. All of this is his world, and he very much wants it to stay the same. At some point he’s going to feel these items being gathered because they are connected to him. Then there will be hell to pay. The clock is ticking, people. I will keep him distracted tonight, and as much as I can in the morning. The rest will be up to you.”

  I picked up the rock. “How do these things work anyway?”

  “The rocks will lead you to where you need to go,” she answered.

  “That’s not really an answer,” Rafe said, respectfully but frowning, as he poked through the other rocks.

  “I said you’ll know,” she snapped back. “Trust me, you will.”

  Then she turned her attention to me. “Keira, I don’t have any idea how you were able to hide your fae heritage and dark magic from the Headmaster when you got here, but it’s going to be a real advantage here. Julius is too far gone for me to be able to get to him, but he’s afraid of you. Use your dark magic, use your instincts.”

  “I didn’t hide it,” I said, looking around and feeling accused. “I didn’t even know.”

  “Then it must have been magically hidden for some reason.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Sex with any creatures that has dark magic of their own would have unlocked it, breaking the spell hiding it from the world.”

  I felt my cheeks flush and my face turned beet red. Now that she mentioned it, my magic did turn more powerful after I had sex with Malachai that night in the Administrative Records Room.

  Even after I had taken the ring that Ian had given me off, my magic had remained, and it had gotten more powerful. It had grown again after Tor.

  “Whether you knew about it or not, dark fae is your heritage. The bond with your men is your strength in this case, as is your dark and forbidden magic. You’re going to need all of it to survive tomorrow. Good luck.”

  We all stood there for a moment, dumbstruck.

  I was the one to finally break the silence. “What the hell do you mean by all of that?” I asked her.

  Malachai grinned at me. “I think she’s trying to tell you that you’re the biggest monster at this academy.”

  I thought about the events of this morning and didn’t feel like he was afraid of me at all, but that kill room seemed special to him.

  I looked around the room at the people who meant the most to me in the world. “The one thing I know is that the Headmaster won’t stop trying to kill me until one of us is dead. And you guys are all caught in the crossfire now.”

  “We’ve got this,” Ian said. “I volunteer to go downstairs to the lower level with you.”

  “Me too,” Rafe said.

  Professor Kiln handed me the other two rocks. “My door will be unlocked. That way you will have access to the book if you need it. Now I bid you all a goodnight.”

  26

  Keira

  The next thing I knew, I found myself with everybody else in the hallway outside of Professor Kiln’s room holding four rocks in my hand.

  “Alright,” I said. “I guess that’s the plan.”

  A wave of exhaustion hit me. Staying up all night having my life threatened, living to tell about if after being busted out by a dragon, and then meeting at night with your teacher will do that.

  Malachai moved in and elbowed me. “You didn’t tell them everything, did you?”

  I looked up at him accusingly, but I couldn’t argue with that beautiful face. “Fine. The Headmaster isn’t just going to kill me. He’s going to make all of you forget about me first. And that’s even worse.” I studied the faces of my mates. Their expressions were a mix of sadness and horror.

  “No way,” Rafe said.

  “Not gonna happen,” Ian chimed in.

  That’s when I burst into tears. “It already did happen, Ian. You forgot about me. Everybody was calling me new girl. In Smythe’s class. He was chanting and the whole class, including you, started to forget. That’s why I blasted him. He was a bloody stupid baby about it too. Kicking me out when I dared to use the same dark magic against him that he and the Headmaster have been using against the student body. He can dish it out, but he sure as hell can’t take it.”

  Professor Kiln’s door swung open unexpectedly and she fixed me with a stare. “If you’re telling the truth, then he’s accelerating the time bubble.”

  “Yes, that’s what he said. That’s what would make everybody forget.”

  “All of you need to rest. Tomorrow will be our last shot at this. If that’s Julius’ plan, then you lot will forget her before long. Malachai, your dark magic will make you more resistant. Stay together if you can, use magic to remember. Find the objects hidden in the academy and keep me informed, yes?”

  “Um, yes,” I answered. The door swung shut again.

  After an awkward moment, we all started walking down the hall back toward the student dorms.

  Rafe got a wide smile on his face. “Keira’s worried about us forgetting her and Professor Kiln told us to stay together, right?”

  I wondered what he was getting at.

  Ian was the first to jump in. “Are you saying that we’re all going to cram into Keira’s bed?” He looked Malachai up and down. “Because I don’t think we’re all going to fit.”

  “We will if we carry a couple more beds into her bedroom.”

  Ivy frowned. “Are you guys talking about an orgy? Because if so, I’m out.”

  “Not an orgy,” Ian answered, “a sleepover. For protection. And peace of mind. After last night, I seriously doubt any of us would get any rest if we we’re not together anyway.”

  I grabbed Ivy’s hand. “All of us. Come on, it’ll be fun. Just sleeping.”

  Ivy rolled her eyes, but I could tell she felt better too. For the first time in the last hour, I saw a little bit of the tension ease from her face.

  Half an hour later, with the door to me and Ivy’s dorm blocked wide open, Rafe, Ian, and Malachai moved the last bed inside. When placed together in a row and with all of the other furniture taken out, the four beds were just big enough to hold all five of us.

  A colorful assortment of blankets and pillows and sheets were thrown onto them and soon we were ready.

  All of us together. In pajamas. It felt like a high school. As I snuggled in between Malachai and Rafe, I felt happy and safe.

  Ian moved Malachai out of the way. “If I don’t get to be on the end of the Keira sandwich, at least I get to kiss her goodnight.”

  Laughter ensued and he kissed me goodnight. Then after a round of raucous goodnights, we turned off the lights and settled in.

  Before falling into a deep and peaceful sleep, I wondered if this is what it would be like if we survived and made it out of here. Me and my mates, together and happy. Only one thing could make my vision of the future better.

  “Hey, if we ever get out of here, maybe we should open an ice cream sh
op.”

  “I like ice cream,” Malachai mumbled, already settling in.

  “That sounds fun,” Rafe said.

  I smiled as I snuggled into my pillow.

  27

  Keira

  I woke as alarm clocks began going off across the room. Blinking and looking around at everybody brought the events of last night back to my memory and I smiled. We were all still together.

  Then I realized we would all be getting ready together. “I get first dibs on the shower.”

  “You know, it would be far more efficient if you didn’t shower alone,” Ian said, raising an eyebrow at me.

  “I’ll fight you for it,” Rafe said to him playfully.

  “Nobody’s fighting,” I said. “It’s my dorm, I get to go first.”

  Time flew by and the next thing I knew we were all ready. We knew what had to be done today. At least we had gotten a good night’s rest.

  “Okay, Ian and Rafe and I will head downstairs and you two take this rock,” I said as I handed the second rock to Malachai. “We’ll meet back here later.”

  “And use whatever magic you need to, so you don’t forget Keira,” Malachai added.

  I nodded and took out the rock that Professor Kiln had indicated led downstairs and that’s where we headed. It felt so good to have Ian and Malachai on either side of me. No matter what was waiting down there, I knew we could take it on together.

  It felt even better to be on a mission to win. We weren’t playing defense with the Headmaster anymore. I wasn’t just sitting around in class waiting to be thrown into a dungeon.

  If this worked, we could destroy his time bubble and we could all live happily ever after. If we could survive the next few hours, find all of these objects, pop the time bubble, and defeat the Headmaster.

  When I thought about it all in a row like that, it sounded a lot less likely. Especially after what I read in that book. But hey, at least I got to skip classes today.

  As we neared the exit door that led down to the creepy lower level, I grabbed each of their hands.

  Ian smiled down at me. Then I looked over at Rafe, expecting him to freak out that I was holding both of their hands at the same time. Instead, he also smiled down at me.

  “Hey,” I said, stopping in my tracks, an action that nearly sent all three of us tumbling onto the floor. “Since when do you two get along?”

  “Since we figured out that we all want to protect you,” Rafe answered. “No matter the cost. Even if I have to get along with fangs, here.”

  “Watch it, wolf,” Ian answered, but with a grin.

  I was speechless. And turned on. Why did it have to be the end of the world today when I had bonded to such awesome men? I couldn’t help but think about being with both of them. My mind went straight to the gutter to the three of us naked.

  “Still able to read your mind,” Ian said. “Remember?”

  My cheeks turned bright red and I turned away from him.

  “What?” Rafe asked.

  “You want to tell him, Keira, or should I?” Ian asked, raising a mocking eyebrow at me.

  Luckily, we were at the lower level exit door. “I think we should concentrate on the task at hand,” I said, totally ducking the question. For now.

  I let go of Rafe and Ian and pulled out the blue rock. I held it out in my hand where we could all see it. Professor Kiln said I’d know where to go. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Then I felt it.

  “Is it working?” Rafe asked.

  It was a hard question to answer. I could feel that the rock had a spell that was working. It felt like a pull in a specific direction that was different than my own will, an idea in my head that I didn’t put there.

  “I think so. It definitely wants us to go downstairs.”

  We all stared at the exit door that led down to the lower level where there were monsters and a dungeon. I felt dread wash over me.

  Ian made a face. “Just how specific is the rock? I mean, that place is swarming with monsters. Any chance we’ll be able to find whatever it is we’re looking for quick and then get the hell out of there before we attract any attention?”

  “I don’t know,” I told him. “But there’s only one way to find out.”

  I tiptoed down the stairs as quietly as I could, Ian and Rafe right behind me.

  28

  Keira

  When we got down to the bottom of the stairs, something felt different, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Breathlessly, I looked both ways making sure the coast was clear. So far so good.

  I pointed down the hallway where the ballroom was, then I walked softly in that direction. I knew that was where the blue rock wanted me to go. In fact, I was pretty sure the blue rock wanted me to go even farther, all the way down the hallway. To the area where I had seen hordes of monsters the last time I was down here.

  That time with the monster’s ball. That felt like it was years ago, not just a few months. Maybe that was part of the effect of the time bubble. And as far as I knew, nobody had been down here since the ball, except us when we were placed in the dungeon, which was in the opposite direction as the ball room.

  As soon as we passed the ball room, I felt Ian and Rafe tense. If we were down here for any other reason than to take the Headmaster down, I’d be out of here. But I had no choice.

  Past the ballroom now, we made our way to the very end of the hallway. The eerie silence that continued down here was not good. I almost wished for a monster attack. Something weird was definitely going on down here, and I was beginning to worry.

  We should have seen something or heard something terrifying skittering or slithering around by now. I remembered Professor Kiln mentioning something about booby traps and shuddered.

  Were all the monsters just waiting where the rock was taking us? That would be smart. Were monsters smart? Was the Headmaster controlling them somehow?

  I gave Rafe and Ian what I hoped were reassuring glances although by their worried expressions it didn’t do any good.

  Then we turned left. It was a direction I dreaded. I knew it was deep into monster territory. The minute we turned off of the familiar hallway it felt like we were a million miles away from the rest of the academy. Even the hallway was darker, we were moving forward blindly in the dark now.

  I sucked in a breath and concentrated on the rock as the guys followed me. The hallway was quiet as a tomb and I was sure each of my footsteps was way too loud. My body was already in fight or flight mode and every second that went by I was waiting to get attacked. Maybe all the monsters were gone?

  Okay, the rock was going crazy now. It wanted me to go in the second door on the left. I peered down the dark hallway at the green door that the rock was indicating. Then I pointed so that Ian and Rafe knew where we were going to go.

  Grasping the handle firmly, I turned it as swiftly and silently as I could. Then we all filed in. I repeated the process to close the door.

  After the door was closed, I waited a few moments in the dark holding my breath and listening for sounds of trouble. I heard none, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

  Then Ian switched on the light.

  29

  Keira

  I had to admit, with the door closed and everything nice and quiet and the light on, I finally felt a tiny bit better. Until I turned around.

  The room we were in was very large, nearly as large as the cafeteria upstairs. It was painted a sickly color purple with polka dots all over it. The shag carpet was a deep green color, which was disturbing enough on its own even without being paired with the horrible purple walls.

  And then there were all of the monsters. Apparently, we had found them all.

  They were huddled from the middle of the room all the way back. I stood there staring at them as they stared at me. None of us moved. It was almost as if we being there was as much a surprise to the monsters as they were to us.

  I sensed movement above and behind me and turned toward back toward the door. Monsters
had slithered over and behind us, using the ceiling and walls. We backed away from the monsters now guarding the door. We were trapped.

  Ian, Rafe and I took a step together as we stared around us at the horde of monsters.

  “Are you sure we’re in the right room?” Rafe asked. “Maybe these things were expecting somebody else. They look as surprised as we are.”

  I slipped the blue rock back into my pocket. Its services were no longer needed. “Nope, the rock says we’re here. In fact, the rock says that the box with the item in questions is there.” I pointed to the back of the room past the waiting horde of dozens of monsters.

  30

  Malachai

  I handed the rock to Ivy and she slipped it into her pocket. We had to get to those items and fuck up whatever the Headmaster was up to. Hopefully before there were more blood trails of students.

  “Okay, where is it telling us to go?” I asked Ivy as we emptied out into the hallway and reflexively headed to where classes were taking place. It felt odd not to be joining the other students. It felt like we were playing hooky in a weird Scooby-Doo episode.

  “Oh boy,” she said, slowing down.

  “What?”

  “I’m pretty sure it’s telling us to go outside.” She pointed toward the double doors leading out into the courtyard.

  She was right to be concerned, that was bad news. It was easier to snoop around the academy where all the other students were than to go outside by ourselves. If anyone was keeping an eye out in that direction, they wouldn’t be able to miss us. Unless the rock led us out into the forest, out of sight. That would work.

  “Where in the courtyard?” I asked.