Initiation Year 1: An Academy Reversed Harem Paranormal Why Choose College Bully Romance (Fallen Fae Academy Book 1)

by Rachel Angel

  “Yeah, I guess we have a way of doing that.”

  “Either humans turn something that is visually unappealing and demonize it, calling it a monster, but when they see something visually cute and attractive, they tend to attribute very angelic and pure motives. Unfortunately, that’s a big mistake. I’ve known an ogre or two who were the most gentle souls you could ever imagine. Then there are the most adorable, tiny delicate faes who will lead you to the top of a bridge and throw you off it.”

  Harley gasped. “Really?”

  “Really. I’ve seen it happen. Humans are very visual creatures. It’s strange, actually. I mean, when you think of it, you would think humans would be intelligent enough, or evolved enough to judge someone, or something by how they behave, not how they look, and yet… There you have it. Angels are cute and demons are monstrous. That’s how humans paint the supernaturals. Angels in reality are tall, strong, and warrior-like. And demons could take on the appearance of someone friendly, attractive, and even sexy. Faes, though, we have always been the more beautiful supernatural beings.”

  “I do have to admit, the people here, or the faes, are all so beautiful. It’s striking. There’s something ethereal about everyone. Something just slightly otherworldly.”

  “Yeah, but like I said, don’t just judge a fae by its cute appeal.” April flipped the page back to the map. “For years there’s been a war over territory.” She pointed to the center of the map. “See here.” With her finger she followed a four-inch line. “From here to here, the kingdoms of Fall and Spring share a border.”

  “Okay.”

  “Both kingdoms want to control this area here.” She drew a circle with her finger. “It is said to have minerals containing magical powers. Or at least that’s what the rumors say. The thing is, a few years ago, the King of Sea, decided to join forces with Fall. I don’t know if you know this, but Kingsley, that noble Fallen Fae, is the son to the King of Sea.”

  “In other words, Kingsley is an ally to Fall.”

  Harley brought her finger to the tip of her nose. “You’re catching on.”

  “What about the other guys?” Harley said.

  “Oak is from here.” April pointed to the Wooded Lands. “He’s not of royal blood, but he is revered for his athletic abilities. While soldiers are off to war, royals like to kick back and enjoy sports. I guess it’s like their version of a tamer, more civilized war. Ever since he was a young boy, Oak has outshined his teammates. I even remember reading about him when I was about ten years old. He was a star then, and he certainly is a beloved star now. That’s how he got in here.”

  “Yet, he’s not treated like a charity case like we are.”

  “No. You see, the king of the Wooded Lands unofficially adopted him. When Oakley was twelve, the king invited him to the castle and said that if he won that season’s game, he would do anything and everything to help get him to the next level. And he did.”

  “So, he’s here based on his athleticism and is revered, while I’m here based on my artistic talent and get spit on. It doesn’t seem fair.”

  “No. Fair isn’t a word you’ll hear often here.” April brought her attention back to the map. “You see, in addition to all that, Ms. Dunsworth, who is from Fall Kingdom, is married to General Dunsworth who is actively fighting the war against Spring. She is the one who personally recruited Kingsley and Oakley to the Fallen Fae Academy. They needed the additional training, but she particularly wanted them to develop a bond, a very strong bond. So that is why you now see her twin boys, Zed and Red, hanging out with Kingsley and Oakley all the time.”

  April flipped through the pages of the book, showing her various persons of note throughout the history of faes.

  “And here,” April said, arriving at a new chapter, “are a few of the descriptions of some of the magic powers some faes have.” She closed the book and brought it to her lap. “I think you should check the book out and bring it back to our room to look over, but not before you talk to your professors.”

  “Why?”

  “Magic is a finicky thing, especially to a rookie. That is also something you humans romanticized. You seem to think that magic just happens. That you simply wish something into being. It doesn’t work that way. It’s very easy to get something wrong and have horrific results. I don’t really think I’m qualified to go through this with you, so I think you should bring it up to your professors. I don’t know. Was there one that was particularly nice to you? One who would give you a hand with all this?”

  “I really liked Professor Reed. She gave me the impression of being a very strong-willed woman. You know, a no-nonsense kind of person, but still very friendly and approachable. I might be wrong, but she seemed to like me… or at the very least accept me.”

  “Good,” April said. “Go to her. She might teach physics in class, but she is also quite knowledgeable about spells and magic. I’d also suggest you go see, Professor Denver. She can give you tips on debating various topics, particularly politics. And one last thing. Go see Ms. Debra Hand. She’s a whiz at combat. She can give you a few pointers.”

  As per April’s suggestion, Harley spent the next weeks with Professor Denver and Professor Reed, and went to see Ms. Hand every evening. She learned about the various wars over time, but more importantly learned different fighting techniques.

  Throughout it all, she went to her regular classes, completely ignoring the Fallen Boys.

  The class she enjoyed the most was her art class. They’d gone through different drawing techniques and she got the hang of cross hatching and stippling. She learned various painting techniques and how to work with different mediums. But what she loved the most was painting the landscape that surrounded the school.

  To escape the bullying which was constant from the Fallen Boys and Cici and Ashley, every day she set aside an hour and sat behind the dorm where she had a view of the sun-bathed forest. She wanted a very detailed painting, not just a quick and blurred representation. Every leaf, every blade of grass, was painstakingly painted. Even when an elk appeared one day and grazed only a few feet away from her, she added him to her painting. She wanted to capture the innocence in his eyes, the softness of his fur, and the power of his limbs. She spent hours with the finest brush she had, putting in each strand of fur.

  But the aspect that confounded her the most was working in the rays of sunlight that pierced through the leafy canopy. She worked hard, adding a bit of white, realizing it was too much, then adding smaller amounts. It was a tedious exercise, but she saw the effect it had on the painting. It was coming to life.

  Sitting on her usual rock, admiring the now familiar scene, Harley sensed a presence behind her.

  “I didn’t know you were so talented.”

  Harley turned to see Red standing behind her, a friendly smile on his usually hard features, which suddenly made him very attractive. Harley ignored the heat that had began building in her core. Red and Zed were two of the most handsome guys on campus, but when they smiled, they looked like rock stars. Sexy rock stars, especially with Red’s button down white shirt opened and showing his smooth muscular abs and his V-line.

  Harley gulped and concentrated on her work.

  “You’re blocking my light,” Harley said without smiling.

  Still smiling, Red looked up to the sky and pointed up ahead of him. “The sun is over there.”

  “Okay, then you’re just ruining my vibe.”

  “Your vibe?”

  “Oh, right,” she said with a smirk. “It’s a human thing. I’m in the zone here, you know. I’m deep within the workings of this painting and you’re pulling me out of it.”

  “Hey, look,” he said softly, holding his hands out in feigned defense. “I just saw you sitting here and noticed the painting and wanted to see what you were up to. And, well, I’m kind of into art myself, even if I’m not studying it, and… Well, I wanted to take a look at your work.”

  Harley gestured to her painting. “There it is. See
it? Seen it? Are you ready to move on now?”

  “Actually,” Red said as he sat on a flat boulder beside her. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Okay, but make it quick. I’m working with acrylic and I don’t want it to dry too much.” She turned to look at him but was still distant and aloof.

  “I know you’re mad at me, and I understand, but I’ve come to offer an olive branch.”

  She looked at him, narrowing her eyes with suspicion. “The way things have been going here, I’m sure you could imagine that I would just want to snap that branch in two.”

  “Come on,” he said, his eyes warm with sincerity and even a touch of concern. “Look, so I was a jerk. Can’t you give a guy a second chance?”

  “Jerk? You were more than a jerk…you’re a class A fucking bully who I can’t stand the sight of. You think you’re hot stuff? Well, in my eyes, your meanness is so unattractive, you probably need to glamour yourself all the time to look decent.”

  He looked taken aback from my angry outburst. Then he took a deep breath. He was unusually demure and almost shy. “I guess I deserve that.”

  “You deserve that and more!” Harley said.

  “I know,” Red looked down.

  “There’s going to be a big Fall Dance Saturday. It’s a great way for all the students to get to know one another. I mean, in class we sit beside one another, but rarely get to talk and just relax together. This is that chance. I also want a chance to make it up to you. To at least become friends.”

  “I should tell you to go fuck off,” Harley said. “But if you’re really sincere about wanting to start over again with me and us becoming friends, I’ll think about it.”

  “Well, actually, I was hoping you’d come with me.”

  “You mean as a date?” Stunned, Harley almost dropped her paintbrush.

  “Yeah. You know, I’ve been watching you these past days, and I have to say, I really admire you. We all piled on you and made life miserable for you, and you stood your ground. I really respect that. You really impress me. And that you’re a human to boot; that’s all the more impressive.”

  His voice was so soft and smooth, and his eyes so intent as they gazed into hers. His smile was enough to make her melt and she reluctantly admitted to herself that she would really like to get to know him better by spending an evening with him.

  But…

  “Look,” he said, moving from his boulder to come sit with her on her smaller stone. “I want to get to know you. I screwed up the first week you were here. Blame it on the pressure from the guys. I’m really a sweet guy once you get to know me.”

  He liked her? She smiled shyly.

  “I don’t want to pressure you,” he said, “but I would really like to go to that dance with you. You’re the prettiest girl at school, and I can’t help being attracted to you.” He leaned in to give her a soft kiss on her cheek, which sent electricity between them. Harley’s body reacted heatedly, betraying her attraction to Red.

  He noticed and chuckled. Tracing his finger down her cheek, he leaned in and said, “Think about it and let me know. I’d really like to get to know you better. A lot better.”

  He gave her a final gentle pat on the shoulder and walked away.

  Harley stared at her painting, going over every word Red had said and was so worked up by his kiss and sensual touch, her mind was all over the place. Imagining Red kissing her more passionately. Picturing him taking off his shirt and then his pants before pushing her lace underwear down so he could fill her with his cock.

  Harley knew what sex was about. She had grown up near the Strip and had even known of the gentlemen clubs near the strip. She had read several erotic novels, even having her favorite book boyfriends. Although she’d never had sex before, she was well-educated on doing it when the time came. And now that she was 18 years old and in college, she was an adult who could decide whether she wanted it or not. With Red being so hot…she could easily see herself having wild passionate sex with him. Unable to concentrate on her painting any longer, she wiped the paint off her brush, tossed everything into her paint case and headed back to her room.

  “Guess what!” she said as she walked into the room and saw April pressing a grilled cheese sandwich into the pan on the stove.

  “I don’t know, but it’s certainly put a spring in your step. I’m going to guess that it’s good news.”

  “I’m not really sure. I want to see what you think.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Red asked me to go with him to the Fall Dance.”

  April turned off the stove and grabbed her grilled cheese. “For real?”

  “Yeah. He came to see me just two minutes ago.”

  “Hmm.” She took a bite of her sandwich as she considered Harley’s words.

  “Do you think they’ve changed their minds?”

  “You mean about the initiation?”

  “Actually, I hadn’t even thought of that. I just thought about how they all hated me. How they bullied me. But… you think? Could I be off the hook?”

  “It sure sounds like it. I mean faes have been known to change their minds.”

  “So, do you think I should go with him?”

  April hesitated as she chewed on her bite of sandwich. “Keep your eyes and ears open, but yeah. Go for it. Who knows? Maybe you’ve weathered the storm, and now you’re in for a bit of smooth sailing.”

  Harley smiled and was hopeful that the bullying was over.

  ***

  Harley stood in front of the window, trying as best as she could to see her reflection. April had loaned her a slightly faded blue blouse with delicate yellow flowers that Harley matched with a narrow blue skirt she’d brought from home. It was nothing fancy, but it was all she had.

  A knock at the door broke her out of her scrutiny.

  Harley opened the door to find Red standing there looking super sexy. His hair was spiked as usual and he’d put thick black eyeliner under his eyes. He wore an elegant leather blazer with metal studs at the wrists and a red rose boutonniere at his lapel. It was an interesting blend of heavy rock and suave elegance.

  “Wow. You’re all dressed up,” Harley said. “I don’t really have anything that nice, so I just threw this on.”

  “I thought so,” Red said, holding out a small bag for her. “I brought this for you. I hope you’re not offended.”

  Harley shook her head and took the bag that obviously came from a chic French boutique. She pulled out a small piece of red fabric with delicate strands of lace. Frowning, she looked at Red.

  “It’s a fabulously elegant gown.”

  Still feeling some weight in the bag, she looked in and found a pair of delicately strapped red high-heeled sandals.

  Setting the bag down on the sofa, Harley held the two strands of lace to let the fabric unfurl to reveal a beautiful red floor length gown.

  “It’s pure silk,” Red said with a shy smile. “And I thought it would make us look like a real couple.”

  “But this is so beautiful. I mean, it must be worth… I mean, it must have cost…”

  “Don’t worry about the cost. That’s nothing. I saw it and immediately imagined you in it. The fabric is soft, the color is great against your skin, and I know the cut of the dress is going to be perfect on you.”

  Harley nodded. “If you can just wait out here a minute, I’ll try it on.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Harley closed the door and looked at April who cocked a brow, impressed. Pulling off the blouse and skirt, she then slipped into the elegant and slinky gown. Cut a little low at the back, the lace strands were in fact the delicate straps that held the dress up. It clung to her body without being skintight and trailed elegantly down to the floor.

  Feeling a little awkward, she slipped her feet into the delicate sandals and tied the straps around her ankles. A little unsure of herself, she walked between the sofa and the counter.

  “What do you think?” she asked April.

/>   “Wow,” April said, gawking at her. “Now that is a spectacular dress.”

  “Is it too much?” Harley said, unaccustomed to showing so much skin. “Do I look like a fish out of water?”

  “Oh, come on,” April said with a laugh. “It looks great on you. I mean, holy cow. You’re gorgeous.”

  “I don’t know. What do I do? This just doesn’t feel like me. I mean, I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. And these heels. I don’t know if I can even walk in them.”

  “I think you can handle being the gown and heels kind of girl for one night.” April pointed to her neck. “It would look nice if you had a little something… you know. A necklace or choker or something.”

  Harley mulled it over a moment and nodded. “I think I just might have the right accessory for it. She opened her first drawer and pulled out a small jewelry box.

  “My parents gave me this at graduation last spring.” She pulled out a gold necklace with a delicate pink stone pendant.

  “Do you think the pink clashes with the red?”

  “I think you look great, Harley. Really. You’ll be the belle of the ball.”

  “Is everything all right in there?” Red called from the other side of the door.

  April grinned. “You might as well enjoy it.”

  Harley tugged the dress down and turned to open the door.

  “Wow,” Red said when he saw her. “I knew it was the perfect dress, but man… That is… yeah. Everyone will be looking at you tonight.”

  “I’ll admit, I feel pretty naked.” She patted her bare arms.

  Red leaned in closer. “We’ll see about that later on,” he said in a low, promising voice.

  The heat of an intense blush rose to her cheeks.