Shifter’s University

by K. R. Thompson

  For now, it was only the two of us. Nothing else mattered…and that was exactly the magic I needed. For the first time, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.

  With Logan, I belonged.

  I couldn’t wait to be with Claire again. The next morning was busy as the end of summer drew near and Imperium prepared for the rest of its students. The ones without any magic would be arriving soon, and the new shifters would have to prove how well they had learned to “blend in” over the past couple of months, when, in reality, they had only learned more about themselves rather than how to function in society. I was on my way to the dorm when I spotted Claire sitting with Lacy near the phoenix statue.

  Instantly, I remembered the last time I found Claire there and began to worry. I could hear bits of their conversation as I walked up.

  “I feel like it was my fault. I wouldn’t wish the Forest on anyone, even Victor,” Lacy said.

  “It wasn’t your fault. If it was anyone’s, it was Victor’s,” Claire said in an attempt to soothe her.

  “I know, but still…” Lacy’s voice trailed off as she spotted me.

  Claire smiled when she spotted me, which made me feel as if everything was right in the world and I could tackle anything that came my way. Then I realized her gaze was focused just over my shoulder, a myriad of emotions replacing her smile. Astonishment, hope, and then an excitement that had her springing to her feet and running past me.

  She brushed against my shoulder as she went, making me wonder if she had seen me at all.

  Not really wanting to see who had captured her attention, I turned slowly around. In those short seconds, she squealed in happiness and jumped onto some guy’s chest, locking her arms and legs around him in a hug so tight jealousy made it hard for me to breathe.

  The worst part was he seemed just as happy to see her. He held her tight against him, a huge smile stretching from ear to ear.

  I hated him.

  He was the same guy I’d seen at Claire’s foster home on the day we’d offered her the scholarship. He was the one she had risked going back for yesterday—the foster brother. That should make me feel better, but it didn’t. I had a brother. We were blood, and I never hugged him like that.

  I blew out a long stream of smoke.

  Quietly, Lacy said, “Easy, boy. Don’t forget we have to blend in now. Humans don’t believe in dragons. You don’t want to be the one to show him that his bedtime stories were real.”

  But I wanted to show him. I wanted to show him very much. Still, I knew she was right, so I took a deep breath and swallowed the smoke down with a promise to my dragon that the instant that guy made a wrong move, he’d be toast.

  Claire finally disentangled herself. The two of them stood and talked for several minutes, both sporting wide grins.

  After what seemed like forever, she looped her arm in his and they walked to us.

  “I want you guys to meet Blake. He got a scholarship, too,” Claire said happily. “Blake, this is my roommate, Lacy. And this is Logan.”

  No “this is my friend, Logan,” I noticed. Just…“this is Logan”. I could have very well been Benny, who had just meandered by a few moments ago. Nothing special to see here. Just Logan. No big deal.

  I didn’t even bother to reply when he said, “Nice to meet you.” He offered me his hand, and I had to think really hard about the reasons I shouldn’t bite it off.

  Dragons don’t eat humans. The werewolves might. Too bad I’m not a werewolf. I took his hand and gave it a much firmer squeeze than necessary.

  At least Lacy was better at pretending to be excited about this bit of news. “I know who you are,” she gushed. “You’re Claire’s brother, right? She talks about you all the time. She didn’t ever mention you being so cute, though.”

  The moron’s face turned three shades of red.

  Way to enchant the new human, mermaid, I thought with a smirk.

  “So how did you get a scholarship? I didn’t think Imperium offered them to anyone staying in the main house. Those slots are for paying customers,” I said with a nonchalant shrug. I sounded like an asshole, but I didn’t care. No scholarships were ever offered to humans. Humans were the ones who kept Imperium going financially.

  “Imperium didn’t offer it, actually. My way is paid through an outside donor, so I guess I’m still a paying customer,” the human replied easily, though he did manage to lose a bit of his happy smile.

  Claire was giving me a “play nice” look, as if she was worried I had hurt his feelings, but I ignored it.

  “So why are you here so early? Orientation isn’t for another two weeks. Only those of us with scholarships are allowed during the summer months.”

  He shrugged. “I am supposed to work off part of my own ‘scholarship’ by helping with maintenance, so they had me come early. There’s a section in the west wing of the main house where the roof is leaking and I’m supposed to help them fix it before everyone else gets here.”

  Unfortunately, it sounded legit, so I couldn’t drill him any further.

  “So have you had the grand tour?” Lacy asked, tactfully changing the subject.

  She was turning on the mermaid charm, whether she knew it or not. Blake’s eyes widened before finally answering, “Um, yeah. I’ve seen everything in the main house. That’s why I came out this way. That, and to see if I could find Claire.”

  “Well, you found me. Shall we show you some of the parts you haven’t seen?” Claire asked.

  “We could take you to the lake,” Lacy offered. Claire gave her a funny look, and Lacy added quickly, “There’s a boat we can take out. It’s always pretty there this time of day.”

  Blake shrugged, his smile returning. “Sure. Sounds like fun. I don’t have anything else to do for the rest of the day.”

  As the three of them started toward the path in the forest that would take them there, Claire turned. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

  “No. I have plans, but thanks,” I lied. “I have to help Professor McTavish with…stuff.”

  She looked confused but nodded, then followed the others.

  What could be more important than spending time with her?

  There wasn’t anything more important, not even the school’s safety, but I knew I’d never tell her that now. I had been wrong about her. What I thought we had felt together at the park had been only a dream…a figment of my imagination.

  Staying close to her any more than necessary would only be harder for me in the end, I told myself firmly.

  It would be far easier to be on my own and save myself the heartbreak later. After all, I thought, watching them walk away. Dragons don’t get upset about stuff like this. And they are supposed to enjoy being alone…aren’t they?

  It had been a full week since Blake came to Imperium. In that time, I had only seen Logan a handful of times. He was avoiding me, and I couldn’t figure out why. The night at the pond had been magical, but after that, everything changed. I didn’t know what caused it, but Lacy kept making noises about it being because he was a dragon.

  “Dragons are solitary creatures,” she said more than once. “You can’t go against nature, Claire. That’s not how it works.”

  Still, I wanted nothing more than to be near him again, regardless of what nature dictated.

  On the positive side, I was ecstatic to have Blake with me, even if he did act a bit odd now and then. I still hadn’t ruled out my suspicions of drugs and a gang, but I didn’t want to cause a rift between us. If my brother began avoiding me the way Logan was, I didn’t think I’d be able to handle it.

  We were in the courtyard, throwing a frisbee to pass the time between classes, when Blake stopped mid-throw, his attention locked onto something behind me.

  It was the pack of wolf shifters heading into the forest. Even in their human form, I could feel their magic, so I didn’t need to turn around to see who he was staring at.

  I contemplated telling him my secret—and the true reason for Imperi
um’s existence. It would be nice to have someone else know how alone I’d felt until coming here. No, that wasn’t right, I decided.

  I’d felt alone until I met Logan.

  Blake walked to me, seemingly not interested in the frisbee anymore. One look at his face completely changed my mind about telling him my secret. Something had changed in him since I’d started at Imperium…something I didn’t quite trust.

  “One day soon we’ll be able to leave this place and go somewhere safe. You have my word on it, Claire.”

  “Huh? What are you talking about?”

  His gaze left the pack, and he looked me straight in the eye. “This place isn’t what it seems. It’s dangerous. Soon, we’ll be able to leave. You have my word on it. I won’t leave you here alone, I promise. When I go, you’ll come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

  “You’re scaring me.” The way he was looking at the shifters had me worried. It was as if he knew what they were and what magic they held—which made the contempt in his eyes downright terrifying. Would he look at me that way when he learned I was like them, but more powerful? What would happen then?

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He smiled, seeming more like himself now. “I only meant to let you know that you aren’t alone anymore, Claire.”

  I returned the smile, though mine felt a little weak.

  “Listen, I’m supposed to help one of the professors install some equipment in the lab. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” he said, glancing over to where some students hauled boxes into the main hall.

  “Okay,” I agreed, then looked at my watch. I had class with Professor Mulford again, though this time it was Human Psychology. I sighed, thankful it wasn’t history again. Every time I sat in that particular room, I was a nervous wreck.

  I made my way to class and found the room packed, but managed to find one empty seat against the far wall. Something was going on. I spotted Logan sitting against the opposite wall with a pretty redhead. They were talking, and he laughed at something she said. Then, as if he felt me watching him, his eyes flicked to me, then away, as he turned his attention back to the girl beside him. Things were becoming much clearer as to why Logan had been avoiding me.

  Professor Mulford came in and laid a sheaf of papers on his podium, then pushed his glasses up with his finger. He looked at the full room, appearing less than enthused when he spoke.

  “Today’s class is going to be different from what I had planned. In anticipation of our other students arriving in the coming weeks, Headmistress Herensy has invited the upperclassmen to join us and asked that I change the subject to a history lesson on the origins of the Dark Watch.”

  I sensed movement at the door and turned to see the headmistress peering in, no doubt making sure her instructions had been followed. She gave Professor Mulford a curt nod, then turned and walked away as he launched into his lesson.

  “From the first werewolf sighting in Europe, to the Salem witch trials, humans have always rejected that which cannot be explained easily,” the professor began. “The name of our current—and most dangerous—nemesis, the Dark Watch, was said to have risen from the claims that those who were ‘cursed’ or ‘possessed’ always did their deeds when darkness came. Those who ‘watched’—the humans—were protectors of all that was good and pure in the world. They observed in the darkness and protected against what they believed was evil. Hence the name Dark Watch.”

  A girl near the front lifted her hand. “How long have they been in existence? And why are they choosing to attack us now? I’ve never heard of Imperium being under siege until now.”

  Several mumbled their agreement.

  Professor Mulford pushed his glasses up again. “The actual time they became formed is unknown, though it certainly dates back at least to when Imperium was founded, if not before. As to why they have attacked so openly over the last few months, I do not know. And you are correct, Imperium’s shields have never been penetrated until now. Though we’ve always heard whispers of the Watch’s threats against us, this is the first time they’ve acted. As to why they would attack, my only guess would be that there is something here that they feel threatened by—something that is worth dying for.” He took a deep breath, and continued, “The headmistress wanted me to ask for volunteers. As the rest of the students will be here in the next few weeks, she wants to reinforce the shields and make them stronger. We’ll need a few students who can test the perimeter between classes. Any volunteers?”

  A few hands came up, one, I noticed, being Logan’s, another belonging to the girl beside him. No doubt she is hoping to do her volunteer work with him.

  “What happens if the Watch invades when everyone gets here?” someone asked.

  Professor Mulford’s voice fell on a completely silent room. “Then I fear everything Imperium has accomplished will have been in vain.”

  The pounding of footsteps on the stairs caught me completely by surprise. One of the reasons I’d offered to check the crystals in the west wing of the main house was because I knew no one ever came through these drafty corridors. I’d been seeking solitude, hoping to find it in the vacant top floor, where only cobwebs and the occasional spider would find me. Watching Claire’s face as we learned more about the Dark Watch had made me want to go to her, but I didn’t. I stayed put, promising myself I’d get far away once the class was over.

  Now, from the sounds of it, I was going to have company whether I liked it or not.

  The door burst open and Claire stood there, dark hair flying and eyes wild. From the look on her face, I’d done something terribly wrong.

  “What is your problem?” she demanded.

  It was a rare occasion when I couldn’t think up some sort of smart-ass reply, but this was one of those times. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answered in as calm a voice as I could muster, completely oblivious to whatever I was being accused of.

  “You don’t know what I’m talking about?” she repeated, her voice getting louder.

  The walls of the main house were made of stone, but I still found myself wondering if everyone in the courtyard could hear her.

  “No, I don’t. I haven’t even been near you all week.”

  That got a reaction—yet another thing I didn’t see coming. Instead of making some snarky response, her bottom lip quivered, and something vulnerable flickered in her eyes. Then they narrowed and took on a hard edge. “I never figured you for that kind of person, Logan Fairmont.”

  The kind of person who has been insanely jealous over seeing you hang around another guy? Or the kind of person who has been trying to keep his heart from being broken by staying away from you?

  I didn’t say anything, and that seemed to add fuel to the fire.

  “So you are that kind of person, aren’t you? You just kiss girls, rescue them, and promise them everything will be fine, and then, without so much as an it's-not-you-it's-me, you move on to someone else,” she raged, suddenly close enough to stab the heel of her hand against my chest. “How dare you? How dare you make me feel something for you and then walk away? You're no different from anyone else. You told me I could trust you and count on you, but where have you been for the past week? Gone! I shared my deepest, darkest secret with you and you didn't even give me the courtesy of goodbye. You think just because you're a dragon, that gives you the right to do what you want? Well, it doesn't! It doesn't give you the right to play with my heart, it doesn't give you the right to play with my trust, just like it didn't give my foster father the right to hit me. But I'm over it now, because I finally know that when push truly comes to shove, the only one I can count on is myself!”

  It was all I could do not to grab her hand and pull her to me. If it was a fight she wanted, I could give it to her…especially when I was being accused of…what exactly? Dumping her? Cheating? A few of her words began clicking into place. You move on to someone else. I’d seen her expression when I sat next to Arrica in class, but didn’t think anything
of it until now. She’d totally misunderstood.

  “It isn’t what you’re thinking, Claire.” But she wasn’t listening.

  I could see her magic coming to life as a faint blue swirl swept over her skin. It reminded me of my own magic when I was angry. She was tapping into my energy, I realized. She was angry because I had stopped hanging around her? Even as hope blossomed, I found myself wondering if all that anger was truly hers, or if she’d somehow managed to take on some of my own characteristics—short temper included.

  I took a mental inventory of my body, but I didn’t feel drained in the slightest. I hadn’t felt a decrease in my power when I’d fought Victor either, come to think of it. One of the main points taught at Imperium were that shifters should fear the Yokai because they could—and would—drain their power.

  But they were wrong.

  I could still feel my magic and knew I could summon my dragon at any time, but I also knew I wouldn’t do it. Not now.

  Claire’s face began to change shape, and I knew she was on the verge of shifting. Was she angry enough to challenge me?

  At least this room is big enough to hold a dragon, I thought as my magic became Claire’s, too.

  “I won’t fight you, Claire,” I said softly.

  All my words didn’t sink in. Apparently, only “fight” had since she took a deep breath and let out a huge stream of smoke, aimed directly at me. A second later, she transformed into a dragon with scales the color of emeralds and shot a fiery wave at the wall a few feet away.

  I didn’t flinch. And I didn’t move. Even though I could feel the heat from the scorched stone. “I won’t fight you, Claire,” I repeated. “Do whatever you want to me, but I won’t fight you.”

  She twisted toward me. One of her wings caught the crystal I had come to check on, sending it in a spiral to the floor. It shattered, tiny pieces tinkling to the floor, orange shards bouncing and scattering like beads.

  Claire’s anger broke with it, and she shifted back, a look of pure horror on her face at what she had done.