But then, an agonizing cry for help forced him to reconsider. He recognized that voice. And, as he whirled his head to the left, his worst fears came true. It was Julia. Victoria was driving a massive dagger into her stomach. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, releasing Don’s dying wolf, as his mate’s body swayed backwards. Ray shuffled off towards Julia, dragging his battered paw across the forest floor, catching a glimpse of Dean, standing over his victim, out of the corner of his eye. Having pinned down Dominic, Raul jerked his powerful neck, and snuffed the life out of him, as Helena turned to face Victoria.
“She-wolf whore!” The witch gave a furious grunt, clutching her staff, as her red eyes darkened with rage. Thrusting it to the right, she sent the blonde shifter flying in the air. The distinctive sound of a neck snapping was heard, as her body was thrown up against the trunk of a tree. Shifting back into human form, Ray limped towards Julia, staring at the gushing wound on her belly.
“Julia?” He said, his voice a choked, pain-ridden whisper, as he dropped to his knees beside her. “Talk to me, baby.”
“Pretty boy,” she whispered, her voice coming out drowsy, as a small smile formed on her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you close your eyes,” he urged, slipping his arm under her back, feeling tears pooling in his eyes.
“I…” Julia swallowed hard, blinking slowly, as a tear streamed down her cheek, “I would have stayed with you. I’d never leave you.”
“Shhh…” Ray hissed, cradling her in his arms, lifting her so that he could hold her closer. “I know, mess.”
“Oh, my God…” Helena sighed, stopping over him. “We need to take you out of here. Hold h…”
She didn’t have time to finish her suggestion. The ground began to vibrate beneath their feet. Despair settled over his heart, as he realized that Dominic’s pack was approaching. It didn’t resemble the sound of galloping wolves. On the contrary, it felt more like the rumble of a stampede.
“No time for that,” Helena groaned, turning around to face them. “Raul, Dean, get behind me,” she commanded, gazing out at the forest, as she eased her staff down onto the ground. The two wolves obliged, tails swishing out behind them, as they sped past her. “Ok, you bastards. Let’s see if you can handle this.” She grumbled, her face stiffening, as she banged the lower end of the stick onto the forest floor. A tremendous shockwave shot upwards and forwards, carrying dust, rocks, leaves and twigs. Trees started to bend in the wind, as it shot past them, picking up speed. Whistling resounded through the forest, as the wave neared Dominic’s pack. One by one, the rival wolves flipped around, and began to run back in the direction they had come from. Helena sighed in relief, before rejoining Ray and Julia.
“Hang in there, Wolfborn,” she whispered, closing her eyes, as she reached down to put her free hand on Ray’s shoulder. “I’m taking you to your friend.”
Chapter Twenty Four
Ray found himself in a familiar environment, as the red smoke cleared. They were in Raul’s living room. Monica and Kate were there, with glasses in their hands. As soon as the doctor laid her eyes on her wounded friend, her glass slipped through her fingers, and dropped to the floor.
“Oh, my God…” she whispered, raising her hands to cover her mouth. “What happened?”
“Stab wound,” Ray spoke, his voice riddled with panic and fear. “Please, help her.”
Monica bent her knees, and sat down on her feet, scanning her torso from bottom to top, not uttering a word. The pool of blood had spread upward and had almost reached her chest, and it had also soaked her jeans, down to the pockets. Reaching a trembling hand towards Julia, she lifted her top.
“Oh, no…” Monica whispered once more, shaking her head lightly, as her lips quivered.
“What?” Ray’s voice cracked, as he jerked his head in a spasm of despair.
“There’s nothing I can do for her,” the doctor said as a tear spilled from her eye, and her gaze shot up to meet his. “That wound is too deep. She’s lost too much blood. I doubt she’ll make it to the hospital.
“Stop the bleeding,” Helena urged, her voice stiff, as she stared down at Monica. “Kate, get me pen and paper. I need your help.”
“Wake up, Helena!” Kate yelled, leaning over her, her eyes smoldering with unmasked anger. “She’s beyond our help!”
“The prophecy was crystal-clear,” Helena pitched her voice louder, her face as hard as stone. “Three days prior to the full buck moon, Wolfborn Fire will embrace the Wolf. I should have figured it out earlier. We need to put the wolf in her. It’s the only way.”
“You said it’s too dangerous for a witch to even try that.” Ray uttered in a wobbly voice as he looked up at her.
“It is for one witch,” Helena emphasized. “That’s why I need that pen and paper. Kate and I are going to say that incantation together. Monica, help him put her on the couch.”
“Ok,” replied Monica nodding and rising from the floor. Ray got up, as the doctor bent down. He put his hands under her armpits, as Monica grabbed her by the ankles.
“Here,” Kate sighed, handing over a small notebook and a pen to Helena.
“Thank you,” the witch gave an appreciative nod, before sliding her gaze to Monica. “Before you try and stop the bleeding, I need to inject a single drop of Ray’s blood into the wound.”
“Let me get my first aid kit,” the doctor requested, starting towards her kitchen, as Helena wrote down the spell.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Ray asked, his voice thick with emotion, as he scanned the lines of Julia’s face.
“I cannot be sure. I have never done it. We don’t have a choice, though,” Helena responded, ripping the page from the notebook, as Monica returned with a brown bag in her hands. Ray rolled up his pants leg, exposing his shin, as the doctor pulled a syringe out of her first aid kit. The scene of the stabbing replayed in his mind, as she drew his blood. If only he had killed Don earlier. If only he had finished this battle just a few seconds sooner…
“Done,” Monica announced, as a drop of Ray’s blood dripped into Kate’s wound.
“Read this with me,” Helena told Kate, holding out the piece of paper in front of her.
“Hail the moonlight – Hail the power
Bring them forth in this dark hour
Man and beast shall be one
Human weakness will be gone”
The living room light flickered once, as they completed the incantation. Julia’s body arched upward, just before the light went out. A silver glow shot up from her feet, engulfing her, as Ray waited with bated breath for the result. Helena pulled her staff out of her cloak, and pointed it down at Julia. Her eyes popped open, as she parted her lips. Ray sat down on the floor beside her, and reached his arm up to her stomach. His heart leapt for joy as he pulled her top up gently. Her wound was much narrower, a clear sign that it had started to heal.
“She’s fine,” Monica said on an exhale, her chest heaving, as she looked up at Kate. “It worked. I can’t believe it worked.”
“What worked?” Julia asked, her voice weak, as the doctor jumped from the floor. Monica rushed off towards Helena and Kate, and thrust her arms around them, as two tears of bliss rolled off Ray’s face.
“Let’s give them the room,” Helena suggested, as the light came back on.
“Welcome back,” Ray whispered, leaning over her, his mouth less than an inch away from hers. “God, I was so scared. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I remember now,” Julia breathed, gazing deep into his eyes. “Why am I here? Why didn’t you take me to the hospital?”
“There was no time,” He muttered under his breath. “Remember the last part of the prophecy?”
“Embrace the wolf?” She squinted up at him.
“Well, you did,” Ray nodded, as a happy smile spread across his face. “I gave you my essence. The witches did the rest. You’re like me now.”
“I’m a shifter?” Julia sque
aked, as a look of disbelief washed over her face.
“I’m sorry,” he heaved a deep, heavy sigh. “It was the only way to keep you alive.”
“Don’t be,” She whispered, snaking her arm around his shoulder. “I don’t mind. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have all those powers. I can’t wait to see for myself what it’s like to be like you.”
Ray chose silence over coming up with a response. He laid a quick kiss on her lips, and put his arm around her back, drowning in her scent, as he held her close. Unable to believe his luck, he squeezed her in his embrace, as she caressed the back of his head. The redhead who had turned his world upside down had stayed true, even in the face of death. She had proved what Ray had been suspecting all along: that she was different than her friends. Julia would not run from her mate for any reason whatsoever. She would never break his heart. He would always remember the day that he found her in that bar. He would always reflect on the moment that she sent all of his fears away, when they kissed by the Hudson River. Julia Stinson was the brash girl who destroyed his uncertainty. She was his love: his mess; his mate.
THE END
Witch Academy Box Set (1-4)
Book 1: The Missing Queen
Chapter 1
Desmond awoke with a start, his body tensing up. It took him a moment to figure out exactly what the problem was, his magic finding its way up to his brain.
He realized after a moment that it was a crash from his kitchen that had woken him. However, the presence that he sensed was not anything that would cause him harm. His dishes and food supply might be in danger, but he was not.
Running a hand over his face, he tried to pull the sleep from his eyes, glancing at the time piece. He was planning to get up now anyway; the alarm would beep after a moment or two. It was later than he normally got up, but he didn't have anywhere to be for another hour.
“Nathaniel,” he said as the door to his chambers whooshed open at his touch. “What are you doing?”
His former Tiro looked up at him, a piece of toast in his mouth.
“You're awake.”
Desmond raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe.
“You think I can't still sense when you are causing chaos? Eleven years of training you, Nathaniel. I promise that the bond is not broken yet.”
Nathaniel smirked as he searched for more bread, and Desmond decided it was a losing battle. Besides, he was meeting Mariah for breakfast anyway, so he didn't need food here.
He had trained Nathaniel for eleven years as his third Tiro, readying him as a full-fledged witch; the guardians of the galaxy. Magic was dangerous and destructive if not controlled and well trained, and those born with it often didn't survive it unless they were taken from their families and devoted their life to its control. Witches, who were taken to the academies around the galaxy and trained by Maestros, became warriors, guardians, peacemakers, and healers. They were well respected, strong, and completely devoted to keeping the galaxy safe.
It came at a price, of course. They rarely, if ever, saw their families again. They were not supposed to form attachments or have families of their own. They were completely devoted to their craft and their quests. When they were young, they were usually devoted to their Maestros. When they came of age, they were put through a series of rigorous tests that determined whether they could go off on their own and become a new generation of Maestros.
There were exceptions to every rule, of course. Tiros were supposed to be in the academy from the time they started walking, and they needed to be with a Maestro by the time they were thirteen if they wanted to be able to take the tests. Otherwise, they remained at school until eighteen and could work in a minor role. Any time after eighteen, they could take the tests and become a full-fledged witch.
Desmond knew that he and Nathaniel had broken almost every single one of those rules in their years together. It wasn't necessarily on purpose, because he didn't always believe in everything the Jurors dictated. But Nathaniel had been almost fourteen when Desmond finally took him on after a disastrous last Tiro. Nathaniel was stubborn, mouthy, and more interested in fun half the time. Desmond knew Nathaniel would never be the serious, quiet, thoughtful Witch that was expected. Nathaniel was twenty-four when he finally took the tests, passing with flying colors in everything except his attitude.
Now, nearly two years later, they remained at the academy. Nathaniel was teaching some of the classes, and Desmond sat on the Jurors part time, dealing with the intergalactic issues that came their way. Both of them were expected at some point soon to take on a Tiro. But after a bumpy eleven years, Nathaniel didn't seem quite ready to be self-sufficient
Desmond, despite being technically free of a Tiro, found it hard to find time for himself and Mariah – not that he publicly wished for it.
The first day Desmond saw Mariah was nearly thirty years ago. They had both been young witches on their first Tiros. They had locked eyes across the room, and Desmond knew that he was in trouble.
Neither of them had broken any rules, at least in public. But as they started to age toward retirement with a quiet life of advising only in their near future, he found it harder to make sure they were in line and not just existing in a grey area that the Jurors raised their eyebrows at.
He knew Nathaniel was aware of the fine line he walked and took it as challenge. No matter how much Desmond tried and scolded, Nathaniel had always had eyes for women. He wasn't discreet either, and more than once, he had been called in front of the Jurors for disobedience.
Desmond's only solace was that, as Nathaniel got older, he seemed to be settling down and focusing his attention on the one woman he came back to again, and again. A quest on Jeffro – a border planet – had introduced the fifteen-year-old Nathaniel to the seventeen-year-old orphaned ruler, Queen Eliza. She was just as head strong, stubborn, and in control of her emotions as he was. Desmond pretended to not hear the late-night hologram fights they had over the years, and pretended not to hear Nathaniel's thoughts when they were doing well. As long as he was focused on his duties, Desmond could turn a blind eye. And, he noticed, no matter how hard they fought, they always returned to each other. They fought in a way that acknowledged that ending their relationship was never an option.
It was admirable, in a way, except neither of them were supposed to be even thinking of romantic love.
This life was not an easy one, but it was worth it for the greater good. Despite being two of the most powerful warrior witches in the galaxy, they were still only human.
“Are you going to the showcase today?” Nathaniel asked. “I saw them setting up this morning.”
“I might,” Desmond answered, watching Nathaniel eat his way through half a loaf of bread. The showcases were bi-annual and meant to show off the skills of young witches who were hoping to find Maestros. They came from the various academies to go the headquarters, and it was usually impressive. Desmond wasn't quite sure he was interested in taking another one, though. If he was truthful, Nathaniel had been difficult at best. Desmond would technically age out before another Tiro came of age. He and Mariah had loose plans to not take another one, retiring together. Not that he could tell anyone of that, he knew.
Right now, his biggest concern was getting Nathaniel out of his kitchen. “Is there something wrong with the cafeteria? Or your own kitchen, perhaps? Your room is down the hall, Nathaniel. Surely your own kitchen is closer.”
“I have to teach in ten minutes,” Nathaniel protested. “There's no time to wait in the cafeteria or make my own food. You always have something ready.”
“In case I need to grab something swiftly,” Desmond replied. “I don't usually keep you in mind.”
“I love how prepared you are, Maestro,” Nathaniel grinned. “I didn't have time last night.”
“Why? You finished class at seven p.m.” Desmond raised an eyebrow. “What did you do with your evening?”
“Eliza called,” Nathaniel admitted. “It was a lo
ng call.”
“I'm sure it was,” Desmond said. “Go to class. If the professor is late, it says something.”
“See you.” Nathaniel finally finished chewing and took off, leaving Desmond to shake his head. Nathaniel's appetite had not changed since he was fifteen, nor had his energy or his attitude. It was amazing how different they were. Nathaniel's dream was to be on the Jurors, where Desmond couldn't think of a more boring way to live life. Although Nathaniel was successful and well respected, Desmond sometimes wondered where he went wrong as a Maestro.
He tied up the bread bag, putting the dishes in the sink before going to get dressed. He always got Mariah from her room if they were having a meal together, as the hallways were crowded. Mariah had been blinded nearly ten years ago, and although she was very proficient with her magic, using it to see rather than her eyes, he still worried about her. Her last Tiro, Nathaniel's childhood best friend, had graduated early, and Mariah had been working within the safety of the academy ever since. Desmond worried every day she took a minor quest, even though he knew she was just as strong as the first day.
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