Eden's Playground: Graystone Academy Book One

by BE Kelly

  Eden’s Playground

  Graystone Academy Book 1: A Reverse Harem Academy Paranormal Romance

  BE Kelly

  Contents

  Eden

  Anson

  Duff

  Eden

  Anson

  Duff

  Eden

  Anson

  Duff

  Eden

  Anson

  Duff

  Eden

  Anson

  Duff

  Eden

  Anson

  Eden

  Gabriel

  Zander

  Violet

  About K.L. Ramsey & BE Kelly

  K. L. Ramsey’s Social Media

  BE Kelly’s Social Media

  Works by K. L. Ramsey

  Works by BE Kelly (K.L.’s alter ego…)

  Eden’s Playground

  Graystone Academy Book 1: A Reverse Harem Academy Paranormal Romance

  Copyright © 2021 by BE Kelly

  Cover Design: Taylor Dawn at Sweet 15 Designs

  Imprint: Independently published

  First Print Edition: February 2021

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Eden

  Eden Graystone tossed her meager belongings onto the dorm room bed and looked around the big, empty room. Her father had handpicked the best room on campus for her—his old room. Good old Dad. Nothing but the best for Theodore Graystone or his daughter. At first, she was thrilled at the prospect of not having to deal with a roommate. What if she had gotten stuck with a girl who liked to stay up late and party or worse—snored. But now, looking around the dark space that housed her father for his four years at Graystone Academy, Eden suddenly felt very lonely.

  This school had been founded generations back by one of her father’s ancestors. He told Eden the story when she was just a kid, but she didn’t pay much attention to her father or his stories. Eden’s powers hadn’t surfaced yet as a child, and honestly, she didn’t care much about being a witch when she was little. What if she never got her powers? She wouldn’t have been welcomed at Graystone, so what was the point of listening to her father drone on about his alma mater? When Eden turned fifteen, she woke up one day and had her abilities—just like that. It was almost like a switch had been flicked on while she was sleeping and when she called her father to tell him, he had Eden enrolled in the academy the very next day. He told her that as soon as she finished high school, his old room would be waiting for her and she’d have the best education his money could buy.

  Eden peeked out into the hallway noting the hustle and bustle of students and their parents rushing around, trying to get everything into their dorm rooms before parent visiting hours were over. Her mother wasn’t going to be able to make the trip up with her stuff, and that meant that Eden was stuck with the same two outfits she had packed for herself just before she left home and boarded the bus to Graystone Academy. It was the only way to make her assigned student orientation time slot. Her mother insisted that she couldn’t take time off work again—not even for something as important as Eden’s education. She told her to call her father and ask him to do it, but they both knew that wouldn’t happen. Still, just to spite her mother, Eden decided to call good old Theo to ask him for a ride. Hell, it would serve her mom right if he said yes. But he didn’t. He never did. Eden hadn’t seen her father in over eight years and she should have known better than to get her hopes up.

  Instead, the very next day, she received an overnight parcel from her father with the keys to her dorm room, a check for more spending money than she’d need for the entire year at school, and a one-way bus ticket to Graystone. Her mother’s sheer joy at being right, once again, about her father was almost nauseating. She promised Eden that she’d meet her on move-in day with her crap, but instead, she received a text from her this morning telling her that she wasn’t going to make it because her car wouldn’t start. Her mom’s car had a convenient way of not starting at the most inconvenient times. So, it was just Eden, her duffel bag of meager belongings, and her thoughts all alone in the big, drafty dorm room.

  She grabbed the sheets and blankets that were sitting on the desk in the corner of the room. Her father had the room outfitted with everything she’d need to survive, but none of the comforts of home. Eden had a bed with sheets, blankets, and even a few fluffy pillows. There was a desk and chair, for her to work at, and even a small sitting area with a big, overstuffed worn brown leather chair. It was her home for the next four years until she got her degree, and she guessed it would work. Once her mother brought her clothes and personal items, she could spruce the place up a little, and make it feel more like home. Eden pulled out her cell phone and shot off a quick text to her father, thanking him for the room and him thinking about the few extra essentials that she needed. It was how their relationship worked. He gave Eden stuff so he didn’t have to spend any time or effort on her and she thanked him and told him how lovely it was that he thought of her. They were cordial and it worked for them, although she wouldn’t mind having a dad to talk to and even hang out with once in a while—it worked. He quickly texted her back asking if she had added any of her own personal touches to the room yet, and Eden assured him that she would, just as soon as her mom got her car working again and could bring her belongings up.

  For now, she had some time to kill and a nap sounded like a perfect way to do that. Eden made her bed, slipped out of her shoes and jeans, and slid into bed, moaning at just how comfortable it was. Yeah—a nap was going to be the perfect way to kill some time while her dorm mates moved into their rooms. Then, she’d venture out and try to meet some new people. Maybe.

  Eden woke up to the sound of strange clicking and realized that someone was in her room with her. Her eyes popped open and she found a guy standing over her, smiling down at her. She jumped up out of bed, forgetting that she was only wearing a t-shirt. Click. Eden pulled the covers from her bed to wrap around her half-naked body.

  “Stop that,” she insisted, holding her hands up to cover her face. “Who are you and why are you taking my picture?” she asked. Her voice sounded gravelly from sleep and the handsome stranger smiled again.

  “Wouldn’t a better question be why am I in your dorm room?” he asked. Yeah, that was a good question, but her brain hadn’t quite woken up with the rest of her yet.

  “Okay—we can start with your questions,” Eden said. “Then, we can get to mine.” She looked him over when he laughed at her, and then he sobered. He looked too old to be a new student, like her. She had waited a year between graduating high school and coming to Graystone. But at nineteen, she was probably older than most first-year students. Her mother insisted that she needed a “gap year,” as she called it, to find herself, much to her father’s horror. He all but begged and even stooped to bribing her to start at the academy right after high school. Maybe she did it to spite her father, but a year off sounded good after she finished high school, so she took her mother’s advice. What her year off, between high school and coming to the academy, really turned out to be was her mother’s way of keeping he
r around town for an extra year, to help her out. Eden was the person her mother called when she needed help. She cooked and cleaned her mom’s house for her, allowing her time to do whatever it was she did with her free time. Basically, Eden enabled her mother. She became her crutch.

  “My name is Anson Kirkpatrick,” he said. Eden noted a hint of an accent and smiled at him.

  “Irish or Scottish?” she asked, recognizing the lilt in his voice.

  “Scottish,” he said. He looked at her as if she had offended him by implying that he might be Irish. Eden giggled again at the way he scrunched up his nose at her, as if disgusted. He was charming, she’d give him that, but she still didn’t have her answers.

  “Why are you in my room, taking my picture?” Eden questioned.

  “You left your door open,” he said. “I thought it was an invitation and well, I’m taking pictures for the school’s literary magazine and newsletter.”

  “Oh God,” she grumbled. “So, my picture’s going out to the public?” Eden asked.

  “Yeah,” he said and shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

  “I’m not wearing any makeup,” she challenged as if that would make him want to keep her out of his publication.

  He shrugged again, “Don’t need it, really. You’re quite lovely—um, I’m sorry, but you never told me your name.” Eden blinked up at him as if she didn’t understand him at all. Did he just call her lovely? No, if she recalled correctly, he said, “Quite lovely”. She’d tell him he needed glasses, but he was already wearing them. No one had ever called her “quite” anything, especially lovely. Eden blended in; she was plain and was just fine with that. It was nice to go through life without standing out. It was one of the things she loved best about not having powers like either of her parents. She actually hoped that her powers would never come and she’d be able to slip through life not garnering any extra, unwanted attention. That would give her more time for her books, and less pressure to have to socialize or become the head of the Graystone family. Her father liked to point out that as his only child, she’d be the heir to the Graystone fortune and all of its holdings, including the school. The only good thing about any of that was the academy came with one of the best libraries in all the magical realms. Eden had spent hours fantasizing about being locked away in that old library forever—no people, no responsibilities, no pressure of someday having the weight of the world on her shoulders.

  Eden realized that Anson was staring at her with his hand extended, and she had once again spaced out. “Um, sorry,” she said. “I guess I’m still a little groggy from my nap.” She let go of her blanket and placed her hand into his, forgetting about her lack of clothing again. Shit. Eden quickly pulled her hand free and grabbed the blanket before it hit the hardwood floor, pulling it back up her body. She didn’t miss the way Anson’s eyes followed the blanket’s movement up her body or the cute way his lips smirked into a half-smile when his eyes finally reached hers.

  “I’m assuming you do have a name,” he said. Eden thought back over what she had just said and realized she still hadn’t given him her name.

  “Yes,” she said. “I have a name.”

  “Should I guess it then?” he challenged.

  She didn’t want to play twenty questions with the guy, but she still needed some answers. Her name was a small price to pay for them. “My name is Eden Graystone,” she said. He smiled at her and Eden noticed it didn’t reach his eyes. Yeah, that was the reaction she was getting around campus every time she told someone her name. She had just spent the past two days in orientation, with other first years, and once they heard her last name, they couldn’t seem to get away from her fast enough, or they acted like she was their long, lost best friend. It was fine—Eden was used to people either hating her or pretending to love her because of her last name.

  “As in Graystone Academy?” Anson asked.

  “Yep,” she said. She never used her name to get into places and she hated that her father’s name had done just that for her, getting Eden into the academy. They turned away thousands of paranormals each year because the school could only take so many students. Eden knew that she wasn’t as well versed as other witches. As a new witch, she shouldn’t have been accepted into the academy on her merits. Hell, she didn’t even apply to the school. Her father simply made a phone call and she was in.

  “Wow,” Anson breathed. “So, your dad is Theodore Graystone?” he asked. Yeah, he sounded a little more impressed with her since she gave her name.

  “Yep,” she said again. “What year are you in?” Eden asked, trying to refocus their conversation. She was suddenly feeling more awkward than usual with the way the conversation was headed.

  “I’m a graduate assistant,” he admitted. “I teach photography here and I’m being groomed to take over that department when the headmaster of the arts steps down. It’s sort of like grad school, but instead of receiving a master’s degree, I’ll be placed in my new chosen career.”

  “Well, aren’t you a little old to be creeping around the first year witch’s dormitory then?” Eden challenged. Anson’s smirk was back in place and she couldn’t help her smile.

  “Smooth,” he said. “If you’re trying to figure out how old I am, Eden, you can just ask.”

  “All right,” she said. “How old are you?”

  “You first,” he challenged. “You don’t seem to be fresh out of high school yourself.”

  “I’m not. I took a gap year. I’m nineteen,” she said. “I’ll be twenty in two months,” she quickly added.

  Anson’s smile was easy, showing off his adorable dimples and Eden wondered how many undergrads those dimples had wooed. “I’m twenty-two,” he said. “Only three years older than you, and not too ancient for the first year witch’s dorm. At least, not in your case. The last time I checked, nineteen-year-olds were legally considered adults. That is still true—you know out in the real world, right? I’ve been cooped up in this place for a bit too long.”

  “It’s still true,” she agreed.

  “Hey—you coming or what?” Another guy who looked just like Anson stuck his head into her room and scowled at the two of them. “Christ—you are so very easily distracted, brother,” he said.

  “Eden,” Anson breathed. “This is my twin brother, Duff,” he offered.

  She nodded across the room to Duff and he smiled in at her. “Okay—I can see why you got distracted,” Duff said to his brother. “We have to get back—the meeting starts in ten minutes and we can’t be late again.”

  “Meeting?” Eden asked. The brothers looked so much alike, even down to their mannerisms and that sexy little humming noise they made in the back of their throats when she asked a question.

  “Shifter meeting for graduate students. It’s a safety protocol meeting that’s mandatory. Dumb ass there made me miss the last meeting, taking his stupid pictures for the paper. If we miss this one, we could lose our spots at the academy.” She had heard about a female wolf shifter who had been killed last semester on campus and wondered if their safety protocol meeting had anything to do with her murder.

  “She was our friend,” Anson said, nodding.

  “Wait—did you just read my mind?” she asked.

  “Sorry,” he breathed. “I should have told you that I can do that. I have a nasty way of doing that before asking permission,” he said.

  “You can chit-chat later, brother,” Duff chided. “We have eight minutes.” He pulled his brother’s arm and Anson gave her his lopsided grin and a little wave.

  “See you later, Eden,” he said. She wondered if it was meant to sound like a threat or a promise, but she had to admit, she was looking forward to it.

  Anson

  Anson slipped into the seat next to his brother and Duff gave him a dirty look. They were two whole minutes late and their professor shot them a look, letting them know that they had been caught sneaking in after he had shut the door.

  “Wanker,” Duff whispered under his b
reath. “This is all your fault—you and your libido and lust for pretty little witches.” She was pretty, although he’d never admit that to his brother—not now when they were being watched by all the other shifters in the classroom.

  “Nice of you to join us this time, gentlemen,” Professor Burnham said. “You need to invest in watches.”

  “What you need is to get laid and then maybe we can be on time for a change,” Duff mumbled under his breath. Anson looked at his brother and shook his head.

  “Later,” Anson grumbled.

  “As I was saying,” Professor Burnham went on, “we’re still no closer to knowing how Geneva Gunderson was murdered. All we know is that it was murder and if we’re reading all the signs right, it was a hate crime.” A collective gasp filled the lecture hall and he waited them out to be quiet.

  Anson had been the one to find Geneva. She was his friend. They had known each other since their first year at Greystone and the six months that passed wasn’t enough time for him to forget the look of terror on her face. He found her laying in the woods, covered in leaves, only her face showing in the morning sunlight. He had just gone out for a run and shifted back into his human form. That was when he literally stumbled across her body. He tripped over her and fell to the ground beside her lifeless body, and that’s when he realized what he had stumbled upon—or in this case, who.

  Whoever or whatever killed her had gutted her and removed most of her vital organs. He was sure that it was the work of a supernatural, but authorities and experts from the academy weren’t so sure. After she was gutted, her body was covered with leaves, only her face left exposed, and she was just left there. He often wondered what her last thought was, but then he remembered the look of sheer terror on her face, and he knew. She was afraid, even terrified, and he hated that was her last thought before she died.