The Haunted High Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  I knew the professor was right, but I couldn’t find it in my mind to care. It was nice, almost, to feel wrapped in the blanket of cotton that surrounded me. Every noise was muted, and the pain in my head had lessened. Vicken’s grip on my wrist was the only thing that kept me standing.

  The instincts in the back of my mind screamed that I needed to make him let go before he drank too much, but the cotton feeling even softened the edges of that demand. Would it be so horrible to just slip away like that? Everything felt so soft and padded, sharp edges eased and pain erased.

  Drake’s face surfaced in my mind. I saw the truth in his face when he told me he was upset that I had put myself in harm’s way to save a student from the demon in the corridor of the school.

  “I was mad about that,” Drake said.

  His words surprised me. “About the demon?”

  He nodded. “You could have been killed. Even though you didn’t say it, I saw it on your face when you told Juli and Dad about it. You saved that student, but you could have been killed. You should have thought of us.”

  I gave the answer he needed to hear. “Drake, I promise I will think about you, Dad, Julianne, and the baby before I do anything dangerous like that again.”

  “You promise?” he asked, holding my gaze with hope on his face.

  I nodded.

  My eyes opened. Vicken had both hands free. They gripped my wrist so hard I could feel the bones protesting. I tried to pull away, but he was stronger than me now, especially with the amount of blood he had taken.

  “Vicken,” I said. The word slurred past my numb lips. “Vicken, stop.”

  “Vicken, knock it off!” Briggs demanded.

  But the vampire didn’t appear to hear. He was going to drink all of my blood and I was too weak to fight it.

  A slight stirring shifted my gaze. I watched dazedly as Sparrow unwrapped herself from around my wrist. She stretched and then looked up at me from where my left hand still rested on Vicken’s chest. Her green eyes moved from my face to the vampire who drank from my wrist. She must have seen the panic in my eyes because the little dragon’s teeth pulled back in a snarl. She stalked across Vicken’s chest and put her paws up on my wrist.

  The sylph dragon hissed a warning. When Vicken didn’t respond, she sucked in a breath and then let out a blue flame. It washed over the vampire’s face. His eyes flew open and focused on the dragon. His gaze shifted to the wrist he still bit and then followed the arm to my face. He immediately pulled his fangs from my wrist and let go. I sank to my knees and rested with my forehead against the bars.

  “Finn, what did you do?” he asked with horror in his voice.

  “He saved your life,” Briggs replied.

  I couldn’t bring myself to look at the professor, but by the height his voice had come from, Briggs was standing.

  “Finn, wrap this around your wrist to stop the bleeding. You can’t afford to lose any more blood.”

  The professor’s jab at the vampire wasn’t lost on me. I turned my head just enough to see Briggs tear a strip from the bottom of his medical gown. He balled it into a clump and threw it my way. The makeshift bandage hit the bars of my cage and fell to the ground. I only had the strength to look at it. As if she read my mind, Sparrow gave up glaring at Vicken and flew down to the cloth. She picked it up in her little snout and carried it to me. I turned and sat on the ground with my back against the bars.

  Sparrow flew up on my knee.

  “Thank you,” I told the little dragon.

  I wrapped the cloth around my wrist, then let my head fall back against the bars. It felt as though it weighted a thousand pounds.

  “Finn, are you alright?” Vicken asked. “You shouldn’t have—”

  “Of course he should have.”

  We all jumped at the sound of Dr. Fagrin’s voice. I glanced over my shoulder. The world spun with my efforts and I closed my eyes at the sight of the doctor and two of his colleagues. With the fogginess of my head, I hadn’t heard their approach.

  “Finnley, Finnley, Finnley.”

  I opened my eyes at the doctor’s mocking tone.

  Dr. Fagrin leaned against my cage with a pleased smile on his face. “You do all the right things, Finnley, you just don’t know why you’re doing them.”

  I glared at him, aware that Sparrow had darted under my legs at their approach. I shifted slightly and slid my left hand carefully beneath me so they wouldn’t notice. Sparrow wrapped swiftly around my wrist again.

  “What are you talking about?” I demanded; my voice wavered slightly despite my efforts to appear stronger than I felt.

  The doctor shrugged. His visible eye twinkled. “I may not be a werewolf, but I’ve been here long enough to know how they work.” He tapped his clipboard against the bars of my cell. The sound came muffled to my ears. “We haven’t had an Alpha to experiment on in a long time. Mostly, that’s due to the fact that yours is a rare breed. Werewolves may be scarce, but the genetic chance of being an Alpha is roughly one in fifteen at our estimate. We haven’t had the pleasure of an Alpha’s company in years.”

  At my continued glare, he chuckled. “And the other reason is because whenever we caught an Alpha, they broke out using a strength we’ve been unable to control.” He winked at me. “Fortunately, we found the solution.”

  He gestured to where his comrades were busy strapping Vicken back down. When he struggled, one of them grabbed his wounded leg in a gloved grip. Vicken yelled and immediately stilled, though his bared teeth and clenched hands said he was not done fighting.

  “When they told me the werewolf we needed had brought a vampire along with our lovely Raggedy Ann, I was overjoyed. The fact that the vampire was already weakened by some bite she said was from a demon was just an added bonus. If he hadn’t been weakening already, we would have simply strapped him to the table until his need for blood was ready to kill him. Push him close enough to your cage, allow for the Alpha instinct to take over, and pow, you let the vampire suck your blood, weakening you to the point where we can experiment at our leisure.”

  I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I told myself it was just the effects of the vampire bite and that I could actually draw in a breath. But the truth in Dr. Fagrin’s words was too much to bear. I couldn’t have been that stupid, could I?

  “The table was too far away,” Vicken said. The same horror was written on his face. Unknowingly, he had been instrumental in the plan to bring me down and make me amenable to the doctor’s will. Guilt and regret showed in his eyes while the red of his lips told of my blood coursing through his veins.

  “All part of the plan,” Dr. Fagrin said. “We’ve had Alphas break out of these same cages. Given the loyalty Finnley showed in protecting you, he would have expended strength to get through the bars and then allow you to weaken him just the same.” The doctor glanced at me and his good eye widened slightly. “Unless, of course, bending the bars never crossed your mind.” He gestured to the belt. “Ingenious, I must say, but it doesn’t make sense to go to such efforts for one with Alpha strength.” He paused, then said, “Unless, of course, you’re unaware of the extent of your strength. In which case, we’re going to have a lot of fun here.”

  His comrades chuckled.

  I needed to take his mind away from me in order for my body to recuperate. I went with the first thing I could think of. “But what about the warlock? Stith wasn’t in your plans, was he?”

  Dr. Fagrin shook his head. He looked down at the motionless body without any hint of regret in his expression. “A minor hiccup. Stith’s been on edge and unstable since he pledged to advance our knowledge against mythic kind. He was useful and creative in his tortures, garnering us plenty of data we otherwise would have worked harder to gain.” He gestured toward Briggs. “But he had a certain attachment toward your professor there, something akin to obsession. We couldn’t get him to stop the torture twice and ended up restarting Trace Brigg’s heart on both occasions.”

  No wonder the pr
ofessor had given me up. To hear that even they couldn’t stop Stith made me sick. I glanced at Briggs. His face was averted and his hands sat lifeless in his lap. He looked broken, a shadow of the professor who had struck fear into my heart on my first day at the Academy.

  “What about the Wiccan Enforcer?” Vicken asked.

  Dr. Fagrin shot him a confused look as though he was speaking a different language. “What Wiccan Enforcer?”

  Vicken rolled his eyes. “Don’t act dumb with us, Doc. The Wiccan Enforcer who controlled Stith. It was the demon who drove him to torture the professor. You know that.”

  The doctor gave a small chuckle and glanced at his comrades. “The bite must have affected the vampire’s brain. We may have to put him down.”

  They laughed and one of them replied, “I’ll do it.”

  Dr. Fagrin answered with a toothy grin. “I’ll let you do it when the time’s right, Mr. Rowe. You know how I appreciate volunteers.”

  The man looked pleased at the recognition.

  “What about the demons?” Vicken asked. He looked at me. “Surely they know about the demons?”

  At the doctor’s blank look, I explained in an exhausted voice, “Your security. How else do you keep the Labs protected?”

  “Security guards,” the doctor replied with a tone that implied I had asked a stupid question. “Armed security guards, of course. When Raggedy Ann let us know that you were coming tonight, we just asked them to be a little late. Although, in hindsight, we should have asked them to come just a little earlier so you didn’t wipe out the majority of our mythic supply.” He shot one of his comrades a glare as though the man was to blame for the oversight.

  The fact that they didn’t know about the demons was astounding. I couldn’t help staring. “But Lark. What about Lark?” If she had a piece of Chutka’s heart implanted next to hers as I suspected, the doctor would have been the one to do it. Why do a surgery like that if not for a good reason?

  “Lark?” The doctor thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. “You mean Raggedy Ann. Our little piecemeal muppet.”

  His light tone made a brick form in my already roiling stomach. I fought back the urge to bare my teeth. If I could have pulled the bars apart like he implied, I would have torn him apart right there. But I knew instinctively that even without the zip tie around my throat, such a phase was beyond my current strength. It might even kill me.

  “She did her part very well,” Dr. Fagrin continued. “After your dear professor told us about your team and the box in the basement, we knew we had the key to luring you here. Stith tortured him until he wrote the letter. He was so dazed I doubt he even remembers writing it. It only took a little encouragement for our Raggedy Ann to plant the letter and escape. Such an obedient little monster. Who would have thought she would listen to those responsible for the death of her mother? Although, in truth, she should blame herself. She does have her mother’s heart, after all.”

  The fact that it was true made the bile rise in my throat. I spoke through clenched teeth to say, “She mentioned a second surgery the other night. Why did you cut her open?”

  Dr. Fagrin’s eyebrows lifted. “I should be surprised at your concern over the girl who betrayed you, but maybe her part-werewolf blood has kindled the same loyalty towards her as you have to your vampire friend.” He shook his head. “Though I didn’t cut her open the other night. No one did. She hasn’t been under the knife since we gave her new legs.” He smiled at Vicken. “I don’t suppose you noticed her fancy fangs?”

  “Let Finn out of that cage,” Vicken growled.

  Dr. Fagrin chuckled. “Gladly. We’re ready to get started thanks to your efforts. Gentlemen, if you will?”

  I was afraid they would notice Sparrow and experiment on her as well. I was determined to make sure the baby dragon didn’t pay for my mistakes a second time. Saving me from the Demon Knight’s flame had been enough of a sacrifice for both of our lives. I concentrated on the sensation of needing to throw up. It wasn’t hard given my low blood, the effects of the vampire bite, and the nausea caused by the doctor’s flippant attitude toward Lark. I bent over in the corner nearest Professor Briggs and let the contents of my stomach spill onto the ground. The doctor’s colleagues backed off with disgusted sounds.

  On the pretense of wiping my mouth, I lifted my wrist to my lips and whispered, “Go to Professor Briggs. He’ll take care of you.”

  Sparrow gave me a reluctant look. I nodded and coughed to cover it up when I whispered, “Go, hurry.”

  The dragon unwrapped from my wrist.

  Professor Briggs, who had overheard the conversation, leaned against the bars closest to my cell.

  “What did you eat last, Finn?” he asked loudly, his face showing his concern even as his tone carried thick disgust. “You should pay better attention to your diet.”

  I shielded the dragon with my body as she flew through the cages to the professor. She wrapped around his wrist and he turned smoothly to comment, “Dr. Fagrin, you might want to give him some time for his stomach to settle, or your spotless white coat isn’t going to be so much longer.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” the doctor replied dryly. “Chain him.”

  His colleagues unlocked the door. I wanted to fight them, but losing what remained in my stomach had left me with little stores for strength. Even the handcuffs the scientists fastened around my wrists felt heavy. They practically dragged me from my cell.

  “Mr. Rowe, administer the antidote to the vampire. I’m not sure what bit him, but it’ll have to do. We need the vampire at full strength for the trial.”

  That made me lift my head. “What trial?”

  Dr. Fagrin gave a triumphant smile. “We’ve successfully created an anti-vampire bullet, for lack of a better name.” He rolled his eyes at the other two scientists. “We’re working on that. Anyway, it has the opposite effect of a high dose of aspirin. Instead of causing the blood to thin, our bullet essentially makes the blood thicken and clot. With enough clotting, the vampire’s body can’t utilize the blood and the monster will starve to death no matter how much blood is taken in. It’s highly successful and the Maes are very interested in utilizing it as a weapon, but our living trials are, well, not living anymore. While that’s the point, they want to see the test for themselves before they’ll invest.”

  Vicken looked sick at the news that the tests performed on him would be used to wipe out the rest of his race.

  “What are you doing with Finn?” he demanded.

  “My greatest experiment of all,” Dr. Fagrin replied. “I’m going to utilize his Alpha werewolf blood to find the cure for all ailments.” He met my gaze. “Think the moon is the cure for your wounds? I think it’s the cure for the common cold, for broken bones, for blindness and old age. Give us time, Finnley, and we’ll cure the fatality of life itself. Then who will be the superior race?”

  “You’re insane,” Briggs said from his cell.

  “Every inventor and scientist is considered insane until he or she can prove success,” Dr. Fagrin replied as though the professor’s words didn’t bother him. “How many people called Einstein or Alexander Fleming insane? Everyone until the theory of relativity and the lifesaving properties of penicillin were released. Most of the world doesn’t even know about mythics. Imagine what will happen when I prove that werewolf blood and moonlight could be the cure for every ailment known to mankind. You’re worth it all, Finnley Briscoe. And when you’re dead, I’ll make sure you get credit for the leaps and bounds your body provides to the advancement of mankind.”

  “If you harm one hair on his head, I’ll tear you apart!” Vicken yelled as I was half-escorted, half-dragged away.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I haven’t had the opportunity to experiment on an Alpha before,” Dr. Fagrin said. He rubbed his hands together and I would have laughed at how cliché and comical he looked doing it, but being chained to a table in the middle of a huge, curtain-partitioned arena wasn’t my i
dea of a time to laugh.

  “Let me go, Fagrin,” I growled.

  “Oh, this one’s got spirit,” he said to one of his companions. “I like that in a patient.” He looked me over the way Professor Seedly viewed new plants that came in. “You see, Finnley, my predecessors may have had a few Alphas in their possession over the years, but their notes are sparse at best and their experiments even worse.” He gave a twist of his wrist in a dramatic gesture. “They had no flair for imagination, no inkling of what werewolves could bring to our future.” He set a hand on my shoulder. I jerked away from his touch, but the restraints held me tight enough that he merely patted my shoulder and smiled hungrily down at me. “What that means for you is that we shall have to start from square one.”

  I didn’t want to ask the question he so obvious was waiting for. There was a hopelessness that came with being chained to a table. The inability to move or defend myself was filling me with panic. My chest felt tight, my fists were clenched, and my wolf instincts demanded that I protect myself, but there was no way to do so. I was at the mercy of a madman and his band of sycophants. It was the most terrifying position I had ever been in, and I wanted it to end immediately, preferably fleeing the burning Labs with Vicken, Briggs, and Sparrow safely in tow. The problem was that I had no idea how to make that happen

  “What’s square one?” a female assistant asked helpfully.

  Dr. Fagrin gave her a nod of appreciation. “Square one,” he said, leaning close to my ear to emphasize, “Is to find out just how potent the healing power of the moon is for an Alpha werewolf. Being the sturdier, more dominant, protective leader of werewolves, one would assume that your healing abilities would be stronger as well. But we know what assuming does,” he said with a wink. “Let’s not make that mistake, shall we? Square one is to first, inflict wounds, and second, to see how they heal.”

  My breath caught in my throat. “What?”

  “Now I’ve got your attention,” Dr. Fagrin said, pleased. “Mr. Scarnaugh, break his arm.”