The Haunted High Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  Memories pushed against me as they always did when I thought of the Labs. I remembered the feeling of Scarnaugh’s neck snapping beneath my fingers, and the sound of the butane torch as it slammed into Zed’s head. Even the feeling of tearing out Dr. Fagrin’s throat lingered. I told myself I had no reason to regret the deaths of those who had ended the lives of so many others, but I felt tainted by the deeds I had committed. Though I had washed my hands and brushed my teeth a thousand times since that day, I couldn’t rid myself of the feeling that their contaminated souls still lingered.

  I had to ask the one question that hung over me. While everyone’s attention was on the conversation Professor Mellon held with the fairy, I reached out my hand and tapped my cast against Professor Brigg’s walking stick.

  He glanced at me. “Yes, Mr. Briscoe?”

  I motioned for him to come closer. He must have seen the reluctance on my face because compassion surfaced on his, twisting his scar into an understanding smile before he limped to my side. Without me asking, he lowered himself down to one knee, his bad leg stretched out before him.

  “What do you need, Finn?” he whispered.

  I hesitated. Now that he was there, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

  “Go ahead,” he said. “You can ask me anything.”

  I took a steeling breath and said the words before I could stop myself. “Do I stink, Professor?”

  Sympathy filled his gaze. I looked away because I was sure I had seen my answer. I was tainted by the deaths I had caused. I was evil for sure, not worthy of my place at the Academy or anywhere else. I had destroyed my soul when I killed those men, regardless of the malicious acts they had committed and would have continued to do if I hadn’t stopped them.

  The professor’s hand on my arm made me look at him.

  “Finn, you are the strongest person I know.” When I lowered my gaze in shame, he waited until I looked back up at him. “You are selfless, kind, and would make the best Alpha a pack of werewolves could ever have.” He paused, then said, “And no, you don’t stink, even if you are a werewolf.”

  The smile that touched my lips at his teasing jab was one of relief. He nodded at me as if he guessed my thoughts.

  “You’re a good kid,” he said before he rose.

  “Don’t tell anyone,” I replied. “It might damage my reputation.”

  A smile lingered on his face when he leaned back against the wall and turned his attention to the front of the classroom.

  When class was over, I swung by the room I shared with Alden to drop off my books before lunch.

  “Hey,” Alden said.

  “How’s it going?” I asked.

  I risked a glance at his bare arm again. He caught me doing it.

  “What are you looking at?” he asked, raising his arm to see what had caught my attention.

  “Nothing,” I replied honestly.

  The fact that his arm was bare of any name and had been since he awoke at the vampire mansion made me happier than I could say. The memory of Vicken’s name written on the Grim’s skin lingered as a reminder of the vampire’s close brush with death. Though I had never told either of them, it made me remember not to take any of my friends for granted.

  Alden shrugged at my expression and made his way to the door. “You better hurry. They’re serving tacos today and you know how those warlocks are.”

  “I’ll hurry,” I promised.

  I was about to follow when the flashing light of the cellphone I had plugged in beneath my bed caught my attention. I picked it up and glanced at the screen. I had missed twenty-three calls. The voicemail box flashed and the text icon showed several missed texts. I flipped it open and my smile vanished at the first message.

  GRAYSON NEWTON TOOK MOM AND DAD. HE SAID HE WILL RANSOM THEM FOR YOUR VAMPIRE SO HE CAN GET INTO SOMETHING CALLED THE MASS. HELP ME FINN!!- DRAKE

  Haunted High Book 4

  Cage the Beast

  By Cheree Alsop

  Chapter One

  I stared at the message on my cellphone until the words blurred together and no longer made sense. For a week, there had been peace. The Mythic Labs had been shut down, the two pieces of Chutka the Shambler’s heart were confined in separate ironwood boxes and hidden where only Mercer and Professor Briggs knew, and nobody had mentioned demons for at least five days. I had actually started to feel like a normal student at The Remus Academy for Integral Education, and that was saying something. All of that was shattered by the text from my brother.

  GRAYSON NEWTON TOOK MOM AND DAD. HE SAID HE WILL RANSOM THEM FOR YOUR VAMPIRE SO HE CAN GET INTO SOMETHING CALLED THE MASS. HELP ME FINN!!- DRAKE

  Grayson wanted Vicken so he could prove to the Monster Abolition and Eradication Society that he belonged with them. Grayson’s brother Sebastian had died in a car accident the same night that I found out I was a werewolf. Because of me, Grayson believed the monster rumors, and the chip he carried on his shoulder from his brother’s death had somehow turned into a vendetta, not just against me, but against every monster. Now Dad and Julianne were involved. Sending me to Haunted High hadn’t protected any of us the way we had hoped it would. With Julianne nearly nine months pregnant, time was also a luxury I couldn’t afford.

  I opened the door of the room Alden and I shared and was about to head downstairs when a hand touched my arm.

  “Where are you off to?”

  Dara had an uncanny ability of finding me whenever something was wrong. I felt her pull and knew the empath could read the anxiety and fear the text had invoked. I opened my mouth, but couldn’t speak. Wordlessly, I held out the cellphone. She mouthed the words of the text and then looked up at me, her violet eyes wide.

  “Is this for real?”

  I nodded. “I’ve got to go find out what Drake knows. But first—”

  “First you need to talk to Vicken,” she completed. “He’s probably at lunch. I’ll go find him and send him up here.”

  Gratitude for the empath’s understanding filled me. “Thank you,” I told her.

  She hurried to the stairs and then paused. “But you’re not going without me.”

  I stared at her. “Dara, he said Grayson’s in touch with the Maes. There’s no way I’m letting you get involved.”

  “And there’s no way I’m letting you go without coming with you. I’m tired of being told to stay behind while you put yourself in danger. I’m already involved, Finn. Accept it.” She turned, her ashen hair swishing across her back as she ran down the stairs.

  I don’t know what she said to my friends, but the speed with which they returned surprised me.

  “We’re going,” Vicken said before I could say a word. “I’ll grab my coat.”

  The vampire shoved past me to head up the stairs. Dara followed him.

  “Of course we’re going,” Alden said. The little Grim tried to step around me into our room.

  I caught him arm.

  “I need you to stay here.”

  The Grim stared at me. “What are you talking about? We’re a team, remember?”

  I shook my head. “Alden, you almost died at the Mythic Labs. If those scientists had been using bullets instead of tranquilizers, you would’ve been a name on your mom or dad’s arm. I can’t ask you to do that again.”

  Alden’s mouth opened, closed, and then opened again and he said, “But we’re a team.”

  I could hear the hurt in his voice. He was right. He had been at my side on every dangerous adventure from fighting demons to freeing mythics. I couldn’t imagine going without him, but my instincts warned that he needed to stay. Somewhere along the line, I had learned to trust my instincts.

  I gestured for him to go into our room and followed him inside. I sat on the edge of my bed. He did the same on his so that we faced each other.

  “Alden, you were my first friend here.”

  “You’re only friend,” the Grim reminded me.

  I nodded. “My only friend. You weren’t afraid of the fact that I’m a w
erewolf, and your acceptance helped others give me a chance.”

  Alden nodded without speaking. His head was lowered so that his eyes were shielded by his white hair. I felt bad for the dejected slope of his shoulders and the way he didn’t want to look at me.

  I let out a steadying breath and said, “When that demon took over your body and I went hunting for you in the Otherworld, I was so afraid I wouldn’t find you. And then when that scientist shot you at the Labs, I was afraid you’d been killed. I almost killed them,” I admitted. I remembered pointing the gun at their unconscious forms, ready to end their lives for hurting my friend. My voice lowered. “If it wasn’t for Vicken, I would have, and that scares me more than anything.”

  “Why?” Alden’s voice was quiet when he looked up at me.

  I replied with full honesty, “Because if someone hurts any of my friends, I’m not sure I can control my wolf side enough not to seek revenge.” I opened and closed my right hand, looking detachedly at the burn that refused to heal on my palm. “Something comes over me, and it’s like I’m full animal, ready to do anything to protect those I care about. It’s a bit scary.”

  “So if you’re worried, why is Dara going with you?”

  I felt my cheeks redden at the intensity of his scrutiny. I knew I owed him a full explanation, but I didn’t quite know it myself. I went with, “Because I can control my wolf side better when I’m around her.”

  The Grim gave a little, reluctant nod. “That makes sense seeing how she’s an empath. But what about Vicken?”

  “If I lose control, I can’t really hurt him that bad,” I replied.

  “But you could hurt me,” Alden said.

  My heart clenched at the expression on the little Grim’s face. He was so pale and skinny. I had no doubt I could snap him like a twig if I was at my full werewolf strength. It would have been an easy way out of the conversation, but I shook my head. “I would never hurt you. I just can’t be responsible if something happens on my watch. I don’t think I could control myself then.”

  Alden nodded. “Because of Sebastian.”

  The name of Grayson’s brother who had died in the river accident made me cringe inwardly. I hadn’t thought about it in those terms, but I had to admit that the Grim was right. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “I can’t lose another friend like that.”

  “What about Sparrow?”

  I lifted my wrist to look at the sleeping sylph dragon. Her black and purple scales lifted and fell with each steady breath. The dragon’s wings were pulled tight along her body and her claws rested gently against my skin.

  “What about her?” I asked.

  “She almost died, too,” Alden pressed. “Actually, she did die, but she chose to come back and I heard you promise her that you wouldn’t put her in any more danger.” He rushed on to say, “You left her with Dara last time. Can I watch her if I stay?”

  A smile touched my lips. “That would be great! I don’t dare take her where we’re going and she already knows you. That would really help me out.” I ran a finger down Sparrow’s back and said, “Sparrow, wake up sleepyhead.”

  The dragon raised her head and blinked her bright green eyes. I couldn’t help smiling when her forked red tongue ran across her muzzle. “I’ve got to go somewhere for a few days,” I told her. “I need you to stay with Alden. He’ll keep you safe and make sure you eat.”

  Alden rose and crossed eagerly to me. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a pet dragon. Do you think she’ll be okay with me?”

  Sparrow unwrapped from my wrist and crossed to my palm. She shook herself, ending in a swish of her long purple and black tail.

  “I’ll think she’ll do great,” I reassured him. “She looks hungry. Do you want to take her hunting for bugs? We usually find a few up on the thirteenth floor.”

  “Awesome,” Alden replied. He lifted his hand next to mine.

  Sparrow crossed to it, then hesitated and looked at me. I nodded encouragingly. “I won’t be gone long, I promise,” I reassured her. “And Alden will make sure you get lots of food.” I brought her closer and said, “Trust me, he knows the good stuff.”

  “Does she like burritos?” he asked. I could feel him practically buzzing with excitement when she stepped onto his palm.

  “I know she likes spaghetti and eggs. She hasn’t tried much else. Just make sure she has a few bugs every day to balance out her diet.”

  He nodded quickly, his smile wide at the dragon’s attention. “We’ll find plenty of bugs. And I’ll bet she likes hot dogs. Oh, and she should try bacon. I’ve heard dragons like bacon.” Sparrow tipped her head at his words as though she was trying to understand. It made him laugh. He shot me another smile. “Also, ice cream. I’ll bet I can convince Mr. Handsworth to donate some from the cafeteria for such a worthy cause.”

  “If anyone can convince him, you can,” I replied.

  Alden walked out of the door still talking. “French fries are the best, oh, and taquitos. I wonder if dragons like taquitos. And tacos. We should definitely try tacos….”

  His voice faded as he went down the stairs. My heart gave a little pang of regret at the dragon’s absence. My left wrist tingled. I turned it over to see Sparrow’s name written in gray lettering there. It felt strange not to have the dragon sleeping over the scrolled word.

  “Ready to go?” Dara asked from the doorway.

  Vicken waited silently behind her. His long black trench coat and his long black hair he kept pulled back in a ponytail made him look like an intimidating wraith. I was grateful he was on our side.

  I tried to appear more certain than I felt when I nodded. “Ready.”

  I grabbed my coat from the hook on the wall and as about to leave when a thought hit me. I hurriedly slipped out of the shoes I was wearing and pulled on a ratty pair from the closet instead.

  At Dara’s questioning look, I explained, “I’ve lost enough shoes from phasing to wolf form. The least I can do is leave the shoes I don’t want to lose.”

  She nodded. “That’s something I never thought about. How about your shirt?”

  I glanced back at her as we hurried down the stairs. “I don’t care about my shirt as much as my shoes.”

  “Isn’t one item of clothing as important as the next?” Vicken asked with confusion in his voice.

  I shook my head. “I used to run track at my last school. Believe me when I say a good pair of shoes can make all the difference.”

  “Of course,” Vicken replied. “That’s why you’re always running toward danger. It’s the running you like, not the danger.”

  “He always runs toward danger?” Dara asked from behind me as I pulled open the main door.

  “Always,” Vicken replied. “It’s a nasty habit of his that I’m trying to break.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Can you stop talking about me like I’m not here?”

  “If you keep running toward danger, you might not be,” Vicken pointed out.

  Dara shut the door behind us. “I agree with Vicken,” she said as she followed us down the stairs.

  I let out a breath. “I’m not always running toward danger.”

  “You ran toward the demon-possessed mountain lions,” Vicken pointed out.

  “I was there,” Dara seconded. “You ran toward them.”

  “To save your lives,” I replied shortly.

  “How about running with a horde of demons behind you into a tiny room that would have been your chamber of death if it hadn’t been for this amazing vampire I know?” Vicken asked with a pleased look on his face.

  “You’re the one who got bit,” I said. “I was fine.”

  “That’s beside the point,” he replied. “What about chasing Lark? You ran right to the bridge and jumped off after her.”

  I barely blinked when the iron gate in the alley swung out to let us pass.

  “She would have died if I didn’t jump,” I reminded the vampire.

  “Just the same, I think it says something a
bout a person who runs toward danger instead of away. Dara, don’t you think that’s a sigh of insanity?” Vicken questioned.

  “I do, but do you know what else is insane?” Dara shot back. “Ordering a limo to take us to Finn’s hometown. That’s a little much, Vicken. I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile.”

  I looked up from where I had been glaring at the ground and realized that a long white limo was indeed waiting for us in front of the Pizza Palace. I wondered if the occupants inside the pizza restaurant were hopeful about some celebrity visiting their humble store.

  “We’re keeping a low profile,” Vicken replied. “I’d just prefer not to spend my entire day in a bus. The last one was poorly driven, occupied by all manner of miscreants, and frankly, it smelled.” He gestured toward the limo. “We can avoid all of that and I’ll have the driver drop us off at whatever inconspicuous location Finn decides.”

  We slept in the limo and awoke to find ourselves entering Cleary just after sunrise. But doing so inconspicuously wasn’t the right word. Students were heading to school and as we passed, they nudged each other and stared. I couldn’t remember ever seeing a limousine in town when I was growing up. It would be the talk of Cleary. I had planned on having the driver stop at the grocery store near my neighborhood, but by the amount of stares the limo got just driving down Main Street, I changed my mind.

  “We need to turn back. The driver can let us off at the edge of town.”

  “Why?” Vicken protested. “We’re keeping a low profile.”

  “If low profile means drawing the interest of everyone in this place, then we’re doing a great job,” Dara replied drily.

  It was clear by the vampire’s expression that he wasn’t used to considering situations from someone else’s point of view.

  I went with a different tactic. “The goal is to sneak up on Grayson, right? If everyone’s attention is on the limo, maybe we can use it to distract him, too.”

  Dara caught on. “We can get dropped off at the edge of town and then your driver can swing back and make a few passes along the main street. That’d be a great diversion.”