The Haunted High Series Boxed Set

by Cheree Alsop

  “Schools?” I replied, caught off-guard. “You think we should leave the Academy? All of us?”

  Mrs. Hassleton paused in the act of shuffling through a stack of oddly shaped packages in the corner. She glanced back at me. “Did I say schools? I meant rooms. Your kind has plenty of rooms here at the Academy. You don’t have to be in my office.”

  I approached her desk. “Mrs. Hassleton, what do you have against werewolves?”

  She picked up a spray bottle and aimed it at me. The word ‘cloves’ was written down the side. “Nothing. You are a student and should be off learning, not harassing me.”

  I put my hands on her desk. “Mrs. Hassleton, I’m trying to save my best friend’s life. In fact, I haven’t done anything except try to save this school since I’ve been here. I’ve been stabbed, burned, beaten, had my arm broken, and nearly died more times than I could count, and all because I care about this place.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “So what makes me being here so wrong?”

  Mrs. Hassleton was quiet for a few minutes. The spray bottle lowered along with her gaze. When she spoke, there was a slight hesitation in her voice. “I’m afraid of dogs.”

  I fought back the urge to laugh hysterically. Finding the moonstones to save Vicken’s life was so urgent. The fact that I was now faced with such a paltry fear made me feel as if I was on the edge of going crazy. “Dogs?”

  Mrs. Hassleton nodded without looking at me. “I was attacked by a little poodle when I was a toddler.” She lifted a hand to her cheek and touched a small triangle-shaped scar I hadn’t noticed there. “I had to get stitches and spent a week in the hospital. I’ve been terrified of them ever since.” She lifted her gaze to look at me. “When I see you, all I see is a huge dog waiting to attack.”

  The realness of her fears smothered any urge I had to laugh. I nodded and shoved my hands in my pockets in an effort to appear less frightening.

  “Can I tell you something?” I asked her.

  Mrs. Hassleton nodded. The embarrassment she felt at her admission showed in her eyes. It made what I was going to say that much easier.

  “When I phased into a werewolf for the first time, I was afraid of myself,” I admitted.

  Mrs. Hassleton’s eyes widened behind her thick glasses. “You-you were?”

  I nodded. “Terrified, actually. I didn’t even know monsters existed, and then I was suddenly in the form of this nightmarish creature everyone was afraid of, and I couldn’t blame them.”

  “You couldn’t?” she said.

  “I couldn’t,” I replied. “I was scared, I was alone, and I had nowhere to turn until I found this place.” I lifted a hand from my pocket to indicate the Academy. “Haunted High has become my sanctuary, and I’ve worked hard to help keep it safe for all of the students here.” I met her gaze. “But I don’t want someone to be afraid of staying here because of me. Maybe we could find a way to be friends?”

  Mrs. Hassleton appeared taken aback. She stared at me with her mouth open and one of her hands raised halfway to her glasses as though she had been about to adjust them and forgot.

  “I promise I will never scare you as a wolf and I will make sure none of the other werewolves do, either.” I winked at her. “They have to listen to me, you know.”

  A slight, timid smile touched the woman’s mouth. “Do they, really?”

  I nodded. “They do, and I’ll make sure none of them scare you, ever. I’ll tell them they’ll be expelled from Haunted High if they do. Will that help you feel better?”

  Mrs. Hassleton gave a short nod, paused, and then nodded again. “Yes, actually. That will. That helps a great deal.” A relieved expression filled her face. “A great, great deal.”

  I smiled at her. “And I promise to keep up my end of our friendship. I’ve been fighting to protect everyone at Haunted High, and that includes you.”

  That made her smile deepen. “Thank you, Mr. Briscoe.”

  “I’m glad I can help.” I lifted my gaze to the packages behind her. “Now what I need is the package from Madam Opal of the Maes so I can help my friend Vicken. He’s going to die if we don’t do something.”

  Mrs. Hassleton’s eyes widened. “Vicken Ruvine, the vampire?”

  I nodded.

  She turned quickly to the packages. “Vicken is such a nice boy. You do everything you can to help him.” She picked up a box. “This is the one you’re looking for.”

  I couldn’t help staring when she handed it to me. I had never expected the woman who feared me so much to refer to Vicken as such a nice boy.

  “Now you take care of him,” Mrs. Hassleton directed, shooing me out the door. “If you need anything else to save him, you come right back here, you hear?” She shut the door behind me and left me staring at it.

  “Right back here!” Mrs. Hassleton repeated through the door.

  I walked numbly to the unicorn photograph and was about to duck inside when Alden called my name.

  “Hey, Finn! What are you doing?”

  The Grim’s voice jolted me back to the present. “Alden, is Vicken’s name on your arm yet?”

  Alden pushed his sleeve up. For the briefest second, I saw Vicken’s name written there in scrolling blue words. I blinked and it was gone. The memory of the same image from the Mythic Labs made my heart pound harder.

  “Nope,” Alden said with relief in his voice that hinted of how hard it had been to take Professor Briggs away.

  “Good,” I told him. “Get the others. We have a chant to perform.”

  “What chant?” Alden asked in surprise.

  I held up the box. “A moonstone chant. We’re going to save Vicken.”

  “Where did you find the chant?” the little Grim asked with relief on his face.

  “It’s my mother’s,” I replied. “I’ll explain when everyone’s together.”

  It didn’t take long for the team to meet on the basement steps. They were each as anxious to get Vicken back as I was. Everyone waited eagerly as the sounds of Vicken’s scratching increased.

  “What’s the plan?” Lyris asked.

  I held up the box. “These are moonstones from Madam Opal. We’re going to use them to bring Vicken’s soul back so he can defeat the demon.”

  “He’s going to fight the demon himself?” Lorne asked.

  Dara nodded. “If we can help him be strong enough, that’s Finn’s plan.”

  “So where do we start?” Kiyah asked.

  Everyone looked at me. For the first time, the enormity of what I wanted to accomplish was daunting. I cleared my throat nervously. “We’re going to ask if my mother’s imaginary friend that she brought to life and gave a soul will help us.”

  Glances were exchanged. Fortunately, Kiyah and Dara had my back.

  “Clear your minds,” Kiyah instructed. “Give him a chance to speak.”

  Dara nodded. “It’s difficult for those without a solid form to make themselves heard. We need to be open. Let go of your judgments and your fears, and hold onto your hope for Vicken. Do this for him.”

  To my relief, every member of the team closed their eyes. I listened to their breathing and their heartbeats settle. The sound of Vicken’s harsh breaths in the room beyond came as a stark counterbalance to the stillness of the group. I hoped there was a chance Cadish would speak to us, but I didn’t know where to begin.

  Dara’s hand slipped into mine. She must have sensed my uncertainty, because she spoke in a calm, quiet voice. “Cadish, we need your help. Our friend is fighting for his life, and you have the only key to saving him. Please let us know if you hear us.”

  I strained every sense toward hearing the spirit or ghost or entity, or whatever Cadish was. The fact that I had no idea what he was unsettled me. I didn’t know what to listen for. I hoped and feared that he would contact me out of the other members of the group because it was my mother who had created him. He had been helping me in the Academy, but I had no idea how to hear him. So much hinged on the slight hope that we could communicate wit
h a being none of us understood.

  “He hears us.”

  My head lifted at the sound of Lyris’ voice. The little witch looked amazed and terrified at the same time. She met my gaze, her green eyes sparking with excitement. “He’s talking to me!”

  I pushed down my disappointment that my mother’s friend had chosen to talk to Lyris instead of me. “Ask him if he knows the chant.”

  “Cadish, do you know the chant?” Lyris asked.

  She looked around the stairway as if she didn’t know where the voice was coming from. Suddenly her head turned left. “He knows it,” she said.

  “What do we do?” Dara pressed.

  “We need pure moonlight,” Lyris said. “We’ll put the moonstones in a circle and Vicken has to be inside of it.”

  Everyone exchanged glances.

  “I’ll get him,” I told my team.

  “Finn, you can’t,” Dara protested.

  I nodded. “I can. I’ve got to.” I looked at my friends. “Alden, Jean, find me something to bind him with.” They disappeared up the stairs. I turned to the others. “Lyris, you and Brack head up to the corridor. Lorne, help them with the stones. The windows are already broken so there’s nothing to obstruct the moonlight.”

  “What about us?” Kiyah asked, indicating herself and Dara.

  “I’ll need your help getting him upstairs.” Now wasn’t the time to beat around the bush. “This isn’t going to be easy,” I told them. “We need to be strong. Neither Vicken nor the demon are going to like this. He’ll fight us every step of the way, and he’s stronger than ever. But if we give up, he’s lost to us.”

  “We’re there,” Kiyah said firmly. Her worry for Vicken shone bright in her light blue eyes.

  “We’ve got this,” Dara said. I felt her push reassurance at the team. If ever we needed it, now was the time.

  “We found chains!” Alden called down.

  They clanged as the little Grim and the vampire ran down together. A feeling of pride welled in me when I looked at our group. Any prejudice the members might have had about working together in the beginning was long gone. Vampires worked beside a warlock, the witch combined forces with the Grim, and all of them listened to a werewolf who was just beginning to understand what he could do. I couldn’t help the feeling of accomplishment that filled me. If we failed, it wouldn’t be for lack of heart.

  Jean handed me the chains. “Good luck, Finn.”

  “Thanks,” I replied. I looked at the others. “Don’t open the door until you hear my voice. If I fail, you’ll have to leave him in there until the professors come up with another option.” I met Kiyah’s gaze. The bite scars on her wrist matched my own. She had already sacrificed so much to save his life. I knew she wouldn’t give up if Vicken bested me. “Got it?”

  “Got it,” the werewolf replied quietly, her gaze firm.

  I put a hand on the door. “Brack, close it tight the moment I’m inside.”

  “How will you see?” Alden asked.

  “I’m a werewolf,” I told him with a grin. “Seeing in the dark is the least of my problems.”

  At my nod, Brack released his hold on the door. The moment it opened a crack, a massive force surged against it. My team pushed back, struggling to keep it closed.

  “He’s too strong!” Lorne protested.

  “I’ll push him back when I get through,” I told them between gritted teeth as I fought to keep the door shut until we were ready. “Hold on.”

  I slipped the chains over my shoulder and under my other arm so that my hands were free.

  “Alright, let it go just a bit,” I commanded.

  Dara grabbed my hand before I could move.

  “Come back to me,” she said. She leaned close and kissed me on the lips.

  I closed my eyes for a brief second and allowed her calmness to quiet my pounding heart before I stepped back.

  “I’ll come back to you,” I promised.

  She nodded with a reluctant expression, her violet eyes filled with worry.

  I crossed to the door. “Let’s do this.”

  My team let the door open just wide enough for me to slip through. I was about to enter the door when a bony white hand shot out and grabbed my arm. The demon yanked me inside and the door shut behind us with a bang.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Darkness filled the room. Any hope I had that I could see was immediately dashed. It was as dark as the demon realm. Vicken’s demon was comfortable.

  I pushed away the fear that threatened to overcome me. I might not be able to see, but I had other senses. I crouched and listened to Vicken’s breathing. The chains rattled with my movements. I was tempted to phase to fight him, but any chance I had of binding him would be gone. Phasing would have to be my last option.

  “Finn.”

  The low, raspy voice cut straight through me. It was Vicken’s to be sure, but something else colored it, something dark, twisted, and promising pain.

  “Finn, I told you I would make your loved ones pay.”

  My lips pulled back in a snarl. “You’re dead.”

  “On the contrary,” the dark voice replied. “Your beloved professor is dead, as well as your uncle, and if you don’t act soon, your weakling vampire will be soon to follow.” A dark chuckle sounded, then, “Who will be next, Finn? I should have killed that empath of yours before you could rescue her. I was so close, too. Her pale skin, those purple eyes so wide in fear. She smelled simply tantalizing, Finnley.”

  My hands balled into fists at my sides. I ducked under the chain and wound it carefully into loops. Vicken walked around me, his steps dragging and scratching the floor. I imagined how much his clawed feet would hurt if he kicked me; the thought kept me focused and facing him as he circled.

  “Your body is gone, so you took another one. You’re a parasite,” I said, my voice level.

  “You can do better than that,” Chutka taunted in Vicken’s voice.

  “I don’t need to do better than that,” I replied. I spun on one knee to keep facing him. “I don’t need to best you, Chutka. You’re the one who destroyed your body with your own fear. You were devoured by your own fire. That must have hurt.”

  A snort sounded, followed by the demon’s dark chuckle. “Purity comes through sacrifice and pain. Why do you think my demons feast on fear?”

  “Feasted,” I corrected.

  The footsteps paused. “What?”

  I realized he didn’t know. That brought a smile to my face. I let him hear it in my voice. “Your demons are dead, Chutka. Every last one of them. We vanquished your subordinates. You have no more followers. You’re alone.”

  Silence filled the air. It was broken by the Demon Prince’s grunt. “I don’t care.”

  “Yes, you do,” I replied. “I can hear it. No one wants to be alone. You need others to follow you.” I paused, then said, “I’ll follow you.”

  “To kill me,” Chutka said with a dark chuckle. “Nice try.”

  I shook my head. “No. For the power.” I allowed a heartbeat of silence to follow before I said, “I saw my uncle’s thoughts.”

  “Conrad was weak,” Chutka growled.

  “But I’m strong,” I replied. “I’m an Alpha. The Academy is full of werewolves and I know where there are more. We could start another demon army, but this time with the strength of the moon to fuel them.”

  I couldn’t read the Demon Prince’s tone when he said in Vicken’s voice, “Why?”

  “I told you,” I replied shortly. “I want the power I felt when Conrad opened the gate. I’m tired of hiding from the world. I want to control it. I need to control it.” I let my frustrations color my voice, sending the truth through my words so that he would hear it.

  I had no idea if it would work, but I had to try. I could only hope that the thought of being alone would spur Chutka into recklessness. It was Vicken’s only hope.

  “You’re tired of being weak,” Chutka finally said.

  “I’m not weak,” I
replied. “But I want to be stronger.”

  “You have no idea what strength is until you’ve felt the true nature of the demon realm,” the Demon Prince said. “Take my hand. I’ll show you what power really feels like.”

  I reached out a hand. Vicken’s fingers grabbed mine as Chutka’s claws sank into my wrist. Working quickly before he could react, I looped the chain around his wrist and spun around his side while still holding onto his hand.

  “What are you—”

  I yanked and the chain tightened behind his back, cutting off his protest.

  “No!” the Demon Prince growled.

  He ripped on the chain. The force flipped me onto my back. I heard the hiss of air as he kicked at me. Before the kick could land, I rolled out of the way with the chain still in my hands.

  Chutka yanked on it again, which had the benefit of jerking me back to my feet. I took advantage of the momentum to climb up and over him the way Vicken had done to the Darkest Warlock. I jumped off his back, dropped to one knee, and threw the chain around his legs.

  The Demon Prince caught onto what I was doing. He let out a roar and tried to swipe at me, but I ducked at the sound of the air. Before I could climb back to my feet, his foot connected with my chest and his claws punctured my skin. My breath left me in a rush as I rolled across the ground.

  The sound of the chains loosening sent fear spiking through me. I leaped to my feet and grasped desperately at where it sounded the end of the chain was. The Demon Prince caught me by my throat and lifted me into the air. His claws tightened. I struggled to kick him, but he merely lifted me higher.

  “You tried to trick me,” he said. He raked his claws down my chest. A shout of pain escaped me. “You’ll pay,” he growled.

  I grabbed at the chains that looped around his wrist and pulled. The end tightened around his legs and he stumbled backwards slightly. Taking advantage of his poor balance, I threw myself to the side and felt him topple with me.

  The moment my feet touched the ground, I tore free from his grasp, brought his hands up the way Vicken had done to Grayson, looped his legs into the mix, and pulled the chains tight. The Demon Prince lay hogtied in the middle of the floor. I threw two more loops around his arms and legs to ensure that he was unable to move.