by Devyn Jayse
Hidden Power
Must Love Dragons Book 2
Devyn Jayse
Hidden Power
Copyright © 2018 Devyn Jayse
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover design by Andrei Bat.
For Farah
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Devyn Jayse
One
Sharp talons slashed at my face, missing me by mere inches. I jumped back in alarm and fell to the ground. I yelped at my attacker. "Are you trying to tear my face off?"
The shifter's ice-blue eyes glittered as she let out a high-pitched cackle. "What do you think?"
"This is crazy," I said, the panic clear in my voice.
She moved toward me with a predatory step. I scrambled backwards, looking around frantically for a weapon. My gaze fell upon a sword and a club laying on the ground about ten feet away. I pushed myself to my feet and sprinted toward the club. I picked it up and turned to face the shifter.
"What are you going to do with that?" Amusement colored her voice. She could have stopped me at any time. My speed was a snail's pace compared to her supernatural one.
"I'm going to smash your head in," I told her boldly. Despite its weight, the club was easy to pick up and wield. I imagined it was a baseball bat and visualized exactly how I would hit her.
The shifter threw her head back and laughed again. I couldn't see what was so funny. If she was going to claw off my face, then I would club hers to oblivion. "Let's see you try that, human," she sneered.
The word made something inside me twist. I pushed the feelings aside, locking them away. There was time for that later if I survived this encounter.
"My name's Vanessa," I told her, glaring back at her smug expression.
"Come on then, Vanessa, let's see what you've got," the shifter said as she cracked her knuckles.
I winced at the sound.
A sharp smile crossed her face. She rushed at me and I raised the club and swung toward her. Before the club could connect with her body, she dropped to the ground as if she was about to do a push-up. The club swung harmlessly over her head. She jumped back up, showing off her agility and strength as her knees reached her chest. Before I could swing the club back around, her hand clamped around my neck and she lifted me off the ground. I dropped the club, my hands clawing at her fingers which tightened around my neck like a noose. She raised me higher as if I was as light as a kitten. My toes barely touched the floor.
"It seems like the club isn't the best weapon for you," she mused, glancing at the discarded object.
I cursed at her, but it came out as a strangled gurgle.
She tilted her head and looked at me as if contemplating how easy it would be to simply tighten those fingers around my neck and end my life. I raised a knee and tried to kick at her body, but she blocked me with her left hand. I used my other leg to kick her and winced as I made contact with her hard body. She swatted at me like I was a fly.
It was becoming more difficult to breathe.
"You're still far too slow," she said. "You have to work more on your defensive skills."
No kidding.
Her fingers released me, and I fell to the ground as my legs gave out under me. She looked down at me as I gasped for air. She rolled her eyes at my slumped form.
"She's alright," she said.
Still trying to get my breath back, I frowned, wondering who she was talking to.
"I didn't hurt her," she said over her shoulder to a person I couldn't see. "Much," she added.
She pivoted to the side, revealing a tall man with a grim expression on his face and narrowed eyes. Guillen.
"What are you doing with Vanessa?" he asked Shaima.
"She asked for self-defense lessons. I've been giving them to her." Shaima shrugged.
Guillen's expression asked me to confirm or deny her assertion.
I opened my mouth and a croak came out instead of a yes. I cleared my throat and tried again. "I asked her. She didn't hurt me," I confirmed. "Much."
"Why?" Guillen asked me. "Have you been threatened?"
"I used to take self-defense lessons back in my old town." It was the truth. Ever since my mother had tried to kill me, I had been taking consistent classes. And when she had tried to kill me again I worked even harder to protect myself. I didn't want to forget what I'd learned especially in light of where I was living.
I had purposely ignored answering Guillen's question. I hadn't been threatened yet, but every day that I spent living in the Dragon Research and Authority Center was another day that I was at risk. I had been admitted into the Dragon Research Initiate Program as a human. It wasn't until Aisha, the assassin, had tried to wipe my memory that I had discovered that I was a witch. And if the dragons knew what I was, then they would kill me. They wouldn't suffer a witch to live among them.
But I couldn't just leave the program. I needed to find out more about what I was, but the longer I stayed, the more I risked someone discovering my secret.
"Self-defense lessons with a shifter isn't the same as human self-defense lessons," Guillen said, stating the obvious.
"We've had several lessons. I haven't sent her to the infirmary yet." Shaima cracked her knuckles. The sound made me wince again. I ran a hand up to my neck and felt the soreness there. That was going to leave a bruise.
Guillen watched my hand and frowned at Shaima. "As long as you remember she's just a human."
If he only knew.
Two
I had just stepped out of the shower and was getting dressed in my room when someone knocked on the door.
"Yes?" I called out. I pulled a t-shirt over my head.
"Hey, Vanessa, want to join us in the cafeteria?" Beatriz asked me from the other side of the door.
"Sure. I'll be there in two minutes. Don't leave without me."
"Okay," Beatriz said.
I quickly finished dressing and left my room, locking the door behind me. I stepped into the communal living area for the Dragon Research Initiate Program participants. It was located in a wing of the Center. There were twelve rooms here. Some of the bedroom doors were open, music streaming out of the rooms. I walked over to the living room where I thought Beatriz would be. I was right. She was sitting on the couch chatting with Pol and Maribel.
"I'm ready," I told her.
Beatriz got to her feet. "Are you joining us?" she asked the others.
Maribel shook her head, her short blue hair bobbing. "I need to study."
"Sure," Pol stood. "I could eat."
I didn't bother hiding my smile. Pol was always eating, but you couldn't tell from his lanky frame.
"Are you guys going to the cafeteria?" Quentin asked.
"Yeah," Beatriz replied.
"I'll join you, if that's okay," he said.
"Sure," she gave me a discreet sideways glance and arched her eyebro
w. I returned her silent query with a shrug. In the past three weeks I had acquainted myself with some of my other classmates, but Quentin was still a dark horse to me. He gave off a cool vibe, but where Pol was usually amusing and an open book, I never knew what Quentin was thinking.
We made our way down the hallway and stairs, navigating the Center's maze-like layout to reach the cafeteria. The cafeteria was always open and depending on the hour, there could be dozens of people there or just a handful. At this time, there were only two dragon shifters eating their meals, but I didn't recognize them. I checked out the food available, grabbing a tray and piling on patatas bravas and chicken skewers. We sat at one of the several empty tables.
"How was your self-defense class?" Beatriz asked me.
My hand went up to my neck. "Tough. I can't seem to make any progress."
"Why did you decide to take classes with her?"
I shrugged and returned to eating. Things between Beatriz and me had been strange since I found out that I was a witch. I had told Beatriz about it, but that was before her memory had been erased. Aisha the assassin-witch had crept into the Center and tried to wipe my memory too, but she couldn't. That's how I had discovered I was a witch. It had been a shock to the both of us. Since Aisha couldn't erase my memory, she warned me against telling Beatriz again, and ever since then the secret hung between us. Even though Beatriz didn't know, she still felt that something was off and asked me a few times if there was anything wrong with me. I tried to act normally, but it was still weird knowing what I was and keeping it from my closest friend. I felt isolated and alone. And I was scared to death that the shifters would find out. I had contemplated returning home, but if I did that, then I wouldn't get any answers. I would also have to give the dragon shifters their charmstone back, and without it I would be unable to see the hidden magical world. I had to stay here and figure it out.
"Can you believe we've been here over a month already?" Quentin bit into his burger.
I shook my head. "Time has flown by."
"And the more I find out about this crazy world, the more I'm surprised by it," Pol said, putting his tray on the table. "Did you guys know that there's a challenge that everyone fights to the death?"
Beatriz and I goggled at him. "What?"
Quentin said, "Yes, I heard about it too. I don't know how things remain stable with all these power struggles."
"Does Diego win every time?" Beatriz asked.
"I guess so, otherwise he wouldn't be the head of the dragon shifters." Pol took a sip of his drink.
None of us had met or seen Diego yet. For all we knew, he was a giant monster with enormous jaws. The other dragon shifters rarely discussed him. When we asked, they'd reply with vague answers. If it hadn't been for my encounter with Aisha, the witch who had tried to erase my mind, I would have questioned Diego's existence entirely. But she had mentioned him by name when she warned me against letting the dragons know my secret. She said his name as if he was a bogeyman.
"So do they kill them kill them?" Beatriz asked.
"Yeah," Pol made a slicing motion across his neck. "Dead."
"How many people does he fight?" she asked.
"Whoever wants to challenge him."
"Is it just dragons?" I asked. Since my acceptance into the program, I had learned that there were other kinds of shifters besides dragons. And I continued to discover new supernaturals every day. So far, I had met two witches, some gargoyles, and witnessed a vampire die. Ever since then I had isolated myself in the Center. I had only visited my family once since I had started the program. Most supernaturals were nice, but others weren't. This world was dangerous, especially if you were the smallest fish in the pond.
Yes, it had been a shock finding out that I was a witch.
The first thing I did was ask for self-defense lessons. Guillen had waved it off, so I asked another instructor and she had moved me to Shaima.
"How are your lessons going?" Pol asked.
"She's still getting the better of me." It was frustrating how little progress I was making.
"She's a dragon shifter. Of course she's going to beat you every time," he chuckled.
"She said that I was faster than regular humans." I had hoped I was showing some magical ability.
"You are. We all saw that," Quentin said.
I bit my lip. Quentin was referring to my fight and subsequent flight on my second day at the Center. I didn't want to talk about it.
"I've noticed you haven't fought or challenged anybody since then. Are you scared?" Quentin asked.
"Don't be rude," Beatriz hissed at him.
"She's not scared." Pol's eyes were soft with understanding. "She just doesn't want to hurt anybody. Even if it's Leire."
I suddenly found it difficult to swallow.
"Leire deserved what she got." Quentin shrugged. "It's not like she learned anything anyways. She's still making your life difficult."
The Dragon Research Initiate Program was new to all of us. Jumping into a magical world with the help of a charmstone had been a shock, but most of us managed to adjust. Except for Leire. She seemed intent on making my life a living hell. I supposed I didn't make her adjustment to this new world easy by beating her up on the second day, but I still didn't remember what happened. All I knew is that she had challenged me to a fight, and I had met her challenge, sending her straight to the infirmary. She had been extra horrible since then, trying to find various ways to annoy me.
Beatriz let out a snort. "That's true. Leire never knew how to be sensible," she said. She had the unfortunate experience of knowing Leire before they joined the program.
"Well, at least she knows you can beat her to a pulp." Quentin smirked.
I shook my head. "I don't want to beat her. I hate violence. That's the reason I'm taking self-defense. I don't want to hurt anyone. I want to be able to protect myself without hurting others."
"You're not going to hurt anybody," Pol consoled me. "Besides, you should know about magic."
My eyes widened in shock. "What? What do you mean?"
He smirked and returned to his food.
What did he know?
Three
"You know all about magic," Quentin echoed.
I glanced between my two classmates, Quentin and Pol. "What do you mean?"
"You talked to that gargoyle at the magic store forever. I overheard you asking him about magic," Pol said. He frowned. "What do you think I meant?"
I let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know my secret after all. Beatriz gave me a strange look. I forced a smile on my face. "I don't know. We talked about gargoyles mainly."
"Do you want to go back to that store?" Pol asked us. "I'd love to know more."
I thought about it, stabbing one of the patatas bravas. Maybe I could find some answers to my questions. "Sure, why not?"
Quentin took another bite out of his burger, chewed, and shrugged. He clearly didn't care either way.
"Maybe they sell love potions." Beatriz's eyes lit up. She clapped. "Yes, let's go back there. When can we go?"
Pol laughed. "Who are you trying to spell?"
"Nobody," she mumbled. Her face flushed.
He gave her a lazy grin. "Who is it? We could help you out."
Beatriz tucked her head down in embarrassment. Pol exchanged glances with Quentin. He raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head. I had my suspicions of why she was suddenly so shy, but I wasn't going to give away her secret.
"We'll go tomorrow after classes are over." Quentin finished his burger, licking the crumbs off his fingers.
"What do we have last class tomorrow?" Beatriz asked.
"Dragon Fundamentals," I replied.
We had classes every day from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon when we broke for lunch. After that we resumed classes from five to eight in the evening. The whole program was designed to prepare us for excellence which was why we took regular classes in addition to supernatural ones like Leadership Basics,
Treasure Hunting, Community Dynamics, and Enemy Combat and Self-Defense. It was in the Enemy Combat and Self-Defense class that Leire had challenged me.
"Okay, we'll go there tomorrow," Pol confirmed.
"Do you think that gargoyle will be there?" Beatriz asked me.
"He probably won't. Do you think he hangs out at the store all day?" Quentin answered before I could reply. "He doesn't work there."
"Do you remember how to get there?" Beatriz asked us.
We all laughed. She was joking of course.
"As if I'm going to forget. Guillen just made us go round and round in circles." Quentin rolled his eyes.
"You have to give him credit. We're never going to forget that part of El Born again," Pol said.
I nodded. "Isn't it strange that all these magical creatures have been walking around us for years, but we couldn't see them?"
Technically, I had just moved to Barcelona a few months ago. Before we moved, I lived in a small town outside of Malaga. I had asked Guillen if supernaturals were exclusive to Barcelona and he told me that they were all over the world.
"Yes, and all it took was this." Beatriz raised her hand to show off her ring. A bright charmstone was set in the center. My hand went to the amulet around my neck. My charmstone was in a pendant. I glanced at the guys. Each one of them had a charmstone too.
"I wonder how these charmstones work," Pol mused.
Guillen had taken us on a tour of El Born when we first entered the program. We saw what every human typically saw, from storefronts to the Cathedral and other buildings. But then we had received our charmstones from Karam Jewelry and when we put them on everything around us changed. The world still looked the same, but its secrets were exposed as soon as we had our charmstones. We suddenly saw the supernaturals in all shapes and forms. Human glamour fell away. We saw pointed ears, furry faces, and strange creatures that walked among us invisible from human sight.