Upended Life (Artemis University Book 1)

by Erin R Flynn

  “Well, that blows,” I sighed, realizing I just totally screwed this guy. “Shit, I didn’t know that. Sorry.”

  He studied me carefully and nodded. “I’d rather have you than some prissy bitch who whines until I do her homework and then complains it’s my fault she failed her test.”

  That left me speechless. Yeah, I was better than that.

  “Um, so we’re starting now?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I was instructed to give you a tour, get you situated—basically everything the administration doesn’t want to bother with. Then we can discuss your classes and a plan.”

  “Great, throw in a shower and breakfast and I’m all yours.” I bit back a smirk when his nostrils flared. Guys were so much fun to poke at.

  “Assuming you don’t take a half an hour one and longer to get ready, sure, I can handle something and come back,” he agreed.

  “Fifteen minutes tops and that’s because my life is like this,” I drawled, gesturing to the bags. “I can do laundry here, right?”

  “Yes, we’ll head there before breakfast as it’s going to get packed with all the freshmen who always spill something on a full bag.”

  So he had an issue with freshmen too. Great. The headmaster was right that the guy was prickly.

  He left and I finally took a good look around the room. It was a good size for a college dorm from what I’d seen on TV and stuff, but not crazy big. The queen-sized beds were nice, but I’d need bedding for mine. There were two big windows so plenty of light and hopefully a good view from the second floor.

  The bathroom we shared with the room on the other side of it was fairly big too. Definitely enough storage space for four, I would think, at least as long as we didn’t bring all of our shit in there.

  I grabbed my stuff, glad I had a towel even if it was crappy. Yeah, so I needed to do some shopping for sure.

  Or go to one of the dead fairies’ houses that were now mine. Wow, that was morbid and… I wasn’t sure what to file it under besides weird.

  Still, it gave me a lot more options than I’d had yesterday, right?

  I took a quick shower and, after a bit of searching, found my “gift” skirt. I tossed it and stuffed clothes I needed to wash into that bag, just going to do the whole thing.

  After some thought while I got dressed, I grabbed some cash in the hopes they had detergent vending and whatnot. I stuffed my room key in my pocket and grabbed my packet so we could talk over breakfast.

  Darby was raising his hand to knock when I opened the door. I handed him the packet, figuring he needed to see it, and locked up.

  “Right, laundry is in the basement. Well, it is for the vampires and I would assume you, as this building is a copy of ours,” he said.

  I nodded, staring at him. So he was a vampire. Maybe prickly was their thing? That guy last night was.

  My wandering thoughts were cut off when we reached the laundry room. I bit back a giggle.

  The place was the swankiest laundry room I’d ever seen, nothing like laundromats. There was a huge shelf full of just about every detergent type, fabric softener, and more. And the machines were free to use.

  Okay then.

  I quickly sorted as I loaded two machines and got them running, thanking Darby for waiting. He nodded and handed me the map so I could start getting acclimated as he led the way. The cafeteria wasn’t all that far, the dorms surrounding it.

  Again, I swallowed a laugh. The place was aces. Like a huge Vegas kind of buffet.

  “Is this the only place? Are there a lot of students?”

  “Yes, and that’s why they do it up,” he answered as he led me towards the trays. “Artemis University is a fully accredited university and while not the numbers of a state college, our numbers are what smaller universities have.”

  I nodded as I followed after him, taking my packet back for right then and putting it in my bag. “Um, do we get like Amazon here? I need to order sheets and stuff or I’m sleeping on a bare mattress.”

  Shit, why was I so nervous?

  Oh right, the past twenty-four hours.

  “Yes, I’ll show you where we can pick them up by the security office. The difference between our school and other campuses is it isn’t open. Anyone has to go through security and be checked in, cleared as a student to get on the grounds.”

  “Cool.” Maybe a bit tight-laced, but after finding out I’m rare and the last fairy in the world… I was cool with secure. For sure.

  I loaded up my tray with plates, glancing around at all the options but not finding what I wanted.

  “Is there something specific you want?” Darby asked me.

  “Juice?”

  He nodded, stepping in front of me and leading the way. “On the other side is a full coffee and juice bar. It’s fresh squeezed every morning and you can blend it as you want.”

  The way he said it was informative but something else. Resentful? Could you resent juice?

  Oh, if you were the one who had to do it.

  “You work here?” I guessed.

  His shoulders went stiff but he nodded. “Yes, my scholarship includes only tuition and room and board. There aren’t many other options for jobs given campus is remote. Most of the workers you’ll see our age are student workers.”

  “Wow, that blows. They really make you bust ass for that free education money,” I grumbled.

  I knew lots of scholarships only included that. But yeah, given it was remote, making people work in front of the rich students they went to class with was kind of shitty.

  Well, depending on how petty and stuck up those students were. I got the feeling there would be more than a few scenes like movies with bully girls for sure.

  Gut instinct.

  Or life experience. I swallowed loudly, remembering how badly I was bullied when I was younger.

  I’m not that kid anymore. She fled that life and turned herself into a person I like when I look in the mirror.

  “No coffee?” Darby asked me after I finished at the juice station.

  I shook my head. “Ever seen Hoodwinked?” I waited until he nodded. “I’m the squirrel if I have coffee. Most caffeine besides the occasional Mountain Dew.”

  “Odd. Most supes live off the stuff.” He snorted. “Most human college students either.”

  I shrugged. “I never got into it. I’m sure I could learn to tolerate it but I find a cold shower in the morning and fresh juice does way better.”

  He gave me another curious look. “You must have strong earth magic or something to be tied into natural stuff.”

  I snorted. “I love junk food way too much to ever be labeled as a natural eater.”

  His lips twitched into his almost first smile but it was progress.

  We found a spot to sit and I handed over the packet again when he waved for it. He looked it over as I dug into my food, doing my best not to have a food porn experience it was all so good. I mean, excellent food.

  Damn, this alone might be worth coming here.

  “Darby,” a too high voice sang as a woman about his age came bouncing over. “There you are, Darby! I went to the office to request you but I was told you were already taken. That just won’t do.”

  Darby didn’t even look up, shrugging. “I go where I’m assigned, Holly.”

  “Well, you need to drop them and tutor me again.” She ran her fingers over his shoulder until he looked at her. She gave him a smug smile. “Seriously, do it. I wouldn’t want to have to complain that you weren’t doing what you should and risk your scholarship, right?”

  “I can’t drop who I’m assigned to,” he bit out. “I don’t have a choice.”

  “We’ll just have to figure out a way to work around that, won’t we? I’ll let you know when—”

  “No, that’s not happening,” I cut in, giving her a smirk. “I’m who he was assigned to.” I picked up my knife and flipped it in my hand as I leaned on my other hand, my elbow on the table to prop myself up. “And I need his full attenti
on as the headmaster promised me the best.” I spun the knife in my hand as I kept her pissed gaze. “Do you understand me?”

  She gave me a sickly-sweet smile. “Surely you’re not so stupid you can’t share him. I’ll make sure he does your homework too.”

  I chuckled darkly. “I probably could share him but I won’t.” I twirled the knife again, pointedly looking at her neck. “So I suggest you walk away, leave my tutor alone, and learn to do your own fucking homework, you lazy shrill leech.”

  Darby cleared his throat. “Don’t say that here. It’s racist talk for vamps.”

  I nodded I heard him. “Is vulture cool? What about one of those aliens that sucks the life out of people? Either works for her.”

  She slapped her hand on the table and leaned over to get in my face. “Listen here, you little—”

  I stood and did the same… But I had the knife in my hand so it landed between her fingers.

  “Fuck with Darby and you will not like the consequences. I don’t care who you are, who you blow, or who your parents are, you get me?”

  I smirked when she glanced down at the knife and swallowed loudly before nodding.

  “Good, spread the word. I find out anyone else blackmailed him for homework and they deal with me.”

  She slowly slid her hand away as she stood up again, narrowing her eyes at me. “And who are you?”

  “Tamsin Vale.”

  “You just messed with the wrong woman, Tamsin Vale.”

  I smirked at her as I sat down. “I’m shaking.”

  “You will be.”

  I bobbed my head like sure, sure and gave her a wave to scurry off before beaming at Darby. “You were saying about the plan for this year?”

  Darby glanced over where Holly stormed off before looking back at me. “You will probably regret that.”

  I shook my head as I cut into my crepes. “No, I never regret being able to look myself in the mirror.” I smiled at him as I took too big of a bite. “Besides, I’m always armed.”

  He gave me a look that said he didn’t know if I was kidding or not.

  I wasn’t but I didn’t need to scare my tutor when I needed him. I winced, thinking of that. “I feel bad enough you got stuck with me when you didn’t volunteer, but I do really need help, not someone to do my homework.”

  He opened his mouth to reply but before he could, a few guys approached us, the one in the front smiling brightly.

  “That was awesome. Seriously, Holly had steam coming out of her ears.” He sat down next to Darby. “You’re new and hot. I’m Juan. Who are you?”

  He was a whole lot of too much that early was what he was, but his smile was sincere, and I liked that. He looked like a Juan with his caramel skin and Hispanic heritage.

  “Tamsin,” I answered, glancing at the others in his group. I locked gazes with eyes so vibrant blue they were almost violet and energy danced over my skin. It was weird, like when I got agitated, but instead of inside of me, it was all around me, as if my hair should be standing up.

  What was that?

  I saw from his eyes that he felt it too, but I looked away before he said anything. He was a whole lot of tall, dark, and trouble for sure.

  “Tamsin what?” Juan asked me, pulling the focus back to him.

  “Vale.”

  He frowned. “I don’t know any Vales. I’m a dragon.”

  “Cool.” I cut into my crepes and took a bite as I stared at him. I knew what he wanted but I wasn’t going to give it to him.

  “Where are your people from?” he tried again, losing his smile when I kept eating without answering. “I mean, um, what dorm are you staying at?”

  “I’m staying at the witch dorm.”

  The smile came back. “Oh, so you’re a witch.”

  “She didn’t say that,” someone muttered.

  “I didn’t,” I agreed.

  “So what are you?” Juan pushed, blowing a raspberry when I raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, it sounds rude when I say it like that.”

  “Yeah, but it sounds rude no matter how you phrase it when I clearly don’t want to answer,” I purred. A few chuckled but it also brought us more attention.

  “She’s the unknown everyone was all wound up about last night,” a woman said as she joined us. “So which cliché are you, honey?” Her voice dripped with fake sympathy as she batted her equally fake eyelashes at me. She sighed when I didn’t answer. “Come on now, we all have lives.”

  “So go live them. You especially can live far from me,” I drawled as I focused on my food.

  But of course she didn’t as this whole scene was getting to be cliché.

  “My money’s on the rare human-born witch, which is how she ended up here,” the woman continued like I hadn’t said anything. “Is that it? You burned your boyfriend when he dumped you? Or maybe an orphan who was living with a family who didn’t want to admit what you were and tried to hide it? Are you a half-breed?”

  “No, probably an orphan who was supposed to be filled in but someone wanted her inheritance but her powers freaked out so they stuck her here,” one of her equally fake friends added.

  The orphan thing was hitting a bit too close for me to keep up this charade. I set down my fork and wiped my mouth, smiling in a way I knew didn’t reach my eyes.

  “Let’s be honest that you don’t care what my cliché is since yours is attention whore. People are focused on someone besides you and it chaps your bully cliché ass that is probably as fake as the rest of you as every inch of you is fake.”

  “Watch yourself,” she snarled at me. “You don’t want to play with me, little girl.”

  “You sure?” I taunted.

  She smirked at me. “Sure, let’s play. Maybe it would be best to put you in your place right away as clearly you shouldn’t be here.”

  I wanted to roll my eyes. Good, another cliché that I was from the wrong side of the tracks. I pushed to stand, sighing loudly as I moved my boot on the chair next to me.

  I pulled out the knife I had in the sewn-in sheath there along with my extendable baton. Flicking my wrist, I extended it to the full length before setting both on the table.

  Switching boots, I pulled another knife and a slim one-time-use Mace. I reached behind me and removed the knife from the sheath that clipped to my belt and hid inside my jeans.

  Next was the small Taser in my front pocket and a throwing knife strapped to my left arm under my shirt.

  “Is that all of them?” someone asked after a few beats.

  “No, but if I show them all, people know how to disarm me of all of them,” I answered honestly, my eyes on the woman. “Still want to play with me? Because I have no problems playing with you.”

  “There is no way you can carry all that shit at school,” she hissed at me, glancing around as if wanting to tattle on me.

  “Oh, yes I can. It was part of the agreement of my coming here as I absolutely knew there would be trouble from idiots like you who see newbies or people you want gone as prey. But I’m not fucking prey, so walk away and go work on those powers of yours as you’re clearly lacking on an important one, little girl,” I replied.

  “Which one?” she demanded.

  “Self-preservation,” Darby answered for me, his eyes shocked when I glanced at him.

  “Glad someone else gets it,” I praised. I picked up my weapons and started putting them all back. “Good talk. Find me when you want to play, otherwise I suggest you piss off as we’re not mates.” I glanced at Juan. “Any more pushy questions I don’t owe you the answers to?”

  “Nope, I’m good,” he chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender.

  “Then nice to meet you.” I looked at Darby. “I’m going for some donuts. You want anything?”

  He shook his head. “Where are you putting all of that?”

  “Tell me she’s homeless,” that second friend fake whispered. “That’s the cliché. She was living on the streets and she’s a scholarship student now out of pity.”
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  “Nope,” I replied, popping that P with feeling. “I was living in a rental, all on my own, in the real world that would eat you alive without your mommy and daddy.” I finished with my weapons and pushed my chair out. “And the scholarship students don’t need your pity. They earned their spots here. You bought yours, or your parents did since you don’t have any money of your own, right?”

  I walked off to get some tasty carbs and sugar, totally done with the drama. I doubted it was done with me as I knew I threw fuel on the fire, but I wouldn’t ever just take the crap again.

  Not ever.

  5

  “Are you just trying to make everyone hate you?” Darby asked when I came back to the table.

  I shrugged as I sat. “I’m not here to make friends.” I batted my eyelashes at him. “But clearly you adore me already and I think it’s better to go for quality, not quantity.”

  His lips barely twitched, which meant I’d gotten two almost half smiles. Not bad for someone so prickly. It was an amusing game at least.

  “Let’s go over your schedule,” he said, handing it over to me.

  I hadn’t had a chance to look at it really yet so I was glad we were getting to that. Especially since I hadn’t been to school in four years.

  And never finished high school.

  “You’re the only unknown I’ve heard of at the school, unless there’s another freshman, but Edelman didn’t mention it to me,” he said after giving me a few minutes to review it. “You don’t have the normal electives but basically for those who went to human schooling for whatever reason. Whereas most of us went to supe high schools. So you won’t be the only one, but those classes will be small.”

  I nodded, let out a slow breath as my anxiety ramped up.

  Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, my schedule was mostly what I thought he was referring to with the “Intro” class.

  Intro to Supernaturals

  8-9:45

  Professor White

  Physical Training I