Bloodwood Academy Shifter: Semester One (Bloodwood Year One Book 1)

by Rae Foxx

  "Ivy," Saxon said, sweeping up to me as though he was gliding. "My rose, you're safe."

  I leaned into him, letting him smell me before Finn swept me up, his whispered words indistinguishable as Howl pulled me away from the other two and wrapped his arms around me, his wolf growling possessively.

  "Mine," He said with a growl that was meant for the other two. Luckily, they didn't even flinch. They were still staring at me in awe.

  "I see you’ve met," I whispered, all thought of the Gorillas forgotten with the storm that was brewing right here.

  "We have," Howl said. "They found me after you went missing. We've been searching for you for days."

  "Days?" Scarlet and I said in unison.

  "Yes, honeybee," Finn whispered, "unfortunately it took some time for the wolf and the vampire to learn to play nice."

  "Well, I guess it's good I can take care of myself and shit, otherwise we'd still be down there." I laughed, half expecting flowers or some shit, instead, they pressed themselves against me, all three of them, holding me.

  I don't think I had ever felt so complete, all the little cracks in my life that I had never really known were there fitting themselves back together.

  Chapter 22

  It only took one echoed bellow of the Gorilla behind us to high tail it out of there, Saxon hoisting me onto his back when it became obvious that I couldn't keep up with them.

  "Ummm… guys…" I tried to hiss yell as I bumped along on Saxon's back, the guy slowing his pace to run alongside the others. "We have a problem."

  That pulled the attention of everyone, although no one slowed down, I don't think anyone dared, not with how loud the hoots and grunts of the Gorilla's seemed to be.

  "We need to get out of here before we lose to the Donkey Kong brothers. Where are we going?" I asked once everyone was listening.

  "To the dorm."

  "To the Keep."

  "To the Atrium."

  "I have no fucking clue."

  They all spoke at once, all of them slowing and turning toward the other answerers. The forest floor boomed, the howl of gorilla breaking through the trees as they barreled after us. My three guys were now standing still in the middle of a clearing, glaring, snarling, and growling at each other.

  Well, it was mostly Saxon and Howl that were doing the growling, the two posturing each other as they instantly began to bicker about which safe location we were heading to.

  "Stop!" I hollered, forcing myself down from Saxon's back, the guy was not interested in letting me go. "We don't have time for you guys to start measuring your dicks. We need to get out of here. Where are the shifters the least likely to follow?"

  Reluctantly, Howl turned to Saxon, the Vampire already smiling with what I could only explain as glee.

  Deliciously hungry glee.

  "Savor this, bloodsucker, this may be the only time you drag me there," Howl said with more of a growl, the bright yellow eyes of his wolf peering at the smiling vampire. Saxon didn't even flinch, he chomped his teeth in warning.

  Finn was standing to the side, coaxing a bird off a branch and poor Scarlet looked about as lost as I felt.

  I was starting to understand why it took them so long to get their act together.

  "Oh, trust me, wolf, I'll savor every minute," Saxon said as the trees above us rattled with our quickly approaching enemies. Howl snapped at the vampire as he hoisted me onto his back again. Everyone following Saxon as he darted through the trees back to the school that was looming over us.

  With Saxon in the lead, our pace picked up, all of us weaving in and out as we finally broke out of the trees and raced toward the massive main entry of the school.

  Weeks ago, those doors were frightening. Towering slabs of iron and wood that was going to swallow me whole.

  Now, they were like some kind of safety net.

  Instead of plunging through the doors and into the busy school, Saxon turned, everyone following as we raced around the side of the school, over to an overgrown path and into the shadows where it was clear people, living breathing people, did not tread.

  The crisp air of autumn took on a different quality as we continued into the shadows, toward a door that was nestled against the warm stone of the school, sunken into the earth at the base of a long, stained, chipped staircase.

  The iron, spiked doors were coated in ice, the air was dripping with the chill as we descended the crumbling staircase toward the entry.

  "Are we sure this is necessary?" Scarlet whispered from somewhere behind me, her face gray and taut. She wasn't the only one who looked ready to vomit or fight or both. Howl looked ready to bolt.

  "Yes," Saxon said with a purr, fixing his grip against my legs and pulling me closer. "They will not follow us here for the same reason that you do not want to enter. Vampires and Shifters are mortal enemies."

  "Then why the hell do we want to go in there?" Now it was my turn to freak out. No wonder I had been so freaked out by the idea of vampires.

  "Don't worry, my queen," Saxon said, his fingers pressing into my thighs as the door before us opened. "I will keep you safe. You and your friends. And the others that own your blood."

  He balked on that last part. I would have given him a look if I wasn't staring into the icy silence of the school's basement, and vampire hangout.

  The heavy grind of metal and stone was like a dinner bell and Vampires appeared along the edges of the hall as if they had burst from smoke into being, fangs protruding as blood-red eyes stared into us.

  Oh, god. This was a bad idea. A truly terrible, never heard of anything worse, bad idea.

  Even if there was another option, it was too late, we were already walking into the frigid air on the other side the door, past the pale-skinned vampires that were edging themselves closer, watching us go with hungry eyes. Saxon hoisted me closer, holding me tightly as he hissed and snarled in a language I had never heard, staking a claim on us all as we walked through the halls that were as ice-coated as the door.

  Ice that got thicker, colder, and more biting the deeper we moved into the dark tunnels. Each new corner sent us into an even colder wall of air. I was suddenly regretting being on the back of the just as cold vampire. The chill was seeping into my bones from every direction. I didn't have the luxury to walk down the halls like the others and keep my blood pumping.

  Not that it would have helped. Scarlet and Howl were clinging to themselves as they shuffled behind us. The only person who didn't seem too fussed was Finn, but seeing as he appeared to be glowing he was probably doing so tricky magic thing.

  "They may not bite me, but I am going to freeze to death," Scarlet said with chattering teeth, falling back a bit.

  "Do not fret, just a few more steps." Saxon's voice was a purr against my shivering body as he turned another corner, walked a few more steps and opened a wooden door with such a flourish that if I hadn't been frozen to his back I might have flung right off it.

  I did anyway, the second wave of heat and the smell of a crackling fire hit, my still weak legs nearly collapsing as I tried to throw myself into the room. Thankfully Saxon caught me before I went all the way down, Finn, Howl, and Scarlet already through the door as if the heat was a magnet.

  "Make yourself comfortable," Saxon called to the three who were huddled around the massive fire, hands out. They hadn't even seemed to notice the massive amount of overstuffed furniture that was littered through the stone room, couches and armchairs all made for multiple people with weird arms and backs and… chains…

  What the hell?

  Despite being told to get comfortable, no one moved, they all huddled around the fire as the vampiric cold left their bones. Thank god Saxon got the message and instead of setting me on one of the many chairs, settled me against the warm hearthstones, the heat radiating through me as he turned my head, the golden red of his eyes peering at the gash I had there. Both from the still throbbing ache and the amount of impact it had taken to knock me out.

  Before
I could stop him, he leaned forward, tongue darting out to smother the aching cut, licking at the blood that must have been oozing out of it.

  It was a weird feeling, having someone lick your head, or rather your blood. It twisted in something that was halfway between disgust and desire.

  Saxon pulled back to look at me, a bit of red on his lip as the look of pleasure at the taste of my blood faded to disgust as his face screwed up in what was anger.

  "What? Am I rancid or something?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

  "On the contrary, you have been drugged." The other two turned as Saxon's proclamation, flocking to my side in worry.

  Scarlet, however, only turned to warm her backside and said, "Yeah we know, they did that so that they could control her magic."

  "Magic?" Saxon and Finn said together.

  Howl growled, the loud feral noise bouncing off the stone walls. "Who were they?"

  "You know who they are, Howl. We all heard Anatoly and his brothers. They only serve one resentful god."

  I had never heard Scarlet stand up to Howl before. She instantly regretted it. If only because he punched one of the chairs so hard the back collapsed, growling with animalistic veracity before he stomped away, yelling about killing him.

  Thank god Saxon could move as fast as lightning, he was before Howl in a flash, coaxing him back, the two whispered and hissed at each other like the mortal enemies they were.

  "Great," I grumbled, shoulders collapsing, mostly because even sitting was taking a bit of work, that stuff was trying to work its way through my system.

  "It is not your fault, Ivy," Finn said, kneeling beside me, his wide hand running up and down my back comfortingly. I could practically feel the warmth ooze from his hand through my vile and destroyed shirt. "He was so very worried, honeybee. We all were, but somehow, I think he feels responsible. This is harder on him."

  "He should feel responsible," Scarlet grumbled, still warming her ass on the flames. "They should know better than to try to stand up to Pater."

  I was starting to understand how true that statement was.

  "This is perhaps a little bit of my fault as well," Finn said, his hand still roaming over my back, picking against the tiny bit of exposed skin on my waistline. "I arranged for them to get together. I do not wish my mate's heart to ache. I do not wish for our group to be incomplete."

  His frustration seeped into the air, adding to the already heavy pressure thanks to watching Howl and Saxon. At least they weren't yelling at each other.

  "Thank you, Finn," I said, leaning into him and pressing a kiss against the corner of his mouth. "I have a feeling this was going to happen anyway."

  "What do you mean, honeybee?"

  "There was no way they would have known about me and Howl mating. They planned this before that. They wanted to get rid of me."

  Howl and Saxon stopped at my answer, all of them looking me straight in the eyes. My wolf mate was in pain. I moved to stand, to rush to him and kiss him and hold him, but the quick movement sent my head spinning and sunk back down to the hearth with a sigh, Finn holding me against him, his lips against my temple.

  Howl was storming back.

  "Ivy, I don't understand all of this," Howl admitted with his head tipped downward.

  "Them taking me?" I asked, leaning into Finn. "Your father was clear what would happen if we didn't stay away from each other. He didn't want to take the chance. He keeps his word, that much is for sure."

  "No," he said with more of a growl, hand running through his hair as he looked from me to Finn, then to Saxon who was calmly walking to rejoin the group. "I mean, my wolf says you are mine."

  "Oh," I gestured for him to come down, thankful when he kneeled before me, almost looking like a prince with how smooth the motion was. I took his face in my hands. "I am yours."

  "But…" Howl's gaze flicked to Saxon and Finn again.

  "I belong to all of you. Each of you belongs to me."

  He swallowed. I watched the motion of his Adam's apple bob. Scarlet's prediction about the wolf in this scenario not being quite up for sharing seemed to be correct.

  I didn't know exactly how to fix this or help him be comfortable with the whole three on one thing. I had to try.

  "Maybe he should read the book," Saxon said in a low voice, looking between us. Scarlet had the sense to go back to warming her hands by the fire. "It will explain everything."

  I laughed. Thinking of that book, and sharing what was one of the pages with these three was doing weird things to my stomach.

  "That book is like vintage porn," I sighed, shifting my weight again. "It doesn't say anything about us. It only tells of ancient ones who practiced mating harems."

  "Harems?" Howl said with a squeak. "You mean like kings and their concubines?"

  "A bit," Saxon said, his air making it clear he had read the book several times before. "These were the original harems. These were women who were direct descendants of the original ones, their protectors. The queens and the ones who their power bonded with. The males chose to help please, pleasure and protect their mate."

  "Oh god." Now it was my turn to squeak. Saxon's voice had taken on that low quality again, making me wonder if Vampires could suck the air from the room or something.

  "Okay. That's enough of that please," Scarlet said, clearly unable to take anymore.

  "Agreed," Howl was growling again. "Besides, this explains nothing. Harems for the originals exist, but how was Ivy able to bond, to mate with all of us. My vote is on you doing something, bloodsucker. We all know you guys thrive on blood and sex." He was looking around the room as though it had offended him.

  "True," Saxon said with a wry smile, "but in this case, I can assure that has not happened. I possess the knowledge of Harems, not the answer as to why."

  "I have an idea on that," Scarlet chimed in, turning around to face us again. I had a feeling that the red on her cheeks wasn't from the flame. "Ivy got us out of there using magic-- magic no one knows she had until a few hours ago. She's got to be a mix."

  Finn chuckled and kneaded my waist with his hand. "I for one already knew that. I can smell the power on her. I am sure Saxon can taste it as well. But a mix? I had never thought of that. How can we find out more about who you are, honeybee?"

  "I bet Nicky's got the info," Scarlet said, finally abandoning the fireplace to sink into one of the massive chairs, although she avoided the chains. "That woman is way too interested in your blood and shit. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was a vamp." Her eyes flicked to Saxon. "No offense."

  He chuckled deep and low. "None taken. But your friend does have a point. Maybe we need to visit the Headmaster's office."

  I threw up my hands. "You think she's going to smile and let us peruse my file? There's no way."

  "I may or may not know some people who could help," Scarlet offered, a weird wide smile taking over her features.

  "Who?" I asked, sure that grin wasn't for the danger we were about to fling ourselves in to.

  "The twins. They've got schemes up their sleeves. No one knows the shit they get into. No one but me." She seemed fairly proud of that fact, something I was going to have to ask her about later. After we survived whatever danger we were about to find ourselves in.

  "It could work. Create a diversion, sneak in and find your file," Howl said with a nod to me, the muscles in his arms still pulsing where he had folded them over his waist.

  I slapped my hands on my thighs. "Let's go find out what the hell I am."

  "Yes," Saxon said, letting the sounds drag out. "However, perhaps it would be smart to lay low for the night. Let Anatoly and his brothers complete their search of the school before we go masquerading through the halls."

  "Point taken," Scarlet said, looking down at her clothes that were just as ripped, dirty, and vile as mine. "I would, however, like to clean up and get some sleep that is not on a stone floor. Then we can grab the boys in the morning and get going."

  "I like this pl
an," Howl said, the tone in his voice not very believable.

  "Scarlet, that door leads to a bathroom if you would like to freshen up," Saxon said, pointing to one of the many doors around us. "There are clothes in there as well. As you can see, we have no shortage of beds."

  "Oh! Is that what these are?" I exclaimed, earning myself a look from pretty much everyone. I chose to ignore them.

  I was instantly jealous as Scarlet ran to the door. I was still sitting on the edge of the hearthstones, which while warm were not nearly as good as the hot water I could hear from beyond the door.

  "Is there a second bathroom or am I going to be stuck in these gross clothes?" I asked with a smirk, already kicking off my vile sneakers and letting them settle on the floor.

  "You don't have to ask twice," Finn murmured in a husky purr, picking me up and leading us all through a second door that led to a second steam-filled bathroom. I gaped at the massive place, not wanting to know what kind of a place this was that had two bathrooms and enough squishy furniture that I wouldn't have to nap on the same one more than twice a year.

  "Do I wish to know how you know the layout of a Keep?" Saxon asked with a low drawl, giving Finn a side-eye as they sat me on a wooden chair with a grate for a seat and two long strips of wood that suck out of it like arms.

  "I've been invited to a few of your kind's parties in my time," Finn said his eyes not leaving mine. "Before I found the only one I will ever need again."

  Finn kissed me firmly on the lips, the touch needy and worried before he pressed his cheek to mine and whispered ‘My honeybee' in my ear.

  He was gone in a flash, leaving Saxon and a very angry Howl to help me undress while Finn started the water.

  I could undress, but honestly, this way was so much more fun. Saxon seemed to agree with how his icy hands lingered on my hips, breasts, and the cup of my ass as he slowly stripped me bare.

  It was all too much for Howl, who was pacing the massive room like a rat in the box, grumbling about impossibilities and wolves and mates and of course, his dad.

  "Howl," I asked, as I tried to stand, completely naked, he turned, eyed the still healing bite on my hip and froze in place, his fists knots by his side. "Come here."