Marked: Black Water Academy: Book One

by Murphy, Sloane

  A knock on the door makes me sigh and I get up to open it, to find a tall, dark-haired stranger with golden skin and a dangerous smile. I feel a small flip flop inside my stomach, that excites me but makes me feel uneasy at the same time.

  “Hi,” I say, “Can I help you?” I try to look around him, but the way he’s leaning with his arms above him against the top of the doorjamb makes him fill the space with nothing but him. His cobalt eyes shine, but they seem sad—dark even—like I could fall into them and never find my way out, a complete contradiction with his smile.

  “I heard we had a new student, and I just wanted to make sure you’d been welcomed properly.” That devilish smile appears again, bigger this time, showcasing a dimple in his left cheek that holds my attention.

  “My name is Augustine Creed, but you can call me Gus. All of my friends do.” I measure him up, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach, but fail. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about Augustine Creed doesn’t feel quite right, and yet I feel an instant pull to him. Something deep inside me calls to him.

  “I’m Eden, Eden DeMontford. And I think I’ll call you Creed. It seems fitting.” I cross my arms across my chest and take a small step backwards as he crosses the threshold into the room. He raises a hand to my fiery hair and tucks a strand behind my ear.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Eden. Welcome to Black Water Academy. Hopefully, I’ll get to see you again.” He spins on his heel and walks away from me, leaving me completely confused about why he even appeared at my door. I close it behind him and decide to lock it, just in case anyone else wants to visit. I lay back down on the bed and get comfortable. I haven’t slept in a bed this nice in longer than I want to think about.

  Closing my eyes, I see those deep cobalt ones looking back at me again before I drift off into the most peaceful sleep I’ve had since my family’s death.

  * * *

  I wake up, but I don’t recognize the room. Fear runs through me until I hear her voice.

  “She’s just a child, Christian. I can’t abandon her.”

  “Dannika, she might only be a child, but you don’t know how dangerous she could be. How on earth are you going to explain her?”

  “I’ll think of something. We’ll change her name. Hell, we’ll move away from here if needs be; but I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t help her. I promised Athena and Tristan that I would take care of her and Adam if anything ever happened to them. I was too late to help them, or Adam… but I can take care of her. I can protect her. I just need you to help me. I know you know the right people to get me papers for her. To get us out of here if we need to.”

  “Auntie D?” I call out, trying to remember what happened and why I’m here.

  “Hey, sweetie, you’re okay, I’m here. I’ll be up in two minutes okay?” she calls up to me.

  “Just please, Christian. Help me, just this once, and I’ll never ask you to help me ever again.” She pleads.

  “Fine, I’ll help. But this is a bad idea. I’m just putting that out there right now.”

  “Your opinion is clearly noted. Now, I’ve got to get upstairs and explain to this poor girl that her family are never coming back and try to convince her that she’s going to be okay.”

  I start to cry at her words. I want my daddy. He said he’d come back for me.

  * * *

  The rumbling of my stomach wakes me. I’m surrounded by darkness. I sit up and try to let my eyes adjust, before I root around in the drawer in the nightstand beside the bed for the matches to light the candles upon it. The flame bursts to life at my fingertips as I strike a match and light them, softly illuminating the room. I put the glass shade around the top of the light to protect the flame and move around the room, lighting the other candles in here. While it might be simpler to flick a switch and flood the room with light, I prefer the soft flickering of candles. I try to shake off my dream. I haven’t dreamed in a long time. Not since before…

  My stomach rumbles again and reminds me how long it’s been since I ate anything. I finish securing the candles and grab my cardigan from my pack. Wrapping it around myself, I slip on my Converse and head out of my room back to the dining hall. I hope to God that I’ve not missed it and that I don’t get lost on the way.

  I walk down the stairs and through the corridors. People look at me funny as I wander the hallways looking for the dining hall. Finally, I hear what sounds like a wall of voices and follow those to what is probably the biggest cafeteria I’ve ever seen. A line of students leads through an arch, then at the other end of the wall, students appear with trays of food before sitting down on one of the many, many round tables in here. I join the back of the queue and try not to look too out of place as the assortment of smells hits my senses. So many different species, all in one place.

  “Well, fancy seeing you here, Eden.” I look up and see Creed with two other guys behind him like sentinels.

  “Creed,” I nod at him, not sure why he’s here talking to me, but I feel people looking at me now that he’s drawn attention to my presence, or at least, they’re looking at him and wonder who I am. “It’s dinner time, where else would I be?”

  “Good point. This is Colt and Jeremy; guys, this is Eden.” He says as he joins the line behind me. “So, how come you’re here before everyone else?

  “My group home got their dates mixed up, I guess.” Jeremy and Colt snigger behind Creed before he glares at them.

  “Group home? That had to suck, sorry.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “It is what it is. It could have been worse. I’m here now, and that’s what I need to focus on.” We shuffle forward with the line, and as we reach the doorway, a tall guy with short blond hair and piercing green eyes approaches us from the entryway.

  “What are you up to, Gus?” the blond says, standing tall before us.

  “Oh, Ethan, goody, you’re here.” Creed sneers. “I’d like you to meet my new friend, Eden.”

  Ethan looks me over, and he straightens. “You should really pick your friends more carefully,” he says with disappointment.

  “Excuse me?” I bristle. Who the hell is this guy?

  He dismisses me and faces Creed again. “You should know better.” He huffs before he turns and walks away.

  “Who the hell was that?” I ask, shock and disbelief still palpable.

  “That pretty boy was Ethan Beaumont. House Captain of the Lions. Isn’t he a joy?” Creed laughs.

  “House Captain?” I ask.

  “You really are super new to all of this aren’t you?” He smiles as we walk forward in the line and he grabs two trays, handing me one. “There are five houses: the Dragons, the Lions, the Scorpions, the Bears and the Phoenixes. Each house has a House Master or Mistress—a teacher—but it also has two captains: one guy, one girl, who basically lead the house. I am the captain of the Scorpions,” he says with a wink as he adds a sandwich and some fries to his tray, reminding me to grab some food. I grab the same and follow him to the blood bank section. He grabs a bottle and looks at me with a lifted eyebrow when I reach for two.

  “It’s been a little while,” I tell him with a shrug and put both bottles on my tray and follow him to the checkout where he swipes his student ID, and points to me before walking out of the other door, with Jeremy and Colt behind us as we head to a table. As soon as we sit, a blonde-haired girl flounces over and takes a seat on the other side of Creed.

  “Amberley,” Creed nods, before opening his bottle of blood and chugging it down. I break off the straw from the side of the bottle and pierce the top and sip at mine as I eat my fries, just looking out across the sea of students. Each year, roughly two-hundred-and-fifty new students join this academy, and since we’re here for four years, that’s a lot of people. I take a deep breath and try not to let my anxiety rise.

  “Who’s the newb?” Amberley asks Creed, pointing to me.

  “The newb can speak,” I tell her. “I’m Eden.” She rolls her eyes and looks back
at Creed who is smiling behind a cough.

  “Why is she here?”

  “What’s the problem, Amberley? Worried that she’ll take your place?” he says stonily, and her face drops.

  “I’m House Captain; she couldn’t take my place.”

  “Then what’s the problem? Eden is new, and a new friend.”

  “You’re just usually more careful picking your friends, is all.” She says flicking her hair over her shoulder. Standing, she bends and kisses his cheek while looking me in the eye, and I fight the urge to roll mine as I finish my first bottle.

  “You could just pee on him, that would do the job just as well,” I mutter, and she stands quickly and walks away with a huff. I open the second bottle of blood and chug this one down faster. I feel heat flood my system as it registers the nourishment and sigh gently. I haven’t felt this good in a while.

  “So, why the group home?” Creed asks me, while Colt and Jeremy chat away between themselves.

  “My mom died a few years ago. The Council sent some lackey to pick me up from the hospital, and I was put in the home because we had no other living relatives.” I shrug, look down at my plate and let my hair shield my face. Dannika’s death still feels like it was only yesterday, despite the horror of the last two years.

  “What about you?”

  “Me?” he says, bringing his attention back to me.

  “Yes, tell me about you, now you know my sad story.” I laugh.

  “There isn’t much to tell really. I am from the Creed line, one of the starting families in the Uprising. I have a younger sister and an older brother. Our entire family have always been House Scorpion, and always House Captain. My father runs his empire of blood banks and thinks he’s king of the goddamn world.” He shakes the bottle of blood at me, and I can’t help but smile softly.

  “Heavy lies the crown for a prince of the world.”

  “Something like that. Enough of that for now. Obviously, you’re a Vampire. Our kind tends to group together within the houses, but I wonder which house you’ll end up in.” He studies me closely, so much so I feel uncomfortable. A bell rings out and the entire place stands, the volume rising with it.

  “Time to head back to dorms. Are you going to be okay finding your way back?”

  “I’ll be fine, thanks,” I smile a small smile, and gather my tray together, as he and his friends leave. I notice the eyes on me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I see him staring. Ethan.

  His bright green eyes burn as they lock with mine and it’s as if every nerve ending I have is on fire. I tear my eyes away and rub my arms to get rid of the sensations, sneaking a look back at him to see if he felt it too. He’s walking away from me, and I feel my cheeks heat. What the hell was that?

  One Week Later

  The bells rings, waking me from my restless sleep. It’s finally induction day. I’ve spent the last week exploring the school, trying not to get lost and failing miserably more often than not, while avoiding people in general. I have to remember that it’s easier not to get close to people, because then I don’t have to lie so much. I shower and dress, packing my things back into my backpack and close up the room. The walls pulse with energy as supes flood through the gates. So many people being dropped off by their families for induction. As I walk the halls towards the main entry hall, I can hear the excited voices bounce off the stone walls.

  Once I arrive, I hide in a back corner, keeping to myself, just watching as the hall fills with people.

  “Ladies and gentlemen.” Mrs. Hale hovers above the crowd, her voice booming across the room which falls silent at her words. “Welcome to Black Water Academy, where supes of all species come to hone their skills and learn to control their powers. Now if you’ll all please say your goodbyes, students, you need to line up single file so we can enter the grand hall, and the housing ritual can begin!” She claps and descends to the floor as a mass of movement happens, with parents and siblings leaving, and a lot of wide-eyed teenagers remaining in the hall. We might all be the same age, but I couldn’t feel less like these people if I tried. I join the line that forms at the back, my backpack still on my shoulder, when Mrs. Hale appears before me.

  “Tsk, tsk, Miss DeMontford. No bags allowed during the ritual. Hand it over, and I’ll ensure it is waiting in your dorm for you.” She places her hand out in front of her, and I drop the strap on my bag into it. “Thank you,” she says with a smile before disappearing into the mass ahead of me. I lift the giant hood of my hoodie and zip up my leather jacket. My black-on-black ensemble was meant to help me blend into the background and considering no-one else has said a word to me, I guess it’s working. I keep my head down and my hands tucked into my pockets, while staying hyper-aware of my surroundings, listening to the excited and nervous voices of the other students ahead of me. The line starts to move forward, and we’re ushered into a huge round room, the walls lined with bleacher style seats. The room is full of current students, with a few rows of seats empty at the front. The room is divided into six: the five houses, and the staff, I notice as I take in the different color robes of the houses, standing out from the black of the staff. The new students are filed down to seats on the floor surrounding the circular stage in the middle of the room where Laney stands with Mrs. Hale. In the middle of the stage is a raised podium to about chest height, that looks like its carved from shiny black stone. I can’t help but stare at it, as if it calls to me, singing, telling me to come closer. Someone knocks into me from behind knocking me out of my trance.

  “Oh for God’s sake, will you move already?” I hear a huff and turn to see a five-foot-nothing girl with a black pixie haircut stood behind me with her arms crossed. “You just need to go take a seat; it doesn’t matter which.” She rolls her eyes as I just stare at her incredulously as she walks around me to the seats which are filling quickly. I look around and make my way across the room to one of the few empty seats left, and slide into one as the lights in the room dim and a low hum begins. A flash in the center of the room grabs my attention, as I feel the magic sweep out across the room, leaving my skin tingling.

  “Welcome, class of 2025, to Black Water Academy. The next four years will be tough, more for some of you than others.” Laney’s voice rings out as the light rises gently. She walks around the stage, making sure she has everyone’s attention. “Not all of you will graduate the Academy, some of you will join The Forsaken. While it is not something we want, I need you all to understand the very real dangers and possibilities that come with being a supernatural. This being said, most of you will graduate, and will go out into our world and help make it better. You can be anything you choose to be if you put your mind to it. Today is the start of your future; today is the day you accept that you can be more than you ever dreamed of. Today is the first step towards everything you ever wanted. But first, the housing ritual. The ritual has stood for as long as our Academies have stood. Thousands of years of tradition. Each Academy across the world holds the same ritual, and when you join your house, you join your new family. The Lions.” She says and a roar rips across the bleachers opposite me, and I spot Ethan sat front and center, cheering for his house.

  “The Bears.” Another roar breaks out of the crowd to the right of the Lions.

  “The Phoenixes.” Claps and whoops call out to the right of the Bears, directly to my right.

  “The Scorpions.” Voices boom from behind me, making me jump, and I turn to see Creed and Amberley front and center of their house. Creed looks down to me and winks before redirecting his gaze back to the stage.

  “And, The Dragons.” A slow build on noise comes from the bleachers holding the Dragons, its house with fewer students than the others. The noise grows into a loud growl which ends abruptly with a bang.

  “Each of you will enter the circle of truth and be placed into the house most suited to your skills, personality, and traits. The smoke never lies. This shouldn’t take too long, since this year’s intake is one of our sma
llest yet; so let’s begin!” She claps her hand, and a piece of paper appears in my hands. I look around and I notice every one of us has a matching piece. I look down at mine; it just says, one hundred. I look to the girl beside me; hers says ninety-nine. I guess that’s our order.

  “Oh my god, I hope I get into House Lion,” the raven-haired girl beside me says quietly. “My entire family were Lions, other than an uncle who ended up with the Scorpions. No-one but Legacies want to be in House Scorpion. I mean, why would you, right? The manipulative and the deceitful. Those who will tip the scale in their favor by nefarious means. Only the truly wicked end up in Scorpion. My uncle was a monster. Oh god, please let me get into the Lions.” She rambles on beside me and I realize I have no idea what she is talking about.

  “What do you mean, the manipulative and deceitful? Surely, bad people end up in every house?” I whisper to her, as students start lining up at the edge of the stage. She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.