Marked: Black Water Academy: Book One

by Murphy, Sloane

  “Dude, it’s this show about these alien guys who come down to earth in a crash landing, and humans make them stay in their community. They’re all like penned in, like animals in a cage, but they’re mixing the aliens into the schools. It’s sick!” Cam says excitedly.

  “It’s not that bad.” I shrug. For a girl who’s never really watched TV, it could’ve been worse. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine, just a little drained. The price of magic. On the upside, your room looks like nothing ever happened now. We took pictures before we fixed it, just in case we need them down the line.”

  “Thank you. I really appreciate it.” I smile at him.

  “It’s fine, what else is a House captain for?” He winks at me. “But you’re welcome to crash in here if it still feels too weird in there.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Do I get to crash too?” Cam says with a cheesy smile.

  “I mean, the sofa is pretty small,” Kane laughs.

  “Don’t you worry yourself; I’ll head home. I know you’ll keep our little one safe.” He says and stands. “And with that, I’ll bid you guys a good night. I’m gonna go grab some food and head to bed.”

  I laugh at him, “How is it possible you’re still hungry?”

  “I’m a growing bear don’t you know,” he belly-laughs and pulls me in for another hug. “Just remember to give Ethan some slack. He struggles with stuff since his mom, but he doesn’t mean to be a constant dick.” He whispers before letting me go.

  “Later, Cam.” Kane waves as Cam leaves.

  “So how about we work on some of that training for you, so you can actually use your fun little quirk when you want to, not just when it attacks you?” Kane asks.

  “Are you sure? I mean, aren’t you exhausted?”

  “I’ll be fine, come on. It’ll be good for you to learn early on, when your powers are still developing. Imagine having everything, all at once, all the time. You need to learn some control, and how to put up some defenses against it before we get to that point.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure.” I say. I help him move the coffee table to give us more floor space before sitting opposite him cross-legged.

  “Okay, so we’re going to go totally new age on this, but it’s the best way really. So, I want you to close your eyes.” I quirk a brow at him but do as I’m told.

  “Okay, so picture yourself in a room, and in the middle of the room is a locked box. Inside that box is your powers. All of them: the speed, the sight, the hearing, but most importantly, the empath powers. They’re locked in that box right now, but as your powers get stronger, a box isn’t going to hold them all. No, we need to make this room your fortress. An unbreakable room, that you can tap into when you need to, but otherwise, stuff can’t escape.”

  “Sounds simple enough,” I shrug, and he chuckles.

  “It sure does. Okay, so let’s start with your empath power because that’s going to be the hardest to control since it includes outside factors.”

  “Okay….”

  “Now imagine building the walls high, no windows, no cracks, but you will need a door. Keep it strong and fortified, with a lock that only you can open. Then, once you’re sure your walls are strong enough, let your power out of your box, and into the room.”

  I do as he says and picture a bank vault, I saw a picture of once, with a palm scanner on the door, so only I can get in. I make sure it’s locked tight, and then edge toward the box in the middle. I hesitate to open the box, because my powers have been reasonably dormant; not terrorizing me like I hear can happen for some people. I know I have to do this, because they’re going to get stronger. Not just because they do for everyone, but because of who I am. I take a deep breath and knock the lid off the top of the box.

  “Oh my god, no! Make it stop.” I cry as the emotions batter me.

  “You need to try to focus it, Eden. You have an entire school of people around you all feeling different things. You need to quiet them, try to just focus on me.” Kane says. But it feels like a thousand hot pokers on my skin, tearing away a piece of me with every touch. I feel the tears streak down my face as he takes my hands, helping me to focus on him. I picture myself outside of my vault, the door open just slightly, and picture him standing in the gap and the pain starts to recede.

  “Oh, thank God,” I pant.

  “I knew you could do it!” he smiles, like I didn’t just torture myself eleven ways from Sunday.

  “Okay, let’s try it again, but instead of focusing on me, I want you to find a feeling. Try to find an extreme happiness.”

  “Is anyone going to really be feeling that right now?”

  “I guess we won’t know until you get started, will we?”

  I huff, mainly because the thought of opening that door again terrifies me, but I know that’s exactly why I need to control it. I close my eyes and try to open the door in my vault just a crack again, but the door flies open, and I hear myself scream as the pain floods me.

  “You can do this, Eden. Close the door! Just enough to focus.”

  “I can’t,” I whimper, “there are so many.”

  “You can do it. Come on, I know you can.”

  I take a deep breath and try to push the door closed. It takes all I have, but I leave it open just a sliver and try to focus on a happy feeling, but I find nothing except Kane.

  “All I can find is you, maybe because you’re so close? I don’t know if I can do this again right now, I feel fried.”

  “That’s okay, you shut the door, that’s a great start. We’ll meet like this twice a week. It’s not like you’ve got far to go to fall into bed. We’ll make sure your mental strength is as resilient as your physical strength.”

  “Thank you, Kane. Really. You didn’t have to do any of this.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. I used to have a little sister about your age, and I’d have wanted someone to help her if she was you. She’d have loved you, and you kinda remind me of Lara a little.” He stands and offers me a hand to stand. “Let me grab you some pillows and a blanket, and you can crash here for the night.”

  “Thanks.” I say. Relief from not having to see my room again fills me. “What… What happened to your sister? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, I’m nosey. Sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” he says, appearing from his room with pillows and a blanket. “I brought her up. I haven’t in a while. Lara was, well, she was an annoying little shit, but she was such a ray of sunshine. She could make you smile even in the worst of times; and she was strong, stronger than anyone else I knew. She was kidnapped by rogue Vampires who were addicted to Fae blood. It does something strange to your kind, you see. But she was taken, and we didn’t find her in time. By the time the nest was found, she was already dead. Drained.”

  “Oh my god. I am so sorry, Kane. I had no idea. How do you even stand to be around us?”

  “It was actually a friend of my father’s—he was an original—who found her and brought her to us. Afterward, he tore the rogue nest to pieces, except for the leader… who he brought to my father to suffer Fae justice. Believe me, even if he’d survived, he’d have never touched a drop of Fae blood again. I know that not all Vampires are the same as them. Just like Fae, there are good and bad in all of us.”

  “You were friends with an original?”

  “Well, my father was, but Dante was around a fair amount when I was younger. Then the Uprising happened… I know there are rumors that some original families survive, and while I doubt it, I hope it to be true in his case. He was a good dude.” I smile at him and try to swallow the lump in my throat. I knew Dante too… I hope he survived too, but I don’t tell Kane that. It opens the door to too many questions I don’t want to answer.

  “And on that bombshell, I’m heading to bed. Help yourself to anything. Night, Eden.”

  “Night, Kane,” I smile, and he looks at me funny, like he’s seeing inside me; like he’s seeing my truth, but he shakes his head and leaves
the room.

  I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to keep my secret from those around me, especially since I’m starting to trust them. But with everything, I don’t know that they’ll trust me if they know.

  * * *

  “Eden, you need to concentrate. This is going to be important.”

  “You think I don’t know that? I’m all too aware of just how dangerous I can be, Creed. But this isn’t helping. Shouting isn’t helping.” I redo my ponytail, needing to do something with my hands other than choke him. We’ve been down in the defense gym for what feels like hours, going through basic defense maneuvers, and he keeps getting the best of me. Because I’m letting him. And he’s working it out.

  “Then what? What can I do to help you? I can’t help you if you won’t tell me whatever it is you’re holding back. If you keep giving up every time you’re winning. I don’t understand why you keep pulling back. Why you’re hiding from what you are.” He runs his hands through his hair for the millionth time, trying to keep his frustration at me in check.

  “I’m sorry,” I sigh. “I just don’t want to hurt you. Or anyone. But I don’t want to let myself be free when I don’t know what sort of damage I could create.”

  “That is exactly why I need you to trust me. Trust me to know for you. Trust me that I won’t let you hurt anyone. Trust that I’ll keep you safe, even from yourself.” He pulls me close and I melt against him, hugging him back.

  “What if I don’t even trust myself?” I whisper.

  “Then trust that I’ve got you, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He murmurs, his lips against my hair before he kisses my forehead. “Now, let’s try this again. We’ve been working on some advanced tactics. I want you to let yourself go, use everything you’ve ever learned, and come at me. I want to see everything you have; you get me?” I nod and step back, shaking off the sparks he makes me feel. I walk to the other side of the gym and bounce on the balls of my feet, shaking out my neck and arms, just the way father always taught me to, to loosen up before the fight. Creed is right. He can’t help me get better if he doesn’t know what I already know. I trust him… I think. Maybe even with my deepest secrets; but for now, at least, I trust him with this. I look at him as he stretches, the muscles in his arms corded, his strong neck. His vest lifts when he stretches upwards and his golden skin peeks out, showing just a glimpse of his abs, and that ‘V’ that makes girls do stupid things. I’m pretty sure I trust him because he deserves it, and not just because he sets me on fire, with his body and his mind.

  “Focus, pretty girl,” He smirks as he catches me checking him out. I run at him and let go. Feeling my fangs descend, and my nails extend, I knew it was working and let my body take over with the training that was once drilled into me daily. Taking a deep breath, I stop focusing on holding back, and it’s so… thrilling. We fight like a dance, he strikes and I dodge, duck, or dive, but it’s obvious that despite everything, there’s a reason that Creed is the top of his class for strategy and defense. My breathing becomes more strained and I feel myself start to tire. That’s when he goes for the kill, knocking me off my feet, and tries to pin me. Wrapping my legs around him, I use his own momentum to turn the tables and end up with him beneath me, so I’m sat on him, pinning his body with mine.

  “I think you let me win,” I laugh, one hand clamped on his wrists, the other on his throat.

  “Maybe I did, but it was totally worth it. I mean….” I slap his shoulder and start to stand when he pulls me back down to him and rolls us, so he’s hovering above me, balanced on his elbows. “Thank you. For trusting me enough to be yourself.”

  He leans down and kisses me, gently at first, but then my skin starts to spark and it heats. He kisses me almost desperately, pouring all of himself into them, and I give him everything I am back. I never expected to find someone like him, but I’ll never regret doing so.

  “Excuse you,” a cough pulls Creed away from me groaning and he rolls off of me. “Thank you. This is a training ground and a school, not a mating pad.” Mrs. Hale’s voice rings out across the empty room, followed by her heels as she walks back out of the room and down the hall away from us. Laughter bubbles up inside me, and I can’t help but let it out.

  “Oh my god, ha!” I laugh so hard it brings tears to my eyes, and Creed laughs with me.

  “Come on, pretty girl. I think that’s enough for today. Time for a cold shower.”

  It’s been six weeks since my room was broken into, and no one has any idea who did it, so I now have extra locks on my doors, but I still feel uncomfortable at the violation of my space. Six weeks of non-stop classes, quizzes, defense training, training with the guys, and feeling like I’ve somewhat got my shit together. It’s also been six weeks of bobbing and weaving the minefield that is Creed and Ethan. I swear I just want to crack their skulls together. I climb the stairs of my dorm house and knock on Kane’s door as I enter.

  “In here!” he shouts from his room, so I grab a soda from his refrigerator and slump myself down on his sofa.

  “Hey,” he says toweling off his hair, stood there before me in nothing but a pair of baggy jeans. It doesn’t escape me that he looks like a chiseled statue made of freaking marble with his desperately pale skin; but it’s weird, because Kane feels more like my older brother than anything else. “I was thinking we’d practice outside today. It’s freezing, so that’s a new distraction for you. Plus, there will be more people around, so I won’t just be an instant anchor for you.”

  “Sure, I so wasn’t prepared for the cold though, so let me just go change quick and then we’ll go.” I rush down the hall to my room, and hold my breath before I enter, hoping it’s as I left it. Opening the door, it all looks the same, but I can’t shake the feeling I’ve had since someone broke in here, that something just isn’t right. Ignoring the feeling in the pit of my stomach, I rush and change into jeans, a hoodie, and my boots. I sigh at how at home I feel in this rather than the uniform I’ve been bound to for the last eight weeks. It’s so close to winter break I can feel it. Two weeks of no classes, just down time, and I can’t wait. Some students leave and go back to their families for the break to celebrate the solstice, but that just means it’ll be nice and quiet here, which is more than fine with me. I grab a scarf, and head back down the hall, meeting Kane as he locks his door behind him.

  “Ready?”

  “I think so.” I shrug.

  “Don’t be a brat,” he nudges me. “You’ve been doing really well, but there’s more to your powers than hiding in my room, so we need to challenge you, make sure you’re ready. They’re already growing stronger at an alarming pace. You know it even if you don’t say it. So I need to push you, because what if something happens and I’m not there? If none of us are there? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I know, I know. I’m here, aren’t I? I just don’t like the thought of losing my shit in front of everyone.”

  “You’ll be fine, I got you.” He smiles and we head down towards the lake, crunching through the snow. We stop by the boathouse where I nearly tore Blakeley’s throat out. I wince at the memory and Kane chuckles.

  “How have things been going with Ethan and Gus?”

  “Oh my god, they’re driving me insane. Alone, they’re great, even if Ethan is a little moody since the Blakeley thing. Not that he wasn’t moody before, but he asks so much of me, but gives me nothingggggg! Whereas Creed struggles to teach me because he doesn’t want to hurt me, and then gets pissed when I get hurt if I’m with Ethan. I might speak to Laney about a new buddy. Ethan doesn’t seem to want to be around me, and Creed… well, I don’t know. What I do know is I managed to pin Ethan the other day, and I’ve never seen him more pissed.”

  “Man, I wish I could have seen that! And good luck with the change. Laney doesn’t change buddies. She picks them strategically. Just tell the guys to pull their heads out of their asses and do their jobs or you’ll do it all yourself. They’ll
buck up, you’ll see.”

  “I might just try that. Now, let’s see how much torture I can take tonight, shall we?” I brush the snow off of the bench and take a seat. No way in hell am I sitting on the floor out here right now. Kane sits beside me, his warmth radiating out of him, helping to keep my shivers at bay.

  “Okay, so I want you to open the door, slowly, and tell me what each different person you can see is feeling.”

  “Oh, yeah, awesome. Nothing too much then.” I laugh, but focus on those around me, reaching out to them once I reach to my powers. The first girl I reach is so sad it makes me hurt, even though she’s sat laughing with a group of people.

  “This feels like an invasion of their privacy,” I tell Kane, feeling icky after reaching out to her.

  “This is how you learn to not invade their privacy later on, and how you stop yourself from driving yourself crazy when you get battered with all emotions, all day every day and nothing will shut them out.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I know Mr. Smarty Pants. Fine.” I sigh and reach out to the guy across the green, and shiver.

  “Kane, that guy… he, there’s something wrong. He’s so dark. I can’t, explain it, but…” I pull back. “It feels like he’s going to do something that’s just wrong. It felt like I was covered in black tar and drowning in its darkness.”

  “Okay, I’ll keep an eye on him. Let’s try again, try to go further afield if you can.”

  I close my eyes and reach out, trying to pinpoint an emotion when I’m hit with a wall of excruciating pain. I scream out as I try to hold onto it.

  “Oh my god, Kane, they’re hurting her.” I clutch his arm as I try to find the source of the pain. I focus on it. I need to help this poor girl. Then I feel myself go weightless, and blink as the pain overwhelms me, and I’m not sat by Kane anymore. I see blood, so much blood, and two men stood in front of me, smiling like this is their best day.