“Call me Fritz.” He smiled, adjusting his wire rimmed glasses. “And I don’t run an inn, dear girl,” he corrected.
The sparkle in his eyes made me want to smile, yet the uncertainty of everything had my belly feeling as if fish were living in it and squirming about. I clutched my jacket tighter around my stomach to quell the flutters and peered at him for answers.
“I’m the groundskeeper for Ravens’ Blood Academy,” he said and swept his arm out in an expansive gesture. “Welcome to RBA,” he beamed, before grabbing my bag and walking toward the weather-worn motel.
My eyes popped wide open and I shook my head. Great. Aunt Marea had left me in the ill-conceived care of a delusional old guy. That might have been the worst moment of the day yet—a day in which my life changed from ho-hum yearning for adventure, to hidden invitations—that Aunt Marea still hadn’t explained—and a strange little man. I paused, and studied Fritz more carefully as he walked ahead of me. What the…? Iridescent fairy wings jutted out either side of his back, and they fluttered wildly as he turned slightly and motioned for me to follow him. Okay, so the delusional man had a thing for cosplay. Well, living with Aunt Marea had taught me one thing, at least—try not to anger the crazy people.
Like a moth to a flame, my eyes trailed the movement of color in his wings. I couldn’t help it. They just looked so real. Sheer hues of blue, fuchsia and gold woven together in a translucent rainbow of colors. He opened the main door with a tug and the hinges creaked. Inside the large, barren-looking room, a lone couch, a bookshelf full of worn out books and two large desks took up almost no space at all.
I let out a long, disappointed sigh. So much for a state-of-the-art academy and cool new friends! I guess I’ll be spending my summer in a rundown motel, receiving training from a middle-aged man with a fairy fetish.
I plopped down on the couch and a plume of dust rose up around me. I heard a voice call out ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ but it was too late as I choked out a cough and rubbed my eyes.
Peering toward the sound of the voice, I caught a glimpse of a guy about my age, over by the bookshelf, with a sly smirk on his face. His blond hair hung over his left eye as he laughed at my distress.
I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth and pressed my lips together, releasing a small groan. “You could have warned me a little quicker,” I asserted standing up and knocking the dust off my butt and arms.
He sauntered over to me, “You must be Adora. I’m Roar,” he said, snapping the heels of his boots together and taking a slight bow.
“Roar?” I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle after giving him a quick once over. His slight build hardly depicted a lion. “More like Meow,” I countered.
He lowered his head and raised his gaze upward to the right corner of his eyes and peered at me. “Fair enough. I guess I deserved that shot after letting you get covered in dust,” he admitted.
I thrust my hand toward his. “It’s nice to meet you, Roar. Is that your nickname?” I chuckled.
He studied my dusty hand and let it linger in the air. “No, it’s an old Norwegian name passed down in my family for generations. I wear it like a badge of honor.” He puffed his chest out in mock showmanship.
His easy demeanor gave me a little relief I wasn’t truly in Hell. “I’m sorry,” I offered. “I don’t usually make fun of people. I think we got off to a bad start.”
I blinked rapidly yet couldn’t help but stare at his ice blue eyes and pale skin. Almost as if he held some sort of sway over me. To my dismay he didn’t break our gaze as I stood gawking at him.
“Why’s everything so dingy and uninviting here?” I asked.
“Fritz doesn’t want us lounging around on social media,” he said, matter of fact.
I turned my back to him and wandered over to the old books, too embarrassed to admit Aunt Marea didn’t have Internet in our home, and I’d never been on any type of social media, let alone had an actual account of my own.
“I see you met Roar.”
I almost jumped out of my skin. I whirled around to see Fritz clasp his hands together and wiggle his fingers.
“Very well, indeed,” he bellowed.
I was used to Aunt Marea sneaking up on me, but not elderly men. I pulled a book off the shelf and blew the dust into the air, where it seemed to make strange patterns and designs. I nudged Roar. “What’s up with the fairy wings?” I whispered raising my eyebrows.
“We all have our burdens to wear,” he said cryptically.
His words appeared overly dramatic, but the twinkle in his eyes told me he enjoyed teasing me. “Cute play on words,” I admitted not knowing what else to say.
“Come, meet the others,” Fritz instructed. “We have much work to do to prepare for the summer session.” He wobbled ahead of us through a set of ornate double doors.
Others? I had no idea students would be here already. A tightness gripped my stomach as I suddenly felt self-conscious. I let the feeling pass forcing myself to appear nonchalant.
“Work?” I glanced at Roar nervously biting my bottom lip. So much for the glamorous academy life.
“Oh, there’s always work. That never changes.” He smiled a weary smile, one that seemed to indicate he’d been through this before.
“So, I take it you’re not new here too? Did you get in some sort of trouble and have to come early as well?” I asked. My cheeks felt warm in my forwardness, but I couldn’t help but wonder what he did to get stuck working his summer away.
“Nothing like that,” he said in an easy manner, obviously forgiving my probing, yet sadness lingered in his eyes. “Fritz is like my grandfather. He’s the only family I have, so I’m grateful to help out in exchange for his companionship.”
A twinge of guilt hit me in the gut for being ungrateful and harsh with my aunt. At this point the thought of doing some work didn’t seem so bad. I didn’t know what to think of the old man or Roar, but figured all I could do was go with the flow.
We followed Fritz down a long narrow hallway, past several sets of doors on either side. For some reason the motel seemed way bigger on the inside than the outside of the building suggested. A lone door sat at the end of the hall and sunlight filtered through, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air. Once Fritz passed all the interior door relief flitted through me that we were heading back outside to the fresh air.
The bright light hurt my eyes, and I squinted as we reached freedom. The scent of pine and honeysuckle lulled my senses and I lingered, for a moment, just outside the door. Two teens, a girl and a boy with matching dark red hair awkwardly kicked a ball around. Their gangly limbs seemed to be too long to display much grace, as if their bodies were too short for their arms and legs.
Three girls, the quintessential brat pack, huddled together, whispering and pointing. Their school uniforms offered the only proof, I might actually be enrolled in an academy. My heart beat faster at the thought of meeting all these new kids. I gave a faint wave in their direction, then wanted to kick myself when the blonde one rolled her eyes and turned her back to me. It didn’t help matters when the other two did mock waving at each other as if laughing at my awkward attempt to fit in.
I allowed the elements to calm my nerves as I closed my eyes and took in deep breaths of the crisp air.
“Earth to Adora,” Roar teased.
To my relief the twins ran up to him, excited to meet me. “You must be Adora!” the girl gushed, tugging me by the hand. “Come play a game with us before Fritz finishes setting up.”
“Setting up?” I glanced at Roar for some type of answer, but he nudged me forward, holding in a laugh. His pleasure at my discomfort at all the uncertainties made me want to push him down the hill.
Fritz meandered over to a barn type building and yanked the doors open. “Fifteen minutes,” he called out.
I tried to peer inside, craning my neck around Roar, but to my dismay, he shifted from side to side hiding the contents of the barn. I managed to ca
tch a glimpse of paint tables and easels before Roar firmly grasped my shoulders and spun me around.
“Go, have some fun before we get to work,” he insisted, nudging me forward in an encouraging manner to go with the twins.
“I’m Kala and this is my brother Jacob,” the girl with more energy than a nuclear bomb said and flashed a huge smile at me.
Jacob hung his head a little and his cheeks turned bright red, hiding his freckles. “Nice to meet you...Adora,” he said while kicking the soccer ball between his feet.
They seemed a little strange, but at least they were friendly and inviting, unlike the three prissy stooges laughing at us. Jacob kicked the ball up onto his knobby knees and popped it up in the air between the two keeping it from hitting the ground.
“He’s trying to impress you,” Kala said, squeezing my arm. “Come on, play with us. It will be fun.” She raised her eyebrows, and her bright green eyes sparkled in anticipation.
I glanced over at the girls to see one motion for us to come over by them. Kala’s eyes lit up, and she pointed to herself bobbing up and down, but they shook their heads no and laughed then pointed toward me, mouthing the word ‘you.’
Kala’s grip relaxed on my arm, and the smile slid off her face. “Serena’s beckoning for you.”
Roar frowned. “Time to go have you meet the bane of my existence,” he stated, thrusting his head toward the three girls.
A cold chill passed through me, and I zipped my jacket closed, wondering if I’d caught a cold. I might not have had a lot of social interaction on a regular basis, but clearly, I could see the invitation as a thinly veiled rejection of the twins, and they were trying to use me to humiliate Kala and Jacob. A snaking heat crept up my neck and face at their slight of these nice kids and I refused to play their mean-spirited game. To her delight, I grasped Kala’s hand and guided her over to the grassy opening.
“I’ve never played before,” I admitted. “Come play with us Roar,” I called back to him.
“He never plays,” Jacob said with a slight hint of disappointment in his voice. “He says it would be unfair,” he asserted.
I figured he meant Roar’s athletic ability outmatched his and gave him a knowing nod.
The blonde girl in the group thrust her chest forward and called out to Roar in a squeaky voice. “Come on.” She furiously motioned to him.
I fumed at her attempts to lure Roar away from us. Challenge accepted! I was bound and determined to beat these meanies at their own game. “It’ll be fun,” I said, flashing a smile. “An even match—girls against guys.”
He hesitated, so I tried to shame him into coming with us. “That is, unless you're scared? Perhaps more a kitten than a lion after all,” I teased, trying to egg him on.
He twisted his lips as if he contemplated joining us.
“Roar!” the blonde-haired one yelled and firmly planted her hands on her hips, pouting.
“Meow, meow. Mama’s calling her kitty. Better go run,” I taunted him.
Kala laughed and joined in, pretending she was clawing at him.
“Oh, you’ll pay for that one,” he teased, charging at me and Kala.
She ran ahead squealing, tugging me behind her. “This will be so much fun,” she gushed.
“Come on, Jacob,” Roar said. “We’ve got some rude little girls to beat.”
“Fat Chance!” I yelled back, twisting my head to see the scowls on the faces of the prissy girls.
Although I had a sinking feeling I’d make a fool of myself, I thought this to be the lesser of two evils, since I couldn’t let those girls further hurt Kala’s feelings.
I had high hopes for Ravens’ Blood Academy, but now, watching the trio glare at me, I knew there’d be a price to pay for one-upping the obvious popular group. I had a gnawing feeling these girls weren’t going to let this pass and would make my life a living hell.
We kicked the ball around, and to my relief, I actually played pretty well but still couldn’t meet Roar’s athletic abilities. He seemed faster than normal, but I chalked it up to experience. I had a new-found respect for him as he clearly missed a few shots on purpose and allowed Jacob to take the lead and score a few on Kala and me. I kicked the ball up the hill toward the mean girls and didn’t even check myself for enjoying their disdain at our fun.
Roar came running past me and kicked the ball away from me then twisted toward me and I ran smack into him, knocking us both backward, tumbling down the hill. I heard the girls laugh louder than normal to drive home the point they saw my awkward move. Embarrassment at their satisfaction took a back seat as I tumbled down the hill and landed flat on my back. With the wind knocked out of me, I struggled to prop myself on my elbows and quickly squeezed my eyes shut as Roar’s body came hurtling toward me, too quickly for me to move out of the way.
He landed on top off me and we continued to move toward the bottom of the hill. As we rolled down the rocky terrain, he wrapped his arms around me tucking my head into his chest to protect me. We came to a stop with a loud thud, and I lay flat on my back as the full weight of his torso landed on top of me. I blew my bangs out of my eyes and groaned.
“Are you okay?” Roar pushed my bangs farther to the side and smoothed my tangled mop of hair down, studying my face.
“I think so.” I scrunched up my nose and winced as pain shot through my neck and gripped the side of my head. “Hmmmm, soccer headaches aren’t fun,” I teased. “Are you okay?” I asked, remembering my manners.
Roar didn’t budge off me. “Never better.” He tilted his head and stared into my eyes.
A flutter of butterflies took flight in my belly. I’d never been this close to a boy, let alone a cute one.
“I like you, Miss Adora Jackson,” he admitted, narrowing his eyes.
I stammered at his forward response and tickled him until he popped off me in a fit of laughter.
“I think I like you a lot,” he pondered.
My cheeks felt hot as heat flushed over my face, and I prayed he didn’t see me blushing. I stood and offered him my hand trying to anticipate what a proper response would be to a boy’s declaration of affection. I batted my eyelashes at him.
“I like you too,” I said, trying to be coy and grown up.
“Stop.” He laughed. “Stop teasing me! You know what I mean, I admire your courage for standing up to Serena.”
Now my cheek really burned. Got it wrong again. So much for declarations of affection and my dumb attempt at being sexy. I punched him in the shoulder in an attempt to hide my obvious faux pas. “Race you up the hill,” I said, shoving him backward and taking off ahead of him. I may have gotten his intentions wrong, but one thing I knew for sure, I liked Roar and planned to give Serena-mean-girl a run for her money.
I made it to the top of the hill before Roar, in time to see Jacob kick the soccer ball at an odd angle and hit Serena’s long-haired friend in the back of her head. I stifled a laugh and made my way over to the twins.
Another dark-haired girl, from the trio, knocked Jacob off his feet and wagged her finger toward his face. Her bob cut flipped up below her chin and swayed like a pendulum over him as she shook her head.
“Are you an idiot?” she fumed at him, thrusting her foot in his chest.
“Get off him,” I yelled, surprised at my aggression.
All three girls turned to glare at me. “Or what?” Serena challenged. “What exactly will you do Ah Bore ah?”
The girls doubled over in fits of over exaggerated laughter at Serena’s butchering of my name as she glared at me.
“How lame...Purina,” I said in my own attempt to recover from the horrid thought of being called Abora the whole semester.
Kala giggled and the girls shot her a dirty look.
“Why don’t you and Mary Tyler Moore here leave us alone.” I pointed at bob haircut and smirked at my shot, but soon regretted that.
“Mary Tyler who?” Serena mocked me. “Where are you from? The stone ages?”
The
taller girl with the long hair joined in. “She must be. A-bore-ah doesn’t even have any social media accounts,” she scoffed.
“That’s enough, Lucinda.” A stern voice came from a sturdy looking girl with mousy brown, short hair and black framed glasses.
At the sound of the authoritative voice, Bobcut withdrew her heel from Jacob’s chest, and he quickly rolled over, coughing. Kala consoled him, and we helped him to his feet.
The new girl appeared no older than the rest of us, and also wore a Ravens’ Blood uniform. A heavy-looking load of papers and notebooks were perched in her arms. Smug satisfaction rose in me as the three stooges stiffened their backs and frowned in unison at her sudden appearance.
“Hi, I’m Ezzie, president of the student council,” the new girl said as she fumbled to shake my hand despite the load in her hands.
Bobcut rushed up like a little lap dog and relieved Ezzie of the paperwork.
“Please forgive Gabriella’s aggression toward Jacob. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong impression of RBA.” She shot a warning glare toward the girl.
“I’m Adora,” I said as my hand met hers and I followed Aunt Marea’s advice—always offer a firm handshake, especially at your first encounter.
Gabriella’s gaze darted toward me like a machine gun ready to fire, yet she softened her eyes, “I apologize for my behavior. It won’t happen again.” She ducked her head down.
Much to my relief, Ezzie seemed to be a levelheaded girl and reassured my troubled mind that all this drama would come to an end. Fritz called out for us to join him in the barn. My pace quickened with newfound hope that I might make it in this crazy group of kids. But no sooner did that peaceful thought enter my mind, a sharp pain rushed through my shoulder.
“This isn’t over A-bore-ah,” Gabriella hissed, digging her fingernails into my flesh, before knocking her way past me and catching up to Ezzie.
Ravens' Blood Academy 1: A Vampire Historia Paranormal Fantasy Page 4