by Jaymin Eve
Ilia swung my bag off her shoulder, and I reached for it, relieved to finally have it back in my possession. “Follow me,” she said, leading us back the way we’d come in.
I couldn’t help but look toward the two tables that had drawn my attention before. They were both empty now, but I could almost feel the energy left behind by those who had sat there.
“So you called them the Clovers,” I said. “Where did that name come from?”
Both of them looked at their empty table as well; Larissa’s expression was nervous, Ilia’s was disgusted.
“It’s an herb,” Ilia snarled. “Powerful and strong. It warps the mind of anyone who ingests it—makes them crazy. Those bitches were known for using it quite liberally in their younger years, when they were clawing their way to the top of the junior school, and their first year here.”
Larissa shuddered. “Yes, everyone had to be very careful about anything they ate and drank. My father eventually put an end to it. He had every clover plant destroyed or locked away.”
“But the nickname stuck,” Ilia said.
My face was screwed up as I stared between them both. “Are you telling me they were that level of evil bitch even when they were younger?”
I just couldn’t even imagine it, and I’d grown up in shithole drug-infested neighborhoods.
“You have no idea,” Ilia said, her lips forming a snarl. “Kate is evil. Straight-up evil. Best stay out of her way. She should ignore you if you don’t upset the status quo.”
I held both hands up. “Done. I don’t want to be anywhere near her business, let me tell you.”
We continued through the Academy, and I found myself once again trying to catch sight of everything. I asked more questions than either of them probably expected—even I was surprised. But this was fascinating. Stumbling into a fantasy world was not something one did every day of the week. I was going to suck up as much of this as I could.
As we started up the steps that spiraled inside of the magic users’ tower, I realized how huge these race towers actually were. The stairwell was the size of a small apartment in width. “So all magic user students sleep in this tower?” I asked.
“Yep,” Larissa nodded, smiling freely. It was nice to see her coming out of her shell. “They’re coed, FYI. Supes are very free and easy with sexual relationships, so you’ll have to … let go of some human concepts in that regard.”
I didn’t comment on this, but my gut twisted uneasily. “Kate lives in this section?” I asked as we reached the second level.
We stepped off the stairs to find a wide open room filled mainly with couches and shelves. It was like a very upmarket library-slash-games area. A few witches and wizards—I assumed—were sprawled about. Chatting. Laughing. And reading books. Taking advantage of the last day before classes started.
As we walked through, I even noticed a couple in the corner making out. Like, full-on mouth-fucking each other. Larissa’s warning felt heavier then. I’d spent most of my life watching my mother throw sex around like it were a necessity, and I doubted I’d ever be supe enough to go completely casual with sex, but only time would tell.
“Kate lives on the fifth floor. That’s where some of the best suites are. Her family is very important in our world.” Ilia’s dislike of her spilled out in her tone. “All of the Clovers are up there.”
“What floor am I on?”
She paused. “Uh, I know this.” She thought for a moment before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small cell phone. She flicked through some messages, and then met my gaze. “Second floor. Your room is already set up.”
At least I wasn’t close to Kate and her bitch-squad.
“The sixth floor is the best, but only the truly powerful are there,” Larissa said, her eyes lifting to the ceiling, as if she could see all the way to the top.
“Asher and the guys are there,” Ilia said wistfully. “I don’t live in the dorms anymore, but when I did, it was everyone’s dream to get to the sixth floor.”
I didn’t say anything, but I had a terrible feeling I knew who Asher was. One of the ones she’d warned me about.
Larissa lowered her voice. “Asher is part of the Atlantean-five,” she said, and I was immediately paying all the attention. “They’re kind of a big deal around here. Not brothers, but they all grew up together and are as close as family. They stick together. You mess with one, you’ve messed with the lot. And they’re powerful. Three mages, one vamp, and a lion shifter.”
I blinked. “Atlantean-five?”
Ilia grimaced. “That’s what I was trying to say before, but I cut it off because it’s kind of a long story. But the main points are that the Atlanteans were an ancient race of magic-user-fey, and not a mixed race, but their own race, who were the first to cross from Faerie to Earth. They had a strong affinity for water magic, but most of them died when their land sank to the bottom of the ocean. We study them in the history of supernaturals, but they’ve mostly been forgotten.”
My eyes went wide. Atlantis. I knew this tale; everyone knew this tale. I couldn’t believe it was supernatural in nature.
“The ones who escaped, their descendants are always extra powerful,” Larissa added. “Asher is the strongest, the purest of lines, but the other four all have Atlantean blood too.”
She licked her lips, like she was trying to find moisture.
“Are there a lot of these Atlantean descendants around?”
Both girls shook their heads. “Nope, they’re really rare. Last count was like five or six hundred total in the world. It’s actually one of the reasons our Academy has had a huge influx of new students lately. Everyone wants to be close to them.”
“If they’re rare, how did the five of them meet?”
I mean, the odds of them finding each other would be almost impossible.
“I think … I heard their parents were all friends or something,” Ilia said with a shrug.
“Why are they so horrible?” I asked. The girls had both warned me, which I was taking seriously.
Ilia shook her head. “They’re not horrible. Not at all. I’ve had a few interactions with them, and they’re actually nice … charming even. But I’ve always sensed that if you got on the wrong side of them, they could destroy you. I think it’s better just to avoid them as much as possible.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Unless you can get one of them in bed for the night. I’ve heard Atlantean dick is a one-of-a-kind experience.”
I blinked before a snort of laughter left me. “Did you just say Atlantean dick?”
She was without a filter, and while it had been annoying when she kidnapped me, I was already over that. I might have even been a little grateful that my hand had been forced, because now I was living the pink-haired life like a boss.
Ilia shrugged. “Just calling it like it is.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about me going anywhere near them … or their jewels,” I said.
I could already tell that this Academy was like high school on steroids, filled with magical creatures born of myth and legend. It was smart to stay off the radar of anyone popular or powerful.
It might be the only way to make it through alive.
5
My room turned out to be one of the nicest places I’d ever stayed. I had a queen bed with soft sheets and a thick blanket. Bathrooms were shared, but there were at least ten on this floor, so one was generally free—according to my very helpful tour guides. Both of them were now sprawled across my bed, and there was a sense of ease between the three of us that I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt with any friend before.
“So … what myths about supernaturals are true?” I asked, putting away my few sets of clothing. “Larissa went out into the sunlight, so I’m guessing vamps don’t burn to ash?”
I found both of them grinning broadly at me. “What?” I snorted, hands on hips.
“Your human is showing, girl,” Ilia said, ruffling her gorgeous hair, before jumping to her feet. “I’m g
oing to have to leave the explaining to Larissa; I’ve got a ton of paperwork to do before my date with a shifter tonight.” She paused. “Oh, and I programmed your door to recognize both Larissa’s and my energy, so if you ever need us to grab anything from here, just press your hand to the panel and add us to the access screen.”
I nodded. She’d shown me how to unlock my room, which was keyed to my energy. No one could enter it without my permission, which was a huge relief.
Ilia left in a flurry of red hair and energy, and then it was just Larissa and me.
“To answer your question,” Larissa said, “some of the myths are true. Occasionally we’ve slipped up and exposed ourselves to a human. Stories get around after that, and a myth is born. For the most part, all supernaturals share very similar traits. We’re strong, fast, and heal quickly. We have an average life span of eight hundred years, and we’re immune to most human diseases and worries.”
I coughed. “Eight. Hundred. Years?”
All of my blinking was making my eyes itch, but I couldn’t seem to stop doing it. She might have broken my head. “I’m going to live for eight hundred fucking years?”
Larissa actually chuckled at me. “I’m not sure they’ll be fucking years, but yep, you should live that long. You know, if you don’t piss anybody off.”
We both laughed, and I dropped down next to her.
“So Atlanteans came first,” I said, getting it all straight in my head, “and then that land sank, and the other supes crossed from Faerie after that? And there are four races, which are all kind of similar, just with a few unique powers to differentiate them?”
Larissa sat up straighter. “Wow, you’ve already deduced a lot about our world, considering you’ve only been in it for a few hours. That’s pretty accurate, and the demi-fey of course, which is a whole other story.”
Like I could ever forget Mossie.
“This is a huge logic puzzle. I enjoy putting all the pieces together.”
Larissa dropped back again. “Here are some more pieces for you. Vampires need extra blood to fuel our cells. We can’t regenerate them fast enough on our own. The added benefit of this is, the more blood we drink, and the fresher that blood is, the stronger we become. We’re the fastest of all supes and can use compulsion to control those weaker than us.” I gasped, and she shook her head quickly. “Don’t worry about it, it’s very rarely used, because if you lose control, you’re going to have a pissed-off supe on your hands.”
Un-fucking-believable.
“And shifters … self-explanatory?”
She nodded. “Yep, there are multiple shifter animals, and they’re usually part of a pack—named so because the wolf shifters are the strongest species within that race. They’re powerful and loyal, very close to nature, and they’re touchy-feely, so don’t think twice when they hug you for no reason.”
Her hand snaked over and she linked her arm through mine. “All supes like to touch, actually. It’s for comfort, you know.”
I’d spent most of my life trying not to get touched by fucked-up dudes, but I had to admit, this sort of friendly hand squeeze did feel nice.
Pulling back, I continued, “Fey?”
Larissa cleared her throat. “Last to cross from Faerie. They’re elemental. They like to play with fire, wind, water, etcetera. They’re close to nature as well, and they always look so put together. Something about them just seems … unruffled.”
With a snort, I dropped my head onto the soft bed. “Guess I know why witch was the logical choice for me.”
There was absolutely nothing put together about me or my appearance.
Larissa chuckled. “Magic users are scary powerful because they can use supernatural energy and turn it into magic. There’s almost no limit to what you guys can do, and that makes it a strong race to be part of.”
It wouldn’t matter to me. I was just excited not to be on a smelly bus right now trekking across some random state.
“Have you ever done any magic?” Larissa asked, rolling to her side so she was facing me.
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. There have been a few unexplainable things. Like … sometimes when I’m in danger, I’m suddenly extra strong and can throw a full-grown man across the room. And I’ve … influenced people before. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, it was definitely beyond just a normal sweet-talking. It was more like having a power of persuasion.” Like that vampire thing she’d spoke of. “One time I stopped a car from running over a little kid. I moved so fast, which I chalked up to adrenaline, but … now... Lots of things like that have happened in my life ... but I’ve never actually said a magic spell or anything.”
She nodded. “That all sounds like magic to me. They do use words to cast spells, but it’s more about manipulating your energy inside. You should feel it swirling in there, especially when you’re highly emotional.”
Outside of that heat when I found my mother, I couldn’t think of another time I’d felt a “swirl of power.”
“The teachers will know how to bring your power to life,” she promised me, pulling herself up from the bed. “And on that note, I’m going to find my dad and tell him you’ve settled in. Want to meet in the commons for dinner?”
Part of me wanted to stay hidden in my room, but that was not how this new life was going to work. If I was giving it a proper chance, I needed to get out there. I needed to learn everything I could about the world.
“I’ll be there,” I promised.
She grinned broadly. “Awesome. Around 7:00 P.M?”
I nodded, and Larissa shot me one more smile before she left the room.
For a minute, the silence almost overwhelmed me, and I realized I hadn’t been alone for hours. Not since Ilia busted her way into my truck stop bathroom. My head was plenty busy though, all of the new crazy information running around in there.
Overthinking wouldn’t get me anywhere, so I decided to try and compartmentalize this day, put it all in a box I’d reexamine later, and get some sleep. The bed was really soft and I hadn’t slept for over twenty-four hours, so … perfect time for a nap.
When I woke hours later, I felt a lot better, right until I lifted my old watch and saw it was 12:00 P.M. Fuck. It was still set on US time, which sent a jolt of panic through me. I had no idea what the local time was.
Hopping off the bed, I eased my door open. Maybe someone would be in the hall and I could ask them for the time? It was empty though, not a single supernatural to be seen. Sucking up whatever dregs of bravery that were left inside of me, I let the door close behind me.
Back down the stairs, the comfy couch and bookshelf area was half filled with supernaturals. I was just about to venture over to the closest one to ask the time, when a low call sent trills down my spine.
“Hey! New girl.”
His voice was a rich, deep rumble, tinges of humor tracing across each word.
Swallowing hard, I turned to find three dudes standing behind me. They looked somewhat familiar, and I really wished I’d taken a second to brush my hair that was no doubt tangled everywhere.
“Hey, new dudes,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Everyone was new to me.
The middle one took a step closer. He was big, well over six feet, dressed in stylish and expensive clothing: faded and torn jeans—the designer type—a white long-sleeved, fitted shirt that molded to his muscular body, and dark gray boots. I noted his pretty-boy haircut, brown hair that was longer on top, and flashing eyes that were a shade of silvery brown.
“Can I help you with something?” I pushed before he could speak again. He continued to stare, and I tried not to run away.
Never run from a predator.
I’d had a bad feeling, from that first low rumble of his voice, about who was standing in front of me. The Atlantean-five. Or three of them, to be accurate.
Three muthafucking Atlanteans. I mean, sure, supernaturals were a mythical world come to life, but Atlantis….
Silver eyes pushe
d even closer, his gaze dragging across my face and down my body. “I’ll bet you can help me with a lot of things, little witch.”
I scowled. Men, they were the same no matter where I went. Supe, Atlantean, human. All dicks.
“Look,” I said, keeping my voice as brittle and cold as I could manage. “I’m not interested.” I waved my hand at them. “In whatever it is you want to say.”
I turned to flounce off, but he reached out and grabbed my arm. His smirk was gone now, and he had his eyes narrowed on me. “What are you?” he asked quietly, and I realized this conversation had taken a turn.
One of the other guys, who’d looked decidedly uninterested until this moment, turned to his friend. “Come on, Calen, leave the human alone. We have more important things to deal with.”
I flinched at the human dig. I already suspected that was an insult in this world. Glaring, I took in the asshole. He was a blondie, a mixture of golden tones in his longer hair. His blue eyes were biting in a way that Calen’s weren’t, icy, with a silver ring right around the iris. And his scowl was impressive; I could feel his animosity from every part of his body. He was dressed similarly, but completely in black. The dark soul.
The third one was quieter, watching me with wide eyes that were silvery gray like Calen’s but with slivers of gold bisecting them. There was no animosity in his gaze. If anything he looked intrigued, like he was dissecting me. He wore a plaid blue button-down shirt, dark chinos, and very expensive dress shoes. He smiled kindly, and I understood what Ilia was saying about them appearing nice but having a scary undercurrent.
All three were perfect specimens of the male species: tall, broad, beautiful. And clearly dangerous. They were the sort that mesmerized you until you couldn’t see straight, turned your own body against you, and then when they had you right where they wanted you, they chewed you up and spat you out … broken.
I was going to try really hard, right after this moment, to avoid them as much as possible.
After a few more seconds of the scary blond one glaring, Calen shrugged, and his intensity faded as he released me. “See you around, little witch.”