by Tricia Barr
Summoned
Siren Prophecy 3
by Tricia Barr, Jesse Booth, Joanna Reeder, Angel Leya, and Alessandra Jay
Shifter Academy
Summoned, Siren Prophecy 3, Shifter Academy
Copyright © 2019 by Tricia Barr
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2019
Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are of the author’s imagination.
Cover image by Kim Cunningham
Published by Tricia Barr
First printed edition 2019
www.theshifteracademy.com
Chapter 1: Myreen
Lost.
Myreen had never felt more lost than she did when she allowed Draven to pull her to the surface of Lake Michigan. The battle was lost. All hope was lost. And there seemed to be no chance of any of it being found again.
Getting smaller and smaller down below her was everyone in the world she had left to care about—except Kenzie, of course, who was hopefully safe with her mom and grandmother miles away. Myreen took the smallest bit of comfort in knowing her sacrifice had bought her fellow shifters some time.
But she had no idea what awaited her in Draven’s custody. And she dreaded finding out.
The closer they got to the surface, the faster her heart galloped, as if it could race out of her body and escape.
At last they emerged, the frigid Chicago winter air biting her wet cheeks and nose like a vampire—like it too wanted a piece of her. And she was running out of pieces to spare.
The world above was dark, and she could hardly make out the white faces that hovered above the water, looking down on her and her captor. Draven tugged her closer until her wandering hands ran into the outer shell of a boat, and white arms reached down to pull them both out of the water.
Someone wrapped a large towel around Myreen, and another offered her a dry pair of jeans. Even though she couldn’t see a thing in this darkness, these creatures of the night could probably see every inch of her with crystal clarity. But she couldn’t find it in her to care. She slipped into the jeans and pretended that a dozen or more vampire eyes weren’t watching.
At the same time, Draven pulled off his diving mask and disrobed his wetsuit with the aid of at least three of his loyal followers. Once she was again fully clothed, he sat beside her on the bench in the boat.
“Let’s go home, shall we?” he said, voice smooth as dark chocolate. His tone assumed far too much familiarity, as did his closeness. As if he really was her father.
What did he want from her? He’d been supposedly looking for her her whole life. What was he going to do now that he had her? She’d heard stories of what he did to shifters, and right now those stories flashed horrible scenarios inside her mind—images of her on a stretcher, bound and gagged as he experimented on her. Tortured her. Who knew what else?
But she didn’t get the sense that he wanted to hurt her. That scared her the most.
The boat engine turned on, and wind whipped at her hair and face as they sped across the lake. No one said a thing. Or made any movements at all. The vampires were all so still and silent, she felt like she was the only person on the lake for miles—like the others were all mannequins. She imagined that they weren’t much different, just hollow beings without souls. She caught the eye of one who sat across from her, and his eyes glistened in the shadows, like glass. Yup, hollow.
The boat rounded a bend, and suddenly there was light shining at them from the front of a helicopter several yards from the rapidly approaching shore. The boat docked unceremoniously, and more white arms helped her out, guiding her toward the copter. Its spinning blades threw the cold night air back at her.
She allowed them to hoist her up into her seat, and Draven entered right behind her, never allowing more than a foot of distance to spread between him and his new prize. Her mind told her not to let him too close, but her body wouldn’t register the threat. She was just too numb, like an emotional switch had been flipped off. Besides, she was surrounded by vampires, creatures who thrived on the blood of humans and killed shifters for sport. The cab of the helicopter was a cramped space, and she had no choice but to be shoulder-to-shoulder with at least one of them. There was no sense in fearing one of them more than the others—or at least her alarm system didn’t think so.
The helicopter rocked as it left the ground, but soon stabilized. Myreen hugged her arms against her to keep them from making contact with anyone else.
“I know this will be hard for you to believe, but I’ve been looking forward to this day for a very long time, Myreen,” Draven said.
His voice sent a chill up her spine, but she didn’t respond in any other way. She picked a diamond shape in the plating on the floor and stared at it with strict determination.
“That’s alright. You don’t have to talk to me. But it’s a long flight to Washington.” Draven crossed his arms and leaned back, making himself comfortable.
Washington? Where is he taking me?
But she didn’t say a word. She kept staring at that little metal diamond, clenching her jaw firmly shut the whole way.
Hours passed in this fashion. No one said anything else to her, but Draven made idle conversation with his followers. Words were only spoken when Draven talked first. She got the impression that his followers weren’t allowed to talk to or around him unless directly invited to. What manner of leader was he?
She didn’t know how long they’d been flying, only that she was getting very tired. But she didn’t dare shut her eyes for longer than a blink.
“And there she is,” Draven announced, leaning forward to wave his hand toward the windshield. “Your new home. Heritage Prep.”
Myreen broke her gaze away from her diamond to look out the window. A towering black castle rose against the lightening pre-dawn sky. Tall pointed towers stretched upwards, giving Myreen the impression of upside-down vampire fangs taking a bite out of the sky. A fitting dwelling for the vampire leader. The building was dark and beautiful, just like he was, and she was sure it held just as much evil behind its façade.
The helicopter landed on the widest part of the roof, surrounded by towers. An attendant outside pulled open the door, and everyone in the cabin squeezed against the walls to allow Draven to exit first. Draven waited outside the door, but Myreen didn’t budge, and for a moment, no one else did, either. After a pause, one of the vampires decided to move toward the door.
Draven back-handed him across the face, slamming him into the cabin wall and denting the metal.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you that ladies always go first?” Draven said with a deadly calm. Somehow that made him even more terrifying than if he’d yelled it.
Myreen jumped at the sudden assault. Draven just hurt his own lacky. And for something as innocent as not wanting to wait for a stubborn girl to get out of a vehicle! The vampire doubled over in obvious pain. She didn’t know him, but she didn’t want more people getting hurt on her behalf. There’d been enough of that tonight.
She hopped to her feet and climbed out of the copter. Draven took her hand and helped her to the rooftop. Though her hands were chilled by the winter air, Draven’s were infinitely colder, intensifying their repellence.
“I’m sorry about that,” Draven said, keeping hold of her hand and tucking it under his other arm, as if to act as her escort.
“Good help is so hard to find. Come, let me show you to your room.”
Touching him made her cringe, but try as she might, she couldn’t pull her hand out of his grip. He didn’t even seem to notice she was trying.
He led her toward what appeared to be the only door on the roof, which another attendant opened as they approached. They went inside, and were it not for the sconces casting their orange glow on the black walls, Myreen would have thought she’d entered night itself. Everything was black—the walls, the floor, the ceiling. It was hugely unsettling. And the white of the skin of those around her was such a striking contrast that they almost seemed to shine like the moon.
They went down a narrow staircase and came out into a wide area. Several staircases were nestled in black cylinders, which at first appeared to be oversized pillars. He led her past an elevator and down another flight of steps.
As Draven tugged her through the halls, vampires stopped and stood with their backs against the walls until he passed, few of them daring to cast their eyes above waist level. You know someone is bad when even his followers are terrified of him...
Black banners hung along the walls, bearing some sort of logo—a large red drop symbol in the middle of the words HERITAGE PREP. What kind of place is this?
Finally, he paraded her back up a set of stairs, through the large room again—or at least one that looked similar, she couldn’t be sure—and up one of the winding staircases. He stopped when they reached a landing with a door and released her hand, which she jerked away.
Draven gave her a black card with the same red drop on it as the banners. “This will be your new room. If you need anything, knock on the door and your attendants will get you whatever you want. They’ll be standing outside your door at all times.” He gestured to the two bulky, white-faced men on either side of the door.
The thought crossed her mind to refuse the keycard, but the heaviness of her eyelids made a private space too tempting to resist. She took the card with a snap and glared at him straight in the eyes. She wasn’t going to show him the same fear everyone else around here did. She wasn’t going to give him that kind of power over her.
“So I’m to be your prisoner then?” she asked behind gritted teeth.
Draven smirked, a twinkle in his blue eyes. “You haven’t seen your room yet. I’d hardly call your accommodations a prison. Besides, the dungeons are in the basement.”
“Accommodations I’m not allowed to leave,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes further.
“On the contrary,” he replied with a shrug. “You’re allowed to go anywhere within the walls of this school, granted you’re accompanied by a chaperone.”
School? This place is a school? She snorted, even though this answer surprised her.
“Get some rest. We’ll talk first thing at dusk.” With that, Draven turned on his heel and was suddenly out of sight.
His preternatural speed was only one of the many disturbing things she’d seen tonight, so rather than dwell on it, she ran the keycard through the scanner and escaped into her new confines, pressing her back tightly against the door as it closed. As if her meager weight could keep a vampire out.
After a deep, cleansing breath, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Draven wasn’t lying about the room; it was the most lavishly-furnished birdcage she’d ever seen. There was a huge canopy bed across from the door, elegantly carved in black wood and adorned with dark red sheets, curtains, and more pillows than she could ever want or need. To the left of the bed was a closet that she could see was fully-stocked with colorful clothing, some that appealed to her even from where she stood. There were several matching black dressers, and a bookshelf filled with books. And most of the wall catty-corner to the bed was a giant TV screen, at least five times bigger than any TV she’d ever seen in person. The carpet was plush and the color of fresh blood, and though she wasn’t a fan of red, she appreciated the deviation from black.
Slowly, she peeled her back off the door and made her way across the lake of blood that her carpet resembled, to the bed that beckoned her aching body. She sat on it, loving the cush beneath her. The sheets were velvet and begged to be nuzzled. She didn’t trust sleeping in this place, but she was so tired, and if Draven was planning on hurting her, he would have done it already.
Finally, she gave in to her only desire and slipped under the covers, sleep consuming her as soon as she closed her eyes.
***
Bang, bang, bang.
Myreen snapped to consciousness with a fright, hands instantly roaming for anything she could use as a weapon. Her eyes adjusting to the rude awakening. Nothing was amiss in her empty room. She climbed out of bed and crept forward, scanning the shadows in the corners.
“Just let me see her,” she heard a voice outside the door say. It sounded familiar, but in her slightly disoriented state, she couldn’t place it. After all, how could anyone she knew be here?
“Lord Draven said she is not to be disturbed,” responded another voice she assumed belonged to one of the guards.
“Lord Draven has given me special privileges. Or have you forgotten?”
Silence for a moment. Myreen didn’t realize that she was on her tiptoes until another set of bangs caused her to trip forward.
“Myreen, please open the door,” that same familiar voice insisted.
Her soul knew that voice, but her mind said it wasn’t possible. It had to be some trick. Draven playing a sick game. And yet, she found herself edging closer.
She hovered in front of the door, her hand resting on the knob. She told herself not to open it, but her curiosity got the better of her. And she reminded herself that if a vampire really wanted to get in, it wouldn’t matter if she opened it or not.
She turned the knob and cracked the door enough to peek outside.
The handsome, sandy-blond-haired, beach-blue-eyed merman stood on the other side. Myreen gasped, frozen in disbelief as Kendall pushed inside and wrapped his arms around her.
This was no vampire trick. His skin was caramel colored and warm, something she didn’t expect to find in this place. But then again, she didn’t expect to find him here, either.
The initial shock of his appearance wore off as the memory of his betrayal returned. She shoved him away and took several steps back, hugging herself.
“You really did it,” she accused. “You really came here? To Draven? What, so you could sell your knowledge of me for protection?”
Kendall pursed his lips bracingly. But as he hesitated, the truth dawned on her.
“You’re the reason he attacked the school!” she gasped. “You told him where it is. Dozens of mer died because of you! And hundreds of shifters may still die if the glass gives!” She shoved him again, all her anger and sorrow flooding into the assault as she thrust him against the door.
“Ow,” he winced. “Myreen, I’m sorry, but I had no choice.” He took a step closer.
“No choice?” she yelled back. “You had a choice, and you chose wrong! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? How many lives you’ve doomed?”
“They were doomed anyway,” he insisted. “Draven was going to find the Dome one way or another. I’ve foreseen it, remember? And if he attacked the school with you inside and didn’t know, you could have died. Don’t you see that I’m trying to save you?”
“Oh, don’t give me that crap,” she snapped. “You saved yourself and sacrificed everyone else. I can’t believe that you actually came here. I had no idea what happened to you after you left. You could’ve died coming here. Even after what you did, I still...” She bit her tongue, hating that she still cared about him, after all this time, even now. The anger boiling up roused the ursa within, and she didn’t know if she could contain it. But then, why would she want to? “And to find you here, safe and sound and bossing vampires around. So, what, you’re Draven’s pet or something?”
“I’m one of his advisors,” Kendall replied with an air of pride. The way he said it made her want
to slap him, but she feared she’d scratch his face clean off if she did. “A seer is too valuable a prize to kill.”
“That’s too bad,” she hissed, injecting anger into every word.
He closed his eyes, visibly stung.
“I know you think you hate me for my actions,” he said, brows creasing in a way that made him look disgustingly cute. “But I did what I did for you. For us.”
“Don’t give me that crap. You saved yourself, and sold everyone else for that safety.”
“And what would you rather I have done? Wait around in that fishbowl to die with everyone else? When the vampires attacked, you got out. You saved yourself, too.”
Her anger was at a tipping point, and she could feel the fur bristling underneath the goosebumps on her arms. “I didn’t save myself! I left to save everyone else! You think I give a flying feather what happens to me? I’d give everything to save the people I love.”
“And that’s exactly what I did,” Kendall declared, stomping his foot as he neared her. “I gave up everything and everyone to ensure that you’d be safe. You may not care what happens to you, but I do.”
Red tinged the periphery of her vision, her muscles itching with the prickle of an imminent transformation. “Get out,” she growled.
Kendall startled and tripped backward. He squinted at her in confusion and fear, but swiftly recovered and stood tall.
“I’ll give you some time,” he said, backing toward the door. “But I’m not giving up on you. One day, I hope you know just how much you mean to me.” His blue eyes lingered on her with a desperate intensity for a moment before he turned and left.
That look reached something inside her, something that soothed the beast within enough for her to regain control of her breathing, as Mr. Coltar had shown her. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, feeling the prickle and the anger subside.
Calm now, she sat on the bed and stared at the red carpet.
Maybe she should’ve let the ursa out. See how much damage she could inflict before the vamps could take her out.
