Zodiac Academy: The Awakening: An Academy Bullymance (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts Book 1)

by Caroline Peckham

  I hopped over the bar and Darcy followed right behind me as I led us straight through the kitchen to the exit which dumped us in an alley.

  The cold air slapped me in the face and helped drive a little bit of the alcohol fuzz from my head.

  A sleek black superbike was parked up in the alley and for a moment I couldn’t help but stare at it. I knew there were way more important things going on right now but that bike was top of the line, stupid beautiful in a way that just purred ride me. If it had been any other circumstances I’d have found a way to do just that but right now we needed to find out what had happened to Geraldine.

  Goosebumps rose along my skin at the memory of the last alley we’d found ourselves in and we ran back to the street where a crowd had formed.

  I shoved my way between the bodies and my gaze caught on a pale arm dangling from a stretcher as Geraldine was loaded into the back of a blue and grey ambulance. I fought my way to the front and released a breath of relief as I heard her voice.

  She was mumbling about her family, asking for her mom and her skin was sickly pale but she was okay. She was alive.

  The paramedic closed the door once she was loaded in and Orion was revealed, leaning against the side of the ambulance.

  His sleeves were shoved back and his forearms were stained with blood. His skin was pale and he had bags under his eyes like he hadn’t slept for a month which I could have sworn hadn’t been there earlier.

  “You saved her life,” the paramedic said to him seriously. “It’s a good thing you found her before her attacker could finish the job.”

  “I was only just powerful enough. I haven’t got a drop of magic left,” Orion muttered and I realised with a jolt what that would mean.

  I tried to shove Darcy back into the crowd before he noticed us but my movement had the opposite effect and drew his attention. My heart leapt as he shot forward with his unnatural speed and Darcy released a squeal of fright half a second before his teeth pierced the flesh of her neck.

  I caught her hand in mine, squeezing it reassuringly as I waited for him to release her but instead of stopping after a minute or so like the Vampires usually did, he held her more firmly. A whimper escaped her lips as he continued to suck her power from her veins and anger built in me as I was forced to watch.

  “Hey,” I snapped, shoving him roughly to try and force him off of her. “That’s enough!”

  Orion released a growl like a goddamn animal which was a clear warning to back off but I sure as shit wouldn’t be doing that. Darcy’s magic might have been pinned down by this parasite but mine wasn’t.

  I drew fire to my hands as I shoved him again and he finally staggered back with a curse, two hand prints burnt right through the fabric of his shirt and his flesh seared beneath.

  “You’ve had enough!” I snarled, daring him to test me again as he glared at me, baring his fangs.

  “Maybe you want to donate to the cause then?” he asked angrily and for a moment it seemed like he’d actually lost control.

  A heavy arm landed around my shoulders as Caleb appeared and he released a deep growl in the back of his throat. “You might want to rethink that statement, Professor.”

  Orion stared at us for a few seconds then shook his head to clear it. He released a heavy breath and his features softened a little.

  “I haven’t been drained that low in a long time. I shouldn’t have tried to take so much all at once,” he muttered. Not an apology but I doubted he was capable of more than that.

  “Well feel free to just steal all of mine then,” Darcy spat icily, clutching her neck.

  The ambulance pulled away and Orion glanced about as if he were looking for someone for a moment before returning his attention to us.

  “Come on, I can drive you girls back in my car,” he offered.

  My lip curled back on instinct. He was a psycho who’d just attacked my sister and was half covered in Geraldine’s blood. He was obviously claiming to have saved her life but what if he’d been the one trying to hurt her? He was certainly capable of acting like a monster and he’d left the bar right before it had happened.

  “We’re not going anywhere alone with you,” Darcy replied bitterly.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Orion snapped, stepping forward like he intended to grab her arm. I moved to intercept him and Caleb joined me too.

  “You don’t fucking touch her again,” I growled.

  Orion narrowed his eyes at me, looking like he was going to object again but he hesitated as he glanced at Darcy.

  “Bastard,” she hissed, looking woozy.

  “Come on, girls. The bus is gonna leave soon,” Caleb said, tugging me after him but I dug my heels in, waiting for Darcy.

  My sister moved first and I threw Orion one more filthy look before heading after her down the street. Caleb kept his arm around my shoulders as he led the way and I hurried to keep up in my towering heels which I was beginning to daydream about taking off.

  There were two buses parked up by the side of the street and a huge crowd of students waiting to get on. I moved to join the back of the queue but Caleb rolled his eyes, guiding us past all of the people who had gotten there first and climbing the steps onto the closest bus.

  Max and Seth were sitting in the back row and Caleb told three other kids to get off and wait for the next bus so that we could join them.

  I almost wanted to protest his rudeness but my bed was calling to me and I just wanted to escape the madness in this town.

  The bus rumbled to life as the doors shut with a hiss and we started off down the road. My brain was still fuzzy with alcohol and I leaned my head back as I closed my eyes, waiting for the journey to be over.

  Caleb drew me against him but I shrugged him off, the moment of madness where I’d almost forgotten what he was had been well and truly left behind with the sight of all that blood.

  I tried to relax and enjoy the ride back to the Academy but as the bus bumped over a pothole I realised one person had never reappeared amongst all the mayhem. And the last person to see him was now covered in blood and had been discovered at the scene of a crime.

  So where was Darius Acrux?

  I WOKE TO a war drum in my head and a desert in my mouth.

  The hangover from hell begins...

  I groaned, rolling over and praying I wasn't about to find an Heir in my bed. It wasn't really my style but after the vat of alcohol I’d consumed last night, anything was possible.

  There was no one there.

  A sigh of relief preceded a wave of anxiety.

  I replayed the events of last night, trying to fit everything into place like a puzzle with missing pieces.

  I remembered the creepy alley, the bar, the dancing – oh God the dancing – then Geraldine -

  “Shit!” I sat bolt upright, my hand flying up to my throat where Orion's teeth had dug into me and taken nearly every ounce of magic I had.

  Geraldine had been hurt and Orion...he'd been covered in blood and completely drained of power.

  I got up, pushing a hand into my tangled mane of hair, trying to pull it out of the nest it was determined to stay in. Strands of blue hovered over my face and I knew I resembled the undead even before I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror. Mascara and eyeliner were smudged under my eyes but I'd managed to put on the top half of my pyjamas before passing out which I was counting as a win.

  I stepped into the shower, letting it run cold to help realign my thoughts.

  Orion had been talking about killing someone.

  Then Geraldine had shown up hurt and he'd been the first on the scene. It was too damn suspicious.

  I had to speak with her. I had to know for sure. But why he'd attack her, I couldn't figure out.

  I left my hair to air dry as it hung wet around my shoulders then pulled on a black sweater and jeans. I put on some thongs, my feet aching too much to bear being confined to any shoes.

  I pulled the door open and my heart lurched as I came fac
e to face with Seth, his fist raised to knock.

  He looked disgustingly good for someone who'd been out as late as me last night. The flashbacks hit me in a wave. Me and him dancing. My ass grinding up against his...oh dear god.

  “Morning, babe.” He smirked, his eyes shining with all of the memories which were currently haunting me.

  “Hey,” I said tersely, tucking a damp lock behind my ear.

  “Let me help you with that.” He raised a hand and hot air pushed into my hair, wrapping around it until it was perfectly dry.

  He stepped forward, pressing his nose into it with a sigh. “Cherry, my favourite. Speaking of cherries, has yours been popped yet?” He threw a suspicious glance into my room and I jammed my shoulder against the door to keep him out of my private space.

  “That's none of your business.” And it was especially none of his business that it was popped last year by a guy named Austin who'd been the perfect gentleman for three months up until the point he'd gotten what he wanted. And that was the not-so-funny punchline of my relationship history. The mere memory of the horrible day he’d dumped me bordered on the edges of my mind and I blocked it out as hard as I could.

  “Can I make it my business?” he purred, wrapping his large hand around my back and yanking me into his chest.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I pressed him back as my fragile hangover heart had a meltdown.

  “I thought we were cool now...you know, after you sucked on my lower lip then whispered dirty things in my ear.”

  “I don't recall any whispering.” I blushed because I did recall the other part. Vividly. And as I gazed at his mouth, heat coiled in my stomach.

  He chuckled darkly. “Do you remember this bit too?” He moved his mouth to my ear and was half a second from biting it the way he had last night when I yelped and forced him back. He let me move him, stepping back with a wicked grin. I shut my door, locking it tight as I moved into the hallway.

  Run or fight?

  “Come on, I'll walk you to breakfast.” He slung his arm over my shoulders and I tried to duck away. He held on firmly and that familiar, enticing scent sailed from his skin and planted twisted thoughts in my head.

  “Why are you pretending to be nice to me? We've played this game before and I'm not falling for it, Seth.”

  “Fuck, do that again,” he said, biting down on his fist.

  “What?” I stared up at him in confusion.

  “The part where you say my name like you're mouth-humping it.”

  “That's not a thing.” I shook my head, making another attempt to escape and failing.

  What the hell was happening right now?

  “I need to go and see Geraldine,” I said anxiously, glancing at him in case he might have any news on her condition.

  “Yeah, sounds like the poor chick got seriously messed up.”

  “Lucky Orion was there to help,” I said dryly.

  “Woah.” Seth turned me to face him, his eyes as sharp as a razor.

  “What?” I gasped.

  “We have a serious problem, babe.”

  “What is it?” I asked, frantic. Did he know something about the attack? Had he seen Orion do it?

  “You just mouth-humped another guy's name,” he accused, deadly serious.

  My lips parted and heat rushed up and down my spine. “Are you kidding me right now?”

  “This is no joke. You know you can't date teachers right? Them's the rules. And I'd appreciate if you didn't mouth-hump his name in front of me.”

  “Can you please stop saying mouth hump? It's not a thing.”

  “It is a thing.” He said with a shrug. “I just made it a thing.”

  “You're impossible,” I sighed, turning and marching away from him. I needed to lose Dog Boy, find Tory and go and see Geraldine. I wasn't going to waste air talking nonsense with him any longer.

  “Wait up,” he called, his joking tone gone. He caught my hand, winding his fingers between mine. “Look, I know I mess around a lot and I've been an ass, okay?”

  I turned to him in utter shock. Was he seriously about to do what I suspected?

  He took a deep breath. “I'm sorry, alright? For your first night...for trying to make you cut your hair off and then covering you in mud with my mates and posting it online....and then leaving you in The Wailing-”

  “I got it,” I cut over him. “I remember it all pretty clearly.”

  I tried to pull my hand free but he wouldn't let go.

  “I just thought...after last night.” He cleared his throat - was that actually a look of vulnerability in his eyes? “I just thought things had changed. But clearly I was wrong.” He released my hand and I assessed him, trying to work out his angle but I couldn't see one.

  “Last night we were drunk,” I said, my heart pounding like mad as I prepared to shoot down one of the most popular guys in school – but surely this is some prank anyway?

  “I know but...” He shrugged. “So what? I still know how I feel this morning, don't you?”

  I didn't answer. Because how could I answer? I didn't think I even had an answer. This guy had been my arch nemesis yesterday and a few overly handsy dances weren't going to change that.

  I shook my head and he gave me the saddest puppy dog look I'd ever seen. Guilt weaved through my stomach.

  “I don't trust you,” I admitted. Or anyone. But especially not an Heir.

  His eyes brightened as if I'd just given him the tiniest sliver of hope he needed.

  “Can I try to make you trust me?” he asked.

  I pressed my lips together and brushed my fingers through the blue tips of my hair.

  The most important thing I’d learned in life? You can’t trust people. And you especially can’t trust boys with wicked smiles and equally wicked intentions. He'd already gone too far. Ridiculed me, made my first week at Zodiac as difficult as possible. So what more evidence did I need to stay the hell away from him?

  “No,” I whispered, the hurt of my past suddenly too close for me to breathe. I kept walking but he planted himself in my way and made me meet that begging expression of his again.

  I can’t actually agree to this can I? To let Seth try to make things up to me?

  It was insanity to trust him. But now he was looking at me like that and I swear his eyes were getting bigger and I was totally melting under his Puss-in-Boots face.

  “Ergh fine,” I gave in just to rid myself of that expression.

  He grinned from ear to ear. “Kiss?” he asked.

  “No!” I gasped as he leaned in for one. “Are you crazy?” I shoved him back and he started bobbing on his heels.

  “Crazy for you.”

  “That is the cringiest thing I've ever heard,” I laughed.

  “Yeah actually, don't repeat that to anyone, babe. Street cred and all.” He winked, snatching my hand again and tugging me along.

  “You're not coming with me,” I said, wanting to set firm boundaries here.

  We moved into the stairwell and I spotted Diego heading down from his floor. He looked tired and I hoped Sofia hadn't given him too much trouble last night. His eyes landed on Seth's hand around mine and I immediately tugged it free.

  “See ya,” I shot at Seth with a firm 'stay away' stare.

  He ran his tongue over his lower lip then headed off down the stairs, leaving my stomach in knots.

  “Dios mio, tell me you didn't sleep with that mutt,” Diego gasped as I met him on the stairs.

  My cheeks flamed. “Of course not.”

  “Then why's he all over you?”

  “Apparently he wants to be friends,” I said, my disbelief of that fact obvious.

  “Pfft, lucky you,” Diego laughed. “Just don't buy into any of his bullshit, okay?”

  “I won't,” I swore. “So how's Sofia?”

  “She's still sleeping.” He gestured in the direction of his room and I raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh nothing happened! I slept on the floor. But she didn't wanna be a
lone so...” He shrugged then gave me a frown. “I heard about Geraldine. What exactly happened last night? The rumours going around are locos, I don't know what to believe.”

  As we descended the stairs I explained everything, leaving out the part where I'd ground up against Seth for over an hour. Gotta stop thinking about that.

  We headed outside and I regretted not bringing a coat as a heavy drizzle beat down on me. My Atlas buzzed and I took it out, finding a message from Tory.

  Tory Vega:

  Are you up?

  If so, meet at The Orb in ten?

  I tapped out a quick reply and headed toward The Orb with a yawn dragging at my mouth. I reached up to the bite marks on my neck, but my fingers ran over smooth skin. I’d recently learned in Cardinal Magic that Fae healed quicker than mortals once their power was Awakened but that seemed extra fast after I'd nearly been drained by Orion. Even now, the well of power inside me felt almost empty and as I didn't know my Order I had no idea how to replenish it.

  I ground my teeth, furious at what he'd done. He hadn't just humiliated me in front of my friends and made me feel about as small as a peanut, he'd damn well left me vulnerable for who knew how long.

  As I caressed the skin he'd bitten, a hazy memory came back to me on the bus. I'd been half asleep leaning against Seth's shoulder when he'd healed the wound, his magic brushing over my skin like a whisper.

  Oh.

  We arrived at The Orb and I anxiously waited for Tory to appear, glad to have someone who was in the same boat as me. The way she'd been dancing with Darius and Caleb last night had practically been pornographic and I didn't think she was going to live it down any time soon.

  She appeared jogging down a path from the direction of Fire Territory, her leather jacket flapping out behind her and her face a picture of discomfort.

  “Arghhhh,” she groaned as she arrived, resting her hands on her knees. “I feel like death. But like if death was a puddle of shit.”

  I blew out a laugh, resting my hand against her shoulder for a second. “I feel your pain.”