Paranormal University: Third Semester: An Unveiled Academy Novel

by Jace Mitchell

  Jack glanced at Marissa. “I think he wants a taste of you, to be honest. Didn’t get enough the last go-around.”

  Marissa shook her head. “Look, you got us out here. Do you have any idea where we’re heading?”

  Jack shouted into the hallway. “Uncle Bill! Uncle Bill! Where are you?”

  Marissa punched him in the shoulder. “All you’re doing is hurting my ears with that nonsense. Quit it.”

  Jack shrugged as they turned into the living room. “I don’t know where the hell he is, but I’m tired of lying in that—” He grinned. “Well, never mind. You can all thank me for bringing you to the correct place.”

  Uncle Bill, with his too-thick glasses, was sitting on the hardwood floor of the massive living room.

  Jack stopped walking and checked out the rest of the room. He didn’t see anyone else. Apparently, Uncle Bill was alone. He turned his head to the left, his neck smarting as he did. “Ready for a second family reunion, Sam?”

  Sam ignored him and walked forward a few steps. Jack remained where he was, standing next to Marissa.

  The dog padded over to the wall then lay down, one of its three heads keeping its eyes open while the other two settled down to rest.

  Bill had a board game out in front of him, although Jack didn’t know what it was. He didn’t recognize either the board or the pieces, but he’d never seen a board game that included only one player. This is a weird, weird guy, to say the least.

  Sam stopped as she reached the board. Bill didn’t look up. Instead, he moved a piece as if no one had entered the room at all.

  “This is how you treat family now?” Sam asked.

  Bill didn’t look up, yet his voice was more subdued than when Jack had heard him earlier. “You shouldn’t have come. That was a big mistake.”

  “You’re here. Why shouldn’t I be?”

  Bill rolled a pair of dice. “Damn it.” He shook his head angrily, then moved the pieces across the board. “I’m here because this is where I’m destined to be. You are here…Well, I’m not entirely sure why you came.” He looked up, his eyes large beneath the glasses. “What made you come, Sam? Was it my dickwad brother? Did he put you in danger, all in some hopes of saving the country?”

  Sam shook her head, barely-controlled anger on her face. “I’m here because what you’re doing isn’t just about this country. It’s about the entire world. Everything that’s been happening, you’re behind it in some way, aren’t you?”

  Bill looked back down at his game, studying the pieces. “Those prick-washing friends of yours over there, they’re part of that university? The one trying to stop us? You’re a part of it too?”

  Sam didn’t turn around to look at Jack or Marissa. She kept her eyes on her uncle. “What is all of this about? Why are you doing this? You must see that it’s only causing death. Destruction. You’re doing absolutely no good, Uncle Bill. None.”

  Jack’s eyes widened in worry. He’d mainly come looking for this weird dude to get out of the room. He certainly hadn’t come in here to talk a bunch of shit. The last time he did that he’d nearly had his head popped off. Yet, here was Sam, telling Bill that everything he was doing was wrong. “Hey, Sam, maybe it’s time to go back to the room?”

  She didn’t so much as glance behind her.

  Bill seemed not to notice them anymore, either. “Yeah, Sam, because the world is so grand right now. We kill each other as if humans are no more than cattle. We killed different colors, creeds, and anything else you can think of.” He looked up, his face full of hatred. “Did your jackass father ever tell you how many times I was put in the hospital because my glasses were this thick?”

  Sam was silent as she shook her head.

  Bill held up three fingers. “Can you count, niece of mine? Three. I was hospitalized three fucking times because I looked and acted differently. So please don’t give me any sob story about how the world deserves to be saved.”

  Marissa leaned over very close to Jack. “He might know more than anyone else on Earth about what’s happening here. About the Veil and whatever is behind it. He probably knows more than anyone inside the FBI.”

  The two family members appeared not to hear Marissa.

  We should have had some kind of plan if we came in contact with him, Jack thought. Claire would have made sure we did. Instead, we’re just fucking winging it.

  Sam kept speaking. “So, what then? You’re helping give the world over to creatures that don’t exist? You want Mythers that only exist because of us to have dominion over Earth?”

  Jack put a gentle hand on Marissa’s hip and tapped twice. Sam knows what she’s doing, he thought. She may not convince him that he’s insane, but hopefully, she’ll at least figure out what his insanity wants.

  Bill shook his head and moved one of the game board pieces a few places. “Oh, such bullshit from a bullshit queen. They only exist because of us? Tell me, missy, how do they have entire lives over there, then? How did Hades have a whole damned army of ghosts?” He shook his head again as if he couldn’t believe the idiocy he was being forced to deal with. He grabbed the dice up quickly and let them fly again.

  “Either way,” Sam countered, “whether they exist or they don’t, you’re going to give them our world? That’s what you’re doing here, isn’t it? What your plan has been all along, to call them over so that they can destroy us?”

  Bill stopped midway in moving his piece. He leaned back, placing both hands behind him to steady himself, and stared up at his niece. “You must be the dumbest person to ever fall down the dumb tree.” He looked bewildered, as if he couldn’t quite understand how someone could say such things.

  For Sam’s part, she looked like she wanted to smack those thick glasses right off his scrunched face. “Then enlighten me, Uncle Bill. What the hell has been the point of all this? The different cult sects, the vampires and ghosts? The stuff out on the west coast?”

  A smile slowly spread across Bill’s face, looking about as ugly as anything Jack had ever seen. The man had a face for radio, naturally, but the smile? It wasn’t going to help him see any women in their birthday suits, that was for sure.

  “The point, my dumbass niece, is the creature now holding court in this mansion. Humans keep looking up into the sky for a savior. They want God or Superman or the government to come and save them. Yet, the gods already exist. They’re on another plane, separated from us by the thinnest of layers. Why would we not bring them here? Why would we not serve under them, and let them destroy the things they want and keep the things they deem worthy? They’re gods and us mere humans. And why do you think they don’t want to come here?”

  Jack’s eyes were narrow as he tried to understand what this dope was saying. It wasn’t the vampires they wanted? Or the ghosts? They’d wanted the Greek gods all along? The Titans?

  It appeared Sam had come upon on the same line of thinking, too, and that was good—because Jack wouldn’t have been able to keep his mouth shut if she hadn’t asked the questions he wanted answered.

  Sam pointed at Bill. “If you wanted the gods, then what was all the rest about?”

  Bill closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he released the air, he let it out slowly and then leaned forward over his game again. “I would suggest you not speak around Hades. You’re obviously too dumb to last in this new world, and opening your mouth will only let him know that sooner.”

  He tossed the dice, but Sam’s foot slapped them away before they could be still. They scattered across the room, and Bill looked up with bold anger across his face. “You stupid twat. Go get them. Now.”

  Jack’s right foot stepped forward, almost outside of his control. Marissa reached forward and grabbed a belt loop, shaking her head.

  He knew what she meant. This was between the two of them. Jack and Marissa would jump in if necessary, but right now, it wasn’t.

  Sam only shook her head at her uncle’s demand. “Answer my question. If you wanted the gods, what was all the
rest about?”

  Bill tried to stand up, but Sam raised her foot and kicked him in the chest.

  Jack could tell it caused her pain to move like that since she winced, but she didn’t back down.

  Bill fell back on his ass, his own face growing bright red at the indignation. “Do you think we can just handpick who we want, you silly shit-eater? Do you think we can reach over there and grab them like they’re blue M&Ms? No, you ass-munch. What we wanted was to make them take notice, to come over on their own, because it’s much harder to force a god to come over here than it is a vampire. But once they took notice, they would come on their own, and once they came, they’d see this place should be theirs. Do you think this plan was ours? There’s so much here that you can’t begin to understand.”

  Sam stared down at the board and shook her head. “You’re just hoping that you end up on the right side of this god’s wishes? That he keeps you alive?”

  Jack glanced at the three-headed dog. He was on his feet again, all heads alert, but not yet growling or threatening.

  Bill turned over on all fours, not in an attempt to stand again but an effort to recover his dice. “He’s kept me alive so far, hasn’t he? Besides, he’s only the beginning, my know-nothing niece. There are more gods than him, and if you think they’re not noticing that their brother is missing, then you’re even dumber than you look.”

  He crawled away from the game, his eyes scanning for the dice, having discarded the conversation they were having.

  Sam turned back to Jack and Marissa. Her eyes were wide, and she shrugged and mouthed, “What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”

  Jack was just about to respond when he heard the door open behind him. He turned to see the witch standing in the doorway. “He wants you.”

  No one needed to ask who she was referring to. “Tell me, Tina. When you decided to join up with him, did you know you’d be giving up your soul?” Jack asked. “Or was that more of a surprise when you got here?”

  Tina didn’t look away. “I see your wounds healed.”

  Jack smiled back. “I imagine the ones on your soul won’t. Take us to your master. I’m tired of talking to his lackeys.”

  “We all serve someone, Jack,” the witch responded. “You are simply serving the losing side.” She turned and walked away without giving him a chance to respond.

  Sam came to stand by Jack and Marissa. “What do you think he wants?”

  Marissa shook her head with a little grin. “Thinking isn’t Jack’s strong point, Sam, so I’ll take that as you asking me. This most likely has to do with Claire.”

  Jack raised a finger. “The problem with that is, I’m always thinking, and you two fools can’t keep up.”

  The dog growled from behind, causing Jack to jump.

  Sam chuckled. “Must have been thinking too hard to hear Fido approaching, huh?”

  Jack set off after the witch. “I hope he gets hungry again because you’re not going to be able to run as fast as me.”

  Hades was sitting at the end of a long dining room table, one of those that Jack imagined the truly rich owned, but only so that they could let everyone know how rich they actually were. Cerberus trotted over to the god. Hades stroked the dog’s middle head for a second, then the animal laid down at his feet.

  Tina didn’t bother speaking at all. She simply walked over to the side of the room, doing her best to disappear.

  She’s really scared of him, Jack thought. She’ll do whatever he says, but she’s scared to death.

  Hades glanced at Jack. “How’s the neck?”

  “Great,” Jack responded. “I’m thinking about getting this type of purple tattooed there permanently, I like it so much.”

  “If you continue speaking as you did before, there won’t be any need to get it tattooed, I can promise you that.” The god drummed his fingers lightly on the table. “Now, Tina here tells me that your friend, this Claire, is ready to come for me. She does have some guts, but alas, it will all come to the same. I’ve given you free rein of this place up until now. We had our little disagreement, but I see no reason to allow that to overflow into the rest of our interactions. I am of the mind to let this girl come for me, but I did want to try one last time to speak with you three.”

  Jack walked over to the table and pulled a chair out. He plopped himself down in it and then threw his legs up on the table. “I’d love to talk to you, Hades. What do you have in mind? But before we get started, I am a bit curious about whose house we’re in? And what time they’ll be serving dinner? I’ve always wanted to eat at a table like this. It reminds me of Michael Keaton in the first Batman. Do you know the one I’m talking about?”

  He watched as Hades’ jaw twitched. The god glanced at Marissa and Sam behind him, perhaps hoping to find help there.

  “Does he ever stop his prattle?” the god asked.

  Marissa shoved her hands into her pockets. “Not that I can tell, and to be honest, it used to get on my nerves. When he does it with you, though, I find it oddly endearing.”

  Jack flashed a cocky grin. “What can I say, Hades? I’ve got a way with the ladies.”

  The god brought a hand up to his forehead. “I’m going to enjoy killing you, boy. Truth be told, the only reason I’m still dealing with any of you is because of what the witch told me. She, Claire, is supposed to be special. I have dealt with special creatures before, and I wasn’t as cautious as I should have been, thus having to pay a price. I do not wish to do so again.” He took his hand away from his head and looked the three over. “I shall make a deal with you. If you tell me what you know of her, I will make her death painless. If you don’t, her fate will be similar to Sisyphus’.”

  Jack raised an eyebrow. “Sisy-who?”

  Marissa answered from behind. “He was sentenced to push a boulder up a hill for eternity. Every time he gets to the top, the boulder rolls back down to the bottom, and he has to start all over again.”

  Jack shook his head. “You are a bunch of cruel bastards, you know that?”

  Hades chuckled. “My brother Zeus does have some of the best ideas. However, I promise you that I can come up with quite good ones myself. Do you wish to talk to me about your friend and help her fate turn out somewhat better, or do you want to see her pushing a boulder endlessly up a hill?”

  Jack placed his hands over his stomach and sighed. “I’m really more curious about what we’ll be eating for dinner, Hades. However, if you’re going to force me on to this boring topic, then I really can’t think of anything I’d like better than to watch you try to make Claire suffer for all eternity. So, with that said, I think it’s only appropriate to tell you to go fuck yourself.” He leaned back against the chair and looked at Marissa. “What do you think, Sissy? You want to tell him the same?”

  She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah. Go fuck yourself.”

  Jack grinned. “She means it too, Hades. She hardly ever uses language like that.”

  Hades glanced at Tina. “You can take them away.” He looked back at Jack, flames alight in his eyes. “The next time you see me, boy, it will be when I’m torturing the friend you refuse to discuss. I want you to know that you could have stopped it. You could have given her an easy death. No longer.”

  Hades stood and the dog stood with him, growling low in all three of its throats.

  Jack swallowed, taking his feet off the table and standing up.

  “Come,” the witch commanded from the doorway, having moved there without anyone noticing.

  Jack wanted to respond to the god, but he knew it would do no good. It would only end with more pain for him and perhaps the two with him. Instead, he turned and followed the witch out of the room, silently wondering if the god was telling the truth. If his refusal to give up what he knew about Claire was going to cause her untold pain.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Hades remained seated in the middle of the couch, the living room empty besides his dog and Tina. “Show her to m
e. The girl.”

  Tina understood that she had made a deal with the devil. She now understood how wrong her and Marylyn had been, thinking they were on the right side of things by teaming up with the Following. These gods from beyond the Veil…they tolerated humans as useful assets, but nothing more. Even now, if Tina were to disobey this god’s order, she would be murdered without thought.

  So, Tina did the only thing she could. She started reciting spells. Her lips moved quickly and silently, and in front of the couch, a figure formed.

  The girl, as Hades called her. Claire.

  She was pacing in front of a small bed. To Tina, it looked like she was in her dorm room. Claire was talking, though the ephemeral image didn’t show who was around her.

  Hades crossed one leg over the other. “Is there any way to hear what she’s saying?”

  Tina shook her head. “The spell will only show us her location. We can’t hear anything.”

  Hades nodded, showing no signs of anger.

  Tina was grateful for the reprieve. She’d wondered in the beginning if she might be able to kill him with a spell. That notion had been dispensed with as quickly as it’d come to her. This god wasn’t killable, at least not by any knowledge Tina possessed.

  “What do you think of her?” Hades didn’t look over as he spoke but kept his eyes on the visual of the young lady. “Is she as dangerous as your friend said? Is she some kind of key to this?”

  It was the first time he had asked an opinion of her, and Tina didn’t know exactly how to answer it. She wished Marilyn was here to deal with this—she’d been the stronger of the two, without any doubt. “I… I don’t know. Marilyn was the one who saw farther into her future. She was stronger with the craft than me.”

  Hades flicked his hand as if waving her comment away. “I’m asking what you think, witch. Tell me.”

  Tina put her hands behind her back to stop them from shaking. “When we met her on the rooftop in Miami, she shouldn’t have been able to stop us. It should have been impossible, but she did. She killed Marilyn, and here I am. Miami may not be saved, but she should be dead. Somehow, she defeated us.” Tina paused, looking at the girl who wasn’t yet twenty-one pacing in front of her small bed. “There’s something special about her; I believe that. Whether or not she’s destined to close the Veil, I can’t say.”