Academy of Beasts IV

by Becca Fanning

  I quieted my mind for meditation as instructed. When the timer that Dracus set went off, I lifted off the mats with a groan. The dragon-shifter strode over towards me with an easy air. I preferred gym Dracus over regular Dracus. He was more relaxed.

  “You look handsome in these types of clothes,” I told him on the elevator up. He eyed me carefully.

  “Are you suggesting that I don’t look handsome always?” The pride in this one.

  I snorted. “You sound like Enrique! No. I’m just saying that it’s nice to see you more relaxed.”

  His shoulders relaxed and his face softened. “Thank you.” It was true. In his training outfit, he was like a prince preparing for battle. Very different from the top-button leader in the dining room with his black coffee.

  Was I becoming actual friends with the Council boys?

  It sure felt like it. It seemed easier to talk to them after last night’s difficult conversation. After breakfast, I finally caught Moony in the kitchen. He smiled at me and we bumped fists.

  “Got your protein shake in the fridge,” he said and jerked his thumb towards the massive stainless-steel appliance.

  “Thanks, Moony. You’re awesome, as usual. How’s the family?” I grabbed the shake from the fridge. He smiled as he wrote something down on a notepad, likely planning more meals for the six hungry mouths in this manor.

  “Great. The wife is pregnant.”

  I gasped and threw my hand onto my face. “That’s awesome!”

  “Thanks,” he said with a grin. “I’m happy to have another little one to the house.” I glanced at my watch.

  “I’d love to hear more about it. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  On my way out of the kitchen, I ran smack into a solid body.

  “Enrique, you have to stop waiting right here. You know I run right into you.”

  He smirked down at me. “Why do you think I wait right there?” I pushed past him, but he quickly caught up with his long legs. “Theo said you have a quiz today.”

  “Did he tell you that before or after beating you up?”

  He gave me a lopsided smile. “After. He didn’t beat me up. We fought. Like we always do.”

  “Healthy, I’m sure,” I mumbled. The gardens were peaceful as we walked through them.

  “Are you doing anything on Friday?” he asked casually.

  “Sleeping after this hellish week.”

  He smirked. “That’s fair. Well, I’m holding a party on Friday.”

  I stopped in the path and turned to him, folding my arms. “One of your special parties?”

  Enrique’s parties were notorious for being a haven of sins. Sex and booze flowed there. I’d heard that sometimes people wore masks to conceal their identities.

  “A calmer affair,” he assured me. “You can come if you want. Bring Priscilla.”

  “Are you going to make a pass at her?” I asked snorting. It was hard to stay mad at Enrique. He was honest with his personality and his love of romantic affairs. He threw his head back and laughed.

  “The nerd type is sexy, but I’m afraid that I’ve already got a few dates.” Was it my imagination or did my heart fall an inch in my chest? I nodded.

  “Cool. I’ll try to stop by. What should I wear?”

  “Something sexy, always. That’s the only rule for my parties.”

  “Deal. I’ll see what I can do.” Maybe Priscilla had something she could let me borrow. It might be fun to go to a party. I wondered if the other Council boys ever went to Enrique’s parties. It was hard to imagine someone like Dracus or Ren there, but I could see Theo or Jasper stopping by.

  We parted in the courtyard. He wandered off to two gorgeous redheads. Twins? I wouldn’t be surprised by him. The halls were relatively quiet. I felt the charge of academic anxiety fill the halls. It was no surprise since the professors generally planned their quizzes and exams to be on the same day. Outrageously unfair, in my opinion, but the professors weren’t asking for my perspective. I strolled down the hall, surprised that I couldn’t see Priscilla. Maybe she was in class already.

  I went to the bathroom to pee. As I was washing my hands, a sharp pain entered my head. I gasped and clutched the edge of the sink as my knees buckled. The pain was brief, but something came after. The porcelain edge of the sink, spotless save for a stray smear of lipstick, swam in my vision. A film played before my eyes. The bathroom vanished. Someone was crouching beside me. Their hands splayed on my back. I could feel the warmth. I sucked in a breath, begging the swirling to go away.

  The tile floor was replaced by hardwood floors that gleamed.

  “Fiona. Don’t worry,” a comforting voice said. It was as if the person was right beside me. I choked on my sound of surprise. “Don’t forget your power.” When I turned to look at who was speaking, the bathroom swam back into view. I was squatting on the floor.

  “Are you okay?” Another girl had come into the bathroom. I wondered how long she’d been there. She seemed like she was about to approach me. I think she was in my Mechanics class.

  “I’m fine,” I said with a shaky voice. “Just a sudden headache.”

  I pulled myself up as she made her way to a bathroom stall. No wonder she was worried. I looked green to the gills in the reflection. With a sigh, I whipped out my powder compact and dabbed a sweep of powder on my face. Better to not draw attention to myself.

  I’ll go by Nurse Greta to see her. Right after Mechanics.

  The quiz went well. Theo was wrapped up in his own stress for the quiz. Nobody noticed the pale color of my face. Good. When I took the quiz, I was surprised that I knew everything. Studying with Theo had been a great way to review. I’d essentially been acting as the teacher. No wonder Priscilla did so well. Theo and I walked together to our second class.

  “Enrique’s having a party on Friday. Are you going?” I asked. He ran a hand through his curls with an exhausted yawn.

  “Not sure. Might have a mission.”

  “A mission?” I asked with a curious edge. “Is that what you guys call work for them?” He rubbed his tired eyes and nodded.

  “Yep. Don’t tell Dracus I told you.” We settled into the classroom. To my surprise, Jasper walked in and joined us, closing me in on the other side.

  “Morning, Jasper.”

  “Morning,” he said easily. The fox rarely seemed tired. He folded his hands in front of him, staring ahead at the chalkboard with disinterest.

  “Thanks for last night.”

  “Always here to speak the truth,” he said. “You’re welcome.” Theo leaned over, his curls brushing my hair as he did.

  “What are we talking about?” he whispered excitedly. Professor Sahni had walked in.

  “Class,” I lied and pointed my fingers to the front. “Ready?”

  He groaned beneath his breath and muttered, “I don’t have a choice.”

  The lecture passed without incident, although I did catch Sam’s gaze from the corner. Jasper smirked when the other boy turned away quickly. We exited the classroom.

  “What are you smirking at?” I asked

  “Nothing,” he replied airily “I’ll see you guys later.” He walked off in another direction. Theo rubbed his face.

  “I’m going to catch a nap, Fiona. I’ll catch you later too.” The bear-shifter took off towards the courtyard. I imagined that he might sleep through his next class if he wasn’t careful. Like he cared.

  I smiled to myself and headed for Nurse Greta. It wasn’t hard to find her office, but I was afraid that she might’ve taken off for lunch.

  Instead, I found her at the small desk at the entrance of the medical ward. She scribbled something in a notebook.

  “Yes, Ms. Fiona?” She hadn’t even looked up, but shifters were good with their scents.

  “Hi, Nurse Greta. I wanted to ask you a question.”

  Her eyes flickered up from the notebook. “Are you pregnant?”

  “W-what?” I sputtered, blinking. She rolled her shoulders.


  “Oh, sorry. Thought I’d ask.”

  “Do people get pregnant often at school?” I asked, almost scandalized by my personal innocence. She chuckled darkly and gave me a wink.

  “I see a lot of things here,” she said. “Let me know if you need birth control before things get wild if you need it.” I blushed, but she continued without missing a beat like a true medical professional: “What can I do for you?”

  “I’m experiencing something lately,” I said gently and licked my lips. “Something unusual.”

  “Spit it out, girl.”

  “I’m having visions…I think.”

  “Visions?” she asked with a calm face and put her fists beneath her chin. “You’re on the calming agents and then the meds I gave you for your cycle? No others? I know there’s lots of fun substances at parties around here.”

  “Nothing else,” I promised. “I wondered if it could be a side-effect of the calming agents.”

  “Hm.” She crossed her arms, looking up in thought. “It’s not unheard of in extremely rare cases, but that would be something entirely different. You’re a late-shifter.” She was muttering to herself now, lost in thought. “No, no, you couldn’t be that. That’s impossible.”

  “Human?” I ventured. “I still have a human body, technically.”

  “No, not that,” she said and furrowed her brow. Finally, she waved her hand in front of her face, dismissing any of her hidden notions altogether. “No, no, it’s impossible. Look, I want you to keep track of any visions you have for a week in frequency. It’s not unusual for magic to affect a human body in a severe way, and there’s magic everywhere in this castle. If it becomes more than once a week, then I’ll be concerned.”

  I nodded and thanked her.

  When I left, there was a trace of something lingering on the nurse’s face.

  Later, I thought it might’ve been disbelief.

  Chapter 11

  Afternoon classes wrapped up, and you’d never seen such a joyous exodus of students back to their dorms or outside. I kept close to a wall to keep from being trampled by a group of giggling girls. Someone whispered something about Enrique’s party tomorrow.

  I took myself to the library, being careful to make sure that I wasn’t being followed. I wanted to see if the book that I’d mysteriously “never” checked out or already returned was still in the stacks. As I wandered through the castle on my way, something caught my ear.

  The most gorgeous piece of music. I stopped, frozen down to my feet. A violin rang out sadly, echoing from the lack of people in the empty corridors. Without realizing, I drifted towards it.

  Jasper. I spotted his head through the blurred window of the door. He was tucked far away from any of the usual classes. Perhaps he hadn’t expected anyone to take this way to the library. The door was cracked slightly. I sank to my butt to the ground near the entrance to listen.

  It was a wonderful piece of music. Whatever it was. I wasn’t well-versed in classical music. I leaned my head against the stones as the mournful song rang out. Through the crack, I could see him. He pressed himself peacefully against his instrument, playing it easily as if it was an extension of himself. His long lashes were low, eyes barely opened. He looked like an angel. I felt guilty for stumbling across him and watching. My fingers itched. Should I move along?

  Before I could argue with myself, the song came to a melancholy close on a fading note.

  “Fiona, I can smell you. Remember?”

  I flushed and scrambled upwards. “Sorry!”

  He chuckled. “You can come in.” I gently opened the door and came through. He was flexing his hands; his violin set gently on top of a nearby desk.

  “Spying?” he teased.

  “I was on my way to the library,” I explained. “I didn’t mean to stop, but…Wow. I’ve never heard anything like that. It was enchanting.” He smirked.

  “You’re going to give me a big head. You can’t say things like that to men.” But he was smirking coyly. “Do you want to listen to another?”

  “Can I? I feel bad for interrupting.”

  “I reward the curious,” he said vaguely. I watched as he set up again, effortlessly pulling the instrument towards him. “This one is livelier.” He began to play, and my heart slammed against my chest as the rising music spread throughout the room. I’d shut the door behind me, and now, the acoustics were increased. I leaned back. The hairs on my skin were standing to attention. His music was magic.

  He played more viciously than before. When he struck the violin with his bow, it seemed almost violent. I watched with bated breath. How could someone be so good? I had to remember that he was equally skilled in piano, according to the rumors. My gaze followed his hand as if entranced. Could those skilled hands possibly belong to a thief? I tried to imagine him sneaking through dark rooms and pilfering things. And yet…I remembered how easily my other library book went missing. One moment, it was in my hand. The next?

  He finished and I clapped even though it probably looked lame.

  “You’re incredible,” I gushed. “I would play in the hallways if I was that good.” He chuckled and brushed some invisible dirt off his shoulder.

  “I was impressed with your technique last night,” he admitted suddenly. I straightened in the chair. “You’re smart to confront Dracus head-on in front of others. He values his leadership role greatly. He was trained for it.”

  I blushed. “I guess…I knew that I’d have to force his hand. He holds his composure incredibly well. If I don’t catch him off guard, then I can’t get anything out of him.”

  “That’s Dracus’ curse.”

  “And you?” I asked. “You don’t seem to have any weaknesses like that.”

  “I’ve told you,” he said, almost purring. “I’ve trained much harder than most to conceal my thoughts.”

  “Was your mother an actor?” I asked suddenly. He stiffened.

  “Excuse me?”

  I put a hand to my mouth. “Sorry. It just slipped out. I was thinking— Well, I was thinking that your movements are talented. You must’ve had to watch someone.”

  He regained his collected air and laughed. “Perhaps, but maybe I’ll tell you the truth at another time.”

  An exciting thrill went through me. Had I guessed something close to the truth? I didn’t want to say it to him, but I’d guessed a woman because Jasper almost had a feminine edge to his movements. He was a handsome man, but his movements were so soft and light—

  “Fiona, you’re making your figuring-things-out face,” he said in a teasing tone. I smacked a hand on the desk.

  “Sorry. It reminded me of—” I caught my breath. “Of Mr. X.”

  His eyes widened a centimeter. For a brief moment, his face was frozen. Not in shock. Something else. Annoyance? I cleared my throat. I still didn’t know if the Council boys actually believed Mr. X existed…

  “Right. Well, I’ve got to get to the library. Have a good day.” I rose from the chair and turned back over my shoulder. “Thanks for letting me listen. I enjoyed it.” His face was coy. The actor’s mask had slid back into place.

  The library was closed. I sighed at the sign on the doors, which read: CLOSED FOR CLEANING. Open tomorrow.

  No investigations tonight. Disappointed, I wandered back down to the corridor, replaying my interactions with Jasper and Nurse Greta. Each day was filled with some original adventure for me.

  Priscilla waved to me from across the courtyard. I went to join her. She was relaxing with a bottle of chilled something.

  “Dragon elixir?” I asked playfully.

  “Dragon rosé,” she corrected and handed me an empty flute. “Want to try some?”

  Nothing was stopping me. She poured me a glass and I drank. It burned delightfully. There was a certain sweetness to it. I found that it might be preferable to the red wine that we had at dinner most nights in the manor.

  “Enrique asked me to invite you to the party tomorrow,” I informed her. She cackled and w
iggled her eyebrows.

  “Oh, I’m honored.” Enrique did nothing for Priscilla, she assured me. “Want to go?”

  “Sure. Girls night out tomorrow.”

  We clinked our glasses together.

  Another successful day at Beast Academy.

  Chapter 12

  Things were going well.

  Almost too well.

  Training and my breakfast passed peacefully. Enrique was nowhere to be found when I cut through the kitchen. Moony and I chatted. He showed me pictures of his wife and his daughter eagerly preparing the new nursery in his home.

  “Aren’t they gorgeous?” he gushed.

  I’d nodded in agreement. He had a beautiful family. It was funny looking at him, covered in tattoos with a rough shifter edge, to imagine him as a happy family man with killer skills in the kitchen. It must make his wife happy.

  I thought the day was going too well until I exited through the gardens and found Ren leaning against a tree. His eyes flicked open when I passed.

  “Morning, Ren.”

  He joined me at my side silently. Interesting. I ventured, “Have you been assigned another guard shift duty?

  “Not a chance,” he said. “I was waiting for you.”

  “What an honor.” I pressed to make sure my voice was extremely sarcastic. He smirked and that annoyed me more than anything.

  “You’ve been chummy with everyone lately.” I raised an eyebrow.

  “How would you know? You’re usually sulking about in a dark corner somewhere.”

  He snorted. “I do not sulk. I prefer solitude.”

  “Right, right.” I kept my eyes ahead of me on the path. It was a gorgeous day. The blue sky above us made me wish that the professors would randomly decide to have class outside. Wouldn’t that be nice? A girl could dream.

  “Why were you waiting for me? To tease me about forming friendships?”

  “You’re going to the party tonight,” he said abruptly. Now, I really had to stop and put my hands on my hip.

  “Are you going?”

  He scrunched his face up. “Hardly. Are you prepared?”