Captive Monster: Blood Moon Academy Book 1

by Demi Dumond

  I stared in disbelief at the figure that was at least seven feet tall, took up the width of the hallway, and was also glowing an eerie green.

  “What the fuck?” I said out loud, unable to stop myself. I was too afraid to look away, and yet I knew instinctively that making any kind of eye contact with that thing would be very bad.

  It was moving slowly, eyeing us, dragging a foot across the floor and moaning softly. When it heard my voice, it perked up. It started howling an awful, ear-splitting noise, while at the same time increasing to an impossible speed, galloping at us down the hallway.

  I saw it, but I didn’t believe what I was seeing. Either that or my brain refused to process it.

  Either way I just stayed there on my hands and knees freaking the hell out until Ian grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me in the opposite direction.

  Then the two of us were sprinting, our backs to the creature, toward the door that led back up to the main part of the academy. I ran faster and faster, hearing the heavy footfalls behind me. I was way beyond fight or flight now. I couldn’t even feel my body.

  Ian got to the door a second before me and shoved me through, then he got in and slammed the door behind him. “Go!” He yelled even though I was already running as fast as I could.

  I would have screamed if I wasn’t so busy sucking in oxygen. And then, just like that, I threw open the door at the top of the stairs and emptied out into the familiar hallways of the academy. Well, a little more familiar anyway.

  Ian came out after me. We both hovered by the door for a second, peering downward and listening to see if whatever the hell that thing was, was still pursuing us. We heard nothing though, and so we shut the door and turned to each other, exhaling in relief.

  I grabbed my bags and then we both burst out laughing nervously and headed back toward the dorms area.

  The two of us fell into a very brisk-paced speed walk, neither of us wanting to break down and run. After a few moments of having time to breathe and process, I finally spoke up. “What the hell was that?”

  Ian just shook his head. “I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything like that before. But it’s gone now, and everything is fine. It’s unheard of for anything to come up to the top floor.”

  He said it like it was completely normal living life trying to sleep in your bed every night hoping that the monsters living on the floor below didn’t learn how to use the stairs.

  “Why are there monsters under the academy at all?” I asked, wondering if I was ever going to get to sleep again.

  Ian was back to his lanky, cocky, self-confident walk. “I don’t know, there’s just always been monsters. But once you’re upstairs you don’t have to worry. That entrance door’s enchanted with magic wards or something.”

  “Magic wards or something?” I asked, not feeling the slightest bit reassured. Then I remembered the wall that he was supposed to show me. “About the missing students, were they eaten by the monsters?”

  “I don’t think so,” Ian said. “Look, nothing bad has happened since I’ve been here. For all we know, administration put that wall there just to screw with us because they’re jerks. And Malachai was just trying to scare you because you’re new. Honestly, I had heard students tell ghost stories about the lower level, but until I saw that thing downstairs tonight, I thought it was all just that, ghost stories.”

  “What about the earthquake and the monsters?” I asked, startled that any of it had to do with me.

  “It’s always been said, like a nursery rhyme around here, that the student who comes in during the earthquake will draw out the monsters that will destroy the place. You know, fun, kicky mythology stuff that nobody really believes.”

  Literally none of that sentence made me feel any better. Then, he realized why it had upset me.

  “Obviously, it’s all just bunk,” he said. “You asked, so I figured you wanted to know, that’s all.”

  I thought about everything for a moment. “Seriously, though. You throw parties down there?”

  “Well, I don’t personally throw the parties,” he said. “But I attend them, sure. You know what they say, strength in numbers and all.”

  “Fuck that,” I said.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked mockingly, “don’t like to party?”

  “I’m sorry, but are all of you fucking insane?” I asked. “Of course I like to party. I don’t usually do it in the middle of a horror movie, though.”

  “First time in magic school, eh?” he asked. “I’m afraid I heard the Headmaster and Kiln talking about your magic score. That’s going to get around, I’m afraid.”

  I wheeled on him even though I suspected we were approaching my room because even though the hallway looked like the rest of them, there were now numbers on the doors. “You’re going to tell people?”

  “Not me,” he said, shaking his head and holding up a scouts-honor sign, which was hilarious because he was a vampire. “The administration here is petty and mean. Trust me, there are no secrets. But I might have a solution for you. Ah, here we are,” he said, stopping. “A-wing. Room 515.”

  He dug a hand into his jeans pocket and handed me the envelope that the Headmaster had given him.

  I opened the envelope and pulled out the key while he stood there.

  “You might as well come in,” I said, my heart still beating in fear from our recent encounter below. I didn’t want to be alone right now. I also wondered what solution he was proposing to my lack of magic.

  I had to admit I was in way over my head already and I hadn’t been to a single class. But I was here in magic school now, like it or not. And as the new girl, the last thing I wanted was to catch shit about not being able to do magic.

  I opened the door and went inside, leaving it open so Ian could follow. The dorm room, like the rest of the building, was dated. But it was also spacious and comfortable. The front door emptied into a nice sitting area with a couch, fridge, and mini kitchen, complete with a coffee maker.

  There was also a large window at the end of the room. I glanced at it quickly, then I crossed the room to get a better look. I stared outside. My window had a view of the forest. It looked beautiful and peaceful right now. I turned back to Ian.

  “A or B?” he asked.

  Oh yeah, there were two-bedroom doors, one on each side of the sitting area. A was on the left, and B was on the right. I glanced back down at the paper with my room assignment. A. I was on the left.

  I tried my key and again it worked. The bed looked comfortable and I had my own shower and walk-in closet. I threw my duffel bag into the closet, set my purse on the nightstand, and then went back into the sitting area where Ian sat on the couch with his legs up on the table, making himself at home.

  “Do I have a roommate?” I asked. He shrugged. I crossed to the door with the B on it and knocked. Then I waited. Nothing. If I did have a roommate, they were either a very heavy sleeper, or they weren’t here.

  I dropped onto the sofa next to Ian while I dug the other documents out of the envelope. One of the papers was my school schedule.

  “Oh yeah,” Ian said, getting even more comfortable on the couch. “I meant to ask, what the hell did you do to Professor Kiln?”

  “I didn’t do anything to her, why?”

  “She’s the nicest teacher here. I’ve never seen her so angry.” He laughed, showing a little bit of fang.

  “Great,” I said, punching him playfully on the arm. It was solid muscle. “Hopefully I don’t have to take her class. Shit.” It was right there, Magical Theory and Practice, taught by Professor Kiln.

  “I can help you with your magic, Keira,” he whispered. “I have something for you. Something that will help you perform magic just as well as the others without the tedious months of tireless work and humiliation. Unless, of course you're into that sort of thing.”

  “Funny,” I said. I had to admit that sounded very helpful.

  I stared at my class schedule like it was a work of fiction.
Up until a few hours ago, I wouldn’t have believed it myself. Magic Theory and Practice, Supernatural Creatures, History of Magic, Supernatural Societal Structures, and Math. Wow, I really am at a magic academy, I thought. Until I got to that last class and scrunched up my face. “Math?”

  “It comes in very handy,” he said, shrugging. “You don’t want to go jumping into a portal set to the wrong century or using spells and potions that aren’t calibrated properly. That’s a recipe for disaster. Some of magic is art, and some of it is science,” he said.

  “Oh, baby,” I said with a smirk of my own. “Keep talking about math and science.” I turned to face him, and I swear the room got hotter as I looked into those eyes. I knew he was a vampire, but I still felt safe with him. And yet he was dangerous enough to make my panties melt.

  6

  Ian

  My eyes roamed eagerly over her luscious pink lips, then they drifted downward to her perky breasts and then even lower. My cock ached being this close to her. Everything about her called out to me.

  I looked into those green eyes and nearly lost control. I could hear her heartbeat thundering in my ears. It was clear she had no idea the effect she had on me. How could she not be aware of how sexy she was?

  She was so innocent, so irresistible. I wanted to plunge my fangs into her beautiful white skin and taste her. I wanted to taste all of her. I had never felt this kind of pull, this kind of need before her.

  Then she flashed that smile. It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. My mind was telling me to take it slow, but my body was ravenous for her. She was talking about her class schedule, like she couldn’t feel the animalistic attraction that was going on here, but I knew better.

  I leaned in closer and closer to her until I was whispering in her ear. “It’s not all magic classes, love. Some of it is biology,” I watched her squirm with desire. I could hear her arousal pounding in her bloodstream and smell it hanging thick in the air. It nearly sent me into a feeding frenzy. I had to force myself to breathe.

  I nibbled her ear and felt her stifle a moan, causing my cock to sprint to attention. There was no sense in hiding my desire now.

  She was trying to hide the rising tide of pleasure coursing through her veins, but I knew that it was too late.

  7

  Keira

  My heart raced as my eyes met Ian’s. His gaze was raw hunger that roamed my body, bringing a fresh wave of desire pooling between my legs.

  He ran a hand across my cheek and down my arm. Chills of heat pulsed through me at his touch.

  Then I heard his voice, only it wasn’t out loud, it was in my head. Keira, darling. I can make your wildest dreams come true. As he said it, I had a vision of the two of us naked. His hands were exploring my body, my back was arched, and moans of ecstasy filled my ears.

  I shook my head to escape the X-rated vision and pulled my mind back to reality.

  "Hey," I said. "Get out of my head." My cheeks were hot, and I knew that if he were in my head that he’d know how badly I wanted it. All of it. I knew it was pointless to protest.

  He seized the opportunity and ran his hand up my thigh all the way to the hem of my skirt, his gorgeous long fingers brushing against me. I swallowed a moan.

  He smiled that hungry smile of his and bared his fangs at me, a primal action that had me fighting the urge to spread my legs right here on the couch. There was a heat between us that was almost unbearable. My body was on fire.

  His hand moved higher up my thigh and brushed against the growing wet spot between my legs. This time I did moan. He responded by kissing me hard on the lips. The kiss was hungry, and it smothered my moan until I melted into him.

  The kiss grew with intensity as our tongues danced. He leaned into me and I lay down on the couch. Then he lifted my shirt, exposing my black lace bra. Quicker than I could have imagined, he unhooked the bra, releasing my breasts.

  He sucked on my nipple, causing me to groan and arch my back as waves of pleasure washed over me. I let out a whimper of ecstasy. My hands went to the zipper of his pants, which were now a gigantic tent with his visible erection. I stroked his huge member through his pants.

  I was so hungry for him. He continued touching and licking me, the pleasure coming in waves through my body.

  He groaned seeing my physical response to his touch. Then he pulled his pants down, freeing his cock.

  That’s when the door opened, and a girl with a black ponytail came barging in like she owned the place. “Ugh,” she said. “They stuck me with the new girl. I’m not into watching, so do that shit in your room, okay?”

  Horrified, I moved my clothes back into place while Ian put his cock back into his pants with a proud grin. “I guess I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” he said. Then, with a wink, he left my dorm with a smile on his face and a tent in his pants.

  8

  Ian

  From the moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was the one I had been waiting for. The ache of decades of longing filled my body and demanded release. My body and my soul demanded Keira. And she was a mage of all things.

  Love, such an odd concept for these mortals. And stranger still for immortals. The concept of destiny, of fate.

  And yet there she was. I felt it like I felt the blood coursing through my veins. There was a connection. I could hear her most intimate thoughts, and I smiled.

  Something inside of me had been awakened, and I’d be damned if I was going to let that go.

  9

  Keira

  Once Ian left, I went into my room and took a shower. Then I rummaged around my new dorm room and found an abundance of clothing in the walk-in closet.

  There were official uniform skirts and shirts, blazers, tops, and sweaters. Even socks. And also, plenty of civilian clothes.

  And it all fit perfectly. I couldn’t decide whether I should be afraid or impressed. Was it magic? Was it left over from the girl before me? I decided I didn’t give a shit, all I cared about was that it smelled clean. It was the first time since I got here that something went right.

  There was also a backpack in the closet with assorted school supplies on the shelf.

  The bed turned out to be every bit as comfortable as it looked. It had clean, soft sheets, a heavy goose down comforter, and fluffy pillows. Exhausted, I was asleep the moment my head hit those pillows.

  My alarm went off the next morning, jarring me awake. It was a good thing I set it, or I’m sure I would have slept into next week. The previous night came rushing back to me and I realized I was in a magic academy, and today was day one.

  Here goes nothing. I got up and took another shower, then threw on jeans and an academy tee. That was basically what everybody wore around here, judging by last night.

  Then I grabbed the backpack and stuffed my class schedule into my pocket. I went back out into the sitting area.

  My roommate was there, stuffing a backpack of her own with papers and pulling her dark hair back into a ponytail again. She was wearing a skirt and a button-down academy shirt.

  I offered my hand. “We got off to a weird start last night. Sorry about that. Hi, I’m Keira.”

  She ignored my offered hand. "Okay, Keira. Here's the deal. Don't go out into the forest at night, don't go downstairs ever, and whatever you do, don’t touch the vampires or the fountain water. I'll show you where the cafeteria is, but only if you’re ready to leave right now. I’m not missing breakfast because of you."

  I blinked at her. Fountain water? What the hell was she talking about? The conversation was not at all what I expected, but I knew that the downstairs rule was no joke.

  I wanted to argue with her, ask her name, and find out why she told me some weird random rules. But I put a pin in all of that, because she had a point about breakfast. My stomach was rumbling, and my academy paperwork said meals were included.

  "Okay," I said. I could have probably found the cafeteria myself, but I was never popular in school and it would be nice to get off on a g
ood foot since I'll be spending time here, so I held my tongue. "Ready," I said. "I didn't catch your name."

  "I didn't give it. My name's Ivy, but I'm not looking for new friends, specifically not weak-ass newbie mages. And don't think you're going to sit with me. I'm just going to show you where the cafeteria is, and then you're on your own." She opened the door.

  I was trying hard not to pre-judge people, but Ivy was getting on my nerves. "Fine." I followed her out the door into the now crowded hallway as students sped by.

  "By the way, what's with all the rules about touching things?" I asked, thinking about how delicious Ian was and how she had caught the two of us last night. She was probably jealous.

  "Look, those are the rules that might keep you from getting hurt around here. Follow them or don't, I don’t care. But you can't say you weren't warned."

  I turned to look at her face to see if she was being sarcastic, but she wasn't. That did not bode well. I wondered if she tossed in the vampire rule just to be spiteful. "So, stay away from the fountain, touch all of the vampires, and no going into the forest at night. Got it, anything else?"

  "Funny." She said. "Just don't come running to me when you get in trouble." She was speed walking down the hall so that I had to do the same to keep up with her.

  "Wow, do none of you have a sense of humor around here?" I asked when I caught up.

  She stared at me hard and then her lips curled up into a smug smirk. "I give you three months, tops. We'll see who's making jokes then." She picked up the pace and got a few steps ahead of me.

  I ran to catch up. I was officially over it now. "Wait. Is it because I won't be here in three months or because that's how long it will take me to lose my sense of humor and get a giant stick up my ass like you?"