Merlin's Supernatural Academy: Complete series (Books 1-4) : A Young Adult Supernatural Academy Series

by K L Rymer

  “Fine... I know who my real father is, Mom. So you can save your breath. I met him... and I know he’s the magical wizard Merlin from all the stories... Well, okay, goodbye, love you.”

  I hang up before she has a chance to respond. I can already picture her face—blue eyes wide in shock, and her gaunt cheeks white and horror-struck.

  Who knew my mom had a thing for wizards all along, but it’s true (and it’s not a joke either). My biological father is, in fact, Merlin, or Myrddin as he prefers to be called these days.

  For an entire year, I had sat at the same desk as the man and had no idea. He had been my headmaster, my teacher, and my counselor. And yet I’d had no inkling that I was staring at my real father.

  My head’s still spinning from Myrddin’s revelation three months ago, and I sit down on my bed in my room, rubbing my temples.

  I spent my summer at the academy, Myrddin’s elite magical school for the supernatural. Many races attend from magic users, vampires, fae, shifters, demons, and even pixies.

  It’s where we learn to hone our skills and be better prepared at controlling our powers in a world governed by humans. It’s for our own safety.

  Of course, I had managed to survive in the human world for nineteen years, but last Halloween I’d discovered that I have magical powers and can summon red fire in my hands.

  Well, it looks and feels like fire. But in reality, it’s my magical essence. All supernatural beings possess it to some extent, and it comes in a variety of different tones and shades.

  Not that it’s any coincidence or anything, but my essence just happens to match the color of the dragon that I am destined to wake, and now I drop my phone on the rug and shake.

  This year, I will finally wake the beast... If I don’t, then my traitorous ex-boyfriend will burn the entire world to ashes.

  It was the breakup of the century. Matthew Humphrey the IV turned up on the back of the great White Dragon last day of term, sending the academy up in blue flames. He also broke my heart.

  Myrddin managed to put the fires out and restore any damages to the school, but the damages to my soul were permanent.

  After all, I had loved the boy. Given him my entire heart, mind, and soul, and he’d stabbed me in the back.

  But I know he’s merely a puppet. His father is the one pulling all the strings, using his poor, sick mother to blackmail him pretty much.

  I don’t know exactly what the wonderful Matthew Humphrey the III told his son, but it couldn’t have been good. Mattie had changed overnight. A complete three-hundred and sixty-degree turn, especially after all his talk about how we would defeat his father together, beating all the odds stacked against us. We would be lovers, not enemies.

  But he chose his path. And I’m still not over it. In the end, I have to be the one to put a stop to him.

  We are the prophesied children after all who will ride the Red and White dragons into battle, respectfully, finally putting an end to one another.

  One of us will have to kill the other and I hyperventilate, placing my head between my legs to calm my breaths.

  He haunts me in my dreams. Every time I close my eyes, I see that handsome, chiseled face. But then it turns into the scaled monster of Gwyneira, and once again I peer into those cold, glass-like eyes, the pair that seem to bleed deep into my soul.

  A cold wind brushes up against my side, and I meet the pointed nose of a large deerhound.

  It’s Gelert. My spirit dog.

  He must have sensed that I was distressed on the other side and came to comfort me.

  “Hey there, boy, have you come to see me?” I scratch behind his ear and he closes his eyes, and that big, pink tongue flops out of his mouth.

  He likes it when I scratch behind his ear, just like any living dog. It’s the least he deserves given his untimely demise.

  Gelert had saved a baby’s life and paid the price.

  The ghost dog has kept me company all summer. I’ve barely left my room up in Mendacious quarters as it’s not been the same without my roommates. I even miss Damien and Felicity’s constant PDAs and Zahara’s resting bitch face. Heck, I’ll even take the psychotic serial killer Angelina.

  Anything to stamp out the loneliness.

  Not to worry though. They will all be back tomorrow, and then year two at Merlin’s Supernatural Academy can finally commence.

  Butterflies flap in my stomach and I try to calm them down. This year we will be learning how to use our powers in battle. Mr. Tanaka will be teaching us and the man is delicious eye candy.

  Classes at Bangor will re-commence too where I can finally catch up with Megan and Sophie. I haven’t had a chance to see my non-magical friends all summer. I had been too busy preparing to wake a ferocious dragon.

  I stroke my red dragon tattoo that runs the length of my inner arm and shiver. The outline glows red for a moment, and I stare, transfixed.

  Wait... did my magic do that?

  Somewhere, I can sense the great beast rousing in his/her sleep and I gulp. The room suddenly heats up, and I wipe the sweat from my brow line.

  It’s already a hot day (well, for North Wales), but it’s like someone switched on the thermostat. Gelert seems to sense the change in temperature too as he dips his head, tucking his tail between his legs.

  Well, it looks as if he will be useless when we go to wake the Red Dragon. The poor thing will be shitting bricks. Not that he can excrete waste anymore.

  ...

  I lounge in the common room the following morning, waiting for my roommates to arrive.

  Classes will begin again tomorrow, and I can’t wait. Unlike last year where my first lesson was with Mr. Higgles in Human Studies, this year I will get to stare into the beautiful, onyx eyes of Ken Tanaka.

  Now that I’m single, I can ogle all I want without a shred of guilt.

  Damien is the first to arrive, which is surprising (he’s always last). The demon materializes in his dark corner and watches me for a while, all creepy and mysterious. Those glowing, red eyes don’t leave me once.

  I give the shadow a pointed look. “You can cut the crap, Damien. Your bullshit doesn’t work on me anymore.”

  When I first met the demon last September, he’d tried to scare me. He would hover in the shadows, keeping those burning eyes on me, and at one point I truly believed he was going to kill me.

  But now that I’ve gotten to know him, I’m aware that this is just how he messes with people. Besides, since he got with my best pal Felicity, the cutest, sweetest thing since sliced bread, I’ve started to see a more human side to the demon.

  It’s not as if he’s not part human already, but his demonic side always outshines the other.

  Damien produces a gloomy chuckle, stepping out from the shadows at last, and there he is, the Prince of Darkness. Well, his son...

  He wears his long, black coat and the steel-toe boots, and I move my gaze up to his face. His irises are blood red, accentuated by the smudged guyliner, and I roll my eyes.

  It’s not that I have anything against his fashion choices. I’ve always been an outcast myself, but just how in the world did a Heavy Metal fan get with a cute ballerina?

  Felicity is a pixie. Although pixies are malevolent in their own right (forget what you’ve read growing up), she’s still the epitome of innocence. Well, until Damien came along and made a woman out of her.

  I know I’ve said it about a hundred times, but I’m still going to kick his demon ass one of these days. Just not at this second though. I’m tired.

  “What?” he says, leaning casually against the wall.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  He smirks. “You have that look in your eyes. The one you always get when you want to kick someone’s arse.”

  Shit. Is it that obvious?

  Damien shows me his sharp, sinister teeth. “You’re free to kick my arse all you want, Bryn Bryn. I won’t mind.”

  I purse my lips. “Shut up and sit, Demon Boy. The others will arriv
e soon.”

  He obeys and falls into the seat opposite me, summoning his pet snake Snuggles. He conjures a rotten apple in his free hand and chomps.

  Silence drifts between us and I close my eyes, tossing my head back. God, I wish someone else would just arrive. The suspense is killing me. Besides, I can sense Damien’s going to ask about Matthew.

  If only Jack had arrived first. The titan spoke, like, two words all last year.

  To my surprise, he doesn’t say anything. He just keeps biting his rotten apple though it’s not as if his chewing sounds aren’t driving me crazy.

  “So, had a good summer, Bryn?”

  I groan. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Damien stares at his half-eaten apple. “Fair enough.”

  More silence.

  I regard him now, watching the black and white adder as it curls around his left arm. “How’s your summer been? Been tainting my sweet little friend some more, have you?”

  There’s no missing the cold edge to my tone. I don’t mean to sound like a bitch, but there are some things I will never forgive. Felicity is like a little sister to me (even though she is older).

  Damien almost chokes on his apple, and I raise a brow. That’s a first for him. “Pip go down the wrong pipe or something?”

  He squeezes his eyes shut and runs a hand through his long, black hair. It falls over his face. “We... sort of had a fight... A few weeks back.”

  I keep my voice steady though my heart’s palpitating. “A fight about what?”

  I swear if he hurt her...

  Damien exhales heavily and zaps his apple core away. “I’ll break it down for you. Bryn. Demons and pixies belong to two different worlds...”

  I sink back into my seat. “I see.”

  “So, that makes it difficult to spend any time together. Unless we want to be far away from our homeworlds. I wanted to spend time in Hell with my father, and she wanted to go to the Enchanted Forest to be with her mother. Also, her mother doesn’t approve of me.”

  I haven’t met Felicity’s mom. She’s a full pixie, so I can imagine she’s very, very small. Fel’s still small to a degree, but she can still pass for a human. Well, if you can overlook the big anime eyes and doll-like features.

  Damien pets his adder thoughtfully, letting it taste his face with its forked tongue. “Father approves of her, of course. When I showed him a picture of her, he congratulated me.”

  That I understand. Although an oddball in her own right (I’m still convinced she’s got a stash of stolen shoes hidden deep under the academy), Felicity is beautiful. And even Satan seems to agree too, as disturbing as it sounds.

  Do all hellish lifeforms have a thing for tiny women then?

  Someone else teleports into the room, and we both look up to find Zahara. She wears her dog collar and house blazer, covering her pointed fae ears with her long, black hair.

  The Unseelie’s black lips curve into a sneer as she drops into the seat beside Damien. “Long time no see, bitches!”

  Damien offers her a scathing look. “I’m not your bitch.”

  Zahara’s inky, black eyeballs gleam, and now she throws her head back and cackles. Next, she tucks her hand into her blazer pocket and pulls out a huge joint.

  I widen my eyes.

  “What d’ya say, guys? Fancy taking the edge off today a little?”

  Marijuana is actually legal in the supernatural world, but still. I don’t want it anywhere near me. “Seriously, Zahara. Put that away!”

  She arches a brow. “You sure, Bryn? You look as if you could do with getting stoned. No offence. Especially with the year you’ve had—”

  “I said NO!”

  My shout rebounds off the walls. Zahara shrugs and puts the joint away. “Fair enough. I had more than enough for all of us. Even Jack, the big ol’ lug, but if that’s how you feel.”

  “Well, you have me...” Damien’s red eyes meet her black ones. “The usual spot. One hour.”

  She smirks that evil black smile. “See you there...”

  I shake my head, wondering why these two have never hooked up. They’re so alike, it’s terrifying.

  Another pop and Nora arrives with a big, white smile on her face. Zahara gets up immediately and runs toward the gorgon, wrapping her arms around her, and it’s so not like the Unseelie.

  “I can’t believe it. Second year!” Nora cries, her sentient hair wiggling like snakes.

  Zahara chuckles. “I know! And I know a way we can celebrate...”

  Oh, now I see. Quickly, I get up to hug the curvy gorgon before Zahara can tempt her with drugs. “Nora!”

  “Bryn!”

  We embrace, and the girl squeezes the life out of me like old times. I missed her loving hugs. Gorgons are always depicted as monsters in Greek Mythology, but Nora is the opposite. She’s kind, fun, and beautiful. She has curves that could melt any man, and her dark, matte skin is soft and flawless (no scales in the slightest).

  The only signs of her monster heritage are her moving strands and bright, vivid green eyes. To my relief, she doesn’t ask me about Matthew, and I’m grateful. It’s the last thing I need.

  Jack arrives and he gives a simple nod, taking his place on the chair that he broke last year. It still needs replacing. The titan’s well over seven-foot and built like a bear. The academy really needs to invest in furniture specifically made for him. (I can only imagine how his bed looks, especially after all the time he has spent with his succubus girlfriend.)

  Thomas appears, and the nerdy wolf shifter exchanges formal greetings with us all until the last of us arrives—Felicity.

  Of course, she runs to me first, and her head only reaches my shoulder. Then she hugs Nora who lifts her off her feet, then goes to Zahara, Jack, and Thomas.

  The only one she doesn’t greet is Damien. The demon in question looks like chopped liver right about now, and I see he wasn’t lying about their fight.

  It appears they really aren’t talking.

  Felicity doesn’t even acknowledge him. Damien, however, doesn’t take his burning red eyes off her. “Felicity—”

  “So... everyone here then?” The pixie cuts him off, and we all exchange nervous glances. Zahara makes an obnoxious Oh sound.

  I sense the shift in Damien immediately (it seems someone doesn’t like to be ignored), and just as the shadows rise in the room, another person arrives, and we’re all taken completely by surprise.

  Shit. How could I forget? Angelina. She’s one of us now...

  The tall, statuesque blonde gives a clever smirk, and I can’t help but notice how proud she looks to wear that black Mendacious blazer.

  “Why... hello, everyone.... Miss me?”

  None of us speak. We just glare at her. Well, except for Felicity as her big, ocean blue eyes shimmer with fear. She seems to forget that she’s angry with Damien for the moment and runs to his side, and the demon protects her with his coat.

  Even though she had a hand in saving the school last day of term, there are still some things we’re willing not to forgive just yet. Like trying to drain me of my life’s blood.

  The vampire princess is twisted. There’s no doubt about it.

  Angelina mock pouts. “Aw, just when I thought we could all get along.”

  She giggles seductively and whips back her silky, bleached blonde hair then saunters up to her room. Her hundreds of bags will be waiting for her up there.

  I palm my face. Classes haven’t even started yet, and I can already tell that this year’s going to suck even worse than the last.

  Bring on year three...

  Chapter 2.

  Mr. Tanaka paces before the class, leaving footprints in the sand with his bare feet.

  A couple of Magnanimous girls giggle to my right (the usual culprits, Laura, Row, and Jessika), and I hear Zahara scoff at their girlish behavior. Yet I can’t help but want to join in with them.

  Every time the teacher passes, my legs turn to gelatin and I nearly keel. There is j
ust something about that ripped torso that makes me feel as giddy as a dumb school girl.

  Any straight woman would be the same around Ken Tanaka. I’ve described him before, but I may as well again just to make my point—sexy man bun, muscles, and shiny, onyx eyes.

  Today he is going to teach us how to use our powers as a combatant. I have a bit of experience there I guess, as I trained last year along with He Who Must Not be Named. (Yeah, I used to date Lord Voldemort.)

  Finally, he stops pacing, and lucky for me (or unlucky for me) he pauses right in front of me. I gulp.

  Up close he’s even hotter, and my body heats up.

  Shit.

  I try to look at anything but his beautiful face. Unfortunately, my eyes land on his sizable package and I turn away again, focusing on his left ear.

  Ears aren’t so sexy (unless you whisper sweet nothings into them).

  I can sense Zahara’s eyes on me, assessing my reaction, and I just want to punch her in her stupid face. The bitch—I know she’s smirking.

  “Today, class, I am going to teach you all about weapon shifting.”

  Wait... weapon what?

  Shut up, bitch, and let the man speak, Zahara whispers into my head.

  I always knew she could read my thoughts, but now she’s planting hers directly into my mind. The creep.

  “Observe.” Mr.Tanaka closes his eyes, channeling his magical essence, and I let out an obnoxious gasp when a blue katana appears in his hands. It’s not an actual sword, but one he has formed with his magic.

  So that’s what he meant by weapon shifting... I’m such an idiot. You would think after years of binging anime, I’d have some idea.

  “Now,” the instructor goes on, giving a swift swipe of his sword. “Whether you are mage, fae, shifter, or demon, it does not matter. All magic has the same principle; it’s yours and you can manipulate it any way you see fit. However, you must not abuse this power. You are to only use weapon shifting as a last resort.”

  I think back to the night You Know Who saved me from Angelina. He had shifted his magic into whips and lashed out at her, and I shiver. He was far more advanced than any other student, and it just goes to show that the signs were always there. His father had been training him underground for years, priming him up to be a warrior.