by Jody Morse
I was the first one to arrive in the classroom again. I sat down at my seat, staring out the window from where I sat.
A moment later, I heard a throat clear from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to find Kaden headed towards me.
“Hey, Juliana.”
“Hey,” I replied. I paused for a moment. “Hey, how much do you know about this campus?”
“A fair amount,” he replied as he sat down in front of me, his steel blue eyes meeting mine. “Why do you ask?”
“Is there a library here?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “It’s in the same tower as the Dining Hall. Second floor.”
“Thanks.” I paused. “Does it have books about our world?”
He nodded. “Yeah, it does. Is there something you’re looking for?”
I hesitated. I couldn’t tell him that I was wondering what would cause a kiss to make sparks literally fly without telling him I had kissed someone. Not that it should have mattered, considering he was probably kissing the girl who was most likely his girlfriend, but it still felt awkward.
“I just thought I would do a little research about the different paranormal races,” I explained. “To hopefully learn more about myself.”
“Ah, I see.” His cell phone beeped loudly then and he pulled it out of his pocket. “I really need to take this. Sorry.”
“That’s okay,” I replied, watching as he stood up and headed out into the hallway.
I heard him talking quietly outside the door to our classroom. It made me wish, for the first time, that I actually was a werewolf—or some other paranormal race with a supersonic sense of hearing—just so I could listen in on his conversation, even though I knew it was probably with her. The girlfriend.
A few moments later, I heard the sound of heels clacking against the stone floor.
I glanced up to find Professor Ryan strolling into the classroom. She glanced over at me as she walked towards the front of the classroom.
“Juliana, may I have a word with you at my desk?”
Nodding, I rose to my feet and walked over to her.
She met my gaze. “Professor Tate has told me everything.”
“He has?” Shock overcame me. Why would he tell her about what had happened between the two of us? Did he not realize that this put both of our positions at the Academy at risk?
I mean, technically, he had kissed me. I wasn’t the one who had initiated it. And if it really came down to it, that’s what I would tell the Headmaster. I wasn’t about to let a kiss with Avery ruin my future at the Academy, all because he was dumb enough to tell Professor Ryan, who I was still fairly certain didn’t even like me.
“Yes. Your affinity for fire sounds extraordinary,” Professor Ryan said, her eyes locking on mine. “Professor Tate has asked that I do your one-on-one training with you, just until he returns from his temporary leave of absence, and then you will resume your private lessons with one another.”
So, he still planned to work with me once he did return. There was that, at least.
“When will he be back?” I questioned.
“He didn’t say,” she replied. “But he doesn’t want you to go without private instruction until then. So, I was thinking we could do our one-on-one training together after classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. How does that sound to you?”
“Okay,” I agreed with a nod. I wasn’t going to lie. I didn’t actually love the idea of doing my training with Professor Tate, but I did feel slightly better knowing Avery would come back and continue my training. That meant that, whatever had happened, wherever he had gone, he wasn’t trying to get away from me. At least, I assumed.
“So, tomorrow will be our first private instruction. I will meet you inside the House of Water at four p.m.”
“The House of Water?” I just stared back at her, confused.
“Yes. Avery—Professor Tate, I mean—has asked me to try and determine if you could have an affinity for the other elements. We will begin with water.” There was a dismissiveness to her voice, as though it wasn’t up for discussion.
“Okay.” Without saying another word to her, I headed back to my seat.
I wasn’t sure if I would have an affinity for the other elements. Something about air and earth didn’t call to me the way fire did. And water? Well, it would be cool to have an affinity for water, but honestly? I wasn’t sure if I did. I didn’t feel it in my veins or in my heart.
A part of me secretly wondered if I would be able to unlock any of these affinities without Avery. I knew it probably sounded crazy, but what if he was the key to my affinities?
What if, without his presence, I couldn’t control any of the elements?
I quickly shook the thought away. That was a lot of credit to give to one guy. A guy who I was insanely attracted to but who I had only shared one kiss with—a kiss that probably never should have happened in the first place.
Maybe those sparks flew when we kissed to warn us. Maybe we weren’t supposed to kiss at all.
Chapter 16
After dinner had ended, I told Ambur and Draia I was going to the library to do some homework for the History of Magic.
Of course, that wasn’t what I had planned. I had research to do—and not about the paranormal races, like I’d told Kaden.
No, I needed answers. I needed to figure out why that spark had happened. I wasn’t even entirely sure where to begin this research, but affinities for the elements seemed like the most logical place to start.
When I reached the library, I was surprised to find that it was full of more books than any human library I had ever set foot in. The walls were lined with thousands of books. It felt overwhelming at first.
The library was mostly empty, with a few students sitting at a table alongside the windows.
I headed over to the librarian, a short little man with green skin and a mess of black hair. He was sitting on a high stool at the librarian’s desk in the center of the room, flipping through a magazine.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
He didn’t look up at me.
“Excuse me?” I repeated, louder this time.
He huffed and glanced up at me. “I heard you the first time.”
“Oh.” I swallowed hard, sort of nervous about talking to this green thing. What the hell was he?
“I’m a gnome,” he replied with a roll of the eyes. “Not that it seems like this is relevant to you.”
“You can read my mind,” I figured out.
“Yep. What can I do for you?”
I just stared back at him for a moment. “Are you always this grumpy?” I eyed his shirt for a nametag.
“It’s Ned. And I don’t know what you mean. I’m not grumpy.” He glared at me. “What do you need help with today?”
“I need to find some books about affinities for the elements,” I told him.
“Those would fall under Elemental Magic.” He pointed his little green finger towards the corner of the room.
“Thank you,” I replied.
As I headed for that corner, I eyed the books on the shelf.
Fire: The Most Dangerous Element or a Lifesaver?
Water: Sink or Swim, How to Use Your Affinity for the Greater Good.
Wind: Tips for Controlling This Deadly Element.
Earth: Burying an Affinity for This Element is Easier Said Than Done
That was when my eyes landed on a title that piqued my interest: Affinities for Elements and How They Affect Love.
This title sounded… well, it sounded exactly like what I was looking for.
Grabbing the book, I headed over to an empty table at a corner of the room, away from the other students, who were sitting near the windows.
I began to flip through the pages of the book.
Affinities for the elements are both a blessing and a curse. While affinities for the elements can help a magic user save themselves and others when they find themselves in danger, there’s no doubt that these affinities can put indi
viduals and their loved ones in a lot of danger, too.
What you might not realize is that your own affinity can affect every aspect of love: the way you love, who you love, who loves you, how you love, and the outcomes of your love.
If you have an affinity for one or more of the elements, it’s important to keep in mind that you are unable to love the same way as someone without one. Your affinity defines you. Until you are able to grasp this concept, you will not be able to love, or be loved, to your fullest potential. Until you realize that your affinity is a part of you, a part of you that will never go away, your relationships will fail.
I had a sinking feeling then as the realization hit me. Whether I wanted this affinity for fire or not, it was a part of me… and probably always had been. It wasn’t going anywhere, so I was going to need to learn to live with it.
And apparently, this whole affinity thing was going to fuck up all of my relationships. So, that was great.
I flipped through to the next pages.
Affinity for Fire
Those who have an affinity for fire are naturally more passionate than others. This is because fiery passion runs through their veins, often consuming them. This passion can be a good thing at times, but it can also be harmful.
It’s important not to get too caught up in the moment. Those who have an affinity for this element are more likely to fall into toxic and abusive relationships, often neglecting to see the bad in a romantic pairing, often ignoring it for the passion and good qualities. Those with affinities for fire also tend to fall into on-again, off-again relationships, thriving on the “highs” and “lows.”
Okay, so this wasn’t what I was looking for, and honestly? It was sort of making me feel a bit hopeless about my future. My future relationships were going to be horrible, clearly.
I continued to flip through the pages of the book, hoping to find exactly what I was looking for.
I scanned each and every page for the words “a spark.”
“Already finding love on campus?” a deep voice asked then.
I jumped and then pressed a hand to my chest. “You scared me.”
Brett’s dark brown eyes fell on mine. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He sat down in a chair diagonal to me. “Have you already fallen for someone?”
“No. I do have an affinity for fire, though, so I came to the library to learn more about it and stumbled on this,” I lied.
“Oh. An affinity for fire, huh? I guess that means you’re probably a magic user,” he said, his dark eyes locking on mine.
I would have been lying if I said I didn’t feel something when he looked at me like that. Knowing that he had probably heard my thoughts, I found myself blushing a little.
“No one knows what I am… yet. We’re currently in the process of getting my paranormal DNA tested,” I explained. Even though I knew Avery had said I shouldn’t tell anyone about this potential weakness of mine, the truth was that I found myself trusting Brett.
“But having an affinity for fire means you probably are a magic user, right?” Brett asked.
“Actually, Professor Tate said shifters can have affinities for the elements. Do you have one?” I questioned.
“I don’t, actually.” He shook his head. “I’m curious to find out what you actually are.”
“You and me both,” I agreed. “So, what are you doing here? Homework?”
“Nah. I saw you go upstairs. I figured I would follow you.”
My eyebrows rose in question. “Are you stalking me?”
He laughed. “No. I just felt like I owed you an apology.”
“For what?” I questioned.
“I heard Everly had words with you,” Brett said quietly.
“Yeah, that’s one way to put it,” I muttered under my breath.
“I’m sorry, Juliana. She’s just…” He trailed off, trying to find the right words to say. “She’s very territorial… and very insecure.”
“Everly? Insecure? Ha.”
“No. I mean that.” His gaze locked on mine. “She’s so afraid that something will come between the two of us… that something will destroy us… that she doesn’t know how to function on living day to day.”
“Well, I’m sure nothing will come between you,” I replied quietly. “You guys seem like a perfect couple.”
Even as I spoke the words, I knew just how sarcastic they sounded, so it was no surprise, really, that Brett was able to pick up on that sarcasm.
“You don’t think we’re a perfect couple.”
“No. Actually, I can’t figure out what you’re doing with her,” I admitted quietly.
“What makes you say that?” His dark brown eyes met mine.
“You’re just so… you.” I wasn’t sure how else to put it into words. “You seem like a great guy, Brett. And Everly… Well, she’s a beautiful girl, don’t get me wrong. She just seems a little… crazy.”
“It’s that insecurity,” he replied quietly. “She just has this crazy belief that you and I…” He trailed off.
“That we what?” I pressed.
He hesitated. “She’s very threatened by you, Juliana.”
“Well, I get that. But why?”
“She thinks you’re the only one who could get in between me and her—that you and I are the only thing that could potentially destroy my relationship with her.”
“Well, she’s wrong, isn’t she?” I found myself asking.
I was sure that he was going to tell me that Everly was wrong, but he didn’t. Instead, he didn’t respond at all.
“Do we have the potential to destroy your relationship with her?” I asked.
Again, he didn’t answer. I found myself growing a little bit frustrated at his lack of responses.
After a few long moments, he finally said, “That all depends.”
“On what?” I asked.
He met my gaze. “On what you are.” He paused. “If you’re a magic user, I think the two of us will be able to maintain a mutual friendship, without ever crossing boundaries.”
“And if I’m not?”
Brett’s dark eyes locked on mine. “If you’re a wolf…” Before he even completed his sentence, I had a feeling about what he was going to say next.
“I think you might be my mate, Juliana.”
“And if I’m your mate…” I swallowed hard.
“Then no one, Everly or anyone else, will ever be able to come between us.” His dark eyes held mine. “We will be unstoppable.”
***
It was raining as I headed back to the House of Mage.
So many emotions were swirling around inside my mind. I could hardly make sense of them all.
All I really wanted was to find a date for the Halloween Dance, but now there was a chance that I had a mate. And not just any mate, but a mate who already had a girlfriend—a girlfriend who had already threatened me to stay away from him. The same girlfriend who may have played a role in Ashleigh’s death.
This couldn’t happen. Even if I turned out to be a werewolf, I couldn’t be mated to Brett Summers. I needed to stay the hell away from him.
The thing was, I didn’t want to stay away from him. The attraction I felt was undeniable. There was a chemistry between us… a magnetic force.
I shook the thought away. I couldn’t give into that magnetic force. I couldn’t let him be the North to my South. He could never be the North to my South. No matter how badly I may have wanted him to be.
Besides, I wasn’t sure how to feel about him. Sure, Brett was gorgeous, and there was no denying that I felt something between us. But I felt something for Kaden, too, and for Avery.
Except, I couldn’t have any of them.
I needed to forget about romance and guys right now and just focus on finding out my paranormal race. I couldn’t let myself get all worked up about Brett—or any of the others—until I knew exactly what I was.
Brett had made it very clear that he was only willing to let the two of us come betw
een him and Everly if I was a werewolf. If I wasn’t a werewolf, I was pretty sure he didn’t want any part of me. The last thing I needed was to get my heart set on the idea of being with him and then learn I was a damn Selkie or something.
I was pretty sure I wasn’t a Selkie. I wasn’t sure what my paranormal race was, honestly. All I knew was that there was a very real possibility that it wasn’t a werewolf.
I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t see the raven as it swooped down alongside me… or as its sharp talons dug into my torso, as it lifted me into the air.
Chapter 17
I tried to scream, but nothing came out. The panic just seemed to lodge itself in my throat, making it impossible for me to make a sound.
Holy. Freaking. Crap.
This was it. My life was about to come to an end.
As I stared down at the concrete walkway below me, I took in what I knew was going to be my last view of Paranormal Academy before this raven shifter killed me. I wouldn’t even get to say goodbye. To my roommates, to Kaden, to Avery, to Brett, to anyone.
The worst part about it all was that there wasn’t even anyone else outside to witness my disappearance. Everyone would think that I had just disappeared into thin air, or worse. They would think that I had chosen to leave the Academy on my own free will, that I had run away from this school and all it had to offer.
That’s when I knew I had to fight back. Kaden had told me raven shifters were dangerous, but I wasn’t about to let it just carry me off into the night without at least trying to fight back.
I elbowed the shifter then as hard as I could, but it didn’t seem to affect it. In fact, if anything, the shifter just seemed to tighten its grip on me.
I began to flail my arms and kicked against the raven shifter’s body, which was far larger than my own. But all it did was carry me higher into the night sky.
I had just about lost all hope that I was going to escape this bird when I heard a sound: an electric-like zapping sound.
The raven shifter wavered. It seemed to grow a little weaker.
I heard the sound again, and that’s when I realized what was going on.
Someone was zapping the bird with magic.
I glanced down at the ground, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever it was, but the raven shifter’s black wings were sprawled out so far that I couldn’t see past them.
