by Jody Morse
“Yeah, but we look more intimidating. That part’s important. Are you going to mess with a big bad wolf or a scrawny guy who just happens to do magic?”
I got the sense that he was talking about Kaden, even though he was far from scrawny. He might not have been as muscular or as broad-shouldered as Brett, but he didn’t look like a weakling.
“I wasn’t talking about your boyfriend,” Brett told me quietly, shooting a sideways glance in my direction.
“Are you sure? Because it sounded like you were,” I replied with an eye roll.
“I wasn’t.”
Was it possible that he’d made that comment because he was… jealous? Jealous of Kaden? Jealous of the fact that he had saved me… or the fact that I had feelings for him? If feelings were even what you called what I felt. I felt… something. I wasn’t sure if it was just this crazy attraction to him because he was irresistible due to the whole paranormal thing, or if it was something more.
We walked in silence for a few moments, and then I glanced over at him. “Kaden isn’t my boyfriend, by the way.”
“He’s not?” His eyes seemed to light up a little. I might have only been imagining it, but I could have sworn there was a flicker of hope behind his gaze.
“No.” I glanced over at him. “But, not for nothin’, you do have a girlfriend.”
“Yes,” a voice said from behind us then. “You do.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I found Everly’s gray eyes staring into mine. If looks could kill, I would have been so dead.
Chapter 19
“I thought I told you to leave my boyfriend alone, New Girl,” Everly said through gritted teeth.
I glanced over at Brett. “You deal with her. She’s your girlfriend.”
He shot me an apologetic glance and then turned to her. “Headmaster Crane assigned me to be Juliana’s security guard.”
“Of course New Girl needs a security guard.” She rolled her gray eyes. “It seems like she’s already getting special treatment.”
“Special treatment? Everly, Juliana was attacked last night—nearly murdered.”
“And yet she survived.” Her icy gray eyes flitted over to me. “What a shame.”
I could feel my anger building. What was her damn problem with me?
“Everly, stop that. We’re really fortunate Juliana is still with us, but I am her new security guard. So, you’re going to have to get used to me following her everywhere she goes for the time being.”
A look clouded Everly’s face. “I will not get used to it.” She turned her attention to me then. “You need to tell the Headmaster that you want a new security guard. Someone who’s not my boyfriend.”
“I can’t,” I replied, shaking my head. “He was firm on Brett being my security guard.”
“Brett, is that true?” Everly asked, turning to him.
He nodded. “Yeah, I’m afraid so.”
She glanced from him to me and then back to him. “I need to have a word with Montgomery. Can you give us a minute?”
“I can’t go far,” Brett replied. “I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on her.”
“We’ll be right here,” Everly replied. “Nothing’s going to happen in the middle of the school hallway.”
She was probably right. There were students everywhere. If someone was going to attack me, I sincerely doubted they would do it in plain sight like this.
“Fine.” Brett took a few steps away from us, towards the door.
Once he was out of earshot—though I wondered if he was ever really out of earshot, considering he was a werewolf—Everly turned to me.
“I’ve already warned you to stay away from my boyfriend,” she said, her voice just a bit louder than a whisper. “Yet, you can’t seem to do that.”
“This isn’t our choice,” I replied with an eye roll. “Trust me. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t need any security at all.”
“Yeah, well, seeing as my boyfriend is going to be following you everywhere, I just want you to know that I’ll be keeping an eye on you. I’ve warned you to stay away from him.” Her eyes locked on mine. “If I hear that anything happens between the two of you, if you so much as lay a finger on him—”
“Then what, Everly? What are you going to do?” I was growing annoyed with her threats. Sure, she may have killed Ashleigh, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to let her walk all over me.
“I will make you regret ever coming to the Academy.” Her gray eyes blazed with anger. “Am I clear?”
“Crystal.” Then, without saying another word, I walked away from her and back over to Brett.
I wasn’t about to let her think she had any sort of power over me, because when it came down to it, she didn’t.
I was a Montgomery, after all.
***
The rest of the day passed by slowly. Brett walked me to each of my classes. I couldn’t help but feel awkward about it. It almost made it seem like he was a boyfriend walking me to and from each class, even though we both knew that wasn’t the case.
What I was most nervous about was lunch. Brett and I had a different lunch hour, so he walked me to the Dining Hall and promised to come back for me after his class was over to walk me back to the House of Mage. It felt sort of ridiculous. There were so many other students around that I doubted any raven shifter—or anyone else—would try to kill me in between lunch hour and Elemental Magic class.
I was afraid that Everly was going to say something to me at lunch, but she didn’t—not directly, anyway. Her dagger eyes spoke volumes.
By the time Spells and Charms class rolled around, I was pretty much ready for the day to be over. Brett walked me to the top of the House of Mage, to the tower Spells and Charms was held in.
We lingered together outside the door.
“I’ll see you later,” Brett said, touching my shoulder lightly.
“Yeah. In exactly one hour,” I replied. I pointed my chin at his hand. “We’re not supposed to ‘lay a finger’ on one another. I wouldn’t want Everly to freak out on me… again.”
“I’m sorry about her. You know it makes it worse that I’m your security guard, and she’s already jealous of you,” Brett explained.
“Yeah. I know. That doesn’t excuse her, though. She has no reason to be as nasty as she’s been towards me. Nothing has even happened between us.”
“Yet,” Brett said quietly.
I eyed him curiously. “You really think something will?”
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll see what happens when your DNA results come back.”
“You know, I really hate that you keep saying it’s dependent on my race,” I told him quietly. “It makes it seem like you’d only be interested in me if I’m a wolf.”
“Wolves tend to date other wolves,” he explained. “It’s just in our biology to be drawn to our own kind—and to want to find our mates.”
“Yet, the last time I checked, you were dating a magic user. Is she a fairy or a witch?” I questioned.
“A witch.” He paused. “Everly and I are… complicated.”
“Why is she the exception to you only dating wolves?” I pressed.
“Everly and I go way, way back,” he explained. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. If it weren’t for that, I doubt we’d be together.”
“So, you guys have a lot of history then,” I pieced together. Suddenly, the way she was acting towards me was beginning to make more sense. I almost understood.
“A lot of history.”
“So, if I’m a wolf, you’ll let me ruin your relationship with her,” I said quietly. “But if not, you’ll just stay my security guard.”
“Hey, is having me as a security guard really that bad?” His eyes locked on mine.
“I could think of worse things,” I replied with a smile.
The hint of a smile hit his lips. “Good.”
As he walked away, I headed into the classroom. As I walked towards the back of the room, to my seat, I was relieved
to find that Kaden was already sitting in his. His steel blue eyes fell on me as I approached him.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” I replied as I sat behind him.
Turning in his seat, he said, “So, you and Brett Summers, huh?”
I realized then that Kaden thought Brett and I were a thing—like a couple.
“Oh. No. It’s not what it looks like,” I replied with a laugh. “He’s my security guard.”
Even if I did have feelings for him, that was all he really was when it came down to it—nothing more or less.
“Oh.” The slightest hint of relief filled his eyes.
“Headmaster Crane felt I needed one after last night’s incident,” I explained. “I’m just still so relieved you were there, by the way. If there’s anything I can do to repay you, please let me know.”
“Actually, there is something,” he replied.
I was surprised that he already had a favor in mind. “What is it?”
“Go to the Halloween Dance with me.” His steel blue eyes locked on mine, a hopeful look behind them.
“Really? You’re not taking your girlfriend?” I blurted.
“My girlfriend?” His eyebrows lifted questioningly.
“The girl with short blonde hair that I always see you talking to. I figured she was your girlfriend,” I replied with a shrug.
“Oh. No.” He let out a little laugh. “She’s not my girlfriend. That’s Kayla, my sister.”
“Oh.” I suddenly felt dumb for making so many assumptions about the two of them.
“So, what do you say? Will you be my date? I did save your life, after all,” Kaden pointed out.
I thought about it for a moment. Even though a part of me secretly wished I could go with Brett, I knew that wasn’t possible.
Unless we found out I was a werewolf before the Halloween Dance.
But even if I was a werewolf, it didn’t mean that I was his mate or that the two of us would be together. Unless I knew for sure that we were mates, I didn’t really want to get on Everly’s bad side, and interfering with her relationship would have been a good way to get on her bad side.
No. Regardless of what I was, Brett would go to the dance with Everly. I wouldn’t allow him to end it for me. Not yet, anyway.
And it wasn’t like I could go to the dance with Avery. And even though I had acted like I was okay with the idea of going solo, I really didn’t want to go alone. And, truthfully, I really was insanely attracted to Kaden and wanted to get to know him better, especially now that I knew he was single.
So, I told him, “Yes. I’ll go with you to the Halloween Dance.”
Just as a smile pulled at his lips, I heard the sound of heels against the stone floor. Glancing at the door, I saw that Professor Ryan had just walked into the room.
“Juliana, are you okay?” she asked.
I eyed her curiously. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I heard about what happened last night—the raven shifter attack,” she explained. “That must have been extremely terrifying for you.”
“It was pretty scary,” I admitted, “but I’m okay, thanks to Kaden.”
“I heard. What a hero you are,” she said, glancing over at him.
“Everyone keeps saying that, but I didn’t do anything special. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
“You saved my life. I’ll never be able to thank you enough,” I told him.
“Your magic must be very strong, Kaden. Raven shifters are no easy feat,” Professor Ryan said. “I can’t wait to see what else you’re capable of.”
I wondered again, then, what Kaden was that he had been able to kill the raven shifter like it was no big deal.
I might have been wrong, but I was pretty sure I had just agreed to go to the Halloween Dance with one of the most powerful magic users at Paranormal Academy.
Chapter 20
After Spells and Charms was over, Brett walked me to the House of Water for my private one-on-one session with Professor Ryan.
“So, why are you meeting her at the House of Water?” Brett questioned as he walked alongside me on the path that led to the tower.
“She’s going to help me figure out if I have an affinity for water,” I explained.
I wasn’t going to lie. I was actually dreading it.
Something about the woman just made me feel so damn uncomfortable. Doing one-on-one instructions with any professor was weird enough, but doing it with one who you were pretty sure actually hated you was even stranger.
I also felt like my affinity for the elements was such a personal matter. I knew these professors were here to help me further my abilities, but it actually sort of bothered me that Avery had told Professor Tate about my affinity for fire at all. I sort of just wanted to keep it to myself and those who I actually wanted to share it with, and Professor Ryan wasn’t one of them.
“Do you think you have an affinity for water?” Brett questioned.
“I don’t know.” Water didn’t speak to me the same way fire did. When I thought of fire, I always got goosebumps. That didn’t happen when I thought of water, but… I was pretty sure I was a stronger swimmer than average, and I really didn’t love to swim.
Not that those things really meant anything. Being a good swimmer didn’t mean I could make it rain like Avery had.
“I guess we’ll find out,” Brett said as we approached the building.
“We will.” I glanced over at him with a nervous smile. “Thanks for walking me. Not that you have much of a choice.”
“There’s no need to thank me. And, choice or not, I would still do it anyway,” he told me.
We both lingered outside the House of Water for a long moment. I was pretty sure that we weren’t sure how to say goodbye. That, and we couldn’t seem to take our eyes off one another.
Finally, Brett cleared his throat. “Do you know when you’ll be done here?”
“I have no idea.” The sooner, the better.
“Why don’t you text me when you’re finishing up then?” he asked. “You still have my number, right?”
“Umm…” I didn’t know how to tell him that I didn’t.
“You didn’t keep it?” There was a look of disappointment behind his eyes.
“I was never going to use it,” I admitted. “Everly…”
“Right.” He pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Don’t lose it this time.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“Good.” His dark eyes locked on mine. “I’ll see you soon.”
I waited for him to walk away, but he didn’t.
“Go inside,” he said. “I can’t just leave you out here.”
“Oh. Right. Of course. See you.” I pulled the door open and then stepped into the building. I was overwhelmed by the scent of saltwater, which immediately hit my nostrils as I entered the lobby.
I could hear the sound of voices and splashes echoing all around me.
Walking through a doorway, I saw a large pool surrounded by sand. There were a few girls swimming in it, as well as one guy with longish sandy blonde hair.
I made it a point not to make eye contact with any of them, remembering Ambur’s warning about mermaids not wanting to mingle with any of the other paranormal races. It sort of made me wonder why Professor Ryan had even thought it was a good idea for us to do our one-on-one lesson here. There was water everywhere. We could have used a cup of water. Why had it been necessary for us to meet at the House of Water?
More importantly, where was Professor Ryan, anyway? I didn’t see her anywhere.
Just as I was about to go back into the lobby, a door opened from across the room, and I spotted my teacher.
“Juliana!” She waved me over to her.
I walked across the sandy floor, over to the door she was standing next to.
“We’ll be conducting our lesson in here,” she explained, holding the door open for me.
I stepped inside th
e tiny room. The breath caught in my throat.
It looked like a little tropical paradise. I had been expecting the room to be small, but it seemed to stretch for miles with white sands and clear blue water. There was a palm tree.
It was beautiful. It made me wish that Avery was the one who I was sharing this experience with, rather than Professor Ryan.
As she closed the door behind us, the sky just faded away into eternity.
I had honestly never seen anything more breathtaking.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Professor Ryan asked.
I nodded. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“We could have done this session anywhere, but I thought that this beach would… inspire… you,” she explained. “Sometimes, it helps to be out in nature when you’re trying to get in touch with the elements.”
Well, that made sense. This was much cooler than just a cup of water in a classroom or something.
“I want you to put your feet in the water,” Professor Ryan said. “Allow yourself to feel the water.”
I pulled off my shoes and the black thigh highs I was wearing and walked over to the edge of the water. I dipped my toes in the water, gauging the temperature, before submerging my whole foot into the ocean.
“I want you to make one of the waves crash right in front of you. Do you think you can do that?” Professor Ryan asked.
“I can try.”
I stared out at the ocean, trying to do the same thing I did when it came to fire. I put all of my energy into the ocean and focusing on one of the waves crashing before me.
Crash in front of me, I mentally urged a wave that slowly rippled about one hundred feet away from us.
I allowed all of my surroundings to fade away, focusing all of my attention solely on that wave.
At first, I thought it was headed toward me, but then I watched, with disappointment, as it broke about thirty feet away from me.
“Let’s try something else,” Professor Ryan said. “Make the water spray at us.”
I took a deep breath and then focused all of my attention on what she’d just said.
I waited… and waited.
Nothing happened.
I frowned. I knew what this meant.
