Foreseen (Suoja Guild Book 2)

by AJ Anders

  “I don’t understand. What do you mean, I belong with you?” Evie questioned, still not grasping the full meaning behind Max’s words.

  “Sweetheart, you are valued for your intelligence by all. Humans and supernaturals alike. But unlike humans, we value you for yourself. Your natural curiosity about everything around you. Your ability to take everything at face value, weighing it before you make a decision. Never judging any human or non-human without all the facts.

  “You, sweetheart, are the polar opposite of what your father stands for. We need humans on our side, humans like you who are willing to work with us to make this world a better place. You can become the voice that bridges our two species. You can prove to the naysayers that what we tell them is, in fact, truth.”

  Evie sat stunned as thoughts rolled around her head. Like he said, she weighed his words and found no fault in them. Only brutal honesty.

  “The raid, everything…it was all about me? The others were left to suffer, sent away to prison camps, because you wanted me?” Hysteria crawled up her throat as images bombarded her of what they endured at her expense. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she did nothing to wipe them away.

  Max straightened and reached up until he surrounded her head with his large hands. He tugged her forward in her seat until their foreheads touched. “Sweetheart, those others are not in prison camps, I promise. We relocated them. Only the worst offenders, the ones we can prove were complicit in inciting violence, were taken away.

  “Those criminals didn’t care who they hurt when they carried out their terrorist attacks against the supernatural community. Humans were hurt and even killed. For this reason, they were sent to a holding camp until a trial can be held. But the rest, whose only crime was to get involved with the group, are in new areas, still with their family members. They were given choices, like you. Most of them took what was offered. Those who didn’t want our help were mandated to check-in with the council when they were situated.

  “We don’t force people to accept us. Fight us, we are stronger and more resilient. We can withstand anything a human throws at us. It’s like kittens trying to take a swipe at us. It might hurt for a minute, but it doesn’t leave any lasting damage. But we won’t stand by while innocent humans are caught in the crossfire.” He wiped Evie’s cheeks with his palms, removing the evidence of her tears. With a gentle smile, he asked, “Do you believe me, sweetheart?”

  Evie stared into Max’s eyes, searching desperately for any hint of deception, but found none. Only gentle acceptance of whatever she decided. She nodded to let him know she believed him, and the blue of his eyes lightened. His smile turned mischievous as it spread, showing all his teeth.

  “Now, you haven’t asked me the most important question.” He tried to look somber but failed.

  He was up to something, but she decided to play along, hoping it would move the conversation into more light-hearted territory. Enough had been thrown at her for one day. Anymore, and she would burst.

  Max moved his hands away from her face, beeping her on the nose. “You haven’t ask me what I am yet.”

  Evie cocked her head to the side. Tentatively, almost timid in her fear of insulting him, she asked, “You’re not Surmata?”

  “Not quite.” He laughed. “Guess again.”

  This whole time Caleb sat quietly on the couch, not saying a word. But now, he let his presence be known once again. “Speak for yourself,” he said dryly, removing his sunglasses. Pale pink eyes glistened like diamonds.

  Max waved him off, his hands swinging wildly in the air. “Yeah, yeah. Anyone can tell what you are by those gorgeous eyes of yours. But we’re talking about me, not you, pumpkin.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes and leaned back into the couch, placing his feet on top of the coffee table. Both guys stared at Evie, waiting for her to reply.

  “Uh, I thought the Surmata were the only supernatural species.” She hurried to add, “Besides demons.”

  “Stupid, fucking, human limitations. I can’t believe they still teach such outdated shit,” Max snarled, his eyes flashing red with insult. “I am Puoli Demoni. It means half demon. My mother was a demon, and my father was Surmata.”

  Evie’s eyes widened in astonishment. Demons were evil. To meet one was to meet death. If you ever came across one, the only thing you could do was pray for your immortal soul. With it almost impossible for higher level demons to cross the planes of existence, they used human hosts instead to wreak havoc on the general population. These human puppets would follow their demonic lord’s order. Murder, torture, and rape were the more common occurrences of demonic influences. Lower level demons, though, had an easier time. They could exist on the earthen plane for a limited amount of time, depending on their power level. Usually long enough to inflict mischief on others.

  “Please don’t be scared of me, sweetheart. I would never hurt you or any human. There are more creatures out there like me who mean no harm to humans. As your education evolves, you will come to learn all about the supernatural.” Max’s eyes pleaded for Evie to understand. “I’m your friend. We’ll talk more later. I’ll tell you all about my heritage. But, not right now.” Max stood and moved back around the coffee table to Caleb’s side. “Now, you need to get up and go through that door. One of the head honchos is waiting to talk with you.”

  Overwhelmed, Evie numbly pushed herself out of the chair, grabbed her luggage, and made her way to the far door. Turning back, she offered Max a reassuring smile. “I’ll see you later.” She glanced at the other man. “Nice meeting you, Caleb.”

  Chapter Five

  Evie pushed the heavy door open and stepped across the threshold, gawking at the room beyond. Easily three times the size of her father’s office back at the camp, the office offered a warm and welcoming sensation. A fireplace sat dead center on the wall to her right, closest to the door. Positioned further back, a decorative, antique desk dominated the room. Bookcases on either side of the desk overflowed with books, scrolls, and assorted figurines. The jumbled mess on the shelves was the only oddity in the room. Everything else, including the items on the desk, portrayed a picture perfect example of an organized individual.

  Two chairs wrapped in rich, dark leather faced the desk, their backs low enough for Evie to tell they currently sat unoccupied. A closed door was on the far wall, but it was the left side of the room that instantly captured Evie’s attention.

  She stood riveted as she took in the floor to ceiling weapon’s display. Bows in all shapes and sizes, recurve and compound, along with two long bows. Beside them, short daggers and long broad swords. Even an old musket rifle hung there.

  Evie found herself in front of the wall, drawn to the weapons like a moth to flame. Different types of weapons always fascinated her, and she studied many different weaponry techniques when she found sufficient instructors. Yet, there was still more she didn’t know and yearned to learn.

  She loved the sleek feel of the various weapons in her hands. A skilled craftsman, one who worked passionately and precisely when creating a masterpiece, left an imprint on the weapon. An almost detectable feeling emanated off the blade or the carved wood. It called out to her, begging for her to touch it. She reached up, running her fingertips along the smooth edge of one intricate blade.

  A throat cleared behind her.

  Startled, Evie jumped back and blushed at being caught. In the short time since her arrival, the foundation under her feet had been hammered away at, causing it to crumble. On unsteady ground, she would fall into the black hole opening up around her if she wasn’t careful.

  She knew not to touch the objects on the wall without permission; a harsh lesson she learned at a younger age. She once touched a dagger from one of her father’s lieutenants. He’d lain it aside during a meeting with her father, and the light refracting off the small piece of steel instilled in her an irresistible urge to pick it up. When discovered, the jovial lieutenant smiled at her, admonished her verbally, and took it from her. Wh
en the young officer left, her father, not amused in the least, took a belt to her backside. It left her unable to sit for almost a week until her tender skin healed.

  As she turned around, her shoulders hunched with guilt. Her fingers went to the strap of her backpack, plucking at it in nervousness as she focused on the tall man who stood before her. Dressed in a pair of black leather pants, a matching black T-shirt stretched tight across his chest. A thin silver chain hung around his neck, the attached pendent lost from her sight where it tucked away under his shirt. Black motorcycle boots completed his outfit.

  Dangerous and sexy at the same time.

  Blond hair, so light it was almost white, hung straight to his shoulders. Deep indigo eyes smiled at her, waiting patiently while she finished her perusal. Heat licked her checks at her forwardness. The Surmata smirked at her before he gestured for her to take a seat while he moved behind the desk, gathering papers as he sat.

  Evie reached up covertly to make sure she wasn’t drooling. That much maleness shouldn’t be allowed. It was dangerous to any female’s libido, regardless of the species.

  The nervousness from when she first walked through the door, afraid of what else she would encounter when she entered the room, drained away. Instead of the adversarial confrontation she expected from a leather clad giant, the stranger’s posture and mannerisms exuded calm.

  Evie relaxed as she took a seat opposite him.

  “I am Soma Dashiel.” The man spoke without looking up, his voice deep and throaty with some unknown emotion. Occupied as he flipped through a thick folder, his brows furrowed as if something he read angered him. He kept quiet, though, turning the pages slowly.

  Not wanting to be caught staring at him again, Evie gazed around the room. The figurines on the shelves drew her eye. Bending forward a little, she tried to see them better.

  Little, pixie statues sat in a circle, but each time Evie turned her head and looked back, their positions changed. Small movements like their arms would be in the air one minute, then the next time she looked, they would be pointed downward at their sides. When she peeked out the corner of her eye, she swore one of the smallest figurines winked at her.

  Disturbed, she turned her attention back to the man behind the massive desk. Slightly hunched over, eyes focused on the pages in front of him, he bit his lip. His hair hung forward, partially obscuring his face from view. Every once in a while, his hand reached up, pushing the pale locks back behind his ear, but they only stayed in place for a few seconds before they fell forward once again.

  He scowled in annoyance and shut the file. Reclining back, he placed his elbows on the arms of the chair, his hands forming an inverted V in front of him. He stared at her, hard.

  “Miss Saunders,” he began before he grimaced and started over. “Evie, I’ve read your records. I must say, your educational background is impressive. Even by Surmata standards, you’ve excelled in your studies. Now, we need to figure out where you fit in here and what classes would suit you best.”

  Soma Dashiel stopped speaking and waited for Evie to say something. Not sure what he expected of her, she stayed quiet and nodded for him to continue.

  “We need to work together to ensure the classes we select are a proper fit for you. Everyone brought in today is required to take a handful of pre-selected classes. But, the rest of your classes are up to you. Right now, I’ve arranged a schedule I think you’ll like. Try it out for a few days. We’ll reconvene a week from tomorrow to see if you’re satisfied with the courses. If you’re not, we can make changes then. We’re not as stringent as traditional universities. We allow students like you to drop or add a class at your discretion as long as you do your part to catch up if necessary.”

  He pulled out a piece of paper from within the folder and handed it to her. “Here is a list of possible classes you’re eligible to take. I’ve taken the liberty of marking a star next to the ones you’re currently signed up for. If you take a closer look, two of those classes are marked with an X. Those are the two mandatory classes. They’re human only classes. The rest of your schedule has mixed classes. Will you have trouble working alongside your Surmata classmates?”

  “No, sir.” Evie shook her head. She fiddled with the edges of the paper, but tried to maintain eye contact.

  “Good. Do you have any questions?” Deep indigo eyes flashed upwards, challenging Evie.

  She swallowed tightly before she shook her head.

  “Alright then. Mrs. Solomon is outside the door, waiting to escort you to the others.” He stood and walked around the desk to stop in front of her. With a warm smile, he placed his hand against her back as he escorted her to the door. “Have a good night, Evie.”

  She offered him a slight smile before opening the door. Mrs. Solomon, the same woman who escorted her before, waited patiently on the other side. As Evie stepped through the doorway, Soma Dashiel’s hand slipped from her back, and the door swung closed behind her.

  Immediately, she mourned the loss of his touch. An ache, centered in the pit of her belly, begged for her to turn around. An insane notion pushed her to return to the room, wanting the comfort of his presence back.

  Shaking her head at her silliness, she followed the mute woman in front of her.

  Chapter Six

  Mrs. Solomon, along with a handful of other faculty members, ushered Evie and the rest of the group members down a long hallway, escorting them to an adjacent building. A human only dormitory, it would house them for the duration of their stay at the school. An equivalent building, located on the other side of campus, housed the Surmata students.

  While the university allowed Surmata to visit the human side, humans were not offered the same luxury. The Surmata side of campus was strictly off limits unless given express permission to be there by the administrators. If caught in the restricted area, the perpetrator faced severe punishment, either suspension or expulsion, depending on the circumstance.

  Outside, the raging storm made it impossible to access the dormitory from the exterior. Instead, Mrs. Solomon led them to a damp corridor that ran under both buildings. Evie hugged her sweatshirt tighter to her body. It felt twenty degrees cooler in the underground passageway. Puddled water on the floor seeped in from the storm outside, and the stones coating the tunnel walls did little to warm the air.

  “There are several underground passageways throughout campus, but they are normally for faculty only,” she warned, pausing her stride in order to turn her attention to the group. “Students are not allowed access unless accompanied by a senior faculty member.”

  “What about like tonight when the weather is bad? Are we allowed to use it then?” a woman in front inquired.

  “If the weather is severe enough, classes will be cancelled. There will be no reason for you to use the passageways. Umbrellas can be purchased in the school store.” Forestalling any further questions, Mrs. Solomon resumed her march forward.

  They exited the damp corridor. The group gathered in a semi-circle in the back foyer of the human dormitory. The nondescript room held little to grab of interest. A hallway led off to the left. On the right, an antique staircase hugged the stone wall. Curving gently, the handrail trailed in a lazy spiral as it wound upward.

  “Each dormitory has an elevator, but most students prefer to utilize the staircases, even those on the third floor,” Mrs. Solomon announced. “Now, Mrs. Lowry will call out names for the students housed on the first floor. As soon as your name is called, please proceed forward.”

  A cheerful, young, facility member stepped forward to announce those who were to remain. Fifteen members broke off from the main group and disappeared around the corner.

  “Alright, everyone. Follow me, please,” Mrs. Solomon ordered as she started up the staircase.

  Suitcase bumping behind her, Evie trailed her hand over the old wood as she followed the group up. Nicks and scratches in the old mahogany wood betrayed its age, a visible testament to a long history.

  At the secon
d floor landing, more names rang out, and this time a larger number of students followed a stout-faced, older man who kept sneezing into a handkerchief. Evie breathed out a sigh of relief when Dominick departed with the group. On the third and final floor, only Evie and five other people from the camp remained. Mrs. Solomon, the only other faculty member left, recited each of their names, checking faces as she went to ensure everyone was accounted for.

  Feet hurting and back stretched to its limits from dragging the non-cooperative piece of luggage around, Evie heaved a sigh of relief. Soon, she would be ensconced in her room. She hoped she would receive a tolerable roommate.

  Studying the faces of those around her, her chances weren’t good.

  Mrs. Solomon walked them down a short corridor, offering instructions as she went. “I will leave you in a minute to find your own rooms. Please feel free to explore your new environment. You’ll find the emergency exit halfway down the hallway. Next to it, there’s a small kitchenette fully stocked with snacks and light meals for when the café downstairs is closed. Further down are the showers, women on the right and men on the left. Most students on this floor use these common facilities. There are a few rooms with ensuites, but those are reserved for our top performing students. Our best and brightest.”

  She smiled warmly at Evie when she said this. Not used to attention, Evie shifted uncomfortably. She liked being in the background, finding safety and security in the veil of shadows cast by those around, like a warm blanket she wrapped around herself.

  After turning a corner, Mrs. Solomon stopped at the first set of doors and handed out key cards to everyone. “You can find your room by the number etched on the back of the card.”