Silverwood Academy Book 1

by Jasmaine Groth

  Sterling was looking at me with his brows raised and a questioning look on his face. I grabbed the guy’s hands from the bar, running them down the side of my body, placing them around my waist as I ground against him.

  Sterling’s face grew hard and I turned my back on him to face the guy. “My name’s Tash,” I told him, giving him the new nickname Sophia gave me.

  “Roy,” the guy replied, a goofy smile on his face.

  My hands travelled up his chest and locked around the back of his neck. “Am I pretty Roy?” I looked up at him through my dark lashes, blinking.

  I don’t know what came over me, the alcohol maybe? Jealousy? Whatever it was, I could feel it taking control because this certainly wasn’t me. Roy nodded quickly, gulping. “Do you want to kiss me?” I asked in a soft, breathy voice. His heart thumped wildly in his chest and I watched as his pupils dilated, his pulse quickening at the base of his neck. He nodded.

  I licked my lips, looking up at him, pulling his face down to mine, kissing him. He kissed back lazily, whereas mine was hungry and demanding.

  “What’s she doing?” I heard Anna whisper to someone.

  “I don’t know,” Sophia replied, giggling.

  A switch flicked in my brain, taking full control of my body. Pulling back and looking up at him as he stared down at me, mesmerised. I grabbed his hand, stepping back, turning around, my body no longer my own. Sterling watched me with a frown, but it didn’t matter, I walked straight past him and out the door, pulling Roy along behind me, tugging hard causing him to stumble a little.

  I led him down the alley between the pub and another shop, I pushed him against the brick wall. He gasped, looking down at me in shock and then grinned. I kissed him, pushing him further into the wall, pinning him. His hands roamed greedily over my body, as my hands ran down the front of his shirt.

  I pulled back, planting kisses down his neck, licking upwards and his pulse quickening beneath my tongue, the warmth sending a sensation through my body I couldn’t fight. My fangs snapped out and I bit into his neck hard. He moaned, his hands becoming rough as they explored my body.

  I moaned as the sweet warmth of his blood filled my mouth, I drank deeply, as my hands ran down his lean chest. The sound of ripping filled my ears but I didn’t care enough to see what it was as the only thing I could focus on was the way his blood tasted.

  I pulled back, and he slumped against the wall, sliding down, blood pooling from his neck as he chuckled. Pouncing on him, I straddled him, licking the blood from his neck, as I ground myself against his arousal, he moaned. My teeth returned to where they were, and I drank deeply.

  “Oh my god,” someone said from behind me, I turned to see Oliver.

  A growl escaped my mouth, and I bared my fangs at him, blood trickling down my chin and landing on my breast, I hissed warningly. Turning back to my prey, my body still grinding against his, lust filled me as I yearned for the taste of his blood. I licked his neck, blood coating my tongue, making me moan.

  Hands wrapped around me, pulling me hard against a strong body. “Come on!” Oliver tugged until he pulled me off Roy. I growled, turning in Oliver’s arms, my back arching, ready to fight. Oliver looked at me like I was a crazed animal and shook me hard.

  My fangs snapped back inside my mouth as the cloud lifted from my brain, the lust slowly faded as shock took its place. “Oh my!” Who knows what would have happened if Oliver hadn’t come outside?

  Roy laid on the ground with a giddy look on his face, he looked like he was in a trance. Blood poured from his neck and surrounded him, my fangs snapping back out as the monster inside wanted more.

  I turned, burying my face in Oliver’s chest. “What do I do? The smell! It’s too much,” breathing deep, his pine tree and honey scent mixed with alcohol engulfed me, helping to mask the scent of blood.

  My body shook with need and hid arms tightened around my waist, he pulled back looking into my eyes with a serious expression for the first time since I’d known him. “Go inside and get Professor Blackthorne or Professor Blackwell,” he demanded. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t go anywhere.” He bent down, looking me in the eyes. “Hurry.” He sounded desperate.

  I nodded, turning away from him, holding my breath, so I couldn’t smell the blood. Rushing out into the dim lights of the street and stumbling to the door, bursting inside, panic seizing my body.

  My dress was torn to my stomach, several eyes turned to me in shock. Anna stood up, looking at me horrified. My eyes landed on Sterling as he stared at me from the corner of the room, his eyes wide and his lips parted in surprise.

  I darted towards him, he stood up and strode towards me, my hand covered my mouth as a sob broke free. “You need to help!” I looked up at him, tears brimming my eyes.

  His hands fell on my shoulder and he bent down to look me in the eyes, his touch sent electricity through my veins. Embarrassment flooded my body at him seeing me while I looked like such a mess. “What happened?”

  “I-I-I don’t know!” I ran my hand up the side of my face, smearing wetness up my cheek as my hand brushed through my hair. “I don’t know what happened!”

  Melissa wound her arm around my waist pulling me towards the door. “We can’t make a scene,” she said, looking to Sterling, guiding me outside.

  The door opened and we stood outside the smell hit my face. All that blood. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as a growl ripped its way through my throat and the monster inside struggled to break free of it’s confines.

  Sterling grabbed hold of my shoulders firmly. “You need to calm down!” his voice was low. I bit my lip, staring into his eyes and took a deep breath, nodding.

  He turned to Melissa. “Don’t let anyone else come out.”

  Sterling pulled me along the path to the alleyway between the two buildings. Oliver stood there, his shirtless, pressing his shirt against Roy’s neck, as it was soaked with blood. I gulped. Oh my god! I did this!

  “Fuck.” Sterling looked down at me and shook his head. Was he disappointed in me? Or angry?

  Oliver looked up at us panicked. “I can’t stop the bleeding.”

  Sterling stepped into action, and Oliver backed away towards me and I shivered from the cold and shock, he wrapped his arms around me, his bloody hands lay on me.

  Sterling knelt over Roy, pressing a small vial of liquid to his lips and tipping it in his mouth. Roy’s eyes snapped open and he sucked in a breath, looking up at me terrified as he screamed

  Sterling grabbed hold of the guy's face, forcing him to look at him, Roy calmed down. “You won’t remember what happened here tonight. You met Natasha, danced, made out a little and went home,” Sterling’s voice was soft and silky, I would’ve done anything he asked of me right then.

  “I won’t remember,” Roy’s eyes glazed over. “I danced, made out a little and went home.”

  “Good,” Sterling patted his arm. “Now go home.” Roy stood on shaky legs and walked away.

  Sterling turned, looking at me in Oliver’s arms, livid . “Go back to the academy and get cleaned up, Oliver.” Sterling didn’t look at him. “Don’t tell anyone what happened here tonight. This can’t get around the academy.” Oliver nodded, looking back at me guiltily as he walked off.

  Sterling turned to me, grabbing my arm, when Oliver was gone. “What do you think you were doing?” he hissed at me, anger in his eyes.

  I bit my lip. “I don’t know.” I looked down at the ground, unable to meet his eyes, feeling ashamed. “I was standing there one minute, drinking alcohol and the next I was talking to him and it was like I was there but wasn’t in control.” Looking back at him, his brows furrowed, running his hand through his hair. “I swear, I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

  He shook his head. “It’s fine, he’s not dead.” He ran his hand over his face and groaned.

  Footsteps sounded from the corner and Melissa peered around, sighing in relief. “What happened?” She looked around at all the blood on the cement.
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br />   Sterling looked at her, his eyes hardening and all serious. “She lost control and had him in a trance.” He shook his head.

  “But they haven’t learnt trances yet!” Melissa looked over my appearance. “She can’t go back to the Academy on the bus like that,” she sighed regretfully, looking up at Sterling. “Maybe you should take her back? I can stay here and clean up this mess.”

  Sterling shrugged. “I guess I have to,” Looking down at my appearance, embarrassment flooded through me.

  “I need to get my stuff,” I bit my lip, walking up the path to the bar, looking around.

  Sterling shot off in a blur, handing me a jacket. “Put this on, grab your things and get back,” he looked in the eyes. “Don’t tell anyone what happened.”

  I took the jacket, pulling it on, covering my torn dress. The jacket hung down to my knees, I buttoned it up, my fingers fumbling, I pushed the sleeves up over my hands.

  I ran to the door, wrenching it open, heading for the table my friends sat at. “What happened?” Sophia asked worried.

  I waved my hand, grabbing my clutch. “Oh nothing, don’t worry about it,” acting like everything was okay and I didn’t have blood smeared over my face. “I’m heading back, stay and have fun.” I smiled at them.

  Anna and Sophia exchanged a glance. “Okay, let us know when you get back,” she said.

  Heading back outside, Sterling stood there waiting, Melissa was behind him. “Come on,” Sterling’s face was all serious and professional, I nodded my head.

  “Thanks,” I gave Melissa a small smile, feeling only the slightest bit guilty at ruining her date.

  I followed Sterling across the road to a sleek black sports car, I looked down at it smiling a little, the door unlocked and he got in, I bit my lip, hesitating a little before taking a deep breath trying to steady my heart, opening the door and stepping into the passengers’ seat.

  The engine started, roaring to life, I clicked the belt into place, jamming my hands between my thighs biting my lip. Sterling pulled out of the car park, switching through gears quickly as we sped back towards the school. I watched him from my seat as he concentrated on driving, the way his brows pinched, his jaw clenched, knuckles gripping the steering wheel.

  I sighed, turning and looking back out the window. “Will I be expelled?”

  He laughed. “Why would you think that?”

  I looked back to him. “Well for one I nearly killed someone?” I suggested.

  His eyes sparkled in the light as he turned to me. “Of course not. You’ll get a lecture about discipline and there will be an assembly about a student losing control and nearly killing someone, then there will be a speech about drinking safely.”

  I laughed. “That’s a little ridiculous.”

  He looked at me, his brows raised. “Would you rather be punished?”

  I blushed. “No.” My started heart racing, I bit my lip. There was a long silence, but it wasn’t awkward even though it should have been. I took a deep breath.

  “Why did you turn me?” I asked, my heart thundering in my ears.

  He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, turning back to the road quickly. “You’re name was on a list.”

  I knew that was a lie because Anna told me that I arrived a week later after everyone else did, missing orientation, which was why she had to show me around. I wasn’t on a list, and I wasn’t meant to be here. I shook my head. “No, I wasn’t,” I told him firmly.

  The silence was unbearably long, and I began to think he wasn’t going to answer. “I felt bad for you,” he spoke suddenly.

  “What?” I asked him shocked. “Why?”

  He turned to me. “You lived in the shittiest part of the city possible, you worked at a dodgy strip club serving creepy and wasted men.” He shrugged, not looking away. “I overheard you asking your boss for a raise and he said you were going to have to suck it up or start stripping for extra cash, then you walked into the bathroom, called your landlord for an extension on your rent, which he denied,” he turned back to the road, glaring. “I thought your life would be better here, so I waited for you to leave and followed you. I never expected you to run.”

  My breath escaped my throat, I remembered that after I hung up with my landlord I cried, knowing I was going to have to strip the next night so I could pay rent, it was the worst night of my life. “That wasn’t your decision to make.”

  “So you’d rather work your ass off in a strip club getting hit on by pervy men who tried to grope you every time you walked by, eventually stripping so you could keep a roof over your head, just so you could eat noodles?” he questioned. He had a point, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. I shrugged. “You get to go to a school you thought never existed, you get paid to do that and all you have to do is pass your classes.”

  My eyebrows lifted to my hairline. “Really?” I asked. “Oh, and let’s not forget about this deep dark desire to drink people’s blood.” I rolled my eyes. “Geez, thanks!” I told him sarcastically.

  He shook his head. “Would you rather I just left you there?”

  I contemplated that for a moment, imagining what my life would be like if I stayed: I’d be stripping by now and hating every moment, still eating noodles every week on a shitty pay. Whereas now I have friends, as much food as I could want, I get the biggest room I have ever slept in my whole life, the comfiest bed. I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess not.”

  “Well there’s your answer,” he told me.

  He pulled into the school parking lot, I put my hand on the door, turning back to look up at him through my lashes. I gave him a small smile. “Thanks,” my voice came out quiet, and I knew he’d heard.

  “Goodnight,” was all he said. He turned the car off, opening the door and exiting. I sat there for a moment trying to get my heart rate under control, standing up and shutting the car door behind me. I ran my fingers up through my hair, trying to sort through my thoughts, walking towards the dormitories.

  I messaged Anna when I got back to my room, telling her I got back safely, then showered and got ready for bed.

  ***

  Chapter 5:

  I woke the next day, my head pounding, with notifications about an assembly being held in an hour. I showered and dressed in a cropped top and booty shorts, my hair wet, hanging down my back, pulling on my sneakers and sunglasses and headed to The Hub, feeling like the walking dead.

  Walking into the cafeteria, I grabbed a thermos and sat down across from Sophia and Anna who looked at me sympathetically. Oliver sat down beside me and smiled at me, pulling me into his side. “How are you doing after last night?” he whispered in my ear.

  I nodded against his chest. “I’m fine,” I whispered, my heart pinching at the memories. He really was a nice guy. I looked up into his eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

  “Did you get in much trouble by Blackwell?” he asked.

  I shook my head, heat rushing to my face as I remembered my conversation with him, my heart jumped around my chest a little. Anna looked at me with a smirk and Sophia giggle, I rolled my eyes, sliding out from Oliver’s arms and turned. “We better get to assembly,” I told them, walking off, sipping on my thermos with a straw.

  “I wonder what it’s about,” Anna mused.

  I groaned. “I have a fairly good idea what it’s about,” I muttered. My hangover slowly fading the more I drank.

  We walked to assembly and found some seats, I sat between Oliver and Anna. Sterling was standing to the side of the podium wearing his black trousers and white button-up shirt, he smirked at me as if to say “told you so” and I poked my tongue out at him quickly, turning my attention to the Headmistress.

  She cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention. “I have called this assembly because it’s been brought to my attention that a student, who won’t be named, attacked a human last night, nearly killing him,” she announced, a few people gasped.

  Anna looked at me. “Did you?” she mouthed, her eyes wide
and I nodded, biting my lip.

  “I would like to remind you to drink responsibly and even though we are in a secluded area, and the town is mainly a supernatural community, we do occasionally get humans wandering in and we urge you to be careful and show a little more restraint,” the Headmistress finished, looking out across the students. “You may go and enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

  I sipped at my thermos, looking up at Sterling, watching him as I stood and walked away, his eyes met mine and they tilted upwards slightly.

  What the hell is going on? And why am I so attracted to him? Did he feel it too?

  I was sure he did, but it was hard to tell. I walked out the door, turning away, heading towards the door and out the path that led to the lake, Sophia and Anna followed, along with Oliver, Isaac and Nic. I sat down on the bank, biting my lip. “Spill,” Anna demanded, sitting down beside me.

  I rolled my eyes. “I was drinking shots at the bar and there was a cute guy,” I shrugged. “We talked, danced, I kissed him, then I don’t know, I led him outside and attacked him.”

  Sophia’s eyes were wide, her mouth dropped down as she looked at me scandalised. “Really?”

  Oliver nodded. “I went out to check on her and there she was straddling and grinding against him, while drinking his blood.”

  I slapped him playfully in the shoulder. “You didn’t have to mention the straddling and grinding,” I told him, rolling my eyes.

  He shrugged. “The image is burned in my brain.”

  Anna looked at me, her eyes wide, looking shocked and Sophia laughed. “We should never leave her alone again,” Anna murmured to Sophia.

  I shrugged. “Anyways, I came in and got S-Professor Blackwell and he helped fix it, I guess.”

  Isaac laughed. “Wow,” he said. “You had quite the night, didn’t you?” he winked. I laughed and nodded. We all sat there around the lake a little longer, I rested my back against Oliver, enjoying the feel of his warmth and the way his muscles flexed when he shifted. I felt a little closer to Oliver after last night, I guess there were things you went through with people that couldn’t help but bring you closer together.