Van Helsing Academy

by Stacey O'Neale

  “Very well, Ms. Van Helsing.” He waved his hand without making eye contact. “Off you go.”

  Well, that was fun. The headmaster was clearly a tool, but I could’ve been more respectful. He wasn’t someone I wanted as an enemy. The last thing I needed was to draw more attention to myself when I had so much I needed to do. I closed the door of his office and headed down the dimly-lit hallway toward the dormitories. I assumed most people were asleep. My luggage wheels squeaked as I made my way past a row of offices. There were cameras around every corner, following me as I went. One thing was for sure; they would know where I was at all times. And if I had any hope of finding the evidence I needed, I’d have to be extremely cautious.

  The dormitories were in two separate towers: the male supes occupied the tower closest to the cafeteria, and the females were next to the training facility. There were five floors of dorms in each tower. It only took me a few minutes to get there. The entryway had brick that matched the exterior and a large wooden door with a card reader attached to the wall. I rummaged through the manilla folder the headmaster gave me.

  There was a plastic keycard inside with my name on it. I held the card in front of the reader, and the red light on the wall unit switched to green. I was able to push the door open. To my delight, there was an elevator. I lugged my suitcases inside and hit the button for the third floor. The metal box rumbled as we rose upward. It wasn’t the kind of sound that put people at ease, and I decided right then and there that I’d take the stairs from now on.

  The doors opened, and I stepped out. The first thing I saw was an open space filled with worn, comfy sofas, scattered end tables with magazines sitting on top, and a large flat-screen television mounted on the wall. I strode past, heading down the hallway of doors on both sides. Following the numbers posted on each door knocker, I found room seventy-seven. I knocked three times and stepped back.

  I knew I’d have a roommate. Every dorm room in the academy had a double or triple, but in my case, I was sure I wouldn’t have a triple. I stared down at the metal bracelet the headmaster gave me. He worried about my safety, so I doubted he’d want me to have more than one roommate. But how would this person feel about me? Would she be one of the supes that read about the trial?

  Would she try to kill me in my sleep?

  I had to shake those thoughts out of my head. I couldn’t spend all of my time here looking over my shoulder. Not when I had so much I needed to accomplish. In all seriousness, the headmaster probably bunked me in with another reaper. Someone who committed a crime, but wouldn’t have a superpower she could use to overpower me. Or, I could be wrong. Maybe the headmaster put me with someone dangerous, hoping she’d kill me.

  As my palms began to sweat, the door creaked open. My new roommate was at least a foot taller than me with dark skin, shoulder-length curly black hair, and an athletic build. Her brown eyes flashed red when she rubbed them. She was a shifter. I would’ve been intimidated if she weren’t wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt, yoga pants, and slippers with pink pom-pom’s on top. “I planned to wait up for you, but I passed out.” She smiled as she pivoted out of the entryway. “I’m Kiera, by the way.”

  I tugged my suitcases inside. The room reminded me of a typical college dorm with two single beds with an end table in between, one closet, window, two dressers, two wooden desks, and matching chairs that sat side by side.

  Kiera was a fan of pink in a big way. Her side of the room looked like a Pepto Bismol explosion. Pink wallpaper, pillows, silk window curtains, blinds, and a circular shaggy carpet in the middle of the room.

  “I’m Mina.” I thrust my luggage onto the bed and unzipped the zippers. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Oh, I know who you are.” Kiera plopped down on her ruffled pink comforter. “Everyone here knows who you are.”

  I let out an exaggerated breath. “Great.”

  “You can’t be surprised.” She crossed her legs. “I mean, you’re a Van Helsing, and this is the freaking Van Helsing Academy. You’re all anyone can talk about.”

  I hung my shirts in the closet, then turned around to face her. “I’m not surprised, but I was hoping to stay lowkey.”

  “Yeah, that’s not happening,” Kiera chuckled. “But who knows? Maybe Miles Teller or Timothee Chalamet will discover that supes are real and go on a killing rampage. That’s the only way your story dies.”

  There was a little dig hidden in her words. I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t the killer that everyone thought I was, but what’s the point? We’re not going to be friends. For all I know, she’s a spy working for the headmaster. Or, maybe she works for the council. She might be here to track my every move and report back to them. The best thing I could do was be friendly with a heavy dose of restraint.

  Supernaturals couldn’t be trusted.

  “It’s been a long day.” I pulled out my bag of toiletries, plastic flipflops, and two towels. “I think I’m going to hit the showers.”

  When Kiera realized I wasn’t planning to stay and chat, her cheerful exterior melted away. I watched as she tucked herself back into her bedsheets with her covers up to her neck. “Showers are at the end of the hall. You’ve got about 15 minutes of hot water. After that, it’s ice cold.”

  I opened the door. “Thanks for the warning.”

  She gave me a half-hearted smile as she turned her lamp light off. The disappointment on her face made me want to apologize, which was silly. She was only friendly because she was hoping to get information from me. It was all an act, I assured myself. I pushed those thoughts out of my head as I strode toward the showers. This late at night, I doubted anyone would be in there.

  After all the craziness of the last few months, I was looking forward to some alone time. I pushed open the wooden door that led to the stalls. The restrooms on this floor split into two parts: toilets and sinks on one side and showers on the other. There were ten showers in all. Each had a red plastic curtain on a metal rod for privacy. I hung my towel on the metal rod, pushed the curtain out of the way, and turned on the water.

  Once the water was warm enough, I stepped into the spray. There was a ledge inside for my plastic bag of toiletries. I sat the bag on top, leaned my head into the water, and closed my eyes. For just a moment, I let my mind wander. I needed a break from all the stress I’d endured. I thought back to the times I’d visited the academy as a child. Back then, my family had a presence here. My grandmother was once one of the administrators.

  Since then, our family had dialed back our involvement. My father took an interest in politics and law. He wanted our family to be the Kennedy’s of the supernatural world, and he wanted a seat on the high council. Dad believed we deserved those things because our family had secured peace between the factions. Members of our family wrote the covenant. A fact my father never let anyone forget, either.

  The water turned cold, and I rushed to finish.

  When I turned off the water, I was sure I heard something. It sounded like a rustling just outside of my stall. I didn’t know what waited out there for me, so I dried off quickly and wrapped the towel over my chest. The entryway door thumped. Whoever had made the noise must’ve left, but I couldn’t be sure. It could be a trick. I wasn’t about to get jumped on my first day here, so I prepared myself for a fight.

  I fisted one hand, and with the other, I pushed the plastic curtain out of the way and leaped out of the shower. I landed in a crouched fighting position. But when I scanned the room, I was alone. Rather than take a chance, I headed to the other side of the restroom. I bent down to check under the toilet stalls. No feet, no one there. I stood and was about to go back to the showers when I saw it.

  There was a rectangular-shaped mirror hanging above a row of sinks. Someone wrote a message in dripping red paint that read, ‘Death is coming for you.’

  I leaned in closer to the mirror, and the scent made me jolt back. They didn’t write that warning with paint. The smell was unmistakable; it was human blood.

&
nbsp; Chapter Eight

  My eyes burst open after a loud noise broke the silence.

  When I turned to the side, I saw my roommate fumbling with an old fashioned radio alarm clock on her nightstand. The sparkly pink ears wiggled to the beat of a Taylor Swift song. She repeatedly pressed on a button, but the music continued to play. I was about to suggest she take out the batteries when I saw her launch the clock across the room, smashing the poor thing into pieces. That was the first time I’d seen her behave like a shifter: angry, impatient, easily triggered.

  I scooted out of bed and bent down next to the broken alarm. “I think we’re going to need another one of these.”

  Kiera sat up in her bed and yawned. “I’ve got a dozen more in my closet.”

  I picked up one of the pink ears. “Does this happen a lot?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not a morning person.”

  I was mid-smile when I stopped myself. I had to remember to be friendly, but not form any friendships. I was here to complete a mission. I didn’t say another word as I made my way over to the closet and opened the doors. The academy had placed several uniforms in a dry-cleaning bag with my name on the tag. They all appeared to be my size. I pulled out a white button-down, long-sleeve shirt, navy blue pleated skirt, and a burgundy cashmere cardigan sweater.

  When I pivoted, Kiera was still wearing her bedclothes but had slipped on a pair of flip-flops. She moved around the room, collecting items into a toiletry bag. Before she stepped out the door, she grabbed two towels and tucked them under her arm and then paused. “The cafeteria opens in twenty minutes. If you get there when it opens, you might be able to avoid the breakfast rush. Supernaturals aren’t known for our punctuality.”

  “Thanks,” I replied. “I’ll do that.”

  Kiera shot me another half-hearted smile, and then she was gone. The more she tried to help me, the harder it was to believe that she was faking it. But isn’t that what they do? Trick us into thinking we’re safe so they could take advantage. There was a reason the covenant existed. These supes were dangerous, and although they had the capacity for reason, they didn’t always follow the rules.

  When I turned around, I noticed the small box on top of my dresser. I’d forgotten about the present my mother gave me last night. I rushed over and looked to see what was inside. It was my family crest—our name at the top with two crossing swords in the middle, and the Latin words acta non verba written on the bottom—engraved into an oval-shaped gold pendant with a matching chain. I clasped the chain around my neck.

  Next, I got dressed, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and pulled my chestnut-brown hair into a ponytail. When I finished getting ready, I stepped in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of our room. I took a second to take it all in. Seeing myself in this uniform somehow made my situation real and unsettling at the same time. As strange as it sounded, I was more comfortable in the prison uniform. I wonder what Freud would’ve said about that.

  Since the headmaster hadn’t supplied books, I only had my schedule and keycard in hand when I headed out the door. I pushed the elevator button, and the doors opened immediately. I was expecting to stop on several floors before I reached the cafeteria, but it was a straight-shot to the second floor. The doors chimed as they opened, and the cafeteria was right in front of me. It was a sizeable rectangular room with long rows of silver tables and bench seating.

  Kiera was telling the truth, not one person eating. Kitchen workers cooked in an assembly line while several officers wearing reaper-like uniforms moved around the room. Their eyes followed me as I strode toward the scent of food. I noticed that each officer had a portable keyboard attached to their utility belt. It made me think about the device the headmaster had implanted in my neck.

  The thought made my stomach churn. I tried not to think about it as I grabbed a plastic tray from the pile and scanned the assortment of breakfast items. Most of the options were typical, like eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, and cereal. As I moved further down the line, I saw the large freezer with bags of blood hanging inside. No question those were for the vampires. Alongside the blood, there was a refrigerator full of raw red meat for the shifters.

  I wondered if my new roomie preferred raw meat to human food. If I had to guess, I’d choose the human variety. The girl had way too much pink to go any other way. I filled my plate with eggs and a piece of toast. At the end of the aisle, I saw the coffee machine and felt a sense of relief. I couldn’t survive this place without its bitter roasted goodness. I filled the disposable travel mug to the brim.

  The aroma made me smile.

  But my good mood doesn’t last long. A few moments after I sat down, a large cluster of supes in academy uniforms entered the cafeteria. They kept their eyes on me as they sauntered toward the kitchen, and I stared right back. It was apparent they knew who I was. The whispers started, and I didn’t react. Showing fear would almost certainly lead to a confrontation, and I couldn’t let anything like that happen. No matter the circumstances, I had to keep the peace with my fellow inmates.

  Within a matter of minutes, each of the tables filled except mine. The supes conversed with one another. Most of them turned around at least once to sneer at me with their nasty glares. I ate my food as if I didn’t see them. I wouldn’t cower or cringe. I watched them all so intently I never saw Kiera coming toward my table. She slid in across from me, and I startled when she set her tray on the table. I quickly straightened my back and cleared my throat in an attempt to regain my composure, but I did hear some snickers.

  Kiera leaned toward me and whispered, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “You didn’t,” I replied sharply. Kiera cringed as if I’d struck her, and I couldn’t hide my surprise. This girl was unlike any shifter I’d ever encountered. I softened my voice and continued. “I’m sorry. I meant to say you startled me, but I wasn’t scared.”

  Kiera shrugged it off and picked up her utensils. As expected, her plate had a ton of cooked food on it—a pile of omelets filled with sausage, bacon, and potatoes. Another smaller plate held six pancakes topped with fruit and honey. As she gorged, she occasionally drank from one of the two large glasses of milk and orange juice. She might not act like the typical shifter, but she sure did eat like one.

  “If I ate like that, you’d have to carry me out of here in a wheel barrel.”

  “This is nothing,” she replied as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I’m going back for one of the big waffles and at least three or four of those everything bagels. They taste good with the veggie spread. You should try one.”

  I chuckled. “I’m good.”

  The riot of voices all around me simmered almost in unison, and I tensed. What could’ve silenced them? I didn’t hear a bang or disturbance of any kind. I scanned the room to see what I missed, and that’s when I saw him. A dark-haired boy stood beneath the doorframe with his arms crossed. I couldn’t help noticing the size of his muscular forearms. He wore the same uniform as all the other boys—they got to wear a white cotton shirt with navy blue pants—but he stood out.

  His biceps appeared as if they might rip through his shirt at any moment. He had wavy strands of hair that came down to his cheekbones, but short on the sides and back. The color reminded me of the blackberries we used to pick every summer at my grandmother’s orchard. It was his fiery red eyes that shocked me. Most shifters didn’t change eye color until they transformed, but his eyes turned at will.

  Other large, menacing boys appeared on either side of him, but none of them entered the cafeteria. It seemed as if they were waiting on him. These boys had to be shifters, and the one in the middle must be their alpha. But if there’s an alpha here, why wasn’t Kiera with them? I would assume shifters in here would seek out an alpha for protection. I glanced over at my roommate. She kept her head down while she finished her meal. Was she trying to avoid them?

  The alpha narrowed his eyes as he searched the room. When he strode toward the kitchen, his pack followed
behind him. I watched them with fascination as they loaded up their plates. The alpha made his way toward a corner table. As he approached, every person got up and moved. Some threw away their plates and left the cafeteria. His pack settled down around him, and when he took his first bite, conversations reignited around us.

  I shifted my attention back to Kiera. “Who is that alpha?”

  “That’s Sacha,” she replied, never looking up from her plate. “He’s the leader of a Russian pack, but if I were you, I wouldn’t refer to him as an alpha.”

  “Why?”

  “He never wanted to be an alpha,” she whispered.

  That didn’t make any sense. A beta had to kill their pack leader to become an alpha. If he didn’t want to be their leader, why would he kill his alpha when he could’ve just run away? There had to be more to the story. I pointed to the pack. “If he doesn’t want to be their alpha, why do they follow him?”

  “They can’t help it.” Kiera put her utensils down and laid her napkin on her plate. After chugging both of her drinks, she continued. “Alphas and betas have an unbreakable bond. They won’t leave him, even if he doesn’t want to be their pack leader. They’ll stay until another shifter challenges him and wins.”

  Shifters keep their laws a secret. It’s impressive and unusual to get this kind of intel. “Can’t he pass it to someone? Like, name his successor?”

  Kiera shook her head. “An alpha has to be killed for another to rise. There’s no other way.”

  Sacha turned his head in our direction as if he knew we were talking about him. He stared right at me, not even trying to hide it. There was no fear in that boy. The fiery red had simmered to a blue or green color. I couldn’t tell which because we were too far away. The longer our staring contest went, the more I wondered what he’d done to end up here. Although he piqued my curiosity, I knew it would be best to avoid Sacha, the reluctant alpha.

  He was a whole lot of trouble looking for a place to happen. “Why aren’t you over there with them?” I asked. “Don’t you want the protection of a pack?”