Dragon Fire Academy 2: Second Term

by Rachel Jonas

  The small seed of boldness Paulo had managed to plant, was gone in an instant.

  Unfortunately, the ones who’d just been whispering about me were unavoidable, because they’d chosen to stand right along the path the guys and I had to follow to the stairs. Still pretending not to care I was the center of attention, I breathed deep as we passed.

  Wolves—I caught their earthy scents right away, immediately noting how it differed from the smoky aroma of the Omegas. It hadn’t been that way before shifting, but my sense of smell wasn’t the only thing that was keener. My eyesight and hearing were almost annoyingly clear, too.

  Which was why, when the guy thought he spoke quietly enough for only his friends to hear, I caught every word.

  “She only got in because her family put in a word to the Advisors. Guess they didn’t want her at home either.”

  Their laughter rose into the air, so smug and entitled. Like they truly believed they had more of a right to be at the academy than I did. My throat suddenly felt tight and raw with emotion, igniting a strange burning sensation in the center of my chest. Something I’d never felt before. However, it only took me a moment to identify it, thanks to something my father had warned me about.

  It was rage.

  All dragons were born with a supernatural chip on their shoulder, ready to fight first and ask questions later. We were, literally, hot-tempered. He said it was our cross to bear, our responsibility to contain it.

  So, that’s what I did. I stuffed the white-hot anger down into my gut where it wasn’t threatening to burst from my lips in the form of curse words, or maybe even actual fire. Instead, I clenched my fists. Losing my cool would have only proven these idiots right.

  “Control yourself.” My steps slowed when Ori grumbled those words. “Lay a finger on any of these kids and Chief will be all over us.”

  At first, I thought the comment had been meant for me. However, noting how Ori’s watchful glare narrowed toward a furious, scowling Paulo, I realized he’d been the one Ori meant to correct with his command.

  As Paulo’s eyes locked with the mouthy wolf, anger distorted his otherwise handsome features. When the smirk the guy wore began to slide off his face, one thing became clear.

  He knew he had the attention of the mountainous man beside me.

  I didn’t even have to question whether the guys were all thinking about the conversation we just had, not even ten minutes ago. While I had decided to ignore the insult and take the high road, Paulo clearly had not.

  Our steps halted and I read his body language—stiff shoulders, veins throbbing in his neck as hints of fire made them glow beneath his skin. There was an unwavering scowl set on his face that made me extremely grateful I wasn’t that kid.

  The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the vestibule like my wildly beating heart. I held my breath, watching as Paulo crossed the tile. It seemed Ori’s order had gone in one ear and out the other, which I wasn’t even sure was allowed.

  Coming nearly toe-to-toe with the guy, Paulo stared down his nose, harnessing what looked like the fury of ten dragons. The fire that glowed in his veins had spread to his arms now, too, flowing toward tight fists.

  “Mind repeating what you just said?” The request left his mouth far too calmly, which accounted for the dead silence that suddenly filled the crowded space.

  I peered around discreetly, noting how all eyes were on us now.

  “I-I didn’t say anything,” the wolf stammered. Right after, he shot a sideways glance toward his friends. Sort of a plea for help. Only, they made it clear this wasn’t their fight and wanted nothing to do with the Omegas. In fact, the group took one big, collective step back, leaving the lone wolf to face my guardians.

  “Your name.” Paulo’s command ricocheted off the surfaces like thunder.

  Needless to say, kid didn’t hesitate to give up the info. “David, Sir. David Sinclair junior.”

  Paulo nodded, never letting his gaze falter. Beneath the thin material of his white tank, his large shoulder muscles stiffened when he reached out suddenly, taking David by his collar before lifting him into the air. The sound of his back slamming the wall next was accompanied by loud gasps exploding from the crowd.

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Ori cautioned him in thought.

  Peering up toward the terrified wolf dangling above him, Paulo ignored the warning.

  “Well, it seems you picked the wrong day to be brave, David Sinclair Junior,” he smirked. “It’s been a crazy twenty-four-hours, I’m on edge, and I’m starving.” He paused to eye the kid again. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I had wolf for dinner?”

  A menacing grin spread across Paulo’s face and I wasn’t sure he was kidding. “I might be unstable, but I’m fair,” he stated a little too rationally. “I’m gonna give you a ten-second head start.”

  The only sound to be heard was David’s breathing as he panted, staring into the eyes of the dragon who just threatened to eat him alive. I don’t think any of us realized just how petrified he was, until a dark stain appeared on the front of his khakis. It grew larger by the second as he hung there, pinned to the wall. Paulo was the last to notice, once liquid trickled from David’s pantleg, down to the tile in a puddle.

  “Did he seriously just piss himself?” some brave soul to the left announced, seemingly unaware of the tension the moment still held.

  The statement prompted a girl near the stairs to laugh so hard she snorted, which set off a chain reaction that moved through the room like a wave. David meant to shame and embarrass me, but that came back to bite him.

  Hard.

  Karma and whatnot.

  “Put him down. Now,” Ori seethed.

  Redness had flared in David’s face, and then a sheen of sweat. Disgusted, Paulo did as he was told, dropping the one who taunted me so quickly he couldn’t quite get his footing. The result was a mortifying scene, ending with him falling into the puddle of his own waste.

  “Consider this your warning. There won’t be another,” Paulo said sternly, holding David’s gaze to make sure he understood. After slipping in the mess a few times, he finally got it together and took off through the front door, disappearing somewhere across the courtyard.

  Thanks to Paulo jumping into action, the heat was suddenly off me. The name “Sir Piss-A-Lot” was floating around, and I had a feeling David wouldn’t soon forget this lesson in what happens when you cross an Omega.

  Ori, still frustrated by Paulo’s insubordination, stormed toward the stairs with Kai and Rayen not too far behind. Taking slow strides as I walked beside Paulo, I couldn’t quite put my finger on how seeing him stand up for me made me feel.

  Years ago, my family had no idea the hell I’d been through, so I hadn’t given them a chance to come to my rescue. Not that I needed it. I endured the merciless teasing and solitude on my own, but it might have been nice not to have felt so alone.

  Now, I somehow had these four in my life, more than willing to defend my honor even without me asking. Suddenly, as I settled into the idea of this being my new normal, those feelings I searched for a moment ago were no longer so elusive. Paulo acting in my defense proved I didn’t have to worry about being safe while with the Omegas. In their presence, I would always be protected, valued.

  “Thank you,” I said quietly. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  The warm smile he lowered toward me made my heart melt. The backs of our hands brushed one another’s just then, and my fingers twitched a bit when I kind of wished I’d had the courage to hold his.

  “What do you mean I didn’t have to?” He let out a confused laugh, as if I’d just spoken a foreign language.

  I shrugged. “You went against Ori to put that kid in his place.”

  “Ori will get over it.” Paulo chuckled a bit. “I’ll never let anyone make you feel like you did back in the day. You’re with us now, and that means when someone’s against you, they’re against us all.”

  The sense of pride
and belonging that filled me when he said those words was indescribable. It was almost as intense as the rush that came next, when he took my waist and led me up the stairs.

  We reached my door and I swear I only got my fist into the air to knock when it suddenly flung open. Staring at me from across the threshold was a very worried girl with red-rimmed eyes, and matching dark circles beneath them. If I had to guess, Toni hadn’t slept much.

  The guys hung back a few feet while Toni stared at me, eyeing me like she wasn’t sure how to feel now that I stood before her. I could only guess the thoughts she had while I was missing, could only guess what she thought could have happened.

  I didn’t say a word while waiting for her to react. Mostly, because I wasn’t sure what to say. There was guilt just sitting on my chest, like a weight. I wanted to go back in time and do things differently. Starting with trusting her enough to share my whole truth, my plan, my fears.

  While I was still overthinking things and trying to read her thoughts, Toni practically leapt on me. Both her arms locked tight around my neck, like a vice.

  “I should kill you for leaving without me,” she threatened with broken syllables, spoken between sniffles.

  “I’m sorry. I just wanted to keep you safe. All of you,” I added, hoping she understood that.

  I felt her head shake against my shoulder, protesting. “I get it, but … dude. That was a serious dick-move. I told you I’d be right back and you ghosted me! Knowing I’d be worried.”

  She was seriously hurt, and that was on me. I guess I really wasn’t used to having friends who stuck by me like this. Still, there was no excuse.

  “You have my word. I won’t shut you out anymore,” I promised.

  Finally pulling away, she nodded, wiping huge tears from her cheeks that only made me feel worse.

  She looked me over again, and then finally seemed to notice the guys standing behind me. The sight of them sobered her a bit, prompting her to swipe both hands to gather the fallen tears.

  “Sorry,” she said with a soft laugh. “Come in.”

  No longer blocking the door to our room, she gestured for us all to step inside.

  “You probably want privacy,” Ori spoke up, drawing my eyes toward him. “We don’t mind waiting here.”

  While I appreciated the offer, I had nothing to hide from them. “It’s fine,” I reassured them.

  He hesitated for a moment before nodding toward the others, prompting them to enter.

  The room usually felt pretty spacious, but with the guys present—their foreboding height, the expanse of their broad shoulders—it felt like the walls were closing in on us.

  Ori stood beside the window, peering down into the courtyard while the others didn’t wait for permission to drop down onto my bed. I glanced around, taking note of the blankets and pillows sprawled out all over the floor.

  “The others stayed over last night and I haven’t bothered to clean up yet,” Toni explained. “When you went missing, the twins and Tristan wanted to be here in case you came back. Seeing as how the guards wouldn’t let us go look for you.”

  I glanced up when she said that. “You were going to come after me?”

  She seemed confused that I asked. “Well, duh. Not just because we knew you were going through your first shift, but because of all this talk about it being dangerous out there after dark. We needed to know you were okay.”

  My chest felt tight when the idea of it overwhelmed me.

  Toni chuckled and I was glad for it. It was hard not seeing her chipper, ready with a joke on the tip of her tongue.

  “You should’ve seen Marcela. Apparently, chick’s a psycho when it comes to her friends,” Toni shared. “I, legit, thought she was gonna fight those guys when they told us the campus was on lockdown. It got so heated, one of them threatened to taser her, which got Manny fired up. You would’ve thought we had an army behind us when we stormed that gate—super bold, overly confident, totally prepared to get our butts handed to us by security,” she added with a laugh.

  “You all went through so much trouble for me. I—”

  When my sentence trailed off, Toni stepped closer, looking me straight in my eyes.

  “We love you, Noelle. None of us have our families out here, so we have to stick together. We were prepared to do whatever it took, because we knew you would do the same for us.”

  And I would have.

  In a heartbeat.

  She took my hand, squeezing it once before a knock at the door stole our attention.

  Toni’s eyes lit up. “That’s probably the others. They went to the dining hall to scrounge up some dinner. They’re gonna be so geeked you’re here.”

  I hoped she was right. Hopefully, no one was too upset with how I left.

  Chapter Five

  Noelle

  “A full pizza, a carton of fries, and the finest freezer-to-dinner table hamburgers Dragon Fire Academy has to offer,” Tristan announced, staring only at the food in his arms as he took inventory.

  Then, he glanced up, suddenly aware of my presence in the room.

  “You’re back!” Manny practically yelled, pulling my attention from Tristan. The relief in his tone made me smile.

  “I am. For a bit, at least. I wanted to check in with you guys, let you know I’m okay.”

  Marcela pushed past Tristan and Manny to rush toward me, arms already outstretched. She hugged me just as tightly as Toni had, making it hard to breathe.

  “The girls were worried sick about you,” Manny said from behind his sister, prompting Toni to shoot him a look.

  “The girls … were worried?” she echoed teasingly. “Says the guy who tried to scale the wall, and then got blasted off like it was an electric fence.”

  “It was those stupid sigils,” Manny grumbled. “Accidentally touch one and it’s a wrap. Had to learn the hard way,” he added quietly. “Hurt like hell, too. Not that anyone cares.”

  I held in a laugh, imagining him flying from the wall, landing flat on his back as air sputtered from his lungs. Just for dramatic effect, I pictured singe marks on his cheeks and smoke coming from his hair.

  “We made a huge scene,” he added.

  “Got so bad your girl Blythe even came over to help. She’d seen the whole thing, apparently—even your episode in the courtyard,” Toni revealed. “So, she came over to where we were pitching a fit at the gate, claiming she wanted to help.”

  I felt my face twist into a scowl. “I doubt it. Blythe Fitzgibbons doesn’t lift a finger to help anyone. It had to have been about something else.”

  “Maybe, but either way, she got in the guards’ faces right with us, called them everything except a blessing,” Toni added with a shrug. “She threatened to do some of that dark juju bull-crap, but they didn’t budge.”

  Blythe getting involved was … weird, but then again, last night had been anything but ordinary.

  All of a sudden, my skin felt alive with electricity as the guys were signaling one another again.

  ‘Blythe? Princess ever mention that name before?’ Paulo asked.

  ‘Nope, not that I remember,” Kai responded.

  “Hold up. Did I hear right a minute ago?” Toni asked, drawing my attention toward her instead of the guys. “I got sidetracked, but did you say something about not staying?”

  It was going to be awkward explaining things in front of everyone, so I held back, giving as little info as possible.

  “I did say that,” I confirmed, glancing toward the Omegas before continuing. “There’s, um … a lot going on with me that I haven’t quite known how to talk about.”

  “Like what?” Marcela urged thoughtfully. “There’s no judgement here.”

  That was so apparent. I only felt their love and concern.

  “Well, for starters,” I dove in, “I’ve been experiencing some strange things since arriving on the island. I’ve seen things, had weird dreams and experiences. None of it really made sense until the guys helped me understand, but I
still have a lot to learn.”

  While my comprehension was limited for now, it was my hope that things would be different soon. With the Omegas acknowledging me as their mate, I imagined information would no longer be withheld from me.

  “Weird dreams, like the one you told me about on our first day of school? The one I thought might have been something you ate?”

  I nodded when Toni asked, recalling that one, and the many others I’d kept to myself. “Yeah.”

  “And … just what kind of experiences are we talking?” Manny chimed in. “Alien abduction type stuff, or is it more of a head-spinning-full-three-sixty, call the priest type deal?”

  “Neither, but … maybe just as bad,” I admitted with a nervous smile. “When we were at the lagoon, I sort of, I don’t know … slipped away, someplace else.”

  That sounded so crazy, but I’d already said it, and couldn’t take it back. The blank stares aimed at me made me a bit self-conscious.

  “Someplace else?” Tristan asked, shoving his hands in his pockets when he leaned against my door.

  “Yeah, like it was Sanluuk, but … not quite. It was dark and the surface was sort of scorched,” I tried to explain.

  Tristan’s eyes narrowed when he thought about it. “I remember that, I think. You came out of the water looking dazed. I was on my way to help you, but someone got to you before I could.”

  That someone had been Kai, and I was pretty sure Tristan hadn’t forgotten either.

  “So, what does it all mean?”

  When I shrugged, it wasn’t that Marcela’s question didn’t deserve a better answer. This was just the only one I had for her.

  “Honestly, your guess is as good as mine,” I shared, “but this showed up last night and I believe it’s all tied together.”

  There was a brief moment that I hesitated, wondering if it was really okay to put it all out on the table, but then I just went for it. Turning, I lifted my hair from the nape of my neck and revealed the symbol to my friends.

  “What in the—” Toni’s sentence cut off when she stepped closer. “This happened after you shifted?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”