by G. Bailey
“Landon, what the hell--” I begin, but then my eyes go wide as I see that Mrs. Fairbanks’ posture has changed. Her shoulders slump, her eyes return to their normal color, and the twisted expression of upset confusion on her face smooths out. Within seconds, she’s quieted, and she stares at Landon with a docile look as the frequency dies down to a low thrum. “Leave,” Landon tells her, his voice like silk in his siren form. “Go back to bed.”
Mrs. Fairbanks blinks. It looks like part of her is trying to fight it, but back in human form, there’s nothing she can do. “I… yes,” she says quietly. “Yes, bed would be a good idea. Excuse me.” And with that, she turns around and waddles out of the registrar’s office, switching the light off as she goes.
Landon is already shifting back by the time I turn around. The others are staring at him, stunned.
“What was that?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Siren song,” Landon replies. “She’s female, and she wasn’t prepared, but that’s the only reason it worked. I’m not powerful enough to make it last, either. Between that and her yelling, I don’t think we’ll have long here, guys.”
“Then we’d better hurry,” says Shade, turning back to the filing cabinets. The rest of us don’t need telling twice, and I hurry to resume my search, still reeling from Landon’s magic. I guess it’s a good thing it wasn’t directed at me.
The seconds tick by, the only sound is our frantic scrabbling as we look for our files. As hurriedly as we’re searching, it’s damned near impossible to find what we need; it seems like the student records are dated all the way back to the mid-twentieth century, at the latest. I can practically hear Mrs. Fairbanks coming back, this time with help, and adrenaline rushes through me as I desperately sort through folder after folder. I’m on the verge of yelling in frustration when Hunter’s voice draws our attention. “Guys, look at this.” We cross the room to where he is, and I’m surprised to see that he’s not looking at the files themselves, but rather the cabinet. He points to it, running a hand through his hair. “Do you see that?”
“As much as I’d love to sit here and admire the furniture with you, Hunter,” Landon says, “we’ve got more important things to--”
“No,” insists Hunter, his voice sharp. “Look.”
I have to squint in the darkness, but a second later I see what he’s pointing at: in the place where the cabinet meets the wall, there’s what looks like a seam of hinges. The kind that would be put in if there were a…
“A door?” asks Shade, frowning.
“I don’t know,” Hunter replies. “That’s what it looks like though, right?”
We stare at it for a moment longer, and Shade runs his fingers along the seam. “I’ll be damned,” he murmurs, and then nods to Hunter. “Here, help me. Let’s try to open it.”
“Guys,” I begin, “what if it’s not--”
But they aren’t listening to me, already putting their weight onto the filing cabinet, Hunter pulling and Shade pushing. For a second nothing happens, but then there’s a low groaning noise as the filing cabinet swings outward on its hinges, revealing a gaping doorway. It’s impossible to make out where it leads; all that’s visible from here is a long, steep set of stairs descending into the floor. “A secret passage,” mutters Landon. “We really are in a movie, aren’t we?”
The sound of muffled voices and echoing footsteps makes us all jump, and a light comes on in the entryway. “What do you mean, they were in the office?” comes a male voice.
“They were rooting through the filing cabinets, Sir,” I hear Mrs. Fairbanks saying, the sound of her voice growing closer by the second.
There’s the sound of the office doorknob jiggling, and the male voice asks, “Isn’t the office usually locked?”
“Usually,” replies Mrs. Fairbanks.
“All right, let me take a look.”
None of us say anything, instead making panicked eye contact before our gazes settle on the passageway. We’re all thinking the same thing, and the four of us bolt through the doorway and onto the stairs.
Shade remains for a moment longer to pull the door shut moments before the newcomers enter the room. We’re left in darkness, breathing hard as we listen to the staff members moving through the office.
“I’m telling you, they were in here,” Mrs. Fairbanks says.
“I believe you, I believe you,” the man insists. “They can’t have gotten too far. Go get the other on call security guard. I’m going to keep looking.”
There’s the sound of retreating footsteps, and we’re left in silence, with only a sliver of light from below the door to illuminate the stairs. “What do we do now?” Hunter asks, sounding vaguely sick.
“There’s only one thing we can do,” Shade replies, turning to glance down the steep flight of stairs leading into the bowels of the building.
He doesn’t have to finish the sentence; we all know what he’s thinking.
Chapter 25
With the limited light from the office, it’s nearly impossible to see in the stairwell, and even when Shade turns his phone flashlight on, I have to grip the railing just so I don’t slip and fall. The stairs are steep and narrow, descending farther underground than I would have thought possible. Faintly, we can hear the sounds of people moving around in the building above us; it looks like we got down here just in time. “You know what’s weird?” murmurs Landon in the echoing silence of the stairwell.
“What?” I ask.
“It sounded like Mrs. Fairbanks didn’t know about this passageway,” he replies.
“Neither did the other guy, by the sounds of it,” adds Shade.
“This place looks ancient,” Hunter remarks, craning his head to get a look at the dimly lit concrete that surrounds us on all sides. “Do you think many people know about it?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “For all we know, this could be a dead end.”
“I’d rather find out while we’re here,” Landon remarks. “The fact that this was in the registrar’s office makes it seem important.”
“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” I say as I continue to lead the group down the stairs. It feels like the walls are pressing in on us on all sides, and the air is stagnant, like no one’s been down here in a very long time. A horrible image of the tunnel collapsing on us comes to mind, and I have to grit my teeth against the urge to freak out; that won’t do us any good. We’ve already been found out by the faculty; we have nothing to lose now and everything to gain. Maybe this leads to some sort of top-secret information storage facility, or an Illuminati bunker, or something? Whatever it is, the Academy clearly has dirty laundry that they don’t want the students accessing, and if there were ever a place to put it, it would be in a secret hideout under the building, I reason.
After what feels like ages of carefully climbing downward, I notice that it seems to be gradually getting lighter in the passageway. As if reading my mind, Hunter says, “I can see a bit better now.”
“Same here,” says Shade. “We must be getting towards…”
But he trails off as I come to a sudden stop at the bottom of the stairs. The passageway has flattened out, and we’re now facing a large steel door. There’s light filtering through underneath it, and an experimental push causes it to glide open, not making the slightest sound as it does. Fluorescent light nearly blinds us, and we make our way into an industrial looking hallway. The floor and walls are concrete and sterile, and as we walk down the hall, I can see doors leading to banks of computer monitors and laboratory equipment. It’s a far cry from the old-fashioned decor of the rest of the Academy, and the others gape as we peer around. The sound of clanking machinery echoes down the hall, and I find myself shivering in the cold air. “What is this place?” wonders Hunter.
“You don’t know?” asks Shade.
The vampire shifter shakes his head. “My dad never mentioned anything like this. Is it for storage, maybe?”
We all jump at the sound of a yell. It’s a
male voice, cracking with pain, and it’s nearly deafening in the confined space. “What was that?” asks Landon.
“Silas,” I breathe, and begin to run in the direction of a lone doorway at the end of the hall. I can’t say what drives me in that direction, but my feet carry me, anyway; it’s just a sense that I have, impossible to ignore.
“Boots, wait!” yells Landon, but I don’t listen to him. I would know that voice anywhere, and the agony in it is enough to send chills down my spine. The others catch up to me just as I’m pulling the door open, and we all stop dead in our tracks as soon as we see what’s going on in the room.
It’s a large space that reminds me a little of a doctor’s examination room, except instead of the usual jars full of cotton swabs and tongue depressors, the counter is covered in medical equipment that I don’t recognize. A bank of beeping computer monitors stands against the opposite wall alongside a sinister-looking device that could have come straight out of a science fiction film. In the middle of the room are two examination tables. Strapped into one is a blond boy I don’t recognize, although I would wager a guess that this is Brody Patton. His eyes are wide and staring, his face frozen in terror, and one glance is enough to tell me that he’s dead.
On the other exam table is Silas. He’s writhing in pain, desperately trying to free himself from his restraints. Needles attached to the unknown medical device protrude from his arms, and he looks worn and battered, as if the energy has almost gone out of him completely.
Examining the readouts on the machine is Samantha Goldstein, and she turns around, her eyes flashing black as soon as she sees us. “What the fuck are you doing down here?” she demands.
“What are you doing to Silas?” I ask in response. I’m trembling with fear and adrenaline, my eyes wide as I stare at her.
She ignores the question, taking a step forward and making us balk. “Didn’t Hawthorne tell you to stay away from Mr. Aconite?” she asks, her voice low and menacing.
“You’ve been keeping him prisoner down here!” exclaims Landon. “Why?”
Samantha glances back at Silas, who has gone still, his eyes clamped shut. “He poked his nose where it didn’t belong,” she replies. “We’ve needed a shifter for some time now. Especially now that this one is no longer with us.” She nods coldly at Brody’s body. “A shame, too,” she mutters. “He was strong. I thought he would last longer than he did.”
“What are you doing to them, you insane bitch?” Shade demands, lunging forward, but I grab hold of his wrist.
“That’s none of your concern,” Samantha replies. “Now, if you would be so kind as to stand where I can see you all, I would appreciate it. This doesn’t need to get uglier than it already is.”
“Like hell,” I snap.
“I’m telling my dad about this,” Hunter says, his eyes wide. “Whatever this is, it can’t have been sanctioned by the board.”
“How terribly naive of you to think so,” Samantha says, her black eyes turning on Hunter. “It’s unfortunate that you’ll have to die, too, Mr. Ash. But your father will understand.”
“What are you saying?” asks Hunter, his eyes going wide. “Does my father--”
“Don’t listen to her,” snaps Shade. “She’s trying to manipulate you.”
“Manipulate?” asks Samantha. “No. I don’t need to manipulate you. You’re nothing but a bunch of first-year students who can barely transform. And you, Ms. Brix,” she adds, turning her dark gaze on me, “I expected better from you. Really, I did. It’s a shame that you had to keep pulling on this thread. But,” she says, her tone businesslike, “that’s the reality of the situation. Close the door behind you, Mr. Ash. You aren’t going anywhere.”
Hunter turns to the door, but hesitates, and once again I find my body acting before my mind has a chance to catch up. The cool presence of my magic is rearing up inside me, and I barely have time to visualize my wolf form before I’m transforming, lunging at Samantha from across the room. But even as I land where she was just standing, she’s disappeared, manifesting on the other side of the room. “Come on, Ms. Brix, you know I can teleport,” she says. “Now let’s put the toys away. There’s no need for this to get violent.”
“Too late for that,” says Landon as he shifts into his siren form.
Shade follows suit, letting out a snarl as the three of us surround Samantha.
Hunter stays back, his eyes closed in concentration, his hands clenched into fists.
“Really?” Samantha says, laughing. “I’ve been at this school for twenty years, guys. But,” she continues, letting out a disappointed sigh as her skin begins to turn red, “if you really want to get nasty, then so be it.” And with that, she lets out a burst of energy that’s enough to send me sailing off my feet. I strike the back wall with a groan, pain shooting through my body.
“Millie!” yells Landon, and moves towards me, but then he’s being lifted up in the air by some sort of telekinetic spell and launched across the room in the other direction.
Shade, still in his wolf form, charges for Samantha, and actually manages to get close enough to her to swipe at her with his claws, but once again, she blinks out of existence and reappears right next to me, staring down at me with her bright eyes. Her hands begin to glow with energy, and I clamp my eyes shut, bracing myself, but that’s when Landon lets out another siren song, the shrill frequency enough to drag her attention away for a split second. She sets her jaw, looking like she’s struggling against the siren magic, and begins to advance on him, momentarily distracted.
Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I visualize my vampire form and feel the fangs burst out of my mouth, my stature going humanoid again and my strength and agility shooting up. I dart across the room, slamming into her from behind and knocking her off her feet.
“How’s that for nasty?” I yell, shoving her shoulders onto the ground the same way Amelia did to me all those weeks ago.
A pulse of energy explodes out of Samantha’s body, and it scorches me enough to make me yell in pain. It’s searing hot, like being set on fire, and it’s all I can do to stay standing as the pain courses through my body.
Landon yells again, at a louder volume this time, and I can see that he’s putting everything he has into the song.
Samantha growls in frustration and turns back to him, but not before Shade charges across the room and clamps his strong wolf jaws onto her arm, tearing clothes and flesh into ribbons with an aggression I’ve never seen in anyone before.
I glance over my shoulder at Hunter, who is still cowering in the corner, trying desperately to transform but still having no luck.
Samantha begins to chant under her breath, her black eyes starting to glow with magical energy, and Landon’s eyes go wide for a split second before his scream is suddenly silenced, as if his voice has been plucked from his body. He puts his hands to his throat, eyes wide, and my heart sinks when I realize she must have hexed him somehow.
“Shit,” mutters Shade.
Without the distraction of Landon’s powers, Samantha is free to send a bolt of energy flying into Shade, who yells in pain and collapses on the floor, struggling to get back to his feet even as the magic sinks into him. He’s losing concentration, and a moment later, he’s shifting unwillingly back into human form, gritting his teeth in a desperate attempt to stay a wolf. But it’s no use. Within moments he’s a guy again, pinned to the ground by magic.
Landon is still struggling to get his voice back, his hands clawing at his throat as he is silenced by an invisible magic, and Hunter remains behind me, as feeble as ever.
Fuck, I think. It’s just the two of us, now.
As if reading my mind, Samantha sneers, “So much for your little harem, Brix.” Then she’s teleporting across the room to me, lifting me into the air with her telekinesis. I feel the magical force squeezing around my throat, cutting off my air supply and making me see stars. Within seconds, I’ll be unconscious or dead, and with the others incapacitated, it will
be easy for her to finish us off… Or worse, subject us to the same treatment that she’s using on Silas and Brody.
Darkness threatens to close in on my vision as I gasp for breath, twisting around in midair as my body goes from vampire to human again. I’m going to die, I realize with a start. She’s going to kill me. Just like Mark was going to kill me, just like those guys at the warehouse were going to kill me.
That revelation seems to wake something up in me, even as the last of my consciousness begins to ebb away, my muscles going weak from the lack of oxygen. With one final burst of desperation, I visualize a dragon: all powerful muscles and hard scales, enormous in its size and power. I think back to the times I breathed fire, to the lesson Shade gave me on transforming, and throw myself into the image. Come on, I pray as my vision goes dark. Come on, come on, come on…
And then, like magic, the hold on my throat is loosening, the invisible hand opening ever so slightly, and I draw in a shaking breath.
My eyes open again and I look down in astonishment to see that I am no longer a human, but a dragon, my golden scales iridescent in the fluorescent lights of the laboratory. Magic is no longer what’s holding me in the air; rather, it’s my wings, flapping with enough power to create gusts of wind.
Samantha looks taken aback as she stares up at me, moving backwards a step, hesitating a little…
But that second of hesitation is all I need. Embracing the second wind, I fill my lungs with air and scream out, a jet of fire lighting up the room and hitting Samantha squarely in the chest. She shrieks as the flames engulf her, frantically swatting at her clothes as she tries to put the fire out. The distraction is enough to make her form waver, and in the instant she becomes human again, Landon finds his voice once more. “Get down!” he yells at her, his voice tinged with the siren frequency. “Surrender!” There’s a moment of futile resistance, but then Samantha is dropping to the ground, her clothes and hair still on fire as she is forced to obey Landon’s command.
