Page 16 of Unshaken

“He’s going to resist. He will try,” Ty says as he jumps down from the roof, landing silently as he uses his Air Elemental magic to slow his descent. He peers up at me, adjusting his shoulder straps. “He will fail,” he says before vanishing quietly, moving quickly through the trees. I don’t watch him go. There’s no telling what he is about to get up to, but like me he won’t wander away too far from Micah’s tonight. I’m not sure if she will need our protection, considering her Light Guardian lineage I doubt she will need help. Ty and I have always shared, regardless of her ability we will let no harm come to her, because although she is going to think we are totally nuts, we are now bound to her.

More screams break out into the night, and I laugh, shoving more popcorn in my mouth, allowing my eyes to adjust as it grows darker all around me. Students caught out after sundown, especially those without any means to magically protect themselves, will be killed instantly. If not by a more powerful student looking to use their magic freely without restriction, then by anything else that my mother lets prowl these lands at night. In the distance a Wolf howls, followed by the howls of his pack, and just for shits and giggles I throw my fucking head back and howl in response.

HellNight Academy welcomes all Supernaturals, even with their own Academies that cater to them individually. There are always social climbers and rejects whose parents come crawling on their knees to my mother with hope that they get a chance to be educated here. It’s laughable because most of those students don’t make it through the first three months. This place is about as schizophrenic as my own fraying mind. During the day, you would never know that there is a cull at sundown every night. Students in freshly pressed uniforms, laden down by books with smiles on their faces, coming and going without a care in the world.

How my mother can fool the world is beyond me because the idiots keep sending their best and brightest here, only for them to be sent home in a body bag.

A large creature flies overhead, wings tucked and swooping low, aiming for a shadow hurrying down the path towards Lux Hall but they never make it. Turning I can see the student has their hands raised to defend themself, only for the creature to grab hold of their shoulders, lifting them into the air and disappearing into the night. Bloodcurdling screams is all I hear as I lose sight of the winged beast and its takeout dinner.

“You got to be faster next time.” I take another scoop of popcorn. The silver narwhal horns on my slippers shine in the moonlight. It’s like watching a horror film. I should do this more often. Fights are happening in various places around campus, Witches and Warlocks are dueling in the Pavilion, Wolves are out hunting, and I am sure the Vampires are out as well. You are only safe, if you remain inside. Step out into the night, and you damn well better be ready to fight. Fight or die.

Suddenly, the light on her porch comes on. I watch her door and I wait. “How brave are you, my sunshine?” I whisper to myself. My question is answered almost immediately. Micah’s door swings open and she steps onto her porch. I drop my popcorn, the bowl slides down, the buttery deliciousness raining down to the ground below, and I groan. I really wanted to keep eating that, but how can I when there’s a warrior fucking queen standing before me. I fall for her just a little bit more. Micah stands in a white tank top, Anchor key hanging between her breasts, and the tiniest pajama shorts show off long beautiful brown lollipops for legs. But that is not what makes my dick hard tonight, no, it’s the sight of daggers strapped to both of her thighs that makes me want to come in my pants.

“Fuck.” I stand up on the roof, adjusting my very hard dick in my pants, checking the perimeter around her house just as a few Warlocks in grotesque Halloween masks round the corner heading towards her house, like a fucking mob. “So original,” I say to myself. At least have the balls to show your face. Or not, because if I recognize anyone, they’re already dead. I guess they are going to taunt the new girl. Well, they can try, but something tells me that my girl just might make her first kill tonight. Oh hell, my dick got harder just thinking about it.

“Don’t worry, my beloved. I will be watching like a vengeful angel waiting to strike,” I say to her, as if she can hear my voice.

Looks like I may go hunting after all.

Eleven

MICAH

HellNight Academy doesn’t skimp when it comes to accommodation. The little house is warm, inviting, and exactly as I expected, each room gave entry to the other rooms all the way to the back of the place. The living room has a dark grey couch, a study desk, coffee table, and a television mounted on the wall. It is uniform and structured, in a sense very dormitory like with an upgrade of more creature comforts.

As you pass through the doorway a large bed is to the right side of the room with a shelf for personal belongings, a nightstand and a walk-in closet complete with uniforms hanging inside. Bright red blazers are hung in a row, with the HellNight Academy emblem stitched on the left breast pocket. Behind the blazers hang black, red, white, and yellow plaid skirts and are followed by crisp white button-down shirts with black bow ties. At the bottom of the closet, I scoff at the sight of two pairs of black high heels, I will definitely not be wearing them. I hope they aren’t strict about the dress code because heels are a hard no for me. Why am I not surprised to find them all in my size with my name embroidered on the inside.

Closing the closet door, I walk straight into the bathroom with a walk-in shower, sink, and toilet. Black and white tiles line the floor as well as the shower walls. Nothing special, but it’s sparkling clean, and I can’t wait to take one of the hottest showers I can stand.

Leaving behind the bathroom, I walk into the last room in the house, the kitchen. Grey marble counter tops and sterling silver appliances await me. There is a tiny stove and microwave, I guess for those students brave enough to cook their own meals. The wooden cabinets have white plates and cutlery. The pantry is stocked with various food items that I assume are meant for me to eat on my first night here.

My stomach growls and I open the fridge to find a plate of sub sandwiches wrapped in cellophane with a note of welcome to HellNight Academy stuck to it. I quickly scarf a sub down; I am so famished it feels like heaven as it settles in my belly. There are bottles of water lining the second shelf, and I promptly open one, sucking it down in one go. I sigh in relief for something so simple and precious as an ice-cold drink of water.

It doesn’t take me long to unpack my bags, making sure I hide my weapons underneath my bed, away from prying eyes. I mean, I don’t anticipate anyone coming in here, but you never know. My knives are like an extension of me, thanks to my father’s brutal training, there was no way I could stomach leaving them behind.

Now that I am fed and watered and have taken the longest shower, I sit up in my new bed, setting up my school issued tablet and waiting for it to load up. As I sit and wait, I look down at my Anchor key and sigh as I tuck it into my tank top and let it touch my skin. The key immediately warms as Rook’s voice came out in a rush.

“Micah, what happened? You just cut yourself off from me and there was no way for me to reach you,”he says with concern.

“Rook, I couldn’t possibly keep you close when my key was literally burning a hole in my chest.” I said out loud. “I have a thousand questions—”

“What do you mean? Can you describe what you felt?”he asks cautiously.“I felt intense emotions from you, and then, nothing.”

“Well, I came across these twins in the woods, Ty and Trys, one look at them both and I felt a tug in my chest, you, I mean you as in the key, starts to burn white hot. Being in their presence, even though they were strangers felt right, Rook. I don’t know what any of this means. I feel the need to find them now. How crazy is that? Then I ran into this girl called Esme, and I felt the same thing. The same pull and tug, the same need to be near her as well. What does it mean? They mentioned something about Soul Tethers—”

“Soul Tethers, yes, but you shouldn’t—I mean—three of them in the same day? I thought I—”He stops talking, as if he took a deep breath and goes quiet.

I groan. “Are you going to continue? There is a possibility for one more. Apparently, the twins are triplets, and Headmistress Larrieux’s sons. I need to understand what I’ve gotten myself into, Rook. I don’t want anyone bound to me. A part of me knows there is no way out of this. Give me something, Rook.” I wait for him to reply, tugging at my braids just as the light on the tablet drags my eyes down to the screen.

Welcome Micah Jones

The Night Calls You Home

I read the message on the screen waiting for Rook to speak but he’s decidedly silent. Of course, that makes me wary as he was in the middle of saying something before he stopped himself.

“Rook, I’m waiting. You’re my Anchor, I need advice. Advise, please.” I huff in frustration as notifications begin to pop up on the screen. First, I tap onto my class schedule which consists of Ritualistic Practice, Magical History, Magical Combat, Summoning, and Level Five Magical Training. I read over the list again wondering how all of the subjects correspond to one another, but I guess it doesn’t matter, I need to get acquainted with two out of three of those subjects at least. I blow out a breath as another notification appears on the screen.

Count Down To Sundown:

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