Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(16)

Larissa laughed, and my stomach rolled at a flash of red on her teeth. Maybe I wasn’t as “cool” with it as I thought. Still, it didn’t make me want to run screaming from the table, so I was doing okay. “Choose as many as you can eat,” Larissa said, thankfully not noticing my reaction. “Some of the shifters eat like seven meals at every single sitting.”

Yep. It was decided. I didn’t give a fuck if the Clovers tortured me every day; I would put up with a lot for regular, delicious food.

After a few clumsy attempts, I got the hang of swishing my hand across the air and moving the images. It was some Matrix shit for sure, all advanced technology and out-of-this-world experiences. Only this was advanced magic, and I was starting to see just how much my life was about to change.

“This one,” I said, pointing the same way Larissa had. The image kind of shimmered in the light, and my smile widened. This was going to be fun.

We ended up ordering about six different dishes, and I managed to eat more food than I probably did in a normal week. I was naturally curvy and loved to eat, even though I’d definitely had my share of starvation over the past ten years. Luckily I worked in restaurants and diners most of the time, which meant there were always leftovers and discount food for me to grab at the end of a shift.

Larissa watched me with humor. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone enjoy the dinner menu quite like you are,” she said with a chuckle.

Dragging some more pasta to my mouth, I let out a low, breathy sound. “This is … amazing. I can’t believe that I can just choose anything I want. That’s a first for me.”

Larissa’s face creased in sympathy; her face was an open book. “Well, all of that is about to chang—”

She was cut off by a bag slamming onto the table right between us, almost spilling my fruit salad everywhere. I jerked my head toward whoever was rude enough to do that and found myself face-to-face with the gorgeous redheaded witch I’d seen at the Clover table earlier.

Kate.

“New girl,” she said, staring down at me.

Her eyes were hazel, with a dark green ring right around the pupil. She had heavy makeup on—a winged eyeliner I was ultra-impressed with, and shimmery gold eye shadow. Her lips were full, but in a fake way, like she’d done something to enhance their plumpness.

“Head bitch,” I shot right back. I’d been on the streets for most of my life. I didn’t take shit from anyone. Including the mean girl of the school.

Kate’s eyes narrowed on me, and she leaned down in what she probably thought was an intimidating way. My hands itched for my switchblade, simply because it was a good backup. At least I knew they weren’t allowed to use magic on other students, and surely out here in the open like this she’d obey that law.

“I’m here to lay the ground rules for you,” she breathed out in a hiss. “I wouldn’t want you to make a costly mistake your first visit to the Academy.”

I exchanged a glance with Larissa, unhappy to see how pale and frightened she looked. I recognized the signs of someone who had suffered abuse at the hands of those stronger than her, and I resisted the urge to get into a fight right here.

Standing, I was taller than Kate, which allowed me to be the one looking down. “I don’t need you to explain anything to me,” I said softly, my voice vibrating with annoyance. “In fact, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak to me again. I don’t like you. Or your magically botoxed face.”

The three chicks who stood just behind her gasped, and Kate’s cheeks stained a dark red. “You just made a dangerous enemy,” she told me softly. “You’re about to learn why I’m head bitch of this school.”

She swung around then, and her lesser bitches followed. Larissa’s eyes were wide and shiny and she shook her head, breaths coming in and out in gasps. “You shouldn’t have done that, Maddi. Seriously, she’s not stable. I’m not sure she has a limit on what she might do.”

I waved her off, even though unease settled in my gut, leaving a heavy weight there. “It’ll be fine. If I know anything about bullies, it’s that you can’t cave in to them. I mean … why would she even approach us like that in the first place?”

Larissa sighed. “You’re new. You’re pretty. You’re competition. And,” she cleared her throat, “I heard a rumor on the way over here that you had a little run-in with some of the Atlantean-five.”

I gaped at her, and she nodded. “Yeah, the rumor mill works fast around here. Kate no doubt wants to stop that before it starts. The Clovers think they own those guys.”

I shook my head. “Shit. It was like an eight-second conversation.”

“Eight seconds was more than enough time,” Larissa assured me. “And now you’re on both the Clovers’ and the Atlanteans’ radar. Nice work.”

I groaned and dropped my head in my hands. “Shit. This could only happen to me.”

Something told me I’d better figure out what my powers were and soon. I was going to need them.





7





When we finished our food, there were still hundreds of students sitting around. The sky above was awash with storm clouds that continued to rain down on the land. It remained warm and dry where we were though, and it was relaxing as some live music started up on the far side of the commons.