Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(47)

I heard his footsteps a moment before I was tackled to the ground. Bucking, I fought as hard as I could, managing to turn over. I took us both by surprise when my knee collided with his chin, knocking him back just enough that I could scramble to my feet.

My limbs ached as I started to hobble away. Who the hell were these muthafucking rat bastards? And why were they attacking us? None of this made sense. It was clearly a case of mistaken identity.

“We need you to help save the world, Macilinta,” he shouted in that same heavy accent.

Turning so I could see him better, I started to back up. “You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Maddison.”

Staring directly at him now, I noticed how full and pink his lips were, and the perfect white teeth he flashed when he spoke. Why I noticed that was a mystery, but apparently my brain acted even odder during crisis situations.

“You have blood of the royals,” he said slowly.

My foot scuffed a few rocks as I continued to back up, hoping that at least I could get closer to Ilia while I kept this crazy dude talking. I risked a quick glance over my shoulder, gasping as Ilia finally went down, a bunch of assholes pushing forward to finish her off.

I had to help her, but how? I looked around, and the guy who was pursuing me paused and tilted his head. “Your energy called to us, but … your hair. It’s pink.”

Probably not a good time to tell him I dyed it.

“And right now I feel nothing from you.”

Also not a good time to tell him that my energy appeared and disappeared at will.

“So it stands to reason I might not be her, right?” I pointed out the obvious.

Before he could say anything more, a screech of tires drew our attention.





19





This car was big and black, with dark windows and shiny silver accents. I couldn’t have told you the make and model to save my life; I’d never owned a car, and my mom only had shitty ones that barely started, but I knew expensive when I saw it.

Four doors opened almost simultaneously, and five huge dudes emerged. I choked out a relieved breath. It was the Atlantean-five.

Asher was here. He’d know what to do.

I had no idea where my faith in him came from, but as long as he—and his friends—saved my friends, then I was not going to question it.

“Maddi,” Asher called to me, and I swallowed roughly.

“Help Ilia!” I said with force, still not taking my eyes off the guy.

From the corner of my eye I saw Jesse, Calen, and Rone peel off and head toward Ilia. Asher and Axl pressed toward me and the crazy guy.

“You would damn them all?” the leather-clad guy asked me. “All of our people?”

I shook my head. “Seriously, what the fuck are you doing coming up here with your cryptic bullshit? You have the wrong person! We don’t have people. We have nothing.”

Asher and Axl pushed forward on either side of us. “Move away from her,” Asher told him, his words a snap of icy warning. “Arterians are not welcome here. You know that. If you don’t want me to rip you all to pieces, you’ll take your friends and leave. Now.”

The leather guy turned his masked eyes in Asher’s direction, a sneer pulling his full lips. “Ah, Asher, son of Cornipicus.” He then turned to me, and then back to Asher. “Two royals in the same location…”

Asher made a low pissed-off sound as power started to rise from his hands, his eyes locked with deadly intensity on the leather dude. The Arterian, as Asher had called him, leaned his head back and let out a high-pitched whistle. The sound started small but echoed louder and louder until the ground we were standing on rumbled.

It must have been some sort of distraction technique, because the Arterian disappeared in the middle of the magical shakedown. Asher jerked his head to Axl, and I was snatched up into the brainy wizard’s arms. Before I could blink, we were at the black car and I was gently placed inside.

“Wait here,” Axl said softly, his eyes silvery in the low, cloudy light. “The car is magically enhanced to withstand an attack, so you’re safe inside.”

I reached out and grabbed his arm, relieved that there was no explosion of energy when I did. “Who are they? Arterians?”

“They’re Atlantean assassins,” he said without hesitation. He hadn’t been kidding about not being able to keep a secret.

I blanched. “Say what now?”

Axl shook his head. “It’s a long story, and I have to get out there and help my brothers. All you need to know is they’re hard-core. The only—and I say this as nice as possible—the only reason you three are not dead right now is because they want something from you.”

I nodded, and then half in shock, shooed him away. He shut the door firmly and I sank back into the seat, trying to get my shit together. After a few minutes, I pressed my face to the window, a relieved breath escaping as Ilia and Josh came into sight. Josh was no longer furry, wearing a pair of pants that must have been magicked into existence. Both of them, thankfully, looked ruffled but not injured.

The Arterians were no longer in sight. Despite Axl’s belief that they were scary, it seemed to have only taken Asher and his friends showing up to scare them off.

How scary did that make the Atlantean-five?

Allowing myself to relax, I closed my eyes and dropped my pounding head into my hands. Adrenaline crash was not a pretty sight. Normally I wasn’t the type to bury my head in the sand; I preferred to know the truth and deal with the consequences. But right now I was tired. I didn’t want to deal with assassins; I didn’t want to deal with whatever the Atlanteans were doing or how they knew to come save us.