Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(70)

She winked at me, and I shook my head at the insanity of this life.

After that it was the Full Moon Party on April 14. Again, I was not allowed to leave the grounds, but the shifters held their party out in the back field, on the edge of the Academy grounds. Half of them were naked, the other half in nothing more than underwear as they danced and shifted and had all the sex they wanted under the full moon. The fact that a school would ever allow their students to do such a thing was fucking amazing.

All of us watched from Asher’s house, except Jesse—who was in the midst of the party. When he finally stumbled home in the early hours of the morning, he was covered in glow paint, glitter, and lipstick.

“Best. Fucking. Night. Ever,” he mumbled, and then he passed out at our feet.

“Holy shit,” I laughed. “I love this school. I hope I can stay here for at least the next fifty years.”

Calen laughed and draped an arm around me. I let him pull me closer, because we’d reached an understanding. He could be his normal jokey, sleazy self, as long as he never stepped over the line. The moment he did, I was going to remove his nuts and bronze them into a trophy for my shelf.

“If you want to drag your four years here out, stop studying for the exams.”

“Not a bad idea,” I said, only half-joking.

Asher stepped closer, wedging himself between Calen and me. My heart flip-flopped as our bodies pressed close.

“I have another lead on the library,” he said, his heat and energy burning along my skin.

Excitement flared inside. “Seriously? A solid lead?”

He nodded. “Yep. Found some paperwork in my parents’ stuff detailing a shifter demolition and construction team that was building something near the demi-fey Academy. Princeps Jones is going to smooth it over with their princeps and get us permission to explore there.”

“Okay, awesome!” I said. “That would explain why you haven’t been able to find anything here. It might have been in their territory the entire time.”

He nodded, his head moving closer to mine. My lips parted as I breathed in his scent, my body aching in ways that only Asher could create. But he never made another move. “You’re one of us,” he said softly, as if he’d read my thoughts. “I won’t fuck it up. You’re too important.”

I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to grab his shirt in both hands and pull him to me. I loved that they treated me like one of them, but at the same time, with Asher, it wasn’t enough.

This couldn’t last much longer.





28





On the first day of May, I had an appointment with Louis to reinforce my shield. I was nervous as I knocked on the princeps’s door.

“Maddison,” Princeps Jones said, turning away from where he was talking to a tall, blonde, stunningly handsome supe. “Please come in.”

I stepped inside and smiled, trying not to fidget. The other supe, who I vaguely recognised as Louis, strode over to me. “Maddison, it’s nice to finally meet you. How are you feeling?”

I smiled and swallowed roughly, forcing myself to act like a normal person. “Nice to meet you too. I’m good. The power is starting to destroy the block, I think. I can feel more heat in my center.”

He nodded. “Yes, I will reinforce that for you today, and then we can discuss the future.”

He’d been gone a long time, and while I knew he wasn’t spending all of it researching my situation, I hoped he’d learned something. “Did you find out anything about me? About my power?”

Louis’s eyes flared, and I realized they were almost a blue-purple. “I have no explanation for your power,” he said softly, his words leaving tingles of energy across my skin. It was no surprise that he was the most powerful sorcerer in the world; it vibrated with every word he spoke. “But it does rival my own,” he warned me, “and it was locked down for a reason. Until I figure out what that reason is, I’m worried about freeing it completely.”

I was disappointed. “Asher said he has a lead on the Atlantean library,” I offered. “We’re hoping there will be answers in there.”

Princeps Jones already knew this, and I wanted to keep Louis informed. I felt like at some point we might need either his help or expertise. Fangirl Ilia had told me he was over a hundred years old.

Louis’s eyebrows drew together. “Call me as soon as you find it. Information on Atlantis is very scarce. That’s actually what I’ve been trying to track down … in-between other jobs for the American council.”

I nodded, understanding that he was a busy, important supernatural.

Louis continued, looking between Princeps Jones and me. “I’m worried about the recent surge in Atlantean activity. The Arterians appearing, Maddison’s unusual powers, and the whispers on the wind about gods stirring. My gut is saying that we’re running out of time. News has even reached Stratford, and since most American supes don’t remember the original Atlantis that’s telling me something.”

“I promise to contact you as soon as we find anything,” I said, worry taking hold of me. I hated that those Arterians were still out there. “Do you think we could try and lure the assassins out? I could leave the grounds again, with backup of course…”

Louis and Princeps Jones exchanged a glance, not at all surprised by my “genius” suggestion. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to risk you unnecessarily,” Louis finally said. “I can’t stay right now to help, and these Atlanteans are powerful and well trained. Find the library first, and then we’ll talk about the Arterians.”