Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(10)

which he doesn’t return. Dick.

I look around for a car that doesn’t look like the rest, screaming it belongs in Paradise Heights,

but I don’t see a single one.

Confused, I take another step toward the road, glancing up and down, when I hear Al call my

name from across the street. “Miss Harrington, are you going somewhere?” I meet his questioning

gaze, an easy smile on his lips as always, and it’s frightening how much I think I’ll miss him too.

“Uh, I am, Al,” I respond lamely, pointing down at my suitcase, not really sure what else to say.

Against my will?

Save me?

“Well, it was good knowing you. Take care of yourself up there,” he adds with a short wave,

before pulling his cap down over his eyes and dozing off in his chair as if the conversation didn’t

happen.

What did he just say? Up there? Where did that come from? I mean it’s true, but how the hell does

he know?

The guard, he must be able to tell by the damn guard.

Turning to face him, he nods for me to follow him to the right, and I fall into step beside him. The

streets are a little busier now than they were earlier, the after work rush hour upon us, but the guard

side steps everyone effortlessly, me hot on his heels, before turning right off the main road, and down

the sketchy alleyway at the back of my building.

“Where are we going?” I ask, my brows crinkling in confusion as I look for a vehicle, but still

nothing.

“To the Academy of course,” he grumbles like I’m a stupid human, and I glare at the side of his

head, but sadly no magic power of being able to burn him with laser vision comes to fruition.

The thought of magic has my hand heating on the handle of my suitcase, a reminder of the dagger

inside confirming my place in the supernatural world.

When he continues toward the graffiti covered wall at the far end, I finally stop, refusing to follow

him blindly anymore. This motherfucker is going to walk me to my impending death. “Well, that’s a

dead end, so maybe we need to go in another direction, hmm?” I gripe, pointing over my shoulder

with my free hand, watching as he shakes his head at me, slightly exasperated by my questions.

“Miss Harrington, it seems you’re forgetting where we're actually going,” he says mockingly as he

glances back over his shoulder at me.

My response is cut short when he turns back around, swirling his arm slowly clockwise in front of

him toward the wall, where a sudden gust of black smoke forms before him.

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

They seem to be the only four words sitting strongly in my vocabulary right now, but seriously,

what the actual fuck?

“W-what is that?” I ask, unmoving from my spot as I watch the smoke swarm out until it sits in the

shape of a rectangle against the wall.

“A portal,” he replies in a bored tone. I gape in surprise, my feet suddenly carrying me toward the

contained smoke.

Coming to a stop next to him, it’s my turn to shake my head. “I’m not going through that,” I state,

standing taller, confident with my decision, but the guard beside me scoffs.

“Let me remind you, Miss Harrington, you don’t have a choice in the matter,” he retorts, before

placing his hand between my shoulder blades and pushing me into the smoke.

I brace for impact, hand out to catch myself before my head smashes into the wall, but to my

surprise there’s no impact. The ability to breathe becomes tighter for a split second, before a bright

light glares ahead.

Fuck. Am I dead? I never thought I’d be stepping, no, stumbling, into the white light before I made

it to Paradise Heights.

It all happens so fast, I’m still toppling forward from his push when my palm hits the ground.

Gulping a huge breath, I stare down at the grass beneath me, just avoiding the faceplant I was so

close to.

Grass.

Perfectly cut, greener than green grass.

Those four words of complete mindfuckery threaten to infiltrate my mind, but it’s clear I have no

clue what’s going on. Asking myself again isn’t going to change that. But for real… What. The.

Actual. Fuck?

With my suitcase still firmly in my grasp, I take a couple of breaths before I tilt my head up to see

where the hell I am, only to find a poised woman towering over me.

“You must be Rhea Harrington. Come, you’re late, and there’s much to do.” Can she not at least

give me a second to stand? “Oh, and my apologies, welcome to Saints Academy.”





Chapter 4

Rhea

S aints Academy?

How the fuck did I just get here that fast?

Dusting off my knees as I rise to my feet, I glance around us, blinking a few times, a deep

frown on my face as I confirm her words.

Before me, stand tall wrought iron gates, attached to a high brick wall which outlines the

perimeter for the property on the other side. A huge sign just to the left, in granite and gold lettering

confirms where we are. ‘Saints Academy’.