Academy Obscura: The Flame Within Read online

  I swallowed the last spoonful of dessert. “You okay? Seems like there’s something on your mind.”

  She waved away my concern. “Nothing for you to worry about. The meeting I attended earlier is still on my mind. But, that’s not for you to worry about.” Now she was repeating herself. “It’s time for bed, don’t you think?”

  “Sure. Goodnight, grandma.”

  She kissed my cheek. “I like that you call me that.”

  I meandered up the stairs, then down the hall to my room. I wasn’t particularly tired, so I sat in bed reading a novel I’d taken from the library. One of my goals was to read all of the classics. I’d made it through Salinger, Tolstoy, Dumas, and a few from Austin. The Bronte sisters too, of course. Given the creepy vibe in this house tonight, I decided to start Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

  Reading. It might be my only talent.

  As the old clock on the nightstand ticked, eleven at night turned into one in the morning. I yawned. Time for bed. I set the book aside, stood, and went to my suitcase on the bench by the window.

  That full moon was bright. It cast an eerie golden-red glow over Isabella’s garden. The shadows a deep black along the southern side. Except one of the shadows was moving. I leaned closer to the window, squinting. Someone was out there in the garden. They were pulling up plants in one of the raised beds.

  I slipped my flip-flops on. It was probably some kid playing around in the full moon. Vandalizing. Whoever it was, they were trespassing and I wasn’t going to let them ruin Isabella’s garden. She’d put too much work into it for that to happen.

  In the hallway, I stopped to knock on Isabella’s bedroom door. I tapped lightly with my knuckles. No response. I tried again. Still nothing. She must be a deep sleeper.

  I jogged down the stairs, through the kitchen, to the sunroom door. For the first time, I noticed that it had three deadbolts on it—all locked. Which was ridiculous because the whole room was made of glass.

  Before unbolting the last one, a moment of unease twisted my stomach. Was this a dumb move? Isabella had never explained what this tradition was all about. If it were that important, she would have explained, right?

  Which was worse? Breaking some weird small town tradition or letting that person ruined her garden? I wasn’t really a superstitious kind of person. I made the practical decision: Rescue the garden.

  The door swung open on well-oiled hinges. I closed it behind me, peering out into the sea of raised garden beds. Four steps down, and I was on the ground. Gravel crunched under my shoes.

  I walked around the side of the house to where my bedroom window looked out. That was where I’d seen whoever was out there. And there on the ground lay the uprooted plants. What kind of jerk-face would do that?

  I strained to listen for footsteps, or any sign of where they were in the garden. The moonlight made it almost impossible for them to hide. I chose a row at random and tiptoed down it. The tall trellises obscured my line of sight. Once I reached the end, I rounded the corner and strode down the next row.

  The early morning air was cool against my bare arms and legs. A slight breeze rustled the vegetation, all else was quiet. Abnormally quiet, like a hush had fallen over the world.

  Several rows over, the gravel sprayed into the air, as if someone was running along the path. I spun in time to see a huge black shape dart behind another trellis. That was no child. It could be a teenager playing tricks.

  “Who’s there?” The beating of my heart filled my ears. If it was a teenager, they were larger than me. “You’re trespassing. Get out of here!” For the first time, I wished I’d brought a weapon. Even a shovel would have been fine.

  Silence. They had to be hiding just out of sight. Slowly, I moved toward that garden path, listening for them to run away. No one moved.

  I inched forward to peer around the corner. Nothing.

  I placed my hands on my hips, frowning. How could they just disappear like that? I was sure it was this row that they’d ran down. With a sigh, I turned back toward the house. Maybe they’d already left.

  A massive body slammed into my back, knocking me to the ground. The skin on my knees and palms burned from the impact. I twisted my head around to look at my attacker.

  No one was there.

  What the hell? I leaped to my feet, brushing gravel from my shaking hands. Someone had tackled me and run off so quickly that I didn’t see them. How was that possible?

  Without warning, the same body hit me from the side and sent me sprawling. A masculine chuckle filled the still air.

  I crawled backward. My head twisting in every direction, trying to spot the man. I blinked, and he appeared in front of me. No one could move that fast. But as I took him in, that became the least of my worries.

  He was tall and broad, dressed in a long black duster. His eyes shone with a golden light that was not a reflection of the moon. It emanated from within him. Long, greasy hair clung to his brutish face.

  As he squatted down to gaze at me, the scent of sweat and blood hit my nose. He reached out with a beefy hand, wrapped it around my neck, and stood. My feet dangled. His grip cut off my air supply. I couldn’t scream.

  He opened his mouth, showing elongated canines and pointed teeth. A gurgling sound escaped my throat. He drew my face closer to his. He sniffed my hair. His tongue darted out, licking my cheek.

  Fear held my body in shocked paralysis. All I could do was grab the hand that squeezed my throat with both of mine. My face felt tight, hot from the blood trapped in it. Soon, I was going to pass out. This creature would devour me and leave the remains of my body in this garden.

  My vision blurred. I needed air.

  A loud metallic ringing signaled my release. I fell for half a second before hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through my shoulder and hip. I drew in breath after breath, holding my neck. Then strong arms lifted me, cradling me against a warm chest.

  I knew who it was immediately. Jaxon smelled like spice and oatmeal soap.

  He adjusted me so that he had one free hand. I felt his muscles move as he threw something hard at the ground. A moment later we were consumed in bright purple smoke.

  I coughed and sputtered. When my vision cleared, we were no longer in Isabella’s garden. Tall stone walls met a wooden roof over head. Candle lit sconces cast a dim light on rows of pews. A church?

  Jaxon sat down on one of the long wooden benches with me in his lap. He brought his hand up to touch my face and neck.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, stroking his thumb along my tortured windpipe.

  I blinked up at him. “What just happened?” My voice came out raspy and thin. “What was that thing? Was there smoke?”

  “Shh.” He moved his thumb to my lips. “You’re safe now,” he said, but there was doubt in his eyes.

  * * *

  I jerked awake, for a second thinking that I’d had the most bizarre dream. But I was lying on a hard floor, my back pressed against a warm chest, with a muscular arm draped over my waist. I sat up, twisting to look into Jaxon’s face. He stared up at me.

  We were in a church, laying in the aisle. My hand flew to my neck. It felt sore, bruised. It hadn’t been a dream. It was a nightmare. A living nightmare. My head filled with a billion questions.

  Jaxon eased up onto his forearm, his other arm still on my waist. “That’s going to take a while to heal.”

  “What the fuck is going on around here?” The words come out of my damaged throat in a growl.

  “You shouldn’t have been outside tonight.” His eyes hardened. “You have no idea what kind of trouble you’re—we’re—in now. All we can do is wait until morning, and to hear from the Council.”

  “What are you talking about?!” I wanted to scream at him, but my voice refused to get that loud.

  He sat up, facing me. “We’re witches.”

  “I already know that. What does that have to do with anything?”

  “It has everything to do with everything!” His voice ech
oed in the cavernous space. In a more modulated tone, he continued, “I just told you I’m a witch. Why aren’t you freaking out? Or did you already do that with Isabella?”

  “Look, it’s not that big of a deal. I’ve been in the witchy shops, I know what it’s all about.”

  He let out an abrupt laugh. “You have no idea what I’m talking about.”

  I tilted my head to the side in question.

  “Not those kinds of witches. We’re…supernaturals. Remember that purple smoke right before we arrived here?”

  I nodded.

  “That was a teleportation spell.”

  “Bullshit,” I said. Did he think this was some elaborate Dungeons and Dragons game?

  He gripped my chin, his face an inch from mine. “How do you think we got here? What do you think attacked you?”

  “I don’t remember how we got here.” I wrenched free. “Some psycho attacked me. I’m going to call the police.” I searched my pockets. My phone was in my bedroom.

  “That was a Tromara vampire, Caprice.” Jaxon’s voice was flat, matter-of-fact.

  A what? I wanted to say bullshit again. Except I’d seen my attacker, and yeah, vampire. He moved way too fast for a human, glowing eyes, sharp fangs, that smell of blood. I shook my head. What was I thinking? Vampires didn’t exist.

  “You’re sick. You know that?” I moved to stand up. Jaxon caught my arm, yanking me back down.

  “You’ve caused enough trouble for one night. You’re not going anywhere.”

  I bared my teeth in a primal expression. “What are you going to do? Trap me here for the rest of the night?”

  His warm breath caressed my face. “You’re already trapped, cupcake. And you didn’t even see the snare.”

  6

  Caprice

  Faint sunlight poured in from the windows. The church doors opened wide, and half the town must have walked in, taking seats on the pews. I sat in the last row, wrung out from a long night. Jaxon sat next to me, his features set into hard lines. He hadn’t left my side since we arrived there.

  I watched the crowd pour in. Why were they here on a Monday morning?

  Isabella appeared among them, coming straight for me. “Caprice, you’re okay.” She gave me a hug. “You need to come with me.”

  “Where? What’s going on?” I was so confused by what I’d seen and experienced last night. Jaxon was serious about vampires and witches and supernaturals. And yet…this couldn’t be happening.

  Isabella took my hand. “Last night…was my fault. I should have told you how important it was to stay inside, but I didn’t want to scare you away.” Her brow furrowed, her eyes filling with sadness. “Jaxon, thank you. I owe you—”

  “No. You know the rule.” His face softened. “But, you’re welcome.”

  “We’re all in trouble. We’ll bear it together,” she said. Isabella pulled my hand. “Come with me.”

  I let her lead me to the front of the church, where four men and two women stood facing the congregation. She pulled me up the steps with her.

  “Um, why am I up here?” I whispered to her. “What’s going on?” I eyed the hushed crowd. Their attention was fully on us, which made me nervously pick at my nails.

  Isabella stood me next to the alter, then turned her attention to the room. “This is my granddaughter Caprice Sorrentino. She made a grave mistake by going outside last night, but it was my fault for not telling her the consequences.”

  Murmurs rose in the crowd.

  “So I will tell her now, with all of you as witness, to make her believe.” Isabella half-turned toward me. “Caprice, I’d like you to meet the Supernatural Council.” Each of the six inclined their heads as Isabella said their names. “Councilors Gladys McIver, Diego Cortez, Mia Chang, Demarcus Freeman, Linus Steward, and Richard Aimes.”

  The name McIver caught my attention. Was that woman a relative of Jaxon’s? In a town this small they must be related.

  She continued, “We rule over this community and keep it safe. A long time ago there was a war within the supernatural community. To end that war, we made a Truce with our enemy, the Tromara. Part of that Truce is to not go out on the night of the August full moon. Anyone who is outside and caught will fall prey to the Tromara.”

  I stared, blank-faced at my grandma. This had to be a hidden camera joke. Right?

  “How is she alive?” someone asked.

  “Yeah, why didn’t they take her?” Another voice spoke.

  “She shouldn’t be here,” muttered a woman in the front row.

  And all of these people were in on the joke. I glanced around the church to find the recording device. Any moment now someone was going to bust up laughing. This was well-planned, and such a group effort. Even that vampire had to be in on it.

  Isabella faced the room again. “Last night, not only was she outside and caught, but Jaxon fought off the Tromara.”

  The crowd gasped. Several turned to look at Jaxon in the back row. His face paled. He avoided their eyes.

  I placed a hand on my hip. He was in on it too, of course.

  One of the council members, the Cortez guy, asked Isabella, “What do they demand as penance for this? Have they come to see you yet?”

  Isabella nodded. Her voice sounded strangled. “They demand Caprice.”

  I couldn’t take it anymore. “Come on,” I said to her. “This is a joke. I know it is. You guys can stop acting now.”

  She grabbed both my arms, hard. “Caprice, this is not a joke. Do you remember what attacked you last night?”

  I shuddered. “Yeah, but it wasn’t a vampire. I mean not really. Right?” She was scaring me.

  “Worse than a vampire! A Tromara vampire.” Her eyes blazed with desperation. “They’re cannibals, Caprice. They eat people!”

  I felt the blood drain from my face. She wasn’t kidding. This wasn’t a joke. Holy shit.

  Cortez and the others on the dais stared at us.

  “Then we will have to hand her over,” he said.

  Isabella released me. “I disagree, Diego. She has a right to go through the Academy first.”

  Diego Cortez shook his head. “That’s true, but it’s still playing with fire to make demands on the Tromara.”

  Were they seriously debating whether or not to hand me over to cannibals? I stood in stunned silence. My mind not able to fully grasp the situation, no matter how hard I tried.

  “I know. But you know why I have to do it.” Isabella brought her fists to her chest. “I only just found her. After all these years.”

  Diego sighed. “I understand. But this could cause trouble for all of us. We must vote.” He glanced at the other five leaders beside him. “Raise a hand for supporting Isabella and demanding the Academy alternative.”

  Three of them raised their hands. Including Isabella.

  “And those in favor of giving Caprice to the Tromara now?” Councilors McIver, Chang, and Aimes lifted their hands.

  I gaped at them. Then realized that Diego was the tie-breaker. But which way would he vote?

  The sea of people before us leaned forward, waiting for his decision.

  “I’m with Isabella,” he said, his voice echoing through the church.

  A whoosh of air escaped Isabella’s lips. “Thank you. I will meet with them tonight to inform them of our decision.”

  My brain finally got up to speed on what was happening. “You all are telling me that you’re supernaturals? Not normal people?” I asked.

  Diego answered. “Yes, we are. Everyone in this room is either a witch, shape-shifter, vampire, fae, or werewolf.”

  “And you are a witch too,” Isabella said, reaching for my hand.

  I jerked away from her, horrified. “No I’m not! And you’re all crazy!” Pushing past the leaders, I sprinted down the aisle, past all these freaks, toward the only exit that I could see. I was almost to the double doors when muscular arms wrapped around me.

  I kicked Jaxon in the shin. He let out a pained grunt, tight
ening his hold. Then, just like last night, the air around us filled with purple smoke. I coughed, struggling to get free.

  When the air cleared, we stood in my room at Isabella’s house. My eyes widened in horror.

  “Believe me now?” Jaxon asked.

  * * *

  I shoved toiletries into my suitcase while Jaxon stood by the door. He kept snapping his fingers, making a flame appear. He’d let it go out, then repeat the process like he was playing with a lighter. After I got past the initial shock, I had to admit it was pretty cool. Not that I was going to tell him that.

  Glaring at him, I went back into the bathroom for the rest of my stuff.

  “You can’t leave, Caprice.” His voice sounded tired. Snap, flame, flame gone.

  “Watch me.” I zipped the case closed. “I’m not a witch. I’m not like you.”

  He folded his arms over his tight T-shirt. “Yes, you are. You’re afraid. Because of what happened to that house. How it went up in flames.”

  “Does Isabella tell you everything?” I mirrored his posture. “And how dare you accuse me of setting that fire! I didn’t do it.”

  “Yes you did. It’s as easy as this.” He snapped his fingers to produce the flame.

  I took in a deep breath. “You’re saying I snapped my fingers and burned down my foster father’s house?”

  “Well, you were angry, so it was probably a little different. But essentially, yes, that’s what I’m saying. And that’s why you need to stay. To learn how to control your magic.”

  I sat on the bed, burying my face in my hands. This couldn’t be happening to me. The guilt I always carried about that house fire threatened to swallow me whole. What if I was actually dangerous?

  “Caprice..?” Silently Jaxon had crossed the room, and was standing right next to the bed. I finally understood what I felt in his presence. That power emanating off of him was actual magic. Magic. It was too much to take.