Half Blood Rising

My nerves were slowly beginning to get to me. Lachlan’s lover kept glaring at me, so I gave her one of my sharpest death stares. Afterwards, she tossed her hair behind her and smiled at Lachlan. Our conversation about my origin earlier on had left me a bit restless. I didn’t want him sharing my personal information with that bitch. I looked away—whatever. I wasn’t going to allow him to have that sort of effect on me right now. I was stronger than that.

“Come on, sit down,” Oldman said. “We are only having an informal chat right now.”

Jerry lightly nudged me, and I took a seat next to a girl with short, bright pink hair. She was a shifter. I sensed her energy, and her aura was bright, inviting, and positive. Her inner magical energy was much more defined than anyone I’d ever met before. I’d read in one of the books at the library that they tended to keep within their packs, and they stayed away from humans. She gave me a bright smile; her bottom lip was pierced, and she had several tattoos on her arms.

“I was just showing Miss Jaymin to her room,” Jerry said.

“We’ve only been together a few minutes. I wasn’t expecting everyone to arrive so early.” Principal Oldman smoothed her skirt and turned to address the room.

“Welcome to Moonlight Academy, everyone, the first school to ever be established in order to educate supernatural young creatures,” she began, glancing around the classroom. “In a moment, I will be going around and introducing each of you, but first, I would like to tell you that, each one of you here today are from different backgrounds, different breeds. That doesn’t matter, because you are all students here.

“Here at Moonlight, we work with everyone, but we aren’t the kind of academy you are most likely used to. The high council gives us certain jobs and tasks, and, sometimes these missions can be quite dangerous. Everyone present has just been accepted—you’re all new—and you will be assigned together as one team. In exchange for taking part in these ‘missions,’ you receive a free education, along with room and board. If these jobs are complicated, many times students receive financial rewards.”

This sounded too good to be true. We were going to get paid for being students and taking part in missions? There must be a hack somewhere. Others didn’t seem too concerned, so I decided to continue on and listen. Oldman was fae with a certain taste and style. She must have been good at her job if she managed to work her way up into this position. After the meeting, I was planning to find the library and do some research on this place.

“Any questions before we start the introductions?” she asked, but no one said a word, so she continued, “Let’s start with Karina. She’s a shifter from Sweden, and, unfortunately after being exiled from her pack, she had to learn how to survive on her own, and, sometimes, in the toughest of environments. Her gifts will be quite useful in this group.” Principal Oldman smiled and turned her head. “Then to my right, we have Marco—he’s fae. In the past few years, he’s been living in London. He earned his living by stealing valuable items. I’m certain I needn’t remind you that fae magic can be extremely unpredictable. Marco is quite skilled, and I hope each of you will get on well with him.”

I glanced at the dude on my right. He was dark haired, tanned, and a very handsome supernatural. He didn’t look like a thief at all. Oldman wasn’t prepared to say that the fae were the most powerful creatures amongst all supernaturals, but I sensed what she meant. I suspected that Marco had lived for quite a long time.

They could manipulate the weather, read your mind, and make you go completely mad. These were just a few of their abilities, but most had to learn their skills over years of study under someone’s guardianship. Marco winked at me and Karina—he seemed extremely confident.

“And here is Jaymin, half-vampire and a rogue. She has been hunting creatures wanted by the council for the past four years—very dangerous fugitives, I might add. Her track record is quite impressive, so be watchful of her. And opposite Jaymin, is Judas, a full-blooded vampire. At some point Judas will tell you his own story,

myself from rolling my eyes. “Now, let me introduce you to Lachlan, he’s my assistant, but he’s also a student here at Moonlight. His family has strong connections to the Elite, but that doesn’t mean his place there is secure. Lachlan is also a vampire

partly right about him. Maybe that was the reason why the mages wanted to get information from him. Lachlan smiled at Oldman, and this time, I did roll my eyes. Lachlan didn’t scare me, he only got on my damn nerves, with his self-important attitude.

with that. Marco winked at me once again

grew up in Ukraine

the fact she

with pretty boy and his top-model vamp. Too bad, but I had to make this work somehow. I wanted

orientation day. You can check the subjects we offer and review your schedule. Remember, you’re a team, so you will be working together closely. In the afternoon, I’ll call upon each one of you to sign an agreement with the school—the contract

important questions. “I decided to enrol here because I want to get in. Can you tell us about their requirements?” He had a deep voice, and his darker skin

by the heat like I was. I was curious about the Elite Academy, too. Many supernaturals had talked about it, but to me, it had always been

ancient, and we don’t have much insight on their specific admissions process. At Moonlight, we believe these trials will

to expect; each one of us could only guess. Obviously, that was the main reason why so many

anything else. Then others began to stand from their seats; obviously they didn’t have other questions. I didn’t know what else to ask, but I did need to find out if she could help me with getting some new clothes. I felt a bit embarrassed that I didn’t have anything decent

said, approaching me after I was outside. I was so relieved that I wouldn’t have

I replied, not really knowing what to say to her. Her energy was so

to tell her nicely to get lost. “Principal Oldman might call us in later, you know, for the contract.” This

I really needed to get a grip.

going to be besties. I like your energy, even though you’re a vamp,” she said, lowering her voice. I was never good at making friends,

the principal if she had any spare

Boy walked out with his armed wrapped around his girlfriend’s waist. Ramona narrowed her eyes at me and shot Karina a surprised look, then said something to him, and they laughed like we were the butt of their joke. God, I hoped this wasn’t going to be like high school, although I couldn’t remember anything from that part of my life.