CONVICTION OF THE DAMNED: SUPERNO ACADEMY BOOK ONE Page 6

  “Silenzio!” Be quiet. I didn’t need to be embarrassed; my cheeks turned red far too easy without added insults.

  Tory returned a moment later, reintroducing herself to Kaida and Dari with a hesitant smile. The three of us followed Tory over to some chairs towards the back of the room, the only person nearby being a stunning girl who was grinning ear to ear when she spotted us.

  The first thing I noticed was that this girl was completely shaved bald, the second that it suited her more than any hair style had ever suited anyone before.

  “Tory!” She squealed, jumping up to kiss Tory on the cheek and fluff up her hair. “I missed you this summer! Where were you hiding?!”

  “Dad made me spend it in Caledon.” Tory explained. “Xavier thought it would be a good idea to invite the family over...”

  Oh God, she’s related to one of the boys outside. There go any chances of friendship… As if she could read my mind Tory turned.

  “Xavier is my cousin; our dads were brothers. But they fell out when we were kids so it’s not like were close or anything. This was the first time I spent more than five minutes with Xavier in like ever.”

  “That’s because he has issue’s and it’s difficult to not bite his head off.” The other girl laughed, hugging Tory once more.

  Once done she bounded towards us like an excitable puppy. Her grey eyes were glowing, and not because of the bright pink glitter she had covered her lids in.

  “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you girls; my cousin has been whining about you all bloody summer!”

  “Who’s your cousin?” Is everybody related here?

  “Bette Wilder the future Werewolf Queen. You’ll know her when you see her; she dresses like the child of a crack whore and a furry.”

  It wasn’t like me to laugh at someone being rude about a person I didn’t know, but that description was so absurd I couldn’t stop myself.

  “We’ve already met her outside. She seemed… nice.”

  “I like you; I think we’ll be friends.” The girl said, pointing a tattooed finger at me. “I'm Allie by the way.”

  “Actually her name is Alleone Bellflower, but she refuses to tell people it on account of it being fucking stupid.” Tory interjected.

  Allie lunged for Tory, punching her square on the jaw. Tory’s head snapped back with a satisfying crack, and she almost flew out her chair. I prepared myself for the fight, but nothing happened. Tory held her hand to her face for a second before bursting into a barrel of laughter.

  “You’ve improved, though I think you could maybe try to move a couple inches to the right if you really want to knock someone out.”

  “Noted. I’ll do better next time.” Allie thanked Tory for her advice whilst my sisters and I stood dumbfounded.

  It turned out that Allie was a Werewolf, and unprovoked violence was a trait they all had, even in their normal fae form.

  “We have short tempers and big fists,” Allie pretending to flex, “but nowhere near the size of yours Dari Darklight.” She sniggered at the combination of my sister’s name, just like Xavier had done before. “I heard you beat the shit out of Mario, and I have to say I am impressed. I think the Heirs are right to be worried about competition.”

  “Thanks; though I don’t get why were competition.” Dari arched a brow.

  Kaida was sitting in a blue velvet armchair and the rest of us had a large white couch that could easily sit six. She had separated herself from the group like I knew she would, but her ears and eyes were trained on everything around us.

  “What is their problem anyway, do you know?” She asked. “Ember seemed nice, but the other boys were a bit weird.”

  Tory checked the space around us making sure we were relatively alone whilst Allie continued stretching out her muscles.

  “Look, I’ll explain as best as possible but I'm not the biggest expert.” Tory began. Without thinking I placed her hand down on Tory’s arm and smiled angelically, promising that any help she gave would be more than enough.

  Allie waved down a waiter who dropped three share bottles of coke down on the table without a word, a set of glasses appearing seconds later.

  “You know your mom was the Queen?” We nodded. “Well, she had dominion over all the five Kingdoms of Mirane and wasn’t known for being the nicest of people. She ruled with an iron fist and pretty much did as she wanted, despite having a court of people beneath her who tried to help out.”

  I thought I would have felt something about being the daughter of a vicious killer. But in all honesty, I felt nothing. I couldn’t remember the woman who supposedly birthed me and my sisters, so I couldn’t say it even mattered. If she had been evil then I could only suppose it was a good thing she hadn’t raised us.

  “Her and your father singlehandedly wiped out the city of Arle a couple months before your birth, for no reason other than they could. Thousands died…” Well shit.

  Arle was the Kingdom which Ember was the Prince of. It seemed he had been away at a relatives, when his entire family and Kingdom were wiped out, until there was nothing left but rubble. His earlier sentiment about being the Prince of Nothing was correct.

  “Why was he so nice to us then?” Kaida asked, “Was it an act?”

  I didn’t think Ember was being false. I didn’t know him, but I usually had a good read on if people were horrible or not, and I had felt nothing but calm from Ember.

  “Nah; Ember is just a nice guy. He’s super religious and doesn’t believe in violence or something. He’s obsessed with one of our Gods called Zephyr, and apparently part of that means he has to be over the top kind and innocent.” Tory fake gagged but Allie punched her on the arm, reprimanding her for speaking ill of such a ‘sweet soul’.

  Tory moved on, mentioning how Allie’s parents had been great friends with my own before hers died too. Allie pulled a sour face at the reminder. It didn’t bode well for me that so many people were friends with two people who had wiped out a kingdom; did they not have any common sense?

  “When the Queen and your father died the court beneath them decided the fairer thing to do would be to pick a King or Queen for each Kingdom and let them run together sort of like a democracy.” Geez, it only took a ton of death for them to make that choice…

  Tory continued, her hazel eyes dancing over to me every now and then and sending shivers down my spine.

  “Each one of the Heirs are future rulers of all the different Kingdoms, and you being here is basically putting them under threat. Technically the throne to the entire country belongs to you guys, and you have every right to take it. And fae love power more than anything, so of course you guys should want the thrones.” I didn’t need to hear anymore to understand the aggressive reaction from Mikel when he had first met us.

  If I were going to be trapped here with my family then the least I could do was find out who hated us and what we could do to keep ourselves safe. I doubted our denial of wanting a crown would be heard. I hoped a few days here would quell their unease, but I did not have high hopes.

  “Tell me about the Heirs specifically; what are they like? Dari asked Tory, and she launched into another detailed tirade about the five people who I had the sneaking suspicion were going to make our lives hell sooner rather than later.

  Kaida

  The party was in full swing, and I was thoroughly bored. Being in an entirely new place was challenge enough but having no alcohol here to help me get over my stage fright was even worse. Even in our little corner I could still feel the sheer number of strangers lurking in the distance.

  Add that to the fact my sisters were too busy talking for me to be happy enough to get them to leave, I was not having the best of times. The tequila keeping me sane had worn off long ago and I was struggling not to explode. I hate crowds. I hate people.

  The two girls we had met were nice enough, but I had never been big into the whole friend’s thing, so wasn’t too fussed to say much in their conversations. Tory had nicely explained the history
of Mirane and why it was such a big deal for us to be here. But she didn’t know enough about anything except the five Heirs who were no doubt gunning for us.

  Allie refused to take part in any discussions about them, insisting she was neutral on the whole thing. I had to admire her resolve; there weren’t many people who could remain completely impartial on a subject that clearly got most people heated. It took a lot to keep your nose out of other people’s business.

  As there was nothing Tory said that could help me right now, I didn’t see much point in paying attention. I wasn’t in the mood to sit around and chat without a cause about some spoilt brats who were pissed we were here. What’s the time? It’s wrong. Everything is different. Too many people. No. no. Not right.

  My entire routine had gone to shit, and I wouldn’t be able to sit still until I did something about it. The ache inside me was a tornado of repulsion that needed to be released. I had no choice but to figure out the best way how and as the clock struck seven, I knew I had left it long enough.

  “Is there a bathroom in here?” I asked, and Allie pointed me to the girl’s toilets by the side of the bar.

  It was hard not to notice the reaction the students had about me as I stormed past. People were avoiding me like the plague or actively going out their way to approach me. Their tentative glances and whispered were infuriating. I much preferred the people who glowered at me and hissed venom through their teeth.

  I didn’t still long enough for any of the other students to harass or talk to me, but I knew I wouldn’t get away with that for long. But for now, I was glad they gave me a wide berth and I didn’t have to walk too close to them.

  “Fuck this.” I muttered, barging into the bathroom, and checking the stalls for people who could witness my melt down.

  The empty bathroom was all white marble and looked pristine enough that even I was impressed. I barely paid it any attention, far too busy drowning inside my own head to notice what type of hand soap was available. Though I was mildly aware that it was a shame I was about to ruin the clean bathroom completely. As soon as I knew the coast was clear for sure I began the only thing that ever calmed the whirlpool inside me.

  I punched the mirror first, ramming my fist into the glass until it was nothing but dust and red glitter. My blood ran down across the white counters staining all the towels laid out. They were my next target. My arms swept the towels to the ground and threw the basket of random toiletries right next to it.

  I stomped on the bottles, satisfied they had been made of glass. The crunch under my foot was delightful. I caught a glimpse of my face in the shattered mirror, the shards showing off the panic and demons in my eyes. Where am I? I can’t do this. I need a drink. Everything is wrong.

  The damage so far was nowhere near enough so I bent down on the floor, leaning against the door, and propping my foot against the wall, so nobody could come inside. My boots were unzipped and the trusty knife I carried always was removed into my grip, ready to help my control return.

  Carefully I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt, showcasing some of the gallery of scars and tattoos on my skin. I found a relatively bare spot below my elbow crease right above the tattoo of a chrysanthemum I had given myself last summer.

  To the outside world I was a private girl who hid behind her clothes and modesty. But to those that truly knew me I was nothing close to being a simple girl. My entire body was covered with scars and tattoos that I refused to share with anyone except my sisters. It was a good thing that the three of us were good at art, or else the tattoos Dari had given me would have turned out a lot worse.

  My skin was a sign of my secrets and weaknesses and was for my eyes only. Even my sisters didn’t know the true extent of my self-hatred, nor would they ever. As the oldest I was their only chance of a role model and like fuck would I ruin anymore of their lives with my mundane problems.

  I was a basic bitch teenager who hurt herself when she lost control; I was hardly unique. I could walk into a room with ten girls inside of it and I could guarantee at least half hated themselves and a third would no doubt do something painful about it. I was nothing special. I was not different.

  The minutes passed and before I knew it, I was coated in a thick balm of serenity that allowed me to get back to my feet. My blood washed down the drain as I rinsed my hands, banishing the last of my demons, and my sleeve rolled back down. The blood would soak through the shirt soon enough, but it was black so would hardly show.

  The bathroom wouldn’t recover my attack but that wasn’t my problem; nobody would know it was me that had been here, for I looked as calm and normal as I had earlier on. Except my sisters no one would be able to tell any different, and know it was me who had become the cleaner’s nightmare.

  The party was still raging on as I headed back to my table, all the students dancing, talking, and having the time of their lives. I couldn’t help but be a tad jealous. There had been no point in my life where I had spent an entire day doing normal things like an average person and despite knowing it didn’t matter, I yearned for that chance. If one day I could wake up when I wanted, behave however I pleased, and spend my time doing mediocre things like everybody else then I would be a happy girl.

  Without meaning to I walked close to the bar, my subconscious clearly leading me along.

  “Hey Princess.” A voice shouted at me. “You look like you could do with a drink.” The boy who spoke to me was attractive and if I were a different person, I would have been checking him out and making conversation.

  But I could barely do anything more than spot his sparkling blue eyes and wicked grin peering out from behind the bar before I retreated into my bubble of solitude and ignorance. Why is it always the blue eyes that pull me in?

  The bartender slid a glass towards me, and I grabbed it instantly, the scent of neat vodka burning my throat. I didn’t know if it was cheap or fancy, I just knew I needed it bad.

  “On the house.” He winked, and I downed it in one without thinking. He could have poisoned me for all I knew.

  “Thanks.” I muttered, ignoring the smirk on his face at my expense. I'm sure people here sipped overpriced champagne all day, never knowing a thing about real spirits.

  The bartender took a step towards me, running a hand through his cropped black hair.

  “No problem. Do you want another?” He picked the bottle up again to pour another double, but I reached out, wrapping my fingers around the side of the bottle, and stopping him in his tracks.

  “Can I take the whole thing?” I asked, not caring that the people around us were watching me like a fish in a tank. So what if they thought I was a raging alcoholic?

  He nodded and released his grip, the sight of his spaced themed finger tattoos gaining my respect. I was partial to a bit of body art on someone any day, especially when it was weird as hell.

  “Take what you want; you look like you’ve had a long day.” He said, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter.

  He reminded me of something I couldn’t quite place, and for a long second, I held his gaze, yearning to know why he wasn’t bugging me like all the other people in the room.

  “Tell me about it. Being dragged out your apartment and told you a fairy or something stupid isn’t exactly the most stressless way to spend your day.” I rolled my eyes and began to exit, before turning back with a hesitant smile. “Thanks for this.”

  “No worries at all Princess.” He grinned, before continuing to serve the rest of the impatient crowd.

  The journey back to my sisters was a lot better than when I had left. The heat of alcohol inside me was warming up my spirit and calming down the last of the unbalance in me. If I could get out of the room soon and start my routine again tomorrow, then I knew I would be okay. Of course, it wouldn’t be perfect, but I reckoned I could make it perfect soon enough.

  There was a coffee table in the centre of the room that drew my attention as I passed. It had a large navy L-shaped couch sitting by it and
was roped off as though VIP. The space had the best vantage point of the room, and it would have been my ideal place to crowd watch.

  If not for the four assholes sat there, glaring at my sisters like they were a world ending plague, my gaze would not have been captured. I secretly stared at all four of the Heirs, until Caleb the Vampire spotted me, and with a couple of whispers to his friends they all turned to me instead.

  I didn’t stop walking to my table, careful to maintain eye contact so they knew I wasn’t too weak even if I was retreating. If I looked away from them first it would no doubt make them think that they were intimidating me. Which they were, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell them that. I wasn’t dumb nor was I new to being despised and under threat. Ember, the only one who had seemed to not be a complete fool, was missing from their little group. I had no desire to speak to any of the others.

  There were two large pizzas on the table waiting and I almost moaned in pleasure as Dari handed me a slice; I loved pizza, the greasier the better.

  “Uh oh, think the Heirs have spotted you.” Tory said as I took my seat. “They look ready to kill.”

  “Why are they all attractive though?” Dari sighed, agreeing with my earlier sentiment. “I hate it when perfectly good boys ruin their looks with an attitude; I'm supposed to be the one in the relationship with the sharp tongue.”