Zodiac Academy: Origins of an Academy Bully (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts Book 0) Read online

Seth’s mother noticed me looking and held out an arm to encourage me to join them. I cleared my throat uncomfortably, glancing at my parents and wondering if my father would self-combust if I threw myself into the midst of a Werewolf nuzzling session or if he’d just beat the desire to ever do so again out of me in front of everyone here. Likely the latter. I gave Seth’s mother a polite smile as I turned away and pretended not to notice the pity in her eyes.

  I took a few steps up the hill as I focused my attention on the new power which was simmering beneath my skin instead and I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at my lips.

  The magic within my veins was warring to get out and I could feel the gentle caress of both flames and liquid lapping within my flesh. The two Elements were opposites and the tangled caress of them inside made me feel freer than I'd ever felt before.

  My palms tingled and my heart raced. This was it. I’d finally claimed my own power. And I longed to find out what it would be like to set it free.

  Lance Orion

  “Zodiac Academy are the winners of the Pitball Cup!”

  Not a single sound in the world beat the roaring applause post-game after winning my final match at Zodiac Academy. I stood at the heart of the Pitball pitch, nothing less than a king as the other students called out my name and waved flags with the gold and red colours of our school.

  The game had been ours since half time. The opposition from Omega Academy had been so poor they might as well have not shown up. But then if they hadn't, we couldn't have beaten their asses and shown them what real winners looked like.

  The towering domed roof above me amplified the noise in the stadium tenfold. Here, I was a god. It was my favourite place in the whole of Solaria.

  The path of my life had been chosen for me a long time ago, but I was determined to divert from it. No matter what dark, desolate road I had to march along alone to get away. But it didn't look desolate right then, it looked goddamn divine.

  “Orion, get your shirt back on and get off of the pitch!” Coach called from the sidelines, his silvery hair stamped to his forehead with sweat.

  He always got worked up during a game and this one had been the final match of the year. Now I was about to graduate, he knew I was a goldmine in the making. He wanted to be the guy who coached Lance Orion before he made it into the Solarian Pitball League. And that wasn't just a dream anymore. Next week, I'd been invited to try out for the League. The actual League.

  “Orion!” Coach barked and I grinned, soaking in the screams of my name for one final second. A thrill beat a path through my body, telling me this was where I belonged.

  I jogged after my team who were already heading into the locker rooms and bumped shoulders with a few of my teammates. The Waterback, Cindy, gave me a look that said she was ready to party after Coach released us from his play-by-play of the match. He'd break down every mistake, every way we could have gotten more balls in the pit. But that didn't bother me; I was walking on air. Nothing in the world could bring me down from this high.

  After a shower and nearly thirty minutes of Coach's nit-picking, we were released from the locker room and I made a beeline back to the stands. The huge stadium was growing quiet, the pitch still smoldering from some of the fire Elementals’ strikes. Some of the professors were getting to work fixing it up again for another day. But that was it for me. My last match at Zodiac. And though I was sad to be saying goodbye to the academy which had been my home for four years, I was excited as hell to start my new life. A damn better one where my mother couldn't have a single say in my fate.

  My heart beat like a drum and I couldn't wipe the grin from my face as I hunted for the girl I’d missed for weeks.

  “Lance!” her voice caught my ear and I spun around. I was halfway up the emptying stands as groups of students tried to engage me, showering me in compliments. Sirens brushed their hands over my arms to feed on my happiness and I didn't care enough to shake them off. I had bucket loads to spare today.

  I spotted my sister a few rows down, waving a hotdog as she bobbed on her heels. I leapt over the seats parting us and snatched the food from her hand with a grin.

  “Thanks Clara,” I said around a mouthful of bread, sausage and ketchup. I was hungry in two senses of the word and though this would sate one half of me, the other needed something much more specific.

  “Hey trouble.” Clara beamed. My sister was a year older than me and a head shorter. She was the sensible one, the one Mom praised ten times a day. I was rebellious one who Mom clapped around the ear more often than she hugged me. We were total opposites, but since she'd graduated from Zodiac Academy last year I'd been lost without her. There wasn't a person in the world who I confided in but Clara. And since she'd been gone, I'd realised how much I relied on her.

  “You played like a pro out there.” She wiggled her eyebrows, but her smile didn’t quite touch her eyes. And if I wasn’t mistaken, she looked thinner than the last time I’d seen her. “Although I don't think they'll let you play for the League until you sort out that issue with your head.”

  I pushed a hand into my damp hair, casting heated air from my palm to dry it. “What problem?” I scoffed.

  “The size of it.” She flicked me on the forehead with a grin.

  I snorted a laugh. “I'll keep that in mind.” I plucked at her vest. “You’re not on some low-carb, no-fat, no fun diet are you?”

  She shook her head. “Of course not.”

  “Then where’s a third of my sister gone?” I teased and she pursed her lips. She’d always been small but this was bordering on an intervention level of skinny.

  She shrugged off the comment and I figured I had to let it go. If this made her happy then fine, but I didn’t see why girls had to live on air to be content with their figures.

  My eyes drifted to a group of freshmen girls gathering at the base of the steps. They were eyeing me and intermittently giggling with each other. It looked like a prime opportunity to regain my magic stores and my fangs grew sharper in response, aching to sink into their soft flesh.

  Clara poked me in the ribs and I returned my gaze to her with a mischievous smile. “Are you still wasting your time with freshmen?” she teased. “You do realise there’s much bigger, more succulent fish to fry than them?”

  “I've got double Element seniors on tap,” I said with a shrug. “Doesn't mean I don't like the taste of something different from time to time though.”

  She shoved me as I finished the last of my hotdog and we headed out onto the stairway, my eyes drifting to the girls again.

  “Go feed,” Clara said in exasperation. “I want to talk to you when your head's straight. Meet me outside the stadium when you're done.” She jogged away and I rolled my shoulders back, locking my prey in my sights as I strode down the steps toward the four girls.

  “Hi,” one said meekly while another pushed her chest out as subtly as she could manage.

  But I wasn't here to invite one of them back to my room. I wanted one thing. And it looked like the blondie with the big lips knew it.

  She raised a wrist, her eyes sparkling, though frankly I would have taken it even if she hadn't been offering. “You must be starved after the match.”

  “Ravenous,” I agreed, grabbing her arm and slicing my fangs into her wrist without a moment's hesitation.

  Hot, metallic blood rolled over my tongue and I was instantly connected to the well of her magic. I pulled it into my own body, more and more, taking everything I needed until the world faded away and the power in me was restored.

  When I'd fed from all of them (because why the hell not?) I headed outside to find Clara. The rolling landscape of Earth Territory spread out in every direction and the summer breeze wrapped around me like an embrace. The crowd had dispersed from the stadium and the sound of a party starting up at The Orb reached me. I'd sworn off of alcohol for the sake of keeping in shape. My dream was more important than a few nights I couldn't remember. And tonight would be no exception. Especially now
I was so close to attaining everything I'd worked my ass off for.

  My sister was sitting on a boulder, her legs folded beneath her as she toyed with her magic, creating a tiny rain cloud in front of her before evaporating it.

  Her expression was taut, her ebony eyes distant and I knew in the depths of my soul that something was wrong.

  I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I came to a halt before her.

  “What's up?” I frowned.

  “Nothing's up.” She faked a smile. “You know the Celestial Heirs were Awakened last night, right?”

  “Yeah...and?” I shrugged.

  “Mom said....well she just wanted me to remind you to watch out for Darius Acrux, that's all.”

  I pressed my tongue into my cheek, irritation racing under my skin. “And she couldn't have shown up here to tell me that herself, huh? Not like it was my final game of the season. Or that it was the pinnacle moment of my life, defining whether or not I get the chance to try out for the Solarian League next week.”

  Clara gave me an apologetic frown. “She's busy-”

  “Don't defend her,” I said harshly, annoyed that she would even try. “You've been spending too much time with her since you graduated.”

  “Don't be like that,” Clara sighed heavily. “You don't know what Mom has to deal with.”

  “Oh and you do?” I bit at her, the tension growing in my shoulders. “Since when are you on her side anyway, Clara?”

  She gazed down at her knees, picking at a loose thread on her jeans. “Just keep an eye on Darius, that's all I wanted to say.”

  “I always look out for him,” I grunted, my hands balling up inside my pockets. “But she's asking more than that. I'm not dense. She wants me to join her little Acrux family fan club. But I'm not interested.”

  Clara glanced away, her freckled cheeks lining with colour. “All of this Pitball stuff is just dreams, Lance.”

  My heart disintegrated. My sister had been the only one on my side about this for my entire life. She'd never wanted me to follow in my family's footsteps. And neither had she. Which could only mean one thing.

  “You're working with Mom,” I snarled. “Aren't you?” Heat rose in my blood and power flickered in my palms.

  How had she convinced Clara to change her mind about everything we'd fought against our entire lives? Mom was the Acrux family’s personal consultant. Which was basically code for her using dark incantations to keep them happy. Totally illegal and dodgy as shit. If the government ever got wind of it, there’d be hell to pay. And now they’d wrapped my sister up in that shady career too.

  Clara didn't answer and rage built in my chest like nothing I'd ever known. I glared at her, trying to seek out the wilful girl who'd had dreams beyond the dark double life our family led.

  “How did she get to you?” I demanded when she maintained her silence.

  “She's not all bad. It's not like we haven't embraced some of her teachings, Lance. We've always practised dark magic.” She whispered that last part and I couldn't help but throw a glance over my shoulder. The idea that anyone heard her saying that was terrifying. It was against the law to practice dark magic. And if anyone caught wind that I cast it I'd never get my shot at the League.

  “Watch your mouth,” I hissed, my spine prickling.

  “No one's listening,” she insisted. She tugged at her sleeves, making sure they were firmly over her wrists. I frowned, picking up on the movement and tugging her sleeve back before she could stop me. A slim cut lined her wrist and anger rolled through me.

  “Why haven’t you healed this?” I growled.

  “I’m all out of power,” she breathed, pulling her arm away and cradling it against her. “I just did a few blood spells in the car before the game started. Nothing to get upset about.”

  “Are you crazy?” I hissed, snatching her arm again and releasing a wave of healing magic to remove any trace of that incriminating cut. “How long were you at it to be completely drained?”

  She shrugged, lips pursed.

  “Clara,” I whispered, anxiety eating me up. “You can’t use it that often. Dad said-”

  “I can handle it,” she insisted, rolling her eyes at me. “Stop overreacting.”

  “I’m not,” I said through my teeth. How could she be so careless about something so damning?

  “Look, I just came to tell you that there’s a job waiting for you when you graduate. Try out for the Pitball League but if you fail...”

  “I won't fail,” I snarled, my muscles tightening at the doubt in her voice. How could she say that? She'd always supported me. To even suggest I wouldn't make it onto the team this close to my try out caused a painful lump to rise in my throat. “We're not like her,” I pressed, trying my best not to shout. I didn't want a yelling match with my sister. And the look on her face told me she felt guilty as hell about it all anyway.

  Clara continued to avoid my gaze. “I am.” She finally looked back at me, her eyes suddenly hard as stone. “And I'm going to prove that to the Acruxes tonight.” She slid off of the boulder, moving closer to me, though I'd never felt more apart from her. She wrapped her arms around me and I remained stiff as she tip-toed up to whisper in my ear. “Embrace who you are, Lance. It feels better than you can ever imagine.”

  She walked away toward the parking lot and I stared after her in fury.

  Whatever my mother had done to convince her of her screwed up ways, it must have been something big. Because the Clara I knew never would have joined her without a fight. And I was damn well going to find out what it was.

  Darius Acrux

  I spent my first day at Zodiac Academy attending classes with the freshmen before watching the school win the Pitball Cup in a match that would go down in history as one of the greatest performances the school league had ever seen.

  Lance had outdone himself and I had no doubt that he’d be offered a deal playing professionally once he’d passed the try outs next week. I waited for him to return in the Aer House common room, twirling a little Pitball flag between my fingers as the minutes dragged on.

  There weren’t many people about; most of the students had already headed down to The Orb to celebrate at the huge party which was going on down there. But I couldn’t wander the grounds without my appointed student mentor as I wasn’t an official student myself. And as much as I was tempted to test Principal Nova’s limits when it came to the other Heirs and myself, I guessed that doing so on my very first night here probably wasn’t the smartest move.

  Besides, it had been too long since I’d seen Lance. Our families were linked and the Orions lived on the neighbouring estate to us. His mother worked closely with my father and we’d spent more evenings and weekends together with his family over the years than I could count.

  We’d always been close, more like brothers than friends despite the six year age gap. I’d missed his presence while he’d been away at Zodiac Academy and I knew that distance between us would only grow once he was signed up to a major Pitball team. But we shared the kind of bond that could transcend time apart. No matter how long we spent living our lives away from each other, we always fell straight back into our familiar relationship as if no time had passed at all once we were reunited.

  It was obvious that my father had had some involvement in selecting him as my student mentor, but for once I didn’t mind his meddling. The Acrux family was always intertwined with the Orions one way or another and despite the odd rumour which circulated about our connections, I knew that what I shared with Lance wasn’t anything other than solid friendship. The kind that meant he wouldn't forget me while I sat waiting for him unless he had a damn good reason for it.

  The door to the common room burst open as someone sent a gust of wind crashing into it with way more force than necessary and I leaned forward in my chair just as Lance prowled into the lounge.

  “You don’t look like someone who just won the game of his life,” I commented as I pushed myself to my feet, dropping the litt
le flag on a coffee table.

  Lance’s scowl fell on me for a moment and I raised an eyebrow at him in response. He swiped a hand over his face, shaking his head as he tried to force the pissed off vibe from his features.

  “Sorry, Darius. I shouldn’t have left you waiting...”

  “No problem, man. What’s wrong?” I asked, moving closer to him and sidestepping all the bullshit. I knew something was eating him and he knew he could tell me anything.

  “It’s Clara,” he said, his teeth gritted. “She’s working with my mother.”

  I let out a long breath. Xavier and I had often sat with Lance and Clara dreaming up lives that we might live if we weren’t bound by family and duty to follow certain paths. For the two of them, the dreams had a little more chance of becoming reality than they did for my brother and I but we’d always known deep down that it was unlikely any of us would stray from the family line for real. If Lance really did make it into the Pitball League then I planned on living out my dreams vicariously through him. My own path was set in stone, dipped in steel and chained to the core of the earth. Unmovable. Unchangeable. Undeniable. But for the Orions there was the faintest chance that that wouldn’t have to be so.

  “It was always the most likely outcome for her. She left the academy a year ago and she hasn’t found anything else,” I reasoned. “And you know what Aunt Stella is like when she wants something.” I’d always called his mom my aunt even though we weren’t related and he did the same with my family.

  Lance growled angrily, slumping into a chair beside the fire as he dropped his head into his hands. “I know,” he spat. “But for a moment there I’d let myself believe we might be able to have something... else. Something of our own for once.”

  “You still can,” I pointed out.

  Lance nodded but he didn’t seem very enthusiastic. Clara was the only family member who he really loved and I knew he’d do anything to save her from herself.

  “She’s up to something with your family tonight,” he muttered. “I don’t know what but I know it’s not good.”