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  Millwood Academy – First Term

  Tanya Dawson

  While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  MILLWOOD ACADEMY – FIRST TERM

  First edition. November 27, 2020

  Copyright @ 2020 Tanya Dawson.

  Written by Tanya Dawson

  MILLWOOD ACADEMY – FIRST TERM

  First Term Copyright 2020 by Tanya Dawson. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Cover designed by Andreea Elena Vraciu

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: November 2020

  Tanya Dawson

  ASIN : B08GWTH4WC

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  The End

  About the Author

  Join Tanya Online

  Chapter 1

  “Leave me the fuck alone!”

  Her screams woke me from a deep sleep, then my forehead hitting the bottom of the top bunk made sure that I was awake. “Not again” I mutter. I try to soothe my pounding head, but the heavy chains wrapped around my wrists limit my movement. For a brief second, I forgot about them. I forgot I was in this place altogether. In my dreams I could be wherever I want to be and that meant anywhere but here.

  I flop back on my bed, further annoyed by the moonlight that glows through the curtain-less window filling the room. It was as nice as any supernatural prison cell could be, I guess. The latest shade of white with a splash of dirt and grime mixed in. I didn’t dare touch my feet to the bare floor. If I had to guess, it hadn’t been washed in decades. I spent countless hours, trying to determine the original pattern of the tile through the scuffs and grub. The highlight of my Friday nights.

  I move to my side, pulling my pillow over my head as best as I could. I wanted to drain her voice from my ears. This is the third night they took her from her room. Her chains scrape against the floor as they drag her down the hallway. There is something about the desperation in her voice that never leaves me. It reminds me that one day they’d come for me.

  I close my eyes and pretend I’m home in my bed. The familiar smell of Nelly cooking burned pancakes for the house, at two in the morning, when we returned from a hunt. I’d never complain about her food or the work that we had to do again, if I could get out of here. I hated hunting, but I enjoyed my freedom.

  My eyes drift to the wall where I mark each day that I’m held captive. Thirty-six lines, with one more to be added in the morning. I was about to lose my shit being in this small room. I pull my arms up, determined to break the chains tied to them. Nothing happens. They drained me of any power I’m entitled to with daily injections, darted from the small jail window on my door.

  I fling myself back on the bed, frustrated I had let my guard down that night. It was a celebration – for him. Hazen sold me out to these monsters, with no thought.

  The memory of his long blond hair, how it always hung over his eyes. How many times I had run my fingers through it, pulled on it, held on for dear life...

  I flip over on my other side and slam my fist into my pillow, but the chains stop any relief I need. I must forget him. He wasn’t wasting any of his time wondering where I was. If I was even still alive. My only hope was Nelly. She loved making money off me. If anyone were looking for me, it would be her. And she’d be determined.

  I try one more time, my daily attempt, to break free of the chains. They are clearly magical, so I don’t have a hope in hell of smashing free of them. This was the only time I had regret in not learning more about my bloodlines capabilities. Obviously, these monsters knew more than I did, and I doubted they would educate me.

  I close my eyes and count breaths. I had to calm myself. Getting mad in here wouldn’t do me any good. I’d never show them a weakness they could use against me. My eyes flicker over to the sound of a camera, up on the ceiling, as it moves. They’re watching me.

  I grab my blanket and cover myself. Something I had done ever since I’d been taken from my family when I was three. I struggle to remember them. I wasn’t sure if my memories are real, or if I imagined everything. Did my mother have beautiful wavy long red hair? Do I have my father’s bright yellow eyes? Is the memory in the park, having a picnic with them and my brother real? Or did I create it?

  I snap back to reality and wipe away the tears I didn’t notice had fallen. This place is breaking me down, slowly day by day.

  “I’ll find you.” I nod my head under the blanket. A private conversation just for me. A promise I’d never break.

  Suddenly my door swings open for the first time. I jump from under the covers and land on my feet, with my back against the wall. All but one of my chains remain. My gums burn as my fangs explode through them. A hiss grows from the pit of my stomach and rumbles its way through my vocal cords and out of my mouth. My pupil's sting as they dilate and expand to the width of my eyes.

  It was a shifter, in its form as a wolf. Its foot slams the door shut as soon as it enters. It was male, I could tell from the smell of it. Males had a musk, meant to seduce its prey. To beat it into submission. Being a hunter, I knew its tricks. The serum they darted me with every day, had slowed my reaction time. I was no match for a wolf or any other supernatural, and he knew it.

  The wolf faces me and maintains eye contact as it moves closer, “Cool party trick.” He mocks.

  I had nowhere to go, except a foot on either side of me. It was easy to determine that he had the upper hand. A smirk forms on his lips and his eyes squint as he moves another step closer.

  I grab the only thing close to me, a desk lamp on the table. I hold it high above my head and bare my teeth at him.

  A low rumble under his breath turns into laughter, and his left paw swipes my weapon away from me. “Really?” His eyes narrow as he takes all of me in. His nostrils widen as he inhales my aroma.

  I tilt my head to the right and roll my eyes. Maybe I had been ambitious or dumb, but at least I tried. “What do you want?”

  “It’s not what I want,” He backs off and morphs into his human form in front of me, buck naked. A daring move had I not been drugged. He was handsome and well built, even for a wolf. His chin was square, and his long black locks fell to his ears. His head shaved on the sides. He grabs my elastic band from the desk and brings his hair back to a ponytail.

  I glance away, not wanting to give away my attraction toward him. I’m sure I was too late. “That’s not bright.” I lean back and hoist myself to a seating position on the table, as graceful as I can, still being chained. I lean over and grab my sheet and throw it to him. The wolf makes no attempt
to grab it and it falls to the ground in front of him.

  He cocks his head to the side, and the corners of his lips rise as he takes a few steps closer to me.

  I try my best to keep my gaze above his neckline, but he is quite a specimen. My breath quickens as my eyes fall to his chest... and then lower. I fight off the flame rising to my cheeks as I question what it would be like to be with a wolf. A fantasy I’ve always had, even as I hunted them. Their power and seduction a curiosity.

  “You’re not going to ask me any questions?” He grins, as his dark eyes focus on my lips.

  “Why don’t you put some clothes on?” I smirk, and lock my eyes on his. Forcing myself to keep my eyes on a more appropriate part of his body was more challenging than it sounds. I had to remind myself I was being held captive.

  “If you wish.” He leans over and picks up the sheet, tying it around his waist. “This better?” His smile made me want to smile, but my face remained blank, as this was a game.

  “Where do they keep taking that girl every night?” And when will it be me? I wanted to add.

  “That’s no worry for you. They have other plans where you are concerned.” He smiles as if that should satisfy me.

  “What are they doing to her?” I narrow my eyes, the only thing I could think to do to let him know we weren’t going to be friends.

  “Why do you care?” He moves closer again. His hips bang up against my knees.

  I lean back on the cold wall, “It’s hard not to wonder when she wakes me every night.”

  He stands there, watching me. His eyes ravish me as they drift from my nose to my neck, then to my chest. His musk grows stronger, and his eyes more intense. There’s no longer a smile on his face. “You are a curious being.” He states.

  “You would know more than I.” The words struggle to come out. He clearly has an effect on me.

  His head twitches to the side for a moment involuntarily, and he backs away without saying a word. He stretches to mask the weakness. I want to ask him if he’s okay but hold back. I shouldn’t care. He is one of whoever is holding me here.

  “Why is that?” He lifts his head up to me as he sits on the bed.

  “Is this a therapy session?” I jump from the desk, a little gutsier since there is clearly something wrong with this wolf. They mustn’t think I’m too much of a threat to have sent him in here - unless they didn’t.

  “It could be.” He leans back on my bed, and the sheet tied to his waist falls off to the side. He makes no attempt to correct it.

  I turn away, having caught myself from looking him over again. “Not interested.” I walk toward the window, as far as I can in these chains, and focus my attention on the old gnarly tree next to what looks to be the entrance to this place. I should be afraid to turn my back to him, but I’m not. I‘d hunted wolves for years, and when they were ready to attack, their body odor changed. This wolf was closer to fucking me than killing me.

  “Then, what interests you?” His wet breath against my ear made my body tense. Goosebumps swelled on my arms. Fear set in that I hadn’t felt him move closer to me.

  Whatever they had given me, was working. I was off my game. I stood still as I listen to him smell my hair. His scent overwhelms me, and I could swear I’d faint at any moment if he didn’t step back from me, “Getting out of here.”

  He moves back toward the bed, and I’m able to breathe again. I suck in as much air as I can without looking like a freak.

  “I thought you were a well-known hunter?” I hear the bed creak as he sits.

  I reach for the wall to steady myself, “Why do you ask, if you already know?” I turn back to face him and to gather any information that I can from his voice and the way his body responded to what he was saying.

  “I'm polite?” He waves his hand in front of him in a courtesy.

  “I was a hunter. And you’re lucky they have me drugged.” I have to clamp my jaw tight to deter me from what I really want to say to him. My mouth always gets me in trouble. Usually, I didn’t have to worry about not carrying out my threats.

  He shows no reaction, then laughs out loud, as if I had told him the funniest joke.

  I remain calm, as he continues to laugh in hysterics. Leaning over as he held onto his stomach. If only I weren’t drugged...

  “Oh, I know all about you and that house you belong to.” He stands up and lunges toward me, backing me up against the wall, as the chain threatens to pull my ankle out of place. I look him straight in the eye, unafraid of what he could do.

  “Then you know what I’m capable of. What I’ve done to your kind.” I bait him. He would have killed me before now if he was allowed to. I had the upper hand - if I was correct.

  His hand moves from pinning my shoulder to the wall to my neck. His long fingers stretched around from ear to ear. His eyes their darkest he has shown. They share the secret that he was holding back from what he wanted to do. He wanted to kill me then and there to get it over with. He hated me more than he should for a stranger, even for being a hunter.

  His eyes suddenly brighten. He removes his hand from my neck and leans toward my ear and whispers. “Are you ready to get out of this house?”

  Chapter 2

  He shifts back into his wolf form before we leave the room, but not before he shackles my hands and feet with even more rusty chains. I shuffle through the hallway a few feet behind him, avoiding looking into the other cells barred windows on the doors.

  They yell profanities to the wolf and try to spit on him as we pass, but he ignores them. That is until someone throws a piece of rolled-up paper at me. The wolf snaps at the man, and he scrapes his claws along his door, threatening to break through it. The attack quiets everyone else, and we continue on.

  My anxiety level rises as we get to the end of the hallway. It’s locked, but someone opens the door when they see the wolf. The man gives a respectful nod, which the wolf ignores. I can’t help but wonder how the wolf fits into all of this?

  “Ready?” He stops in front of a fancy door. It’s dark stained wood with carvings on every inch of it. I see wolves, lions, and other creatures and symbols that I don’t recognize.

  “As I can be,” I mumble, and look up to meet his eyes. I search them for any indication as to what I’m about to step into.

  He squeezes his lips together as if in deep thought. I wait for him to say something, but the door opens before he can.

  “You’ve brought her?” A male human glances over my body, with an eye roll. He nods for the wolf to enter, then steps as far away from me as he can when I follow.

  “Don’t run your mouth off.” The wolf turns back to me and pulls me in close, so only I could hear.

  “So this is her.” A large man swings around in his comfortable leather chair. He’s got to be the tallest man I have ever seen, just from his sitting position. His hair is long and braided, and the sides of his head are shaved, just like the wolves. He’s wearing a white fur over his shoulders, and I can tell its wolf. Did this guy just binge-watch Vikings?

  The wolf push me forward as he steps off to the side of the room. I take a few paces closer to the Viking. Out of the corner of my eye, I can still see the wolf which puts me at ease.

  “Yes.” The wolf replies, as he bows.

  The Viking stands up, he’s a good seven feet tall. He approaches me, with his hand out, as if we were long lost cousins or something. I’d have preferred him to be angry or ill toward me. I could deal with that.

  “I’m pleased to meet with you.” He said, with a smile on his face. Like some used car salesman.

  “Surprising, given all the time I’ve been locked up.” I ignore his offering and plant both feet shoulder width apart. My back stiffens and my eyes search for any escape.

  I could see the wolf shift on the sidelines. I hadn’t taken his advice.

  “Understandable. We needed a cooling down period...”

  “You mean a drugging period?” I cut him off and held back the hiss that was brew
ing in the pit of my stomach.

  “You’re upset.” He pauses, then points to a comfortable chair for me to sit in. “Please, hear me out.”

  After an awkward moment, I take the seat, feeling the wolfs gaze practically burning into my skin. I had a feeling this peaceful meeting would soon change if I didn’t play along. I sometimes did what was best for me.

  “You must have questions, as to why we have brought you here.” The Viking took his seat and opens his desk. He pulls out two crystal glasses and pours alcohol in each of them. He pushes one glass forward to me.

  “It’s from 1667. My favorite year. I remember the dear lady that made it for me.” He gazes at the bottle as if lost in a memory. Forgetting that his captive sat before him.

  “No thanks,” I push the glass back at him and swing my leg over the side of my chair. “But you can take these off.” I rattle the chains.

  He sat still, with his eyes on me. They grew cloudy, and I could see how intimidating he could be. He was trying to get on my good side. He needs me for something.

  After a bit, he broke our stare with a slight laugh, “Of course.” With a snap of his fingers, my chains disappear.

  I act as if that was normal. Like anyone could do that type of magic. But the beads of sweat forming on my brow were betraying me. I had pegged him wrong. He didn’t smell like a wolf, he looked like a warrior and had impressive magic. I prided myself on my hunting skills, they came easy for me. I didn’t need to study like the others in my house. I could tell in an instant when we came upon a creature, what bloodline they belonged to – except for me, of course.

  “I hope you’re more comfortable.” He said, as he drank from his glass.

  “I am.” I offer, and take a deep breath. I study the room. This was his office, his domain. There would be clues as to what he is and perhaps wants. He had stacks of books, on the floor, his desk and in bookshelves. No apparent order - not a quality of a good leader.

  “You won’t find what you’re looking for in here, my dear.” He said, as he leans toward me. His gaze was intense, and for a moment, I worried he was a mind reader.