Legacy of Shadows (Supernaturals of Castle Academy, #1)

by Tessa Hale

Colt turned to me, sliding over a piece of paper. “This is your class schedule. They tried to match it to the classes you were in at your old school as much as possible.” My brows pulled together. “How’d you know what classes I was in there?” Colt grinned. “I’ve got my ways.” “Stalkery ways,” I mumbled. Ronan snorted.

I didn’t bother telling him I didn’t even have a driver’s license. Colt’s gaze narrowed on Trace. “I’m not letting her show up at school alone.” “You’ll just make her a target,” Trace growled. “I can walk. Or I’ll get a bike after I get a job,” I hurried to say. Ronan shook his head. “It’s too far to walk or ride your bike.”

I’d never really been aware of how guys smelled before. But Dash was a mixture of pine and cedar. Ronan reminded me of a dewy morning after a hard rain. That didn’t even make sense. But I wanted to roll around in both of them.

Castle Prep was an appropriate name. The main building looked exactly like the castle from a fairy tale, complete with turrets. It was only missing the moat and drawbridge. I gaped at the cars in the parking lot. BMWs, Mercedes, Porsches, and even a Ferrari. This was not my public school, that was for sure. Colt pulled into a parking spot with Carrington printed on a sign in front of it.

“I’ll be fine,” I assured them. “I’m good at fading into the background.” Ronan stared at me. “The last thing that you are is invisible.”

Kids at my old school didn’t talk to me. Teachers didn’t even call on me. I ate lunch alone in the library or outside under a tree when the weather was nice. I turned in my homework on time and aced my tests, but I didn’t stick in my teachers’ minds. That wasn’t going to be the case here. But it wasn’t because of me. It was because of the guys that surrounded me as we made our way toward the large stone building. Every set of eyes traveled to them.

They were enchanting. Not just their masculine beauty, but a certain energy they had humming below the surface. There was one thing I knew for sure: If I wanted to survive Castle Prep, I needed away from them.

“This is your homeroom. I’ll meet you after to show you to your next class.” I quickly shook my head. “I’ll be fine.” “Lee—” “No.” The single word was quiet but firm. “I appreciate everything you’re trying to do for me, but I’ll do better if I can just start to blend in.”

He huffed out a breath as he released me, handing me a phone. “Text me if you need me. I put all the guys’ numbers in your phone.” I shook my head. “This is too much.” “It’s for your safety. Not having a cell phone is reckless.” I sighed. “Pushy.” He grinned. “You say pushy. I say charming.”

Near the back and just off-center was the invisible zone. The chair next to me squeaked as someone sat. A guy with reddish-brown hair grinned at me as he slung his backpack on the floor. “Hey, you’re Leighton, right?” Crap. Had my presence already circled the gossip mill? The guy seemed to sense my unease. “Ronan told me you were in my homeroom. I’m Connor. Welcome to Emerald Bay.”

Connor—dragon shifter, low ranking no bond or anchor

Connor didn’t seem to garner quite the same attention as the guys. Maybe I could have some real friends here. Just ones that weren’t the center of everyone’s focus.

A group of three girls entered. The girl at the front of the pack flicked her glossy, mahogany hair over one shoulder as she used the aisle as a runway. Her hips sashayed from side to side. “That’s Chloe, Grace, and Mimi. You might want to stay clear of them,” Connor whispered.

she revealed a tattoo of a compass on the back of her neck. I blinked, taking in the beautiful artwork. Something about it pulled at me.

“English Lit.” That was one I was looking forward to. It had always been my favorite subject.

“That sounds like even I won’t be able to screw it up with my horrible sense of direction.” Connor shook his head, grinning. “Give me your phone.” I reached into my bag and grabbed my cell, handing it to him. As he leaned over to take it, his nostrils flared, and his eyes widened. “Whoa.” My brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?” He coughed, pulling back. “Nothing. You just, uh, smell really good.” I blushed. “Uh, thanks.”

Large hands snaked out faster than should’ve been possible, closing around mine and keeping me from cracking my head open on the tile. The moment his skin touched mine, I was assailed with images. The first was a young boy sitting alone in a treehouse. I could feel his sadness, the deep ache in his chest and longing for someone. Then it was replaced with an entirely different image. It was an older guy, maybe eighteen or so, with white-blonde hair and gray eyes that turned silver as he gazed down at a girl. At me.

Declan—white blond hair, gray eyes that turn silver, same height as Ronan, broad shoulders, muscled, a hulking mountain, husky rough voice with layer of tenderness, in English Lit with her, family drama/Ronan’s twin

I started to dash around him, but the guy caught my elbow. “Wait.” I cringed, slowly turning to face him, and braced for rage in his expression. Instead, I was greeted with…wonder? “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” The guy’s voice wrapped around me with each syllable. It was husky and rough, but there was a tenderness beneath that gave me the sudden urge to cry. “I’m fine. Just about to be late for my class.”

Those silver eyes bored into mine. “I’m glad you’re here, Leighton.” My name on his tongue was a caress and a promise all in one. And my stomach dipped and rolled.

I forced myself to keep my gaze locked on the teacher or my notebook. Because every time my eyes collided with Declan’s, I wanted to drown in his stare. There was something warm and kind about it, accepting. Maybe I was just inferring that because he’d offered to scan his notes from the first week of classes to catch me up and readily shared his syllabus. After the drama I’d dealt with in my new home, Declan’s easy welcome was a breath of fresh air. But I had no doubt he was the focus of many girls’ attention, and I didn’t need that kind of trouble.

“Do you know where the bio class is?” I asked hopefully. “I’ll walk you,” he said instantly as he stood. One of Chloe’s two minions, the one with blonde hair, glared daggers at me. Crap. I did not need to be on mean-girl radar. “That’s okay. Just point me in the right direction.” “No, I’ll walk you,” Declan said.

Rushing inside, I found a seat in my usual invisible zone. But the teacher locked eyes on me immediately. He gave me a warm smile. “You must be Leighton Carmichael.” I swallowed and quickly nodded. “I’m Mr. Greg. Welcome to Castle Prep. If you need help getting caught up, just let me know, and we can set up some tutoring sessions. The curriculum here is quite strenuous, and I don’t want you suffering in silence.” The blonde girl from earlier snickered as she entered the classroom. “Good luck.” “Mimi,” Mr. Greg warned.

The idea of braving any sort of cafeteria situation had dread pooling in my belly. I’d rather be hungry when I got home than deal with that. So, I headed in the opposite direction as everyone else. Maybe I could find the library and use the time to catch up in bio. As I wound through the hallway, a voice raised above the crowd. “LeeLee.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but when I took in Colt’s expression, I knew it would do no use. “You’re so damn stubborn,” I grumbled. He chuckled and tugged me down the hall. “Works to my advantage most of the time.” “It’s annoying.” “You mean endearing.”

dining hall. The moment we stepped inside, the din of conversation quieted, and every pair of eyes turned to us. Panic gripped me.

If there was one thing you could say about Castle Prep, it was that the students were beautiful. Almost unnaturally so. Maybe they’d all had cosmetic surgery. They could definitely afford it. I caught sight of Connor at a table with guys who were all almost as large as Ronan and Declan. He grinned and waved. A few of the guys stared at me until a girl sitting in their midst elbowed one and smacked another on his chest. There was a table of girls and guys who studied me as if I were a science project, whispering to one another as we passed.