Monster Academy for the Magical (Monster Academy for the Magical 1)

“I have to share a dorm room with three guys?” I ask Jude, resisting a frown.

But seriously, sharing a dorm with three guys, one of who's a vampire? Sure, I've shared rooms with guys before, during my stays in foster homes that broke the rules. But this is different. This dorm room is way more private. Not to mention these aren't really guys, but powerful monsters.

I try to recall what Sage referred to them as. A vampire, which is probably Phoenix, at least his fangs suggest so. Sage also mentioned a dark faerie and a death angel.

“Don’t seem so upset about it,” Phoenix mocks me with a smirk. “Most girls—hell, most creatures would die to be in your position right now.”

Great. He’s a cocky jerk. Not that I didn’t suspect that already.

Good thing I’ve dealt with assholes before, built skin of steel to deal with it—to deal with way, way worse stuff. Although, usually, I try to walk away from the situation. Living with the cocky jerk, though… Yeah, I won’t be able to walk away a lot.

“Good for them.” I cross my arms, hoping I appear more confident than I feel. “But personally, I’d rather just live in a regular dorm room.”

His ruby eyes glimmer. “Is that so?”

My heart thunders in my chest, but I remain calm on the outside. “Yep.”

His smirk widens. “Well, aren’t you just positively delicious?”

My heart rate quickens. Does he mean that metaphorically?

"Phoenix, knock it off." The guy with dark hair, grey eyes, and shadows dancing across his skin enters the room—Roman, if I remember correctly.

He looks different than when I saw him in the throne room, less shadowy.

Phoenix sinks his fangs into his bottom lip, his gaze remaining welded to me. “What? All I said was that she’s absolutely delicious? Which she is.”

I fight back the urge to step away from him. “No, I’m not.”

Clearly, that’s the wrong thing to say, something I learn when Phoenix’s grin broadens.

“Why don’t you come over here so I can find out for myself?” he purrs, tracing his tongue along the tips of his fangs as he steps closer to me.

“Um…” Jude clears his throat, startling the hell out of me.

Shit, I forgot he was here. Maybe because Phoenix was doing that hazing thing to me again?

I narrow my eyes at Phoenix, but he only grins.

“Delicious,” he murmurs.

“I assume you’ve been informed that you’ll be taking Haven under your wing,” Jude says to Phoenix.

Phoenix doesn’t remove his gaze off of me, even when Roman steps between us.

“Yes, we’ve been given instructions to take care of her.” Roman steps closer to Jude and Jude’s flames begin to fizzle. “You can go now. We’ll handle it from here.”

I throw Jude a pleading look—I don’t even know why. It’s not like I’ve known him for very long, but I don’t want to be left alone with these guys. It’s kind of a weird move for me to seek help from someone else, seeing as how I’m used to handling stuff on my own. But this is different. Everything about this time, moment, place is different.

“Sorry,” Jude mouths to me as he backs toward the door. “If you need anything at all, just send me a message.”

I gape at him. Is he really leaving me alone with these guys? “On what—”

Poof.

Smoke funnels from my palm as a handheld device appears in my hand.

I blink at it then back at Jude only to find him gone, the smell of singed ash lingering in the air.