Shade Academy

Chapter 2

We have been driving along the Academy grounds for ten minutes before we finally came to a very large, very intimidating set of wrought iron gates. Two large men stood front and center like statues guarding it. Am I prisoner now? Surely they can't keep me here against my will. 

When they told me I'd be going to an Academy, I had pictured more of a college style building, not a mid-evil Gothic style castle. The stone structure was incredible. Moss and vines climb the side of the building, red tinted windows adorn walls casting a red light on the ground from the fading sun. The base of the castle was enormous spanning across the green lawn. As the castle was built it seemed to have narrowed into points. Towers and turrets emerged from the castle and into the sky. 

As Abe parked the car I stared in amazement at the cobble stone stairs that led to a set of large dark oak double doors. The closer we got to the doors I was able to make out the intricate runes and symbols that had been carved there. They were beautiful. As I ran my hand across them they warmed against my palm. "What are these?" I asked, never looking away from the carvings. "They are protection runes. They prevent anyone with ill intent from passing through." Axel said as he stood beside me. "Why are they heating under my touch?" Axel looked back to Abe before turning back to me. "These are Ashford runes. The Ashfors coven originally created them to protect their homes. They were kind enough to allow the Academy to use the runes after some trouble the Academy had twenty or so years ago. The warmth you feel is the Ashford magic reaching out to its own. Now that you're here, the magic in the runes will be more potent as it will protect its own." 

My mouth forms an 'o' shape as I drop my hands. Abe ushers us in the doors and again I am stunned. A large marble fireplace is front and center. Comfortable looking velvet armchairs and couches full of students sit in front of it. Marble stairs are on either side of the walls, red carpets runs the length of them. My guess would be to protect the marble from scuffs and damage. In intricate gold lettering 'S' and 'H' adorn the floor of the entrance. "Anna, it is a pleasure to have you at my Academy." I looked to where the female voice came from. I saw  slender woman with her blonde hair tied neatly in a bun on top of her head. Her red pencil skirt and white blouse made her look principle roll. Her skin was milky white and flawless. "I am headmistress Charlotte. If you'll follow me to my office we can get you settled into your room and give you your schedule."

I followed, never taking my eyes off the headmistress. Was she hiding her  true form like Abe was? Would I see through hers like I did his? After watching her I realized this was her. She didn't have a hidden side. Feeling more comfortable following her, I picked up my pace to walk beside her. 

When we came to her large double door office I again noticed the Ashford symbols carved in the door. "Are these more of my families runes?" I asked her. Charlotte turned back me and looked confused. "My dear these are Ashford runes. They all died out eighteen years ago." 

"Well I'm an Ashford, I was abandon when I was six moths old. The only thing found with me was a note with my name and asking someone to protect me." I said sternly. I would not allow her to intimidate me. "An Ashford, at my school." she said more to herself than to me as we walked through the doors. I looked back to Axel who just shrugged his shoulders at me. "Well Miss. Ashford, your presence here will draw a lot of attention. The council will want to speak to you, and to also give you your inheritance. The Ashfords left their estate to an Anna Ashford but no one knew who this person was." 

As Charlotte sat behind her desk she clasped her hands in front of her atop it. "Your family were a very powerful and respected family. Their wealth helped build this Academy over five hundred years ago. Though back then this was their home." Charlotte pulled an envelope out from her desk and handed it to me. "This is your schedule and map of the school. Classes here begin at promptly eight in the evening due to our vampire students not able to be in the sun for prolonged periods of time." 

My eyes bulged. "V..va..vampires?" I stuttered. "Ah, yes. I forget you were not raised in this world. Yes Anna there are vampires, shifters, witches and warlocks here. Warlocks are nothing more than male witches. Our shifters range from something as large as a dragon to as small as a hawk." I grab the envelope from her and nodded my head. She stood and strode across the room and grabbed a key from a locked cabinet. "Considering your lineage, you will have a room to yourself. Your room will be on the top floor, Axel can show you the way to your room and to the dining hall for dinner. Take the rest of the night to rest, your classed will begin tomorrow evening." 

"Thank you." I say before following Axel out. "Your room is on the sixth floor." He says before leading down the hall and up several more flights of stairs. "How many stairs are in this damn place." I ask breathing hard. Axel laughs. "Too many."  I chuckle humorlessly "Great." 

As we walked I noticed portraits that looked to date back to viking times all the way up to current times. The only reason I knew this was because we had also passed a portrait of Charlotte. She seemed very pleased with herself. "This is your room." Axel says "I'll wait out here for you." I quirk a brow at him as  I unlock the door. "You can come in you know. I'm not going to make you wait out here." I say pushing the door open. 

The room was huge. A large four poster canopy bed sat in the middle of the far wall. A nightstand with a lamp sat beside the bed and on the wall across the room was a cedar desk with a computer. a large glass double door was beside the bed that led out onto a balcony that over looked the campus courtyard. I watched as students milled around from place to place. Everyone in their own little groups. I turned back to my room and walked in the first door I found. It was a closet, and it was as big as my last bedroom. Uniforms lined one side of the closet while the other side was casual clothes. Pants, shorts, skirts dresses, ect.

I wrinkled my nose as I pulled one of the uniforms out to look at them. I walked out of the closet the uniform swinging from the hanger on my finger. "Please tell me, I do not have to wear this hooker skirt to class." I say flatly. Axel busts out laughing. He laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes and was holding his stomach. "There are stocking you can wear under it, though it's not required." He says still laughing. "Oh, so now I have a choice between being a hooker, or being a grandma." I sneer. "Not really a choice I expected to have. Do I have to wear this to dinner?" 

Axel wipes the tears from his eyes as he finally stops his laughing fit. "Yes unfortunately. We can only wear casual clothes on weekends. I like you Anna, your outspoken nature is a breath of fresh air. I can honestly say there is no one else like you here. Well except Amanda." He all but growls her name. I roll my eyes "Let me guess, she is the self proclaimed queen bee of the school who thinks she rules everyone. She has blonde hair and makeup caked so thick no one knows what she really looks like. If you don't listen to her, she will toss threats around like candy. Am I close?" 

Axel laughs again "You pinned her down. All the way down to the blonde hair. How did you so that?" He asked. "It's a total cliche I've dealt with multiple times. She doesn't worry me. Let me go change and I'll be right out." I say making my way to the bathroom. It was blindingly white. Everything was white. The walls, the shower, the soaking tub. The only color was the golden claws on the tub. I honestly has to close my eyes against the intensity of it. I wonder if I could change the color? 

Once I was dressed I felt like I was dressing up like a catholic school girl for fun in the bedroom. I really don't like role play, but that's exactly what I feel like I'm doing. I mean honestly. The black and white plaid skirt reached mid thigh, the white button up blouse was tight and made my boobs look huge. Then there was the red and black stripped tie I had to wear. Who came up with these uniforms? Sighing I ran a brush through my long golden brown hair, letting it fall in waves around my waist. 

"Ok, I'm ready." I say as I walk out flattening out my skirt. Axel's eyes widen slightly as he looks at me. I swear I saw pink color his cheeks before he turned away and opened the door. "Be sure to grab your key." He reminds me. "Crap, thanks." I reply as I run to the bed and grab it, sticking it in my bag. 

We walk side by side through the Academy. Axel kept side glancing at me. And I was very much aware of the stares and whispers that surrounded us as we passed by them. "What the hell are they whispering about." I ask Axel. He looks at me with amusement "There has not been a new student here in a long time, much less and Ashford. Like Charlotte said, you'll be getting a lot of attention." I groan "I don't want attention." I whine. Axel just laughs as he throws an arm over my shoulder. The energy once again shoots through me and I wince at it's intensity. "What is that?" I ask. "What's what?" he asks as his arm tightens around me. Does he know he's doing that? "The energy I feel surge through me when you touch me. I felt it first at my old school and again now. I've never felt that with anyone else." 

Axel drops his arm and I immediately miss the warmth of his touch. "I'll explain when you've been here a little longer and get settled. Until then I will be here for anything you need." I smile and gently squeeze his hand before letting it go "Thank you Axel, for everything." When he smiles at me I notice he has a dimple on his right cheek, and I couldn't help but smile back. 

As we enter the dining hall all chatter stops as people stare at me. I roll my eyes as I follow Axel to the line to get food. "Axel" A female voice squeeks as she throws herself at him. He stiffens and peels her off of him. "Amanda." He says tersely. "And who is this?" She asks him regarding me with a look of disdain. I stiffen. "This is Anna. And I am capable of answering for myself. I do not need Axel nor anyone else to speak for me." I say firmly. Her eyes widen "Was I speaking to you? No? Then don't speak to me." I laugh. "I can honestly care less if you're talking to me or not. You want to speak to someone else about me I will speak up." Her anger rose as she got in my face and glared at me. "Do you know who I am?" I push her away from me firmly, making her stumble and her eyes turn into saucers. "I don't care who you are Malibu barbie but if you ever invade my personal space again, I can promise you won't like the out come." 

I narrow my eyes at her as she stalks back towards me. "What are you going to do human?" She sneers at me. Lifting my hand I flick my finger at her, sending her sprawling against the floor. Her face turns red as she stands and faces me. Fangs extend from her mouth "Ah, so the b***h is a vampire." I muse. She shoots to me at blinding speed, but what she didn't expect was I could see every move. I freeze her just as I did Axel. "Listen here, I am not one of these students you can push around. You will not get anywhere with me with your threats or insults. I will fight back." I wave my hand and she sails across the room. 

"Anna, stop." Axel pleads. "Why?" I ask. "She wanted a fight, I am giving her one. She needs to know I can't and won't be pushed around." Axel chuckles. "Look, I think she knows." I look over to where Amanda was and watched as she sat in her seat surrounded by her followers. Everyone else was staring at me with jaws dropped and eyes bulging. "Miss. Ashford" Gasps where heard around the room as I turned to face Charlotte. "We do not use magic against other students." she says. I cross my arms "Then tell other students not to start something they can't finish." I counter. 

Charlotte shakes her head, places an arm around me and faces the students. "Students, this is Anna Ashford the only living descendant of Ashford clan. She may never have trained in her magic but she has trained herself. I suggest no one start anything with her. Her clan was and now is the most powerful witch clan that ever existed." He eyes landed on Amanda. "You will not win against her, especially when she starts her training." 

She is too powerful as it is. Can we risk her growing into more of her power. 

I pull away and glare at her. "What do you mean? What risk is there to you if I grow into my power?" Charlotte's eyes widen. "You can read minds?" I shrug "Sometimes." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry child, I did not mean that in a bad way. You are already powerful, if you become too powerful too quickly you could be consumed by it." 

"I'll take my chances." I turn away and finish getting my food. When I turn around I didn't know where to sit. I scanned the dining hall. Axel was sitting with a group of guys laughing and joking around. Moving passed him I see an empty booth in the corner. I make my way through the crowd of students and sit with a sigh. This was not starting out to be a good experience. I rub my temples and groan. "you've made a hell of a first impression." A girl laughs as she slides in the seat across from me. 

"Hey I'm Elana Whitebrooke. I'm a witch too." She reaches her hand out to me and I shake it. "I'm Anna Ashford. Nice to meet you." I say with a small smile. "I think everyone know who you are now." She laughs. I look Elana over. She had black hair that was cut in a pixie style and spiked up. Her brown eyes looked like melted chocolate and her skin was a smooth caramel color. I roll my eyes "Ya, not exactly the entrance I wanted to make." I say taking a bite of my pizza. "What classes do you have?" 

I shrug "Not sure haven't looked at my schedule yet. I start classes tomorrow so I'll check tonight." Elana looked at me amused. "You're unusual. Would you like me to come back with you? I could help you find your way around tomorrow. Who is your roommate?" She asks. "I don't have a roommate. I have a room to myself on the sixth floor." Her eyes widen. "How? No one ever gets a room to themself." I groan internally. "Charlotte said because of my lineage, I needed a room to myself." 

I saw something flying towards me from the corner of my eye. I freeze the item and stand from my seat to pick it out of the air. "Really?" I question "Are we in grade school now?" I flick the item across the room back in the direction it came. Amanda quickly ducked and avoided the food smacking into her face. "Try harder next time Amanda." I muse. The room broke out in laughter at Amanda's failed attempt to humiliate me. "Hey Anna, I"m Alex." A tall guy says extending his hand. I shake it as I studied him. He was tall with pale skin, short brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. He was a vampire. "Hello Alex." I say turning back to my food. Would I ever get to eat or will people keep interrupting me? 

"Can I join you?" He asks. I didn't miss the excitement in his voice. I shrug "Sure." Elana stiffens as he sits beside her. "Don't worry Elana, I'm not going to bite you." He says flatly. "You're a vampire Alex. That's what you do." She countered harshly. "That's enough." I speak up. "There will be no discrimination when you're with me. I refuse to give into the stigma around vampires when I've never met one until now. And Alex. there will be no harsh words directed towards witches. Am I clear?" I looked between the two of them as they hung their heads in shame. "You're different Anna." Alex speaks up. "I like it. I promise there will be no harsh words spoken." He says as he raised his right hand in the air. I laugh and shake my head. 

"I understand Anna. Do you still want me to come back to your room with you to help you out?" She asks quietly. "If you want to stay the night in my room and help me tomorrow I have no problem with it." I had given up on eating, it was clear I wouldn't have the peace to do so. So I get up followed by Alex and Elana as I dump my plate and walk out of the dining hall. Axel watched in concern as I exited through the doors. This school was going to be more of an issue than I originally thought.