Shifter Academy- an Impish Christmas Read online

  “Oh, you’re back,” came a voice Kenzie knew only too well.

  “Helena,” Kenzie muttered.

  Helena swept her blond curls over her shoulder and crossed her arms. Her minions were behind her, Trevor with his head down and turned away, and Lenore scowling at her fingernails.

  “I was hoping you’d leave and realize you should stay out there.” Helena sighed, shaking her head. “But here you are. Again.”

  Kenzie scowled, but ducked her head, taking the stairs two at a time, anxious to get by the mer. Not all of them were so bad, but these three had made it their personal mission to make sure Kenzie felt as unwelcome as possible. Which wasn’t hard, since there were still a lot of side-eyes and guarded stares whenever Kenzie walked into a room. Whatever. She was here, and this was where she was meant to be, whether they liked it or not.

  She pushed her way through the trio, and they let her go—they weren’t stupid, just mean. She rolled her eyes, shouldering her bag a little tighter, and made her way to her room. Of all the places to get roomed, it seemed stupid to stick anyone in the Oceanid prime. The mer were more territorial than the weres, and they were snotty to boot. But being that she was a selkie—shifting into a seal if she had an enchanted seal skin—the uppers figured this was the best place for her. And there was plenty of room. A lot of the mer deemed the school unnecessary, since they were generally more in touch with their “natural” selves. Having been born in mer form, they considered being human their shifted form. Even water manipulation was easy for them. Until Myreen came along, no one had even heard of a mer who didn’t know how to be a mer.

  Kenzie reached her door, aware of footsteps following her. She couldn’t imagine why, unless Wes had gotten up the energy to come visit her. Which would be stupid of him, since it was late and students weren’t really allowed to be out of their wings. Or maybe her dorm mates had something else they needed to get off their chest.

  Still, she wore a big smile as she turned to face . . . whoever, but stopped in her tracks, her smile faltering, when she discovered it was Trevor.

  Kenzie scowled and turned the handle, ready to put a door between herself and the mer.

  “Wait,” Trevor said, catching her arm.

  Kenzie stilled, turning her face toward him with raised brows.

  Trevor had the decency to look abashed, and let go of her, running his hands through his thick, dark hair. “Sorry. I just . . . Don’t let them get to you.”

  Kenzie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her brows dropped and her eyes narrowed as she studied Trevor. He was cute, if you could overlook the mer crap. He might have actually been flirting with her the time she crashed the shifter party—until everyone realized she wasn’t a phoenix or dragon, but a selkie, and she was basically booed out of the place. But his chocolate eyes had a movie-star shape to them. Mysterious, a little exotic.

  He looked down at the floor, scuffing it with his toe. “Just ignore them. Helena had a bad Thanksgiving break. She was practically waiting for you so she could take it out on you.”

  Kenzie snorted. “Whatever.” She shook her head. She pretty much always ignored them. Why would she engage? She’d encountered enough idiots in her life to know when to stand up for herself, and when to back down. Mostly.

  She cracked her door open, but Trevor was still standing there, looking uncharacteristically awkward. “Is there something else?” Kenzie asked.

  “Trevor. What are you doing?” It was Alessandra this time, her blue-black hair as perfect as Myreen’s, her face similar but definitely not the same. She was the mer mastery teacher now—a cush job if Kenzie ever saw one—and as such was tasked with keeping an eye on this wing. Which she usually did at her convenience, meaning only if things looked like they might get out of hand. Or apparently, if one of their precious guys was talking to a selkie.

  Kenzie rolled her eyes.

  “Trevor, I asked you a question,” Alessandra said.

  Trevor took a step back, his face flushing red. “Yeah. Sorry. Helena’s in a mood.”

  Alessandra crossed her arms. “And that gives you what reason to talk to Skinner over here?”

  Real nice. Talk about putting the wrong mer in charge. Alessandra was biased.

  But then again, so were all the mer.

  Kenzie pushed her door the rest of the way open. “Okay. Well, you two go ahead and work this”—she waved her hand in a circle—”whatever this is, out.”

  Alessandra let out a huff, dropping her arms to catch Kenzie. Two mer. In one day. It was like, a new record or something. What was she now? Fish bait?

  “Just . . . don’t do anything stupid, okay?” Alessandra said, looking between Kenzie and Trevor.

  “Duh.” Kenzie shrugged Alessandra off, finally putting her door between herself and the mer. She put her back to it and sank to the floor. Really, what the heck was all that about? Trevor had hardly spoken two words to Kenzie, so why the sudden concern with how she was doing? And Alessandra’s suspicion felt so . . . out of place.

  It was all weird, but Kenzie tried to shake it off—and to be honest, once she saw what was lying on her bed, it was easy to forget the night’s oddities.

  A plush cat sat on her pillow, a Snickers in its brown paws. Kenzie smiled, scrambling off the floor to get her goodies. Only Wes could’ve left them for her, and her heart seemed full to bursting knowing he’d thought of her while she was gone. The man might be granola, but his gifts of chocolate never failed. And the kitten! Kenzie cuddled it tight, reveling in the soft fur. She’d have to thank him for it—later.

  She settled back into her room, putting away what little she’d brought home, digging out the pieces of pie Gram had sent with her, and propping up her tablet to watch a little something before heading to bed. She’d regret it in the morning if she stayed up much later, but she wanted to end off the night with a little Christmas movie nostalgia.

  She found the Claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and let that play as she made her final preparations for bed. Snuggling beneath the covers, she let her mind wander once more to her plans for the school and Christmas. With a little luck, she’d be all set with ideas in the morning. She could talk to her friends about it over breakfast—or maybe lunch.

  But for just a moment, Trevor’s handsome face popped into her slowing mind, and then she was asleep.

  Chapter 3

  Of course the first day in December would suck.

  Kenzie woke in her usual sleep stupor—until she looked at the clock and realized she’d overslept. She threw on her uniform and scarfed down the piece of pie she’d left out last night, then ran to her class. It wasn’t until she was at the Avian training room that she remembered the dream she’d had that night. Of kissing Trevor. Gross! Sure, he was cute, but she was with Wes. Trevor was a mean mer who’d actually seemed a little human last night, but that didn’t mean she wanted to kiss him. Right?

  Kenzie bunkered down in a dark corner to read her grimoire, deciding she wasn’t in the mood to try anything today. Ms. Heather checked on her, but said they were easing back into the curriculum. Kenzie smiled and nodded. It worked for her. Not like she was absorbing much, what with her Trevor dream on replay.

  Ugh.

  Things didn’t get any better as she muddled her way through the “normal” classes she had to endure every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She understood why they did it, but it still killed her dreams of spending everyday learning more about the paranormal world she’d been shuttered out of most of her life.

  She managed to skate through her classes relatively unscathed—Biology with Bob (he insisted everyone use his first name), Chemistry with Ms. Candida, even Geometry with Mr. Suzuki—though there was one terrifying moment when he asked, “Why were the similar triangles weighing themselves?” Kenzie stared blankly, so he supplied, “They were finding their scale—like all of us after Thanksgiving weekend. Am I right?” And then he tried to high-five her. She managed to laugh it off, though.

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nbsp; But as Mrs. Coltar took them through the literary merits of Dickens’s Great Expectations, Kenzie watched the clock count the minutes until lunch. She was hungry, sure, but mostly she was anxious to get to Defense class so she could punch something. It wasn’t her favorite class, but today might actually be the first day she’d enjoy it.

  The bell rang and Kenzie rushed out the door, but her steps slowed as she remembered that she still had to tell everyone her ideas about Christmas. And get them to help. She hummed a Christmas tune to try to cheer herself up, but didn’t find herself smiling until she saw her crew at their usual table. Kenzie waved at them before heading toward the food line.

  “Kenz?”

  Kenzie whirled around, catching sight of her adorably granola boyfriend, and flinging her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tight, inhaling and sighing.

  “Are you smelling me again?” Kenzie asked, and Wes chuckled as he let her go.

  “It’s this stupid cat. He loves the way you smell.” He dropped his head, twisting his mouth to the side. “So do I, for the record.”

  Kenzie smirked. “Good. I think. Come on! Let’s get some food. I’m starving.” She tugged on his hand, covered as always by fingerless gloves, but Wes didn’t move.

  “Uh, actually, I took lunch already. I wanted to spend the rest of the time somewhere . . . quiet.”

  Kenzie glanced at the buzzing Dining Hall. “So pretty much anywhere but here.”

  Wes let out an amused huff. “Yeah. Pretty much.”

  “You want me to come with?” Kenzie asked, biting her lower lip. She wanted to go with him, but she needed to talk to everyone, not just him. But maybe it was for the best if she didn’t try today.

  “Rain check?” Wes asked.

  Kenzie nodded, feeling somewhat relieved, though part of her was sad he didn’t want her there. “How’re you feeling?”

  Wes shrugged. “Fine. Did you get my gifts?”

  Kenzie smiled big, though a nagging sense she should press Wes for more info tightened like a rope between them. “Yes! They were purrr-fect. The only thing that would’ve been better is if you’d been there to give them to me.”

  Wes cleared his throat. “Yeah. Sorry about that.”

  “No worries. I just want my kitten back in tip-top shape.” Kenzie winked.

  Wes snorted. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Wanna go to Mack’s tonight?”

  Kenzie gave Wes a quick kiss, her face warming at the never-failing spark of his touch. “I never say no to chili cheese fries.” Her stomach grumbled extra hard as she left her boyfriend to grab her food. She had a feeling it wouldn’t be as excited about the Caesar salad she picked out, but she had to do some damage control after the indulgent weekend and the impending chili-cheese-pocalypse.

  “There you are,” Leya said, grinning as Kenzie approached their table. “We were worried you’d got lost.” The harpy chuckled as she pushed her glasses up her nose. She didn’t always wear them, but the dark ponytail of loose ringlets was a sure indication that she didn’t feel like putting her contacts in.

  “Har, har, har,” Kenzie deadpanned as she took a seat. She’d missed two classes the first day, thanks to not being able to find the rooms. But it wasn’t her fault! The maps were impossible. Navigating Chicago was easier than finding her way around the Dome. Her friends had never let her live it down, though. “Nah, Wes just snagged me in the hall.”

  Jesse grinned, his gray eyes boring into Kenzie like he wanted to eat her. “Ooh. Did it involve any heavy petting?”

  Kenzie snorted, nearly choking on the bite of creamy lettuce and chicken she’d managed to get in. Leya pat her back as Kenzie got everything down the correct pipe, while June gave Jesse the stink-eye. “You’re such a weirdo, Jesse.”

  “Ha. Not me. I’m just hungry like a wolf. Ah-woooo!” The girls laughed as he howled, and several students answered his call—all guys, by Kenzie’s estimation.

  Kenzie took a few more bites, making sure to chew carefully and swallow, trying to gather her courage to broach the Christmas idea with her friends. She really wished Wes was there to back her up. But these were her friends, for fudge sake. No need to be a chicken. “So . . . Christmas.”

  Three sets of curious eyes turned her way.

  “What about it?” Jesse asked, chewing on whatever mystery meat he’d grabbed today.

  Kenzie stabbed at her salad, moving the pieces of lettuce around her plate. “I think we should blow it up this year.”

  “Literally?” June asked, her eyes wide.

  Kenzie shook her head as she put her fork down. “No, not literally. Just, last year was so . . .”

  “Insane? Painful? Life-altering?” Jesse supplied, his gray eyes glowing a little red around the edges.

  Leya grimaced. “Yeah, not sure I want to try to ‘blow that up’ this year. It’s too soon.”

  There were nods around the table, except June, who was poking at her own plate of food. June’s Christmases before the Dome hardly qualified as a holiday, from what she’d told Kenzie, and she hadn’t experienced quite the extent of the loss the battle at the Dome had brought. But she was a few years younger than the rest of them, and the trauma she had experienced was just as real as everyone else’s.

  “But if we let this Christmas go, what happens to the rest of them?” Kenzie asked, trying to reel in the dour looks.

  “It doesn’t have to be a forever thing,” Leya said, picking her fork back up. “And I’m sure they’ll still have the New Year’s Eve ball.”

  “June?” Kenzie asked, folding her hands and baring her teeth. “Oberon’s your uncle. You could probably get him to work something out.”

  June hunched over her plate. “I don’t know, Kenz. If no one else is interested—”

  “They are! They just don’t know what they’re talking about. We’re going to have Christmas this year, and it’s going to be great. You’ll see. Right guys?” Kenzie glanced around the table, but no one was meeting her eyes—not even Jesse, who rarely stopped flirting long enough to be serious. “Guys?”

  Leya sighed. “Sorry Kenzie.”

  Kenzie frowned. Fine. She didn’t need their help. She and Wes could do it on their own. Right? But the school was massive. Where would she even get all the decorations from? Or the time to hang them all? Even with Wes’s help, the whole project was daunting.

  But she had a date with Wes tonight. They were always better together. She came up with the harebrained ideas, and he helped her make them a reality, although slightly less extravagant than she initially envisioned. He’d have an idea for sure.

  Kenzie stood up, her salad half-eaten, her stomach already rumbling for some of those chili cheese fries.

  “Where you running off to?” Jesse asked, giving her a wink.

  Kenzie rolled her eyes. “Defense Class.”

  “Early?” June asked, raising her brows.

  Kenzie smirked. “Yeah. I’ve got half a mind to hit something, and who knows? Maybe Kol will let me off early in exchange.”

  “Not likely,” Leya murmured, and a few heads nodded.

  Kenzie sighed. “Then I get a few more minutes to hit things. Works for me.”

  There were some eye rolls and exchanged glances, but Kenzie tried not to notice. Okay, so maybe she was acting like a spoiled brat, but this was Christmas they were talking about! What kind of people had she befriended? If only she had more selkies on her team. She’d be sure to convince everyone then.

  Or I’d be an even bigger loser. Kenzie shook off the errant thought. She wasn’t a loser, she just hadn’t made the time to win everyone over yet. She had Wes to think of, but she’d made a few friends. Plus, she was learning all about her magic and the paranormal world. She was a busy girl. But this Christmas stuff would do the trick. Everyone was sure to see how great it was to have a selkie in their midst if she pulled off the greatest Christmas ever.

  And if it made her happier along the way, who was she to argue?

  Chapter 4

 
Kenzie sat across from Wes, sipping a mint chocolate shake and hogging the chili cheese fries he’d gotten. The jukebox was playing Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, while the waitresses and waiters ran around with elf hats on—complete with elf ears. It was the perfect place to kick off the Christmas spirit.

  Mack’s Diner had become their place shortly after they began attending the Dome, thanks to its convenient location and fantastic food. It was hard to believe it had been about a year ago that she’d disobeyed her mom’s edict, met with Kol—technically a guy, though definitely not her type—and had her first taste of their amazing fries. Before all the drama with the vampires, the near-end of the world, and Myreen’s transformation into a chimera-vampire-hybrid. Yeah, someone needed to make up for last Christmas. Stat.

  Wes chuckled. “Slow down, there, man-eater. I’d hate for you to hurt yourself.”

  Kenzie stuffed a few fries in her mouth. “You’ve been dating me for what—a year? I think we both know who’s winning this cat fight.” She winked, and Wes shook his head.

  “You know, some girls would be embarrassed to eat like that in front of their boyfriends.”

  Kenzie swallowed, smirking. “It’s a good thing I’m not some girls. Besides, we’re like, bonded for life or whatever. I couldn’t prod you away with a ten-foot, electric pole.” Sure, Gram said being marked could be broken, but with Kenzie’s luck, she’d never get rid of Granola over there. Not that she wanted to. Even with the Trevor dream/nightmare hanging over her head.

  A guy walked by, catching Kenzie’s eye, and he smiled at her. Kenzie turned her attention back to her drink, but a low growl from across the table brought her wide eyes back to Wes.

  “Chill,” she said, lightly kicking him under the table. A year in and he was definitely doing better, but that cougar of his was one feisty animal. He’d lost control a few times back at the Dome—never harming anyone, but even just shifting could be incredibly terrifying. And hot.