Academy of Thaumaturgy : The Verboten Love Book One

The morning air bit at my exposed skin, each breath a frosty plume. My toes, numb from the frigid water I’d splashed through, a testament to the chase. Sweat plastered my clothes to my body, only for the early morning chill to freeze them solid. I missed the warmth of Northern California, but I was stuck here, running for my life.

The last crunch of autumn leaves under my feet echoed the urgency in my chest as I slid through the ancient maples. The dense fog, the frost-kissed foliage, the birdsong – it was a beautiful morning. If you ignored the two hundred-thirty-five-pound Vyras, Harper, quickly gaining on me, his snarling fangs glistening, razor claws tearing at the frozen ground.

"Ugh, this sucks!" I muttered, regaining my footing after nearly face-planting in a freezing creek. Harper, disgusted by the water, leaped over it, a single bound that spoke of his power. He’d barely missed me, but something pulled my attention from the task at hand. It was always something.

Breaking free of the trees, I sprinted across the lacrosse fields, my heart a drum in my ears. Every inch of me prickled with icy needles. The drainage fields, flooded by the week's storm, offered a desperate detour. I veered into the knee-deep water, Harper’s growl of protest a satisfying soundtrack. Over my shoulder, I flipped him off, a gesture that sent him into a renewed, furious pursuit.

"Damn it! Why do I have to antagonize them?" I asked myself, knowing the answer. This was my life. This was the Academy.