Mesmerized
Authors: Julia Crane
Mesmerized
By Julia Crane and Talia Jager
Copyright © 2011 by Julia Crane and Talia Jager
Valknut Press
Cover Design by Stephanie Mooney
All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 978-0-9837520-7-3 (eBook)
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Dedication
To our husbands and families.
Chapter One
How could my parents send me away to a boarding school?
Lily stared up through the car window at the massive brick building with its perfectly manicured lawns and wanted to scream. She was sick of switching schools. Emerson Academy would be the second one this school year and it was only November.
“We’re here, Miss Lily.” The driver turned and smiled.
“Stop calling me that.” She glared at him.
Panic crossed his face. “I’m sorry. I forgot. Let me grab your bags for you.” He fumbled with the driver’s side door handle.
Lily rolled her eyes. She hated the way guys acted like complete fools around her. She could thank her mother for that. Leaning her head back against the leather seat, she sighed. It wasn’t fair. All she wanted was to make friends and have a normal teenage life. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what she was born into. Why couldn't life be simple?
Harold, the driver, opened the car door for her. The bitter cold air rushed in and she shivered. She swung her long legs to the side and stepped out of the car. Zipping up her black puffy jacket, she couldn’t help but think how she’d be in shorts and a t-shirt back home. Damn them for making me come here.
“Allow me to bring your bags up to your room?” Harold sounded like he was begging.
“No! I’m perfectly capable of bringing my bags in.” She scowled, but then saw the hurt in Harold’s light brown eyes. It wasn’t fair for her to take out her anger on the driver; he was only doing his job. “But, thank you. I don't want the other kids to think I'm a spoiled rich kid.”
Lily grabbed her two black leather roller bags from the trunk, and set them on the ground, pulling up the handles so she could drag them behind her. The school loomed ahead, tall and forbidding. It was much larger than any other school she had attended. It looked more like a college campus than a high school. Lily sighed, braced herself, and walked towards the large wooden door.
It wasn't even her fault that she got kicked out of the last school. Well, she didn't exactly get kicked out—her parents decided it was best if she left.
One of the boys had become obsessive and was stalking her. Lily shuddered as she recalled the wild look in his eyes the night he came through her bedroom window. She was sent away the very next day. Even though she realized her parents were only trying to protect her, it still sucked.
Lily grasped the large, cold brass door handle and took a deep breath. It’s just another school, she told herself. Holding her head high, she walked through the door. Bright fluorescent lights greeted her. The warm air felt nice compared to the frozen tundra outside. The minute she crossed the threshold, people turned to look. She could feel the eyes of the students on her as she headed down the long hallway, but tried her best to ignore their stares. It had been loud when she walked in and now a pin could be heard if it dropped.
She had to go to the housing office to get the key for her room. She glanced around at the bright yellow walls and felt small next to the soaring high ceilings. Unfortunately, she had no idea where she was going, so she was forced to stop and ask someone for directions. Sighing, she turned to a tall boy with curly, blond hair and blue-green eyes. “Could you tell me where the housing office is?”
The boy looked around. “Are you talking to me?”
“Yes. Where is the housing office?” It took a lot of self-control not to let her annoyance show.
“Um, it’s right down the hall; the last door on the left. Do you want me to take you there?” he asked a little too eagerly.
“No, thank you.” She turned and walked off as he gaped after her. She would never get used to the way boys reacted to her.
Lily reached her destination and pushed the door open.
An older lady with grey hair and kind blue eyes looked up from the papers on her desk. “Can I help you?” she asked.
Lily nodded. “My name is Lily Anderson. I’m here for my room keys.”
She looked right into Lily’s eyes. “Oh, yes. Lily, you have a lovely voice. It sounds musical. Do you sing?” She rummaged around the top of her desk.
"Um, thank you. I only sing in the shower." Lily glanced around the large office. She could tell they had tried to make it feel welcoming. The walls were painted a warm, light mocha and had tastefully-placed beautiful artwork. A couple of large plants rested in the corners and a relaxing fountain made of rocks added to the ambience.
“Ah, here it is.” The clerk held up a large manila envelope and handed it to Lily.
Lily opened the envelope. Inside were keys and a class schedule. “Thanks.”
“You have to sign here for them.” The woman tapped her pen on the clipboard.
Lily took the pen and signed her name. When she was done, she glanced at the keychain. Room 244. “Do you have a map?”
“You don’t need one. Just go up the stairs to your left and turn down the first hall. It’ll be the last room on your right.”
Thanking the lady again, Lily headed up to her room. She followed directions and found herself standing in front of room 244. Her heart was pounding. She couldn’t believe she was going to have to share a room with a stranger. Making friends didn’t come easy to her. Lily hoped her roommate wasn't going to hate her like most girls.
She put the key in the lock, took one last deep breath, and opened the door. On one of the beds sat a girl who was the complete opposite of Lily.
Her hair was a mess of orange-red curls and her chubby face was covered in freckles. The girl looked up from her laptop startled. She pushed her glasses higher on her slightly up-turned nose.
“Sorry,” Lily muttered. “I should’ve knocked. I’m Lily.”
The girl looked Lily up and down taking in her long, brown locks of hair. She had flawless, creamy skin with the most perfect rosy cheeks Hannah had ever seen. Lily’s full lips were just right for her face, as were her oval-shaped, olive green eyes. She was the definition of beautiful, and oozed sex appeal.
“Another beauty queen,” she mumbled, eyeing Lily cautiously.
“What?” Lily’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I said I’m Hannah.”
Lily pursed her lips. She was pretty sure Hannah had said something else, but she ignored it. She looked around the small room. “I take it that’s my side?” The room was probably 10x10. It looked like a closet compared to her room at home.
“Yeah, it’s all yours.” Hannah smiled knowingly.
Lily threw her bags down and sat on the small twin-sized bed, which was surprisingly comfortable. She ran her hand over the plain white comforter. The walls were also white and bare. She would have to spruce up her side of the room.
Hannah had tried to make her side cheerful. She had a bright purple comforter with lime green throw pillows, and band posters covered her wall. She even had a string of lights above her headboard.
“Do you need any help setting up?” Hannah asked shyly.
“I didn’t really bring much. I probably won’t be here long. I tend to go through schools quickly.”
Hannah sat up, her deep blue eyes bright with curiosity. “You get kicked out of schools? Why? Drugs, grades, attitude, sex, boys?”
“The last one.”
“I’m not surprised. You are stunning.” Hannah sighed.
“So, how’s this place?” Lily wanted to change the subject.
“Average boarding school.”
Lily shrugged. “Well, this is my first time at a boarding school.”
“Oh. It’s okay I guess. The teachers are good, but most of the students are stuck up. I’m not what you would call popular, so if you want to hang out with the cool kids, you should not be seen in public with me.”
Lily looked up in surprise, trying to catch a hint of humor on the girl’s face, but there was none. Hannah was an outcast—much like Lily. “That’s ridiculous. I wonder if we have any classes together?” Lily pulled out her schedule.
They compared schedules and found they shared a couple classes. Lily felt a surge of hope at the thought of finally having a real friend. Girls usually despised her, and boys were out of the question.
Lily began to unpack her bags. As she stacked her t-shirts, shorts, jeans and dresses, she realized most of them wouldn’t be appropriate for the weather this far north. She’d have to go shopping for some warmer clothes. She glanced at Hannah. "Maybe, we can go shopping together sometime?"
The girl looked shocked. "Really? I would love that. Hopefully, you could give me some pointers. I'm lacking in the style department."
"That would be fun." Lily smiled warmly.
After the clothes were unpacked, she took out the teal comforter and polka-dotted sheets and made up her bed. In the other bag, she took out her personal things: some make-up, a few books, and a stuffed animal from her childhood. She placed the worn brown bear on her bed. It reminded her of the days when life was easy, when she didn’t have to think about what she was—a time that she wished she could go back to.
“That’s a pretty necklace,” Hannah commented.
Lily’s hand flew up to the delicate silver necklace around her neck. A large purple amethyst crystal dangled from it. “Thank you.”
Her parents had given her the necklace almost four years ago, on her thirteenth birthday—when her world had come crashing down. She remembered the conversation like it was yesterday.
Her parents sat her down in the living room and handed her the box. “It’s so pretty,” Lily said with a gasp.
“It is beautiful, but it’s much more than that. Now that you’re thirteen, you need to know about your family history,” her mother said.
Lily looked at them curiously and tried to lighten the mood. “Am I adopted?”
Her parents didn’t laugh. They looked serious. Her mom spoke again, “I know this will be hard to believe. But, there is no easy way to tell you. Lily, you’re a succubus.”
“A what?”
"A succubus." Her mom took her hand. "I know this sounds scary, but it's really not that bad."
Lily racked her brain trying to remember what a succubus was. "Mom, you’re freaking me out. Is this some kind of a joke? What the hell is a succubus? Isn't it some kind of demon? I'm not a demon!"
"Honey, demons have gotten such a bad rap. Not all demons are bad. Just hear me out. Like most things in mythology, what you read or see on TV is only a sliver of the truth. Succubi are not evil. We do not try to kill men in their sleep."
Lily jerked her hand back from her mom’s and shook her head vigorously. No way. This is freaking insane. "So what exactly does a succubus do?"
"Your desires are amplified. Men will be unable to resist you, and you can drain their life force from them through sex if you are not careful. Even kissing can be dangerous. It's best if you don't have any relationships until you learn to control your powers."
