Urban Mystic Academy: Third Project (A Supernatural Academy Series Book 3) Read online

  Urban Mystic Academy: Third Project

  Jennifer Rose McMahon

  Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Rose McMahon

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents described in this publication are used fictitiously or are entirely fictional.

  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 written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design by Rebecca Frank of Bewitchingbookcovers.com

  Dubhdara Publishing

  www.jenniferrosemcmahon.com

  Contents

  Praise for Jennifer Rose McMahon

  A Supernatural Academy Series Book Three

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  About the Author

  Also by Jennifer Rose McMahon

  Afterword

  Sample of THE SHUTTERED WARD, Book One of the ASYLUM SAVANTS Series

  Praise for Jennifer Rose McMahon

  “McMahon's excellent paranormal mystery. Teen and adult readers alike will be clamoring for the sequel."

  Publishers Weekly Starred Review

  ”Engaging, beautifully written scenes, and idyllic descriptions keep the tale moving at a quick pace. The characters are engaging and they draw a person in to this tale of adventure and intrigue. Adrenaline-fueled action and enough twists and turns to keep even the most astute readers on their toes, this is a captivating story with a heroine who is forcefully engaging."

  InD'tale Magazine

  ”As Chieftain of The O'Malley Clan I am always interested in anything to do with Granuaile, our very famous Pirate Queen ancestor. Jennifer's novel captures the connection with the past which we treasure in Ireland. The Irish landscape, contemporary social life, the Irish language, and romance are woven into this fantasy story about Maeve Grace O'Malley and her quest to solve her 'Awake Dreams'. I am certainly looking forward to the sequel. More BOHERMORE please!"

  Sarah Kelly, O'Malley Clan Chieftain 2017

  A Supernatural Academy Series Book Three

  URBAN MYSTIC ACADEMY: THIRD PROJECT

  by Jennifer Rose McMahon

  Chapter 1

  It was like my hair had a mind of its own, dictating its transformation needs to me as if I were its humble servant.

  Green this time.

  As I rinsed the dye from my hair, the long strands dripped with a fantastic shade of seafoam. It must have come from the combination with the residual pink tones that remained on my locks.

  At first, the intention was to mimic the green hue that surrounded Shane and me when we stood close in the old church. Poorva had never seen such a shade before, coming from the heart chakra, but she assured me later it was a good thing. Apparently, the heart chakra radiated green colors when it felt love, and this fact scared me more than the thought of a confrontation with the Dark Witch.

  As my hair dried, the color became lighter and shined with an amazing shade of aquamarine. The tone felt good. It fit.

  Preparing for the third project, it seemed only right to change my hair color again. I had loved the pink, and it only had a short time to exist, but still, a change was coming. I could feel it.

  It had been a week now since we'd traveled to the past—to the time when witch hunts were commonplace. Dom was still trapped there, in his wolf-form, and now Courtney and her sisters were stuck there too.

  Their fates left heavy pressure on my heart as I feared the worst. The frenzied mob of villagers would kill them. The hysteria of dark magic and witchcraft had them all frothing for an execution, or four.

  Our desperation, all of the UMAs, kept us focused on one thing—going back. The next project of the Urban Mystic Academy was one of rescue. I prayed we'd have the ability to accomplish it, but no matter how much I hoped, I couldn't deny the fact that we faced something greater than any of us.

  A rift in time? Dark magic? A deal with the devil himself?

  None of us knew for sure. All we could do was practice our special abilities, find ways to combine them for higher levels of power, and bank on the fact that we could kick some serious ass.

  My long, slow exhale proved I wasn't so confident.

  And heading back to school was by far the last thing I wanted to do.

  Thanks to Ms. Kelly's connections in town, we were able to steer the focus away from Dom and Courtney's absences. Courtney's was easy. Everyone knew she had a history of 'medical absences' due to her condition of burning-from-the-inside-out. And her parents, recognizing her unique situation all too well, were quick to believe the false communication about her retreat to her favorite yoga place. Dom's absence, however, needed a higher level of creativity.

  Fortunately, we had his phone.

  And Ms. Kelly had his Jeep towed and hidden behind her house.

  We could only hope the story of a college visit road trip would hold up for as long as possible.

  So, basically, we were on borrowed time.

  After several squirts of sea salt spray, I shook my hair out into a tossed, surfer-girl look. It seemed fitting for the new color. I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door.

  "Are you serious?" Mom seethed.

  My lips pressed together as I restrained myself from lashing out.

  One. Two. Three.

  Counting in my head was my new practice for dealing with Mom. At this point, I'd come to realize that the tables had turned, and this understanding made it easier to deal with the loss. Who was the real parent, and who was the child? I hated the role reversal. All I really wanted was a caring mother.

  "Morning, Mom," I replied. "Yup. This is what I do." I ran my fingers through my seafoam hair. "Are you still planning to visit the DPW today?"

  Sargent Flynn had put in a good word for her with his buddies there. He'd do anything to help Ms. Kelly, and she had asked this favor of him.

  Mom shrugged. "We'll see. I'm a bit tired this morning."

  It took every ounce of my inner strength not to roll my eyes.

  "Well, I hope you stop by to let them know you still want that job. I think it's a great match for you." And with that, I headed out the door to school.

  As if I didn't have enough on my mind already. I mean, forget about the whole adolescent rollercoaster thing and the impending launch to adulting. There was no time to worry about any of that. It was more about embracing my supernatural gifts, fighting a deranged witch, and rescuing my friends from the abyss. But, whatever.

  I walked along the road, heading toward Lakefield High, counting the days to graduation. It seemed I'd surpassed the graduation requirements a long time ago, but jumping through the hoops of societal expectations was still considered the path to success.

  Then out of nowhere, the blast of a horn snapped my attention out of my thoughts.

  "Brynn!" Shane's voice called to me from his swerving RAV.

  He pulled up beside me.

  "Get in," he called. "I have a plan!"

&
nbsp; Climbing into Shane's car, I fought off the full-scale assault on my senses. First, the smell of his car filled me with a mixture of outdoors, fresh linens, and him. I caught myself, mid-inhale, to be sure I didn't let out a huge ahhhh.

  But that wasn't the toughest part.

  The hard part was nearly going blind from how good he looked in his jeans and hoodie. It had to be a hex. I looked at the console, certain to find a small vile of potion from the root cellar.

  What the hell was wrong with me?

  "You know I like to walk to school," I said with a huff. "It's the only time I get some headspace."

  He coughed. "Well, good morning to you too. And, you're welcome for the ride." He pulled the travel mug out of the holder. "Coffee?"

  I exhaled as my lids fell in shame. "Thanks," I said, taking the flask.

  I seriously didn't know what was wrong with me.

  After a few huge gulps, I added, "So, what's your plan?"

  "Oh, now that you've had my coffee, you're willing to converse more civilly?" he teased.

  "Sorry. My mom set me off again, and now I need to pile on extra armor just to walk into school." I shuddered at the thought.

  Sitting in the same classroom as Laney would be pure torture, and pretending like we all had no idea what was going on would be exhausting.

  The only good thing about going to school would be seeing the other UMAs. I looked forward to seeing Poorva and Blake, no matter how restricting the environment.

  And plus, we had X-block later today.

  "I've been thinking," Shane started, as if my gruff greeting had rolled off him already. "Remember when we first arrived there, and I fought with Dom?"

  My eyes jumped to the healing scratches on his face. Most of the red had faded, leaving scabbed lines that would likely fade with time.

  "Yeah..."

  "Well, his strength was ridiculously powerful. I mean, that asshole's the biggest wolf I've ever seen." He grimaced as if he regretted admitting that fact. "Anyway, when I fought against him, I had strength as I've never felt before. Like something had exploded inside me, making me ten times more powerful."

  I twisted in my seat with a jolt. "I saw that!" I exclaimed, facing him. "I knew it. When I watched you two fighting, you held your own against him. Like, no problem. How did you do that?"

  "That's the thing," he said. "I have no idea. But I plan to find out." He glanced at me with a nod.

  Pulling into the school lot, he slowed the car as he got closer to his favorite parking space. I looked out the side window and watched Laney walking away from her car, turning back to it with her clicker held high. The lights of her Beemer flashed and beeped, and with a whirl, she rejoined her posse of obedient followers.

  "If they only knew," Shane murmured.

  Truer words couldn't be spoken. Her cronies followed her for popularity, having no clue how close they stood to pure evil.

  Or did they know?

  The idea froze me to my spot. Was there any way they might know that Laney had supernatural powers? A connection to darkness?

  "Maybe they do," I mumbled back.

  Shane shot a quick glimpse at me, then parked the car. His bored expression proved that Laney was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

  "So, the book," he said, eyes brightening again. "We should have a look at it, like study it. Just to see if there's anything that stands out. You know, anything about my strength or your fireballs. Anything."

  My eyes narrowed at him. "Like, without the others?"

  He shrugged.

  Shit. It was tempting.

  I was dying to get my hands on the spellbook again.

  Ms. Kelly had tucked it away in a back room of the church for safekeeping, promising that we'd soon gather to study it. She was familiar with the book and would be able to take us through it safely. But then, my impulsivity ate away at my patience, and I grinned at Shane.

  "Okay," I said.

  "Seriously?" He chucked his backpack over his shoulder. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to."

  "Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes.

  He smiled as we headed up the front stairs of Lakefield. Pulling one of the large doors open, he made way for me to pass through.

  Just as I walked past him, he reached and touched the ends of my hair.

  I swatted him away, hitting his hand playfully, half-expecting a snide comment about the new color, and then, holy shit.

  Energy buzzed through me from the feel of his skin, and it tingled all over me. I shook as if from an unexpected chill, only this was the opposite. It was hot.

  Shane fell back with a shudder, hanging onto the door for stability.

  He let out a huge exhale, re-adjusting his pack on his shoulder.

  "Um, yeah," he murmured through a guilty smirk. "I like your hair."

  Chapter 2

  His unexpected compliment made me blush. Or maybe it was the thrill of the contact with his skin. Either way, I was completely rattled by my reaction to him.

  I hated that!

  But it made me feel good that he liked my hair. Not everyone would have the same response, I was sure. My mom had made that crystal-clear already.

  "See you in X-block." Shane's voice smacked me back to reality.

  I turned to him and nodded. "K."

  My eyes pulled away before I was ready, and I clenched my fists in annoyance. Why did I always get so giddy? Really? Couldn't I even look him in the eye for more than a millisecond? It was so frustrating.

  I trailed down the hall toward AP Lit and dragged my heels as long as possible. If I could time it just right, and get to the door just as the bell rang, then I wouldn't have to fight off Laney while waiting for Mr. Benson.

  But no such luck.

  As the classroom door came into view, I was knocked off balance by an unfriendly nudge.

  "Sup, Douglas," Laney hissed.

  I stepped away from her by instinct but knocked right into her side-kick, Liv.

  "Hey, watch it," Liv whined, rubbing her arm as if injured.

  Feeling surrounded, I allowed my defenses to rise.

  "Fuck off, Laney," I sneered.

  "Ooh, touchy." She pressed into my side, forcing me away from the classroom.

  Liv pushed from the other side, making it clear I was heading in the direction they intended.

  I stopped short. "Um, I'm going this way. Sorry to disappoint you."

  "Well, that's your prerogative, I suppose," Laney replied. "But something tells me you'll want to hear what I have to say. And not in front of a class full of seniors."

  I glanced at her with side-eyes.

  "Mm. Thought so," she said. "To the ladies’ room, then?"

  I looked into my classroom, wishing I could just sit at my desk and mind my own business. But Laney had information, and if she was willing to share it, I had to hear it.

  I followed the two of them, and as we reached the bathroom, Mr. Benson turned the corner.

  "Oh, Mr. Benson," I called to him. "We'll be right there. Sorry, I have a little situation."

  He straightened his glasses and cleared his throat. "No problem," he mumbled.

  Male teachers could never handle the topic of unspoken feminine issues. It was the perfect out every time.

  "Well played," Laney snickered. "I think he blushed."

  I rolled my eyes and followed them into the bathroom.

  "What do you want, Laney?" I shifted my weight.

  She glanced at Liv. "Liv, honey, do you mind giving us a sec. I got this."

  Liv's lower lip shot out, as her eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?" she asked with a wounded tone.

  "Yeah, thanks, hun."

  Liv turned and walked out of the bathroom with a huff. Her insult was fueled either from missing out or feeling slighted by Laney. Either one was fine with me, and I was just glad that she was so obedient.

  "She's not quite ready for this level," Laney teased. "Her mind's still too narrow."

  There it was. She even disrespect
ed her closest friends, if one could even call them friends.

  She took a deep inhale. "So, here it is. You have something I want."

  My breath stopped short in my chest.

  Her eyes studied me, then she said, "We need to work together, as crazy as that sounds. You give me what I want, and I'll give you what you want."

  "And what's that?" I managed to squeeze out.

  "Well, you want Dom. And now, it's my understanding that you guys fucked up royally, and Courtney's trapped too." She let out an evil laugh that curled my toes.

  "And?"

  She smiled and walked around me, checking out my hair from all sides. "You see, I want my family reconnected. I want it all back." She flicked the ends of my hair, and I pulled away from her. "And it's your fault, you and your friends. So you owe me."

  I huffed. "We don't owe you anything, Laney."

  "Oh, but you do, and I'll be sure to collect."

  I shook my head. "I have to get back to class." I glanced toward the door.

  "Uh-huh. Sure," she sighed. "You took something that wasn't yours, Brynn. And I want it back."

  Shit. My spine straightened. How could she even know that?

  "The book, Brynn. I want it back. It belongs to my family." She pressed her face close to mine.

  Oh my God. She knew about the book. But how?

  Damnit. She was accessing our thoughts without us even knowing.

  "It's not yours, Laney," I stated.

  "Oh, but it is. And I intend to get it."

  "Well, you won't get it from me." I stepped toward the door.

  She jumped forward, attempting to block my way.