Azure Dragons (Supernatural Shifter Academy #2) - G. Bailey Page 0,54

while they’re taking care of your friends.”

Hunter’s eyes widen. “You mean Hazel? Are they taking her away right now?”

Josie moves forward, glaring down at Lyle. “Listen, kid,” she says, “I don’t know what kind of instructions you’ve been given, but I’m under strict orders to get these students out to the main building in time for the first group to be transported, and you’re in my way.”

“Bullshit,” Lyle replies without missing a beat. “Russo would’ve let me know. You know what I think?” he continues, giving Josie a menacing look. “I think you’re having a crisis of conscience, and you’re trying to fuck with the board’s plans. I’ve got news for you: it’s not going to happen.”

Landon snorts, shaking his head. “You really are a piece of work, Lyle. Do you know that?”

Lyle just smirks. “So I’ve been told. You’re not going anywhere.”

“He’s stalling us,” Silas says, sounding panicked. “They’re probably taking Hazel and the twins away right now!”

“How observant,” Lyle mutters.

“I say we just go through him,” Shade snaps. “We don’t have time for this shit.”

“You can certainly try,” Lyle replied, and in an instant, he’s shifted into his vampire form, his eyes glowing red, his face twisted with hate. “And don’t bother trying your little lullaby again, Brix,” he adds, turning his glare on me. “You’re not going to get the jump on me this time.”

“That’s it,” Shade mutters, rushing forward and transforming. He springs towards Lyle, but the vampire is stronger, and he knocks the wolf out of the air like he’s nothing.

“Shade!” I yell, running to his side.

“I’m fine,” he growls. “Worry about Lyle!”

I look up to see Josie already transformed, her brow furrowed in concentration as she works a spell, but she’s flagging, and we can all see it; between her injuries and the magic she used to break us out, she’s running on empty. Silas is standing beside her, struggling to get into his dragon form, but he’s not back to a hundred percent either, and it’s just the opening that Lyle needs. Striding forward, he picks Josie up by the neck and lifts her into the air, squeezing hard enough to make her gasp and sputter. Her focus broken, she snaps back into human form, clawing desperately at his hands.

I close my eyes and summon my magic, struggling to concentrate, but before I’m even able to transform, there’s a sudden movement to my left, as quick as a gust of wind. Opening my eyes, I see Hunter charging forward, transformed into his vampire form, his eyes blazing and his fangs bared. It’s something to behold, especially considering how much trouble he had before, and Lyle seems taken aback. A split second later, he’s dropping Josie to the ground as Hunter knocks him down, the two vampires clashing in a battle of supernatural strength and speed.

Landon helps Josie to her feet as I help Shade, who lunges forward again, ready to continue the fight, but Hunter yells out to stop him. “Go!” he cries. “We don’t have time!”

“What about you?” I ask, frozen with fear.

Hunter glances over his shoulder, and for a brief moment, his eyes, now red, meet mine. “I’ve got this, Boots,” he says, and something in his tone makes me believe him. “Go rescue Hazel!”

The rest of us don’t need telling twice. “Come on,” Josie says, gritting her teeth and beginning to run. The rest of us follow suit, although I can’t help but pause to take one last look at Hunter, who is grappling with Lyle as if his life depends on it. Sending up a silent prayer that he’ll be okay, I follow the others out of the sculpture garden, skirting around the side of the administrative building. “They’re doing the transports from the parking lot,” Josie says, peering around the corner.

I follow her gaze and see that she’s right; already, a cluster of about half a dozen students have assembled on the hill, alongside a couple of faculty members, who are busy doing headcounts and preparing their spells. Hazel is among them, along with Ruby and Xander, which surprises me; as American students, they shouldn’t be sent back to the island, should they?

Of course they shouldn’t, some cynical part of me thinks. Hawthorne knows we’re friends. It was never about the education - they want us separated, and that means getting the people we love as far away from us as possible. For all we know, they’ll bring them back to the island, lock them up, and throw