Alkine Academy

The Academy looks absolutely haunting.

As my Uncle and me pull up to the gargantuan school, I realize just how daunting it actually looks.

"This is Alkine, your new home away from home." He looks at me happily. He tries his best to put up a facade just for me but I can see right through his anxiety.

"Yea." Unbuckling my seatbelt, I slowly make my way out of the car. Trying my best to put off the inevitable. Unfortunately that's a loss cause when I see a bubbly blonde sauntering up to me.

She's holding a clipboard in her hand with an enormous smile planted across her face.

"Hello my names Cynthia and I'll be your school adviser." Holding out her hand to me that's free of the clipboard, I shake it gingerly.

"Hello Mr. Demonas how are you today." She grants my Uncle with a beaming smile.

"Just fine Cynthia," he turns to me, placing his hand on my shoulders, "If you need me I'll be in my office for a little while." With his eyebrows raised, he nods his head just once, walking off to the Academy doors. Leaving me alone with the bubbly Cynthia.

She turns to me, with her eyes piercing straight through me. Her beaming smiles drops off her face immediately.

"Here's the map of the school," she shoves the crumpled map into my hand, "The Headmasters office is the fifth door on the right just as you enter the building. See you later." She walks off dramatically, leaving me baffled and stunned. How quickly her attitude changed in a mere few seconds doesn't surprise me in the least. I've dealt with all kinds of people at my old school. She's just one of many cliches.

Disgruntled by her actions, I crushed the map into my hand. Walking up to the undesirable doors that bears my unwanted future.

Entering the Academy I have a sense of foreboding. The building inside is more magnanimous that it's outer shelling.

The inside of the building looks like it came straight out of a Harry Potter movie. I wonder if the portraits on the walls will start moving?

Examining a painting of a large demon with an abundant amount of fog incasing him, I eye it closely to see if the demon will actually move. After a few seconds I give up on my moronic musings.

I'm losing it.

Walking down the silent hall, my footsteps echo throughout the building. Counting down the doors to my right I finally reach a humongous set of double doors that look straight out of the medieval times.

Upon opening the creaky the door, I enter inside of the Headmasters office hesitantly. Expecting a bat or something to fly out at me.

The inside of the office looks just like a regular deans office preferably. Well thank God there's no bats.

There's a very pretty secretary sitting at the front desk.

She looks up at me suddenly blasting me with an gorgeous smile.

"You must be Jaci?" Nodding my head to her, "we've been expecting you," she waves her manicured hand to the seat seating directly in front of her desk, "have a seat and I'll get your paperwork sorted." Sitting down in the cold leather seat, with the crumpled up map in my hand, I blow out the immense breath that I've been holding in. My anxiety is over flowing.

"Looks like everything is in order. I just need you to sign these papers," leaning in I sign the paper she offers to me, not even bothering to read it over, "Alrighty then, here is your key card for your new dorm room," I place the card in my back pocket, she eyes the map in my hand, "I see you already have a map. Here's a pamphlet on the rules and regulations," she hands me a little blue pamphlet, I place it with the map inside my hand, "and here's your card to see Ms. Flora. Her room is outside of the door, it's the last door to your left. Right beside the entrance doors. My name is Ms. Tampal if you have questions you can come in and ask me at anytime and welcome to Alkine." Her cherry attitude is inspiring. Placing Ms, Floras card in my other pocket, I shake her hand, saying thank you and turning for the door to go find Ms. Floras office.

Reopening the double doors, I step into the massive hall retracing my steps to the entrance, searching for Ms. Floras office or the library. Remembering that my Uncle said that she was also the librarian.

Coming to a halt in front of her door, this is the moment that I've been dreading. When I open this door my entire world is going to completely change in all aspects.

Swallowing once, then twice, trying to shake off my apprehension. I reach my hand out for the bronze knob with my hand literally shaking.

This is my defining moment.

Well I thought it was anyway.

That is until I get interrupted by someone beside me clearing their throat.

"Lost?" She ask me with a trace of humor underlining with curiosity.

"Uhm..no. But I am a little scared." Knowing what I'm there for I sneak a peek at her wrist. Wondering if she has a certain bracelet on her but I don't see one unfortunately.

She catches me looking down at her wrist, raising her brow at me.

"You're here to see if your mate is here right?" Dropping my hand from the knob I turn directly to her.

"Is it that noticeable?" She giggles a little at my anxiety. Holding out her arm to me.

"Hi my names Marva I'm a first year student also." Shaking her hand a little firmly, she flinches.

"Sorry I'm a bit nervous if you couldn't tell." Marva gives me a lopsided smile.

"It's ok there's nothing to me nervous about. Everyone here has to do it." Eyeing her wrist once again she senses my curiosity.

"I've already met my mate his name is Princeton he's a year older than me. It's not so bad just go in and get it over with. If you want I can come with you?" I nod my head to her vigorously.

"Yes please I mean...if you don't mind." Marva doesn't realize how her small suggestion placates my nerves tremendously.

"I don't mind. Come on Ms. Flora is a really nice person I'm sure you will love her." She says, trying to set my mind at ease. She reaches for the knob, holding the door open for me to enter.

With a resounding click of the door behind me, I jump startle, my nerves are completely shooting right out of the roof at this point.

"Relax. It will be ok." Marva graces my shoulder with light squeeze of her hand.

"Ms. Flora we have a new student her for you. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." Before I could reply a musical voice answers for me.

"This would be Ms. Jaci Demonas. Welcome Jaci."

Should've known that an Oracle would know who was coming to visit her.

She has an magnificent beauty. With startling green emerald eyes and red flowing hair. Just watching her is hypnotic.

"Have a seat dear I'll get your bracelet." Sitting down in a brown wooden chair, with a brown wooden table in front of me. I eye her as she disappears around the corner, returning instantly with a little needle, and a my forsaken bracelet in her hands. Sitting across from me she places the items in the table. Reaching out for my hand.

Placing my pamphlet and the map on the table to the side. I place my trembling hand inside of hers.

"I'm just going to prick your finger. There shouldn't be that much pain." Nodding my head I side glance Marva standing beside the table watching profusely at what we are doing.

She pricks my finger, a droplet of blood appears on the tip of my pointer finger. Turning my finger over, she applies a little pressure on it, making the blood droplets fall into the emerald on the bracelet.

When my blood hits the emerald a small puff of green smoke wafts out of the center, disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

She places the bracelet on my wrist after the puff of smoke dissipates. Dropping both of her hands into the wooden table she leans back and eyes me with a grin.

"In just a moment the initials of your mate should appear on the side then it will glow out a green translucent color if your mate is in range of you." We all three sit back waiting impatiently for any sign of my mates initials to appear.

Feeling immensely anxious I start to fiddle with my hoodie string not daring to look at the demonic bracelet directly.

Then a tingling sensation hits my wrist all of the sudden and initials start to appear on the right side of bracelet.

We all lean in closely as the two little letters of my destined mate began to appear. OA starts to embed on the right side of the bracelet, causing butterflies to flutter inside of my stomach.

Glancing up at Ms. Flora I see her eyes are now big as saucers with her mouth forming the perfect "O".

"What?" I watch them both carefully, when a sudden jolt on my wrist the tingles has me nearly jumping out of my skin.

Another set of initials start to appear on the left side of the emerald. Causing my anxiety to sky rocket through the roof of the building again.

"Is it broken? Do we need to do it again?" Continuously eyeing them both suspiciously.

"It's not broken." Marva barely whispers out her answer. As I feel another tingle race up my arm.

Watching the letters suddenly engrave themselves upon the bracelet, now there's three sets of initials on it. A, CA and FA are solely planted on the left side of the bracelet. With another set of initials slowly appearing on the right side.

By the time all of the initials were engraved on it. I ended up with four sets of initials all ending with the latter A.

OA

CA

FA

And an AA.

Shock is permanently etched on my face!

"What's wrong with it? Did we do it wrong? Why is there four sets of initials on it?" I am desperately in need of some freaking answers.

"There's nothing wrong it my dear. Those are the initials of your mates. It's rare but it does sometimes happen. You my dear have four mates and I think I may know who they are. But unfortunately I'm not allowed to tell you." Ms. Flora compassionately tells me.

"Why can't you tell me? Who are they? And why do I have more than one?" Marva sighs out beside me, when her eyes lock into mine I can see her concern.

"It will be ok Jaci. They're not that bad." What the hell does she mean by that?

"What?" My apprehension is at all time new level. I came in here hoping to find one mate now I have freaking four to deal with? If life doesn't stop handing me all of these damn lemons, fuck lemonade, I'm gonna make a lemon volcano!

"Look it's starting to glow!" Marva says with way too much excitement. As I watch the demonic bracelet start to emit a translucent green glow.

"That means that they are close to you." Marva explains to me confidently. I wish I could be just as excited as she is about this entire absurd situation.

"Great!" Frustrated at my circumstances. I stand quickly gathering my pamphlet and map off the table. Turning my attention to Ms. Flora.

"Thank you." I tell her somberly. Turning on my heels I walk off from her jolting to door to exit.

I hear her saying a your welcome before the door shuts behind me.

Sighing out loudly in the isolated halls I can't help but feel like I walked directly into a Steven Spielberg movie.

They could name it Jacis Twilight Zone!

With a resounding stomp of my foot I turn on my heels again headed straight for my Uncles office.

Hearing voices before I approach my Uncles office I look around the corner where I hear them echoing from.

There's two guys up against another giant door. The taller one has his upper arm planted directly at the other guys throat. Forcing him up against the door, the poor guys face is turning a funny shade of purple. He's gasping for air that he's apparently not getting.

"I told you that you had two weeks to get the fucking money. You're two weeks are up asshole." The taller guys viscously stammers in the other guys face.

"Stop!" I don't know what the hell I was even thinking. Stunned from my stupid outburst, I stand frozen staring at them. The tall guy tears his heated gaze away from the other guy. His stone cold glaze hits me directly.

Feeling an oddly strange connection I keep staring into those cold gray eyes with confusion. His heated gaze roams all over my body, licking his bottom lip, he gives me a suggestive little wink of his right eye.

Taken by complete surprise from his actions, I never noticed someone coming up behind me. When a hand touches me on my shoulder I jump around quickly with a loud gasp.

"Woah, are you ok?" Marva worriedly ask me. With my hand laying across my chest I try desperately to catch my breath.

"Fine." I wheeze out barely, looking around the corner for the two guys that were once there have suddenly disappeared. With my brows furrowed I eyeball the hallway searching for them both but no one's around apparently.

"You sure your ok?" Marva looks down at me curiously. Maybe I was imaging it all? Shrugging my shoulders to her, I let out a small tensioned filled giggle.

"I'm fine. Just a little jumpy." I somewhat lie to her.

"Ok. Well I'm off then I was just making sure you were ok you know...after." She points at my demonic bracelet.

"Yea I'm good thanks." Waving a small a goodbye I head off to my original destination.

Entering my Uncles office quickly, while standing in front of the door I never notice he wasn't here alone.

He's sitting at his desk with another individual that is sitting across from him with his back turned to me.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were busy. I'll come back later." I hastily reply.

"We're almost done Jaci. Just take a seat in the waiting room." He points to a side room that has a blue partition as fake wall. Nodding my head diligently I walk to to the side office seating promptly into a leather cushioned seat patiently waiting.

I can still hear them both talking. Mainly mumbles but when my Uncles voice starts to rise a few decibels, I can hear him very clearly.

"Your bracelet is glowing Ora!" Gulping down hard, knowing it's because of me, I jump up off the seat rapidly. Frozen for a second in fear, I scramble quickly to the door in the my Uncles waiting room. Opening it forcefully with a hard yank, I take off down the hall running in a full blown panic.

I know I have obligations that I'm running away from but I'm obviously not ready to meet one of my mates just yet. Especially knowing how Marva and Ms. Flora acted earlier. I may be a coward for taking off like I am but I desperately need these next two days of solitude to wrap my head around not having just one mate.

But freaking four!