Magic Misfit: The Raven Academy, #1

Prologue

W hat do you see?

Her hissed question was too close to my ear, and moisture flecked my skin. I see a woman playing at spy who’s going to get us both killed because she can’t remain silent. My eyes were closed, but I knew a scowl covered Professor Sunshine’s face at my words.

I wasn’t normally such a tosser, but astral travel needed complete concentration. And projecting to a place I didn’t know based off a scrying spell was even trickier.

The fog in my mind thinned, shapes, indistinct and blurred, coming into sight.

Do you see him? she asked.

I said nothing, trying to move closer to my vision.

Her? It?

I held up my hand, stopping just short of raising my middle finger. I should have known better than to partner with anyone, not when it came to something so vital. My best work I always did alone.

The mists lifted further. It’s a woman. Something about her shape was familiar, a hook to my gut, but I had never seen her before, of that I was certain. Unnaturally bright red hair, average height, a body that could tempt an angel to sin.

A sliver of warning whispered through my veins, but I ignored it. Whatever the magic was trying to alert me to, it hardly mattered. Not when the fate of the magical world hung in the balance.

So it will be a woman who saves us. Her voice oozed with misplaced pride, as though she should be able to take part in any credit simply because she shared the same XX chromosomes.

Or end us. Remember the prophecy said the one we need will either deliver or destroy. I frowned. The woman in my vision seemed engaged in battle. She was knocked to the ground, and acres of long, tan leg sharpened into focus.

My blood began to hum, but I ignored it. The male in me liked what it was seeing. Too much. But I had no time for such nonsense. It was the warlock who needed to reign, not the man. But yes, it’s a woman. She appears to be… This made no sense. Cage-fighting?

With warlocks?

"No, with humans. In a grotty little gym."

I shivered, fog filling my brain, and I struggled against it.

Do you feel that? Sunshine asked, sounding far away. I think someone’s coming.

I pulled my intention into my core, gathered my power, then pushed outward, snapping the dark magic that tried to interfere with my astral travels.

The woman was brighter than ever in my vision, clearer, her midriff-baring tank top sliding up her abdomen as she cocked her hand back and threw a right cross that put her opponent back on his heels.

Her skin seemed to glow. Her hair clung damply around her head. Her lip slowly curled in satisfaction as the man stumbled back then dropped to his ass.

Something deep inside of my gut jerked. She looked like a woman who’d just come. Hot, sweaty, and very satisfied. Blood pooled low in my groin. I wanted to see that look on her in person. Be the one to put it on her face.

Which was foolish. I wasn’t prone to feelings of instantaneous lust. Such things were the domain of teenage boys. Not world-weary mages.

The feeling put my teeth on edge. This woman might be our savior, but she could hurt me. Destroy my control. My power.

And for the first time, I questioned my duty. How likely was it that one woman could stop the coming war? Was the slim chance worth the risk to myself?

My partner tugged at my shoulder, the feeling muted as though coming through a layer of mud. Something’s coming, she hissed. She pulled harder, and my vision of the crimson-haired beauty flickered.

No. That teenage punk inside me screamed in agony as she was torn from me. As my astral self was ripped from her presence and sent hurtling back to my body. I tried to recall her smile. The defiant tilt to her chin. But everything was fading, even my memories.

My stomach burned. My hands reached out, as if I could touch her, but found only air. No, I whispered.

But I knew better than to let my feelings distract me. And it cost us.

The door exploded inward into a thousand splinters, and all hell broke loose.

Chapter One

Delaney

Whoever said it was better to go out with a bang didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.

Jimmy Mahoney didn’t appreciate flying out of the ring with a bang.

I sure didn’t appreciate getting kicked out of the fighting league, and that had happened with quite the bang.

Okay, I wasn’t technically kicked out, but with no one willing to fight me, I was as good as.

They said it must’ve been a gas leak. Something ignited the gas and sent a shockwave through the warehouse that had been rented that night for the match. It threw Jimmy right out of the cage. Right before I was about to knock his ass out with my killer spinning drop kick, I might add. Most of the spectators had been knocked off their feet, too.

But somehow I had been left standing.

A gas leak. Yeah, that was as good an explanation as I could come up with, too.

I almost felt bad for Jimmy. He was favored to win. Heavily. Which I thought was a tad bit unfair considering my fight name was Delaney Giantslayer Jones.

Maybe no one else called me that yet, but they would. Just as soon as that other stupid nickname died the death of a thousand hell-fires.

I’d stopped feeling bad, however, when Jimmy started calling me witch.

Then his friends had picked up the taunt. His friends’ friends. Until the entire underground Detroit fight community was calling me witch. Sticking pointy black hats in my Mazda. (The joke was really on them with that one. My car hadn’t run in two months, so I hadn’t seen that stupid hat until a week after they’d put it there.) They’d put brooms in my locker at the gym I trained at.

And then there was the weird shit that had started.

I tossed my rag down, finally finished cleaning the last table. I’m done up front, I called to Maajid, the manager of the diner I worked at. He poked his head out the kitchen door. Is it all right if I head out now? I asked.

Sure. See you tomorrow. He looked at the polyester stretching across my chest. With Maajid, I knew the look wasn’t sexual. His words confirmed it. I hope that stain comes out before your next shift.

I looked down at the marinara splashed across my boobs. If I had my way, I’d burn the uniform. The owner of the diner had gone full 1950s schtick, making the waitresses wear a baby-blue monstrosity of a dress, white apron, and thick-soled orthopedic shoes, like we were the world’s most unfashionable grandmas.

But my feet were hella comfortable after an eight-hour shift, so I couldn’t complain too much. I grabbed my messenger bag and the sack of food the cook had made for me and headed out. Waiting tables barely paid my rent but the free food was a definite plus.

Maybe if I was nicer to the customers I’d make more in tips. I pondered that possibility as I dug a cold French fry from the bag.

At one in the morning this neighborhood of Detroit was empty. Families were tucked up in bed. Young professionals had to get in their six hours of zzz’s before putting on their skirts and suits for the daily grind. It was my favorite time to walk in the city.

Until I reached my neighborhood. Broken bottles on the sidewalk became a feature not a bug. Dark alleys housed people as well as stray cats.

I continued my confident, don’t-fuck-with-me saunter. The best way to win a fight was to avoid it, and I knew a healthy attitude stopped most predators from messing with me.

The streetlamp above me flickered. It didn’t go out, but the light became so faint it was swallowed by the darkness.

The next streetlamp did the same as I passed underneath.

I ignored it.

Like I said, weird shit had started to occur after my fight with Jimmy. Lights flickered. Faces appearing and disappearing in my apartment window so fast I knew I must have imagined them.

That, and I live on a third story walk up. With no fire exit beneath my window.

Like I said, weird shit.

Like now. I swore the dog following thirty feet behind me used to be a man. There had been the soft pad of leather soles on pavement and now it was the click of nails.

Maybe that gas leak had done something to my head. I should probably have it checked out. As soon as I was back on health insurance.

The dog trotted closer, and I blew out a breath. I wasn’t giving up my burger and fries. I didn’t care how hungry or mean this dog might be. I could be just as vicious with an empty stomach.

I whirled around. Okay, listen up, furball. This is my dinner. Mine. I worked hard for it. And I’m not the sharing type.

It prowled closer, seeming to ooze through the shadows until it stood just outside the dim circle of light cast by the lamppost I was under.

I swallowed. Even in the low light, I could see the dog was big. Massive, really. He couldn’t be hurting for meals if he’d managed to grow to that size.

I took a wary step back. I’m serious. If you want to put on an apron and work some tables, then you’ll get food. But as it is…

The animal stepped closer, its nose breaching the faint halo of light.

My mouth went dry. I was a city girl, through and through, but even I knew that wasn’t a dog.

It was a wolf. A giant gray wolf with the creepiest yellow eyes I’d ever seen. The kind that made you want to turn your gaze away or pee your pants.

I managed not to do either. Barely. Well, if you’re hungry, I guess I could give you half my burger.

It took another step closer.

Or the whole thing. I dug it out and pulled off the wrapper. My ass really doesn’t need the grease. Here you go, nice doggie. I tossed the burger at its feet.

It didn’t even stop to sniff the offering.

Which was just rude, if you asked me.

Are you more of a fries wolf? I pulled out the bag of fries and clenched my hand around it, compressing it into a solid ball of potato.

It prowled closer, never taking those eerie mustard eyes off my face.

I was not going down by a wolf in central Detroit. That was too weird, even for me. I chucked the ball of fries and watched with satisfaction as it hit the beast in the face. I spun and ran for the nearest alley and the dumpster at its mouth.

A growl came from much too close, the sound raising the hair on the back of my neck. I leapt onto the plastic lid of the dumpster, swinging my legs up and out of the way of the wolf’s snapping teeth. I reached for the iron bars protecting the window above me. I hauled myself up a good six inches before the damn window grille shrieked like a dying wildebeest and pulled away from the crumbling mortar.

I bounced off the dumpster lid, my butt settling into the dent it had made.

I didn’t have time to curse. The wolf leapt again, getting its front paws on top of the lid.

I swung the metal window grille with all my might and knocked him back down.

This time when it leapt, I wasn’t fast enough. No time to swing, all I could do was hold the grille in front of me like a shield.

It didn’t work as I’d hoped. The animal’s momentum knocked me off the dumpster and flat on my back on the pavement.

With the wolf standing on top of me, its fangs inches from my face.

A bead of saliva dripped from a pointed canine and into my hair.

Eew! I pushed up, managing to plant my elbows on the ground before the wolf put his weight back on me. With my elbows locked to the pavement, I didn’t need as much strength to keep the grille and wolf away from my face. My forearms acted as posts.

Something sharp bit into my back, and I chanced releasing the grille with one hand to reach for it.

The wolf snapped, its fangs going for the metal bars, trying to yank it from my hands.

Fuck. Who knew wolves were problem-solvers as well as being man-eaters?

I grabbed the grille with both hands and struggled to keep it in place between me and the beast.

A shadow leaned against the brick wall of the alley.

Help! I kneed the wolf in the side, but that only seemed to make it angrier. Call the police!

The shadow tilted its head.

Animal control! I reached under my back again, searching for the pointy object, only to slap my hand back on the grille. The wolf didn’t give me time to find a weapon to stab it with, damn it.

Why would I do that? The words were laced with a soft British accent. The shadow shifted. I caught a glimpse of dark hair. A flash of a smile.

The wolf turned its gray head and growled at the man. Like it was staking a claim on its kill.

Go eat him, I urged the wolf. My arms were shaking and the wolf’s rear paw was dislocating one of my ovaries. I didn’t like using someone else as bait to get away, but the dude seemed like an asshole. A crazy asshole.

Who would casually walk up on a wolf attack and stay for the show?

He knows better than to try, the man said. Something glinted in the moonlight.

Are you checking the time?! I tried wrapping my legs around the wolf’s body, but putting a guard on an animal wasn’t as easy as on a person.

It didn’t work. A little help. Please! And my dad said I’d never learn any manners. My heart pounded. My hand slipped. The wolf put his front paw on the grille and pressed down. The bars smooshed against my face. Gah!

But if I help, I won’t be able to see what you’re capable of.

With the one eye that wasn’t smooshed shut, I sent a glare toward the man which, if life was at all fair, should have incinerated him into dust.

The wolf lowered its head, its long, and oh-so-pointy teeth inching toward my throat.

With the last of my strength, I pushed up on the grille until it was flush against the wolf’s snout. Two of its canines pressed past the bars. I twisted the metal grid, levering against the fangs.

The wolf howled.

One of its teeth tore from its jaw.

I grabbed an ear and rolled, putting the animal beneath me. Breathing hard, I jumped to my feet. I raised the grille above my head as the wolf tensed its legs to leap.

Enough. There was a shimmer, a pulse of light, and I stumbled back.

The wolf kept snarling, pressing forward, but it was like the air had thickened to Jell-O, pushing the wolf back each time it tried to get close.

Go home, the man said. I didn’t come here to fight, but this attack will not be forgotten. His voice dropped, turned so cold it iced the air in the alley. Or forgiven.

My nipples hardened at his tone, and I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to rub warmth back into my body.

The wolf paced back and forth in front of the invisible barrier before giving us one last snarl and loping away.

I sidled away from Mr. Mysterious. You think you can talk to animals? I looked for the sharp thing that had poked into my spine, hoping for a decent weapon. The man didn’t seem overtly threatening, but I wasn’t turning my back on him anytime soon.

He’d told a wolf to go away. That it wouldn’t be forgiven.

And the wolf had listened.

Now I was thinking as crazy as Mr. Mysterious.

I didn’t see whatever had been stabbing me, but I did see something else. I knelt and picked up the three-inch incisor I’d taken from the wolf.

"I can talk to animals." He slipped his hands into his knee-length trench coat and strolled forward. The streetlamps had brightened when the wolf left, letting me see the man in better detail.

And what details they were.

Tall, at least six feet. Dark hair that looked as though a woman had recently run her fingers through it. Piercing blue eyes. He wore a buttoned-up gray cardigan under his coat, the open collar of a striped shirt folding over the edges of the sweater.

He opened his full lips, and I had a hard time concentrating on what he was saying.