Gift Academy (Book One in the Gifted Series)

Chapter Twenty Six

Fay

Mr. Hernandez and I summon our Gifts (Mr. Hernandez just using his water Gift) and scan the battlefield for any Shifters who try to attack us.

A low laugh cuts through the air from behind me, and I whip around to see a guy about a year younger than Mr. Hernandez staring smugly at my teacher. He has short, sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes.

Mr. Hernandez turns as well, and the automatic change in his facial expression shocks me. It turns from alarmed and focused to furious and angry in less than a second. I've never seen Mr. Hernandez so angry before. The fire dancing in his eyes and the deep scowl on his face look so unnatural on him.

"Noah," Mr. Hernandez mutters in a deep voice. The teenager, Noah, just smiles warmly, as if he and Mr. Hernandez were long-lost best friends, though the look on Mr. Hernandezs' face tells a completely different story.

"Hello John," Noah replies, shoving his hands in his pockets. I feel my caution and focus rise, and I'm ready to attack this kid at a moments notice.

"Mr. Hernandez, who is this?" I ask Mr. Hernandez, or John, or whatever.

"'Mr. Hernandez'?" Noah laughs, a glint of madness in his eyes. "Still a pesky teacher, are you, John?"

"Leave, Noah," Mr. Hernandez orders Noah, clenching his hands into fists.

"Who are you? Why haven't I seen you before?" I ask Noah, who smirks at me.

"There's a good reason for that, Sweetheart," Noah answers, and before I know it, where Noah was standing is a tawny cheetah with flecks of sandy blonde furs and bright blue eyes.

"He's a Shifter," I mutter, glancing at Mr. Hernandez, who still looks ready to burn Noah down. He just nods his head, glaring down at the cheetah staring back at him hungrily.

I trigger my nature Gift, ready to use it whenever I need to. I glance back at Noah, who's in a leaping position, still looking directly at Mr. Hernandez. Whatever happened between these two, it was bad.

"Mr. Hernandez, what happened between you and Noah?" I ask him, still eyeing Noah warily.

"It's a long story," Mr. Hernandez starts. "But his-"

Before Mr. Hernandez can say another word, Noah lunges at him, his sharp claws outstretched in front of him. He lashes out at Mr. Hernandez, clawing at him wildly.

"NO!" I shout as Mr. Hernandez shouts in pain, stumbling back. When Noah retreats, he's still staring Mr. Hernandez down. I look back at my teacher and he has three deep scratches running down his left cheek, one right under his eye.

I breathe shaky breaths and look back at Noah, who's changing back to his human body. When he's done, he stares amusingly at the damage he did to Mr. Hernandez.

"Now that's a much better sight," Noah states. I feel my anger rising in my chest, building up into my throat. This Shifter randomly appears and the first thing he does is hunt down Mr. Hernandez. I can tell that he can kill my teacher quicker than I could blink, but something inside me says that he doesn't want to. Yet.

"Now, John, before I get rid of you, can you do me a small favor? Where is it?" Noah asks Mr. Hernandez, slightly tilting his head to the side. I'm confused now. What is 'it'? What does Noah want from Mr. Hernandez, and why?

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mr. Hernandez replies, but I know that's a lie. He fiddles with the hem of his shirt and there's a worried look in his eyes. Whatever Noah's talking about, Mr. Hernandez knows about it.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Where is it, Hernandez?" Noah growls, clenching his teeth. His voice gets deeper with every word, and I can see tawny furs quickly growing on his arms and face. I glance back at Mr. Hernandez, who's still bleeding a bit too much for my taste. He won't be able to defend himself from Noah, even if he does have two Gifts. I don't think anybody can stand their ground facing a Shifter for long.

Mr. Hernandez shakes his head, glancing down warily at the fur growing on Noah.

"You're right. I do know what you're talking about. But I'd rather die than give it to you," Mr. Hernandez scowls at Noah, a ball of water materializing in his hand. Noah just shakes his head, still transforming into a cheetah.

"A brave yet stupid thing to do, John. Oh well. I guess we'll have to find another way to get it, then," Noah replies, then fully shape-shifts into a long, elegant, tawny cheetah once again. I grab hold of my nature Gift again and pray that I'll be ready when Noah goes for Mr. Hernandez again.

Noah snarls at Mr. Hernandez, almost smirking at him. I'm ready to pound his face into the dirt and leave him there to wither and die.

All three of us are silent for a few moments, Noah glowering up at Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Hernandez with a ball of water in both of his hands. A few more tense seconds pass by before Noah widens his blue eyes, still looking at Mr. Hernandez, and slowly starts to back up. I'm baffled now. Why won't he just attack?

Mr. Hernandez also must be confused, because he slowly starts to lower his hands. He furrows his eyebrows together in confusion, and lets his arms drop to his sides. I also let my guard down, knowing that Noah won't attack.

I quickly sigh in relief, then look back at Mr. Hernandez. He looks back at me, and dark blood is still streaming down his cheek. He breathes heavily, and I take one step towards him to bring him back to the academy to heal the scratches on his face when there's a low growl, then a flash of orange-brown and black races in front of me and knocks down Mr. Hernandez.

Noah, still as a cheetah, doesn't know anything about mercy. He lashes out on Mr. Hernandez, clawing at his arms, legs, chest, stomach, and face. Mr. Hernandez cries out and writhes in pain, unable to stop what's happening to him.

I'm blind with rage.

"NO!" I yell, much louder than I thought I would. My shout reverberates through the ground, sending dozens of thick green vines spurting from the ground and towards Noah. As he once again slashes at Mr. Hernandezs' shoulder, all vines wrap around him, pinning his arms and legs. He growls, and I tighten the grip of the vines without even realizing it. Everything is a blur after that. The vines get so tight that Noah turns back to his human body and begins to suffocate, gasping and wheezing for breath.

I don't let go.

I try to hold him tighter. I want to kill him for hurting Mr. Hernandez like that.

I glance down at my teacher, lying on the ground. Bloody. Unmoving.

I look back up at Noah, who's barely breathing. With a shout of frustration and rage, I swing my arm right and the vines hurl Noah away from me and Mr. Hernandez.

Without another thought, I collapse onto my knees next to Mr. Hernandez. It seems like there isn't a part of him that isn't covered in blood. Hundreds of scratches lay bleeding nonstop on him, and he's not breathing. Blood is seeping through his clothes and pouring onto the ground, staining the grass around us with a dark red.

"SOMEONE HELP HIM, PLEASE!" I shout, praying that someone hears me. He can't die. Not now.

Not now.