Queen and War: Slayer Academy (Book 3) Read online

  © 2020 Cassidy Summers.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Cover Design by: Wynter Designs

  Proofread: Heather Fox

  Editing and Formatting: Cassidy Summers

  Introduction

  Out of all the kidnappers I’ve ever had, The Guard has got to be my favorite. They feed me, treat me alright, they even let me train. What they won’t do though, is let me go home. It’s been three long months since they took me and now…I’m done.

  I miss my friends and my family, and my heart aches without Rylan. Graduation is just around the corner and I don’t doubt that I’m going to miss that too.

  My senior year was supposed to be the best year of my life. Instead, it’s one I never want to live through again. I’ve been kidnapped by the Fey and fought through a devastating battle, things that an eighteen-year-old girl should never have to face. Did I mention that I was accidentally shot by my boyfriend while fending off a vampire? Yeah, the past nine months haven’t been so easy.

  All I want to do is make it to graduation. Why is that so hard?

  I will not stand for it anymore. I’m going to take back what’s mine and beware if you get in my way. I’m done being their prisoner.

  It’s about time the world learns, once and for all, that Bianca Moore cannot be messed with.

  Contents

  Introduction1

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 312

  Chapter 416

  Chapter 520

  Chapter 623

  Chapter 727

  Chapter 833

  Chapter 936

  Chapter 1042

  Chapter 1147

  Chapter 1253

  Chapter 1356

  Chapter 1461

  Chapter 1564

  Chapter 1669

  Chapter 1775

  Chapter 1881

  Chapter 1986

  Chapter 2090

  Chapter 2195

  Chapter 22103

  Chapter 23107

  Chapter 24110

  Chapter 25116

  Chapter 26123

  Chapter 27129

  Chapter 28136

  Chapter 29140

  Chapter 30142

  Chapter 31145

  Dominate Playlist149

  Author Biography151

  Other Books by Sheridan Anne152

  Chapter 1

  I sit here in my prison cell, carving yet another line into the wooden bedpost, keeping track of the time my sorry ass has been locked up here. Two and a half months I’ve been a ‘prisoner’ of The Guard Head Office and there’s not a thing I can do about it. They expect me to be happy about it as though it’s some sort of privilege that it’s me they’ve chosen to represent them as their special little poster girl. Yeah, freaking right.

  My days drag from the moment I wake up until the second my head hits the pillow. I get up at precisely six am, I carve a line into the bedpost, have a quick shower, and get dressed into the most ridiculous skirt suit I’ve ever seen. My hair is twisted up into an ‘elegant’ bun, I slip on a pair of black flats and then finally head to breakfast, where I report to Mr. Richards, aka, my prison guard. And just like the day before and the day before that, I eat hardly anything before being escorted to a study hall where I sit for hours while lecturer after lecturer goes over my training, and might I mention, it’s not the good kind of training I’m used to. It’s the pen and paper, slow and boring type that does my head in.

  I know I’m not actually a prisoner or being held hostage, but I might as well be. At least, that’s how it feels to me.

  The Guard has hand-chosen me for my current celebrity and skills in combat in hopes of becoming their poster girl who’ll willingly be shipped around the world to all our academies, boasting about the combat program and convincing the young women of tomorrow to consider a lifelong commitment to the front line, just like I have. But instead of actually being on the front lines, where I so clearly belong, they have me here, learning how to be a much less enthusiastic version of myself.

  Today I’ve got some lady going over how to effectively draw an audience, which I know I have no problem doing. In fact, I would say it would be one of my many beautiful talents, but no, this woman here wants to go over an algorithm she put together to ensure my success. So, here I sit, trying my hardest not to fall asleep while pretending to scribble random numbers and equations into a notebook.

  Following my poor excuse of what The Guard likes to call my ‘training’, I head down to the dining hall where I nibble on dinner. I’m then allocated twenty-five minutes to use the gym facilities, but considering the time it would take to get back to my room, get dressed and hit the gym, that leaves me with no time at all. So instead, I head back to my room with my body itching to kick something.

  I push the old creaky wooden door open and flop down on my bed. My body is desperate to move, to get out of here, and put myself into action. However, after two and a half months of not training, hardly eating, and being cooped up in this little room, my body is beginning to fail me. I’ve lost weight, my muscle tone is deteriorating, and my will to fight the system is slowing fading away.

  I pull off my ridiculous skirt suit and place it down in the washing hamper, knowing the cleaning staff will be through first thing in the morning, making sure to wake me up in the process.

  I pull on a pair of shorts and a training crop before laying down on the floor and put myself through a quick workout that I can manage in my shoebox of a room. It consists of a few sit-ups followed by some push-ups and maybe a few squats if I’m lucky. As for my combat training, I can pretty much kiss that goodbye. Though, I know it’s there in my muscle memory. After all, with Rylan’s training, I consider myself the best, but without my constant strength and agility work, I’ve got nothing.

  An hour later, my head hits the pillow and a silent tear falls down my face as I long for my old life, the easy one where I could get away with murder, the one where my best friend and boyfriend were always there by my side. Hell, I even miss the boys.

  I can only imagine what they’re going through at the moment. Jacinta would be stuck in the library with her nose inside at least three books, trying to figure out a way to appeal The Guard’s decision. She would have Trey and Daniel by the balls helping her, and Rylan, well he’d be beating the crap out of a punching bag, feeling as helpless as I do.

  I didn’t think it was possible, but after the spectacularly crazy last few months we all shared together, we somehow grew from being best friends into the tightest family I could possibly imagine, and it’s killing me now not having that family with me.

  The moment I entered this hell hole, every device was taken away from me. My phone, my laptop, and even my trusty iPod. The Guard Head Office is in a secret location and with the threat of the Fey declaring war against us, The Guard isn’t taking any chances. Though I highly doubt the Fey are intelligent enough to be able to track the GPS on modern devices, but rules are rules.

  I’ve gone from having everyone I love right by my side every moment of the day to not being able to hear their voices. To say I’m feeling a little lonely would be an understatement.

  I roll over in my cold bed and curl up into myself, imagining Rylan’s strong, familiar arms wrapped around me, and wishing that things could go back to how they used to be.

  I fall into a dreamless sleep, c
lutching my bullet chain that hangs religiously around my neck, hoping it can somehow ease the pain of being away from the man I love.

  Chapter 2

  I am miserable.

  Depression has been coming on hard and fast. It’s been three long months and it’s tearing me apart from the inside out. How much more of this can I take?

  I have to get myself out of here.

  I get up, making sure to carve another line on my bedpost and get myself ready for the day. Making my way down the hall, I consider all my options. Running away? Faking my own death? No. It won’t work because the second I get a chance, I’ll be back at The Academy, and when I show up there, The Guard will drag me straight back, kicking and screaming.

  It seems my last and only option is to make the Guard regret choosing me. I will fail. I’ll make myself look like an absolute fool in front of the academies they send me to, making not only the combat program but The Guard’s training look like a waste of time. They’ll have no option but to send me back. Well, fingers crossed that’s what they do with me. The only downfall is not only could I ruin my chances of getting on the Front Lines following graduation, but it may also take months of terrible acting to get me to that point.

  I let out a deep sigh. It looks like I’m in for the long haul. I just have to take it day by day, and today, I have one goal and one goal only – get in touch with the outside world.

  I make it down to the dining hall and turn my nose up. It is completely clinical in here, nothing at all like the modern and cozy one back at home. I push open the door and come face to face with Mr. Richards. He runs a hand through his black hair and raises a brow, letting me know he’s not impressed. “You’re late,” he demands.

  I groan at having to deal with this guy so early in my morning. I swear, if he wasn’t such a jerk, he’d probably be a half-decent guy. I mean, he’s kind of cute too. Maybe all he needs is a girlfriend to lift his sour mood.

  “Yeah, sorry. I think I’ve got a tummy bug,” I lie, putting one hand on my stomach and the other to my mouth while pretending to gag.

  Richards steps back immediately, scrunching his face in disgust. “Go get yourself fixed up in the infirmary,” he dismisses, not wanting to deal with me a second longer than necessary. On second thought, this guy couldn’t handle a girlfriend.

  I give him a weak nod and turn on my heel, feeling pride in my small accomplishment. Step one, complete. Now for the exciting part.

  I head down the hallway to the infirmary and slide through the door. I put on a show about my stomach bug and the nurse ushers me towards a bed, making sure I’m comfortable and explain that the doctor will be here soon. I thank her and send her on her way.

  Ten minutes later, a woman with short pixie hair and a white lab coat comes strolling into the room. “Who have we got here?” she asks.

  “I’m Bianca,” I tell her, still holding my stomach.

  “Ah, of course, I should have known. I’m Dr. Mandoza,” she introduces.

  “Huh?” I ask, taking a closer look and immediately seeing the similarities. My eyes widen in surprise, my ‘stomach bug’ completely forgotten. “Do you happen to know the Dr. Mandoza at The Academy?”

  Her face brightens fondly. “Yes, dear. She’s my sister,” she practically sings. “Do you know her well?”

  “Sure do,” I smile. “She’s been mending me up for years.”

  “If the stories are all true then I wouldn’t doubt that for a second,” she laughs.

  Relief rushes through me knowing there’s at least one person in this place who I can have a decent conversation with. “Yeah, unfortunately, they’re all true. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”

  “Oh dear,” she laughs, shaking her head as she looks me over. “Now, what can I do for you?”

  “I seem to have a stomach bug,” I say, feeling guilty for the lie as I place my hand back on my tummy.

  Dr. Mandoza steps forward and motions to my stomach. “May I?” she asks.

  I nod and watch as she steps forward and places her hands on my stomach. She applies pressure and quickly changes to a new position with a frown marring her face.

  “Well, there isn’t much I can do for the bug, just make sure you keep your fluids up. You may have to take a few days off training though, but I can give you a certificate for that,” she tells me. “What I’m concerned about,” she continues as her eyes roam over the rest of my body. “Is for a combat student, you seem to be quite underweight and not holding much muscle. Tell me, is this normal for your body?”

  I glance away as the emotions hit me hard and I do my best not to break down. “No,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I’ve been here for three months for a training program and my guess would be that I’ve lost about ten pounds during that time.”

  “Right,” she says full of concern, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. “What about your meals? Are you keeping up with your physical training?”

  “No, I’m scheduled twenty-five minutes to train after dinner, but by the time I get dressed and ready, it’s really not worth it, so I do what I can in my room, which isn’t much,” I explain. “As for food, I have breakfast at 6:30, a small lunch for ten minutes at midday, and then dinner whenever they decide I’ve suffered enough.”

  She thinks it over for a short while, not looking very impressed. “That would be fine,” she sighs, “if you were anyone but a combat student.”

  My brows pull down in confusion. “You’ve lost me.”

  “Your body is used to training for long hours each day, so you have a fast metabolism to keep up with you,” she explains. “Now that you’re not training and not eating nearly as much as you used to, your metabolism is working overtime. It’s draining you of your stored body fats and causing you to lose weight.”

  Gee, if it’s not one thing, it’s another.

  I let out a heavy sigh as the depression weighs down on me. Why is that happening to me? I just want to go home and be happy again.

  “Is there something else you’d like to discuss? Is everything okay?”

  “No, I’m fine,” I say with a fake smile. “I just miss home.”

  “Ah, I see,” she nods, giving me an encouraging smile. “Now, there’s no point in hanging out here. Why don’t you head back to your room and take the next few days off?”

  “Thank you,” I say, getting up off the bed.

  I wait patiently and put on a show of holding my stomach as Dr. Mandoza leaves the room. The moment she’s gone, I stick my head out the doorway and look up and down, taking in the layout of the room. The main entry is to my left and the break room to my right.

  Bingo.

  Once the coast is clear, I slip out of the room and head for the break room, hoping there’s no one inside. I quietly push the door open and slip into the room, sending up thanks when I find it empty.

  I quickly search around and do a little dance when I find the nurse’s handbag with her phone sitting right on top.

  Forgive me father, for I’m about to sin.

  I grab the old brick phone and slip it into my pocket before preparing myself with a hand over my stomach and one over my mouth as I make my way out of the break room. I exit the room without getting caught and make my break for it.

  The moment I enter my room, I slam the door closed behind me and flick the lock. I sink to the floor, not physically able to waste a single moment before dialing Rylan’s number.

  Pressing the phone to my ear, I wait anxiously as the call connects and instantly sends me to voicemail. “You know what to do,” his message says as disappointment floods me, however, the sound of his deep voice calms me and gives me just that extra bit of will to keep going.

  “It’s me,” I say to his message bank. “I miss you. Call me on this number when you get this…I love you.” I hang up the phone with a sigh. What I would give to be able to talk to him.

  Next up, Jacinta. It rings once before her velvety voice sounds through the line. “Hello…?” she says hesitantly,
unsure of the unknown number.

  “You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice,” I cry, immediately breaking into tears.

  “Oh, Bianca,” she sobs. “Where the hell are you?”

  “I’m still at The Guard Head Office. They took my phone and laptop so any form of communication with the outside world is gone.”

  “Well, that explains why I haven’t heard from you in three months,” she comments, flatly. “So, what have you been doing there?”

  “No. Don’t make me talk about it,” I pout. “Tell me about school, the boys, Rylan. Damn it, tell me about Rylan.”

  “Okay, okay,” she says. “Calm down.”

  “Get on with it,” I say, hurrying her along as my desperation for answers gets the best of me.

  “Alright,” she laughs. “So, school is school. Just ordinary, nothing exciting is happening. Nora is being a bit nicer and classes are boring.”

  “Okay, what about Trey?”

  “You know Trey. He’s just going with the flow. He’s been in the library with me every day, searching for something we could use to get you out of there, but we’ve pretty much been through every book twice,” she says regrettably.

  “It’s okay. I’m working on something. Hopefully, I’ll be back there sooner rather than later.”

  “Really? What’s the plan?” she asks.

  I cringe knowing I really don’t have anything solid. “I’m just going to keep screwing up and eventually they’ll send me back.”

  “Bianca,” she groans. “That’s the worst plan you’ve ever had. You made better plans in kindergarten.”

  “I know,” I tell her, unable to hide the sulking in my tone. “But I really have nothing to work with here. Now, stop getting distracted and fill me in on Daniel.”

  She groans but gets on with it. “Daniel’s been weird actually. He’s distancing himself a lot, but I’m not sure if it’s because of the whole mutual dad thing or if he’s just missing you. Maybe it’s a bit of both.”