Beyond The Shadows : Shadow Institute Read online

  BEYOND THE SHADOWS BY J.A. ROLES

  Beyond The Shadows: Shadow Institute © copyright 2022 J.A. Roles

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  BEYOND THE SHADOWS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  About J.A. Roles

  BEYOND THE SHADOWS

  Remember: Sometimes breaking the rules just might be a good thing.

  Chapter One

  Watching humans, or ordinaries as most supernaturals call them, frolic as they built a bonfire in preparation for the Summer Solstice festivities caused knots to form in my stomach. It was the same every year in the antiquated town of Ravensweir. The town pretty much existed for the benefit of the supernatural rehabilitation centres we call Institutes. It wasn’t on any maps; people were conditioned to never leave, and it hardly ever had visitors from beyond the Black Forest. It was the perfect place to see if we badly behaved supernaturals could be amongst ordinaries. After all, if one of these ordinaries should be attacked, who are they going to tell? They still lived without modern technology and believed their dumb little ritual had to happen on the Summer Solstice to bring a good harvest to the town. They came from a bloodline who’d strangled witches and burnt their bodies. Which meant us supernaturals despised them even more. These ordinaries believe their ancestors destroyed all witch bloodlines, so the only way to honour their ancestors and appease their non-existent harvest-gods is by creating a giant bonfire and throwing witch-effigies made from cotton and straw onto the flames.

  Hell, I’m not a witch; most witches despise us vampires, but the one common ground we share across the Institutes for European supernaturals is our dislike of ordinaries. They were often the reason most of us were in these supernatural rehabilitation centres. Any crimes a supernatural commits in Europe, whether against an ordinary or a fellow supernatural, results in them being hunted down by The Society; the rulers of the supernatural world. Once caught, they send supernaturals to the Institutes. Each Institute is located in a different area across the Black Forest in Germany. Vampires are sent to the Shadow Institute, werewolves, and wolf-shifters to the Lunar Institute, and witches, and warlocks to the Institute of Leather Jackets. The Society’s leader is Ludwig of Bavaria; he was known as the Swan King before his death and his transition into a vampire. Then there’s Leonard. He’s Ludwig’s second in command. The Society isn’t just led by a bunch of vampires like it used to be; now there are wolf-shifters, witches, and warlocks. They all live together in Neuschwanstein Castle; it’s the perfect cover and not too far from the Black Forest.

  I leant against the stonewall bridge and continued to look down and observe the ordinaries as they passed wood to one another, stacking their bonfire higher and higher. My body froze, flashbacks flooded my mind, and I was reminded of exactly why I was sent to the Shadow Institute. That night any shred of humanity I had abandoned me; I was in survival mode. Images of me slaughtering an entire family consumed me, and the guilt refused to leave me. I didn’t care about those I’d killed. All I cared about were the consequences, not only for me, but for those I loved.

  It was a beautiful summer in our home village of Grasscroft, England; I was taking care of my little sister Elena as our parents had passed away. She’d just turned seventeen, and I knew she’d soon realise I was different, so I decided to confess what I was; that I was a creature of the night; that I was a vampire. Elena begged me to turn her too, so we’d never be without each other; I agreed.

  A few weeks later, the Wainwright family were gathering wood for the Summer Solstice bonfires when they saw Elena feeding off animals on the moors. I knew we were at risk if they exposed her, if they exposed us, and I refused to be forced to leave the only home we’d ever known. I knew they’d come for us. I knew I needed to act first. Alone, I made my way to their cottage on the moors and watched until the elderly man was alone in his garden; I tried to compel him to forget he ever saw Elena, but his two adult grandsons attacked me in a desperate attempt to save their grandfather. Their mother grabbed a crossbow and was about to shoot an arrow through my chest when I tore it from her hands and shot it through her heart. The whole thing haunts me. I was left with no choice but to kill them all. I hadn’t realised at the time, but I’d killed three generations. The Society found out, came after me, and dealt me my punishment; a sentence at the Shadow Institute, but they also punished the only two people I cared for; my little sister Elena, and Tate, my childhood best friend and now also my lover of a year.

  The Summer Solstice festivities meant it was almost time for our annual test and the supernatural Solstice Trials in each Institute to begin; I hated it. No matter what I did, no matter what tests I passed, I knew I’d never be free of the Shadow Institute.

  “Jax, don’t you dare,” Tate whispered and pulled me from my dark thoughts. His deep brown eyes stared into mine.

  “We should throw them on the bonfire and turn them into a smouldering pile of ash.” I turned on my heels and headed back to the confines of the Shadow Institute. It wasn’t a prison, but it sure as hell wasn’t voluntary either; we had no choice but to complete our sentences or Ludwig’s men would hunt us down like animals in the forest.

  I shot through the Black Forest, which bordered Ravensweir, until I reached the arched doorway of the Institute; Tate a heartbeat behind me. I swung the metal doors open and made my way inside, to come face to face with Hazel Hawkins, the Institute’s resident bitch.

  “You didn’t stay out long.” Hazel smirked and moved her gaze to Tate.

  “It’s the Summer Solstice, she’s pissed, you know she’s like this every year,” Tate told her.

  I stomped my way to the third floor of the Institute and into my room, where I buried myself beneath my bedsheets.

  “You should be used to it by now.” Tate plopped down next to me.

  “Why should I? Because the Institute pretends it’s okay? Thing is, we could easily rip the ordinaries to pieces and take over their sad, little world.”

  “Now, now, Jax. You know what would happen if we did that.” He grinned and combed back his thick, black hair.

  “Yep, a few more decades stuck in this damn Institute. I was only joking about hurting the ordinaries, but I am sick of being stuck in the Institute. Stuck in Germany. Stuck in my nineteen-year-old body, yet I’ve been alive one-hundred and twenty-nine years and I’ve not even seen the world yet, all because I had no choice but to protect the people I love.” I kicked my shoes off and let them fall to the floor.

  “I know, Jax. You made a mistake and believe me, we’ve both paid for it, but don’t forget you’re on your final warning,” he reminded me.

  I rolled my eyes. I knew I was on my final warning. I certainly didn’t need to be told.

  “I know, and there’s not a day that I don’t regret killing the Wainwright family. Not because I feel guilty about taking their lives, because I don’t. They’d have taken Elena’s. They’d have butchered the three of us. I was defending the only two people I had left in the world. My only regret is that now you’re both stuck here in the Shadow Institute because of me. I’m sorry you had to get involved, Tate. You shouldn’t have lied for me and said I hadn’t done it.” Tears pooled in my dark brown eyes.

  “Stop that right now. I’d do the same thing a thousand times if it meant I got to be here with you, even if we’re stuck here for an eternity; I’d be happy because I’m with you, my beautiful.”

  “You’re always so sweet to me
.”

  “That’s my job.” His finger swept the tears from my cheeks.

  “I don’t want to go tonight. Can’t we stay in and practice jujitsu or some crap instead?”

  “You hate jujitsu. In fact, you hate anything which means you have to exert energy.” He threw his head back and chuckled.

  “I do, don’t I? So, I wonder how much I hate attending the Solstice and pretending to be an ordinary?” I rolled my eyes and tossed a pillow in his direction.

  “We all have to go, Jax, you know that. It’s part of the test. We have to prove we’re not a danger to the ordinaries before we ever get a chance to leave this place.” His hand found its way onto my lap.

  “Yeah, I know. I’ll go, but I can’t say for definite that I’ll behave.”

  “When do you ever?” Tate shook his head.

  *.*.*.*

  Later that evening, the Institute was abuzz with vampires prepping themselves for the evening’s activities. It was the one night of the year when the Institutes of the Black Forest came together and mixed freely with ordinaries at the Summer Solstice festivities. It was all part of learning to become civilised members of society before we could be free of our Institutes. You know, no attacking humans or other supernaturals. Every year, it was our biggest test. You’d think living for decades in the Shadow Institute would have been enough punishment for our crimes against other supernaturals or humans, but Ludwig insists we must be able to be around ordinaries and our natural, supernatural enemies without bringing attention to ourselves before we’re allowed to live our normal lives again. Well, as normal as being a vampire can be.

  I guess Tate and I were lucky that Ludwig hadn’t instructed Malachi, the leader of the Shadow Institute, to send us to the Old Rectory; a real prison for supernaturals. I almost got our arses sent there for fooling around in the Black Forest. That’s when I first encountered Sapphire Stone; the chick that millionaire vampire, Michael Archer, is dating. I was never going to attack her when we crossed paths. I jumped from the treetops and scared her, but I had no bad intentions other than playing around. Tate pushed me away from Sapphire before I’d even touched her, which meant she told Ludwig no one had harmed her and that Tate had been her knight in shining armour, well not in so many words, but it meant that Ludwig allowed Tate and me to make our way back to the Institute. It was a good job he had more important stuff to deal with, that and the fact I’d not harmed anyone in a decade.

  I mean, this damn place is full of Institute guardians whose job it is to make sure us Institute supernaturals behave ourselves outdoors. It’s obvious that we’d get bored and need to make our own fun, since Ludwig has the entire Black Forest and Ravensweir encased in a supernatural barrier that prevents us Institute supernaturals from leaving without turning into a pile of ash. It’s only once they remove your name from The Society’s list of rogue supernaturals that you’re free to leave and explore the world. I wished so hard to be free. All I wanted was to be free to live a life outside of the Shadow Institute with Tate and my little sister Elena. I was always messing around and getting us into trouble, but since scaring Sapphire Stone, I’d vowed to be on my best behaviour, or at least try to be.

  Tate and I made our way into the great hall. We call it the rink. Tables full of makeup, wigs, and daylight jewellery sat waiting for us.

  “Make sure you conceal every rune,” Malachi instructed, “ordinaries will ask questions if they cover every one of us.”

  “I hate doing this,” I muttered to myself.

  “I heard that, Jax,” Malachi responded.

  “Well, I do. I’m proud of my runes, they stop me burning up in the sun.”

  “We all love our runes, but we’re only covering them. It’s not like they’re gone or won’t work anymore. It’s a bit of makeup. Besides, you can wear a daylight ring or necklace if you’re that worried about your runes not working.” Hazel pouted, smeared her arms with makeup, and covered her swirls of ink.

  I gritted my teeth and slapped makeup over the rune on my arm.

  Tate’s hand cupped my jaw as he gently turned my face to his. “Leave it, Jax,” he whispered.

  I didn’t need to speak for Tate to know my thoughts. We were joined at the hip and knew each other inside out, but that didn’t stop Hazel’s obsession with him; it drove me insane. I was desperate for an excuse to smack her in the mouth again, and it looked like I’d find one soon enough.

  “Is everyone ready?” Malachi asked.

  “Ready like Freddy,” Tate called back.

  “What?” I squinted.

  “Freddy Krueger.”

  “Who?” I shrugged.

  “Oh Jax, I wonder about you sometimes,” Tate snorted.”

  Chapter Two

  We made our way out of the Institute, through the Black Forest and into the centre of Ravensweir. A hoard of ordinaries greeted us.

  “Glad you could make it, Malachi. I see you’ve brought family along.” Mr Kennedy, the new village mayor, held out his hand.

  “Yes, this is Tate, and this is Jax,” Malachi told him.

  “Jax, what an interesting name.”

  “If only you knew,” I replied and flashed a grin.

  “I’m Hazel Hawkins.” Hazel introduced herself, chest first.

  “Come on. We don’t have much time.” Tate slid his arm around my waist and led me through the crowd.

  We slipped back into the forest without Malachi noticing; he was far too busy flirting with female ordinaries. It didn’t take long before we reached The Den. Its pointed roof reminded me of a circus tent, except this wasn’t made of cloth; witches had ensured it had solid walls and a sturdy roof. We snuck inside, making sure no one saw. The sight of vampires getting blood drunk, wolves shifting in between dances, and witches lighting up The Den with magic made me feel alive.

  The Den was the one place where supernaturals came together and put their differences aside. It was the one place in the middle of this craziness that I didn’t have to worry about hiding what I was. I wrapped my arms around Tate and nuzzled into his neck as we slow danced beneath the mirage of stars created by the witches.

  The Den was a secret even Malachi didn’t know about. I couldn’t help but sneak inside every time there was a gathering, well, almost every time. Witches hid it using a glamour spell. The hottest, secret, supernatural nightclub in town; well, the Black Forest, and the one place I didn’t mind going for a fun time. The Den usually appeared every few months; a group of Institute supernaturals would organise secret rave nights, but I was sure it’d be closed this Summer Solstice, after last year’s shenanigans. That’s another reason I really didn’t want to attend the whole Summer Solstice thing this year because if The Den wasn’t here I’d be stuck playing pretend amongst the ordinaries of Ravensweir.

  “Hit me up!” I called to the bartender, a young vamp with purple spiked up hair. Her nose ring reflected a rainbow on to the counter.

  “Any preference?” she asked.

  “Whatever will get me blood drunk fast.”

  I looked around to see Elena draped around her boyfriend, Gaz. It was their first time at The Den, and they seemed to be enjoying it. Gaz had worked his magic on her to convince her to party, especially to willingly break one of Malachi’s rules.

  “Jax, that’s your fifth shot already.” Tate’s fingers moved my hair from my ear as he whispered to me.

  “And?”

  “Slow down.” His fingers ran from the top of my ear down my cheek, his lips grazed my neck and his arms crept around my waist, spinning me around to face him.

  “You think you can just seduce me, and I’ll do anything you want, don’t you?”

  “I know I can, and I know you will.” He grinned, sending shivers down my spine and tingles across every inch of my body.

  Fuck, why was he so irresistible? Why the hell had we waited so long to become lovers?

  We soon found ourselves in the bathroom. The scent of vanilla hit my nostrils. I knew what was about to go do
wn would be anything but vanilla. The thought made me smile.

  “What are you grinning at? You little minx. Come here.” Tate pulled me into him and slammed me against the shiny beige wall.

  He pressed his lips to mine and our tongues crashed against one another. His hand found the back of my head; he gripped me by my hair and dragged me into a cubicle. Tate slammed the door behind us and guided me to my knees. I knew exactly what he wanted, but I wanted to hear him say it, so I waited and stared up into his big brown eyes.

  “Unzip me, baby. Show me how much I mean to you,” he whispered.

  I did as he said and unzipped his pants; his erection bursting through his boxer shorts made me want him even more. I slid my hand inside them before tugging them all the way down; his hard cock sprang free to greet me. I stared up into his eyes as he took his length in his hand and slid it across my lips.

  “Kiss him,” Tate demanded.

  I kissed the tip, then slid my tongue up and down his eight inches over and over again before lapping up his pearl of excitement.

  “Fuck, I love how soft your lips are, and your tongue sends me wild,” he moaned, then pushed his pulsating cock into my mouth.

  I placed my hands on his tight ass and pulled him deeper, sucking and pressing my tongue against him as I worked him in and out of my mouth. His fingers remained tangled in my hair as he took control and guided me back and forth, pushing his cock between my lips and slamming into me hard. He loved controlling the speed and depth. I flicked my tongue over every inch of his cock each time I needed to catch my breath, not wanting his pleasure to stop for even a second.

  “Take all of me,” he demanded and forced his throbbing cock between my lips and down my throat, choking me and sending travelling goosebumps throughout my body. He pulled out and then slammed back into me, choking me over and over again.

  “You’re so fucking sexy.” His hand brushed my hair from my face.