Southland Academy for Supernatural Youth

By Sandra Tentler and Wren Tentler

Someone, or something, is causing trouble at Southland Academy for Supernatural Youth, aka SASY.

 

Random items turn up missing from the rooms of the academy's students, and no one knows who is doing it or why it's happening. When Vlad's valuable family ring goes missing and Devlin overhears the culprit, the six friends decide to follow the clues left behind.

 

Meet Vlad, the son of the world's most famous vampire, who is accident prone and has a serious aversion to blood. Devlin, the werewolf shifter who can't figure out how to fully shift. Lily, the daughter of the most well-respected warlock, whose nervous stutter causes spells to backfire on her. Amber, the ferret shifter who has a new pet that isn't all it seems. Fiona, the quick-witted snow owl shifter and Sakana, the black-tip shark shifter, also pitch in along the way.

 

Adding to the mystery, Lily's new familiar, Sheba, a hairless cat with a sassy attitude, always seems to disappear at the wrong times. Could her sudden appearance in Lily's life have something to do with the missing items?

 

As they help each other to gain better control of their abilities, can they also find the culprit and return the lost items before it's too late?

 

Enjoy this comedic paranormal academy book, perfect for lower middle grade students.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra Tentler
• Release date: Mar 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393076605

Book preview

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Copyright

Copyright © 2021 by Sandra Tentler and Wren Tentler

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [include publisher/author contact info].

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Book Cover by Diego Alcalá

2nd Edition

Contents

Dedication

1.Devlin

2.Devlin

3.Lily

4.Devlin

5.Vlad

6.Lily

7.Devlin

8.Lily

9.Devlin

10.Lily

11.Vlad

12.Lily

13.Devlin

14.Lily

15.Vlad

16.Lily

17.Devlin

18.Vlad

19.Devlin

20.Lily

21.Devlin

22.Lily

23.Amber

24.Vlad

25.Devlin

About the Authors

Acknowledgements

Dedication

To Christopher, who shows the world being different is a wonderful thing to be. May all the people look past your wheelchair and see the wonderful person you are, filled with humor, charm, and a positive outlook on life. We love you always.

Chapter one

Devlin

The smell of bacon woke me up from my sleep and my stomach grumbled. I didn’t want to get out of bed yet because Sundays were my only day to sleep in. Between basketball practice, games, and baseball, I didn’t have a lot of time to do anything else.

I don’t know if the game previous night, or the party afterward, was more fun. We wiped the floor with the opposing team, and I set a new record for points in a game. I smiled as I thought about the cheering from the crowd in our middle school gymnasium, all cheering and chanting my name.

Devlin, Devlin, they screamed at the top of their lungs and I could almost hear them now. Oh, wait. That was my mom calling me for breakfast.

I still didn’t want to get up but the thought of the presents that would be waiting for me had me thinking about it more. I really hoped my parents got me a new basketball net for my birthday. It was my thirteenth birthday and that should mean that I would get something really big.

I stretched and scratched the itch on my arm, wondering how my sister’s furry pillow got wrapped around my arm. I tried to pull it off and throw it, but it felt like it ripped my hair out. Did that little snot come in and glue something on me?

I peeled my eyes open and squinted against the bright morning sun that shone through the window, practically blinding me. When my eyes finally focused, I looked at my arm and saw a mix of light and dark brown hair coating my arm.

What the-? I wondered out loud as I ran my fingers through it. That’s when I noticed the same hair covering my other arm. I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, flying by my mom in the hallway, and almost knocking her over.

Sorry, I called over my shoulder as I slammed the bathroom door shut and looked in the mirror. AHHHH! I screamed when I got a look at my hair-covered arms. It was bad. Really, really bad.

My chest itched and I took my shirt off. I watched in horror as hair erupted on my chest in little patches that reached my neck. How would I hide this when it was ninety degrees outside, and I couldn’t wear a turtleneck?

Is everything okay, Devlin? my mom questioned from the other side of the door.

I’m not sure, I cried out before a growl escaped from my lips. Why was I growling? Why was I covered in hair? What were my parents going to say, or even worse, my little sister?

Why don’t you come out and we will figure it out together, mom said calmly as if my world wasn’t falling apart.

Can you get Dad? I asked. I think this is a problem for him. I’d never needed to shave before and had no idea where to even start.

A few minutes later, another knock sounded on the door and I heard my dad’s voice, Devlin, your mom said you needed me?

I unlocked the door and opened it a crack, Can you tell me where the razors are?

He chuckled, I don’t think you need a razor for that one hair you probably sprouted overnight, kiddo. With your blonde hair, no one will notice it.

I rolled my eyes, Dad, this is a little, well, a lot more than just a hair. I need a pack of razors. Can you just tell me where they are, please?

Under the sink, he said, and I streaked across the large bathroom to find them, forgetting to close and lock the door. Look, son, I can teach you how to shave. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. The rite of passage into manhood.

I kept my head buried in the cabinet. Nope, no need, dad. I think I’ve watched you enough times to figure it out. We have on-line videos now, I tried every excuse I could think of, to not show my hair problem before I could shave it off.

He wasn’t going to be deterred though, Let me help you get them out. You seem to be down there for a long time.

My heart pounded as I heard his steps and waited for the inevitable. For my dad to catch sight of my dog hair arms and who knew what else. It was only a second, but it felt like hours. I felt him behind me and tried to hide my arms, but it didn’t work.

Devlin, I was hoping this would miss you like it did me, but I suppose we need to have a talk about our family genes. Shaving isn’t going to do anything for you, my dad said calmly.

How could he be so calm when I looked like an animal? What do you mean skipping generations? I don’t remember grandpa looking like a hairy ape! I shouted, panic taking over. How am I supposed to go to school looking like this?

He laughed nervously, You won’t have to worry about that. Why don’t you get dressed and come downstairs? We’ll talk about it over breakfast.

I’m NOT going anywhere near Ana looking like this. She will never let me live it down, I insisted. My sister was two years younger than me and her favorite thing to do was to embarrass me. I had a lot of girls hanging all over me after games, trying to get my attention. Ana loved more than anything to tease me about it in front of all of the guys.

She’s staying at your aunt’s house. We didn’t know if this would happen or not so we prepared for it just in case, he assured me. He was cryptic and the curiosity overrode my horror.

Chapter two

Devlin

My mom smiled as she set my plate in front of me, piled high with my favorite breakfast. Bacon, pancakes, and strawberries overflowing the plate. My stomach grumbled, and despite wanting to know what the heck was going on with me, I dove into the food.

My dad sat at the table and mom set a smaller plate in front of him before sitting down with her own food. The silence was nerve-wracking, and you would think I would’ve lost my appetite, but I was starving like never before. I couldn’t seem to get food in fast enough. You gonna tell me? I asked with a mouth full of bacon.

Devlin, don’t talk with your mouth full, mom chided. Yes, your father will tell you everything. We just wanted you to get food in your system. The change can be very taxing on the body.

I swallowed my food with a gulp before responding, I don’t remember anything about this in health class. Manhood is supposed to be a slow change.

Well, it’s not exactly that kind of change, dad said as he fidgeted. It’s nothing that you will learn in schools around here.

I stared at him blankly, not understanding what he meant. Huh? was all I could think to say before I started on the pancakes.

He sighed heavily, I suppose I should start from the beginning. Long ago, someone in our family was bitten and it caused a change in our genes. For hundreds of years, generations of men in our line have a change occur on their thirteenth birthday. It has no rhyme or reason why it skips some of us, like me, or why it hits some of us, like you and your grandpa. One of my brothers, Uncle Mark, got it, too.

I looked at him like he had lost his marbles. Uncle Mark and Grandpa weren’t this hairy. I didn’t understand how I could go to sleep as the most popular guy in school, basketball star, and baseball player on the off season, and then wake up as Cousin It.

The rest is going to sound unbelievable, but trust me, it’s not a joke, he warned.

I think waking up looking like this makes anything else sound normal, I said wryly.

The gene we have is that of werewolves. It won’t hit fully for a few more months. It seems like it happens fast, but it doesn’t.

Werewolf! I started laughing so hard that my stomach ached. Of all the things my dad could have told me, that was the last thing I thought he would say. Now I think you’ve lost your marbles.

He ran his fingers through his own curly blonde hair, the same hair I inherited from his side of the family. Devlin, I know this is hard to believe but it’s true. Now, I need to finish telling you the rest. Do you need a few minutes to digest this new information?

I don’t know. I don’t understand why no one ever said anything. You couldn’t have warned me? I grumbled.

We are sworn to secrecy. You can’t tell anyone outside of the supernatural world what you are. There’s a long history of our ancestors being hunted for this cursed gene we have. If you had woken up without any change, I would have told you as an adult.

Once I nodded my understanding, he continued, Now, I know you are worried about school and things like that, but don’t worry. We already have it covered. You’ll be going to a school for supernaturals. There, they will teach you about your new body and walk you through your first full shift.

Wait, supernaturals? I asked as it dawned on me that he was talking about more than just werewolves.

Yes. All those creatures that people say don’t exist; they are very real and they all go to the same school to learn how to use their own magic. We set it up for you to transfer there just in case. Honestly, with your ability in sports I knew that you’d be the one to get it. Mark was the same way. I swear, he excelled at every sport.

I stopped eating as the news sunk in that I’d be leaving all my friends behind and starting over in a new school. That would be the worst to be the new guy.

Anyway, the school is far away and you’ll be living there. It’s like a boarding school. Grandpa said it’s a great place and you’ll be very happy there. And you can come home for holidays, his voice was a fake cheerful as if he were trying to convince himself how great it would be.

Are you serious? Can’t I just learn from Uncle Mark or Grandpa? I felt like being sent away was a punishment for something I had no control over. I was angry that they never took into consideration how I would feel