A Wicked Dance: A Nightingales Novel 2

By T.M. Dawson

When Meagan and her friends are attacked by a vicious monster on their way back to school; Meagan is forced to use magic, despite swearing to never do so. She never wanted to be a witch and that still hadn't changed; however, surviving the strange world she was now a part of would always come first. 

 

Meagan and her friend Liam were able to get away from the monster known as a Matchanae; but their friend Lily hadn't been so lucky, even though  Lily had fought with everything she had, she'd still been captured.

 

After Meagan is accepted at a prestigious Academy for Paranormals called Nightingale Academy; Brylan decided to help her succeed in becoming the Warrior Witch she needs to be in order to save her friend Lily. 

 

Will Meagan succeed in her quest to not only save her friend but also become the Warrior she was destined to be or would she fall short in everything she reached for?

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.M. Dawson
• Release date: Jan 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201225834

T.M. Dawson

T.M. Dawson fell in love with books at a young age. She loved the worlds they took her too, and now she creates worlds of her own. When not writing sexy Paranormal Romance, she's spending time with her furbaby, listening to music, or finding new characters to fall in love with.  

Book preview

one

Meagan

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Meagan laughed as she walked with her friends, Lily and Liam, from the coffee shop that night. There were things her friends didn’t know about her, things she kept hidden because she’d decided she wanted to live a normal life. It was a delicate balance, keeping her secrets hidden while letting her friends know the real her.

Do you think you’ll see Mr. Charming detective again? Lily, her best friend, signed. 

No, I don’t think I will, Meagan said. Truth was, she wasn’t sure she even wanted to see detective Brylan. Every time she saw him, she was reminded of that day she’d gotten shot. He’d saved both her and Nessa’s lives, but since then he’s kind of been around too much. Nessa was a close friend of hers and Brylan’s who’d had a stalker and Meagan ended up caught in the middle of things.

Well, call him, text him, something Meagan, Signed her friend, Liam. 

Meagan and her friends were deaf, and Brylan revealed that had known sign language the third time she’d come into contact with him. Although he was hearing, Brylan said he learned sign language at the University so he could communicate with her. This had been after they had first met a year ago. They went to the University of Edinburgh and lived in an all deaf dorm. It had shocked her to learn that Brylan had known sign language, but it made sense as well since the University was home to a significant population of deaf students. Although Meagan was deaf, she could lip read and hear some when she wore her hearing aids.

Why? Meagan signed back with a ‘Y’ on her head. And a flap of her fingers. Because he’s interested in you, Lily said. He wouldn’t come around if he wasn’t.

Meagan chewed her bottom lip. That was true however, she felt Brylan was around for a different reason than to ask her out on a date. He’d been coming around since she’d gotten shot a year ago, and at first she had been annoyed but now she had grown used to his presence. Maybe she should ask about going out with him instead of waiting for him to ask her out. Maybe Lily was right, and he was coming around because he was interested in her. Or maybe he’d stop if she ignored him long enough. Why was it so hard to figure out what she wanted?

They continued walking and signing until they came across The Meadows and stopped. Lily shivered beside Meagan. The Meadows was reported to be haunted. There was a rumor that a murdered woman’s ghost lurked. Meagan always felt the Meadows had a sense of magic within them it, but she also felt the hairs on her neck stand on end and her stomach dropped which warned her of bad things to come. It was spooky, the land itself had seen war and strife. Trees littered the park, their branches heavy with leaves that blocked out the moon when it was out. Shadows played within them, giving a sense that something lurked in their depths, waiting to jump out and devour them.

---

Want to go in? Liam asked.

 Lily shivered again and signed. No, let’s get back to the dorm.

Meagan took a step toward the park and its forest. It called to her on a spiritual level. She could always sense this, it was always near. There was a sense of belonging that puzzled her, but she felt like she needed to go into the heart of the park. She couldn’t explain it. The best she could do to explain it would be her witch magic. Which she had sworn off of.

---

She narrowed her eyes as the trees beyond swayed under some unseen force. Meagan felt the earth tremble beneath her feet as she backed away, and out came a giant man. He roared at her, but Meagan only heard a soft yell with the hearing aids in her ears. He charged after her, and Meagan backed up, falling on her butt. Lily and Liam helped her up, and they ran. Meagan tripped over her foot and fell to her knees. A large fist came down beside her and Meagan rolled to her side as another fist crashed to the ground right where she’d lain moments before. 

Meagan screamed and pulled herself to her feet. She could feel a great surge of energy, like a lightning bolt was flying through her body. She lifted her hand and out shot bolts of purple lightning from her fingers and struck the giant square in the chest. It fell back as lightning spread through its body in spider webs, and the smell of cooked flesh permeated the air, making Meagan gag. I’m in trouble now, I used my magic. Meagan watched the horrific scene. What did she just do? This meant that she would possibly be out of the University of Edinburgh and going to the Nightingale Academy. The Nightingale Academy was the premier school for witches and paranormal beings in Scotland. It was the place to become a Nightingale and learn to protect the public if needed. No. No, it wasn’t going to happen. She refused to leave her friends.

The monster crashed through the swing set and tipped over a slide. She felt hands on her shoulders and Meagan turned to find Lily and Liam pulling on her to move as a bright light shone upon them. Meagan and Liam burst into a run, pulling Lily behind them, and they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They finally came to the dorm and Meagan pulled open the door and pushed Liam inside. 

Meagan turned to talk to Lily, but she was gone, being pulled away from the door and Meagan by something much stronger than she was. Meagan could see the hulking body in the shadows of the night and ran to her friend. Meagan reached out her hands, trying to grab Lily’s hands and pull her into the dorm. But Lily’s hands slipped through Meagan’s and Lily was gone. The creature clawed at the door as it closed behind it. Meagan came over to the door and locked it, closing her eyes as tears spilled from them from her lost friend. 

Meagan took out her cell phone, and scrolled down to the number that she had for Brylan, and called him. But it went straight to voicemail. Meagan called out to the people of the dorm to anyone, but it was for naught, it was a deaf dorm. Meagan pulled out her phone again and texted Ailes, a Nightingale she was friends with. The Nightingales are a group of beings that police the supernatural world. They are the sworn protectors of those that are innocent, and those that have come to the supernatural world on accident.

Help, please monster, she texted. 

No answer, but it didn’t mean that Ailes didn’t see it. The creature bent in the door, and Meagan closed her eyes as the clawed hands inched closer. She was a goner. She had to be. Just like Lily, she would be pulled from this place and killed. But nothing happened. She didn’t feel the whoosh of air between her hair and on her face, and nor did she feel a giant hand on her body. She opened her eyes to find that the monster, whatever it was, was gone. 

Meagan stood and looked around the room, and tried to text Brylan one last time.  

Monster was here. I don’t know what’s going on. Help, please.

The little dots appeared on the screen, and Meagan breathed a sigh of relief. When he answered.

Stay there, don’t go anywhere. 

---

Meagan looked at Liam to make sure he was alright. He looked back at her. 

What was that? he asked in sign language. He was shaking, most likely from adrenaline and fear, but thankfully he was uninjured.

I don’t know, Meagan signed back. It was only partially true. She knew it was a monster, just not what kind of monster, so she hadn’t lied. Not exactly.

The police showed up a minute later, and questioned Meagan, and then Liam was taken to the side by his father, who was a cop. Meagan’s stomach was twisted in knots as she stared at Lily’s parents being questioned by the police. She looked around and found Brylan walking into the room. She breathed a sigh of relief and went to him. 

Are you all right? he asked her in sign language.

I’m fine, she said. 

Brylan nodded and then went to look at the door and the scratches on the wall. Meagan followed him. 

I don’t know what the monster was called, but it was definitely a monster, Meagan said.  

Should she tell him that her mother’s side of the family was witches? It would help the situation, wouldn’t it? No, best not to say anything right now. 

She was feeling a little guilty that she couldn’t tell him she was a witch. She couldn’t tell him because then she would have to leave the university. Meagan winced. She didn’t want that. She had made a promise long ago to never use her magic, but tonight she had, and she had to keep it a secret.

Brylan narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but didn’t press it any further and turned back to examine the wall and door. 

What do you think it was? Meagan asked. 

I’m not sure, something strong. You said it took Lily? Brylan asked. 

Meagan nodded. It would have had us, but Liam and I got away. 

Brylan nodded again. You’re safe now. 

A police officer walked over to them. I need to speak with Meagan again, the officer said. 

Brylan turned to him. You can speak with me present, rookie. 

Brylan showed his badge to him, and the officer’s eyes widened. 

I’m sorry detective, of course I can talk to her with you here, the officer quickly said. 

Brylan nodded again and turned back to the wall and traced the scratches with his hand. Ever since Meagan had been shot by the demon, Mike, all those months ago, Brylan had felt like he needed to protect her at all costs. That meant chasing after her wherever she went, sometimes without her knowledge. Good thing he was near when the creature attacked. He just wished he’d answered her damn call.

Meagan, can you tell me again what happened? the officer asked. 

Meagan looked at him. The last thing she wanted was to recreate the whole thing. She wasn’t even sure herself what had happened. All she knew was there was a monster loose, and she had been powerless to help Lily. Brylan stared at her and then finally looked at the officer. 

You will get your answers. I will ask her again what happened. Leave her be for now, Brylan told him. They also needed to talk with Liam to see if he had anything to add. At least he wasn’t hurt in the attack. Liam was now back at home with his family, and he was still a little shocked.

The officer closed his book and walked away. Meagan looked at Brylan. Thank you, She told him. 

Brylan nodded again and this time with a slight smile just for her. Meagan felt her knees weaken. She would have fallen, but Brylan caught her. The magic had taken a lot out of her. Their magic could overcome an untrained witch and they sickened easily. Taking on the monster had taken a lot of her magic.

You're exhausted. Let’s get you somewhere safe so you can rest, Brylan told her. 

He walked her out of the dorm. Meagan looked at