Never Say Die

THORNWOOD ACADEMY 1: NEVER SAY DIE LJ SWALLOW Copyright © 2023 by LJ Swallow Cover design by Addictive Covers All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. A1.1 Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Afterword Other Books By LJ Swallow I am terrified of this dark thing that sleeps inside me. Sylvia Plath Chapter One "Sweetest girl, I've asked you more times than I can count—please do not attempt necromancy without your mother present." I frown at my father's words. "I thought biology class would be more interesting if the dissected animals fought back." He rests against the edge of the mahogany desk in his study, hands in dark jeans pockets, expensive blue shirt stretching across his toned chest, every bit the deceptively charming man he is. The lecture continues, but I barely listen to a word as I stand before him. I'm secretly smug that my plan worked—the human high school didn't appreciate my attempt to brighten the boring day and I'm not welcome back. I'd say I'm one of two people who dare ignore my father Dorian Blackwood, head honcho on the supernatural governing council. The only other person is my mother Eloise, who sits in the nearby brown leather armchair, ever elegant, even in her black leggings and loose emerald green sweater. Dorian Blackwood and Eloise Thornbrook, beautiful and deadly, vampire-witch hybrids nobody dare cross. Upset Dorian and you'll lose your life—like countless victims from his past killing sprees. "I haven't reanimated any humans, what's the issue?" I continue. Eloise leans forward and attempts to take my hand between hers, so I hold them behind my back. "Violet. Sweetheart. If you refuse to fit in at a human school, then you'll need to attend Thornwood Academy." No. I've avoided the place for the whole of my eighteen years. "I'm not going there. Every supe knows who I am—my parents named the academy after themselves. I've a reputation before I even set a foot in the place." My mother's eyes fill with disappointment at my tone. I resemble her more than my blond-haired father—we've the same long, dark hair and pretty features, but my personality is ninety percent my dark and deadly father's. My mother's ten percent keeps the world safe from Violet Blackwood. Mostly. Thanks to Dorian's desire to foster better relations between human governments and his own supernatural one, I'm the victim of a diplomatic attempt to integrate his daughter into a human school. Some would argue that the other students were victims, but I haven't hurt many. No deaths, anyway. "I've always wanted you to attend Thornwood, Violet. I know you'd thrive," she continues. "Thrive?" I snort. "Like a weed growing in a dung heap?" Dorian pulls himself from the desk and lifts my chin, smiling down at me. He's charmed so many people in his life with that smile and the stunning blue eyes I inherited. "What's wrong with weeds?" he asks. "They're harder to kill than pretty flowers." "Because they strangle the life from everything around them?" "Violet," Eloise puts in sharply then looks to Dorian. "Many in the supernatural governing body are eager for our child to attend Thornwood. I've always argued that Violet's… temperament doesn't fit the human schools you shoehorn her into, Dorian. We've had too many incidents with Violet misusing her magic abilities. Human schools can't help her discipline those talents. Thornwood can." "Ah, yes. Like mother, like daughter." Dorian chuckles and then winces as Eloise spikes magic into his mind. I can't help smirking at her action—exactly how I shut people up. "The time I used necromancy was a mistake. I never intended to use the spell to reanimate my grandmother," she retorts. "Violet's was—" "Practiced from a young age?" I suggest. Eloise stands, and suddenly the pair of them are looking down at me. Uh oh. "Your decision to reanimate mice isn't the only issue, Violet," says Eloise. "There was the incident with Katy and that poor boy." "She asked for my help," I retort. "I don't think Katy wanted you to daub runes on the wall with his blood," Eloise says and throws Dorian a look when he snorts a laugh. "A simple hexing spell would've sufficed." "Katy told me she wanted to tear Archie's dick off for cheating on her," I say. "You should be proud that I recognized she wasn't serious and didn't remove any appendages." I struggle to recognize when people aren't speaking literally, a side-effect of avoiding the world my whole life. So, I'm proud that even though I believed Katy's request was serious, I considered the situation carefully and chose a less permanent injury. The whole incident genuinely confused me. Why ask a powerful supe to help and then freak out when she uses a spell? "Human girls are so emotional," I mutter. Dorian continues to fight a smile. "As are human guys when you shrink their dicks." Eloise elbows him and frowns when I snicker too. He gives her an apologetic look. "Sorry, sweetest, but you have to agree that's inventive and a little amusing. I hope a guy never upsets you, Violet." "I won't hesitate on the dick removal if anybody approaches me with an unwanted one." Again, Dorian chuckles. Sighing, Eloise reaches across his desk and takes hold of a pamphlet then taps it in the palm of her hand. "You're attending Thornwood," she replies tersely. "Dorian and I have discussed this and made the