Novels by pakokadike

“Welcome to the lower levels,” Korrath said, strolling out of the darkness with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. He looked as calm and relaxed as a host greeting guests at a dinner party.“You set this entire situation up just to get us down here,” Alex said, tightening his grip on the wooden axe handle.“The tunnels are only the beginning of what I have planned for this school,” Korrath replied with a bright, unapologetic smile. “I needed to see if you'd actually risk yourself for a couple of random humans. Turns out you're just as predictable as I'd hoped.”“Let the guards go,” Tyler demanded, stepping forward with his iron pipe raised. “This fight is between us, not them.”“I think I'll let my friends decide what happens to the staff.” Korrath took a deliberate step backward into the deep shadows. “Enjoy the reunion, little brother.”“Alex, stay close to the pillar. Don't let them flank you,” Jenna instructed, drawing her silver blade from her jacket.“I know how to figh

Alex and Jenna escorted Lila back to the main quad, where Tyler waited beneath the glowing streetlights. The moment he saw his sister, he shoved his phone into his coat pocket and rushed over, grabbing her shoulders to inspect her. His face paled at the sight of her trembling hands and dirt-covered jacket.“What happened behind the building?” Tyler demanded, glancing between Lila and Alex.“A stray dog chased her near the rusted gate,” Tyler answered before either of them could speak, hastily spinning a cover story. “Some frat guys play pranks with the old pipes to scare freshmen. They leave food out for strays, which brings wild dogs onto campus.”He repeated the explanation twice while brushing dead leaves from her sleeves, desperate to make her believe him. Lila, however, didn't buy a single word. She crossed her arms and stared up at him.“Dogs don't have hands, Tyler,” she stated.“Shadows play tricks when you're scared,” Tyler insisted, refusing to meet her eyes.Lila didn't arg

The air brakes hissed as the regional bus pulled up to the curb. Its doors swung open and Lila Brooks jumped onto the concrete pavement with a half-eaten bag of chips in one hand and a bulging canvas backpack slung over her shoulder. Her dark curls bounced around her face as she scanned the busy street. The moment she spotted Tyler standing near a lamppost, she sprinted across the sidewalk to him.“You look terrible,” Lila said, dropping her chips into his hand before wrapping her arms around his ribs.“I am a college student,” Tyler replied, hugging her back. “We are supposed to look terrible. Hand me your bag before you knock someone over.”“I want to see the science building first,” Lila announced. “You told Mom they have a real dinosaur skeleton in the main lobby.”“The science building is closed for renovations,” Tyler lied without missing a beat. “We're going to the art gallery, the main library, then the dining hall. I have the entire weekend planned out hour by hour.”Lila fr

The scraping beneath the floorboards stopped. A moment of dead silence stretched across the lecture hall before the metal grate near the front podium burst upward, clattering against the whiteboard and leaving a gaping hole in the tile. A gaunt shape dragged itself out of the ventilation shaft, then crouched on the carpet.The creature had elongated limbs and skin the color of wet ash. Its hollow, pupil-less eyes fixed on Tyler as it hissed, exposing rows of jagged teeth.Alex stepped forward, then froze. He wanted to cross the room and rip the creature apart, but the brand on his chest flared against his ribs. The burning sensation warned him that unleashing his strength now might crack the seal permanently.The creature didn't give him time to decide. It lunged across the center aisle, aiming straight for the boxer.Tyler snatched a folding chair from the front row and swung it like a baseball bat. The steel struck the creature's jaw with a loud crack, crumpling the metal frame and

Tyler shoved Alex through the narrow gap between the art building and the campus library as the wail of approaching police sirens echoed across the quad. The streetlights flickered back to life, casting distorted shadows against the brick walls while they ran. Alex stumbled over an exposed tree root, catching his balance against the side of the building. When he looked down at his hands, a faint orange glow was fading from his knuckles. Behind them, a trail of scorched grass marked their frantic path away from the intersection.“Keep moving before they lock down the street,” Tyler ordered, glancing over his shoulder to check the pathway behind them.“I cannot run anymore,” Alex said, leaning against the cool brick wall.Tyler grabbed his jacket collar and hauled him toward the side door of the science building. “You melted the street, Alex. You turned the pavement into soup, then that bleeding kid started talking to you with somebody else's voice. What is going on?”“I told you I do

Professor Higgins cleared his throat near the front of the room, gesturing toward the open door as he asked the restless students to settle down.“We have a transfer student joining us today,” Higgins announced.A guy walked into the room, dropping a canvas messenger bag beside the podium. Tall and pale, with dark hair and a relaxed, confident smile, he immediately caught the attention of half the girls in the front row. He surveyed the tiered seating with the casual authority of someone who owned the building.“This is Korrath,” Higgins said. “Find an empty seat and we’ll get started on the syllabus.”Korrath scanned the rows before walking straight up the center aisle toward Alex. Bypassing three empty chairs, he slipped into the desk directly to Alex’s right, then leaned over the armrest.“Is this spot taken?” Korrath asked.“You are already sitting in it,” Alex replied.Korrath laughed, extending his hand. “I like to be polite. I am Korrath. Good to meet you.”Alex stared at the o