Chapter 9

The day passes in a bit of a blur. Before I know it, it's time for lunch.

Most of my classmates ignore me, so I feel at home quietly sitting by myself in the classroom. I'm used to the isolation and even welcome it—if only they would stop staring at me.

Did I have an arrow hovering above my head? One that pointed down at me like 'hey look at me!'?

On my way to the cafeteria I'm able to look at the interior and admire the little details of the Academy.

The floors are all covered in a dark red carpet; the light polished wood could be seen at the sides where the carpet didn’t reach.

The bannisters are carved with elegant swirls supported by a dark shiny metal fashioned into vine and flower-like shapes.

A few paintings are hung in the main building too, though I couldn’t appreciate what they're trying to depict; a log of previous owners, perhaps? Many of them stood alone in their portraits.

I passed into the cafeteria early, carefully scooped a portion of lasagne, and sat in the same corner as this morning.

I hadn’t seen Z all day. I hope he's getting on okay.

Neither mum nor dad had replied to my earlier message either. I'd texted them wanting to know why they hadn’t warned me about the Academy, especially as they were so eager for me to attend. And, vampire hunters, what?

"Hey babe," Mei scooted in next to me, breaking my train of thoughts.

"That was heavy," Travis says. "Talk about information overload."

"Rough morning?" I ask.

"You could say that," he replies.

"Speak for yourself," Mei says around a mouthful of food. "That blondish guy was super cute."

She turns to me.

"Couldn’t stop staring at him all class."

"You looked super creepy," Travis says.

"I'd throw this at you if I didn’t think it'd be a waste."

Their banter makes me smile. I learned this morning that they grew up together, though Travis had known about his future long before the truth had been revealed to Mei.

Mei suddenly stops mid-bite.

"There he is."

I follow her gaze. Z?

I laugh at Mei's face and Travis' faked scowl.

"That's my brother."

"Shut up," Mei scoffs.

"Seriously," I say. "He's in your class?"

I wave Z over.

"Yep," Travis says deliberately slow.

Mei scowls at the both of us.

"Are you nervous?" I ask. "I thought your true love was food."

"But he's gorgeous."

"You said that about Kian last night…"

"So that's his name," she stares dreamily at my brother.

Gross.

"Wait, Kian? As in, the guy that owns this place?" Travis asks.

"I guess so..?"

"It's rumoured that he started converting this place when he was still a kid…"

Z reaches us and sits.

"Hey Lex, who're your friends?"

"Travis, Mei," I gesture. "Mei's my roommate. Though I hear they're both in your class."

Mei nudges me, but I continue.

"Your 'vampire hunting' class."

Z's ears turn pink, an unusual sight.

"About that…"

"Let me get this straight," Travis begins. "You're siblings, but you aren’t in the same class?"

"Apparently not," I say dryly. "I can't believe this. I know there are things they don't tell us, but seriously? This is too much."

"Hey, babe, calm down," Mei says.

"I wanted to tell you, Lex, but they made me keep it quiet," Z looks at me pleadingly. "I think they've lost their chance to come clean. So, what do you want to know?"

***

It's safe to say the cat's out of the bag now.

After my last class finished for the day, I'd come back to my room to start on my homework and class preparations for tomorrow. In order to keep myself distracted from the main problem.

But now, as I complete the last scribbles that are my notes, I have nothing left to keep me from thinking about the one thing I didn’t want to be thinking about.

Lies.

That's all they'd done.

I couldn’t be mad at Z; he was forced into an awkward place, and that wasn’t his fault.

I couldn’t put it off any longer and sent an angry text to my parents.

How could they keep this from me?

If hunters were usually born into it, then why hadn’t I been included? Why had I been ignored, my birth right, so to speak, denied. Sure, I hated being around vampires, but that didn’t mean they should keep it from me.

I sigh.

The thoughts won't calm, so I grab my coat. The clock reads 6:30P.M.

I'll wait for Z, Mei and Travis's class to finish.

Outside of my room the light is much dimmer. Their flickering reminds me of candle light. I suppose that's what would have been used years ago.

I'm glad for the modern changes; heating is something I'll never take for granted.

I blow on my hands before stepping out into the snow.

The wind has died down and it's oddly calm. I can't put my finger on it, but the air feels weird. No. it smells weird.

Was this part of the hunter thing? Maybe that's why I had such stronger sense of smell now growing up.

Heightened senses.

The snow crunches underfoot as I make my way to the main building. I wrap my arms around my body, trying to preserve what heat I have.

My head reels. How could they betray me? How do I trust anything they say ever again?

The smell gets stronger.

I can't figure out what it is, but my body wants to follow it.

I reach the main door and look to the side.

I feel a burning desire to move and my legs begin of their own accord. I end up walking around to the back of the building, taking me a good ten minutes to reach it.

Icy tendrils claw up my spine and my fingers tingle sharply.

I know this feeling.

I should leave.

I should really leave.

Before I make the decision on whether to turn along the final wall or not; I hear strange sounds, like slurping.

I feel sick.

Vampires started coming here this year.

As I'm about to turn and make my way back, I hear another, softer, noise.

It sounds as though someone's hurt.

Can I really do this?

I know I'll have to face my fears eventually; I couldn’t run forever. But I'd chosen writing as my major to avoid having to be around people—well, vampires in everyday society.

My breath comes out in short wisps that curl and disappear. I slowly edge my feet forward, begging it not to be what my instincts tell me it is.

I turn the final corner and then-

I cover my mouth with my hands to keep from screaming.

Why?

There's so much blood.

It coats the once pure snow, becoming pinker as it travels further from its source.

I can't see the body it comes from, but the three additional figures surrounding it tell me all I need to know.

They've crossed the line on the first day.

Vampires really are all truly evil.

Even if I could see, I doubt there'd be much to look at.

I begin backing up slowly, begging my muscles to keep listening to me, but I'm not watching where I'm going. My gaze is fixed on the scene in front of me, and I trip over a mound of snow that had built up since I first turned that d*mned corner, and fall backwards.

I can't help the 'umph' that escapes my lips.

They instantly turn, forgetting the figure they held and drop it hastily to the ground.

Their skin hangs from their gaunt, expressionless faces, and bones protrude from the ends of their fingers, where flesh should be.

I breathe faster as my heart rate spikes, and a strange sensation—as though someone is invading my private thoughts—comes over me as I feel I rush of anger.

I can't move.

One tilts its head as it awkwardly shuffles.

I can't even tell what they used to be, but the flash of fangs from the apparent leader is visible as a half-rotten tongue runs over them.

I try to push back in the snow, progressing only a few centimetres, when it drops to its hands and knees, and moves faster, approaching.

I scream and raise my arm to cover my face as it tries to lunge. I hear a sickening crack.

And then, nothing.

That creature never landed.

I lower my arm and peak through a slit in my hands.

I take in the blood covering the snow just in front of me.

"Alex."

A dark figure stands far to my left, the eyes glow a bright red. His coat flaps to the side.

"Kian!" I scream.

My body listens as I struggle to stand and run, tripping and falling several times into his outstretched arms.

I cling tightly as I hear heavy disjointed footsteps.

"Close your eyes," he whispers. "I've got you."