Vampire Emeritus (Part #3) ✔

Chapter 8: Show Me Your Teeth

My excitement had to be put under control, because I could barely focus over the fluttering of my heart. Once again, I didn't share Ian's phone call with anyone, they already looked at me like I was some lame, infatuated school girl.

I wasn't far off, though.

The next day, we've begun extensive vampling training. William was by far the best instructor one could get, way better than Thomas or me. He had patience of an old man, and he didn't mind smacking the shit out of them if they refused to listen. He was a firm believer in hitting your children. The vamplings were afraid of him, so they listened and obeyed.

I wondered if he was an army general in some other life.

Caiden was cooped up in his room, hacking the Sacred Order. Sheila's return made sense to me, especially after she's somewhat explained it, because she didn't look like she was enjoying her life on campus, but Caiden was a mystery.

Why did he return? Was he truly so bored?

It was also extremely strange having him in my house. It almost felt like we were back on campus, two kids living in the same building, visiting each other between classes.

I knocked on his door.

"Come in."

He took one of the studies the previous owners constructed. It was much smaller than mine, but equally filled with books and a large, oak table. Thomas dragged a single bed into the room, which now took all the remaining space. Caiden truly looked like a shady hacker inside the dark room.

"You okay in here?" I asked.

Caiden was facing his not one, not two, but three screens, hitting the keyboard like a lunatic.

"A little hungry, but fine."

"William and Pamela are making barbeque." I said. "It'll be ready in half an hour."

Caiden faced me with a frown, "I hope it's regular meat."

I chuckled, "Yes, it's regular meat. We still eat food, you know? As long as we drink blood, we pretty much function just like humans."

"Extra strong and fast humans." Caiden murmured.

"True." I nodded. "Do you want a tour of the house before dinner?"

Caiden glanced at his screen and rubbed his eyes, "Sure. My eyes are beginning to hurt from staring at the screen."

"Cai..."

He stopped mid-standing up and looked at me, "Yes?"

"Does Angie know you're here?" I asked quietly.

Just as usual, Angie has been posting flower photographs on Instagram, nothing has changed since Caiden came here, but I felt weirdly bad, like I was the reason he wasn't spending the week with his girlfriend.

"Does she know I'm spending some time with you after two years? Yes." Caiden grinned. "Does she know I'm helping you take down an army of vampires? Not really."

I chuckled, "As long as she knows you're here."

"She doesn't hate you, Chloe." He sighed. "She's the one who pushed me to reach out to you after everything that's happened, but I... I don't know, I was ashamed and I thought you didn't want to hear from me."

"You know I'm glad you're here." I looked at my feet. "And I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here?"

Caiden spun in his chair and shrugged, "The Sacred Order murdered my parents. If there's anything I can do to help stop them, I'll do it."