the Vampire and the Assassin

Chapter 36

It's early morning. The sun is just starting to creep up, and so far, no punishment, but I know better than to believe all's forgotten. I'm not fooled into that way of thinking.

I peek out my window. We're being watched, or at the very least, I am. I let the curtain fall back into place and step back.

I've never felt more alone. I look down at my ring, but the comfort it usually brings isn't there.

A heavy-handed knock brings me out of despair. I peek through the peephole; it's one of the guards from last night. I don't have a choice, so I open the door, but he was gone. In his place is a brown envelope, inside an elegantly written invitation.

You are cordially invited to the celebration of continuing education in the path to enriching the minds of all. Before the start of our new school year, we will kick it off together, in style. See you in one-week, next Friday at 6 pm. (attendance is not optional)

I still have the invitation in my hand when the elevator opens. It's Jen and Drew.

"What is this, prom?" Jen holds out her invitation. I quickly scan it. It says the same thing I'd just read.

"I don't know. I'll do some digging around today and see what I can find out. Where's Bryn?"

"You mean the traitor? Yeah, she left this morning." Jen's still mad, and I don't blame her, but it's a little harder for me to just erase her from my life. One look from Drew lets me know he knows what I'm thinking.

"She's tired like all the others," Drew points, out and he's right. Everyone just wants to get back to living.

Jen and Drew's bracelets go off in unison. "Shit this early? Guess we need to get ready to have our blood sucked out." She rolls her eyes before they step back onto the elevator. I watch the door close before stepping back inside.

Bryn had embraced the vampire world while Jen can't seem to hide the disgust she feels for them. It seems I'm caught in the middle along with Drew, and I'm beginning to wonder... which side will he choose? Even though I'm the protector of the human race, had I made my choice, or was I just as enamored by the new world as Bryn? After all, I had fallen for Ian.

I look around the elegant apartment before my eyes fall down to Roselyn's ring. I want the ring to save me, make the hard decisions for me, but it hasn't.

I hurry to get dressed, deciding to skip breakfast in the process. It's time to get some answers, and time is not on my side. I can tell something is happening in this new world of vampires, and for some reason, they want me alive no matter how much trouble I cause. I have to find out why. I decide to go straight to the source— a certain blonde curly-haired vampire with an affection for O-negative.

Although Drew and Jen had been called early to donate, there doesn't seem to be anyone around, vampire or human. I speak too soon— the vampire that had been watching my apartment is following me. He isn't even trying to hide it.

I make my way to the cafeteria along with my shadow. No one is around, but there's a buffet of everything you can think of: pancakes, waffles, fruit, eggs, oatmeal, along with every type of juice, milk, and cereal. Although the cafeteria is up and running at full speed, there is no one in sight. It seems a bit extravagant and overboard, but they do live off of our blood, so making sure we are fed seems to be a top priority.

I turn and see the vampire who had been ordered to watch me standing just outside the door. He hikes his eyebrow up at me in question. I quickly turn away, grabbing a plate from the buffet. I don't want him to think I'm up to anything other than eating.

After five minutes of eating, it's time to make my move. I know the school grounds well, even if it's gone under renovation recently. There's a door behind the cafeteria. I have no doubt I can lose the shadow vampire if I wait for the right time, which is now. I run with the speed of the beast inside me, finding myself out of the cafeteria and inside the school gym. I slow my breathing. I had done it. I had lost shadow vampire— but at the same time I had found every other vampire that had been missing from my morning walk. Thankfully they haven't noticed me... yet.

The gym has changed since I'd last been here. My eyes scan the crowds as I hover near the door in case I need to slip out. I recognize some of the vampires, but others are unfamiliar to me. They seem young, my age from the looks of things. I back up until I can feel the coolness of the wall, hiding myself.

"Are you sure they won't get hurt while attending the school?" a woman asks. Something big is happening, and I'm not about to expose my location by trying to get a better view.

"No, not at all. They will be well taken care of," a man assures her.

I peek one last time before backing out of the gym. I can feel a small tingling in my fingertips, but nothing painful. The gym seems to be full of families— vampire families— but my warning system lets me know they're no threat to me.

Shadow, the name I've unofficially given the vampire that's been assigned to stalk me, pulls me backwards by my shoulders before slapping cuffs on me. "Walk." I can tell from his voice I've pissed him off. I do as I'm told, not wishing to cause a scene or be thrown into a cage again, plus I'm still on probation or some sort of punishment.

"Okay," I say as he gives me a gentle push. Gentle? This really is getting weird. First, they want to kill me, and now I'm being treated like a kitten. I don't question it, not yet.

We end up in the administration office; it hasn't changed so much. I look around as a chair is pulled out for me, trying to hide the puzzled expression that's no doubt on my face.

"Please sit," Shadow says as he stands against the wall, his eyes focused directly in front of him.

I sit down, briefly wondering what torture they are conspiring for me when I hear that voice that sets me on edge. It's as if nails have been dug into a chalkboard with the kind of effect he has on my senses, although I notice the painful numbing feeling from before hasn't made a reoccurrence. I am aware of him, though, the bloodthirsty vampire next to me.

"Let me introduce myself: Avan." The blonde curly-haired vampire uses the desk in front of me as a seat. "I didn't know how important you were until this morning. My apologies for last night." He takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it, his eyes resting on Roselyn's ring. "I don't remember seeing the ring on you until last night.

"It was Roselyn's ring." I slowly pull my hand out of his grasp. I don't feel threatened, but this new truce is strange.

"Yes, your Great-Grandmother." He studies me for a bit longer. "Tell me, what do you know about the ring?"

"That it belonged to Roselyn." My eyes dart to his then back to Shadow whose stance hasn't changed.

Avan smiles before continuing, "The ring comes from the original line." I don't say anything. "I can see you don't know what I'm talking about, so let me be a little clearer." He leans in a little closer. "Your blood could end the rebellion." There's a smile on his face that doesn't seem warm at all. "You're free to go, but don't try to leave again. It won't be allowed. You're far too valuable to the cause."