Lethal Beauty

VI - Nations of Darkness

"Smile!"

The flash of the camera made Abel winked. He was next in the line and for once it felt like an ordinary school and he couldn't understand why. Everyone was ignoring him. Completely acting oblivious to his existence. Abel had taken an hour-long bath and scrubbed every part of his body but Lex told him that Iris's scent still lingers in his body. While Gavril told him not to be concerned about it because it would soon disappear. It was only temporary. Well, not like it didn't serve its purpose. But Abel hated thinking that someone's scent was on him, declaring ownership.

"Next---oh!"

The man's reaction was a welcome change in his atmosphere. It reminded Abel that he was enrolled in a vampire academy and that he was the 'emergency food supply' the humans had sent.

"Yes, I'm the human."

The man was mildly surprised and laughed a bit. Up close, Abel noticed that he had sharp features---pointed nose, wide lips, and shaggy hair. He had a darker complexion, accentuated by his crimson eyes and a set of pearly white fangs.

"Yes, you are," he repeated and without a warning took a picture of him out of his Polaroid camera.

"Hey..."

The man laughed. "I'm Sven."

"Abel."

"Abel? That's a classic name."

"So, I heard."

Abel took a step on the podium and behind him was a white wall. Fixing his hair, he stood straight and forced a smile on his face.

"You can do better than that," said Sven.

The smile on his face weakened. He was annoyed, "I'm smiling?"

"Be natural. Act natural."

The corner of Abel's lips curled downward but as he raised his head to try again, he noticed a figure standing outside of the window behind Sven.

It was him.

IRIS.

Watching him keenly from a distance, Abel noticed the expression on his face. He was smiling. Eyes teasing...

Those eyes were icy blue.

Just like when they first met, Abel was hypnotized. Spellbound. Before he knew it, his face was cracking a smile. He was like a marionette on strings. His marionette.

Sven, "That's it. Hold it right there. Perfect!"

And like a fever dream, the moment he blinked---Iris was gone.

"Here."

Abel took the ID from Sven and gaped. "That's fast."

"Yep," he winked. "Say, are you doing anything today?"

He tried to search for the man outside the window. But like when they first met on the balcony of his room, he disappeared as fast as when Sven clicked the camera.

⛧☾༺♰༻☽⛧

Classes don't start until next week. At least, this part was made clear to him. Abel didn't know how long the mark Iris put on him would last, but he was able to walk in assurance without being bothered or scared of the bloodsucking monsters lurking all around him. Sven, for once, was a more than welcome change in his rather frightening and extraordinary experience.

"Have you ever toured around Transylvania?" Sven asked as they walked the corridors toward one of the leisure rooms.

"I'm not supposed to leave the school grounds without letting Raviel know."