Twilight's Embrace

Chapter 6

The light of the waxing moon filtered through the ornate windows of Ryoutei Academy, casting intricate patterns upon the wooden desks. Amara sat beside Ayato, determined to focus on the lesson at hand. Her gaze lingered on the kanji characters and complex equations, a testament of her resolve to adapt and learn. Despite the weight of Ayato's and Kanato's presence, she refused to be deterred, committing herself instead to the teacher's words.

As the first classes drew to a close, Amara's concentration wavered, her thoughts drifting to the mysteries that awaited her beyond the classroom walls. The fleeting sense of normalcy she'd managed to maintain was shattered as the bell rang, signaling the start of 'lunch break'.

Eager for a respite from the suffocating tension, Amara swiftly gathered her belongings and made a hasty exit. She heard Ayato call out to her, ordering her to wait up, but she didn't listen, getting lost in the stream of students, eager to get some food from the cafeteria. Amara ventured into the labyrinthine corridors, the emptiness of the halls both unsettling and liberating. Guided by her curiosity and the echoes of whispered conversations, Amara found herself drawn to the library—a sanctuary for knowledge and solitude.

Pushing open the heavy oak doors, she was greeted by the soothing scent of parchment and the soft glow of lamplight. Her footsteps echoed softly as she wandered through the stacks, her fingers grazing the spines of ancient tomes and obscure volumes.

As she rounded a corner, she stumbled upon an unexpected sight: Subaru, his head resting on a table, fast asleep. A book lay open beside him, its pages worn and yellowed with age. Amara hesitated, the memory of their earlier encounter still fresh in her mind. Curiosity warred with caution as she considered her next move.

She approached him, cautiously, curious about the book he's reading. She kept eyeing the sleeping vampire as she reached for the book, trying her best not to wake him as she gently slipped the book away from him, off the table and into her hands.

She studied the pages that were already open, but couldn't read a word. However, she somehow seemed to recognize the language as being Latin.

Impressed by Subaru's supposedly understanding of the language, Amara softly closed the book, and put it back on the table. A gentle movement of air blew against Subaru's face due to the impact of the book, finding its way back to the table.

Subaru grunted softly and his eyes fluttered open, his gaze settling on Amara with an air of surprise. "What're you doing here?" he asked, his tone sharp but laced with curiosity.

Amara took a hesitant step forward, her eyes drifting to the now closed book on the table. "I was exploring the library and stumbled upon you. I couldn't help but notice that book you were reading. I had no idea you could read Latin. That's quite impressive."

Subaru arched an eyebrow, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Are you stupid or something?" he asked.

"H-huh?" Amara replied in confusion.

"I wasn't reading anything. That book just happened to lay on the table, and I didn't feel like putting it back, since I wasn't the one who grabbed it in the first place," Subaru explained, and could swear to note a hint of disappointment in Amara's eyes.

Amara's brow furrowed in confusion. "Oh," she said softly, her gaze returning to the mysterious book. "I just thought..."

Subaru studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "What'd you hope the book's about?" he asked, his tone surprisingly soft.

Amara shrugged. "Something about the supernatural would have been handy. Who knows, maybe I could read in on how to ward myself from you guys."

Subaru scoffed, "We're harder to kill than you think, you know."

"Wha–? I-I didn't say anything about killing!" Amara replied in shock. " I'd just like to know if there are ways to keep you away from my neck."

"Hah! Do you really think you can get away from us?" Subaru asked, his tone almost mocking. Yet, there was a glint of intrigue in his eyes as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"Yes," Amara admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've heard that vampires are vulnerable to anything considered holy, like crosses and churches. I don't believe that stuff about garlic though, that just outright seems stupid. Oh, and silver also should be dangerous for your kind."

Subaru caught himself even more intrigued by this girl, as she spat out the so-called knowledge she already seemed to possess about vampires. His lips quirked into a smirk. "You're not like the others, are you?" He stood, his tall frame not looming over her too much, since they only differ 7 centimeters. "Tell you what—You're right about the garlic thing. We can eat it no problem. Holy crosses won't incinerate us outright, and it's not like we cannot enter a church. It's just that...if I stay inside for too long, it makes me feel sick. Like my blood's rotting or something." Subaru paused for a second as he felt rage surfacing just thinking about it.

"It's uncomfortable, so don't you even think of going inside a church, got it!?" he warned her, anger evident in his voice.

Amara nodded, understanding and accepting that she wouldn't set foot inside a church. It's not like she'd go to a church willingly either. Even though she grew up religiously, she's never had any strong emotional or spiritual connection to the church, and she won't start to develop it now either.

"Good," Subaru said, his demeanor softening again, somewhat. As he held Amara's gaze, he still detected a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Another almost scheming smirk curled his lips as he asked, "Oi, do you still want to learn more about the supernatural world?"

Amara nodded. "Yes. I want to understand this world I've been thrust into. I want to know what I'm up against."

Subaru scoffed. "You weren't thrust into this mess, you stepped into it voluntarily," he reminded her, causing Amara to avert her gaze in realization.

"But," Subaru re-caught her attention as she looked back up at him. "If you're really that keen on understanding what you've gotten yourself into, I'll indulge your curiosity," he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Amara's heart hammered in her chest as she considered his offer. The thrill of unearthing the supernatural world's mysteries warred with the unease of what Subaru might demand in return.

"Okay," she said, meeting Subaru's gaze again. "I accept," she said finally, lifting her chin in defiance.

Subaru couldn't help but chuckle lowly at Amara's naive eagerness to learn. He misread her—maybe this girl is actually worth the trouble to mess around with.

"Alright then. Tonight, after school, I'll have all the time to educate you about our kind," Subaru said, his voice low and rough, lined with a hint of amusement. Amara blinked, and he was gone, leaving her to wonder what awaited her during the private lesson on the supernatural, Subaru had offered her.