Next Generation Dhampirs

Preposterous Proposals

The next two weeks were pure torture. They dragged along painstakingly slow, and it didn't help that everyone was distracted, thinking about Christmas break. I had to tell two of my novice classes that if they didn't focus they would be running laps around campus. One of them actually had to do it.

Finally, on that blessed day two weeks later, I got to pack and meet James and Declan at the gates. A car filled to the brim with dhampirs drove us to the airfield and we were pushed onto the royal jet.

On the ride back, we talked about our lives at the academy. James was starting to fall behind in a few classes and I agreed to help him work on his homework when we got back. Declan complained about having to teach freshmen who had no respect for anyone. I laughed at both of them because I had finally gotten a handle on my students.

We got to Pennsylvania a few hours later, and standing to greet us were all of our parents and some guardians to take our things.

I wasn't paying attention to the others, but I rushed into my parents' arms, abandoning my luggage with another guardian.

"It's good to have you back," Rose beamed.

We were all smiles as we walked back into the building, their arms around my shoulders and mine around them.

We met up with the others in the banquet hall for lunch, since it was almost midnight. Everyone was smiling and laughing. Of course, our parents wanted to know all about our time at the Academy.

I stayed silent, letting James and Declan tell all their stories, waving their arms around to add emphasis to them.

"What about you, Jessica?" queen Lissa asked, turning to me. James had just finished telling about a field trip his Romanian history class had taken, and it would be pretty tough to top.

"What about me?" I asked, setting down my fork.

"How are you enjoying St. Vlad's?"

I thought about it for a moment then said, "It's ok. I have mostly freshmen classes, so they think they're invincible and they don't need to be in school anymore."

"Yeah," Dimitri mused, "I remember my freshmen classes. I had to make most of them run laps around campus because they never listened."

"That's what I did the last day there. They wouldn't focus on class so I made them run laps. But I don't have many problems anymore because they've all heard about you. And head master Lionel said I'm living up to my father's legacy. Whatever that means."

Rose burst out laughing as soon as I said that. Dimitri and I both shot her a confused look and queen Lissa joined in. They must have been in a good mood.

Dimitri and I talked about how things had changed at St. Vlad's while the others had their own conversations.

When lunch was over, we all dispersed in our own direction. James and I went for a walk in the gardens, and this time, the only dhampirs we ran into were the ones on duty out there. It was nice to do something so simple for a change.

A few days passed, then finally Christmas came around.

I woke up that morning to James singing "Feliz Navidad" way off key and holding a small box in his hand.

"How do you mess up Feliz Navidad that bad?" I laughed.

Instead of answering, he leaned onto the bed and gave me a kiss. "Merry Christmas, gorgeous," he said, handing me the box.

I pulled my hair back into a messy bun then accepted the box from him. I opened it, and inside was a silver necklace with a single stone hanging from the chain: a deep blue sapphire.