Seeing with the Shadows

Chapter 32

“Dinner is served!” One of the chefs announced over the loudspeakers.

When they got to the BLDS room, Lena had expected it to be crowded, but instead it had doubled in size. The talking of both schools was quite loud. They sat down at a table with raw and bloody steaks for the occasion. The meat was pink, with the salty blood swirling in pools around it. Thick red blood sat in crystal champagne glasses in front of them.

“This looks so good…” Calista ran her tongue over her teeth as they began to sharpen slightly.

“This is really expensive blood! I bet it’s heaven…” Quoim gushed over the thick blood sitting in the glasses.

Lena dipped her finger in her glass, and as it touched her tongue a shiver of delight ran through her body, “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my whole life.”

“I think the boys are nice to bring us this much blood…” Calista smiled and took a small sip.

Lena spotted Talla and rushed over to her, “How’s Phelicia?” she demanded.

“Oh, Lena, she’s…”

“What.” Lena dreaded the worst news- that she’d died.

“She was kind of… pregnant…” Talla smiled, “She’s lots better.”

It was true. Phelicia’s feather-flames were about two inches longer and twenty degrees warmer, her black eyes had turned red, the sign of a fully grown Phoenix, and tiny babies were flying all around her, six of them.

“How did that happen?” Lena asked.

“I assume she had sex…” Talla informed Lena, “But I don’t know who with, because she’s the only Phoenix here.”

“Oh, well. I’ll give them away!” Lena said happily, and pushed one towards Talla.

“Oh, no, Lena. You have to wait a while, and besides, I already have an animal! Maru, and he would chase them.”

“He seems to get along pretty well with Phelicia.” Lena pointed out, “When they’re ready, he’s yours.”

“Oh... thanks, Lena.” Talla’s eyes sparkled.

“I promised I’d sit with some other people, but... I’ll catch you guys later, okay?”

“Yeah.” Talla went to join her other friends. Lena headed back to her table, with Phelicia and her babies following.

As Lena sat down Quoim and Calista froze and looked at Phelica’s offspring.

“Um, when did that happen?” Quoim squeaked.

“What she said…” Calista murmured, staring at them.

 “Welcome! Welcome back students of Full Moon and welcome to Half Moon! I would like all your attention!” Nadine and Brody were making out and not paying any attention. Lena thought she saw Madam Arach look at them for a moment, but she couldn’t be sure. “All students are welcome to the dance, but it is not recommended that students under Year Threes actually go. I don’t have anything else to say, so let the annual Moon feast begin!” Madam Arach finished.

“I’m still going!” Quoim said quickly.

“Nothing is going to put her off, Calista.” Lena remarked.

“I know, sadly. Unless there’s no one who’ll ask her.”

“Then I’ll ask someone!” Quoim turned her attention to her steak, stared at it for a moment, then picked it up, slurping nosily at the blood dripping down her arm. Calista tore hers in half, and gave Decia the other half.

“This is definitely the best thing I’ve eaten. Ever.” Lena had just bit into her raw steak. As a Human, even the idea would have been gross, but... as a Vampire... It really was amazing. The blood was warm, salty, and the meat was still so... just so good! This is where I belong. She thought to herself, smiling. Phelicia and her babies were soaring in and out of the roaring fires built in the grates, as it was getting really cold, and they didn’t have normal heating down in the older parts of the school.

Lena took a sip of her drink, and the delicious substance seemed to coat her insides. Lena took a few more drinks, and soon it was drained.

“I can’t eat another bite.” Quoim groaned, patting her stomach.

“Then don’t, smart one.” Calista was still eating her steak.

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“I don’t understand why you think it’s a bad idea to have a boyfriend.” Quoim brought up again.

“Because! You don’t need a boyfriend right now!” Calista responded.

“Some day you’ll run off with someone just like Nadine did her Year Two and I’ll be able to say I told you so.”

Lena glanced over at Nadine and Riaan. Steaks untouched on plates, glasses half drained, they had disappeared. “Speaking of Nadine and Riaan, where are they?”

“I wouldn’t know. Some late-night stroll that should embarrass her when she gets caught but doesn’t... and a bunch of kissing and stuff.” Quoim shrugged.

“I may do it when I’m fifteen or sixteen, Quoim, but at least I have the sense to not date some totally random guy at age thirteen! I mean, seriously.” Calista started up again.

“They won’t be a random guy if they’re my boyfriend, now will they?” Quoim answered quickly.

“Well, I think that this is so stupid. Madam Arach said that if you’re not a Year Three then you shouldn’t be going to the Moon Dance!”

“No, she said that it was not recommended!”

“Um, well, don’t you know that means that you’re not supposed to?”

“Since when have I played by the rules?”

“You haven’t, but you should! Also, you just seriously-”

Lena rolled her eyes, “Come on, guys! Let’s go back to the dorm.”

“But we don’t have such a pleasant thing happening right now, you know, in the dorm.”

“So, we can’t sleep here, Quoim, so just get up and go to the dorm already!”

“I’d rather sleep here.”

“Too bad, you’re sleeping in your dorm. Let’s go!”

“No.”

“Fine. You’ve got thirty minutes!”

AUTHORS NOTE: omg 7000+ reads! I LOVE YOU! Also when youre reading could you vote? Just click the little button & it makes it a little more likely that someone else will read it & itll get higher in the vampire category because now its 336 instead of 233 :( but im still happy to be ranked! THANK YOU ILY! Keep voting commenting & fanning!

<3

tova