Shadow School Ch. 06

"Discreet? Cameron we're surrounded by fucking vampires with super hearing and mind-reading abilities... we really don't have to lower our voices except for the gullible humans scattered across the room." She downed the rest of the champagne and snorted as the bubbles refused to go down properly. "Lest they go to Hell with us."

"You... you think that's... Hell? Oh God..."

"You just fucked a vampire, Cameron... you don't think God will have something to say about that?"

Cameron stared at the wine in her cup, swishing the liquid around. "I guess... I guess I was so wrapped up in... in everything that I didn't... I didn't think..."

"Cameron," Kristie said, "Ease up. You just got devirginized and learned the existence of vamps like, six hours ago. Seriously. I'm surprised you're not in shock."

"And you're not?"

"Fuck no. I'm in. All cards on the table. I was looking forward to a boring-ass life filled with drugs or whatever to perk things up occasionally but that's like playing Russian Roulette with your lifespan and health. Here I can get my high from a little taste of vamp blood? Hell yeah. Bring it. And those delicious digits too."

"God, Kris, you can really be foul sometimes." Cameron sipped her wine.

Kris rolled her eyes. "Look... I know we haven't been friends lately because I took a few steps forward into the world of the naughty and you stayed all virginal and naïve, but let me catch you up. Vampires don't exactly have the best reputations because they tend kill people so you're technically playing with fire. These guys seem to be okay though... they're not even cold. Daman was... hot. And you obviously got a taste of the pleasure they can bring... AND they want to send you to Harvard or whatever and give you a good life. Doesn't exactly mesh with popular lore, right?"

Kristie exchanged her empty champagne glass for another when the tray passed by them. "Not to mention you know about them so your choice is to either roll with the punches or get dead. I prefer life, thanks. So why spend the entire time hating what's going on? You will be miserable, not them. So live it up girly. Make the most of it. Glass half full, and all." She took a drink.

Cameron watched the liquid flow into her friend's mouth. "You sound like you're trying to convince yourself."

Kristie sputtered, wide-eyed, stepping back from her glass to avoid spilling any liquid on her silk dress. By the time she had checked herself, Cameron was already walking away.

Fuck.

***

Melanie was actually having a good time. She had danced with William a few times and was just leaving the floor with him, breathless, when she saw Virginia coming near her. Melanie hesitated. She should be sucking up to the Heads right now, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it, despite seeing some of the other girls and their families schmoozing easily.

"Melanie, dear, you look beautiful dancing out there with my William." Virginia said, coming to a stop in front of them. She smiled brightly at William, who was standing just behind Melanie's right shoulder, his fingers woven between hers.

Melanie blinks. My William?

"Hello, Mother." William said, eliciting a wide smile from the 19-year-old blonde standing before them.

Mother?! Melanie gawked as William leaned forward and kissed Virginia on each cheek.

Virginia beamed at William and began speaking in rapid French. He answered, also in French, but kept the reply short. Melanie had no idea what they were saying but didn't really care.

Mother?

Virginia turned her eyes back to Melanie and smiled sweetly. "My dear William was born before I was turned. I couldn't bear the idea of an eternity without him so I changed him myself on his eighteenth birthday."

"But..." Melanie sputtered. "His name... your name... it's-"

"Roanoke, yes." Virginia said, smiling. "It's where I was born. And it's a long story dear, not for tonight. Tonight, we announce the students of our Houses." She turned her eyes back to William. "Have you danced with all the girls?"

William released Melanie's hand and bowed slightly but formally to his... mother... the smile on his face replaced with a dutiful expression.

Melanie's heart began to flutter. All the girls? She'd seen William dancing with several others but he hadn't noticed a pattern... was this whole evening a test? She berated herself for being so blind. A random boy pays her polite, gentlemanly attention and she fell right for it, despite knowing right off that he was a vampire. Her mind truly was getting twisted into tangles. Had it been just that morning that she set off with her parents to come see this mysterious school? Now she knew that vampires were real and running the very school she was being forced to attend; what was worse, she hadn't put up much of a fight.

Melanie reached up and clasped her fingers around the crucifix hanging from her neck, mentally whispering a prayer for protection.

"What a lovely piece!" Virginia exclaimed, watching Melanie's hand. "May I?"

Startled, Melanie nodded, curious what would happen if this vampire girl touched the cross.

Nothing.

"My, no wonder you've taken such a fancy to her, my dear boy, a girl with guts enough to wear a crucifix to a vampire gathering must have great faith indeed." She looked up at Melanie. "My William is a devout Catholic. He loves the faith dearly."

"But..." Melanie, was again, at a loss. "I thought..."

William spoke at her ear. "Our kind predates Christ. It is humans who think religion has anything to do with our existence or demise. We are more a product of nature than faith.. though faith plays a part."

Melanie gulped.

"As I explained earlier my dear," Virginia said, "we follow certain rules to better ourselves. It is essential to our survival." She dropped the crucifix back to Melanie's throat. "Some choose faith. It is only those who experience deep guilt who turn away from the cross as if it burns. But, just as humans, we cannot help our sinful nature, and some reach out for forgiveness just as you do." She smiled, brightening when John Harvard joined them. Her face lit up. "But that is for the classroom. Tonight, you must dance!"

With that, John swept Virginia out onto the dance floor. Melanie watched them, numb. Her faith was her last protection. How many times had she seen vampire hunters hold out a cross to ward off a bloodsucker bent on killing them or someone else? It worked in all the movies...

"Actors." William said, simply. "Béla Lugosi did a fantastic job presenting his audience with a monster. Have you seen anything monstrous here yet?"

Melanie turned to face the beautiful young man before her. "Do all vampires have the ability to read thoughts?"

William grinned. "You will learn more about our powers... but yes. Humans only use a fraction of what it stored up here." He tapped her temple with a finger. "We use much more. So we can sense the feelings of others... even hear their thoughts if we are close enough... and by simply looking into your eyes," he did, "I can experience everything that you do... thoughts, emotions... sensations..." William ran a finger lightly up her arm and gave her chill bumps. He grinned crookedly, shaking off chills as if they had been his own.

Melanie looked down at the hairs raised on her arm.

"Might I steal your partner for a dance, William?"

Melanie winced as she heard the familiar voice. Gavin. She thought she would have made it the whole night without having to talk to him, but she was wrong. When she looked up, Gavin and William were locked in a stare. Were they doing that mind-reading thing William had been talking about?

"It's not for me to deny a Head of House... Melanie, it's been a pleasure." William offered her a slight bow and walked into the crowd. She followed him with her eyes to a gaggle of girls who were all obviously delighted to have him join their discussion. He looked back over his shoulder at her before turning back to answer a question. The girls laughed.

Melanie hesitantly looked back at Gavin. His hand was held out to her. She took it, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. Well... one dance couldn't hurt. She'd like to give him a piece of her mind anyway.

"Melanie, before you say anything let me confess something to you." Gavin looked down at her as they spun in time with the other dancers. It was a dance she didn't know but he was guiding her with ease. "I, along with Victoria, am a Seeker for our college. We search the chosen districts for potential scholarship recipients from within the student body. We're the youngest in mortal age so we blend better with modern students.

"I'll admit I had an attraction to you... even thought to make you part of my House despite my other plans... and your lips..." He stared down at her mouth. After a second he looked back up at her. "I went too far. But surely embarrassment is preferable to possible death."

Melanie's eyes widened and she turned her gaze to the dancers around them. After all that about eye contact, she wasn't going to make it easy for him to know every little thing going on inside her. "Have sex or die? Is that what you're saying? Like what, you did me a favor?"

"Virgins do not fare well with my kind... trust me... having that young whelp rut with you against a tree is far better than experiencing bloodlust that is out of control."

"But you bit me again! Later... when I broke it off..."

"Only to make sure your blood was free of the intoxicating flavor we crave. And, well, you did reject me. I went willingly, knowing you'd have a hard time sating the hunger I'd given you for the weekend."

"Bastard."

"Now, that's not the polite girl I know. I only tell you this to make peace, Melanie. I could have taken you... hurt you... or worse, have you come here as a virgin... but I didn't touch you. I didn't let you arrive here as an innocent. I even tried to get you to leave but you are here... and I do hope a House will choose you now that you must attend our institution. One as pure as you should not go through the alternative"

Melanie paled. "So I won't be chosen for your House then?"

"You wished otherwise."

Melanie suddenly realized her situation.... Deep down she thought everything would be okay since Gavin seemed to still want her... or had she just imagined that? He did walk out of the President's office... Oh, Christ. Looking up at him now, she knew he didn't choose her. "But... in the office... they said you'd chosen... I thought..."

"I chose another," Gavin said, coming to a stop as the song ended. He bowed. The way he bowed, the way he spoke... there was nothing left of the boy she dated... he was all traditional and old world-ly. "I wish you luck in the moments to come."

Melanie watched as Gavin turned and walked away from her. Her situation really was dire. She'd unconsciously thought Gavin was like a backup plan... a parachute if no one else wanted her. But he didn't want her either.

The clock ticked by slowly after that. William didn't return to her, but she did spot him on the dance floor with other girls. She stood with her parents as they chatted with others, watching dresses twirl and people laugh.

She wondered how many guests were actually vampires. She couldn't tell who was who just by looking at them, though she did notice that so far, everyone who was a vamp was in great shape... perhaps a diet of blood made you lose the pounds.

Melanie giggled manically to herself. She was about to become lunch; something for these things to feed on while others enjoyed the privilege of the scholarship. Scanning the room, she looked at every Head of House she could see. John Harvard was conversing with three young ladies. He'd walked out of their meeting so she was pretty sure he didn't want her. Gavin was out... which left....

She spotted Virginia with a two girls, both standing dutifully on either side of her. Melanie started to head in that direction when the music ended with a flourish and Louis stepped out to greet the audience. Girls were beginning to find their parents among the crowd as a clock somewhere on campus began to strike out beats for the hour.

Too late... she was too late!

Melanie was on the verge of hyperventilating as she saw the Heads take their places with a few girls clustered around each. They were in a semicircle around Louis, the Heads and who Melanie guessed were past scholarship winners.

Louis waited patiently, all eyes on him, until the last bell tolled. "When a name is called, please make your way to your respective Head of House. If your name is not called, please feel free to continue the festivities as a Shacrow VanMeter student."

The room went quiet except for a low hum from a violin in the orchestra.

"Sokar House would like to welcome... Kristie MacFarland!"

Melanie watched, applause from the crowd as well as whoops from various people among the hundreds present ringing in her ears, as Kristie made her way over to the dark-skinned young man and his "family." Every girl but one was a redhead. Melanie couldn't help the quiet snort that left her.

"Harvard House would like to welcome... Bridget Monroe!"

Seriously... it almost sounded like a game show. And her reserve was starting to crack. There went her second hope. Melanie wanted to get this over with.

Arinson House would like to welcome... Cameron Ellis!"

Well there you go. It would be just her luck to watch her new nemesis get a position while Melanie was left with the drama of being the occasional snack. Maybe it would be best if she wasn't chosen... then she would at least keep her morals intact... something told her that the girls around all the Heads probably had to sell their souls or something to-

Caesaris House would like to welcome... Allison Young!"

Mary, Mother of God... she was next. Melanie breathed as slowly as possible, glancing wildly around her, wondering if the exits were guarded.

"Roanoke House would like to welcome..."

Oh God, oh God, oh God oh God oh God!

The crowd around Melanie burst into the same applause she'd heard before. She watched, frantically to see who had been called. She felt a shove at her back.

"Go!" her mother whispered.

They called her name? Oh, Saints be praised! They called her name!

Melanie began to weave through the crowd until it opened up for her, allowing her to take her place with Linney Feinburg and another girl behind Virginia. Virginia smiled warmly at her and nodded, patting her on the shoulder. Seriously... it was like the young woman was her great aunt or something the way she treated her.

"Devin Buckley!"

Melanie turned to see who had just been called. An athletic brunette was striding toward Gavin. THAT was who he picked? Melanie couldn't help the immediate jealousy that came over her. She applauded with the others but purposefully ignored her ex and his... women. Ugh.

"Waldemar House would like to welcome... Heather Groves!"

A blonde girl -- one of those blonde girls she would never, could never, be friends with -- strode up to Catherine and the others of her house.

"Ladies and Gentlemen... may I present the Shacrow Seven Scholarship winners!" Louis belted over the crowd as the band began a jovial tune and streamers began to fall from the balconies. Balloons even floated by but Melanie didn't see them. Now that the worry of being lunch was over she was realizing she was in some serious-

"Congratulations," a male voice whispered at her ear.

Melanie turned to see William grinning down at her.

"Welcome to the family," he said.

"Thanks." She offered him a smile, a little bashful now that he was looking at her like she really WAS something to eat.

***

Thanks so much for reading the sixth part of my series! I love any encouragement to keep writing so please vote or leave a comment... or both! Thanks!!