《Half Blood Rising》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    The creature in front of me was disgusting. Everything about him reeked of death, and his darkness


    brushed against me like ck boiling tar in the zing heat of summer. I hated being here with him,


    repeating the same thing all over again. The werewolf was in his human form, so I had to be careful. I¡¯d


    been tracking him every night for the past seven days.


    The humidity in this part of Ukraine was unbearable this time of year, as usual, but at least a drizzle of


    rain had begun to fall. An annoying mosquito was buzzing around my ear, but I couldn¡¯t lose focus now.


    I couldn¡¯t risk taking my eyes off that bastard.


    His breathing was whizzed, and saliva was trickling from his mouth. I inhaled, sensing his dirty energy


    ¡ªhis aura. It was repulsive, and he deserved to die for all the terrible things he¡¯d done to others.


    ¡°Pretty, you don¡¯t have to do this. I have over five hundred Hryvnia in my side pocket. Take it and let me


    go,¡± he said, his voice creepy, the tones vibrating inside my chest. I had to try and keep it together. The


    pain of his victims¡ªchildren and little girls¡ªaffected me so much tonight; he was rotten from the inside


    out, and I had to clear my mind, stop thinking about it.


    I gripped my knife tighter, cutting the cirction to my fingers. What had started as a drizzle was now


    bing heavier¡ªa possible storm was approaching¡ªdark clouds were gathering in the south, but


    the moon still shone brightly above me.


    I¡¯d heard many stories about him, but he had been careful. Almost too careful. He had watched the


    elementary schools, particrly kindergarteners in the early mornings. He¡¯d been selective when


    choosing his victims.


    A while back he¡¯d managed to escape prison, and the High Council seemed useless. It had taken me


    some time to figure out his modus operandi and finally track him down. I¡¯d yet to see his darker form,


    but what I had sensed had been enough. I¡¯d witnessed a lot of disgusting shit in my short life as a half-


    vampire. I had been doing this for way too long, killing and eliminating creatures that didn¡¯t deserve to


    walk on this earth.


    ¡°This will be quick, although you deserve to die slowly and very, very painfully,¡± I said through gritted


    teeth, staring at his dark filthy hair and almost-translucent skin. He was skinny, his bones protruded,


    and he looked malnourished. He wore a loose grey shirt that was stained in what appeared to be blood.


    Another vision. Damn it. Not now¡­ I really had to focus on the task at hand, but these visions were


    hard to ignore.


    I was seeing him leaning over a little girl, and he was panting with excitement. She couldn¡¯t have been


    more than eleven years old. Tears were slipping down her cheeks. She was petrified, seeing him in his


    true form. Drool was dripping from his fangs and clinging to his matted dark fur. She parted her lips ¡­


    I quickly shook my head, pushing the vile images out of my mind. This had gone on for far too long. I


    couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I couldn¡¯t bear seeing the victims¡­ their torture. It was just too much.


    Earlier on, he hadn¡¯t expected me to attack. I had lunged forward, crouching low at the same time, and


    on a quick turn of my foot, I¡¯d caught him off guard, then sliced his leg from Achilles heel to calf¡ªthe


    bastard couldn¡¯t run any longer. My vampire speed, agility, and strength had always given me an


    advantage, allowing me to strike within a moment¡¯s notice.


    My fangs were now descended. I blocked his pitiful strike, kicking him to the ground and ramming my


    knee into his chest as he struggled against me. I didn¡¯t want to touch him; sweat was dripping down my


    face. Every time my skin encountered his, I saw more and more despicable images of his previous


    victims. I could feel their pain¡ªtheir screams and whimpers echoed in my mind. This was the only


    downside of being a half-vampire and trying to do the right thing. I wasn¡¯t immune to his darkness: the


    other side of me, the ¡°unknown¡± allowed me to soak it all in.


    ¡°Please, take my money¡­ they all wanted it,¡± he howled. Luckily, we weren¡¯t in a built-up area. The


    alley was deserted. His pupils dted; he feared death¡ªfeared what wasing for him.


    ¡°Even children? You¡¯re a sick piece of shit who feeds on innocent souls, a vile being who deserves to


    burn in hell, if such a thing exists,¡± I roared, and then plunged my knife into the side of his neck. I could


    have bitten him, but I didn¡¯t want to be affected by his blood dayster. He tried to grab me, but I


    twisted the de, feeling sick to my stomach. His dark magic began spreading everywhere, creeping


    into my skin, my nails, and hair. I stared at him, wondering if there was another way, but he deserved


    something much worse. I had done him a favour.


    Now the pain of his victims flooded my energy, and this was the part I hated the most.


    ¡°Money, take my money,¡± he rasped in desperation and then began to shift into a wolf, but his energy


    wouldn¡¯t save him now. It was fading, so maybe this was one of the side effects of his dark, twisted


    magic. I lifted myself up from the ground, feeling light-headed and suddenly exhausted. It was most


    likely from hunger (I hadn¡¯t eaten all day), or the fact that I had known some of the victims.


    By the time he was dead, I didn¡¯t feel the satisfaction I¡¯d expected from ending his life. Heavy sheets of


    rain were beginning to form puddles along the asphalt, and that bastard¡¯s eyes were still open. I leaned


    against the wall and took a deep breath, waiting for the nausea to pass. I knew that these dreadful


    emotions and images would stay with me for a while.


    It was time to call this in. Tristan was my contact in the council, and he needed to take care of the body.


    Lviv was a cosmopolitan city when it came to supernatural creatures. Being only half-vampire


    anywhere. No one in the human world wanted to hire me because I didn¡¯t have official papers.


    Vampire¡¯s hung around and lived in nests¡ªthey had theirmunities underground and they worked


    together. Most of them didn¡¯t want half-breeds within their ranks. There weren¡¯t many jobs in Lviv for


    supernaturals, anyway. Ukraine was poor, and even humans struggled in the job market.


    Several years ago, I¡¯d awakened in a dark alley with no recollection of who I was, or why I was there. I


    had suspected that my humanity was gone forever. A vampire had attacked me, turning me into a


    monster¡ªthe fangs had sort of given it awaypletely turning my life upside down. That was only


    the beginning of my nightmare.


    For hours I¡¯d wandered the streets, asking people for help, trying to remember what had happened, but


    no one was willing to assist me. The police had sent me away, too. Besides, I couldn¡¯t remember how


    I¡¯d gotten to Lviv in the first ce, and I didn¡¯t speak thenguage. Hungry, cold, and homeless. Yeah,


    it was a great kick off. I had a whole new life an no idea how to live it.


    It took me a while to get used to living on the streets without any memories¡ªbeing no one. Whoever


    turned me had left me without money or any means of getting by. There had been a small note inside


    my pocket with what I assumed was my name¡ªJaymin rence. I couldn¡¯t have been more than


    neen years old when I was turned.


    In a short period of time, I had to learn how to survive amongst other supernatural creatures in this


    huge city without anynguage skills. Trymunicating with people and having no idea how to speak


    thenguage. I couldn¡¯t even read the damn street signs. It was fun ¡­ I had the worst maker in the


    history of ever.


    There was no point thinking of this now, but the past always had a way of catching up with me every


    time I killed another convict. My body was hurting, and it was raining heavily now¡ªa freaking


    downpour. It was still humid, and I hated being wet (kind of like a cat), especially now when I was just


    about to meet up with Tristan. I had a crush on the guy. Yeah, it was a little silly, but he¡¯d always treated


    me like a person, not an outcast. He made me feel ¡­ normal. Maybe that was the reason.


    I walked to the nearest pay phone, wondering where I was going to sleep tonight. This was always my


    predicament when it rained, but first I had to get some decent food into my stomach. And for that, I


    needed to see Tristan. He had to pay me for a job well done.


    There weren¡¯t many people on the streets at this time of night, and I found some loose change in the


    booth, so the pay phone was free. He picked up on the first ring, and I gave him the location. This was


    how it always worked between us. Tristan worked for the High Council in the Vampire Division. I trusted


    him and we had an understanding. Sometimes he would tip me off about a certain creature that needed


    to be eliminated, but most of the time, I tracked them myself. He always paid me, no questions asked.


    Obviously, he was generouslypensated for every corpse I turned over to him, so it was kind of a


    win-win situation for both of us.


    Most humans or supernaturals: vampires, witches, warlocks, shifters, or even fae didn¡¯t trust me. To


    them, I was an unworthy half-vamp, just a crossbreed with no memories. I had nopetition in this


    line of work, but I always had to be watchful.


    Several minutester, I went back to the alley where I¡¯d left the corpse of the werewolf and then waited.


    A ck Cadic arrived fifteen minutester, but this time, something immediately felt off. Tristan


    climbed out of the passenger seat, smiling, his eyes found me instantly. He was handsome, and it


    bothered me that I always looked like a drowned rat in front of him. My thin ck hair was tangled, and


    I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I¡¯d brushed it. I was homeless, so I never looked decent enough.


    I didn¡¯t think I was ugly, but most men¡ªsupernatural or human¡ªavoided me; they seemed scared of


    me. My nose was small, and I had wide blue eyes. I was wearing old faded jeans withrge holes in the


    knees, and a loose ck T-shirt. Secondster, I realised Tristan wasn¡¯t alone.


    My heart skipped a beat when the other guy struggled to get out of the passenger seat. He was


    overweight with arge chin and no neck to speak of. My anxiety shot through the roof when I sensed


    he was a vampire, too. This wasn¡¯t good, but I had a gaping hole in my stomach where food should¡¯ve


    been. I had no money, and I hadn¡¯t eaten in about two days. My energy was slowly diminishing. Tristan


    needed to pay me no matter what.


    ¡°Hey, Jaymin,¡± Tristan weed me, then his eyes diverted to the corpse of the werewolf¡ªwell, what


    was left of him. His dark energy was still inside me, prating and disturbing my own. ¡°Great job.


    Come over here, I want you to meet someone; one of your own kind.¡±


    Anger rippled through me, but I decided to stay calm and then slowly approached them. The fatty¡¯s


    eyes roamed over my body, and he frowned. His aura was odd, twisted, and his blood smelled of


    arsenic. Yes, I sensed that, too.


    ¡°What are you, dear?¡± he asked straight away. ¡°You ain¡¯t a full vampire, but you ain¡¯t a human, either.¡±


    There was no ¡°hi,¡± no proper introduction, just straight to that invasive question. My stomach contracted


    with unease. I wasn¡¯t nning to give him an answer.


    I nced around, expecting other council members to jump out from around the corner, but the


    darkened streets were empty. It was just us for now. Maybe I was being too paranoid, but Tristan had


    never let me down before. We had an agreement.


    ¡°Tristan, check the body, he¡¯s the one from your list,¡± I said, emphasising thest word andpletely


    ignoring the fatty. I tended not to speak to other vampires.


    Tristan¡¯s upper lip twitched, but he nodded. He seemed nervous. The other vampire was probably


    annoyed by the fact that I wasn¡¯t paying attention to him. Well, I didn¡¯t care.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Jay, this is Councillor Roberts,¡± Tristan said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°He insisted on meeting


    you.¡±


    ¡°Well, on the contrary, I¡¯d rather not speak to anyone on the council and remain anonymous, so cash


    in, Tris,¡± I snapped, aggravated because he¡¯d betrayed me. My energy spiked, and I smelled blood. I


    was willing to bet that the councillor hadn¡¯t bloody known I¡¯d ever existed; he must have just found out.


    Why did Tristan have to say anything at all? Maybe he¡¯d been forced. Well, now he¡¯dpletely


    screwed me over.


    I¡¯d heard that the High Council experimented on half-breeds like me, and that¡¯s why I¡¯d always avoided


    their officials. Sweat gathered along my brow, and I switched my weight to the side. I just wanted to get


    paid so I could eat, but this vampire kept staring at me like he was ready to drain me.


    ¡°Hold up, Mr. Walker. You said Jaymin has been killing convicts for a long while now,¡± the council


    member said, lifting his hand like he wanted to block Tristan from saying anything more, and then


    turned his attention towards me. ¡°Your reputation proceeds you, and several people higher up on the


    council want to know a few things about you.¡±


    He had chunky, sausage-like fingers and dirty nails. My breathing was uneven¡ªthis normally


    happened after I¡¯d killed someone, but right now, my anxiety was rising fast. Chill bumps rose all over


    my body, and my heart rate sped up. Technically I wasn¡¯t supposed to have a heartbeat. Well, that¡¯s


    what Melody, my closest friend said, but for some reason, many of my human genes had remained


    active after I¡¯d turned. Which was another reason why I had to eat human food, too.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to answer your questions, or go anywhere with you, then you¡¯re a fool. I don¡¯t


    appreciate the council crawling its arse into my personal business,¡± I said, much more aggressively


    than I¡¯d intended. Most of the time, I had a problem controlling my mouth¡ªsort of like now.


    Under most normal circumstances, other creatures scared the life out of me, especially the ones with


    fangs, but I¡¯d never allowed anyone to get close enough. Once I started tracking someone, I became


    ruthless.


    ¡°You can answer my questions right here, or we do have other methods,¡± Roberts stated, taking a step


    towards me. ¡°This has been going on for far too long. Your magic is unique, and that¡¯s what concerns


    us the most.¡±


    I shot Tristan a nasty and hateful look, calcting my next move. I couldn¡¯t just leave, I still needed to


    get paid, but that vampire bastard was getting on my nerves. He wasn¡¯t going to let me go without


    concrete answers. And I wasn¡¯t willing to tell him a bloody thing about myself or my magic.


    ¡°Screw you¡ªscrew both of you,¡± I finally snapped, losing my cool.


    Tristan opened his mouth, probably to tell me to calm the hell down, while the fatty attempted to grab


    me. My fangs descended and blood rushed to my ears. I was an inch away from sinking my fangs into


    the councillor¡¯s fat no-neck, but he must have used some sort of spell that prevented me from attacking


    him. I felt myself being pushed backwards, then I stumbled a bit. What the hell?


    It was then that I knew I had to get out of there if I wanted to survive, and this time, without getting


    paid.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    I turned away from them and took off running, already imagining being trapped in the ws of the High


    Council. It was too risky. I knew how they operated, and I didn¡¯t want to lose my freedom. At the same


    time, I couldn¡¯t believe Tristan had betrayed me. The vampire tried to stop me, shouting something


    about bindingw, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I just kept running. He tried to use binding energy, but my


    ¡°other¡± nature, the one I knew nothing about, seemed to be immune to it.


    I sped through the gloomy streets quickly enough, getting away. Tristan wouldn¡¯t be able to chase me


    in the car, so I knew I¡¯d be all right. It was the middle of the night, so there was hardly anyone out now.


    Besides, I liked moving through the narrow streets, where ess by car was usually limited. Then


    again, I couldn¡¯t walk too far. I was weakened by the earlier attack andck of food. Momentster, I


    decided to hide in one of the old abandoned town houses that had seen better days.


    My legs were aching like hell, and my vision was bing blurry again. Normally with my half-vampire


    strength, I was in excellent shape, but after killing the werewolf, I was drained. His tainted energy had


    affected me¡ªhis darkness had stuck to me like glue. I had to wait for it to fade, and sometimes it took


    hours, other times, days. It took me several long moments to inhale a few deep breaths. This was


    going to be a difficult night for me. Even my bones hurt right then as I was cursing off Tristan. Then my


    stomach growled again. Damn him.


    I would do a lot right now for a warm meal and a decent night¡¯s sleep in a proper bed. Maybe it was a


    silly dream, but to me, it was a basic necessity. Right now, I had nothing: no money for food, and


    nowhere to go, and the High Council was after me¡ªthat was just great.


    Tears forced their way into my eyes. Damn it¡ªwhen had I be so weak? Never. There was no


    point in feeling sorry for myself, but at the same time, I¡¯d never been in such a shitty situation before. I¡¯d


    lived on the streets for four years, but even so, I¡¯d managed to take care of myself.


    My mind was in despair. I tried really, really hard to remember someone from my past, anything, even


    small glimpses of my previous life, but with no results. There was nothing, only an obscure void inside


    my mind.


    Two hourster, I had enough strength to leave the mouldy town house. I decided to climb the fire


    escape to the top of the building and then walked along the rooftop. This way, I could see everything


    that was happening on the streets. It had been easy to break into and find the fire escape; no one had


    ever bothered me up here. I was alone, so damn alone all the time.


    The temperature dropped slightly in the night and it finally stopped raining. I found a spot near the


    stairs with an old mattress that someone had left behind. It was the only dry ce around the building,


    so I decided to rest there. Five minutester, the rain began pouring once again, but at least I was dry.


    As a half-breed I really didn¡¯t need that much sleep, but I was so exhausted then, and I closed my


    eyes.


    Tristan¡¯s pay had only given me enough to survive. Renting an apartment was way too expensive, and


    without any kind of paperwork, it was close to impossible. In the very beginning of my existence as a


    half-vampire, I managed to get a short-term job on the ck market. My boss had used me. I was


    getting paid at the time, so I didn¡¯t care how hard I needed to work for it. Besides, I didn¡¯t speak


    Ukrainian, and no one in that line of work understood English.


    After a year, I¡¯d be fed up working for minimal pay. I wanted a proper job, or at least some sort of


    education. That had been an option, too, but I needed an address, an identity. No one wanted to deal


    with a homeless half-breed. It had quickly be the story of my new life.


    More tears flowed down my face, but I quickly wiped them away. I had always yed the hard-as-steel


    Jaymin, never showing my emotions, and now I couldn¡¯t find my way back to the ¡°old me.¡±


    Tristan had shut that door for me. Tracking convicts and killing them had taught me resilience, and it


    had given me other valuable skills, but I couldn¡¯t do it any longer. Once he decided to get someone else


    involved, I was done. I couldn¡¯t rely on getting paid for it anymore. Now the High Council was on to me.


    I was even more fucked than I realised.


    My stomach was growling very loudly at that point. I didn¡¯t know how, but eventually, I drifted off to


    sleep. The werewolf¡¯s victims haunted me in my dreams. I fought with them; I shouted that it wasn¡¯t my


    fault, but they wouldn¡¯t listen.


    Sometimeter, I was awakened by the noise from the traffic below. It was humid again, and I was


    used to waking up stinking like a pig by now, especially during a heat wave. I dreamed of a hot shower,


    but first I had to get something to eat. My head was spinning a little, and I knew it was from theck of


    food. There were no more tears¡ªI was done with it. After surviving for so long, I couldn¡¯t just give up.


    As I made my way down to the streets and started walking towards the north, of course, people stared.


    I was used to it by now. I probably had blood stains all over my clothes, and Ukrainians tended to be


    extremely nosy. Around eight o¡¯clock in the morning it was already twenty-five degrees, so I had to


    prepare myself for a scorching hot day. I walked for about a mile, then killed a few hours trying to find


    something to eat in the bins, but other homeless humans had already beat me to it.


    Around midday, the King¡¯s Bar opened, and I hid inside, escaping the heat. There weren¡¯t many people


    there, and as soon as I showed up, the barman gave me a sharp look. I didn¡¯t look particrly


    appealing, but he couldn¡¯t just throw me out without a reason. This ce always stunk of blood. A lot of


    supernaturals hung around here, but it was too early for any of them to be there now.


    I headed straight to the bathroom. Luckily, I would be able to wash myself and change my clothes. I


    only owned two pair of jeans and a few T-shirts. I only showered when I had some cash on me. My


    other top stunk of burnt fish. I¡¯d visited the local market a few timesst week, so maybe the fabric


    soaked in the smell. Either way, after I left the restroom, I looked more like a human girl.


    A few Ukrainian girls passed me on the way to the bar. They were giggling, talking about makeup and


    boys. For a moment, I imagined being one of them, free of all my problems and worries. I was


    daydreaming and not looking where I was going, then a split secondter, I crashed into someone,


    hard. I lifted my head, seeing that it was another vampire. He was pure, ancient, maybe? I didn¡¯t know


    how I could tell, but as soon as I met his eyes, I knew I was right. A strong jolt of electrical current shot


    through me.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, hen?¡± He spoke in English, and he had the strongest Scottish ent I had


    ever heard.


    He was damn handsome: tall, lean, with longish light-coloured hair and a muscr chest. He wore a


    white shirt that stretched across his massive form and revealed much of his ripped muscle beneath. I


    only had a glimpse, but that was enough for me to know that he was from a higher caste. And he


    smelled heavenly, too. Crap, this wasn¡¯t what I was supposed to be focusing on. I was heading to the


    bar, hoping to get some food. He stared at me like I was a bag of dirt, so ¡­ he was an arsehole.


    ¡°Whatever, man,¡± I snapped, annoyed he¡¯d talked to me like that, calling me that name, and I felt


    judged instantly. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile, and the colour of his eyes intensified. We


    gazed at each other for a few more seconds, but then he broke eye contact and carried on walking.


    His scent was overwhelming, clinging to me and prating my system. What the hell was wrong with


    me? Somehow, he¡¯d pushed away the vile, dark energy that had been inside me.


    I hurried back to the bar, not thinking much about the fact it was way too early for any vampire to be out


    in the daylight. I just wanted to flirt with someone who could feed me. Sometimes when I made an


    effort, I was convincing enough. This bar served a lot of lonely souls who craved attention.


    Momentster I saw Pedro, the manager of the bar. He was standing by one of the tables and scanning


    the space. I¡¯d been certain he was off today, and now his being hereplicated things for me. Pedro


    knew how I operated, and he had kicked me out of here a few times before, so I knew I needed to bail.


    Swearing my bad luck, I turned and headed downstairs, towards the long corridor where that arsehole


    vampire had just vanished. Someone once told me that there was another way out of here. I didn¡¯t want


    to leave yet, but at the same time, I didn¡¯t want to face Pedro; he enjoyed making my life difficult. The


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    King¡¯s Bar was the only ce in Lviv that opened in the morning, and where most of the supernaturals


    were usually wee.


    Momentster I made a sharp turn to the right, and I could hear someone talking.


    ¡°We have been waiting for you, L. It¡¯s been a long time,¡± said a deep voice, sending shivers


    racing down my spine. I moved closer to the wall, thinking I must have just stuck my nose into


    someone else¡¯s business. This was just my luck.


    ¡°What do you want, Marcus?¡± another voice said. ¡°I¡¯m a busy man. I have no idea how you found out I


    was in the city.¡± I recognised the thick Scottish ent and the aura. He was the vampire I¡¯d bumped


    into earlier on, the vampire who mocked me.


    I didn¡¯t think I was weed to eavesdrop, but I couldn¡¯t make any rash moves, either. They could


    sense me, and I was still too weak to defend myself.


    ¡°The Elite Academy is missing one of its best students. You know of whom I¡¯m speaking about?¡±


    I leaned over, trying to see the supernatural who was talking. He was a mage with a strong aura. He


    had a thick beard and stocky features. He was powerful, I could sense it. What he said made me


    curious. He could only be talking about one academy: Saint Kilda in Bucharest. It was one of the most


    prestigious schools for vampires and other creatures in the world. Only the elite were taught there.


    I backed away to my right, hiding behind a fewrge barrels. The handsome Scot was on the stairs, but


    I couldn¡¯t really see him. There was another person there, too, standing further to the mage¡¯s right. I


    could only see his profile, but I suspected he was supernatural, too.


    ¡°Is this why you summoned me here? To waste my time?¡± the vampire replied, using the same mocking


    tone of voice he had when he¡¯d called me a hen. ¡°We both know Casimir isn¡¯t right for that ce.¡± The


    mage¡¯s features hardened. He obviously didn¡¯t like his tone.


    ¡°We have our ways; we could easily change the minds of some of the board members,¡± another


    supernatural, the one who was standing to the right added. ¡°Once we eliminate the female, the others


    will follow through.¡±


    It was time for me to leave. I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore¡ªit was none of my business. The mages


    were much more powerful than vampires and extremely unpredictable. However, the Scot stepped


    closer, and if I moved, he could most likely sense me, so I was stuck.


    He didn¡¯t seem happy at all, and I could see his expression. It was dark in here: only a dim bulb


    lightened the space and it was shing, too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about it,¡± the vampire said. ¡°You made a huge mistake reaching out to me.¡±


    Secondster, he turned on his heel and started walking back up the stairs. I was trying toprehend


    what had just happened, when the mage spoke again:


    ¡°He was always a fool. I thought his father¡¯s reputation meant something, but we were wrong. Use your


    influences, Percy, and eliminate Dagmara. We can bribe the rest of them. The board has been strict


    with their selection process for far too many years. The boy won¡¯t talk, he has too much to lose.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to change his mind. He has a weakness¡ªeveryone does,¡± the other mage continued,


    and I was cursing myself for being stuck here now. ¡°This task won¡¯t be easy. We need to make it look


    like an ident. Two board members: one female and one male.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a coward, but never mind, we will find another way,¡± Marcus, the mage, stated. ¡°Casimir deserves


    his ce in the academy, and he¡¯ll get in once we eliminate the two.¡± His voice caused vibrations of


    energy inside my heart.


    I could hear another voiceing from the other side. Someone was speaking in Ukrainian right above


    the stairs, and I tripped, panicking, then leaned too far back. Then I felt someone¡¯s hand grasp my arm.


    How the hell did he get to me so quickly?


    ¡°Little half-breed, how long have you been standing here and listening in?¡± the mage asked, squeezing


    my arm so hard I thought he was going to break it. Panced through me as I tried to gather my


    strength to push him off. There was no time and he hurled me across the corridor. Pain shattered


    through me when I crashed against the wall. Everything happened so fast, and stars danced in front of


    my eyes as my head mmed against the floor. My arm felt like it was broken in half, and even more


    pain exploded throughout my body. There was blood, and when I looked down, I discovered there was


    a de shoved inside my ribcage.


    ¡°She heard us¡ªkill her and clean up. The humans areing, and we can¡¯t afford to be seen.¡± I heard


    Marcus say, then there was darkness scattering across my vision, and pain. The other mage attacked


    me with his magic, throwing everything he had towards me. I was so done.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    I was disoriented, trying to deal with the overwhelming dizziness. The other mage was already walking


    towards me, and I didn¡¯t even have time to react. The de was in deep, and I felt hopeless. He moved


    towards me quickly, then lifted me above the ground, mumbling something to himself, and I screamed


    out in pain. Damn it. I should have walked away when I had the chance, and now this was going to be


    the end of me. I couldn¡¯t bloody fight. I was too worn out afterst night, and I could feel that damn


    de scraping against my ribs.


    ¡°What are you, creature¡ªvampire and something else?¡± he asked. He had his hand wrapped around


    my throat, and my legs were dangling above the floor. He was a fucking moron. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t


    going to answer, because he was suffocating me. In that moment, I genuinely thought I was dying.


    His eyes were dark brown and bloodshot. I stared at him, trying to inhale thest bits of oxygen and


    remain conscious. What little energy I had was gone, and the world around me began spinning. In that


    moment, I did the one thing I could think of¡ªI kicked him between his legs.


    After all, living on the streets had taught me a few things, and considering I had no will power, that


    worked. He howled in pain and then released me, grabbing his crotch. I crashed to the ground, thinking


    that this couldn¡¯t have gone any worse. Pain exploded on my left side and I panted, crawling away.


    Split secondster, someone was shouting something in Ukrainian. It was probably Pedro.


    The mage was cursing me out, trying to use his magic to bind me to him. Someway, and I had no idea


    how, I managed to pull the de from my ribs. Blood began pouring from the wound as I pressed my


    hand against it. I needed to get the hell out of here.


    In the distance, I could see the other mage; he had his back turned to me, and it looked like he was


    talking to Pedro. Then they turned around. The other mage was still screaming in pain as I began


    walking in the opposite direction. My entire body felt like it was almost limbless, but I didn¡¯t want to die


    in this pathetic basement. I dragged my feet, panting, and tried to ignore the dizziness.


    The exit was so close, when Marcus began shouting at someone to stop me. Then smoke started filling


    the space. I felt delirious, my strength was diminishing with every passing second. He was creating fire,


    and when I nced back, I saw Pedro lying in a pool of blood. He was dead.


    Several secondster, I found the green door and pushed the exit bar as hard as I could. The bright


    sun blinded me, and I found myself outside in the yard.


    It was bloody hot, but I knew I had to run if I wanted to live, even if my life wasn¡¯t worth it. My legs


    began working before my brain could figure out what was going on. The mage was probably after me,


    I¡¯d heard too much. The wound was quickly closing¡ªbeing half-vampire had saved me. I kept running,


    not looking back.


    Momentster, I found an old jacket near the dumpsters and slipped it on to hide my bloodied T-shirt.


    The dull pain in my chest slowed me down. The wound eventually healed for the most part, but it would


    take some time until I was at full strength. I was still only half-vampire, and I didn¡¯t have a blood donor


    to speed up the healing process¡ªthis was not one of the perks.


    Soon enough, I walked towards the busy street, blending into the crowd. A few times, I nced behind


    me, wondering if the mage was still tracking me. My breathing was shallow, and I had to sit for a minute


    here and there, but I was too afraid to stop for any length of time.


    Half an hourter, I found myself in the Jewish quarter near my friend Melody¡¯s ce. I always said that


    I would never bother her when I was in trouble, but right now everything was falling apart. She had a lot


    on her te herself, but I was out of options. She was the only person I knew who spoke English, and


    the only other person I¡¯d gotten to know in the city.


    We¡¯d met outside one of the fountains near her home. I had overheard her conversation with her


    keeper, they were speaking in English. Melody¡¯s parents had died when she was very young, and she


    was brought up by a witchmunity. It had only taken me a few moments to figure out that she was a


    witch herself. She didn¡¯t seem very happy about it, and when she¡¯d been left alone by the fountain, I¡¯d


    walked up to her. It had been something I¡¯d never done before. I¡¯d normally stayed away from other


    supernaturals, but that day, I felt so damn lonely and I¡¯d just taken the risk.


    It was a good decision and we instantly clicked. Maybe it was the fact we were both desperate to have


    some kind of connection with another being.


    That had been two years ago. We couldn¡¯t meet up too often, because Melody was studying and


    working at the same time to be a member of the coven. I wouldn¡¯t beg and I wasn¡¯t a thief, but I


    needed to eat, fuel my body with some energy. She lived in the Sykhivskyi district in an old town house


    with other witches. I wasn¡¯t particrly wee there, but she managed to convince them that I was a


    friend, not the enemy. They didn¡¯t like vampires¡ªthey didn¡¯t trust them.


    Her coven was strict, and Melody wasn¡¯t allowed to go out very often like most other teenagers.


    Although it was healing on its own, the damn cut had been deep, and I had to tell her what I heard, get


    another perspective on the case. Besides, after the past shitty few days I¡¯d had, I just needed to see a


    friendly face.


    I kept thinking about the vampire I¡¯d bumped into, the handsome yet arrogant blond who¡¯d ignored me.


    He obviously had some sort of connection to the mages in the basement. My experience with male


    vampires was non-existent. I avoided them at all costs.


    Well, maybe I¡¯d been in a rtionship before, but how was I supposed to know? I couldn¡¯t remember a


    damn thing. So, that territory was closed off. I couldn¡¯t risk getting involved with anyone.


    It took me over an hour to get to the Sykhivskyi district, and I used the local bus. Sometimes they had


    conductors, but today I was lucky. My legs felt like they were slowly going to give out, so walking in this


    heat was out of the question. I knocked on the door to her house, and another witch from the kitchen let


    me in. The smell of freshly baked bread hit me, and my mouth started watering almost instantly.


    ¡°Jaymin, oh, my God¡ªwhat happened to you?¡± My friend¡¯s high-pitched voice startled me all of a


    sudden, then she wrapped me in a warm embrace. Melody liked fruity perfumes. She was dark haired


    and looked a lot like a Gypsy girl from the caravan site, but apparently her parents were from the


    United States, as was the whole coven of witches. ¡°Is that blood?¡±


    Momentster, she dragged me to the kitchen filled with a few Ukrainian witches. They were all staring


    at me, whispering amongst themselves. I was a little overwhelmed by all the different smells. My


    stomach rumbled so loudly that Melody must have heard it, because she quickly said:


    ¡°You must be starving, dear Lord. Kasia, quickly give her some stew!¡±


    ¡°Oh, great, I¡¯ll heal quicker once I have some food in my stomach,¡± I mumbled. She grabbed my face


    and looked into my vampire eyes. Her magic was strong; it flooded through my system and relieved


    some of the pain. Melody always knew if there was something wrong.


    ¡°Anna is upstairs, so for now, we can talk,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯ll be busy for a bit. How long has it been


    since you¡¯ve eaten a proper meal?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t really remember,¡± I said, although I did remember. Five days ago, I¡¯d spent thest of my money


    on dumplings. The meal was delicious, and since then, I had a few other bits and bobs, but nothing


    super nutritious.


    She began giving orders in Ukrainian to the cook named Kasia. She didn¡¯t seem very happy, but five


    minutester, I sat down at the small table with a huge bowl of freshly made stew. I started eating way


    too fast, burning my tongue in the process, because I was so damn hungry.


    ¡°Woah, slow down. You¡¯re going to give yourself a bad stomach-ache,¡± she said, but the food was so


    good. She was right; I needed to savour it for a bit longer. I dipped the bread, imagining having this


    every day. Getting food was my main issue, and when I did have money, I had to manage it well.


    ¡°Vampire¡¯s don¡¯t get stomach-aches, remember?¡± I said between mouthfuls. It was then that I began to


    realise there wasn¡¯t going to be any more moneying in. Tristan¡¯s betrayal struck me once again (it


    was a hard pill to swallow), and I had no idea how I was going to survive the winter months. The stew


    vanished quickly, and Melody made me eat a second helping.


    The wound hadpletely healed half an hourter, and I felt heavy but satisfied. I finally had a full


    stomach.


    ¡°Tell me everything that happened,¡± Melody said, once we stepped outside. ¡°I don¡¯t want Anna to see


    you here. You know how she reacts, and I have a clienting in ten minutes.¡± It was a bit cooler in


    the shade and Melody pulled out a cigarette. She was a smoking witch, and I didn¡¯t judge. She tried to


    talk Anna into letting me stay here, but her keeper didn¡¯t want to hear anything about it. She wanted


    Melody to stay away from me. My friend didn¡¯t have an easy life at all. She had to work really hard,


    pretend to be this great fortune teller and study during the night. She didn¡¯t get paid; Anna was only


    giving her some pocket money. Besides, this wasn¡¯t my ce, and I didn¡¯t want to be a burden. Living


    on the streets had its perks at times, but now I truly needed to think about relocating, or worse¡ªgetting


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    any sort of job in order to survive.


    I didn¡¯t want to worry Melody, but I told her about my unfortunate meeting with Tristan and the near-


    death experience at the bar. I needed to vent, at least today.


    Her eyes went wide, and she inhaled more smoke into her lungs. Every supernatural in the city had


    heard about the Elite Academy one way or another. Thisplicated things a lot more. The two mages


    had seen my face and they would eventually track me down.


    I would probably have to leave the city.


    ¡°For the saint demon, they¡¯re going to target the admission officer. You need to speak to the council,¡±


    she said, and her hands began sparkling with magic.


    ¡°And tell them what? That I overheard them plotting against the most powerful school in the world?¡± I


    said. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, no one would believe me. Besides, I still don¡¯t know what I am, and they might


    want to run some sort of tests on me. I really don¡¯t want to be checked or even questioned. Tristan


    crossed the line. Now I don¡¯t even have an ie. I can¡¯t call him anymore if I kill another fugitive.¡± All


    right. Maybe I¡¯d said too much, but she was willing to listen, and we hadn¡¯t seen each other for weeks.


    Melody couldn¡¯t help me, anyway, but I rarely had a chance to talk to another person who wasn¡¯t trying


    to kill me.


    ¡°Maybe they can at least tell you who you were before, you know¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, Melody, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± I said, sighing loudly. ¡°I heard what they do to supernaturals like me. I


    have magic, and thatbined with my vampire nature is a lethal mix. I just have to figure something


    out, maybe get a job,¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°For like one dor an hour, no ¡­ let me speak to this client of mine. He¡¯s half-fae


    and he works for a mage. Maybe they can get you something. You never know,¡± she added, then we


    heard the loud, slightly scratchy voice of her keeper.


    ¡°Melody, what are you doing down there? Mr. Ivanov is waiting, and you haven¡¯t even practised today!¡±


    ¡°You better go before she finds out I ate here,¡± I said to her, knowing Anna was a cruel bitch. She had


    used her magic to discipline Melody when she was a little girl. My friend had no other options. She


    could run, but she would end up on the streets like me.


    I had to go because she had a client and Anna hated me, anyway. Melody¡¯s face paled a bit, and she


    told me that she¡¯d try to get out and speak to me in a more neutral setting. Now that she was older, she


    could get away at times. Anna couldn¡¯t control Melody as well as she had when she was a child. I


    quickly walked away, feeling more tired than before. It was probably the food I¡¯d consumed.


    The sun was zing, and I suspected that the temperature was getting close to the mid-thirties. I¡¯d


    forgotten to ask Melody for a sk of water. Now I was thirsty.


    I started walking, wondering what direction I should take next. I didn¡¯t know where to go, and half an


    hourter, I realised I was being followed by a strange female supernatural. She was wearing in


    clothes (not the colours of the High Council), but it was her eyes that caught my attention. They were


    glowing in a bright shade of yellow, like the eyes of a fae. I had never seen her before, and I was


    suddenly scared.


    She kept eyeing me up and down, speeding up when I did, and slowing down when I changed my


    pace. This wasn¡¯t good. Crap. Maybe she was with Marcus.


    Panicking again, I quickly walked into the corner alley and then slipped inside a small coffee shop,


    thinking that if she wanted to attack me, she would have done so by now. The Ukrainian woman behind


    the counter didn¡¯t seem too pleased that I¡¯d interrupted her break time. At least the ce had air


    conditioning, and I felt so much better after getting out of the heat. It was an impulsive decision. I just


    wanted to see if the stranger had really been following me, or if I was being paranoid.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± the hostess asked, cing a menu on the table. This was awkward. I had no


    money, but I was thirsty, and I could do with a drink. Silence filled the space.


    ¡°We will take two lemonades with plenty of ice, thank you,¡± said someone else who suddenly sat down


    opposite me. It was the supernatural fae who¡¯d been following me just a moment ago. I didn¡¯t even


    hear her walking into the caf¨¦. It seemed she just appeared out of nowhere. She smiled at me and I


    didn¡¯t move, thinking that maybe she wasn¡¯t the enemy after all.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    She had spoken in a perfect Ukrainian ent, but I suspected she wasn¡¯t from around here. Humans


    or even supernaturals in the city didn¡¯t look like her, and they didn¡¯t use that kind ofnguage. Panic


    settled in, but I was trying to stay calm, at least on the outside. She wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to me in


    front of the waitress. I had one knife on me, but my hands were a little stiff.


    Right now, I wasn¡¯t in the best of shape, and she was staring at me with curiosity. Her aura didn¡¯t seem


    frightening, so I calmed down a bit.


    The coffee assistant mumbled something in Ukrainian and left. A bead of sweat ran down my face as I


    stared at my unexpected guest. I understood a few words in Ukrainian: the orders and basic


    pleasantries, but I normally struggled to have a conversation with someone in thenguage.


    ¡°Hello, Jaymin, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you,¡± the woman said, smiling at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be


    afraid. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    This time, she spoke in a perfect English ent. She was definitely from the United Kingdom; I was


    certain of it. She was also very beautiful, with short red hair, but I had no idea what she was now that I


    was seeing her up close¡ªfae maybe, or a shifter. She couldn¡¯t possibly be a vampire, because of the


    way her skin shone in the light. Her makeup and clothes were immacte: it all fit perfectly. I knew I


    would never look like that.


    ¡°Who are you, and what the hell do you want from me?¡± I asked, maybe a bit too abruptly. I had done it


    again. My little problem: I had a big mouth.


    ¡°My name is Catherine Oldman, and I have been watching you for quite some time,¡± she introduced


    herself, reaching out her hand and expecting me to shake it. ¡°My school is interested in someone like


    you.¡± She had a nice manicure, too. Magic rose from my tiptoes, and I was too shocked to shake her


    hand.


    The waitress brought our drinks. I was so damn thirsty that I didn¡¯t wait for her to offer it to me. I


    grabbed the ss and drank half of its contents. The lemonade was delicious and very refreshing.


    After I was satisfied, I felt a bit embarrassed as she was watching me, amused. I seriously needed to


    watch my manners from now on.


    ¡°Lady, I have no idea what school you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯m not interested,¡± I said quickly. She said


    she had been watching me for quite some time, but I¡¯d been careful. This wasn¡¯t something I wanted to


    know. In the past few weeks, I¡¯d witnessed many strange individuals around the city.


    She lifted the ss and sipped from it gracefully. I caught the scent of my own blood as it wafted in the


    air around me. I really needed to have a shower; the smell bothered me.


    ¡°We are preparing vampires and other creatures for Saint Kilda Elite Academy. We only select students


    if we see potential in them. One of my contacts has been in this city for a long while, and he told me


    about you. We believe that you have what it takes to pass the trials for the Elite. Obviously, getting into


    Kilda isn¡¯t going to be easy, but while in our school, Moonlight Academy, you will gain all the necessary


    skills to acquire a job in any supernatural firm afterwards.¡±


    Shock riddled me speechless for a long moment. She couldn¡¯t be serious. No one from the street could


    get into Kilda. Most of the time, supernaturals needed toe from a wealthy background. That school


    was only for the elite, the best of the best, and I had no idea that any other academies existed at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Oldman, but I¡¯m a rogue. I follow my own rules. I don¡¯t think any school would be a


    good fit for me,¡± I said, finishing the refreshing lemonade. I was afraid that this may be a trap, that the


    council members would possibly barge in here at any moment, and I¡¯d end up in prison.


    She only smiled, then ced her hand on my arm, and I instantly wanted to pull back. Her magic


    calmed me down, though. Damn it, I¡¯d never felt better; the anxiety was fading away quickly. Melody


    had the same sort of skills, but this was even better. Oldman had incredible talent. And yes, she was


    definitely fae. I could sense it by her energy.


    Most humans, as I¡¯d read about in a hidden library, had no idea that this other world existed, that there


    were vampires, witches, fae, and other creatures on Earth. We just blended in, and if a human learned


    of our existence, his or her memory would normally be wiped away by one of the council members. I


    learnt that part the hard way.


    ¡°You have killed many dangerous fugitives, and you have quite the reputation amongst the council


    members,¡± she said. ¡°No one knows who you are¡ªwell, no one until yesterday, right?¡± My heart began


    thumping louder inside my chest as memories of Tristan and the werewolf floated through my mind.


    She couldn¡¯t have known about the werewolf. By that time, Tristan was supposed to have disposed of


    the body. ¡°The council has your profile and they want to bring you in. I am your only chance to get


    away, to make them forget about your existence, at least for now.¡±


    I pulled my arm away, breathing hard, and trying to think straight. I hated being manipted, but she


    was making me feel vulnerable. The truth was, I had no n. She was partly right; I was done in Lviv,


    there were only so many ces I could hide. The council member had seen my face, and Tristan, well,


    that gig was up. I was unemployed and still homeless. I dragged my hand through my greasy hair.


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch? I mean, there must be one if you¡¯re just offering me a ce there. What do I need to


    do in return? Kill someone, maybe kidnap a person?¡± I asked, wanting to know upfront what I was


    signing up for. Over the past four years, I¡¯d been dreaming of an opportunity, or even a job offer. I¡¯d


    taught myself everything I knew, and I didn¡¯t believe in charity. There was always a catch¡ªnothing ever


    came for free.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, for now we require yourmitment. There may be certain tasks that you might be


    required to do in the future,¡± she added, ¡°but everything will be outlined in the contract that you would


    have to sign. Let¡¯s say, a disclosure agreement between you and the school.¡±


    ¡°A contract? How long is the contract?¡± I asked, truly not convinced about this whole thing. But then


    again, I would have a roof over my head and food in my belly every day. No more homelessness, and


    no more killing in order to survive. This sounded so much better than the alternative. I had nothing: no


    n, or direction.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a formality. You sign up for a year. Our school is unique. We scout students from all over the


    world, but over ny percent stay with us. Most of them graduate, and some, only around ten percent,


    go on to Saint Kilda Elite Academy in Bucharest.¡±


    I stared at her in disbelief, thinking that maybe this was going to be the best thing that ever happened


    to me.


    ¡°What sort of tasks are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°We are a unique kind of organisation, and many times, the national council assigns us specific jobs,¡±


    she continued. ¡°We fight against the worst of the worst, rescue paranormals who are high targets, and


    deal with illegal magic. This is the main reason I approached you, because of your experience and


    strength. I believe the academy will be a ce for you to grow.¡± Now I was finally understanding what


    this whole thing was about. She then gave a sign to the waitress and ordered something else speaking


    in Ukrainian.


    She was impressive, but I was still wary, worried that maybe this sounded too good to be true. I knew


    for sure that I didn¡¯t do well when other people told me what to do. I¡¯d neversted in any job longer


    than a week, so how was I supposed to know if the academy would be any different?


    ¡°I need to think about it,¡± I told her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this could ever work.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but Moonlight Academy could help you figure out who you are. I sense very strong magic within


    you, and you have hidden talents as well. We are all aware that the Elite admission process is very


    strict, but this is your chance. You have obviously had a rough life, and I know a little bit about your


    past, but not much. If you decide to take this opportunity, be at this address tonight,¡± she said, and then


    slid a small slip of paper with the details my way. I was biting my lip, wondering if maybe I had a


    guardian, someone who was looking after me from the other side.


    Was there really someone out there willing to help me out like that?


    ¡°I need to think about it,¡± I repeated. ¡°I can¡¯t make such an important decision like this on the spot. You


    must realise I don¡¯t do well in rule-type settings. What if I don¡¯t fit in there, and what if I wanted to


    leave? What then, Miss Oldman?¡± I asked, already imagining what could happen to me if I kicked


    someone¡¯s arse while in the school. I needed to consider if I could truly adjust to these kinds of new


    rules.


    My entire background was one giant enigma, so I had to be careful with whom I trusted.


    ¡°Your memories would be taken care of, the school isn¡¯t a secret, but our missions are, so we would


    take proper measures to ensure you wouldn¡¯t be walking around telling anyone what had gone on


    behind the academy walls,¡± she said more sharply, intecing her fingers together. Her magic rose, and


    I could sense it. Even the human waitress inside must have realised that something was going on,


    because she was staring at us with peaked interest.


    My skin prickled, and new energy rippled through me. Being only half-vampire, the sun didn¡¯t affect me


    as much as it did the others¡ªanother perk, I assumed, if I wanted to think positive. Most pure vampires


    needed certain spells in order to walk in the daylight, and sometimes, it was difficult. The handsome


    arsehole from the basement must have had ess to that sort of magic. Was I prepared to risk


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    everything to be a student of Moonlight Academy?


    I didn¡¯t want anyone to have ess to my memories, even if I didn¡¯t remember my previous life at all. I


    took the paper and ced it inside my pocket. I had to remember this coffee shop¡ªit was a good ce


    to chill, and it had air conditioning. This was bliss, because at the time, I hated the heat. Once when


    Tristan had given me arge sum for killing a rogue vampire, I¡¯d gone to a cheap motel. I remembered


    it well now; I¡¯d slept peaceful for the first time in my life. Even the noisy neighbours hadn¡¯t bothered me


    then.


    ¡°Great, thanks for the drink and the chance,¡± I said, rising from my seat. It was time for me to bail. The


    fae woman seemed a bit disappointed, but she truly had no idea what she was getting herself into. I


    was a rogue, I lived by my own rules, and her offer scared the shit out of me.


    ¡°Be careful out there, you are more visible than you think,¡± she added, giving me a smile and then


    started walking in the opposite direction. I left the coffee shop, walking into the zing hot sun.


    I looked around, making sure no one had been watching me in there, and began heading towards the


    old part of the city. My strength was finally returning, but I had to find a cooler ce where I could really


    think about this offer. I didn¡¯t want to get too excited about it. I headed to the only ce that calmed me


    in situations like this¡ªthe library. There was a special section there where I could investigate


    everything that Oldman had told me about today. The Elite, yeah, a lot of supernaturals had heard


    about it, but what about Moonlight Academy?


    A few days after I¡¯d awakened as a half-vampire, I had searched for other creatures like me. A warlock


    told me about the section in the national library created by paranormals. It had been the darkest time of


    my life, so I¡¯d gone there searching for answers. I¡¯d been so d that someone had thought about it.


    There was a supernatural section in the basement, and I¡¯d managed to get ess to it straight away.


    I¡¯d spent a lot of time there in the past, trying to research vampires and other breeds. It had taken me a


    while to get used to the fact I could feed on humans. On top of that, I didn¡¯t know what had really


    happened to me. I had no idea who I¡¯d be. Someone had finally given me an opportunity to learn


    more about my skills¡ªabout my past.


    I kept staring at the note from Oldman, wondering if I had the guts to head over there tonight. Later on,


    once I reached the library and the supernatural section, I felt much calmer than before. My anxiety


    faded as I opened therge book that listed all the supernatural schools in the world. In the catalogue, I


    found the name I was searching for, and for a moment, I stared at the insignia of Moonlight Academy.


    Two animals: a lion and an eagle. I didn¡¯t know if it was significant, but it confirmed that this wasn¡¯t any


    sort of scam. Oldman was real, her offer, too.


    Time in the library worked differently, and I enjoyed bing lost in books. They gave me a sense of


    normality, and when I was there, I didn¡¯t worry about the rain, heat, or hunger.


    A noise from around the corner startled me, and then I realised I¡¯d been sitting in the same spot for four


    hours straight. It was after ten p.m., and if I was heading to the central cathedral to meet my destiny,


    then I needed to leave now. There was only one option¡ªI had to take the bait.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Lychakiv Cemetery had never been a frightening ce for me, but tonight, I was filled with anxiety as I


    headed in that direction. Apparently, all sorts of demons wandered around the ce. Most


    supernaturals didn¡¯t believe they existed, that they were just tales. Melody was convinced that she¡¯d


    seen one during the Sabbath in midsummer.


    My stomach was in knots as I walked through the city. The tiny voice inside my head kept whispering


    that I¡¯d made the right decision. The index in the library hadn¡¯t given me any specific information, and I


    suspected that Moonlight Academy was set up in confidence so no one could track its location.


    This set off several rm bells inside my head, but at the same time, I didn¡¯t care if I had to relocate; I


    was done in Lviv, but I was worried about Melody. She was my friend. Maybe we hadn¡¯t had a chance


    to bond as well as we¡¯d both wanted to, but I knew I was going to miss her.


    Some part of me questioned my previous life choices. I wasn¡¯t the most reasonable person, but every


    day I faced new challenges.


    The sad truth was, my options were limited. Maybe Oldman was right: this was my chance to finally


    change everything¡ªto grow as a person. I reached the Lychakiv Cemetery half an hourter. It was


    already dark, and there was no lighting at all as I walked through the forest. I knew I had to get to the


    cathedral near the burial grounds¡ªit was where most supernaturals met. I had my knives with me, and


    everything else I¡¯d ever owned, which fit inside one stic bag¡ªyeah, pretty pathetic.


    At times when I had some extra cash, I¡¯d treated myself with a new pair of jeans. The winter had


    always been the worst for me, especially when I had to sleep outside. It must have been a learned


    behaviour, because half of my genes were still human, and somehow, I just knew. I didn¡¯t need my


    memories to know it was freaking cold and I had to bundle up. It was the one human gene I could have


    done without.


    The silence was ringing in my ears as I continued walking. Magic drifted around, and I smelled sage. I


    was aware of my surroundings, aware of the dead humans that were still haunting these parts of the


    city. Melody was a strong believer of life on the other side, and she always told me that it had nothing to


    do with the fact that she was a witch. My heart was beating a bit faster than it normally did. I just had no


    idea what to expect. I hadn¡¯t signed anything yet, but I knew that I was more than ready to begin this


    new chapter of my life.


    I walked up to therge chapel¡ªthere were several of these around the cemetery, normally built near


    the memorials. This site was historically significant, and a lot of people travelled from around the world


    just to visit it. I needed to avoid the humans¡ªthe guards were undoubtedly walking around, and I


    couldn¡¯t afford to be spotted. Trespassing on privatend could get me arrested. I was good at


    detecting humans nearby: their energies were different, calmer, and less absorbing. The door to the


    chapel was slightly ajar, which meant that someone was already inside, possibly Oldman.


    I bit my bottom lip and entered the dimly lit space, while my heart was jackhammering inside my chest.


    It was nice and cool inside, and there were several candles burning near the altar. Someone stood


    inside, another supernatural, and most likely a vampire. He was dressed in a white shirt and dark


    pants.


    I instantly recognised that he was a pure-blooded creature, possibly an ancient, and that made me a bit


    nervous. Supernatural presence typically didn¡¯t affect me, but right now something odd was happening


    to my body. Part of me, the blood in my veins, began vibrating as I grew closer to him.


    ¡°I was wondering if you were going to show.¡± His voice echoed throughout the chapel. ¡°Madame


    Oldman truly believes you will be a good fit for our school.¡± I recognised that voice¡ªthe thick Scottish


    ent. When he turned around, my heart kicked against my ribcage.


    This was unbelievable. He was the same vampire I¡¯d bumped into at the club, the same one who had


    been there to meet up with the mages who were now after me. This was just so typical. He must haveAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    recognised me, too, because he frowned as I approached him.


    Hell, the second time seeing him, he was even better looking. Heat rushed to my core, and my pulse


    skyrocketed. My heart kept pounding way too fast, and he was no doubt aware of it. His eyes moved


    from my toes, and upwards to my face¡ªhe was studying my dirty, torn clothes, and my tangled hair.


    Whatever, I wasn¡¯t supposed to care. After all, I¡¯d lived on the streets for years, and this was only a


    formality. I just wasn¡¯t expecting to see him here.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with this, mate. My legs are aching, and I¡¯m here,¡± I snapped at him a bit too


    aggressively. ¡°Which means, I¡¯m ready to join the academy.¡±


    What the hell was wrong with me? I didn¡¯t have to bark like a dog. The corner of his lips turned into a


    mocking smile. He ran his eyes over me once again, sending a shiver racing down my spine. I hated


    the fact that he was so good looking, and that he was so pure. Creatures like him had a certain


    reputation, and I hoped this wasn¡¯t the case here.


    As he drew nearer, I caught a wave of his incredible vampire scent. Every creature had a unique one,


    and his was earthy, bloody, and it made me a bit light-headed. I needed to remember that he was


    called out to the club by the mages. Why diddy Oldman send him here? Was she part of the


    conspiracy against me? He had no idea I¡¯d heard everything that had gone down in the basement, so


    this was going to be interesting.


    ¡°Well, tonight I truly hoped Madame Oldman had outdone herself, too bad she chose another


    worst possible way.


    I was ready to punch him in the throat. My fist was itching to do so. He was just an arrogant arsehole


    who thought he was better than me.


    ¡°And this street creature has killed more supernaturals than you¡¯ve most likely ever seen, so cut the


    crap and take me wherever it is you¡¯re supposed to,¡± I ordered him, getting aggravated and definitely


    barking once again. First impressions always counted, and I¡¯d already burnt my bridge with him. Oh,


    fucking, well ¡­


    He looked bored and a bit curious, if I was willing to bet on it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, hen,¡± he said, moving even closer to me. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to evaluate your skills.


    Madame Oldman wasn¡¯t certain if you were going to show up. Then again, I¡¯m slightly surprised you


    made the decision at all.¡± His eyes were mastering, and he was staring at me intensely. A wave of heat


    shattered me again. I had absolutely no idea what was happening inside me, but the pull was there. I


    couldn¡¯t bloody deny it, even if I wanted to¡ªI was attracted to that vampire. ¡°Tell me¡ªwhat are you?¡±


    That question shook me back to reality. I didn¡¯t want to think that the vibrating pulsations inside my


    body were significant in any way. He was most likely using his mour to affect me; it was the only


    logical exnation.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your fucking business, Pretty Boy. Just get me to the academy,¡± I told him, aggravated by


    theck of progress on his part. ¡°If you have nothing nice to say, then keep your damn mouth shut.


    Apparently, I was chosen. Oldman wants me in the school.¡± Now our faces were only inches away from


    each other. It was either way too hot in here, or the temperature of my body was rising fast.


    His pupils dted and he nced at my cracked lips. I wondered how it would feel if I kissed him.


    ¡°What are you, hen? A half-vampire mixed with the genes of another creature?¡± he said, tilting his head


    to the side. ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. You wouldn¡¯t be able to live through that kind of transformation¡ªno


    one can.¡± He was right and wrong. Obviously, I had survived, but I didn¡¯t know what I was.


    ¡°I¡¯m a half-vamp and nothing else,¡± I whispered back, somehow controlling my emotions. I was shocked


    I hadn¡¯t exploded already. He was getting on my nerves, under my skin. I very rarely, and not on


    purpose, interacted with other vampires, especially pure or ancient ones.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± he spat, and before I knew it, he had his arm wrapped around my neck. It happened so


    quickly, I didn¡¯t have a chance to react. The pretty boy was fast. A split secondter, I sensed that his


    fangs had descended, and they were only inches from my skin. Panic struck me for a moment, but then


    I felt a thrill of anticipation of wanting to be bitten. I was pissed, but at the same time, aroused. This had


    never happened to me before. He was more skilled and stronger than anyone I¡¯d ever met. ¡°You¡¯re just


    another street rogue who will get expelled sooner than you think. Creatures like you don¡¯t make it to the


    Elite.¡±


    His words pierced through me, but I quickly recovered from the initial shock. I managed to wrap my leg


    around his and then pulled my body forward. He didn¡¯t go down with the impact I¡¯d expected, but then I


    held one of my knives at the edge of his throat. He seemed surprised by my strength.


    My breathing was uneven and sweat ran down my face as he stared at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been living on the streets for over four years, so don¡¯t underestimate me, arsehole. One wrong


    move, and you¡¯re done with this world,¡± I snapped, saying more than I¡¯d intended to. All right, it was


    true: I¡¯d always had a big mouth (that had been established, and it tended to get me into trouble at


    times), but he made me so damn angry, acting as if he was so much better than me.


    ¡°Master Cormack, the car is ready.¡± Another voice echoed throughout the chapel, distracting me for a


    bit. A momentter, he managed to grab my free arm, and my back mmed to the floor. The pretty


    boy was stronger than me, and now he was showing off. He had me pinned down with his knee,


    squashing my chest so hard that I lost my damn breath.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t as tough as you make out, hen,¡± he whispered and then stood, releasing me. I dropped my


    knife, taking a deep breath. Yet again, this had never happened to me before. He was smirking at me,


    and I was fuming. When I nced towards the entrance, there was another creature standing there. I


    sensed he was a warlock¡ªa very powerful one. They had different sets of skills than mages, but they


    were apparently more loyal.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I said, angry with myself for allowing him to take me by surprise.


    ¡°Come on, hen, we have a long drive ahead. Is that all you have with you?¡± he asked, still wearing that


    arrogant smirk on his stupid face. I was more pissed off about the fact he was winding me up, than the


    fact he¡¯d surprised me. I stared at the warlock who stood on the other side of the chapel. He appeared


    calm and collected, wearing a brown old-fashioned suit. Was I ready to just drive away with them? Was


    I ready to leave my shitty life behind and start over, keeping and living by certain rules?


    The answer inside my head was pretty much ¡°hell no,¡± but my heart shifted. I had no choice but to


    leave Lviv behind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need much, Pretty Boy,¡± I snapped, and heughed. There was a sparkle in his eyes, that I


    somehow read as hunger. Was he getting turned on by me? It didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe was an arrogant prick.


    I would nevery eyes on him¡ªnot in that way, again.


    I moved past him. The truth was, I didn¡¯t really own anything. It was time to leave behind my old clothes


    ¡ªall of it. The warlock stared at me as I approached him, his magic embraced me like the kes of


    cold snow in the winter, settling upon my skin. He was a broad-shouldered man with white-grey hair,


    and I suspected he was much older than he appeared to be.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long drive, Miss,¡± he informed me. ¡°But we will try to make this journey as


    I wished I could have had a chance to say goodbye to Melody. She was going to worry about me, but I


    guessed I would have to write to her. We were heading to Kijav, so I would have to spend six hours in


    the car with the arsehole vampire and the warlock. Well, this was going to be delightful.


    Outside the sky was clear again. There was a nice-looking car parked by the graveyard. I had no idea


    how the warlock was even allowed to drive through here, but no matter. It was none of my business. I


    just needed to stop thinking negatively and embrace the change.


    ¡°Get in, hen, we haven¡¯t got a minute to waste,¡± the pure blood said, startling me a little. I jumped.


    Damn him. I didn¡¯t hear him behind me, he had the skill to move around undetected.


    The car had soft leather interior, and I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever slept in a better ce.


    It even smelled nice, of wildflowers or some shit. The issue was, the pure-blooded vampire climbed in


    and sat next to me. His thigh rubbed against mine, and I was sure he¡¯d done it on purpose. A wave of


    heat rolled between my breasts. I couldn¡¯t imagine being stuck with him in this cramped space for over


    six hours. Then goose bumps rose along the top of my arms.


    Did I already say I can¡¯t stand him, and I¡¯ve only known him for like, five minutes? If not, well, I can¡¯t


    stand his arrogant arse. Not even a little bit.


    ¡°Are you ready to embrace your new future?¡± he asked as the car started moving.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more ready in my life,¡± I said, sitting back, trying to enjoy the rest of the


    night.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    I was a little surprised that I managed to drift off while we were driving. It was probably the warlock¡¯s


    magic. He kept staring at me from the rear-view mirror, and my lids began closing. The vampire who¡¯d


    waited for me inside the chapel had never told me his name, but I remembered it from that unfortunate


    meeting in the basement. He must have been born and raised in Scond. I was curious about him,


    more than I should have been.


    I quickly became bored when L began talking to the warlock about some sort of paperwork,


    careful around him. He was obviously connected to some extremely dark individuals, and he most likely


    had more of a chance than anyone to get into the Elite.


    Besides, I really didn¡¯t know why Oldman had trusted him in the first ce. I didn¡¯t want to think about it


    too much.


    Later when I woke up, my stomach growled with hunger. We were driving through the motorway,


    passing mostly fields and small viges.


    I must have slept for a good few hours because my neck was stiff as hell. It was already brighter


    outside, and I hoped we wouldn¡¯t have to be stuck in the car for much longer. I rubbed my eyes and


    yawned loudly, thinking about Melody once again. L was fast asleep, and, luckily, he was leaning


    on the other side.


    Surely the warlock was undoubtedly exhausted by now, driving six hours straight without a break. He


    was still silent and focused as we entered the capital of Ukraine. I¡¯d never been to Kiev, only read about


    the city in a few guidebooks, but I knew it was definitely muchrger and more developed than Lviv.


    Who knew, maybe it was one of the ces I¡¯d lived before I became a vampire?


    ¡°Did you stop, or have you been driving continuously?¡± I asked the warlock, finally breaking the silence.


    His wide dark eyes found mine in the mirror, and he smiled. ¡°Mistress, I don¡¯t need rest, trust me.


    Would you like something to eat? There is a smallpartment by your feet, and I stocked it up with


    some snacks for our journey.¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± I said, d someone had thought about my half-human needs. After a click, thepartment


    opened up, and I picked out a tuna sandwich with some crisps. I was starving again.


    The warlock appeared content with my appetite, and once I reached out for a packet of jelly babies,


    L woke up. Vampires really didn¡¯t need to sleep, but he probably didn¡¯t want to interact with me,


    so he closed his eyes again, most likely thinking I hadn¡¯t noticed, and pretended to be asleep.


    ¡°Taking advantage of our good nature already, huh? Good thing I don¡¯t need any food in order to


    survive,¡± he said, looking at me as I took a huge bite of another sandwich. Food had always been a


    luxury for me, but I really needed to try and act like a normal person, not someone who had to survive


    on the street day by day. I was trying to eat it slowly.


    ¡°Just ignore Master L, Mistress. He fed well before the journey.¡± The voice of the warlock


    reached me, and I started choking on my food. Blood, he must have had a donor, or even better¡ªa


    lover. I¡¯d only ever tasted the tainted blood of a convict, so I had nothing topare it to.


    I¡¯d heard vampire¡¯s mated with blood, and they drank from humans because it gave them pleasure.


    Secondster, I instantly shuddered with repulsion. This wasn¡¯t something I wanted to hear while I was


    eating, and that idiot started tough at me.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Sensitive, aren¡¯t we?¡± he teased, and I showed him my middle finger.


    God damn it, why did he have to be so good looking? My hair was sticky and greasy, and his was


    perfectly styled, shining nicely, as well. I probably stunk, too, and that made me even more self-


    conscious. He was so pale, but he still looked good.


    Stupid, stupid girl, don¡¯t even go there, I told myself. Pure breeds didn¡¯t get involved with half-vampire


    freaks like me. Besides, I still wasn¡¯t even sure of what I was exactly. Half-vampire, yes. But something


    else¡ªI had no idea ¡­ It truly bothered me, the unknown, and the possible ramifications of what it could


    mean.


    ¡°Shut up, Pretty Boy,¡± I snapped at him again and tried to enjoy the rest of my second sandwich. He


    kept staring and I was nervous, apprehensive about meeting other students at this fancy school.


    ¡°So, are you going to tell us¡ªwhat are you? Jeremy is curious, and normally nothing and no one fazes


    him,¡± the vampire continued as I stared out the window. At least my stomach wasn¡¯t growling, but I


    needed to remember that I couldn¡¯t get used to it. What if things didn¡¯t work out? I needed to be


    realistic about my situation.


    That faery, Oldman, had mentioned that some students took part in missions¡ªthat sounded


    interesting. I read that the national council had founded Moonlight Academy, and I wasn¡¯t nning to


    take anything for free.


    ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t tell you, anyway, because it¡¯s none of your damn business. Around four years ago,


    I awoke as a half-vampire on the street with no memories,¡± I answered, thinking about the past. ¡°And


    that¡¯s the end of it. That¡¯s all I know, so you can stop with your inquiries.¡± Sometimes I tried to


    remember. I¡¯d found that note inside my pocket with the name, Jaymin, so I presumed that¡¯s what I¡¯d


    been called in my previous life¡ªand that was all the information I had to go on, if the name was mine


    at all. It was a pathetic story, and the vampire who¡¯d turned me must have done it for a reason. I


    suspected that sooner rather thanter, he would turn up in my life again.


    I still wanted to find him¡ªthere were too many unanswered questions about my past. They were my


    memories, and I had every right to get them back. Besides, I believed I had family, people who cared


    about me.


    The grave silence continued in the car for a little while after my revtion. L appeared shocked,


    stripping me down with his gaze. The warlock, too, seemed baffled, still driving the same speed as


    before. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said anything; now I was sure they bothbelled me as a freak of


    nature.


    ¡°Someone turned you and then left you on the street?¡± L repeated, and I rolled my eyes. I didn¡¯t


    want to make a big deal out of it.


    ¡°Yes, I just said that, numpty,¡± I told him, trying not to focus too much on his incredible eyes. That was


    the main reason I¡¯d be a rogue and did everything that I could on the streets. The bloodlust¡ªit


    was the only thing that put me off bing a full-blooded vampire. Someone once said that such a


    transformation was possible. I didn¡¯t like the act of drinking blood from a human or a donor.


    ¡°Your maker must have been an ancient vampire or another creature. I sense magic in you, but I


    cannot detect where it is from. You mustn¡¯t fear, Mistress. Madame Oldman could run certain tests to


    determined what you are,¡± the warlock, Jerry said, but that didn¡¯t make me feel any more confident


    about my decision. I didn¡¯t want anyone running tests on me.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting, very interesting,¡± L muttered, more to himself.


    Luckily, that was the end of the discussion about my origin, because a minuteter, the warlock parked


    the car in front of an oldrge two-story house. The area seemed to be pretty decent. I still couldn¡¯t


    believe that Jeremy had driven for six straight hours without a break.


    It looked like we were on the outskirts of the city. Jerry opened the door and climbed out of the car. He


    let the vampire out first.


    It was already extremely humid, and it was only around seven in the morning. The streets seemed


    empty, but a few humans were staring out the window at us. Well, this wasn¡¯t at all what I¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Right now, I am taking you to ss to meet a few other students,¡± L said, showing me towards


    the door. ¡°At Moonlight, you will work and study in a group. I believe Madame Oldman has already


    decided on the numbers.¡±


    I hoped they were going to give me a chance to change, or at least make myself look a bit more


    presentable. Well, I really didn¡¯t have any other clothes with me but silently hoped they might supply


    some.


    ¡°Mistress needs to be shown to her room first, Master L,¡± Jerry interrupted.


    ¡°Fine, just take her then. I need to sort something out, anyway,¡± the vampire responded, sounding


    irritated and then crossed the road.


    ¡°L, I damn missed you!¡± someone screamed, and when I nced back, I saw a very tall and


    skinny girl jumping on the Scot.


    There was no doubt she was a vampire, and she was beautiful with long ck hair, and even longer


    legs.


    My stomach made a funny jolt when she kissed him hard. He embraced her, and they were snogging


    each other passionately. I felt ufortable staring.


    ¡°This is Mistress Ramona, Master L¡¯s partner,¡± Jerry exined. I quickly turned around, not


    wanting to look like I was spying on them from the distance.


    A wave of difort ran down my spine. Of course a pure breed like him had a girlfriend. What else


    did I expect?


    Nothing, I told myself. I wasn¡¯t supposed to expect anything at all. He was an arrogant prick and I hated


    his guts, and that was that.


    Deep down, I hoped I wouldn¡¯t have to see him often. Jeremy cleared his throat, and we walked inside


    the building that seemedpletely empty. I still felt a little apprehensive being here.


    Momentster, I found myself in a long dark corridor filled with magic. Yeah, I could sense it, but it was


    too early to tell if this was positive or negative energy.


    ¡°This way, Mistress, this house was converted into an academy around twenty years ago. Most of the


    students are from all different parts of the world, so that¡¯s why they stay in dorms,¡± Jerry exined.


    The atmosphere was enigmatic, silence filled the halls. I thought that if we were going to the dorms,


    this ce would be thriving with young students.


    ¡°Where is everyone? I mean, it¡¯s a bit strange that it¡¯s so quiet in here,¡± I pointed out, sensing magic


    everywhere. It was strong, and I figured that all sorts of creatures must be staying in the academy.


    ¡°sses don¡¯t start until around nine a.m. Most students are still sleeping. It¡¯s still pretty early, and we


    have been driving all night,¡± Jerry answered, giving me a warm smile. He was the first supernatural


    who¡¯d ever made me feel safe. Most of the time I avoided others, in case they sensed I was different. A


    lot of them had, and that was the main reason I never asked anyone for help.


    We began climbing the stairs, heading to the top floor. Several minutester, Jeremy stopped by an old


    wooden door. I suspected that this was going to be my dorm. He took a key out of his pocket and


    opened it. My excitement was at its peak. I didn¡¯t expect anything fancy, but for the first time in four


    years, I felt that I finally had a ce to go. It was then that I began to realise I¡¯d made the right decision.


    ¡°Come on in, this will be your room at the academy.¡±


    The space was small, to say the least, but the room was equipped with two beds, desks, and there was


    also a sofa in the middle. Overall, I didn¡¯t care about how much space I had; it was important that this


    room was designated to me.


    There was also arge window with a view of the courtyard. I walked around the room slowly, trying to


    savour this moment, thinking that this appeared to be too good to be true.


    Oldman had found me on the streets of Lviv, it was a miracle that I¡¯d gotten this chance. Tears forced


    their way to my eyes as these new emotions overwhelmed me. This was the ce where I could return


    to after dark. It looked like I would probably have to share with someone, but it didn¡¯t matter. I was so


    happy that I was no longer homeless and hungry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I told him, trying to pull myself together. I hated being the ¡°emotional¡± me. I


    preferred the other me: the rogue who neverined or cried. Maybe she¡¯d been a bit too mouthy


    at times, but I liked her.


    ¡°I was going to suggest that you leave your belongings in here,¡± Jerry said, ¡°but since you have none,


    we may head over to the meeting arranged by Madame Oldman. I believe everyone is already there.¡±


    I looked down at the clothes I was wearing. Yeah, they were worn out. Other creatures were going to


    be judging me, but whatever. This was all I had, and it would have to do for now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± I agreed.


    We went back to the main building, passing a few vampires. No one stared at me, everyone was going


    about their own business. Soon after, we reached another corridor. My stomach contracted when Jerry


    opened the door to another ssroom that was filled with people. Several creatures turned their heads


    to look at me. Principal Oldman rose to her feet and gave me a warm smile. The pretty boy was there,


    too. I also sensed a handsome fae, warlock, and some other creatures that were probably students of


    Moonlight.


    ¡°There she is, our newest student,¡± she said, looking even better than before and wearing a white


    jumpsuit. ¡°Come on, Jaymin, sit down and let me introduce you to everyone.¡±


    ¡°Jaymin.¡± Someone snorted. It was the tall and skinny vampire who¡¯d greeted L outside. She


    was staring at me with a mock expression on her face, and I was ready to scratch her eyes out.


    The tiny voice inside my head told me that this was it, the ce where I would spend the next several


    months of my life. My old life was over, no longer leaving me empty and unfulfilled. The future finally


    seemed brighter than ever before.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    My nerves were slowly beginning to get to me. L¡¯s lover kept ring at me, so I gave her one of


    my sharpest death stares. Afterwards, she tossed her hair behind her and smiled at L. Our


    conversation about my origin earlier on had left me a bit restless. I didn¡¯t want him sharing my personal


    information with that bitch. I looked away¡ªwhatever. I wasn¡¯t going to allow him to have that sort of


    effect on me right now. I was stronger than that.


    ¡°Come on, sit down,¡± Oldman said. ¡°We are only having an informal chat right now.¡±


    Jerry lightly nudged me, and I took a seat next to a girl with short, bright pink hair. She was a shifter. I


    sensed her energy, and her aura was bright, inviting, and positive. Her inner magical energy was much


    more defined than anyone I¡¯d ever met before. I¡¯d read in one of the books at the library that they


    tended to keep within their packs, and they stayed away from humans. She gave me a bright smile; her


    bottom lip was pierced, and she had several tattoos on her arms.


    ¡°I was just showing Miss Jaymin to her room,¡± Jerry said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve only been together a few minutes. I wasn¡¯t expecting everyone to arrive so early.¡± Principal


    Oldman smoothed her skirt and turned to address the room.


    ¡°Wee to Moonlight Academy, everyone, the first school to ever be established in order to educate


    supernatural young creatures,¡± she began, ncing around the ssroom. ¡°In a moment, I will be


    going around and introducing each of you, but first, I would like to tell you that, each one of you here


    today are from different backgrounds, different breeds. That doesn¡¯t matter, because you are all


    students here.


    ¡°Here at Moonlight, we work with everyone, but we aren¡¯t the kind of academy you are most likely used


    to. The high council gives us certain jobs and tasks, and, sometimes these missions can be quite


    dangerous. Everyone present has just been epted¡ªyou¡¯re all new¡ªand you will be assigned


    together as one team. In exchange for taking part in these ¡®missions,¡¯ you receive a free education,


    along with room and board. If these jobs areplicated, many times students receive financial


    rewards.¡±


    This sounded too good to be true. We were going to get paid for being students and taking part in


    missions? There must be a hack somewhere. Others didn¡¯t seem too concerned, so I decided to


    continue on and listen. Oldman was fae with a certain taste and style. She must have been good at her


    job if she managed to work her way up into this position. After the meeting, I was nning to find the


    library and do some research on this ce.


    ¡°Any questions before we start the introductions?¡± she asked, but no one said a word, so she


    continued, ¡°Let¡¯s start with Karina. She¡¯s a shifter from Sweden, and, unfortunately after being exiled


    from her pack, she had to learn how to survive on her own, and, sometimes, in the toughest of


    environments. Her gifts will be quite useful in this group.¡± Principal Oldman smiled and turned her head.


    ¡°Then to my right, we have Marco¡ªhe¡¯s fae. In the past few years, he¡¯s been living in London. He


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    earned his living by stealing valuable items. I¡¯m certain I needn¡¯t remind you that fae magic can be


    extremely unpredictable. Marco is quite skilled, and I hope each of you will get on well with him.¡±


    I nced at the dude on my right. He was dark haired, tanned, and a very handsome supernatural. He


    didn¡¯t look like a thief at all. Oldman wasn¡¯t prepared to say that the fae were the most powerful


    creatures amongst all supernaturals, but I sensed what she meant. I suspected that Marco had lived for


    quite a long time.


    They could manipte the weather, read your mind, and make you gopletely mad. These were


    just a few of their abilities, but most had to learn their skills over years of study under someone¡¯s


    guardianship. Marco winked at me and Karina¡ªhe seemed extremely confident.


    Oldman paused and sipped a ss of water, then she turned to me. ¡°And here is Jaymin, half-vampire


    and a rogue. She has been hunting creatures wanted by the council for the past four years¡ªvery


    dangerous fugitives, I might add. Her track record is quite impressive, so be watchful of her. And


    opposite Jaymin, is Judas, a full-blooded vampire. At some point Judas will tell you his own story, but


    for now, let¡¯s just say he¡¯s got his own business on the side.¡±


    She turned toward the pretty boy, and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. ¡°Now, let me introduce


    you to L, he¡¯s my assistant, but he¡¯s also a student here at Moonlight. His family has strong


    connections to the Elite, but that doesn¡¯t mean his ce there is secure. L is also a vampire with


    dangerous, but with huge financial rewards. He can manipte your mind and make you forget things,


    so be wary.¡±


    Well, well, well. Pretty Boy was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so I¡¯d been partly right about him.


    Maybe that was the reason why the mages wanted to get information from him. L smiled at


    Oldman, and this time, I did roll my eyes. L didn¡¯t scare me, he only got on my damn nerves,


    with his self-important attitude. I knew his type: he probably had rich parents or other wealthy family


    members.


    Oldman had called me a rogue, and I was all right with that. Marco winked at me once again when I


    nced at him. Damn it. He was probably reading my mind now.


    ¡°Andst, but certainly not least is Ramona, a pure-blooded vampire with healing abilities and


    spectacr fighting skills. She grew up in Ukraine in an orphanage, so she can rte to some of you.¡±


    The principalpleted the introductions around the table.


    Ukrainian, well, that was unexpected. She just looked vic, but she must have been turned when she


    was young. I was a little taken aback by the fact she could heal people. I¡¯d never heard of a vampire


    who could do that sort of thing. And on top of that, she was his girlfriend.


    It was a decent group to be part of, and it looked like, for now, I was stuck with pretty boy and his top-


    model vamp. Too bad, but I had to make this work somehow. I wanted this opportunity, and I was


    willing to do whatever it took.


    ¡°Today is orientation day. You can check the subjects we offer and review your schedule. Remember,


    you¡¯re a team, so you will be working together closely. In the afternoon, I¡¯ll call upon each one of you to


    sign an agreement with the school¡ªthe contract I mentioned earlier on,¡± Oldman added, and I


    assumed this was the end of the meeting. ¡°Oh, if you have any questions, now is the time to ask. I


    always forget about that bit.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask about the Elite.¡± Marco went first with one of the most important questions. ¡°I decided to


    enrol here because I want to get in. Can you tell us about their requirements?¡± He had a deep voice,


    and his darker skin shone in the bright morning sunlight.


    The room was air conditioned as was the entire school, just another added bonus. Other supernaturals


    most likely weren¡¯t affected by the heat like I was. I was curious about the Elite Academy, too. Many


    supernaturals had talked about it, but to me, it had always been like a distant dream that would never


    be fulfilled. And now, I finally had the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to prove myself¡ªthat I could


    get epted if I worked hard enough.


    ¡°The missions you are to take part in will prepare you for the trials. Saint Kilda Elite Academy is quite


    unique and ancient, and we don¡¯t have much insight on their specific admissions process. At Moonlight,


    we believe these trials will require abination of your abilities, skills, magic, and intelligence. We are


    going to work together for some time, so you will have a chance to prove yourself,¡± Oldman stated,


    intecing her fingers together and giving us a tight smile.


    Well, that was a bit of a disappointment. The academy obviously had no idea what to expect; each one


    of us could only guess. Obviously, that was the main reason why so many students didn¡¯t make it to the


    Elite. I¡¯d heard that they only epted a handful of students. Well, I didn¡¯t have to worry about it right


    now, anyway.


    Marco didn¡¯t seem satisfied with her answer, but he didn¡¯t say anything else. Then others began to


    stand from their seats; obviously they didn¡¯t have other questions. I didn¡¯t know what else to ask, but I


    did need to find out if she could help me with getting some new clothes. I felt a bit embarrassed that I


    didn¡¯t have anything decent with me. I waited outside the door until everyone was gone.


    ¡°Hey, girl. The older warlock said we were going to share a room. I¡¯m Karina, by the way,¡± the shifter


    with pink hair said, approaching me after I was outside. I was so relieved that I wouldn¡¯t have to share a


    room with some random student. That would have been a disaster. Most of the time, I was a lonely


    soul.


    ¡°Jaymin,¡± I replied, not really knowing what to say to her. Her energy was so addictive, but in a positive


    way. She seemed bright and bubbly¡ªtheplete opposite of me.


    ¡°Do you want to go with me, so we can look around the school?¡± she asked, smiling. I bit my bottom lip,


    wondering how to tell her nicely to get lost. ¡°Principal Oldman might call us inter, you know, for the


    contract.¡± This was bloody pathetic. I didn¡¯t want her to know I¡¯de here with nothing to wear, or that


    I hadn¡¯t showered in ages.


    ¡°I have to speak to her about something right now ¡­ maybe I¡¯ll catch youter,¡± I suggested, thinking I


    really needed to get a grip. This ce was huge, and no one cared about the fact I wasn¡¯t dressed well.


    It was only me ¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Come on, you can tell me. I feel like we¡¯re going to be besties. I like your energy, even


    though you¡¯re a vamp,¡± she said, lowering her voice. I was never good at making friends, making any


    kind of connections with other creatures, but this was different. I had to bloody make an effort at least.


    She seemed like a really nice person.


    ¡°I came with nothing, so I wanted to ask the principal if she had any spare clothes,¡± I said, rubbing the


    back of my neck. ¡°I need to shower, too.¡±


    Secondster, Pretty Boy walked out with his armed wrapped around his girlfriend¡¯s waist. Ramona


    narrowed her eyes at me and shot Karina a surprised look, then said something to him, and they


    although I couldn¡¯t remember anything from that part of my life. But from what I¡¯d heard, high school


    drama could be dreadful. Maybe I¡¯d never even gone to school as a human.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, girl, I¡¯ll hook you up,¡± Karina said, grabbing my hand. ¡°I have tonnes of clothes, and you


    look like you¡¯re around my size. Come on.¡±


    A jolt of electricity moved through my entire body when she touched me, and I jerked my hand away.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve just never been touched by a shifter.¡± I didn¡¯t want to say, ¡°I¡¯ve never touched a shifter I


    haven¡¯t killed.¡± That wouldn¡¯t have been the best start to a new friendship, and technically, my main


    experience had been with werewolves. Something was different about her energy. Probably the fact


    she was good, and the only other shifters I¡¯d been around were evil.


    She instantlyughed. ¡°I have that kind of effect on everyone. My energy is always so wild,¡± she said,


    rubbing her hands together. We began walking towards the dorms as she started telling me about her


    wardrobe. She was right; it was strange to say, but I kind of liked her straight away, and I felt we were


    going to get on well. She was very loud and outspoken about certain things.


    ¡°What do you think about the sses and missions Oldman was talking about?¡± I asked as we walked


    inside our new room. This was so surreal. I had my own ce, and I didn¡¯t have to wonder where I


    would be sleeping the next day.


    Deep down I was curious to know why she¡¯d been exiled from her pack. Shifters had always been such


    a mystery to me, but I knew asking her would be too forward. I¡¯d only just met her.


    ¡°They have lectures about potion making, and, apparently one of the teacher¡¯s is an ancient warlock.


    There is a subject on Immortals, which seems pretty cool, and sses where they teach us martial


    arts, too. Oldnguages and a few others. Oldman showed me the list when we met. I didn¡¯t have to


    think twice about it.¡± She sighed. ¡°I wanted to be here.¡±


    Then I noticed she had two huge suitcases on the bed. She began to unzip therger of the two. It was


    still pretty early, and we had the whole day ahead of us. I needed to have a shower before I met up with


    Oldman. I wanted to sign the contract and be done with it.


    ¡°Look, I have these dresses that will look wonderful on you. You have great legs, and it¡¯s time to show


    them off.¡± She threw several outfits at me. They were very short with vibrant colours. I normally wore


    trousers, so they weren¡¯t something I was willing to try on.


    ¡°Errrgh ¡­ I don¡¯t wear dresses,¡± I mumbled, feeling ungrateful. Heat rushed to my cheeks.


    Sheughed, shaking her head. ¡°Well, you should. Those old jeans aren¡¯t doing anything for your


    figure, although you have a great arse,¡± she added, winking at me and I had tough. Then she threw a


    few more pairs of shorts and pants at me. Within moments, I was almost sorted with an entire


    wardrobe.


    An hourter, I finally had a chance to shower. The bathroom was shared with other female students. I


    didn¡¯t really care¡ªthese conditions were exceptional. It was bliss ¡­ to finally feel clean warm water


    running down my body.


    This was going to be my new life as long as I didn¡¯t screw anything up. I walked past other students in


    the corridors. There were vampires, faeries, shifters, and a few others I didn¡¯t recognise. Deep inside


    me, I knew I¡¯d made the right decision. I was finally in a ce I could call home.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    ¡°This is your probation period. It¡¯s an initial contract, and once you pass the three-month mark, you will


    gain a full schrship,¡± Oldman said once I was sitting in front of her. ¡°We always want to ensure that


    we made the right decision.¡±


    This bit was scary. I stared at the piece of paper, feeling a little misled. She hadn¡¯t mentioned any sort


    of probation period, but I supposed Moonlight couldn¡¯t hand out this kind of opportunity to just any


    supernatural creature out there. A schrship meant that I would be set up for years toe.


    I understood all the rules, and I couldn¡¯t do any better on my own, so this was a good deal.


    ¡°So, how much do I need to screw up in order to not pass the probation period?¡± I asked, going deep.


    Everything was outlined clearly, but I needed to know what was expected of me.


    Karina had given me almost an entire wardrobe¡ªwe had a simr build, and I couldn¡¯t have been more


    grateful. I was wearing a low-cut top and brown shorts. It was still humid outside, and Oldman looked


    immacte, as always. There was an odd tickling in the back of my throat that reminded me I was


    thirsty, but not for water¡ªfor blood. This was strange. I¡¯d never had a proper craving for it before.


    Maybe it was because I was around so many supernaturals now.


    She gave me a tight smile, staring at the pen I was holding. ¡°Well, the academy is searching for


    expelled students for fighting, jeopardising our missions, and for stealing from others. There are many


    factors, but as long as you¡¯re following the rules, you should be fine.¡±


    This was what I was afraid of. Most of the time I didn¡¯t have to listen to anyone. I¡¯d always done what I


    wanted. In my mind, I had a feeling I wasn¡¯t going to do so well following the rules in general.


    Right then, I told myself that it was something I was willing to work on¡ªI had to. No one in their right


    mind would waste this kind of opportunity. Rogue or not, I needed to start listening to others. I signed


    everything and pushed the paperwork towards her. She appeared satisfied.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°L is training in one of the halls, you should join him. I have a feeling that you two will work well


    together,¡± she said unexpectedly. ¡°Your schedule officially starts tomorrow. No one has challenged him


    yet, and your fighting skills are pretty impressive.¡±


    I shifted in my seat, thinking she had to be joking. I didn¡¯t want to interact with Pretty Boy. The issue


    was that he got under my skin, and my emotions were bing unstable when I was around him. This


    had nothing to do with the fact that he was so damn good looking¡ªnothing at all.


    ¡°Right now?¡± I asked, a little baffled.


    She nodded and then passed me a piece of paper. I took it, curious to know what it was. It turned out


    that it was my new ss schedule. Karina was right; the subjects were pretty interesting. For some


    reason, I believed my passion for books could help. Besides, I was good at kicking butt, too, and if I


    could show L what I was capable of, then maybe he would get off my case.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have anything else to do right at this moment, and L needs to learn to share his


    skills with others. I matched you with this group because I believe you can tame his character, Jaymin,¡±


    Oldman admitted. I was a little shocked at hearing this.


    The Scot was a real pain, but some sort of energy was pulling me towards him. I couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°I think the council in Lviv might still be looking for me,¡± I said, wanting to be up-front about everything.


    ¡°As you know, a few days before you pitched me, I eliminated a werewolf, but my contact showed up


    with a vampire from the council who wanted to know what I was ¡­ and he didn¡¯t like my answer.¡± She¡¯d


    said she¡¯d known about part of what had happened, that the council had kept records on me, but I


    wasn¡¯t exactly sure how much they¡¯d gone into detail. This was the real deal, and Tristan was probably


    looking for me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m keeping an eye on everyone who¡¯s wanted by the council, and you aren¡¯t on any of


    their lists. After we spoke, I ran a little check for myself. We protect our students here, Jaymin,¡± she


    answered quickly. ¡°The academy could help you discover your background, but the process takes a bit


    of time. You have potential, and you will pass the probation period; just stay focused and work hard.¡±


    She was right. I was capable of more than anyone could imagine, I just had to keep my temper in


    check, and I would do fine.


    I shook her hand and then left, contemting if I should really challenge L right now. It still felt so


    surreal to keep passing other students in the corridor. It was almost the end of the day for most of


    them, and their auras were drained. Karina was in the library, she wanted to check the section about


    shifter packs. I didn¡¯t even know that kind of section existed. I was still trying to take everything in, the


    fact that I was part of a group and this was supposed to be my new home.


    Oldman had given me a map. She circled the space where the Scottish pretty boy was training. I


    contemted for a little while if I wanted to do this for myself, but he was too confident. I had to show


    Oldman that I was more than capable enough to stay and get into the Elite.


    Everyone knew that once someone passed the admission trials to the Elite, then other opportunities


    would arise quickly. I had fought with the worst of the worst, learning everything that I could from


    experience.


    It took me a few minutes to locate the practise room. I walked in, feeling confident about my skills and


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    abilities, confident in my appearance for the first time in as long as I could remember. After I¡¯d


    showered, Karinabed and styled my hair, so I looked and felt good. Karina had been a little taken


    aback by the new me¡ªshe kept saying that my hair was soft as silk. She called me a stunner and


    asked where the hell I¡¯d been hiding all this time. Her bubbly personality was something else, and her


    The practise room smelled of sweat and vampire.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here, hen?¡± A loud voice startled me from out of nowhere. I turned around,


    face-to-face with L. And he wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt. Damn it, this wasn¡¯t what I was expecting at


    all. He was holding a sword; it was beautifully crafted with what appeared to be hand-carved art along


    the handle, possibly from Asia.


    My eyes only registered that one small detail, but mostly focused on his perfectly sculptured chest


    covered with a sheen of sweat. I tried not to look, but I was too drawn to his incredible scent, drawn to


    his energy. The arousal I was feeling was unexpected, shooting through my core like an inferno. He


    was beautiful and his skin was shining brightly against the sun¡¯s rays as they disappeared behind the


    horizon. I swallowed hard, telling myself that the tickling inside my throat had nothing to do with


    bloodlust. I¡¯d never experienced the pleasure that came from drinking from another vampire, or a


    human who didn¡¯t have tainted blood. I¡¯d read somewhere that apparently it was better than an orgasm,


    but maybe the author exaggerated a bit. I had no idea if I¡¯d ever been in love, and no clue what it would


    feel like if it ever happened.


    ¡°The principal sent me here to practise with you, not that I need to,¡± I told him, crossing my arms over


    my chest. I¡¯d bet he was well aware of my skyrocketing pulse. He stared at me for a long time, not


    answering, and invading my personal space. His eyes moved over my nose, lips, darting down towards


    my cleavage. My breathing sped up as the tension between my legs became unbearable.


    No, there was no attraction towards the pretty boy; he was arrogant and looked down his nose at me. I


    was denying any kind of feelings towards him. Someone had to remind him that he wasn¡¯t superior in


    any way, shape, or form.


    He smirked and then ced his hand on my shoulder. His body was so close to mine as our scents


    and energies intermingled. This strange heat and arousal made me immobile, while my core burned. I


    wanted to kick his arse, but what¡¯s more, I wanted him on me, touching me, and drinking my blood.


    ¡°Hen, what are you? Your scent is incredible, and I have never experienced anything like it,¡± he


    whispered in my ear, sending shivers of desire racing down my spine. He was gripping the sword so


    tightly that his knuckles were almost white. I tried to gather myself, but my muscles refused to obey me.


    I nced at his parted mouth and saw that his fangs had descended. It only added more fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Maybe there is a bit of warlock in me, fae, or even a shifter. I told you already, I have no idea,¡± I said,


    as something odd shed in my mind. I saw myself walking on the street, smiling and holding


    someone¡¯s hand. The image in my mind onlysted a few seconds, but for some reason, I recognised it


    as a memory from my previous life.


    In that one short moment of distraction, I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled down at the


    same time, sweeping my leg and knocking his feet out from under him. He was too absorbed in my


    addictive energy, trying to figure out what else was coded in my DNA to react quickly enough. L


    dropped the sword and crashed to the floor, while I locked my thighs around his neck. I didn¡¯t even


    know how I¡¯d done it. His eyes widened, and electricity crackled between us. This felt good, way better


    than I¡¯d anticipated.


    The heat from his body was burning my skin; I¡¯d never been so turned on in my life. Vampires were


    cold: there was no blood rushing through their veins like humans.


    ¡°Impressive, but you¡¯re trying to hide your attraction towards me. Do you want to kiss me, hen?¡± he


    asked, still staring at me with hunger in his eyes. He didn¡¯t even pretend that he wanted me, or did he?


    I honestly couldn¡¯t tell with him. I¡¯d never been in a situation like this before.


    I was supposed to be ready for what came next. He was going to try and unlock this position. He


    wouldn¡¯t have a chance to wiggle away. His words angered me, and I hated that he was reading me


    and my emotions so well.


    ¡°You¡¯re just another arrogant arsehole who thinks he¡¯s better than everyone. I would never be attracted


    to someone like you,¡± I spat, but he only smirked.


    A split secondter, it felt like my bones had started breaking; it was the most ufortable sensation


    around my pelvic area. Then we were rolling on the floor. I didn¡¯t even realise when he¡¯d taken control


    and pushed me off, freeing himself.


    I blocked him as he began punching me in the stomach. Shock paralysed me for a moment. Pain jolted


    through my gut, all the way to my back as he kept kicking me. I peered at him from the corner, trying to


    get up. He was now about a meter or two away from me.


    ¡°Your abilities aren¡¯t developed enough to mask your emotions. I don¡¯t trust supernaturals from the


    street, especially you¡ªthere¡¯s too much misleading information about you. And, so far, there hasn¡¯t


    been a half-vampire who¡¯s gotten into the Elite yet,¡± he snarled and then threw another sword at me. I


    caught it, but just barely, still wondering how the hell he was so quick.


    That made me furious, and I really wanted to kick his arse then. He was wrong about me. I knew I


    could pass the trials for the Elite. I¡¯d spent four years experimenting with my own skills, perfecting and


    developing them. Some pretty boy with connections wasn¡¯t going to stop me from getting what I


    wanted.


    ¡°Shut up and show me what you¡¯ve got,¡± I shouted, losing my shit at that point. My entire body was


    shaking, and it was because he¡¯d wound me up so much. On top of that, I was trying to shake off the


    dangerous attraction¡ªthe bloodlust that was making me vulnerable. Heughed, flexing his muscles


    and my fangs descended.


    I didn¡¯t wait around, I attacked¡ªour swords collided, and the sound of metal nging against metal


    was music to my ears. This weapon was new to me, but I quickly got used to handling it. It was like my


    body knew what to do. L was fast, but I made him work for it, using my speed to my advantage,


    and the fact that I was well-rested. Sweat began dripping down my face as I turned, attacking from the


    side and kicking his shin to maximise my strength. He recovered, barely, and made a sexy hissing


    sound. I was so turned on, and that¡¯s what annoyed me the most.


    His eyes were prating. I tilted my head, kneeling as he whirled his sword, and jumping at just the


    right moment, then swinging my de in a high arc, bringing it down and identally shing one of


    his arms. He¡¯d switched positions too quickly and then dropped his weapon instantly. Crap. I was so


    shocked that I¡¯d hurt him.


    Blood poured from his wound; it was a deep-red colour, almost ck, and I opened my mouth, craving


    it instantly. L looked at me with fire and definite anger in his eyes.


    ¡°Bite me so it will heal quickly,¡± he demanded, his voice hoarse. This was madness, but he seemed


    serious. A spit secondter, I was beside him, aroused, sinking my fangs into his neck, not controlling


    my bloodlust any longer. Once a drop of his blood passed over my tongue, there was noing back


    from it. He had his other hand pressing against the wound.


    I drank, feeling euphoric and wet, my leg was rubbing against his crotch, and my mind was going


    berserk. He growled with ecstasy, or maybe it was only happening in my imagination. He was enjoying


    this as much as I was. A vision began flowing through my mind soon afterwards. His blood reached the


    deepest part of my subconscious, further than anyone else had ever gone.


    I started remembering the past.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    I was running, panting for air. Someone was after me. It was getting dark, and I was lost in the dark


    alleys of London, parts I¡¯d never been to. My father had always warned me not to wander off my usual


    route, and now I realised he was right.


    Fear dug its ws inside me. I hid behind a dumpster, panicking, trying to breathe in and out. These


    men were after me and I had no idea why. I¡¯d never seen them before.


    I was soaked with rain and sweat. Consciously I started counting the amount of money I had in my


    wallet. There wasn¡¯t much there at all, but maybe these men wanted it. Maybe they thought I was


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    someone who had rich parents.


    ¡°Where the hell did she go, Nicodemus?¡± a deep voice asked. I peered around the dumpster. The man


    who I was looking at was tall and blond. He didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the rain; it appeared as


    though he had an invisible umbre above him. I stared at both of them with my jaw wide open. His


    skin was shining, it almost seemed like it was radiating. I made the sign of the cross over my chest,


    shaking with cold and fear at the same time.


    ¡°She was just here; she can¡¯t be far,¡± the other man said. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s the right test subject?


    Humans are weak, and this one has a family. They will start searching for her at some point.¡± He


    looked ordinary; the rainwater was soaking him.


    ¡°Humans, test subject, what the hell were they talking about?¡± I whispered to myself.


    ¡°Jaymin is the perfect test subject and her distant rtive was fae. We will transport her to Eastern


    Europe afterwards where no one knows her, but her blood needs to be infected first,¡± the blond guy


    said, revealing his white teeth. I couldn¡¯t see his face fully, only his pointed chin. He was turned to the


    side, wearing a dark coat.


    My stomach contracted with fear. I had to call someone, maybe the police, but they would never


    believe me. It looked like these men didn¡¯t want any money from me, but something else. Only my


    sister believed in these kinds of things. She was eleven.


    I managed to dig the phone out of my pocket, but my fingers were so numb from cold. I waited for them


    to walk away, but they were just standing there, like they knew I was nearby. My thoughts began


    racing. Recently I¡¯d started having dreams, nightmares where I talked to dead people, because they


    could understand me so well.


    ¡°This has never been done before, it¡¯s against all the rules,¡± the other man, Nicodemus said, scratching


    his chin.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only way for me to get rid of the High Council, and I¡¯m the only person capable of going through


    with this experiment,¡± the blond man said, and something glinted in his mouth. I rubbed my eyes, trying


    to see it more clearly. No, it was impossible. They couldn¡¯t have been fangs ¡­.


    I pulled away from his neck, thrown backwards by an invisible energy inside the room. I must have hit


    the wall, because now the world around me was spinning out of control. His blood tasted incredible: it


    was sweet, delightful, rich, and it filled me with energy. With every sip, I¡¯d only wanted more. I¡¯d never


    tasted anything like it¡ªand these memories. It was my past¡ªit had to be. There couldn¡¯t have been


    any other exnation. L¡¯s blood made me see who I truly was¡ªmy previous life. Was it a skill he


    was hiding from Oldman, or maybe something he was unaware of?


    He stood several meters away from me, taking long pulls of air, and his normally pale cheeks were


    infused with colour. The deep wound on his arm was gone, and there were obvious signs around his


    crotch area that he¡¯d enjoyed our moment. He had a full-blown erection and he was staring at me with


    hunger in his eyes. I exhaled sharply, trying to gather my thoughts, touching my face, and trying to


    understand what the hell just happened here.


    My mind was in havoc. I needed some air; his energy was overwhelming.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, hen, your reaction was inevitable. Your vampire nature made this happen,¡± he said, but


    his voice was hoarse, almost unrecognisable. ¡°I think we should keep this between us. For now, this


    session is over.¡± I wanted to look him in the eye and ask what exactly caused that shback. At the


    same time, I had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t know what I was talking about.


    Then, he was gone before I could ask him anything. I could finally breathe. The heat was slowly leaving


    my body, but I was still turned on¡ªoverwhelmed by this unexpected bloodlust. I wanted him. It was


    difficult for me to admit it, but L had be the first vampire I¡¯d ever desired. The other


    creatures were right; the taste of vampire blood was better than anything I¡¯d ever tasted, addictive,


    silky, and arousing. I¡¯d never felt more satisfied. My sex was still throbbing with the need of wanting to


    be close to him. My imagination was going wild, nting images of him on top of me.


    Maybe he ran away because he saw it, too, the past¡ªmy past? Had I just been an experiment for


    some group of ancient vampires?


    I didn¡¯t understand, but even Oldman said she had sensed fae magic, or at least strong magic in my


    energy. As a human girl in my previous life, I had a family: my dad and a sister. Maybe that was the


    main reason why I was able to speak English and never truly bothered with learning Ukrainian. At least


    I was beginning to get some answers.


    However, another, more important question was burning my insides¡ªwhy L? Why him? This


    was what I needed to find out. Either way, I hated his guts and I could never feel anything beyond that


    fatal attraction. I could move past it, but first, I needed to know more.


    * * *


    ¡°Why are you smoking those?¡± I asked Marco the next day. He was standing outside the entrance to


    the academy, smoking what appeared to be human cigarettes and he seemed to be enjoying it, too. I


    didn¡¯t sleep well that night, still thinking about what had happened between me and L. On top of


    that, I kept re-dreaming that memory. It only left me frustrated and angry that I couldn¡¯t remember


    anything else.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s an addiction. I add magic to it, so I don¡¯t stink like most humans, besides women like it.


    There is always one who smokes,¡± he answered, then he winked at a few female students who¡¯d just


    walked inside the building. Two shifters giggled, staring at him with amusement and interest.


    ¡°Oldman said you don¡¯t age, so you must have lived for a long time, but you still have an ent?¡± I


    enquired, thinking that it was bizarre. I didn¡¯t know why, but I wanted to build a rapport with him and the


    rest of the team. Marco seemed more approachable than the others.


    ¡°I like remembering where I¡¯m from, and women enjoy when I whisper to them in my mother tongue,¡±


    he said yfully.


    I caught a waft of his cologne as I stood next to him. It was very strong. He acted like he was born in


    this century, but deep down I suspected he¡¯d experienced more than anyone here. Most fae were


    mortal, only certain castes had the ability to live forever. I didn¡¯t know the reason behind it. His next


    question threw me off a bit. ¡°What about you, rogue girl? What¡¯s your story?¡±


    ¡°There is none, I¡¯m just an ordinary half-vamp with no recollection of who I was before that,¡± I answered


    honestly. He tossed his cigarette to the ground and smashed it with his boot. He was reading me with


    his fae eyes, and I needed to learn how to close my mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong and sensitive¡ªyour energy is exposing you, so there is always a story,¡± he said. ¡°I


    embrace this new modern world, but I miss living in the seventeen hundreds. Back then, women were


    more adventurous than they are now. I have many tales to tell, Jaymin.¡±


    Iughed a little, thinking he was right about me, although no one had ever said I was self-conscious


    about my sensitivity. That was interesting. Marco was an asset; his knowledge and experience couldn¡¯t


    be reced. I suspected he was much older than L.


    A tall blond Ukrainian student peered through the door, and Marco began saying something in Italian


    and walking towards her. Her cheeks went red instantly as she gave me a nervous nce. Then he


    embraced her waist and kissed her, not caring that he was blocking the exit.


    I thought he was handsome, but to me, he was probably goodpany and nothing else¡ªbesides, I


    couldn¡¯tpete with all the women he was with. This little chat made me feel like I was normal, like I


    was part of the group and the academy. After Marco and his girl vanished around the corner, I went


    back inside. It was the first day of lectures, and I was looking forward to diving into my studies.


    The following morning, Karina walked with me to our sses. I needed to get used to my new life, to


    the schedule and all these new rules. Everyone in our group was there, too, and surprisingly, I found I


    was fitting in. It was a new feeling for me.


    Karina liked to talk a lot, so by the second day, I knew more about her than I wanted to. She was


    bubbly, funny, and genuinely wanted to get to know me. It was going to take me a little while to trust her


    like Melody.


    Every time I saw L in ss, I would continue to get shbacks from the same memory. He didn¡¯t


    pay much attention to me, and there had been no mark on his neck. He must have healed it or hid it


    from Ramona. Either way, I really had to get over this absurd crush. There was no way I could afford to


    lose control like that again, but his blood had left its mark on me. I kept craving it.


    There were around twenty students in each ss or lecture. Oldman and Karina had been right; all the


    sses were interesting and there was a lot of things we had to memorise. We had history of


    supernatural breeds, magical potions, spells and charms, defence sses, and a few others I¡¯d only


    seen on the list. There was also an option to improve your Englishnguage skills and study a bit of


    literature. I was always up for that.


    In my vampire existence, I¡¯d never gone to any sort of school, but I¡¯d spent a lot of time in the library. I


    knew how to do research.


    On day three, I overslept, and for the first time, I was runningte for my lecture of spells and charms.


    Karina had gone to the gym at seven a.m., and I didn¡¯t have a fancy phone with an rm.


    That day I flew from my room, half-panicking, holding several books underneath my arm. It turned out


    that the probation period included everyone new in the group. I rushed through the empty corridors and


    noticed a few lonely students¡ªmostly fae¡ªwere runningte, too. It took me another ten minutes to


    find the right auditorium. My heart was thumping loudly inside my chest. I stood in front of the long


    wooden door, wondering if I should go in, anyway. I always hated bringing any kind of attention to


    myself.


    I took a deep breath and told myself that this couldn¡¯t be any worse than tracking a creature that didn¡¯t


    deserve to live.


    A couple minutester, I finally opened the door and walked into a full ss. There were more than fifty


    students in there, more than I expected. All heads turned my way, and suddenly, I could feel my face


    going instantly red¡ªthis was embarrassing. Someoneughed, and I knew it was Ramona. Damn it,


    this was bad, and the lecturer appeared displeased. I saw a bundle of pink hair, so I headed in Karina¡¯s


    direction, keeping my head down.


    ¡°You¡¯rete. Not many students show up to charm sste,¡± the instructor said. I was about halfway


    down the aisle, and my legs suddenly felt like they were made of rubber. He was quite tall, lean, and


    appeared to be fae. Also, he looked very young for a lecturer. I figured he could have only been


    somewhere in his mid-thirties.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mumbled, telling myself to breathe. Under any other circumstances, I would have told him


    to get lost, but I had to watch myself right now. This academy had given me a new life.


    He was handsome, and it seemed like one of his parents might have been from the Middle East, with


    his longish tar-ck hair, thick eyebrows, and close-cropped beard. There was a lot of magic present in


    the room, I felt it soaking through me like an invisible coat and then making its way through my veins.


    My breath caught in my chest for a moment, and I couldn¡¯t move. Everyone was still staring.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯d like to know the name of the student who doesn¡¯t know how to follow simple


    rules of Moonlight Academy. I believe you had your evaluation with Principal Oldman, correct?¡± He


    continued to scold me like I was a little child. I began to wonder if I¡¯d walked into the right ss. He


    approached me, and a wave of his strong cologne drifted up my nose¡ªit was intense.


    ¡°Jaymin Donovan, and no I don¡¯t own a fancy watch. I came here with nothing,¡± I told him, folding my


    arms over my chest. He was trying to break my wards. I could feel an intense pulling sensation inside


    my head, like someone was trying to suck out bits of my brain. It was him; I just didn¡¯t know how to tell


    for sure, but he had to be the one who was using a charm against me.


    ¡°I will not tolerate interruption, so find your seat, Miss Donovan, and remain quiet,¡± he snapped,


    sounding annoyed. ¡°You have missed a lot already.¡± The pull was gone in an instant. Warmth spread


    through my entire body, it was blissful, and it almost felt like when I was drinking from ¡­.


    I nced in the direction of L, but he seemed to be reading something from his book. However,


    Ramona was staring, and her eyes were gleaming with energy.


    ¡°Come on, what are you waiting for?¡± someone hissed at me, and then I realised it was Karina. She


    managed to pull me into the seat next to her. Anger shed through me. I wanted to punch him, but


    instead, I told myself to keep on breathing. The professor¡¯s name was on the book in front of me, and


    when I nced back, he was still watching me.


    A jolt of energy passed down my spine, and the tingling stopped a momentter. Ripley went to the


    door and someone handed him a leash with a young-looking Labrador. The dog was jumping around,


    trying to lick the professor. He appeared to be a pup, he couldn¡¯t have been very old at all. The whole


    ss seemed confused. Karina shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Today you¡¯re going to learn the effects of one of the most important charms, and it¡¯s best if I


    demonstrate it on a test subject. This is Mally,¡± Ripley announced, sounding pleased with himself. I


    began flipping through the pages of the book in front of me, until I came to the part where Karina¡¯s was


    opened to.


    It was a Chimera charm. I¡¯d heard about this sort of magic before, and I knew it was only used for


    special circumstances, like life-threatening situations. It was extremely advanced dark magic that


    required precision and concentration. Some believed that only pure breeds were able to ever fully learn


    how to perform it properly.


    ¡°This is one of the charms all students are required to learn in order to prepare for the Elite trials. Most


    of you won¡¯t understand its true meaning, and that¡¯s why today, I¡¯ve decided to show you exactly what


    to expect if you¡¯re ever required to use it.¡± Ripley smiled, and patted Mally on the head, while the dog


    licked his hand.


    ¡°Crap, I hope he¡¯s not nning to hurt the poor doggie,¡± Karina whispered, sping her hand over her


    mouth. Well, I didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell her that that was exactly what Ripley intended to do with


    Mally.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Ripley¡¯s magic was affecting me, and in a way, it was simr to how the werewolf¡¯s energy had slipped


    under my skin that first night when I¡¯d taken his life. It was dark, twisted, and somehow, positive, too,


    but it triggered my anxiety. I tried to keep my breathing calm and even, taking a few deep breaths at a


    time.


    He took a few steps away from the dog, ordering Mally to stay, and then he started speaking words in


    an old Faenguage. I flipped the page, staring at the form that was tranted into English.


    Everyone around seemedpletely absorbed in what was going on. My hands started tingling, the


    energy rippling through me as I stared at the dog. For some reason, I didn¡¯t want to witness this, I didn¡¯t


    want to see him hurt. The dog was pure and innocent. It didn¡¯t deserve to be a test subject. That word


    was stuck inside my head from my memory.


    A light smoke began wisping from Ripley¡¯s hands. A few shimmers spread throughout the ss. Then


    the dog started howling, arching his back. The animal was in pain, and my stomach twisted with


    unease. I was lucky enough that I didn¡¯t remember what had happened to me during my transformation


    into a half-vampire.


    I¡¯d killed ruthless human murderers, supernaturals who enjoyed inflicting pain on others. I¡¯d never


    shown mercy, but I couldn¡¯t watch this. Momentster, something started happening to me. My chest


    cracked open and nausea rolled through my stomach. The dog yelped, twisting his body in a strange


    angle and shaking all over. It was almost like Ripley was trying to kill him.


    I covered my face with my palms, trying to breathe and blocking out all the voices around me. I


    suspected that the other students wanted him to end this quickly. The temperature in my body was


    dropping. I was shivering with cold, trying to remember the healing spell I¡¯d read once in one of the


    charm books. It was as if I wasn¡¯t myself. I was aware, yet my mind was in havoc. I had no idea what


    was going on.


    ¡°Save him, save him and make the darkness go away,¡± I repeated in Latin inside my head, seeing the


    words on the page. The nausea was finally easing up and the dog seemed calmer, too.


    Ripley must have stopped what he was doing. The silence in the ssroom was immediate. I finally


    lifted my eyes towards Ripley, realising that he was staring back at me with an expression of outrage


    and something else, admiration perhaps? I couldn¡¯t tell. His face was red, and his eyes were nearly


    popping out of his head. My symptoms were slowly fading away, and the dog was wagging his tale.


    ¡°ss dismissed,¡± Ripley roared, and I nearly jumped out of my chair as so many other students


    startled.


    Karina nudged me; she didn¡¯t look too good herself, her face had paled. ¡°Look, that girl¡¯s throwing up in


    the corner.¡± Her voice was uneven and shaky as she spoke.


    She was right; one of the students was helping the other girl, but Ripley seemed oblivious to it. We


    were all adults, but this was intense, even for me.


    I spotted L; he was helping Ramona out of her seat. Everyone must have been affected by


    Ripley¡¯s magic. I looked at Mally, who was lying by the steps and staring at the professor.


    ¡°This was odd. What do we have next?¡± I asked Karina, feeling more and more like myself again. I just


    wanted to get out of this ss.


    ¡°Miss Donovan, I need a word.¡± Ripley¡¯s voice echoed throughout the ssroom. Karina rose a brow in


    question, then mouthed something that looked like ¡°see youter.¡± My fangs extended, and I covered


    my mouth with my hand. This wasn¡¯t something that happened to me often. The dog stood, walked up


    to me, and then started sniffing my hand.


    ¡°How can I help you, professor?¡± I asked, trying not to sound too annoyed that he¡¯d stopped me from


    leaving.


    ¡°You interfered during the lesson. Your defensive charm, it affected my experiment,¡± he snapped at me,


    I shook my head in confusion. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, professor. This was my first


    charms lesson.¡±


    ¡°The Chimera charm is extremelyplex. Each time, I perfect it. Everything was going smoothly until


    your magic severed the link between me and the dog. What are you, Miss Donovan?¡±


    Why the hell did everyone keep asking me the same question? Only Oldman, L, and Marco


    knew I couldn¡¯t remember anything from my past, but I was fed up. I didn¡¯t want to keep repeating my


    story to everyone at the academy.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, professor. I can fight and ughter bad guys, but charms aren¡¯t my strong


    suit, so I have no idea what you¡¯re insinuating,¡± I told him, searching for my knife, but I must have


    forgotten it.


    His eyes narrowed further, and the silence became ufortable, tension rose between us. Ripley


    was not happy, his anger channelled through me, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Fae magic was strong and unpredictable. Their mind games were dangerous enough to cause harm.


    Once, a female convict had almost made me jump off a bridge. Her magic had affected me so much,


    she¡¯d broken my wards, and gotten inside my head.


    ¡°You interfered with my magic, and that isn¡¯t something any other first-year student can do,¡± he said


    quietly. I felt his energy once again, trying to break through, get inside my head. I felt the same dull pain


    inside my chest again. Then it was gone quickly, and I took a slow, deep breath. ¡°If I catch you causing


    problems during one of my lessons again, the consequences will be severe.¡±


    I wanted toe back with some sort of snarky remark, but then thought better of it. Ripley could


    easily say something to Oldman, and I was trying hard toply by the rules. I bit my tongue and left


    the ss. My knees were weak.


    Once outside, I took several long breaths, telling myself I had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°What the hell was that about? What did he want from you?¡± Karina¡¯s curious voice startled me, and


    when she touched me, I saw a shback from a few months ago¡ªwhen I killed a were. He had just


    been released from prison, and he¡¯d raped the human woman who tried to help him. As I¡¯d been


    draining him, his memories showed me that this wasn¡¯t the only thing he ¡°specialised¡± in. He also liked


    killing stray dogs and cats, especially the ones that weren¡¯t expecting it. I quickly shook that horrific


    image out of my head.


    ¡°He told me to keep my nose out of his business,¡± I said, looking around. ¡°Apparently, I interfered with


    his charm.¡± Our group was standing by the pir, and they appeared to be discussing something. Judas


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    was talking to Marco. L and Ramona were there, too.


    Karina made a strange sound, then bit her bottom lip. ¡°What? No one can stop a charm like that.¡± She


    scoffed. ¡°Besides, he must have messed something up, because the dog resisted it for as long as he


    could. Apparently, when this charm is performed on a person, he or she can be damaged permanently.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Ramona,¡± Karina said, and my stomach made another flip when I saw the Ukrainian


    supermodel approach us. I wasn¡¯t in the best of moods. And she always had a negative aura around


    her.


    ¡°What did Ripley want from you, Donovan?¡± L¡¯s girlfriend asked, staring at me with a mixture of


    anger and superiority. Pretty Boy was listening¡ªwell, everyone was staring at us. He was pretending to


    read a book, but I knew he could hear us. Maybe he was too afraid toe anywhere near me after


    our little incident during training.


    We hadn¡¯t exchanged a word since I¡¯d drunk his blood.


    ¡°Like it¡¯s any of your business,¡± I answered, wondering what he saw in her, apart from her looks. Surely,


    she was a nasty piece of work.


    ¡°I have been in this academy much longer than you,¡± she said, cing her hands on her hips. ¡°Ripley¡¯s


    had other students under his watchful eye before. He likes young and inexperienced girls. He ys


    with them, but I never thought he would want to touch such an unworthy half-breed like you. Our group


    doesn¡¯t need any screw-ups right now.¡±


    It was amusing that she was insinuating something so absurd. Karina inhaled sharply, and I touched


    her arm. Maybe she was jealous, but either way, it didn¡¯t faze me in any way. Did she really think I


    would fool around with the professor? If so, then she just proved to me that she was aplete idiot.


    ¡°Take a chill pill, Ramona; otherwise I¡¯ll wipe that stupid smile off your face,¡± I snarled, taking a step


    closer. ¡°I don¡¯t owe you an exnation.¡± Now I was the one losing my shit, when Karina suddenly


    stepped between us.


    ¡°Ladies, I think you should cool down a bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a pathetic rogue and you cannot be trusted,¡± she continued, looking behind Karina. ¡°I¡¯ve seen


    many like youing and going, and Moonlight isn¡¯t the ce for you. Leave before you ruin this for


    everyone else.¡±


    It was a real shame I didn¡¯t have my knife on me. This bitch didn¡¯t even know me, and she was already


    trying to kick me out. Who did she think she was?


    ¡°I¡¯m not nning on going anywhere, and you¡¯d best shut your mouth before I do it for you,¡± I said,


    trying to push Karina out of the way.


    That was it¡ªI was so done pretending I¡¯d never killed anyone.


    ¡°Ladies,dies, let¡¯s be civilised for a moment. If Jaymin wants to bang the professor, that¡¯s her


    business,¡± someone else said, approaching. It was Marco and he looked amused, while I was raging


    deep inside. His eyes were gleaming, and he was probably using his energy to calm us down.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s get one thing straight. I¡¯m not a threat to anyone here. I¡¯ve been given an opportunity and I¡¯m


    taking it,¡± I said, breathing through my nose. She¡¯d touched a nerve, trying to discredit me in front of the


    others¡ªthat was not cool.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue about your own past, so that¡¯s an understatement,¡± L finally said. My jaw


    dropped; it was obvious he wasn¡¯t taking my side. I was going to kill that bitch if she ruined this for me.


    At that point, I stopped caring about the consequences. ¡°Anyway, Oldman is calling all of us to her


    office. We should go. She doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡±


    Ramona gave me an untrustworthy nce, tossed her blond hair behind her, and grabbed the Scot¡¯s


    hand. Anger pushed down the nausea in my stomach. Marco gave me a smile. He didn¡¯t need to


    interfere; I could deal with Ramona myself.


    ¡°Come on, Precious,¡± he said, ¡°time to go,¡±


    Judas didn¡¯t seem to care, he strolled after the others. Sooner rather thanter, others would start


    doubting me. I hated being excluded. No one knew exactly what had happened to me, but that didn¡¯t


    mean I was a threat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, girl,¡± Karina finally said, grabbing my elbow.


    What happened in ss still bothered me. I didn¡¯t want Ripley to hurt Mally, but I didn¡¯t use magic. I


    didn¡¯t even know how to practise magic, not the sort he¡¯d used me of. I was only a half-breed, for


    fuck¡¯s sake. What the hell? In the past, I¡¯d fought and killed creatures who¡¯d deserved to be eliminated.


    That¡¯s all.


    Ten minutester, we all gathered outside Oldman¡¯s office. It was still early, but our next ss didn¡¯t


    start for another twenty minutes. Ramona was giving me her usual death stare, while I tried to brush it


    off. After the incident in the training room, I didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near L, but I realised that,


    maybe, it wasn¡¯t the best idea. Marco and Judas were probably still trying to figure out if they could


    trust me. I had to remember that we were ced together for a reason. Ramona wanted to exclude me.


    Maybe she felt threatened by the fact I had more experience than her. Either way, her n wasn¡¯t


    going to work.


    I was part of their team.


    ¡°Come in, all of you,¡± Oldman said, opening the door all of a sudden. We squeezed inside the same


    conference room where she¡¯d introduced us to one another on the first day. I sat down next to Karina,


    wondering what this meeting was all about. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to call you here so soon, especially when


    the academy was supposed to give you some time to settle into a new routine. However, the High


    Council needs us.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± L asked, sounding concerned.


    ¡°The daughter of one of the High Council members has been kidnapped. One of my other groups is


    currently away, and this matter has be top priority,¡± Oldman exined. ¡°L and Ramona are


    much more experienced in these kinds of missions, so they know what to expect, but the rest of you


    don¡¯t. This sort of job onlyes up several times a year, and, beforehand most students have plenty


    of time to prepare. However, time is something we do not have. I believe I matched each of you well


    with your skills and strengths. You have all faced difficult and life-threatening situations, so this


    shouldn¡¯t be much different. These sorts of missions will better prepare you for the Elite trials.¡±


    Karina looked thrilled, so did the rest of the group. I didn¡¯t pay any attention to Ramona, wondering if I


    could keep my temper at bay during the mission. I was excited about this opportunity.


    ¡°So, if the High Council wants us to get her back quietly, then there must be more to the story,¡± L


    said, scratching his jaw.


    ¡°She has been targeted before, but the academy¡¯s intelligence believes that one of her guards must


    have been bribed. You will be leaving for Moscow in three days, so make sure you¡¯re mentally


    prepared for it.¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Oldman had given us a quick briefing about Svaltana¡¯s n. Some of Oldman¡¯s people believed they


    were behind the girl¡¯s kidnapping. I kept wondering if this mission was going to be as straightforward as


    Oldman had imed. I¡¯d never been anywhere apart from Kiev and Lviv, and now I was going to be


    crossing the border in the space of a few days.


    That day I went through the briefing quickly, learning that the girl hadst been seen in the centre of


    Moscow. It was interesting to know that she was a student of the Elite Academy. Her father was not


    only on the admission board, but he was also a member of the High Council.


    Half an hourter, we were dismissed and carried on with our day.


    ¡°She¡¯s the weakest link, and she¡¯s going to screw this up for everyone,¡± Ramona said the next day,


    unaware that I was on the other side of the same section in the library, trying to read a book in peace


    for a change. L was with her, and it seemed that they¡¯d had a simr idea.


    They were hidden behind the historical section, and for a long moment, I heard them making out. I was


    instantly put off, no longer wanting to read in here and needed to disappear.


    L was still inside my head, and I kept telling myself that I wasn¡¯t jealous.


    ¡°Oldman chose her, and I trust her judgement,¡± he replied. ¡°The girl knows what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    I was shocked to hear those wordsing out of his mouth. Maybe I¡¯d misjudged him.


    ¡°Whatever, I disagree,¡± Ramona snarked.


    I got up and left, I didn¡¯t need to hear anymore. That bitch simply didn¡¯t like me. She had no idea


    exactly what I was capable of.


    I headed to the second floor to use the Inte for my research. I¡¯d normally done that in the past when


    Tristan had sent me a name of the convict he wanted me to track down. It would take me days to


    prepare and locate them, but once that was done, everything else had gone smoothly¡ªwell, most of


    the time.


    Karina was excited about the new opportunity to work on an exclusive assignment. She told me that


    she preferred missions to studying in the ssroom. We had a full schedule, but we would be getting


    extensions for our exams. During lunch, L sat with Ramona. I¡¯d avoided them since overhearing


    them in the library, so I joined Judas and Marco at the table.


    Karina was going to eatter. She¡¯d gone to the gym and I admired her for it. She was trying to keep


    herself in good shape. I was finally getting used to the fact that I didn¡¯t have to go hungry anymore. On


    the first day, I¡¯d filled my tray with three different meals and had eaten every bite.


    ¡°Svaltana¡¯s n must be keeping the girl in their headquarters somewhere by the Kremlin,¡± I said, after


    I¡¯d chosen my food. It was one of the possible locations I¡¯d found during my research. ¡°Oldman didn¡¯t


    give us a reason why they would have taken her. We need to find out if anyone asked for a ransom in


    exchange for her life.¡±


    ¡°Back in London, I met a few vampires from that n. They offered me a job and I took it. No offence,


    bro, but that¡¯s one of thest times I ever worked with a vamp,¡± Marco said with his thick Italian ent.


    ¡°The girl is probably dead by now. This mission is going to be over before it¡¯s even started.¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯ll keep her alive, she¡¯s extremely valuable,¡± Karina said all of a sudden, appearing next to our


    table out of nowhere. ¡°There¡¯s something going on within the High Council, rumours that some of the


    elders are refusing to step down. My old pack leader talked about it. The High Council prefers to do


    everything quietly, and that¡¯s why they hired Moonlight.¡±


    Her cheeks were red, but she gave us all a big smile. She must have just returned from the gym.


    ¡°I get it, the n wants to bargain with council, but what exactly are they going to get out of it?¡± I asked,


    remembering my first encounter with L. He was somehow valuable, too; otherwise that mage


    wouldn¡¯t have called him into the club. I had yet to ask him about it. I was carrying a little secret of my


    own. It was too soon to figure out the dynamic of Moonlight or figure out L¡¯s secrets. I suspected


    he had many.


    ¡°This is what we need to find out, but first, I need some O-Negative, or I might go for a hunt tonight,¡±


    Judas growled, taking my te of pancakes away from me.


    I still hadn¡¯t had a chance to speak to him, he was very mysterious. Apparently, he¡¯d been a chef before


    he was turned. Karina told me he was still a rtively new vampire, and before his transformation, he¡¯d


    been on the other side of thew. I knew that, at some point, he would have to talk about it. Judas was


    quiet, and he barely spoke, so Ramona didn¡¯t need to torment him.


    Momentster, he stood from the table and left. The scent of his blood was strong, and, afterwards my


    craving for the liquid gold intensified. Memories of L¡¯s made me uneasy, but he tasted so damn


    good. Ramona could kiss my arse; she wasn¡¯t going to jeopardise my time at the academy. I wasn¡¯t


    nning to leave Moonlight or get kicked out. I¡¯d only been here for three days, but I felt like this was


    where I belonged¡ªit was the home I never had.


    There was also the aspect of learning what I was, and why I was turned. The tiny voice in my head kept


    reminding me that L was the one vampire who might have the answers I was seeking.


    ¡°Right, it was lovely to chat with both of youdies, but I have just seen a very lovely fae leaving the


    cafeteria and I must get her number before we set out for Russia,¡± Marco said, then finished his drink


    and smoothed his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tracked convicts, but we have to find this poor girl before the n decides to kill her,¡± I said to


    Karina who instantly nodded, eyeing my Bolognese. I didn¡¯t even realise that the pretty boy was


    standing behind me. Luckily, he was without Ramona this time around. He gave me a long, silent look


    filled with zing fire, before he turned around and left. I had no idea what that look was about, but he


    was still in my thoughts when Karina started talking about our mission.


    * * *


    We set off to travel to Russia early in the morning as the sun was just about to rise. Time had passed


    quickly. I didn¡¯t want to leave the academy. I liked my new schedule and routine, but I had to admit, I


    also missed the thrill of being out in the field.


    The academy supplied everything we needed. Apparently, it was standard procedure for any groups of


    students who were sent toplete a job for the High Council.


    Oldman assured everyone we were going to be generouslypensated if the mission turned out to


    be a sess. We were all motivated, and I was excited about the days ahead.


    Our flight to Moscow was scheduled for eight a.m. Once we arrived at the airport, I was a bit nervous,


    because I¡¯d never been on a ne before. Apparently, our informant was going to meet us at the


    airport upon arrival. We were given cell phones to stay in touch with each other, and I thought about


    calling Melody. She was the only person I considered family, and I regretted that I hadn¡¯t even said


    goodbye to her.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve never even seen a ne, Donovan,¡± Ramona said as we were heading to our gate. ¡°Are


    you going to pee yourself from excitement, or maybe fear?¡±


    ¡°I might stab you before we even get there,¡± I snapped, trying to gather my racing thoughts. I¡¯d always


    been a loner and worked on my schedule. People like her made me realise why ¡­ This time I had to


    follow orders, which meant, getting out of myfort zone. Hunting ouws was my speciality, well,


    and I had a feeling that this mission would also give me a confidence boost. I knew what to do, now I


    just needed to learn how to work in a team setting.


    ¡°Stop this cat fight,dies, it¡¯s turning me on. We¡¯re here as a team, and we¡¯re going to work together¡ª


    vampire or fae. It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Marco reminded us as we arrived at the gate.


    Ramona rolled her eyes and pulled L to her, then gave him a passionate kiss. My stomach


    churned again, and I looked away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what he sees in her. She¡¯s a total bitch, although she does have a nice arse,¡± Karina


    told me, wearing an eye-catching pink dress. She insisted that I wear it, but I tantly refused. I was


    too self-conscious to wear such a provocative dress.


    I couldn¡¯t take my sword on the ne, and I hoped someone would be able to supply me with one in


    Russia. I bought it on the ck market from a Japanese warlock, so it felt a little odd travelling without


    it. Going through security and then the gate was pretty stressful. I wasn¡¯t used to being around so many


    humans.


    Once the ne started moving, I grabbed Karina¡¯s hand, feeling even more nervous than before. I still


    wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. My heart and stomach flip-flopped during take-off. Ramona wasughing,


    staring at me and joking with her boyfriend, who seemed bored. The cabin pressure was making me a


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    little light-headed. Karina was telling me a story about when she¡¯d shifted into a bird and was caught by


    a human family. She was attempting to distract me from the turbulence that had begun after the captain


    switched off the seatbelt sign. The flight to Moscow wasn¡¯t long. Karina had some Ukrainian Hryvna, so


    she got me a drink. She told me that vodka would help me rx a bit. I felt slightly less anxious


    afterwards, but I made a mental note that flying in general wasn¡¯t for me.


    ¡°You just have to get used to it,¡± L said once we were getting off the ne. ¡°This trip is rtively


    short but there will be others. Moonlight has missions and special assignments all over the world.¡± That


    didn¡¯t sound great at all, so it was yet another obstacle I needed to ovee. L most likely saw


    me looking unwell. Ramona gave him a look that said, ¡°Why the hell are you talking to her?¡± but I just


    ignored her.


    Maybe there was a magical spell or a pill I could take that would allow me to forget about being on the


    ne. The airport in Moscow was huge and it was at peak time, so we were in a long queue for about


    an hour. Sweat was dripping down my face as I pushed my suitcase that had been supplied by the


    school, thinking that this was much worse than sleeping in the rain. At least there I wasn¡¯t a nervous


    wreck.


    I kept on breathing and thinking about blood. For some reason my craving for it returned. My earlier


    encounter with L, and the fact that he was walking in front of me, wasn¡¯t helping, either. Karina


    was talking the whole time, telling me about the trips she used to go on with her pack of shifters. It


    seemed that she led a colourful life before everything had gone tits up¡ªher words.


    ¡°Keep up, Donovan, no one is going to wait for you if you get lost,¡± Ramona barked at me, and I gave


    her the middle finger. She¡¯d taken the leading role within the group, but she needed to be reminded that


    we were all equal. I didn¡¯t give a fuck that she was a pure vampire.


    Once we passed passport control and all the extra security, my anxiety diminished. Marco had


    managed to secure three phone numbers of some human chicks on the ne, and now he was


    bragging about it. Judas was silent as usual. Ten minutester, we were approached by a huge bald


    Russian who was wearing a leather biker jacket. He was holding a sign that said, ¡°Moonlight¡± on the


    front.


    He was a werewolf with massive broad shoulders, and an even broader chest. His energy was sharp


    and intense, his grey eyes swept each of us quickly. L shook hands with him, then the two


    supernaturals embraced. It seemed like they knew each other well.


    ¡°It looks like there¡¯s a lot of newbies here, and I hope they are much better prepared than thest lot,¡±


    he said with a thick Russian ent.


    ¡°Oldman picked the team, and their skills and experience vary,¡± L quickly said. ¡°It¡¯s too busy


    here, too many people are listening in. We should leave.¡±


    Pretty Boy, seeing as he¡¯dpleted this kind of mission before, appeared confident. I sensed several


    supernaturals around, walking amongst humans. Once we were outside, a ck van was waiting for


    us. This was another journey, and it had me thinking that this whole thing was happening very fast.


    ¡°My name is Dimitry, and I will be your point of contact here in Moscow. Here is the briefing: The


    Svaltana¡¯s n has been quite activetely, but it¡¯s a race against time. Dorothy was taken three days


    ago. Her father is bing inpatient, and he¡¯s willing to negotiate a ransom,¡± he exined, handing


    everyone a file on the missing girl. The driver was hidden behind dark ss, and we couldn¡¯t see him.


    I started flipping through the pages, seeing the faces of the vampires, and, somehow, I started


    remembering. This was odd, but I was getting a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, like I¡¯d been in this situation before. I


    tried to shake off the strange sensation, as that insane feelingpletely overwhelmed me.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    ¡°She¡¯s dead, and it¡¯s a race against time. There¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to get her back, Adam,¡± Mum


    said. I didn¡¯t understand why everyone was so upset. I was missing Kerry. She had been gone for a


    little while, and I missed ying with her. We had been best friends for so long.


    My little sister. Mum and Dad looked worried as I squeezed my doll tight. We were driving in thisrge,


    strange ck car. My Aunt Emilia was there, too, with Uncle Peter. My fingers were tingling, and light


    wasing out of the packages in the back. I wondered what it was.


    The drive was bumpy, too.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fae, they are involved. I told them the other day that I wanted nothing to do with their world. I


    stepped away from it when I married Roger.¡± Mummy was saying. She was holding Kerry¡¯s pink shirt.


    Daddy had touched her hand. There were tears in his eyes.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, and, so far, no one has received any phone calls or letters,¡± Aunt Emilia said. ¡°This


    might have nothing to do with the supernatural world.¡±


    ¡°Emilia, don¡¯t talk about them in front of Jaymin,¡± Mummy said, almost in the same tone of voice when I


    had done something I wasn¡¯t supposed to do, then Mummy would start getting upset, like now. ¡°Roger


    wasn¡¯t supposed to know. When I married him, you swore to me that they had epted my decision.


    Obviously, they are punishing me for cutting my family away from magic.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s too small to understand any of it. The fae never tell the truth, and I thought you already learnt


    that lesson from experience. I will call one of the members, see if I can find something out,¡± Aunt Emilia


    added, taking out her mobile phone.


    ¡°But what would they want from her?¡± Daddy asked. ¡°She¡¯s just an innocent child.¡±


    ¡°Her gifts, she¡¯s the first born in that line, so there is a lot they can gain ¡­


    ¡°Jaymin, are you even there? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± a voice broke through to me. It was


    L; he was squeezing my arm. The memories from the past were quickly fading away. His energy


    rushed through my veins instantly as I tried to breathe. I closed my eyes, trying to keep this memory


    intact. It seemed important, and now I knew for sure I had a real family before I was turned.


    Everyone was staring at me. We were still in the van, driving through the streets of Moscow. I must


    have drifted off for a minute or so. Damn it.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± I snapped at him, pulling away from his touch and thinking I had to


    stay away from him from now on. Another shback from the past¡ªL¡ªhis touch could make me


    see my life before I was turned? This was the second time it had happened now, but this time, without


    having to drink from him? The images were so surreal, but it was difficult to concentrate as I was


    supposed to be listening to Dimitry¡¯s briefing at the same time.


    This was why others thought I couldn¡¯t be trusted. They still believed I was only half-vampire and half-


    human, but that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Dimitry just asked you about your experience, and then you seemed to zone out,¡± L said.


    Ramona was smirking, staring at me and whispering something to Judas. I hated her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been tracking convicts for the past three years, so none of this will be new to me,¡± I said, a bit too


    aggressively than I¡¯d intended.


    ¡°If you give her a job that requires the least responsibility, the better. The newbies always ruin


    everything,¡± the bitchmented, and I wanted to punch her in the gut.


    ¡°This is a very delicate job, and you need to be focused,¡± Dimitry said, giving me a sharp look.


    ¡°Everyone will be going on a stakeout, we need results quickly. We have two days to rescue the


    warlock¡¯s daughter.¡±


    I needed to avoid touching L, he was making this trip difficult for me, and I had to prove to


    everyone here that I was capable of working in a team and staying in the academy.


    Then Marco began asking questions about certain locations of the n and then read the briefing. This


    was going to drive me mad. I needed to get some answers, but when? I couldn¡¯t do anything while we


    were here. This job was important to me.


    Was I part fae, as everyone I¡¯d ever met tended to insinuate? Half-vampire and half-fae, was that even


    possible?


    There were a lot of half-breeds, but I¡¯d nevere across anyone who had mixed genes¡ªfae and


    vampire? Maybe the other vampires wanted to create a monster, and they had found me. I had to stop


    thinking like that. This scared the shit out of me.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Dimitry said as the van stopped abruptly, and I nearly ended up in the front seat. ¡°Come


    on, let¡¯s get inside before anyone sees us.¡±


    ¡°This is getting real. I can¡¯t wait to get out in the field and use my abilities,¡± Karina said to me once we


    were inside arge house. This was probably going to be our headquarters, where we were going to


    stay and report to. Moscow was much more developed than Kiev or Lviv, but I figured that Dimitry didn¡¯t


    like bringing too much attention to himself, so he lived in a human neighbourhood.


    The house smelled of burnt cabbage and sage. There was an older Russiandy hiding in the kitchen


    when we all walked in. It seemed she was Dimitry¡¯s housekeeper or something. I didn¡¯t think he was


    married.


    ¡°Roxana is going to show you to your rooms. We have several hours yet before the evening, and most


    of the members of the n are active in the night. There is no movement before six p.m.,¡± Dimitry


    announced. Momentster, Roxana, the Russiandy who turned out to be another vampire, walked


    into the room. She nodded to me and Karina first, sniffing. She had a red scarf around her head, and


    yellow teeth.


    The room was basic, much smaller than our dorm in Kiev, but it was enough for us.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done a bit of research on my phone about this girl, Dorothy,¡± Karina announced, jumping on the


    squeaky bed. It was much colder in Moscow in July, but it was a relief from the constant heatwave in


    Eastern Europe.


    At some point, I had to get a smart phone. The budget that we were given was limited, but it was


    something I was going to need in the future for research purposes. Right now, it was probably


    impossible for me to get to the library. At times, human technology was useful.


    ¡°And what do we know about her?¡± I asked, starting to unpack all my stuff. My senses picked up the


    smell of blood, and it definitely wasn¡¯t human. Since I¡¯d been around other vampires, this had been


    happening to me much more often.


    ¡°She was epted into the Elite Academy onlyst year. Her father is a member of the High Council,


    and she¡¯s been excelling in everything, really. Pure breed of Southern vampires, she¡¯s a champion in


    archery, and she¡¯s written several books on urbanisation of breeds. She¡¯s been dating Prince Eric from


    the Spanish Vampire n. I mean, this girl is a total celebrity.¡±


    ¡°And this is all online?¡± I asked, a little shocked that she managed to find out so much about this girl. ¡°I


    thought information about supernaturals was confidential.¡±


    ¡°It is, but my pack leader was a hacker, and he showed me a few tricks here and there. It¡¯s called the


    dark web,¡± she exined, giving me a look that said, ¡°I was naughty.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°She must have always been a high target, so presumably, she would have been carefully guarded,


    too. We need to find the weakest link in the nest. There¡¯s always one,¡± I said, wondering if this was


    such a good n.


    ¡°Dimitry has a n, and I bet we¡¯re going to end up in some Russian clubs in the city,¡± she said, and


    that made sense. Clubs were an easy target, and a lot of vampires enjoyed hanging out there. ¡°And


    after we get this girl home safely, we¡¯ll have to celebrate. I¡¯ve never been out in Moscow. The whole


    team needs to bond.¡±


    Karina was partly right, but she was getting ahead of herself. We needed to track this girl first.


    Everything was still new to me, and the fact that I had to bond with Ramona made me a little nauseous.


    I had to give her a chance, even if she did want me to fail.


    Later on, Roxanna served us lunch in a small dining room that still smelled of cabbage. The vampires


    didn¡¯t need to eat, but the traditional stew with potatoes looked delicious. She probably worked closely


    with Dimitry.


    After the food was consumed, Dimitry poured us all a shot of vodka and ordered us to drink it.


    ¡°Here are the profiles of everyone in the n. Your job is to watch the subject assigned to you tonight.


    One of them should lead us to the girl. Once you establish her location, return here. I don¡¯t want any


    screw-ups. Her father might be visiting tomorrow, and we need to show him that we are making


    progress,¡± the big Russian said, wiping his mouth after he drank another shot.


    When I opened the envelope, my subject was d Slvatan. He was older, probably in histe forties,


    with dark blond hair and several scars along his neck. The one thing that caught my eye was a tattoo


    on his corbone. A star with a cross: maybe it was a distinctive mark of the n. I read somewhere


    that every n had one. Outside on the photograph, there was an address.


    ¡°You will all be in close proximity to one another, but every n member enjoys different things,¡± Dimitry


    added. ¡°The councillor, Savannath, should be here tomorrow evening. The kidnappers haven¡¯t asked


    for a ransom yet, and that¡¯s what concerns us the most.¡±


    ¡°They will ask for something, they always do,¡± L said, then he grabbed his envelope, gave me a


    smooth look, and vanished.


    We all left Dimitry¡¯s residence ten minutes apart from each other. Around nine p.m., I stepped outside


    the house, wearing Karina¡¯s leather jacket and my old jeans. This was exciting enough, like I was


    returning to my old life, with one small exception: this time, I wasn¡¯t hungry or cold.


    The taxi driver talked to me in Russian the entire drive, and I didn¡¯t understand a word he¡¯d said. My


    Ukrainian was shoddy, too. I recognised a few words, but I mostly nodded and smiled at him.


    He dropped me off by the Museum Park of Arts. I had a map and the name of a strip club where d


    was supposed to enjoy hanging out. I didn¡¯t know the city, so it took me a while to figure out where I


    was. Dimitry had insisted that we leave headquarters, one by one, to avoid any sort of suspicion. As it


    turned out, Karina and Marco were going to be in the same club. The stakes were high, and I wanted to


    show everyone that I was a good tracker.


    It took me longer than I expected to locate the strip club. The main streets were busy; a lot of human


    girls were out and about. I smelled blood, and in the distance, I saw L with Ramona¡ªthey¡¯d just


    left the club and were walking towards the north side of the city.


    I wondered why they left the club, and where they were going. We were supposed to keep an eye on


    our targets, unless Dimitry had given them another job to do.


    Two huge bouncers checked my I.D. at the entrance and then let me through. The music inside was


    sting, and there were several girls dancing on the stage. I was so d that the academy had


    provided us with some cash for this trip; otherwise it would have beenpletely embarrassing for me.


    It was one of those supernatural strip clubs. I was seeing vampires, shifters, wolves, and even fae


    walking around, dancing and drinking blood. Obviously, there were humans here, too, so most of the


    drinks were spiked with charms.


    I went to the bar and bought a cocktail, sensing a mixture of different energies rippling around me. My


    craving for blood returned, and I licked my fangs.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful, can I buy you a ss of pure?¡± asked a vampire, approaching me out of nowhere. He


    didn¡¯t have an ent, or I just couldn¡¯t recognise it.


    How did he know I wasn¡¯t from around here?


    My nostrils picked up his scent: it was musky, sweet, and it made mepletely forget about why I


    was here in the first ce. The vampire in front of me was an ancient one, very handsome, and young


    looking, with a paleplexion. His eyes were crystal blue and he was smiling at me. The music was


    so loud, and it was either getting hot in here, or my body temperature was skyrocketing.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, why not?¡± I answered, feeling light-headed again. His gaze was so intense, and my


    craving was making me a little crazy. I had to drink from him, and he must have realised what I wanted,


    because he moved even closer. My fingertips and the bottom of my feet began tingling.


    Then he leaned over and whispered in my ear, ¡°Are you waiting for someone? Your vibes are sexy, and


    I¡¯ve been thirsty the entire evening. We will be morefortable in my booth.¡±


    A bead of sweat ran down my spine. I shivered as he stared at me, not knowing what to say. He


    awakened a desire inside me. He was damn handsome, ready to give me what I needed tonight.


    He spread my legs and stepped closer, rubbing himself against me. I inhaled the sweet scent of his


    cologne, seeing another vampire walking across the dance floor. And it was d, the one I was


    supposed to be watching for.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    I suddenly felt like someone had just dropped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head. The vampire


    was hard as he rubbed himself against me, and his lips caressed my neck. Damn it, was I slowly losing


    my mind? Did he just hypnotise me? Use his mour?


    I pushed him off me, which required a lot more self-control than I¡¯d expected. My mind was racing, and


    the world around me was spinning.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, my voice hoarse. My core was throbbing with need, and I was so turned


    on. He must have used his abilities to weaken me. That¡¯s what vampires did when they wanted to drink


    from someone.


    d was in the club and I had to keep an eye on him. It was the main reason that I was here. The


    vampire looked baffled and pissed off, but I didn¡¯t care. Secondster I grabbed my drink, remembering


    I had my knife with me.


    Last year, I¡¯d killed a vampire who¡¯d turned small children into half-breeds. He was vile, and a lot of his


    victims hadn¡¯t survived. As soon as I¡¯d showed Tristan the corpse, he¡¯d given me a lot more than I¡¯d


    expected, so I decided to invest in a selection of knives afterwards. I¡¯d never regretted spending money


    on them.


    I was surprised to learn that Oldman had managed to ship our weapons to Dimitry¡¯s house, but my


    sword wasn¡¯t in the package that came from Kiev.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to taste an ancient?¡± the vampire asked, grabbing my hand. ¡°I guarantee you¡¯ll enjoy


    it.¡± Then electricity raced down my spine. My panties were soaked as I wiped a bead of sweat off my


    forehead. I had to take a deep breath to gain control of my bloodlust. I had a job to do, and this damn


    vampire was distracting.


    ¡°I do, but not the ancient who¡¯s using his abilities to make me want to bite him,¡± I spat and then walked


    away.


    d was talking to a beautiful blond Russian, whose dress was barely there; you could almost see her


    arse. He looked exactly like his photograph: older, taller, and probably wiser than any other vampire in


    here.


    Karina was sitting across from me. I¡¯d only just noticed her, she was talking to another shifter and


    winked at me when our eyes met. She was wearing a fitted ck leather dress, and she looked bloody


    gorgeous. All the human men were eyeing her. I just wasn¡¯t confident enough to wear things like that,


    especially with L around. He was disrupting everything, and I had to ignore the way I felt about


    him.


    I sat down at a table and sipped my cocktail, not taking my eyes off d. He shook hands with a few


    other vampires, even the one who¡¯d tried to hypnotise me earlier, but luckily, he didn¡¯t talk to him for


    long. I was a little worried that my cover had been blown.


    Sometimeter Karina vanished, most likely following her own subject, and I was still stuck in the same


    spot. The craving for blood returned again, and my fangs extended. I was surrounded by so many


    vampires, and it wasn¡¯t really helping matters. Before I¡¯d met L, this had never happened to me


    before.


    Men kept approaching me, trying to flirt, but it just irritated me even more. I sent them all away, nearly


    growling that I wasn¡¯t interested. This whole world was new to me, and it was difficult to know how I


    was supposed to act in certain situations. I¡¯d been anonymous before, possibly because I¡¯d always


    looked like a vagrant. d kept his eyes on the women who were performing. He kept taking small sips


    of his drink, and I wasn¡¯t sure what it was¡ªmost likely blood. Ten minutester, he pulled out a


    cigarette and then asked the guy next to him for a lighter. The human pointed at the door and d


    stood from his seat, appearing annoyed.


    It surprised me that he smoked. Vampires didn¡¯t have the same cravings as humans, but the other day,


    Marco admitted that he, too, was addicted to cigarettes, or maybe it was the whole act of smoking. I


    wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯d never smoked a day in my life as a supernatural. Right then, I had no other option


    but to follow him outside the club. When he stopped nearby the busy road, I pretended to be with a


    group of girls who were trying to hail a taxi.


    d didn¡¯t end up smoking that cigarette after all, he was just staring ahead. Was he waiting for


    someone? Time was ticking, and something felt off. Maybe he knew I was here. Maybe each one of us


    was being watched. A cold shiver crawled down my spine as I stepped out of the way, trying to think on


    my feet. There was a small takeout shop next door, and I decided to blend into the crowd of Russians


    who were queuing to go inside. The group of girls had already left, and I didn¡¯t want to look suspicious.


    I felt drops of rain as they fell on my face, the temperature was decreasing, and I was just about to call


    Dimitry, when a split secondter, I saw Ramona and L walking up to d. I was shocked to see


    them here, asking myself why the hell they were approaching my subject.


    Ramona smiled, then leaned over to d and whispered something in his ear. I was furious and baffled


    at the same time. This was definitely not the n, and they were going to ruin everything. Pretty Boy


    seemed a little apprehensive, but a momentter, he shook hands with the vampire. My heart started


    thumping loudly inside my chest. I dragged my hand through my hair, wondering what the hell was


    going on.


    I needed to find Karina, but she probably wouldn¡¯t have a clue why Ramona and L were talking


    to my subject. It seemed to me that he knew them well.


    The tiny voice inside my head told me I needed to head back to headquarters and speak with Dimitry


    straight away. Maybe L was following another order, but that didn¡¯t make sense. I would know


    about it otherwise.


    I started pacing around, watching them, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do right now. They


    appeared to be having an intense conversation. d didn¡¯t seem happy, he kept shaking his head, and


    Ramona continued talking like she was trying to convince him to do something or go somewhere.


    L kept ncing around, and for a moment, I thought he spotted me inside the takeout, but I


    quickly hid behind someone. Soon, it started raining, and when I nced back, I couldn¡¯t see them any


    longer. I left the shop in a panic. When I finally spotted them again, Ramona, L, and d were


    crossing the road. They were heading towards the town centre.


    Anger was pumping through me at that point. I felt betrayed that no one had filled me in on this new


    n. For some reason, I decided not to call Dimitry right now. Those two were up to something, so I


    decided to follow them, anyway, thinking that they were going to lead me somewhere in the end.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I pulled up the hood of my sweatshirt from beneath my leather jacket and ran to the other side of the


    road. I just had to remember to keep a safe distance. It was my first mission of this kind, and I didn¡¯t


    want to screw anything up. L was much more experienced, but I didn¡¯t trust Ramona at all.


    Minutester, the rain started pouring from the sky. Cars were speeding down the road as I followed


    the three vampires. Not once did they nce behind, and the entire time, my heart was pounding like a


    drum inside my chest. I normally trusted my intuition, and this time, I was getting a strong feeling that


    the warlock¡¯s daughter was near.


    I carried on walking until it seemed as though they had vanished inside the park. As I approached the


    unlocked gate, I realised that they must have gone inside. The chain was broken, but there was no


    living soul around.


    By that time, I was soaked and miserable. I followed the path to the main entrance to the park, getting


    lost a few times. It was getting cold, too. Finally, on the edge of the park, my senses picked up another


    creature¡ªa warlock.


    I didn¡¯t want to stop, convinced that the creature had nothing to do with why I was here, so I continued


    walking. Finally, after half an hour, I caught up with them, but L had disappeared somewhere.


    They had just reached the industrial area and entered one of the red brick buildings. This was


    then; I pulled out my phone and dialled Dimitry¡¯s number.


    Several secondster, I realised I had no signal and my battery was running low. This was strange,


    because the phone was fully charged just before I¡¯d gotten inside the taxi. The streets in this area were


    I truly didn¡¯t think this could happen right now. I waited and waited, and there was still no sign of them


    after another half an hour. I had to go and check out what was inside. I couldn¡¯t return to headquarters


    just yet.


    Many times in the past, I¡¯d been in situations where I was on my own, fighting a group of werewolves or


    vampires. This wasn¡¯t new to me. I was aware of the risks, itching to get inside that building. It took me


    a few minutes to go over the pros and cons.


    Maybe I was risking everything, but I didn¡¯te all this way for nothing. I ran along the side of the


    building until I came to a set of rusty old doors. The entrance was obviously locked, and my magic was


    fading. My energy could melt metal, but right now, I had to get inside the old-school way.


    As I¡¯d predicted, there was a fire escape on the side of the building, so I climbed up, all the way to the


    top floor. I was soaked by the time I slipped inside a small broken window. I found myself in a long


    corridor. This must have been some kind of factory, an old ce that had been abandoned for some


    time.


    The smell of blood was growing intense at that point, and a dull pain began throbbing in my head.


    Vampires were in the building, at least three or four. I sensed them somewhere on the lower level.


    Once I got to the stairs, I removed my knife from my pocket. Blood stains were everywhere on the floor.


    The windows were covered with metal panels, so I decided to check out the entrance to my right. It was


    arge open space; my eyes were slowly getting used to the pitch-ck darkness.


    Someone giggled and panic dug its ws inside my gut. I couldn¡¯t sense anyone in here, and yet I


    wasn¡¯t alone. My stomach dropped when I saw someone to my right. It wasn¡¯t just one person, there


    were several of them, and they were all pure vampires¡ªancient ones.


    I saw the glint of a de, but I crouched down, and at the same time, stabbing one of the bastards in


    the foot. He roared out in pain, and then a short spasm of electrical current jolted through me. At the


    same time, someone grabbed me, and pain exploded in my ribcage. This strange energy prated


    me from the inside, and it made me so weak that I thought I might pass out.


    ¡°We have been waiting for you, dear half-breed,¡± someone spoke, and I saw small circles of smoke to


    my right. Another vampire with a cigarette, or maybe I was hallucinating? I saw d standing next to a


    very old silver-haired vampire when the lights came on. d was the one smoking, staring at me with a


    mixture of curiosity and annoyance.


    I kept breathing in, trying to figure out if I¡¯d been stabbed, or if this was some sort of spell they¡¯d used to


    disable me. My breathing wasing in short ragged breaths, but I couldn¡¯t see any blood. They were


    definitely using magic on me. I didn¡¯t understand how they were able to do it, until a warlock stepped


    forward. I¡¯d never seen him before and hadn¡¯t noticed him earlier, only sensed a presence.


    ¡°What the hell do you want from me? And where is Ramona?¡± I shouted, trying to move, but pain


    started pulsating around my temple. The elder vampire walked towards me. He must have been in his


    mid-fifties when he was turned, and his silver hair was slicked back. He was dressed in a stylish suit,


    and expensive shoes. I noticed his cuff links. They were filled with magic so strong that the energy was


    taking my breath away.


    ¡°Ramona made a deal with us, we are just about to free the girl in exchange for the immortal half-


    blood,¡± the ancient said, smiling and smoothing his jaw.


    What about L? Why did he agree to it, and what half-blood was he talking about?


    ¡°She stinks of fae,¡± the warlock said. ¡°There is something wrong with this one, master.¡±


    I tried to yank my arm away from the vampire who held me, but it only made the situation worse. The


    exaggerating pain spread to the other side of my ribcage, and my knees went weak.


    ¡°Leave her, Gordon, this one is very special, and we don¡¯t want to damage her. I can smell her energy;


    it¡¯s delicious.¡± He turned his attention towards me. ¡°What are you?¡± the ancient asked, staring into my


    eyes. I didn¡¯t want to look at him directly, but it was already toote.


    A split secondter, I was ready to reveal everything¡ªthe whole truth about myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I am, half-vampire and, possibly, half-fae. My memories were taken from me when


    my maker abandoned me four years ago.¡± I exined as much as I could, wanting to please him. The


    craving for blood hit me all of a sudden.


    ¡°Hmm, interesting, someone made her this way. She was supposed to die, but she survived,¡± the


    ancient said, releasing me from a hypnotised state.


    I nearly passed out, kneeling on the ground. He¡¯d just usedpulsion on me, and I was prepared to


    tell him anything he wanted to know. Now I understood why ancients were so dangerous.


    This had been a trap and, I¡¯d walked straight into it. That bitch, Ramona, must have known I was


    following her.


    I counted at least five vampires in the room, plus the warlock. They were all much older than me and


    undoubtedly more experienced, too.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± I asked, trying to ignore the pain that was making me so weak. I wasn¡¯t going


    to pass out, I wouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction. The vampire in front of me was special, and I needed


    to be closer to him. Maybe he had the answers to all my questions.


    ¡°I can sense your strength. Marvel, taste her, but be careful. She could hurt you. I¡¯ll let the councillor


    know we are ready for ransom,¡± the ancient said, sounding pleased. My pupils dted as I tried to


    figure out which vampire was Marvel.


    The blood of an ancient vampire could transform me, and I was waiting for them to approach. Then


    something or someone hit me on the back of my head, and I went down like a sack of potatoes. Then


    darkness began shading my vision.


    ¡°You fools, she¡¯s too precious! Achilles, taste her, measure her strength. In a few hours, we shall know


    if Armadil¡¯s experiment survived.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    I must have passed out for a good few minutes, because when I came around, I was lying on arge


    table, seeing gleaming yellow eyes that definitely didn¡¯t belong to someone who¡¯de to my rescue.


    My entire body was stiff, and dull pain was spreading everywhere. Even my throat felt like I¡¯d


    swallowed razordes, but it was probably from dehydration. I sensed magic slowly drifting around me.


    ¡°Fae aremon, silly creatures who think they are better than us. I don¡¯t want to touch that unworthy


    piece of scum.¡± A male voice reached me, but whoever was speaking was mumbling, so I could barely


    understand him. On top of everything, he had a strange ent.


    Memories floated inside my mind as I sat up, and the warlock appeared in front of me, then I realised


    that the scary eyes I¡¯d seen belonged to him.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even finish my question, because then I realised he had fangs. I was wrong¡­ I¡¯d been so


    wrong¡ªhe wasn¡¯t a warlock at all, but another vampire. He lunged for me before I could even


    anticipate what he was trying to do, sinking his disgusting fangs into my neck.


    It was all too much, the agonising pain paralysed me, and as he started drinking my blood, I became


    lost. Nothing else mattered; my limbs went numb instantly, as I drifted into a state of oblivion. I¡¯d been


    weakened earlier, and now I had no strength left within me to fight him.


    At least the craving for blood was slowly fading, but then I heard a whisper. I didn¡¯t want to listen when


    it told me I couldn¡¯t just give up. This vampire was draining my inner essence.


    I didn¡¯t want to listen to the annoying voice inside my head. I just needed that vampire to keep drinking


    from me, to take all my energy so I didn¡¯t have to worry about anything else. Then the whisper became


    louder and louder, and I realised I had to keep fighting, that I couldn¡¯t just give up.


    An image of Ramona and L rolled through my mind. They seemed happy and I didn¡¯t care


    anymore. Sometimeter, I roared out in anger and kicked my oppressor between his legs, not even


    knowing where this added strength hade from. Everything was slowlying back to me. He


    instantly pulled away, screaming and cursing.


    Straight after, he struck me in the face, throwing a knock-out punch. I was done after that¡ªdone and


    dusted.


    * * *


    As I awoke the second time, I was immersed in darkness, in even more pain, and inside something that


    resembled a cage. My head was banging, and there was dried blood all over my neck. The wound was


    fresh. It stung, and I should have healed by now, so that meant I was still charmed.


    ¡°How long have I been gone?¡± A strong female voice startled me from out of nowhere.


    I struggled but managed to pick myself up off the dirty floor. The vampires used some sort of old charm


    to break me down, and then one of them fed on me. I could hardly move, everything hurt.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked, trying to locate the voice. ¡°I can¡¯t see you.¡± I was still disoriented, trying to


    figure out why I¡¯d missed the fact the warlock was a vampire, and why he¡¯d drunk my blood. My inner


    energy rose slowly, but something seemed to be blocking it. Who I¡¯d thought was a warlock, (now a


    vampire like I¡¯d never seen before), had spellbound me and it hadplicated things.


    ¡°To the right, I¡¯m also in a cage,¡± the voice added, and then to my right, I saw a flickering light. The


    vampires must have given her amp. I rolled my eyes, thinking that this was ridiculous. She was


    obviously Dorothy¡ªthe daughter of the councillor.


    My mind was working backwards, while I was trying to remember all the events of the previous


    evening. That ancient vampire had hypnotised me. Even he¡¯d insinuated I was half-vampire and half-


    fae. Maybe he was right. Nothing made much sense to me anymore, but now I was stuck here, and no


    one from the team knew I¡¯d been caught.


    ¡°Right, I can see you now,¡± I said. ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    I closed my eyes, trying to breathe in, blocking out the pain and my own frustrating voice. I was healing


    slowly, but the internal charm was blocking most of my abilities. It was going to take longer than I¡¯d


    anticipated to feel more like myself. The ancient vampire had lured me here, and now I realised he¡¯d


    been talking about me when he¡¯d mentioned a ransom. Ramona must have made some sort of deal


    with them.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she answered. ¡°They¡¯ve been treating me better than expected.¡±


    She seemed fine, and all the research Karina had done on her was urate. Her energy was still


    powerful and rich. Every supernatural had an aura, and most often, I could read them well. Dorothy¡¯s


    aura was intense and colourful. She must have been right; the vampires hadn¡¯t harmed her at all. To


    them, she was valuable.


    ¡°Good, because you¡¯ll be getting out of here soon enough. The ancient vamps want me instead of you,¡±


    I told her, finally catching up with my thoughts.


    I had to heal quickly¡ªtime was running out. I must have been knocked out for several hours. I


    suspected no one from my team even cared I was missing. Who knew what the ancient vampires


    wanted to do with me next? It turned out I¡¯d be someone¡¯s experiment, an experiment that was


    meant to fail. And afterwards, I¡¯d been tossed on the streets to die ¡­ but, I¡¯d survived, and only ended


    up with no recollection of who I was. At some point, someone was going to pay. I wanted revenge.


    She came closer to the cage and grabbed the metal bars, staring at me. The dim light exposed her


    beautiful face. She had several fresh-looking scars sweeping down the side of her cheeks. Well, she¡¯d


    probably lied about not being harmed. The ancient dude was probably torturing her, too.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re wrong. They won¡¯t just swap me. Leonidius wants to gain influence over the admission


    board, and now because he has me, he¡¯s gained leverage over my father,¡± she said, sounding angry.


    ¡°You need to get out of here, you must be valuable to them, too. If you escape, then you can pass a


    message to my father and the council.¡±


    I was confused. She didn¡¯t seem to be happy about the fact she would be leaving this ce in one


    piece. No one apart from the ancient vampires cared about some rogue girl who might have been


    created illegally. Dorothy was much more important, and I still wanted to get her out of here alive, even


    if it meant I had to sacrifice myself in the process.


    ¡°A few weeks ago, I identally overheard a conversation with a few mages, and how they were upset


    about the admission selection into the Elite,¡± I said, trying to figure out if her kidnapping had something


    to do with the meeting in the basement of the pub. ¡°They wanted to help someone get in, someone who


    wasn¡¯t supposed to be there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you need to do everything in your power to escape,¡± she said, shaking the bars like she


    was prepared to bend them with her magic. There was no way I was leaving here without her. I couldn¡¯t


    tell her I was part of the team from Moonlight who¡¯de to rescue her.


    ¡°So, what do you have in mind?¡± I asked, knowing that, soon enough, my strength would return. The


    vampires had confiscated my knife, but I didn¡¯t need it. Being close to her kind of helped. She was


    strengthening my core, not even knowing it. I was certain that other vampires didn¡¯t have this kind of


    ability¡ªDorothy was special.


    ¡°We need to make them talk ¡­


    She was smart and quick with her thoughts, her n made sense, but I wasn¡¯t sure what the ancients


    were nning to do with either of us. There was also Ramona. I had a feeling she¡¯d been working forProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    the enemy this entire time. At the same time, I couldn¡¯tprehend how she¡¯d managed to fool


    Oldman, too. The principal was smart, and she trusted L. Something wasn¡¯t adding up.


    I listened, waiting and wondering if we would be able to pull this off. I had to get Dorothy out of here


    and bring her safely to headquarters. No one would doubt me after that, and I truly wanted to expose


    Ramona and L¡¯s betrayal. They were trying to jeopardise the entire mission, possibly even the


    school itself.


    We waited all night, well, I wanted to presume it was still night-time outside. It would be difficult to figure


    out if it was night or day, until we escaped these cages.


    * * *


    ¡°I need to speak to Leonidas,¡± Dorothy said when one of the shifters showed up several hourster.


    My wounds were healing, but the process was taking longer than I¡¯d expected. The ancient spell was


    still blocking all my abilities. Damn it. I didn¡¯t have time for this.


    Dorothy told me it was advanced magic, that the vampires weren¡¯t using warlocks to do their dirty work


    for them. They were smart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± the shifter answered abruptly, and then locked the cage. He¡¯d brought her


    blood, and I was given something that resembled a meal. It was too dark to see, but I needed my


    strength, so I ate it. The food wasn¡¯t too bad. Time was dragging by, and I wanted to know what was


    going on. Five minutester, we were finally alone again. Leonidas, another ancient vampire, was


    nning something that had to do with the Elite.


    ¡°Okay, he¡¯s gone, so what now?¡± I asked Dorothy as I paced around the cage like an animal.


    ¡°Now we wait, and don¡¯t worry, he doesn¡¯t have much patience, so he¡¯ll be here,¡± she answered,


    sounding confident. My stomach growled, but this time, it wasn¡¯t from hunger. I didn¡¯t feel right for some


    reason, and I needed answers. I wanted to know what that ancient vampire had done to me.


    After several more minutes, we were both pacing around, waiting. The same shifter returned an hour


    moved us anywhere¡ªwe were still in the same abandoned building. Dorothy was a strong vampire,


    and maybe our n wasn¡¯t perfect, but it could work.


    ¡°Come on, you two, they are waiting for you,¡± the shifter said. He was short and stocky with a lot of


    facial hair. Dorothy was much taller than him, and even when she was walking next to me, she was


    doing so with extreme elegance. I needed to get my hands on a sword, because draining a full-blooded


    vampire was going to be much more difficult considering the condition I was in. Either way, this had to


    work. I couldn¡¯t return to headquarters empty-handed, defeated, without proof of Ramona¡¯s or even


    Pretty Boy¡¯s guilt.


    We were taken to an evenrger hall, but this one was filled with old rusty machines that had seen


    better days. However, instead of Leonidas, we were brought in front of three other shifters. They were


    wearing suits and talking in Russian amongst each other.


    ¡°Adonis, what the hell is this? I specifically asked to see the ancient,¡± Dorothy said. She looked pissed


    off, and my own blood boiled.


    ¡°Master is busy, so he might see youter,¡± the stocky shifter answered and then just walked away. We


    were outnumbered. I doubted I could take care of the three of them, considering my current state.


    ¡°What did you want to speak to Leonidas about?¡± one of the shifters asked, approaching Dorothy. His


    English wasn¡¯t great, and he had a thick Russian ent.


    ¡°Challenge the one who looks the most intelligent, and I¡¯ll take care of the other two,¡± I heard a voice


    inside my head.


    I nced at Dorothy, feeling empowered. I¡¯d heard of this ability and read about it in books, but I never


    thought vampires could actuallymunicate with each other through mind-speak. In that moment, I


    felt like I was in a trance. She must have done something to me, feeding me with her energy, because I


    suddenly felt invincible. The pain I¡¯d felt was finally gone.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve never fought a half-blood. Why don¡¯t you show me how well you use that sword of yours?¡±


    I shouted at the shifter who was watching Dorothy. She was already hypnotising the other two as they


    approached. We didn¡¯t have much time; the lower floor was filled with ancient vampires. They all


    worked for Leonidas, but I needed to make sure I could get her out of here alive and in one piece.


    Adonis had probably brought us here without the ancients¡¯ knowledge. Maybe he had a soft spot for


    Dorothy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fight little girls, get lost,¡± the shifter answered, spitting on the floor. He nced at the other two


    shifters and cursed in Russian.


    He was close to me, so I didn¡¯t wait and attacked, kicking him squarely in the chest as my strength


    returned. He went flying across the room, then crashed to the floor. I nced at my sparkling hands,


    confused and baffled. My own abilities had exceeded my expectations once again.


    ¡°Finish him, before the others realise what¡¯s going on,¡± Dorothy told me,pletely controlling the


    other two shifters. She was good, and together, we were leaving this damn building whether she was


    ready or not.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Dorothy was much more powerful than I¡¯d anticipated. Normally vampires relied on other creatures for


    magic, but not her. Her energy was shrouding the entire space, soaking the air and overwhelming my


    own vampire senses. The shifter wasn¡¯t dead yet. He rose to his feet, staring at me with fury and wiping


    the dirt from his face. I had to finish him if I wanted to get out of here alive.


    Dorothy¡¯spulsion was affecting me, too, but I shook my head and blocked her voice. I had to kick


    his arse without my weapons, which wasn¡¯t impossible.


    ¡°You¡¯re dead, little girl,¡± the shifter growled, stretching his neck from side to side. Then his body went


    rigid, and he started transforming. All right, so I hadn¡¯t anticipated that, but it should have been obvious


    that he would fight me in his other form.


    I expected to see a wolf, but when he shifted into an animal that resembled a tiger, I had to admit, I


    began to freak out a bit. Normally when I tracked a werewolf, I was more prepared, but a cheetah? I


    was in new territory here. I suddenly missed my knives, and his damn sword was too far away. Fur


    appeared all over his body, his bones cracked and twisted. The smell of smoke wafted around the air.


    Something was burning, but I couldn¡¯t see fire anywhere around me.


    I inhaled sharply, trying to think on my feet. A momentter, arge cheetah charged towards me, and I


    needed to make a split-second decision and figure out how to kill it. Dorothy was shouting something,


    but I couldn¡¯t hear her.


    If I had any other magic inside me, well, now was the time to use it. He was going to kill me, and I didn¡¯t


    know how to defend myself. The shifter roared, and every single hair on the back of my neck stood on


    end. Time slowed down, or I was witnessing my own end in slow motion. Saliva was dripping down his


    I just knew that, in a short moment, I¡¯d be dead. My magic faded, so I did the only thing I thought that


    made sense. Maybe it was silly, but my normal ¡°brave girl¡± wasn¡¯t here anymore¡ªshe¡¯d checked out. I


    shut my eyes, pulling energy from every cell inside my body, concentrating on this one final moment.


    Dorothy kept shouting, but now her voice was fading. I didn¡¯t want to listen, imagining the cheetah¡¯s


    breath on my neck. Energy discharged around me, pounding inside me like a volcano. My heart started


    jackhammering inside my chest as I waited for sharp ws and pain. It never came¡ªthe cheetah


    yelped, then I heard a crying roar in the distance. I finally opened my eyes, releasing the magic I was


    holding onto. The shifter was immersed in mes, he was burning alive, rolling on the floor, trying to


    save himself from the fire. I nced down at my hands, seeing mes, and I had no idea what I¡¯d just


    done.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± I whispered to myself inplete and total shock.


    The mes were killing him, while he was trying to shift back to his human form. I stared, thinking that


    no one deserved this kind of pain, but I couldn¡¯t reverse the spell. I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    When I nced at Dorothy, she¡¯d just finished draining one of the other shifters. She looked grotesque,


    blood was spilling down her face, neck, and chest. She pulled away from one of the shifters and kicked


    him hard. He was barely conscious now, and the other one was staring at the wall. Damn, she was


    good, and I was still pretty amazed with my own strength. The smell of burnt flesh was making me


    nauseous. We had to get the hell out of here¡ªthis was our chance.


    The cheetah shifter was now in his human form, he¡¯d stopped burning, but he wasn¡¯t moving any


    longer.


    ¡°It¡¯s time, we need to get to the north fire escape exit. It¡¯s the only ce where I don¡¯t sense them,¡±


    Dorothy said, stepping over the bodies. She wasn¡¯t even wearing any shoes.


    ¡°How did I do it? I mean, I¡¯m half-vampire, not a mage or a warlock,¡± I asked myself, but she must have


    overheard me because she answered:


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely something more than just half-vampire, and you can kill with magic. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve


    met any other vampire with that sort of skill,¡± she said, then grabbed my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, they¡¯ll sense


    that something is wrong here soon enough.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to tell me twice, and for a moment, I felt like a novice who was being guided by a


    master.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to the first floor; the corridor up there was empty when I snuck in herest night,¡± I told her,


    pulling her towards the stairs.


    ¡°Snuck in¡ªwhat the hell do you mean? I thought you were caught?¡± she asked. Her eyes were


    bloodshot, this was strange. I¡¯d never seen another vampire reacting from blood this way. Her skin was


    grey, almost sullen. The shifters had probably been charmed, too. Crap. She shouldn¡¯t have drunk from


    any of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long andplicated story, but let¡¯s get out of here. A lot of people are searching for you,¡± I told


    her, thinking about Ramona and L.


    This ce was riddled with small corridors and even smaller rooms, but once we located the stairs, I


    was a bit less nervous.


    Ten minutester, we reached an obscure long corridor. The lights were shing there, and magic was


    still drifting around. It felt like I had bricks of nausea rolling around in my stomach all of a sudden. There


    were other creatures here with us. Even Dorothy must have sensed them, because her face had


    suddenly gone pale. Well, pale from grey. My mind kept whispering ¡°demons,¡± but I refused to believe


    it.


    ¡°We need to get out of here fast. I came in through one of the windows,¡± I said, turning around to see if


    Dorothy was keeping up with me. Blood rushed to my head, when a few secondster, I realised she


    was nowhere to be seen. Then, after only a moment, she was behind me. What the hell?


    I found her by the stairs, looking like a ghost. She was throwing up, but it wasn¡¯t blood. It was some


    sort of dark liquid, and then strange marks began appearing on her arms and legs. Fear punched a


    hole in my gut. We didn¡¯t have much time, and I had to drag her out of here somehow; otherwise we


    were both as good as dead.


    ¡°One of the shifters¡¯ blood must have been poisoned. I can¡¯t move,¡± she said, and then vomited even


    more oily ck liquid all over my shoes. I didn¡¯t have a weak stomach, but after everything I¡¯d seen


    today, I felt sick, too.


    Somehow, after a few deep breaths, I regained control of myself, and the nausea passed. I grabbed


    her arm and wrapped it around my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you behind,¡± I said, struggling to carry her. She was barely conscious, and she couldn¡¯t


    even walk. Several steps further when I checked her pulse, it was very weak. Split secondster, I


    could hear several vampires approaching. They were going to invade this area within moments, and


    there was no way I could take on the ancients, even if I was fully healed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fucking stupid, at least save yourself. They won¡¯t kill me, Leonidas is just going to be pissed


    that you got away,¡± she mumbled, sweating badly.


    She was infected with something, and she wasn¡¯t going anywhere. I cursed loudly, trying to think of


    something¡ªanything. Even if I could heal her, time was running out. I had to disappear and get back to


    headquarters without her.


    A few secondster, I sped towards the light that was beaming through the small space between the


    window and the metal panel. After tearing away the protective cover, I dove through the window just


    before the vampires barged in. Their energy turned thest bits of food inside my stomach as I tore my


    hoodie on the sharp nails that were protruding from the window frame.


    I found myself on the same fire escape, but my legs refused to cooperate. One of the vampires roared,


    then I felt immense panic inside me. I decided to wait, wondering what was going to happen to Dorothy.


    ¡°Get her back to the cage. If she dies, I am going to kill all of you.¡±


    It was the ancient who¡¯d spoken, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. My breathing was


    shallow, and then the wind started blowing from the north. The sunlight blinded me as I changed my


    position, and then I must have pressed something, because a momentter, the stairs rolled all the way


    down. I held onto the barriers, but still crashed to the ground a few momentster.


    I crawled towards the bushes, hoping no one could see me from above. The ancient vampires were


    sensitive to the sun, more than regr breeds. They had to use special magic, so I didn¡¯t expect them


    to go out searching for me now. It took me several long moments to pull myself together. The world was


    spinning again as memories from earlier on began resurfacing. I still couldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯d done to


    that shifter.


    There were some deep wounds on my left thigh, and I didn¡¯t even know where they¡¯de from. I had


    to head back to headquarters. I kept wondering what happened to Ramona and L. They had


    something to do with this whole thing, and I needed to speak to Oldman urgently. Deep down, I was


    disappointed that everything had gone so badly. Dorothy was still with the vampires, and now they


    were probably going to relocate.


    It took me another hour to find my way out of the industrial part of the city. There was blood all over my


    clothes. I retraced my steps back in the daylight. Humans were staring. I¡¯d bet I looked damn scary. I


    avoided most busy areas in case of the police¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t hesitate to arrest me, considering the


    state I was in. Several minutester, I caught a taxi, and with very broken Ukrainian, I exined where


    I needed to go. Thankfully, I still had some money on me from the previous evening. The taxi driver


    started shouting something when I handed him money as soon as he pulled up outside headquarters.


    He probably noticed the blood, but I didn¡¯t have time to argue with him. He got his money, and I needed


    a hot shower.


    I knocked several times before Roxanna opened the door and let me inside.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s that racket?¡± a voice from the living room asked, and a split secondter someone was


    embracing me. Small hands, strong perfume, and the smell of bubble gum. It could have only been


    Karina.


    ¡°Dear lord, we were so worried about you. Are you all right?¡± She was asking, squeezing me so hard I


    could barely breathe.


    ¡°Yeah, sort of.¡± I managed to say, seeing Dimitry and the rest of the team walking into the room.


    Ramona and L weren¡¯t amongst them. Coincidence? I doubted that.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Dimitry asked, frowning. ¡°You didn¡¯t report back, and your people thought


    you¡¯d been eliminated.¡± He had his arms folded over his chest as his energy spread around the room.


    Marco winked at me, looking relieved and Judas, well, he seemed bored as usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I know where Dorothy is, and if we leave now, we still have a chance to raid the


    ce and free her,¡± I said, wondering why they were all acting so calm.


    Then I sensed strange magic drifting around. I didn¡¯t recognise it, and it wasn¡¯ting from Marco. He


    rarely used his abilities, but I recognised his energy. This energy was almost stinging me, causing a


    vibration inside my entire body.


    ¡°She was moved the moment you disappeared from their sight,¡± Dimitry said, clenching his fists. ¡°You


    shouldn¡¯t have interfered in the first ce. You were only supposed to be watching your subject.¡± He


    seemed pissed that I¡¯d located her?


    ¡°Hold on, this wasn¡¯t my fault, the others int¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in here, Dimitry?¡± Another voice cut off what I was trying to say. A momentter, two


    supernaturals walked inside the room, so it was kind of crowded. One was a very old vampire, and the


    other was a warlock. They both wore dark cloaks.


    It was the warlock who¡¯d asked the question. He had Nordic features: very faint, almost grey eyebrows,


    and thick dark-blond hair. Several strange talismans were hanging around his neck, and one that


    indicated that he worked for the High Council.


    The other one was a vampire. I instantly knew he must have been rted to L because he had


    almost identical blue eyes and thick hair, with a close-shaved beard.


    This energy, I sensed it, almost like I¡¯d been around it before. This felt bizarre.


    I didn¡¯t feelfortable standing here in front of two officials, looking like I¡¯d been dragged through the


    hedge backwards.


    ¡°Your girl might be dead,missioner, and all because of this amateur here,¡± Dimitry said, and I


    inhaled sharply. Was he even for real?


    ¡°Tell us what happened,¡± the older vampire requested. His voice sounded familiar, but I would have


    remembered him if we¡¯d ever met before. He was staring at me so intensely, drilling me with his blue


    eyes, while my chest cracked open.


    I finally found my strength and started telling them everything that happened to me, and how I ended


    up in the industrial building on my own. I didn¡¯t tell them about Ramona and L. I thought I needed


    to keep the fact that they knew d to myself for now, especially if the vampire in front of me was


    rted to him. If he was here, then something must have happened to them, and I needed to figure out


    whose side he was on.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Dimitry seemed pissed because I¡¯d attempted to save Dorothy on my own. I had no idea what the big


    deal was. The stretch of silence became too heavy all of a sudden. Everyone was staring at me, and I


    sensed they were agreeing with the Russian.


    ¡°She¡¯s probably already dead because of you, Jaymin. I gave everyone clear instructions, and you


    disobeyed my orders, exposing us and our ns,¡± Dimitry shouted. He waspletely losing his shit.


    There was a gold si on his left hand, and the blue diamond was shing with energy. I was


    speechless. Hepletely dismissed the fact I¡¯d nearly died in that old factory building. Either way, it


    seemed no one cared.


    ¡°They won¡¯t kill her, they need her. It¡¯s all about admission¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, child, you have already said enough.¡± The elder vampire stood by Dimitry and silenced


    me, lifting his hand like he was trying to tell me I had no say in the matter. I didn¡¯t want to do this in front


    of the councillor who didn¡¯t seem affected at all by this terrible news.


    ¡°You demonstrated zero respect to the task that was assigned to you. The number one rule of


    Moonlight Academy is to always follow orders, regardless of the circumstances. Your team cannot trust


    you, and no one else will after this incident.¡± Dimitry continued to scold me as if I was a child.


    This was not the wee I¡¯d expected to have, especially after what I¡¯d been through. This wasn¡¯t fair.


    Ramona and L had interfered. I¡¯d made the right decision to go into that building, and I¡¯d yet to


    ask why they weren¡¯t here.


    ¡°I thought Principal Oldman was supposed to choose the best students for this job. The High Council


    hasn¡¯t received a request for ransom. Perhaps it¡¯s worth looking into the location the half-blood is


    talking about,¡± the councillor finally said, but I was shocked by theck of empathy and emotion in his


    tone of voice. His daughter had been taken, and he didn¡¯t seem overly concerned.


    I wanted to walk up to Karina, shake her, and ask what the hell was wrong with her. She must have


    realised I was trying to save Dorothy. I would have, at the very least, expected Karina to believe me.


    ¡°You¡¯re all dismissed, and you, Jaymin, need to wait here for the principal. Your future at Moonlight is


    over,¡± Dimitry said, staring at me and I wanted tough.


    He couldn¡¯t make that kind of decision, and these rules seemed slightly radical, but at the same time, I


    hadn¡¯t told them everything. Ramona and L had approached my subject, and that wasn¡¯t part of


    the n, either. I had to see how everything else unfolded over the next few days before I said


    anything.


    Oldman couldn¡¯t just expel me for that. I¡¯d risked my life to learn more about the n and to track


    Dorothy down. My throat went dry as the idea of having to live on the streets of Kiev or Lviv rushed


    through my mind. That wasn¡¯t a life I wanted to return to, after being given such an amazing


    opportunity. I just couldn¡¯t imagine being homeless again. I didn¡¯t want to live like that again.


    I waited for everyone to leave, suddenly feeling like I was paralysed from head to toe. The elder


    vampire¡¯s presence was doing something to me. I needed to speak to Karina about Ramona and


    L. It was their doing¡ªthey¡¯d lured me into that situation. I wondered why no one wanted to listen


    when I¡¯d nearly rescued Dorothy. I was disappointed, to say the least.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had the pleasure of being introduced,¡± the vampire said, ignoring the councillor. ¡°My name


    is Jonnathan, and L is my son.¡± I couldn¡¯t read his aura, and that didn¡¯t happen very often. He


    seemed nk¡ªeveryone had an aura¡ªand that was impossible unless he was using a magical cover.


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± I muttered, thinking about my entire life as one giant failure.


    ¡°My son mentioned that a half-blood was part of the team. The academy hasn¡¯t done any testing on


    you yet, correct? To determine what other magic you have inside you?¡± he asked, his voice was


    soothing, but he didn¡¯t have a thick Scottish ent like L.


    ¡°No, they haven¡¯t, and I highly doubt they¡¯ll perform any tests to determine my future, because,


    honestly, everything is fucked. What the hell do you want from me, Mr. Moore? Your son isn¡¯t here to


    mock my failure, so I guess you¡¯re going to take his ce?¡± I shouted at him,pletely losing my shit.


    I didn¡¯t need to take my frustration out on him, but I was pissed. All my pores were opening, and the


    same magic, the burning sensations, were drifting along the surface of my skin. There was something


    wrong with me. I needed to calm down.


    His eyes widened, and I could have sworn I saw pride in them. I¡¯d just disrespected him.


    ¡°The team still needs to rescue the councillor¡¯s daughter. Maybe I can convince Principal Oldman to


    give you another chance,¡± he suggested, looking down at my body as though he was assessing me,


    trying to get through my wards and inside my mind. It was possible he thought I wouldn¡¯t notice, but my


    ¡°other¡± nature caused my heart to beat triple-time. I always knew.


    ¡°Go to hell,¡± I said, and stormed out. I had no idea why I was acting like that, but he didn¡¯t need to help


    me.


    ¡°Go to hell, Mr. Moore,¡± he called out, mocking me and sounding amused as I turned and left the room.


    I needed to speak to Dimitry again or Karina. She was in our room, painting her nails. She appeared


    relieved when she saw me again.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ramona and L? Why aren¡¯t they here?¡± I asked her, pacing around. I had to do


    something, fix this before Oldman arrived, but I didn¡¯t have a n.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t know. Ramona came back a few hours after the rest of us. She said L was doing


    something else, that he was close to finding the girl,¡± she exined and stood from the bed.


    ¡°Bullshit. I saw them, you know. I saw them with my d¡ªthe guy I was supposed to be watching,¡± I


    said, feeling frustrated as hell. Karina stared at me in utter disbelief. At that point, I was going to wear a


    hole in the rug with my pacing. I was filled with so much damn anger.


    ¡°What? We were all in the same club. Why would they approach him, and why didn¡¯t you say anything


    to Dimitry?¡±


    ¡°Because L¡¯s father was there, the elder vamp, and I have no idea why they were talking to him


    in the first ce.¡± The pressure inside my head was mounting. Overall, I felt like crap. ¡°Oldman¡¯s going


    to expel me, you know. ording to Dimitry, I broke all the rules, and I can¡¯t be trusted. This is it for


    me, all that effort¡­ for nothing.¡±


    ¡°None of us got a lead, but you were the only one who saw Dorothy. You should tell them everything.


    Maybe Ramona isn¡¯t working against us. It¡¯s strange that L¡¯s been gone for so long, though,¡± she


    said, then touched my arm. This was nice, she was using her energy to calm me down.


    ¡°Dimitry doesn¡¯t want to listen to anything I have to say. He thinks I jeopardised the whole mission. We


    were just about to escape, but she¡¯d been poisoned. The blood from one of the shifterspletely


    messed her up,¡± I said, running my hands through my hair. ¡°I need some air; it¡¯s the energy from


    L¡¯s father. He was staring at me strangely and seems to be on my side. I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve


    never met him before.¡±


    After I¡¯d taken a quick shower and changed, Karina wanted to follow me out, but I told her I really


    needed to clear my head. Roxanna was outside, sweeping the front porch when I walked past. Dust


    was spreading everywhere.


    ¡°Here, go to the store and buy me some garlic,¡± she said, handing me some Russian notes. I stared at


    the money in confusion, thinking she must be joking. That whole thing about garlic was a myth.


    ¡°But I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just go, fresh air will do you some good, and, sometimes it solves all your problems,¡± she muttered,


    waving at me to leave already. Whatever, I didn¡¯t care at that point. I was so done with everything,


    wondering why Dimitry had a bug up his arse, and why he refused to believe a word I¡¯d said.


    It was humid and the road outside was busy. I wanted to ask Marco for a cigarette, thinking maybe it


    would calm me down a little, but then in the distance, I saw a familiar face.


    My heart made a giant flip inside my chest, and I told myself it was impossible. Was it really the mage


    who¡¯d attacked me in the basement?


    Damn it! There couldn¡¯t be anything wrong with my eyesight¡ªno, of course not. I would never forget


    that face. He still lived in my nightmares.


    The dude¡¯s energy seemed explosive¡ªexactly as I remembered. I wondered why the hell he was even


    in this area. The bastard knew L, so I found it hard to believe he was only here by chance.


    Maybe he¡¯d been watching us the entire time.


    I quickly crossed the road, thinking about Oldman. Supposedly, she was on her way here, and I had a


    few hours, tops, to figure out my next move, and to figure out how not to get expelled.


    Ten minutester, the mage and the vampire strolled into the small supermarket around the corner.


    They seemed immersed in conversation, and I wanted to know what they were talking about. A few


    Russiandies were chatting away. It wasn¡¯t busy, but obviously the mage had no reason to go inside. I


    followed them, pretending to look for garlic on the other side of the aisle. Now, I was grateful for


    Roxanna.


    ¡°How long before they realise he¡¯s missing?¡± the mage asked.


    ¡°Not long, a few days perhaps,¡± the vampire answered. ¡°The girl¡¯s ying them well. The council is


    going to crack soon¡ªwe have time.¡±


    I was holding my breath, wondering what the hell they were talking about, or more importantly, who?


    ¡°He¡¯s not cooperating, apparently he has no influence over his father. L can only go so long


    without blood.¡± The mageughed, and I nearly knocked a can off the shelf. What the actual fuck?


    They had L, and no one knew.


    It was Ramona¡ªshe must have been pretending to be in love with him the entire time. Crap, this


    wasn¡¯t good. L had gone along with her, so no one would suspect anything.


    ¡°We need to change the process; the board has been abiding by the same rules for the past century.¡±


    The vampire was saying. ¡°The Elite Academy needs dark energy¡ªdark magic could evolve the school.


    Sharper minds could change the way the council operates. We wouldn¡¯t have to live in the shadows


    any longer.¡±


    I should have known that the mage wouldn¡¯t just give up on this absurd dream. St. Kilda Elite Academy


    was an old institution with far too many secrets. I needed to find out who this mage was, and why he


    needed to have so much power, but I could only do one thing at a time. Momentster, they must have


    been interrupted by someone inside the supermarket, because the mage rushed the vampire out the


    door.


    I waited a few minutes and then left the shop, too. They must have split up, because I couldn¡¯t see the


    direction in which they¡¯d taken off, so it was just another screw up on my part. I quickly ran back to the


    house just as a ck limousine parked outside.


    My stomach contracted with unease. I had to inform them that the n had managed to capture


    L. His time was quickly running out, and we needed to act soon if we wanted to save him.


    I felt like I¡¯d slowly been putting my life together, and now everything was falling apart. Momentster, I


    realised it was Oldman who¡¯d arrived. She must have caught an early ne from Kiev, because she


    was sitting with Dimitry as I walked into the living room.


    ¡°Hello, Jaymin,¡± she said, her tone a bit cold. ¡°I see you haven¡¯t been following orders. The academy


    was counting on you. I thought I exined the rules to you in great detail, that we had an


    understanding?¡±


    ¡°I know how this looks, but you two need to listen to me very carefully. I only went inside that building


    because Ramona and L approached the subject¡ªmy subject, d. I followed them all the way


    to the ce where Dorothy was being held, but as soon as we arrived, I only saw Ramona vanish


    inside. She hasn¡¯t been entirely honest with you. L¡¯s missing, he¡¯s been caught by the n, and


    you wouldn¡¯t know any of this if it wasn¡¯t for me,¡± I said, telling her all that in one quick breath.


    They were staring at me in silence, their energy was growing. Something was wrong. I knew it, and


    they should have, too.


    ¡°See, I told you she enjoys fantasising. L¡¯s tracking Dorothy as we speak. He got a hold of


    extremely sensitive information, so he¡¯s pursuing the lead.¡± A familiar voice spoke, sending a shiver


    crawling down my spine. Secondster, Ramona sauntered inside the room, giving me her usual death


    re. My jaw dropped. Why the hell did shee back here, especially after what happened the night


    before?


    ¡°You¡¯re a traitor. You¡¯re working against the academy. L¡¯s missing, I just overheard two


    supernaturals talking about it outside. The n has him, and if you don¡¯t do anything, then he¡¯s going to


    be dead by tomorrow,¡± I said, knowing well enough I was losing ground. I had no proof; it was my word


    against hers.


    ¡°Jaymin, Ramona and L have been with me for a while, and I trust them,¡± Oldman said. ¡°Why


    would she try to ruin the rescue mission? It doesn¡¯t make sense. The bottom line is, you shouldn¡¯t have


    gone inside that building. You dismissed Dimitry¡¯s orders.¡± She was still going on about those stupid


    orders.


    They wouldn¡¯t even listen to what I was saying to them. L was fucking missing! I nced at the


    bitch as she wore a triumphant smirk on her face that said I was screwed. She¡¯d won.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    ¡°You¡¯re both fools, I¡¯m not making this up. She¡¯s shady as fuck, the sooner you realise it, the better,¡± I


    shouted, losing my temper. At that point, I was shaking with anger, staring at the principal of Moonlight


    Academy like she¡¯d lost her damn mind.


    She¡¯d showed me that there was another life beyond what I knew. This couldn¡¯t be the end for me just


    yet, I wasn¡¯t ready for it.


    Dimitry stood abruptly, shaking his head. My magic started swirling around me like a windstorm,


    pumping through my veins. I¡¯d never in my life been angrier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make usations about our people,¡± Dimitry spat. ¡°You have no idea about our code of ethics.¡±


    ¡°You screwed up, and now you¡¯re ming me for your stupidity. That¡¯s just pathetic.¡± Ramonaughed,


    and I wished I could shut her up.


    At that point, I was done ying nice; my breathing wasing in short, ragged pants. Oldman was


    using her magic, trying to get into my head, calm me down, but this time, I knew how to keep my


    thoughts to myself.


    I walked up to Ramona, sensing thick tension in the air, and leaned over so my face was only inches


    from hers. ¡°I know what you¡¯ve done and I¡¯m going to destroy you,¡± I whispered, so close to using my


    magic against her, but that would have only made me look guilty. Momentster, I stormed out of the


    room, feeling like the biggest failure amongst all supernaturals. This was ridiculous. Oldman was


    foolish enough to believe Ramona wasn¡¯t working against the academy.


    Karina, Marco, and even Judas were in my room when I stormed inside, causing me to stop in my


    tracks. They must have heard what had happened because they avoided looking me in the eye. I


    mean, I didn¡¯t care at that point. I was so done with this bullshit. I needed to get the hell out of here. I


    couldn¡¯t let them see me upset.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t expel you yet, Jaymin. I think you should stay,¡± Karina said as I took out my suitcase and


    began packing my things.


    I¡¯d have to track that idiot pretty boy myself, because no one wanted to believe anything I said. It was


    so damn frustrating. L was in trouble. And they were willing to take that bitch¡¯s word, and not


    even bother to check on L. Not even a phone call to check my story? Nothing. None of this made


    sense.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t in the club the entire time, so we couldn¡¯t see what was going on. Are you sure L¡¯s


    being held by the n?¡± Marco asked as he walked towards me. Another jolt of electricity shot up my


    spine as he touched me. I expected them all to be loyal to Ramona, but instead, they were here with


    me. This made me feel a little better about myself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen him involved with mages. They captured him because, apparently, they


    believe he can influence his father who¡¯s high up in the council. It¡¯s all about the Elite¡ªthese mages


    want to gain control over the admission process. And Ramona¡¯s been ying us this whole time.¡± I


    exined my theory. Although I had no evidence against Ramona, and it was still her word against


    mine, the bottom line was, I¡¯d screwed this up. Perhaps Dimitry and Oldman were right; maybe I


    shouldn¡¯t have gone inside and tried to rescue Dorothy myself.


    ¡°L is a strong vampire, so he can take care of himself. I mean, where are you nning to go


    now? You don¡¯t know the city,¡± Judas spoke, and for the first time since I¡¯d met the guy, he said several


    full sentences all at once. He had a deep voice. I¡¯d never noticed¡­ And he seemed genuinely worried


    about me.


    ¡°No idea, but I can¡¯t stay under the same roof with that leech,¡± I said as I picked up my suitcase. ¡°I¡¯ll call


    you guys once I find out something useful.¡±


    I knew that they weren¡¯t happy about it. The truth was, I still didn¡¯t have a n. Karina walked up to me


    and tried to hug me, but I pushed her away. She was sweet, but this was way too difficult already. My


    emotions were taking over, and she needed to understand that I had to clear my head, get to the


    bottom of everything, with or without the team. I used the back door to leave. I didn¡¯t want to be


    bombarded again by Oldman and Dimitry, and as I was on my way out, Roxanna approached me once


    again.


    ¡°Take this and follow your nose. I always knew there was something wrong with that girl,¡± she muttered,


    and I smiled at her. ¡°Leave your bag.¡± She nodded towards my suitcase, and I thought it was strange,


    but I did as she requested. If I needed anything, I could always call Karina.


    She ced a bunch of bank notes in my hand as she closed the door behind me. I didn¡¯t waste time


    thinking about it. I ran to the street, stopped a taxi, then told the driver in broken Ukrainian where I


    wanted to go. It was time to be as far away from that house as possible.


    I didn¡¯t have to be angry anymore, at least my team believed me. Now I just needed to find some kind


    of evidence that L was indeed missing. The old Russian taxi driver kept staring at me from the


    rear-view mirror. My knives were on the seat beside me.


    I didn¡¯t have a chance to hide them.


    When he dropped me outside therge square, it was gloomy, dark heavy clouds were covering the


    sky. Roxanna had given me quite a lot of cash, and suddenly, I was grateful for it. It seemed I wasn¡¯t


    the only one who noticed Ramona¡¯s odd aura, and Roxanna was a very old vampire. It surprised me


    that she was working for Dimitry. I needed to locate L before it was toote, and then solve the


    rest of this case. I was tempted to return to the industrial part, but Leonidas wasn¡¯t stupid. The


    vampires had moved on. Now searching for Dorothy would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Moscow was huge.


    I walked around a few streets, trying to think on my feet, searching for a vampire-popted area. My


    stomach started growling again, and after some time, I needed to rest, figure out my next move. I found


    arge restaurant on the back street, went inside, then ordered Russian dumplings with some kefir.


    The smell of freshly cooked food made my mouth water.


    The waitress had a face like a pped arse, and she practically threw my food on the table in front of


    me once it was prepared. Charming, I thought, but apparently Russians were like that. I wanted to


    couldn¡¯tin. Everything looked delicious. I started eating, watching as people walked by from the


    window. The food warmed my belly instantly, giving me the energy I so desperately needed.


    Someone left a newspaper on the side table, and I picked it up. Surprisingly it was in English, so I


    began reading it until someone familiar strode into the caf¨¦. I nearly choked on my dumplings as soon


    as I recognised the vampire who was standing with his back turned to me.


    It was d, but what the hell was he doing in here? He nced around, and, luckily, I managed to hide


    my face behind the paper quickly enough. I was nervous that he might sense me, as he¡¯d seen me the


    other night. Shit. This was suddenly going terribly wrong. He started speaking in Russian to someone a


    few tables away from me,ughing and pointing towards something outside.


    I peered over the paper, trying to see if I knew the other guy. He was human, so it didn¡¯t make much


    sense, at the same time, I didn¡¯t bloody believe in coincidences. d couldn¡¯t be here because of me,


    or if he was, he must have noticed me from the street. I finished my food, telling myself to be damn


    careful. d spent another twenty minutes talking to the older Russian, and then vanished in the


    narrow corridor near the washroom.


    I chewed on my bottom lip, wondering if it was wise for me to follow him. Last time, it didn¡¯t end well,


    but right now, I was on my own. It was ultimately my decision, and no one even knew I was here.


    A few Russian customers stared at me as I stood from my seat and casually strolled over to the loo,


    then quickly walked over to the other side towards the men¡¯s room.


    There was a door leading outside, so I started searching through the bins until I found a thin wire. My


    luck seemed to be turning around, because it was exactly what I needed right now.


    Secondster, I inhaled and picked up the scent of fresh blood. I ced my ear against the door, trying


    to listen. Vampires weren¡¯t like humans; they didn¡¯t have physiological needs.


    ¡°Pretty, I bet you taste incredible; virgins are always so juicy.¡± I heard him say in a thick English ent.


    My jaw dropped. He had a girl in there. I heard her whimpering, then moaning with pleasure that wasn¡¯t


    there.


    I kicked the door open without even considering my actions and barged inside as a shback from the


    past rolled through my head.


    It was a very small bathroom, but d made use of the space. He was draining this poor human dry,


    and I suspected that this wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d preyed upon such an innocent woman. She was


    extremely young, possibly not even eighteen. I needed to remind myself that d wasn¡¯t a convict.


    ¡°Tbi Kto?¡± he asked in Russian as blood trickled down his face. His pupils were dted. He didn¡¯t


    recognise me, which was a good thing. The girl was trembling, and her clothes were torn. Had he


    raped her?


    ¡°I¡¯m your worst nightmare,¡± I roared and jumped on him, wrapping the wire I¡¯d found earlier around his


    throat. I didn¡¯t even know how I found the strength to do it. Everything was swift and quick. Obviously,


    he tried to fight, but I stabbed him in the jaw with a small knife I¡¯d brought with me. d growled and


    then howled like a wolf. The girl screamed, then passed out. Her fear was rubbing off on me in a bad


    way¡ªshe was infected by him, and her soul was now tainted.


    Then I pulled the wire harder, but realised I couldn¡¯t kill him just yet, although my anger was out of


    control. He disgusted me because he was so vile.


    He still hadn¡¯t connected the dots fromst night. Things weren¡¯t adding up.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask one question, and you only have one chance to answer,¡± I told him, and loosened the


    wire a little. He inhaled. It was much more difficult to suffocate a vampire than a human, but he had a


    knife in his jaw, besides with a little bit of my magic, the wire could easily cut off his head. He was


    aware of it. I could sense it.


    Maybe this was the worst-case scenario¡ªsomething I avoided at all costs.


    ¡°What the fuck do you want from me? I¡¯ve never seen you in my life, and this girl has been looking for a


    vampire for a long time,¡± he spat, and I knew that the knife was undoubtedly hurting him as he spoke. It


    was a motivational tool on my part.


    ¡°L, annoying Scot, has gone missing and your n has him. I need to know where he¡¯s being


    kept. Show me three fingers if you know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± I said, and then pulled the wire tighter.


    My hands were nearly bleeding as I was pulling it so hard.


    My heart was jackhammering inside my chest, and for a moment, all I could hear was his heavy


    breathing. He didn¡¯t give me the sign, then tried to kick me. The wire sliced through his throat as I


    yanked harder; it was the most disgusting form of torture I¡¯d ever used, but he needed to get the


    message. Split secondster, he gave me a sign, and I loosened it again.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening¡ªwhere is he?¡± I repeated, wanting to get the fuck out of here.


    ¡°Elite¡­ old cathedral tomb, but you won¡¯t make it. They are nning some sort of ceremony, and they


    have human sacrifices, too,¡± he rasped, but his voice was broken, unclear. I managed to make out what


    he said, but just barely.


    ¡°Elite? Tell me exactly where he¡¯s being kept? St. Kilda Elite Academy is in Bucharest, and we¡¯re in


    Russia,¡± I said, smelling burnt and rotting flesh. It was too much, my stomach was turning, but I had to


    finish this before I vomited.


    ¡°There is an Elite branch in Moscow, but only a few know about it,¡± he continued to choke out.


    I turned my head to the right, noticing that the girl had awoken all of a sudden. Her face was horror-


    stricken, and she appeared to be in shock.


    The vampire jerked his head so hard, that the wire cut straight through, before I could pull it away


    His head fell from his shoulders and rolled along the bathroom floor. It happened so quickly, and I


    stared at my bloodied hands, wondering if I¡¯d gonepletely mad.


    I¡¯d be a monster, but I¡¯d never truly nned to kill him. The girl had seen everything as it unfolded


    ¡ªthe decapitation¡ªand began screaming, then she fainted once again. I rubbed my forehead, trying to


    breathe at the same time. d deserved to die. His dark aura made me nauseous. It nearly felt the


    same as when I¡¯d dealt with a real convict. He must have raped girls for fun, many times before, mostly


    virgins.


    I pushed his body off me and rose to my feet, feeling a bit light-headed. At some point, someone would


    discover the girl here, but I didn¡¯t want to leave her with a burning corpse. Most of the time, their bodies


    turned to ash after a while, so I decided to drag her out of the loo and leave her in the corridor. She was


    going to cause a scene, anyway. I had no idea how the supernatural council worked in Russia, but in


    Ukraine, they normally sent a team to clean-up and wipe the memories of humans who¡¯d been exposed


    to our world.


    My head was banging, and I needed to rest, but I didn¡¯t have time. L was being held in one of


    the tombs that apparently belonged to the Elite Academy. This confused me even more, but at least I


    now had a lead. There was no way I was going back to headquarters. Ramona was only waiting for me


    to reappear. At the same time, I had to gather the rest of the team. It was possible Oldman had already


    asked them not to talk to me, but I had to at least try and tell them what I was nning to do next. It


    was my chance to prove to them that I deserved my ce in Moonlight.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    I left the caf¨¦ undetected, using the back door. The smell of blood was overwhelming. I was getting a


    migraine, only because I¡¯d absorbed some of the vamp¡¯s energy. This only happened at times when I¡¯d


    be too distracted and hadn¡¯t protected myself enough from the darkness inside them.


    My energy level was low, but I headed towards the area designated mainly for supernaturals. It was on


    the west side of Moscow, and it took me another hour to get there. It was already dark, so all the


    vampires were out hanging around the clubs and caf¨¦s.


    It was the middle of the week, but everyone seemed to be out and about. I walked to one of the clubs


    and managed to find a quiet spot in one of the booths. The music there wasn¡¯t too loud, so I pulled my


    phone from my pocket and dialled Karina¡¯s number. Right now, I was d that I hadn¡¯t left it behind at


    headquarters.


    The team was probably waiting for Dimitry to make a decision, so it was a waiting game for them.


    They¡¯d been led to believe that L was perfectly fine, although they¡¯d seemed receptive to


    everything I¡¯d told them. Oldman hadn¡¯t expelled me yet, and I was counting on the fact that they would


    ¡°What¡¯s up, girl?¡± Karina picked up after the third ring.


    ¡°I have some info on L¡¯s location, and by the way, d is dead,¡± I said, after I made sure no one


    around me could hear.


    ¡°Hold on, the guys are here. I¡¯ll put you on speaker,¡± she said. I bit my bottom lip, wondering if this was


    such a good idea after all. I could do this on my own, but I didn¡¯t know the area, and that worked as a


    disadvantage on my part. ¡°All right, they¡¯re all here.¡±


    ¡°What about Ramona?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone out, apparently she had an emergency,¡± Karina said, and I frowned, wondering why no one


    decided to follow her. It was toote to voice my opinion, anyway. Dimitry and Oldman still didn¡¯t


    believe me, even if the rest of the team did.


    ¡°ording to d, there¡¯s an Elite Academy branch in Moscow, and L¡¯s being held in one of the


    tombs. He will be dead by tonight. Apparently, the other n is nning some sort of ceremonyter


    on in the evening,¡± I exined, feeling even more pressure mounting inside my head.


    I had to have a drink, or I needed to find a healer who could take away the darkness. This was going to


    beplicated, especially now.


    ¡°Oldman left, and Dimitry¡¯s with Roxanna. We could leave without telling him and meet you somewhere


    local,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you talk to Dimitry, he¡¯s part of the team?¡± I said, rubbing my face. This was too risky, but it


    was the truth. Dimitry knew the area and he could help, but that bitch, Ramona, couldn¡¯t get involved. I


    had a feeling she had Oldman wrapped around her little finger. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t allow them


    to be expelled from Moonlight. They all deserved to be there.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s not waste time. I hope your information checks out. We¡¯ll meet you in an hour in the


    Cathedral the Christ of Saviour,¡± said another voice that belong to Marco. I was a little surprised to hear


    he was making a decision.


    ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll see you there in about an hour,¡± I said and then hung up. After that phone call, I was a little


    relieved, so I went to the bar to get some water. After draining about a litre, my headache eased off a


    bit.


    Humans were staring, a few supernaturals, too, as I was walking by. My knives were hanging on the


    side of my belt. I was probably bringing too much attention to myself, but, either way, I didn¡¯t have


    anywhere else to put them, especially now.


    As I was heading towards the city, I was suddenly reminded of the heated moment L and I had


    shared. I kept telling myself that I wasn¡¯t attracted to him, but I knew it was bullshit. Even now, as I


    thought about him, my core ignited with fire.


    I decided to take the bus after asking some random human how to get to the museum. I really needed


    to learn Ukrainian, at the very least. Mynguage skills were horrid. Apparently, it was on the other side


    of the city. My clothes were stinking, and a few passengers stared at me with curiosity. I¡¯d hidden my


    blood-soaked shirt beneath my leather jacket.


    The area around the cathedral was filled with a lot of tourists. I was surprised to see how busy it was. It


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    was pissing down rain, and I got soaked quickly. The team showed up with Dimitry ten minutester.


    My stomach made a funny jolt when Dimitry gave me a sharp look. He didn¡¯t seem happy at all that he


    was there. The sooner I could convince him I¡¯d been telling the truth, the better.


    ¡°I hope this checks out, because the team seems to believe in you,¡± he said under his breath in his


    thick Russian ent.


    ¡°He¡¯s inside, trust me, and he¡¯ll be dead tonight,¡± I said, and couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes. They were


    here, and it made me a little emotional. This never really happened to me before. Maybe it was a sign


    that after everything that had happened, my human genes were still working well.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± Judas asked, looking uncertain. ¡°I hope you have one, right?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being held in a tomb somewhere near the Kremlin. d hinted something about the Chamber of


    Romanov Boyars,¡± I exined, hoping that at least Dimitry knew where we would need to head to next.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very famous, this ce you speak of,¡± Dimitry said. ¡°We need to get a car. I had no idea the


    Elite had a branch in Russia¡­ interesting.¡±


    He gestured for us to follow him. The van arrived ten minutester. The driver was human, but that


    didn¡¯t seem to bother anyone. Karina told me how Ramona had tried to convince them to leave with


    her, when out of the blue, Oldman told her to find L before the end of the day.


    ¡°Well, in that case, I¡¯m not surprised she left,¡± I muttered to myself, cing my fingers on my forehead.


    I still had a migraine, and this wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Marco asked. ¡°There is a strange aura surrounding you, and your energy is


    weak.¡± Of course he noticed. Normally other supernaturals didn¡¯t have that kind of skill, but I¡¯d nearly


    forgotten he was fae, and he¡¯d sensed d¡¯s dark energy surfacing around me.


    ¡°I told you I killed d, well, it was kind of an ident, but his darkness infected me straight away. I¡¯ve


    had a migraine from hell since I left that bar in town,¡± I answered, pushing away the pain and the fact I


    was exhausted.


    Then Marco did something I wasn¡¯t expecting. He approached me, his eyes were amazing, gleaming


    with pure energy.


    ¡°Well, we could try something that might help you, but there are some side effects. You will feel heat, a


    lot of it. I have that kind of effect on women,¡± he said, winking at me.


    I nodded, and at that point, I was prepared to try anything. Everyone else was staring at us.


    Marco ced his fingers on my forehead, his hands were very warm. I felt instant positive energy


    spreading through my body. For some reason it was bliss. The headache began easing off, then my


    skin felt like it was vibrating as if thousands of ants were crawling underneath.


    I¡¯d never experienced anything like it. I felt tingling sensations everywhere, warmth, and I involuntarily


    closed my eyes.


    His magic tangled itself around me, and it was the most amazing, yet fascinating experience of my life.


    He was healing me, cleansing me, and I wished I could have known him before.


    It was white and positive energy that was slowly removing the tar darkness that d had infected me


    with. The headache faded. There was no more pain and difort. Was this possible? Was he doing


    this to me? His magic was so soothing, cooling, yet powerful. It was rushing through my veins, healing


    the wounds from the past and present.


    Then he pulled away, smiling at me even wider. Sudden heat rushed through my core, and I inhaled


    deeply. My cheeks were probably rosy.


    I only experienced it for a few seconds, but the heat was intense. It was like the moment with L,


    the moment I was trying to remove from my memories. Marco must have realised it, because he


    winked at me again. Well, the truth was, Marco smelled nice: it was his internal scent that had that kind


    of effect on most woman, human or not, they were all attracted to him.


    ¡°Amazing, I have no idea what you¡¯ve done, but I feel so much better, thank you,¡± I told him, hoping he


    wasn¡¯t reading my thoughts about L. Fae had many abilities that most supernaturals didn¡¯t know


    about. I didn¡¯t want anyone inside my head.


    A cold shudder crawled down my spine as I thought about L¡¯s father. He was invasive, even for


    an elder vampire. He made me feel extremely ufortable for some reason. I just hoped I wouldn¡¯t


    have to see him again.


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling better, then we need to get going. The Chambers of Romanov Boyars might be the


    location you speak of, but I¡¯m not certain there are any tombs up there,¡± Dimitry said, scratching his


    jaw. ¡°If he¡¯s being held there, then we need a cover. The Elite is mostly guarded by elder vampires. I do


    not know how the n gained ess to it.¡±


    Obviously, everyone was aware that we couldn¡¯t just walk in there like we owned the ce. We needed


    to be smart about it.


    L was an experienced vampire, but if he was locked inside a tomb, then it wasn¡¯t going to be


    easy to rescue him, especially if there were other ancient vampires around.


    I had a strong feeling that I belonged here, that I was part of the team again. Oldman had no idea we


    were all out in the field, at least I was hoping this was the case.


    The drive to the Chambers took us another half an hour, and that area seemed busy, too. It was


    growing even darker as we sat in the van in silence, staring at the entrance for a little while.


    ¡°How are we going to get inside?¡± Judas asked the crucial question.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just barge in there,¡± Dimitry said. ¡°The n has vampires everywhere.¡±


    ¡°How about I shift into a small animal and get inside? This way, we¡¯ll know if L is really there,¡±


    Karina suggested.


    ¡°Small animal?¡± I asked, staring at her like she¡¯d lost her mind. I remembered her telling me a story


    about shifting into a small animal, but I thought she was messing around to make me feel better.


    ¡°Yeah, like a mouse or a rat. I¡¯ve done it plenty of times before. Vamps don¡¯t pay much attention to


    rodents, plus once I shift, they won¡¯t be able to sense me straight away,¡± she exined, grinning, but


    not everyone seemed convinced that it was such a good idea. The silence wasn¡¯t encouraging. ¡°Come


    on, guys, you have to trust me. Not all shifters can do that, most can only transform into a wolf or a


    tiger, besides, right now we haven¡¯t got any other ideas.¡±


    She was right. Our time was slowly running out, and it was too risky going inside without knowing what


    or who was waiting for us on the other side. Besides, Ramona had left earlier, and I had an annoying


    feeling in my gut that she could have alerted the n about me.


    ¡°Da, but you have to get closer to the chambers,¡± Dimitry said, removing a stake from his jacket pocket.


    ¡°You go with her. Too many people will look suspicious.¡±


    He had a point, and I was happy to watch over Karina, so I quickly nodded.


    ¡°Come on, Jaymin,¡± she told me, sounding cheerful. She was crazy, but in a good way, yet I was still


    worried about her. Despite everything that had happened, I felt connected to her, much more so than


    the others.


    We left the van five minutester after going over the n with Dimitry. Karina had to repeat herself


    several times, before he would unlock the door.


    We rushed across the road, trying to act normal. There were a lot of people here, mostly tourists


    walking around and taking pictures. It worried me a bit that we hadn¡¯t spotted any supernaturals


    around.


    We crossed behind the chapel building and started searching for some cracks in the doors and walls.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kar, maybe this is too risky. You¡¯ll be on your own in there,¡± I told her, sensing strange,


    very dark magicing from the other side. There were a lot of ancient vampires inside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this, Jaymin. I¡¯ve done this plenty of times,¡± she assured me again, then closed her


    eyes. It was a done deal; she was just about to shrink in size. I took several steps away from her.


    Her body began to shake. Her eyes bulged. Then she became smaller and smaller, until she


    there, baffled, thinking that this was a skill. Then I saw a tiny creature running, a little grey mouse. A


    momentter, she disappeared inside a crack, and that was that. Now I just had to be patient and wait


    until she returned.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    I went back to the van after ten minutes, when the back door opened, and some human came out. He


    looked like he worked there, so I quickly walked away, after I left Karina¡¯s clothes by the dumpster. I


    thought I would appear too suspicious just standing there on my own.


    ¡°She¡¯s in,¡± I said as I slid inside the van. Everyone seemed tense as the silence descended. The heavy


    rain had most of the tourists leaving for shelter. Maybe the weather was on our side, besides it was too


    For a long moment, all we could hear was the rain pelting against the van. It seemed that a storm was


    approaching. I kept tapping my foot until Judas turned to look at me, so I stopped.


    I hated this part, hated waiting, and not knowing what might happen to her. Silence ticked the minutes


    away. I started messing with my hair. Marco appeared as though he was using magic; he was probably


    practising before we had to leave. If I was half-fae, then there was still a lot I needed to learn about


    myself. Time slowed down, or maybe it was just me. At some point, I couldn¡¯t take the tension any


    longer, so I stood up. It was still raining heavily ten minutester.


    Suddenly the van door opened, and everyone flinched, including me. Karina was soaked, but she


    seemed all right. She was smiling.


    ¡°How did you get here so fast?¡± I asked. I¡¯d been staring at the back entrance the entire time and didn¡¯t


    even see hering out.


    ¡°Magic,¡± she replied, winking at me. ¡°I told you. I¡¯ve done this many times before, so much so, that now,


    no one realises when I¡¯m back in my human form. I didn¡¯t see L, but the vampires were talking


    about him. There are several ancient vamps on the lower level. There are offices on the first floor. I¡¯ve


    seen a few students, too, but not sure if they¡¯re visiting or if they live there.¡±


    ¡°The Elite Academy was established centuries ago,¡± Dimitry said, ¡°but I never knew there was a branch


    in Russia. I suspect that the ancient vampires are part of the n, but I still don¡¯t understand how they


    gained ess to that building.¡±


    Maybe Leonidas had already made a deal with the councillor¡ªwell, that would exin a lot. At the


    same time, I kept asking myself why the n would be keeping L there. My head started


    spinning a little as energy rushed through me like an invisible threat. Marco gave me another wink. He


    was trying to connect with me, or maybe he was giving me a boost of his power before our grand


    entrance.


    ¡°There are doors to the other side that lead to the basement, but we¡¯ll have several vamps to go


    through,¡± Karina added, and then removed a de from her boot. ¡°They¡¯re getting ready for some sort


    of ritual or initiation, so we need to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Our aim is to get him out of there alive. Are you ready for this? I mean, to use your magic to kill?¡±


    Dimitry asked, like he wanted to make sure we were willing to use our abilities.


    Everyone nodded, and I pulled out two of my knives. Then electricity rushed through my fingers


    instantly. I felt good, and I was grateful to Marco for healing me.


    ¡°Lead on, female. Time is running out, and blood will be spilled tonight,¡± Judas said, and everyone


    looked at him like he¡¯d just spoken in anothernguage.


    It was still raining damn heavily as we left the van, following Karina. We circled the building a few times.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what this was about, but I trusted her. Maybe she was trying to find a better way in. I was


    gripping my knife tightly in my hand when we stopped by an old rusty door that was hidden behind


    some rubbish.


    Marco used his abilities to break the lock. Secondster we were inside. It was a chamber shaped as a


    chapel. Apparently, vampires weren¡¯t allowed inside churches, but I¡¯d tested this theory once or twice


    and walked into holy ces without any problems. Dimitry was pointing the shlight at the space


    ahead. We were on the other side of the building, and on this side, I didn¡¯t expect any surprises.


    It was pitch ck in the corridor, but Marco was using his internal light to lead us through. I felt like I


    was walking into a coffin, but soon enough, the corridor widened further, and my anxiety faded. I hated


    narrow paths, I kept having nightmares about them.


    ¡°Go to the right,¡± Karina said, and Marco turned. The silence was unnerving once again, and for a


    moment, it was broken by Dimitry¡¯s heavy breaths.


    All of a sudden, a sh of magic knocked me off my feet. I reacted, realising we were being attacked.


    My opponent was a vampire, I figured this out soon enough. He wrapped his palms around my throat,


    and I choked.


    I heard a hissing sound in my ear. Others were fighting, too, I was seeing shes of lightning power. I


    kicked my opponent, but he wasn¡¯t letting go of me. Marco was throwing magic towards the group


    who¡¯d appeared along the side of the corridor. There were three of them, and they were all ancient.


    ¡°I can dance with you like this all day long, pretty, but first, I need to drink your delicious blood,¡± my


    opponent growled with danger lurking in his eyes.


    I punched him in the gut with my elbow, and he finally let go. My muscles were stiff as hell, but it gave


    me a few seconds to pull my energy together. He lunged for me just as I withdrew my knife, stabbing


    him in the gut. He roared with pain, trying to grab me again. His pupils were dted, and the smell of


    blood became too overwhelming. The urge to taste him was distracting, too. What the hell was going


    on with me?


    Dimitry had already ughtered two vampires, heads were rolling along the ground, and I nearly


    tripped over one. Judas was drinking from another, and I turned away when he started ripping his


    throat out.


    My opponent recovered quickly¡ªhe was pissed. I stabbed him in the gut again, and this time, he


    roared with pain, adding pressure to the other side. He was quick, and his fangs would have pierced


    my skin if I hadn¡¯t done it. I could sense his desire and hunger for my blood.


    Once the de was inside his gut, I twisted it a few times, then the magic around me exploded. Light


    shed from my palms, and he was thrown to the other side of the basement,nding on the ground.


    His neck was twisted in an odd angle.


    I nced at my hands,pletely baffled. I hadn¡¯t even called upon my magic, it just burst out of me.


    Light magic! Not fire¡­


    Marco was standing by the wall, breathing hard, but his energy caused the fine hair on my arms to rise.


    There were several decapitated corpses lying around. The lights in this corridor were shing, but my


    team remained in one piece. Karina had managed to transform herself into a wolf.


    ¡°Anyone injured?¡± Dimitry asked, looking around, and everyone was nodding. No one had been


    seriously injured just yet. We defeated a few, but there were several vampires approaching. We could


    all sense them.


    The magic Marco had given me earlier on must have affected my own energy. I¡¯d never felt the urge to


    use the light in my hands. Not even once. I learnt everything I could on the streets, using trial and error.


    A lot of times, I was stabbed, cut, and even knocked out. It had been a dark time in my life, and


    sometimes, I asked myself how the hell I even survived.


    Dimitry was leading, and soon, we found ourselves in the tombs. This was supposedly where L


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    was being held. Bright lights were pointing at each one. It was the basement graveyard where most


    vampires created their nest, fed, and had sex. A waft of cold, freezing air reached me, and I shivered


    with repulsion. I would never agree to live like this, even as a half-breed.


    ¡°So, what now?¡± Judas asked. ¡°How are we going to find him here? Do we need to open each tomb?¡±


    ¡°I sense the supernaturals inside,¡± Karina said, walking up to the first tomb. ¡°We need to check each


    one, he could be anywhere.¡± Each tomb was tightly shut, with arge entrance made of huge yellow


    stone the size of a car. No human could lift it without special machinery.


    ¡°Marco, try to move the first one,¡± Dimitry requested, and we all nced at Marco. This could easily


    exhaust him, but we still needed to get out of here alive.


    There had been a lot of talk about fae magic in the past, but what I saw next blew my mind. Marco


    brushed his hair, pulled up the sleeves of his shirt, and released a blue light that literally moved the


    The lights were still shing. I was expecting to see a bunch of vampires barging out towards us, but


    nothing happened. Then we heard several long hissing sounds¡ªwell, it sounded like several people at


    once, like they were having trouble breathing.


    ¡°Newly made vampires, be careful,¡± Dimitry shouted, and a split secondter, several vamps attacked


    us from every direction. We could all sense that they had just been turned, their bloodlust was insane.


    The ancients must have ced them in the tombs just to tame them for now. We disabled them pretty


    quickly, but I¡¯d been beaten at least twice by a few, luckily, they didn¡¯t have a chance to drink from me.


    The smell was horrendous: death, sweat, and blood. I kicked several, and they started dropping like


    flies. Their abilities hadn¡¯t been developed yet, so we didn¡¯t have to cut off their heads. My knives were


    useful. This was sad, a lot of them were very young, and probably didn¡¯t consent to be turned.


    ¡°The ancients must have been using this ce as breeding tombs,¡± Karina said, wiping the sweat off of


    her forehead. ¡°I bet there are more of them in the others.¡± She had scratches all over her face and


    arms. The whole team appeared to be slightly battered, but no one was seriously injured.


    ¡°L could be in one of them,¡± I said, thinking if we had to go through this over and over until we


    opened each tomb, then so be it. We still had to get the hell out of here after we rescued L. I was


    worried about Ramona and the others. What if Oldman decided to expel them all? Damn it. I couldn¡¯t


    have that on my head.


    ¡°Open the middle one,¡± Dimitry added. ¡°These vampires are weak, and they are disoriented. As soon


    as we can, we report this to the High Council. They will take care of it.¡± He was bleeding, but his wound


    was closing fast. Marco had opened another tomb with his incredible magic. It was a blissful feeling,


    until my fangs descended. This time around, only one vampire came out of the tomb. He was very pale,


    with a mass of ck curly hair, and his eyes were bloodshot. He didn¡¯t attack us, so something must


    have been wrong with him. It was difficult to tell, but he looked dreadful.


    Judas turned the shlight on him, and I noticed that his fangs had descended, too. He must have


    been feeding on someone, because he had dried blood all over his face.


    ¡°Stay where you are,¡± Dimitry shouted. ¡°Who are you, and how long have you been inside the tomb?¡±


    Dimitry¡¯s voice echoed around the chamber. The smell of rotten food and alcohol wafted in the air. I


    wanted to get out of here. This entire ce was filled with death and gloom.


    ¡°My name is Malcolm, but I don¡¯t recall how I ended up inside the tomb,¡± he said, and then he started


    licking his mouth.


    ¡°Do you have any idea of what might have happened before you ended up here? Do you remember


    anything at all?¡± Karina repeated once again, shaking her head.


    ¡°I heard two men talking about some ransom for a warlock¡¯s daughter. I heard them when they were


    keeping me in the boot of the car. I wasn¡¯t this creature that I am now. I didn¡¯t need to drink blood.¡± He


    scratched his head and nced around in confusion.


    ¡°What else have you heard?¡± I asked, thinking that now we were finally getting somewhere.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should believe anything he says. He¡¯s been drinking from someone,¡± Judas said,


    circling around the newly made vampire. ¡°He¡¯s blood-drunk.¡±


    ¡°They were trying to make an arrangement with some members of the council. That one male was


    calling himself a high mage. The person on the other side of the phone wasn¡¯t ready to make a deal.¡±


    Malcolm kept saying. He seemed aware enough to me.


    This was the mage I¡¯d seen in the basement with L, the one who¡¯d talked about someone with


    dark magic getting into the academy. I bet he hadn¡¯t abandoned this n, and the others had no idea


    what was going on. Maybe he was the one who killed the board members.


    ¡°Do you remember this deal?¡± I asked. Dimitry and the rest of the group needed to hear it. I wasn¡¯t


    making this shit up. That mage, whoever he was, worked for someone very powerful.


    ¡°The councillor was supposed to allow other breeds into the Elite Academy, breeds with dark magic. He


    was supposed to influence others to change their votes. Apparently two members of the board died


    under mysterious circumstances.¡± Malcolm was saying as though he¡¯d memorised it all. Everyone


    exchanged baffled looks with each other.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I overheard, too. That mage, he¡¯s trying to push new rules on the Elite. Dorothy¡¯s only a


    bargaining chip,¡± I said, looking at Dimitry.


    ¡°What exactly are they trying to get out of it, even if they do bring fresh blood into the academy?¡±


    ¡°This is how everything starts. They change thews, the rules, and unstable characters get into the


    Elite. It¡¯s just the beginning of supernatural world domination,¡± Marco said, and Judas nodded. They


    both must have finally understood the consequences of such major changes. The Elite Academy was


    the foundation of supernaturalw.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, and we need to stop this, but first things first: we need to open more tombs and find


    L,¡± Dimitry added, dragging his hand through his hair. He was right; we were slowly running out


    of time and Ramona was gaining the advantage.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    ¡°Hold on, we haven¡¯t checked this tomb yet. Ma must¡¯ve been feeding on someone since he was


    locked inside,¡± I said, and then a secondter, I moved past the newly made vampire and entered the


    darkness, taking the shlight from Dimitry. I had to cover my mouth as the smell was overwhelming


    and instantly made me feel nauseous. Blood was everywhere, dripping down the walls and pooling


    along the floor¡ªit was all around me. Even dried and crusted blood remained from what seemed to be


    previous meals. I had to steady myself to keep from gagging. It was gruesome. I¡¯d never seen anything


    like it. After my first assessment, I assumed the tomb was empty, that no one could survive such


    horrendous conditions, not even a vampire.


    Yet, I kept catching wafts of a familiar scent, one I knew well, so I walked further in until I saw a body. It


    was L. But he looked dead, lifeless, and my heart stopped, but then I reminded myself that full-


    blooded vampires were practically walking corpses. His body was littered with open wounds; Ma


    must have been feeding off him for a long time. The n must have locked them in here together,


    hoping L would lose his marbles after constantly being bitten by a newly made vamp.


    ¡°Guys, over here, now,¡± I shouted as I tried to drag his body out of the darkness, away from all that


    blood. I kept telling myself he was going to be all right, that he¡¯d just lost a lot of blood. Damn it, why did


    I care so much?


    ¡°It¡¯s L! Come on, let¡¯s get him out of here,¡± Marco said as he stood behind me.


    Judas and Karina were there, too. My heart was thwacking against my ribcage.


    ¡°He¡¯s lost a lot of blood, and his light is fading,¡± Karina added, and that wasn¡¯t a good sign. I didn¡¯t


    know how Karina was able to sense something so unique for every supernatural. His aura was weak,


    but that¡¯s all I could see. Obviously, her abilities were much more developed.


    Judas and Marco lifted the unconscious Scot and carried him out of the tomb. Dimitry was holding


    Malcolm who suddenly seemed even more alert and ready to feed again. When he tried to bite the


    ¡°He¡¯s lucky, very lucky that we got here in time,¡± Dimitry said. ¡°I suspect there might be more newly


    made breeds inside the other tombs, but we haven¡¯t got time to take care of them. We are in too much


    danger, and the other ancient vampires might notice something is wrong. Let¡¯s make our way back to


    the van.¡±


    Dimitry was right; these humans had been turned into vampires for a reason, and, besides, we still


    needed to track Dorothy. First things first: we had to get out of here without bringing too much attention


    to ourselves. The other vampires hadn¡¯t attacked just yet, but I kept waiting for something to happen.


    We knew Malcolm was going to be taken care of by the council members, so we left him in the


    basement. Outside, rain was pouring down heavily, so perhaps that was the reason why there were


    only a handful of guards who¡¯d attacked us earlier. The boys transported L inside the van.


    Dimitry must have called the council already, because three ck Mercedes¡¯ arrived. I¡¯d worked with


    Tristan long enough to recognise members of the High Council, mages and fae. They usually gave me


    an anxiety attack. I hated dealing with officials.


    Dimitry talked to a few, while Karina and Judas were trying to revive L. I needed to stop thinking


    about him this way, especially now. I hoped Dimitry believed me now, and I wouldn¡¯t be expelled.


    Malcolm had drained a lot of his blood¡ªL was barely conscious. I didn¡¯t really know what sort of


    effect vampire blood had on the newly made vampire, but I suspected it had given him not only


    strength but magic as well.


    Ten minutester, everyone was in the van. Dimitry shook hands with some officials and climbed in,


    too, then he banged on the partition window on the other side, and the van started moving. After Marco


    used his fae magic on L, his wounds slowly began to heal. The road was bumpy, but L


    starteding around.


    ¡°Gee, hen, I thought I might never see you again,¡± he said, opening his eyes and noticing me straight


    away. I didn¡¯t want others to notice I¡¯d developed some kind of crush on him. It was bad enough I¡¯d


    never been with a man as a half-breed.


    ¡°Too bad. You have to tolerate me for a bit longer, but you¡¯ll be happy to know I almost got the boot,¡± I


    told him, ignoring the warming sensation around my heart. L looked terrible and his clothes were


    torn¡ªhe must have been caught off guard by several ancients, because he was very experienced.


    ¡°What the hell happened, man?¡± Judas asked. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Jaymin, you would have turned to ash in


    no time.¡±


    The driver, whose face we¡¯d still yet to see, was speeding through the bumpy road. L managed


    to lift himself up, and my heart began beating more steadily. Someone needed to break the bad news


    to him, that his girlfriend was the one who¡¯d set him up.


    ¡°What did you do this time, hen?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing much, let¡¯s just say I was in the right ce at the right time, but of course, I had to kill a


    vampire to find out where they were keeping you,¡± I said and started cleaning my knives.


    His eyes were invasive. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± he asked, and I frowned. Everyone was listening,


    and I felt awkward talking about it here.


    ¡°Someone had to. Your girlfriend betrayed Moonlight. She was the one who sold you out to the n,¡± I


    said, wanting him to stop looking at me as if he desired more than my blood. It felt like he was peering


    into my soul, as tingles spread along the length of my spine.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ramona? Can someone exin what happened?¡± he asked more aggressively, but Karina


    pushed him back against the seat.


    ¡°Just chill and let us get you back to headquarters first, then we¡¯ll exin everything. Jaymin saved


    your life¡ªthat¡¯s what happened. Ramona¡¯s been dirty the entire time. She made a deal with some


    mage,¡± Karina said, folding her arms against her chest. She was angry and L¡¯s wounds opened


    again. The smell of his blood¡­ the scent was strong, and I licked my lips.


    L wasn¡¯t a patient man and he wanted to know everything, so Karina went through it all until we


    reached headquarters.


    We still had a lot of work ahead of us, but I needed to have a long and very honest conversation with


    Pretty Boy. I had to tell him I¡¯d overheard him in that basement.


    * * *


    ¡°I was wrong about you and I owe you an apology. If it wasn¡¯t for you, we would have been picking up


    pieces of L from inside that tomb,¡± Oldman said when we returned to headquarters. She touched


    my arm, and her energy rushed through me instantly. I flinched. I still wasn¡¯t used to being touched.


    Roxanna told Marco to get lost, and she started taking care of L herself. She locked the door to


    her room as soon as he was transported upstairs.


    Our job wasn¡¯t done in Moscow, but I was already thinking about going back to Kiev. I missed normality.


    ¡°I was only doing what I thought was right,¡± I said as she stared at me with a mixture of admiration and


    curiosity. I had a feeling she was frightened of my abilities. She had no idea what I was truly capable of.


    ¡°You keep astonishing me, Jaymin, and I must admit, I was wrong about Ramona as well,¡± she said. I


    stunk and I really needed to take a shower. The smell of L¡¯s blood was overwhelming me again,


    and I was getting a headache.


    ¡°She was a great actress, but the fact of the matter is, we have to find Dorothy. That mage is going to


    make a deal with the High Council soon enough,¡± I told her, thinking that, maybe, we¡¯d gained a bit of


    an advantage, but things weren¡¯t exactly peachy. The n had taken L in order to buy some


    time. They knew we were closing in on them.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, but the board won¡¯t just change their admission process overnight. These rules and


    regtions have been in ce for quite a long time,¡± Oldman assured me.


    Well, I wasn¡¯t so sure. That mage was very powerful, and he worked for someone high up in the


    council. I was certain of it.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably scared, a few members have died under mysterious circumstances, and this isn¡¯t a


    coincidence,¡± I muttered.


    Her eyes widened in fear, and her energy rippled around us. I could feel it skating across my skin, and I


    had to take a deep breath.


    ¡°It seems you may know more about this situation than I do.¡± She ran her fingers through her red hair in


    what appeared to be a nervous gesture. ¡°I need to speak to L¡¯s father urgently. I will try to figure


    out our next step. This has gone on for far too long.¡± She still looked immacte as usual.


    I said what needed to be said and then went to my room. Karina was already fast asleep. She¡¯d once


    told me that her transformations were very exhausting.


    It felt so good to be able to get in the shower, take my time, and just wash away all the blood that


    stained my body. I thought of all the times in the past when I had to go to sleep dirty, covered in bruises


    and dirt. I hated washing myself in public washrooms.


    I tried to recall anything before I¡¯d been turned, but that part of my mind seemed nk, other than what


    I¡¯d already learned. L influenced me to remember, so maybe I needed to get close to him again.


    I already knew how this conversation was going to y out in my mind, and Iughed after stepping


    out of the shower. Apparently, he wanted me, and my own feelings towards him weren¡¯t exactly frosty,


    either. I dried my hair and went straight to bed. I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, but I drifted almost


    as soon as my head touched the pillow.


    Sometimes my body needed to regenerate, and as a half-vampire, I didn¡¯t really need much sleep.


    However, it was early evening the next day when I awoke. Karina¡¯s bed was empty, and there was a


    tray on the bedside table with sandwiches. I polished them off, instantly feeling hungry again. Even


    after I was full, I still craved blood. It all started after I¡¯d drank L¡¯s blood, and now I knew it had


    been a huge mistake.


    I put on some clean clothes and went to the main room. Everyone was there, well, everyone apart from


    L and Oldman. I suspected she¡¯d gone to speak to the High Council. I wasn¡¯t certain she¡¯d taken


    my warning seriously enough.


    Karina and Judas were sitting in front of theirptops. Marco was on the phone, speaking in Italian,


    undoubtedly with a woman. Dimitry nced up at me from his paper and gave me something that


    resembled a smile.


    ¡°Wee, Sleeping Beauty.¡± Karina grinned at me.


    ¡°Where¡¯s L and Oldman?¡± I asked, wondering why everyone looked so chilled. I guessed we


    didn¡¯t constantly have to be on the alert, but Dorothy was still missing.


    ¡°The Scot has recovered. Roxanna took care of him well,¡± Dimitry said, and then went back to reading


    his paper. ¡°Good thing we stored some blood for emergencies.¡±


    A wave of heat rushed through me, and I wondered where it wasing from.


    I left the room without saying a word. I needed to find L. We had a lot to discuss, and I wondered


    if his father had any kind of influence over how the Elite Academy was being run. Dimitry¡¯s house was


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ratherrge and we hadn¡¯t had a chance to explore it yet.


    ¡°Is he here?¡± I asked Roxanna. She was hanging the washing on the line.


    ¡°Yes, go, go, he¡¯s stretching,¡± she said, this time in English, and I nodded. I didn¡¯t really want to see him


    bare-chested again, but we needed to talk. Last time, this ended badly for me, but this time, I was


    nning to actpletely oblivious as to how I felt about him. Now he was without his girl, so maybe it


    would be easier. I was surprised we were still stationed in this house; our position had been


    our headquarters when we least expected it. Dimitry wasn¡¯t stupid. I hoped he and Oldman had set up


    protective wards around the area.


    I went inside. It wasn¡¯t a big room, and Dimitry must have used it as a gym from time to time¡ªthere


    were a few workout machines set up. L was pale as usual, but he looked a lot better. Most of his


    bites and cuts had healed. I made a mental note to ask Roxanna exactly what she¡¯d used to help him.


    Vampires in general healed quickly, but his injuries were extensive.


    He looked at me, and his eyes sparked up instantly¡ªI wasn¡¯t imagining it. My heart rate increased,


    and, at least this time, he was wearing a T-shirt.


    ¡°Hen, I was wondering when you were going to show up,¡± he said in a yful tone of voice.


    ¡°I think we need to talk,¡± I told him as I stepped further inside the room.


    ¡°I owe you one, hen, but what I really want to know is, why you did it?¡± he asked as he walked up to


    me. The intensity of his gaze was doing something to me. In that damn moment, I knew I was lost. He¡¯d


    captured my energy, and I couldn¡¯t even move.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    ¡°You should be celebrating. Oldman nearly expelled me when I didn¡¯t get Dorothy out, and for


    ¡®disobeying orders,¡¯ so it should be obvious to you,¡± I exined, my voice lowered slightly. I needed to


    get my emotions under control. He¡¯s not the one for you, the voice in my head repeated.


    However, heat began rising in the pit of my stomach, and my entire body started tingling when he was


    close. He tilted his head to the side, staring at me with the same intensity as before.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t obvious to me,¡± he said, taking another step towards me. ¡°I never trusted you, and yet you


    helped them get me out.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel intimidated by him, but that scent. Oh, man, it was driving me insane. My


    fangs were extending a little as heat rushed downwards, spreading to every nook and cranny of my


    body. I took a step back, telling myself that this was only happening inside my head. Prickling heat


    scorched my skin as I stood there. L was invading my space, forcing me to move backward, until


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    my back hit the wall and I exhaled sharply, trying to gather myself.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I whispered, and this wasn¡¯t even the question I wanted to ask him in the first


    ce.


    ¡°Just talking to you, hen. Your energy is addictive. What was your motivation? Why did you save me?¡±


    he asked, so close now, that I could see my own reflection in his incredible blue eyes.


    My body was betraying me, as the energy was pulling me into him. I swallowed hard, trying to look


    anywhere else but his full kissable lips.


    ¡°Obviously, I didn¡¯t want to get expelled or return to the streets after I learned what life was like here, at


    Moonlight, I mean,¡± I said, wanting him to fuck me now. It was such a stupid thought.


    L was hard, and it turned me on even more. Damn it. Where were these wild thoughts and


    desiresing from? I didn¡¯t want him, but my vampire nature strongly disagreed. The memories¡ªI


    was here because I thought his presence would allow me to see shbacks of my past, to tell him I¡¯d


    overheard him in the basement with the mages, but all I could feel was lust. Ourbined energy was


    crackling around us.


    L acknowledged my response and smiled. He must have felt the pull and attraction between us


    because he was pushing me to make the first step. I could feel it. His hand was pressed against the


    wall. I had nowhere to escape and hitting him now wasn¡¯t really an option. I wanted to kiss him instead.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ interesting, because right now, your energy and body tells me your motivations are a little


    different. Hell, hen, you smell incredible,¡± he said, then he pressed his erection against my sex. I


    whimpered, and, yeah, it was the strangest erotic sound I¡¯d ever made. He felt so good. The throbbing


    between my legs became unbearable. Then my fangs fully extended, and I brought my hand to my


    mouth, feeling a little embarrassed.


    He was right; I wanted to help him, not because I didn¡¯t want to get expelled, but because I felt a


    connection between us. Our pasts were somehow linked together.


    I was desperate to know who I was before, and who the vampire was who¡¯d ruined my life. L had


    these answers. I didn¡¯t know for sure, but my intuition had never let me down before.


    He noticed my fangs, and before I could answer or say anything else, he kissed me. I wanted nothing


    more than to feel the softness of his lips. He grabbed my waist, pulling me closer, our lips tight together.


    I lost my head as he reacted, moving his finger, a featherlight touch, along the base of my hip, lower


    and lower. He tasted like the prince of darkness, filled with the smoky scent of whiskey and fire. Once


    his fangs extended, I kissed him back.


    It was like he was slowly bing my addiction. I wanted more, and I needed to have him inside me.


    He smelled like sex, drowning me slowly in his incredible scent. My tongue grazed the tip of his fangs,


    and he growled. This was so sexy, the heat was like hotva, rushing and prating every active cell


    in my body. He pulled away, breathing hard, as his dark eyes drank me in. In that moment, I realised I¡¯d


    never been so turned on in my life. My panties were soaked right through.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± I asked, but my voice vibrated with emotion. I was flustered, ready to throw


    myself at him, sink my fangs into his neck, but I had to leave.


    ¡°I just wanted to know if you helped me because you wanted to, or because you needed to,¡± he said.


    I moved past him and headed towards the door. I had to escape this heat, the desire that was slowly


    turning me into a monster who needed to drink blood. The problem was, he didn¡¯t let me leave. He


    grabbed my elbow and spun me around. His mouth was on mine again, and this time, his kiss was


    rough, hard, and it left me breathless. I felt him kissing me everywhere. My unbridled desire was slowly


    turning into liquid fire.


    His fingers wondered to the waistband of my jeans, sliding across my bare skin, and down, further and


    further.


    ¡°And did you find out?¡± I asked against his lips.


    ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s because you can¡¯t deny your attraction towards me,¡± he growled, dragging his lips along


    my jawline and slightly biting my neck. I arched my head backwards, moaning, and I was desperate to


    taste him again. His finger caressed the side of myce underwear. I wanted him to rip the rest of my


    clothes off¡ªI didn¡¯t care anymore.


    His fangs grazed my pulse, then he licked the blood that pooled around it. Dark cravings for his life¡¯s


    essence floated through me. It felt like every nerve inside my body was suddenly alive, ready to be


    taken and punished. The small voice inside my head kept whispering that I was ready.


    The sharp points of his teeth pressed further into my skin, and I was slowly melting away. Our energy


    and electricity sharpened my body, pouring through my core as he pierced through my soft flesh. A


    loud and truly erotic moan escaped my mouth.


    I wanted him so much, but that thought scared the hell out of me. L¡¯s mouthtched onto my


    neck as he began drinking, at the same time, thrusting his hips forward. He was hard as a rock, and my


    entire body began shaking uncontrobly.


    As he was drinking from me, I realised it was the most amazing feeling I¡¯d ever experienced. My core


    was throbbing with desire so deep and so intense, that I was breaking from the inside out.


    My moans became desperate as images, shbacks, began rolling in front of my eyes. It was all so


    good, and then I began to understand that what I was seeing was the past.


    Someone was carrying me. He was a mage or a vampire, but I couldn¡¯t tell. I was standing in the


    distance, observing as an outsider. My skin was pale, and there was a deep wound in the juncture of


    my neck, blood drying where it had pooled down my throat and onto my shirt. A vampire had bitten me,


    it was obvious. I was seeing fresh cuts on my arms, too. This was a very strange dream, or it was


    possible I was reliving the past again.


    The vampire carried me towards a group of fae in the forest; they were standing in line, silent and


    proud. There was arge Manor House behind them that looked like a shimmering magical castle from


    where I was standing. It waste evening, the sun had already set, but this ce was only just starting


    to wake up. Tiny creatures that appeared to be miniature faeries were flying and spreading golden dust


    around.


    I wanted this dream or shback to end, because, for some reason, I didn¡¯t want to see what they were


    nning to do to me.


    The vampire bowed in front of a tall blond fae. He reminded me a lot of L, but no, it couldn¡¯t have


    been him. He was just simr looking. This vampire was young, broad in his shoulders and very


    handsome. Maybe he was somehow rted to L, or I could have been imagining the familiarity.


    ¡°Vampires aren¡¯t wee here, and you¡¯re putting my people in danger, bringing a newly turned to my


    Was he the king of all fae, or just their ruler? He looked so majestic, holding some sort of long staff


    filled with magic in his right hand. I sensed it, I wasn¡¯t sure how, but I did. That fae was powerful, and


    possibly extremely old.


    ¡°She¡¯s not yet turned, she¡¯s only a half-breed,¡± the vampire said. ¡°Do you remember our agreement,


    Dorian? This one is strong; human blood flows through her veins. I want you to make her half-fae, so


    she will have both magic and bloodlust.¡±


    In that moment, the fae began whispering amongst themselves, staring at me with fear and


    amazement. I was still hanging in his arms, somewhere between dead and alive.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that this was really happening. So, this was how it all started for me? The vampire


    had sharp features, but half of his face had some sort of deformation. I¡¯d only just noticed it. Maybe he


    was using charms to cover it, to appear normal looking to outsiders. He ced me on the grass in front


    of the Fae King.


    ¡°You¡¯re risking a lot; she won¡¯t survive the ceremony as others have. Your blood has tainted her, you


    will only put her through unnecessary pain,¡± the fae king said, but his eyes shimmered with bright blue


    light.


    ¡°Do it, Dorian, time is running out,¡± the vampire insisted. ¡°And it¡¯s not my blood that courses through her


    veins. It¡¯s ancient blood. He believes she¡¯s strong enough to withstand your magic.¡±


    The other fae seemed excited.


    For a long moment, Dorian wasn¡¯t saying anything. He was just watching me, and his staff burned with


    energy.


    ¡°Callisto, bring the potion,¡± Dorian said, this time speaking to a female fae who stood to his right. ¡°If the


    human dies, then she will be your responsibility.¡± I could sense the excitement in the air, something was


    going to happen.


    The vampire backed away as the king pointed his magical staff towards my lifeless body. My back


    suddenly arched as energy began beaming out of me. I was in pain, so much pain, but my screams


    were silent, no one could understand what was going on with me. I was in between worlds, suffering


    and waiting for it all to end.


    I was the only one feeling his magic rushing through my veins. He was trying to break the vampire


    bond, rip it away, and rece it with strong magic¡ªhis magic.


    ¡°There is fae magic inside of her, but the ancient¡¯s blood is stronger. Her vitals are dropping, and she¡¯s


    going to die. She has been weakened by his torture.¡± the Fae King was saying, but he didn¡¯t stop


    feeding me with his energy. My body was now levitating several feet above the ground as the magic


    was pulsating along the surface of my skin. Everyone was watching as my strength was slowly


    diminishing.


    They were going to kill me, and I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it, because I was only an observer. This


    couldn¡¯t have been the past. I didn¡¯t want to see myself dying like that. The vampire was pacing


    around, dragging his hand through his hair and staring. He wanted Dorian to seed. He had a


    desperate expression on his face.


    Several minutester, another female fae appeared. She was wearing a beautiful blue gown and had


    strange markings on her skin. She held a steaming, stone-carved mug in her hands. Dorian noticed


    her, and he stopped hurting me.


    ¡°This potion should awaken her fae genes, if it¡¯s not toote,¡± the beautiful creature said. She


    whispered something else to the king.


    I was too weak to survive this ceremony, the puncture wounds opened, and I was losing so much


    blood. The female approached me, then opened my mouth slightly and poured the contents of the


    steaming mug inside my mouth. I was unconscious, she must have used her magic to make me


    swallow it.


    Then she backed away, and for several long moments, everyone continued to watch me. A ridiculously


    long moment of silence filled the space. I was holding my breath until magic zipped through my lifeless


    body. Everyone noticed and probably felt it, too.


    My body started convulsing, shaking, and changing. I was lifted above the ground, then screamed, only


    half-conscious, half-lucid. Was this even possible? Could this work? Ancient magic cooperating with a


    magical fae potion? Maybe there was still a chance.


    Bright, yellow, then red-and-blue light beamed out of me. I was screaming, waking up, and feeling the


    changes inside me. I was half-vampire, already turned, but the fae magic was stronger. Encouraging


    the change, splitting my cells in half.


    My screams became desperate until I copsed on the grass, soaked with sweat, and not breathing


    until my eyes mmed open.


    I knew in that moment that my transformation wasplete because my eyes shone with fae light. I


    had be half-vampire and half-fae.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    I was back in the room, taking long ragged breaths, mildly aware that L was still drinking my


    blood. Dull heat red between my breasts, and I didn¡¯t dare move. My primal instincts were aware of


    everything that was going on, as my fingers traced the line of his neck. It took me another few seconds


    to realise that the previous images in my mind were my lost memories.


    Somehow, I still had no idea, but I pulled myself away from his irresistible fangs, remembering the


    memory of my transformation.


    L looked like a real monster then, shocked, and still filled with hunger for more. My blood was


    dripping from his mouth, his pupils were dted, and his hard cock was pressed against my navel. I


    swallowed hard, trying not to stare, because, hell, I wanted him inside me so damn much. This was my


    vampire nature aching for more contact. His touch was electrical, like standing next to a live wire. I just


    couldn¡¯t get enough, I needed him to fill me and relieve the throbbing between my thighs. His bite had


    awakened my memories, and so much more, more than I¡¯d ever realised. Maybe he was somehow


    connected to the vampire who¡¯d attacked me. I needed to figure this out on my own.


    ¡°This is not happening, no. You hate me, and now you¡¯re kissing me,¡± I said, touching my fiery cheeks. I


    was confused with what was happening to my own body. How could I want him?


    He wiped his mouth with his hand and took a step towards me. He didn¡¯t seem to care that I said no.


    ¡°You taste better than I ever imagined, stop denying it, hen. I know you want to shag me, too,¡± he said,


    lowering his voice, tipping up my chin, so I couldn¡¯t avoid looking at him.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t be around you right now. This isn¡¯t good for me,¡± I said and then pushed him off me.


    Secondster, I took off running, and yeah, maybe this was crazy, but I needed to get away from him.


    We would screw each other, and then I would regret itter.


    L had hated me from the very beginning, and he didn¡¯t trust me. Maybe that changed because I


    was loyal to the academy and didn¡¯t want him to die. Right now, I didn¡¯t trust myself around him. I


    walked outside and ended up on the terrace, breathing in the cold air.


    Before I awoke on the street with no recollection of who I was, I had a life, a loving human family.


    These memories, even if they were only glimpses from the past, they proved what I¡¯d always known


    deep inside. Once I was far away from that irresistible vamp, my head was spinning away. All these


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    thoughts and memories were still so fresh. I never truly believed I could be half-fae. Regardless of what


    Oldman and several others had mentioned about my magic, I didn¡¯t think it was possible. But now I had


    the answers I¡¯d longed for, searched for, but now I wasn¡¯t sure how to process them just yet. My


    vampire nature dominated, and yet the magic inside me was so different than the energy of any other


    creature. Things were slowly starting to make sense.


    On top of that, my entire body was still pulsing with desire, so raw and so hot, that I thought I¡¯d have to


    start pleasing myself. Several drops of sweat rolled down my face. What was wrong with me? I¡¯d


    allowed him to bite me, and I loved every moment of it.


    In the end, I went back to my room I shared with Karina. It was still dark outside, and she was fast


    asleep. I decided to take a cold shower. The images of L thrusting his hard erection inside me


    began spinning through my mind again, until the freezing stream of water hit my body. It all stopped


    there, and I stood under the cold water for a good half an hour, shaking, until my body was numb, until I


    couldn¡¯t think about him any longer.


    Why was L so significant, and why was I only getting the understanding of who I was when we


    were exchanging bodily fluids? It was possible this had something to do with the fact he was a vampire,


    too. I was determined to get to the bottom of it.


    Later on, once dressed and freshened up, I decided to talk to Oldman about what I¡¯d learnt, about


    these whirling memories in my head. I couldn¡¯t sleep anyway, and the lights in her office were still on. I


    had to keep my mouth shut about the fact that L had drunk from me. I didn¡¯t want anyone to


    know I¡¯d be attracted to him. It was time to reach out for help, and she was the only other person I


    trusted here, besides Karina, but Oldman was fae.


    It was veryte in the evening, and everyone apart from Karina was still awake. Dimitry was ying the


    guitar, humming some sort of song to himself. We all needed to rest before the next mission. Dorothy


    was still missing, so our job in Moscow was nowhere near done.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood for socialising, and, besides, L would show up any minute, and I wanted to


    avoid him. Marco probably already suspected I was crushing on the handsome Scott. I knocked on


    Dimitry¡¯s office door, the office Oldman was now upying. She seemed to be busy working on


    something, and I didn¡¯t want to be a nuisance. My heart was thumping way too quickly inside my chest.


    ¡°What is it, Jaymin?¡± she asked, not lifting her head from her paperwork.


    ¡°I need to talk to you about something,¡± I said to her, not waiting for her to invite me in to sit. I just sat in


    the avable chair in front of the desk, seeing Dimitry¡¯s photos everywhere. He was an adventurous


    guy outside of work it seemed. Oldman was glowing, and I wondered if I ever looked like that. As a


    half-vampire, I was pale, but I never thought I was beautiful.


    When she finally met my gaze, her tensed features rxed. ¡°Something happened? You¡¯re causing me


    to be a bit concerned, Jaymin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about. At least, I hope not,¡± I said, trying to gather myself to tell her the truth. ¡°It¡¯s


    about my past. Recently, I managed to regain some of my memories, and I¡¯m trying to piece it all


    together.¡±


    Deep down, I thought I would rebel. I¡¯d been frustrated all these years because I hadn¡¯t made any


    progress. It shocked me that I was so calm.


    She frowned and folded her hands together, meaning she was willing to listen to me. ¡°What do you


    mean, you recently acquired new memories?¡±


    Damn it. I knew she wasn¡¯t going to let that one go. My encounter with L made me


    ufortable, but there was no way I was going to admit to having any feelings for him. What


    happened between us was because of my half-vampire nature¡ªI couldn¡¯t resist him. There was


    nothing human about that. Or fae, rather? I supposed I no longer had human genes. It was all so


    confusing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on who or what triggered them. The bottom line is, someone, a vampire, turned me


    first, and then he took me to some sort of fae court. I¡¯m half-fae and half-vampire. I had a real family


    before I lost all my memories and ended up on the street,¡± I blurted out, thinking that there was no point


    beating around the bush.


    Oldman¡¯s eyes widened, and she shifted in her chair, releasing some magic. Maybe that was the main


    reason why I felt it when we were around each other. Apparently other vampires weren¡¯t so sensitive.


    The pure breeds could only detect others like them.


    ¡°You believe you¡¯re a half-vampire and half-fae? Impossible,¡± she whispered, rising from her chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I know I am. These memories were real, and I saw my family. I believe it was my


    mother¡¯s side who was fae, but she appeared to be human. She didn¡¯t want anything to do with the fae,


    because my father was human, and she wanted to keep me away from magic. This is all still very new


    andplicated for me. I sort of dreamed about my transformation, but it was more of a vision than a


    dream, as I¡¯m certain it happened four years ago. The vampire who turned me was an ancient, and I


    became his experiment,¡± I exined, sweating way too much.


    Oldman exhaled sharply, then began pacing around the room. Well, that was a good sign, at least she


    believed me.


    ¡°I mean, when I saw you for the first time, I knew you were special, but I never imagined such a


    creature could ever survive. What that vampire did was illegal. The High Council would have punished


    him. I have heard about such experiments, but I always believed they were just rumours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, the fae thought I was going to die, but then I was given a potion that seemed to turn things


    around. It was some kind of fae court in the middle of the forest. I had no other memories of my


    previous life. Four years ago, I woke up on the streets of Lviv already turned, assuming I was half-


    vampire. It was a tough life, and I adapted, but I would love to meet the bastard who stole my human


    life, to see him punished.¡± I clenched my fists so hard that I cut cirction to my fingers.


    Well, I wanted to kill him, I didn¡¯t see any other option.


    ¡°You¡¯re a hybrid who is not supposed to exist,¡± she said, ¡°and the school will help you change your life


    around, but I¡¯m more concerned about why they chose you. Your life may still be in danger, so we need


    to be very careful from now on. We cannot advertise what you are, Jaymin.¡±


    ¡°Have you told anyone else about me?¡± I asked her, thinking about L¡¯s father. For some reason,


    he gave me the creeps. There was something about him that scared me, the way he was staring at me,


    but I doubted he was involved.


    Oldman was right; someone had chosen me, and they were probably still watching me or observing me


    from a safe distance. I always made sure I never got attached to anyone. Melody was an exception;


    she was a real witch, and she wouldn¡¯t use me like that.


    ¡°No, of course not, and I¡¯m nning to keep it that way. The school is founded by the High Council, but


    they don¡¯t need to know your business. You¡¯re my asset,¡± she said proudly, and that caused warmth to


    spread throughout my chest.


    ¡°Okay, good. Anyway, that was pretty much it. I¡¯m just trying to piece together the rest of my previous


    life,¡± I said, standing from my chair. She grabbed my hand, and a jolt of electricity moved through my


    body.


    ¡°When we return to Kiev, we will speak about this further. Your magic needs practise, because right


    now, you¡¯re like a ticking time bomb. No one knows what may happen, so be watchful,¡± she said,


    staring at me with her intensive fae eyes.


    I nodded, not knowing how to respond to that, but she was right. What happened in the tombs scared


    the shit out of me.


    Momentster, I left the room, bumping straight into the person I wanted to avoid¡ªL. Our bodies


    touched, and images of him between my legs rolled through my mind. He gave me a long lonely look,


    but then walked away without a word, and it made me long for him even more than if he¡¯d said a


    thousand words.


    * * *


    ¡°We should go out for a drink tonight. Dimitry¡¯s still gathering intelligence, and I can¡¯t stand sitting


    around here any longer,¡± Karina said in the afternoon, after another meeting that didn¡¯t go anywhere.


    The n had been active again in a certain area, but Oldman refused to let us go anywhere until we


    had more concrete information on Dorothy.


    I hadn¡¯t spoken to L since our encounter in the training room, but the pull of our energies was


    still there. I was fed up with no progress, and the fact that the days seemed to be getting longer.


    ¡°Yeah, I love Russian chicks, so I vote yes,¡± Marco said, leaning over the paper he was reading. I rolled


    my eyes¡ªof course he was agreeing to go out.


    Judas just shrugged his shoulders, and L stared at me.


    ¡°Da, nothing is going to happen tonight,¡± Dimitry said, ¡°but the councillor believes his daughter has


    been relocated outside of Moscow.¡±


    ¡°Great. I heard about this new bar, Lennox, so we can start there,¡± Karina said, smiling. She seemed


    excited, and I was looking forward to it, too. We couldn¡¯t leave the city, but we deserved some kind of


    night out at least.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s sorted then. I need a cold pint,¡± L said, standing from his seat. ¡°We should call an


    uber, it will be cheaper.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an uber?¡± I asked, feeling a little silly.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a taxi service. I need to arrange a few dates,¡± Marco said, already rubbing his hands together.


    ¡°The night is young.¡±


    Karina drug me back to our room and then she started pulling out several different outfits. I didn¡¯t even


    know how she had so much space in her luggage. I never truly cared about the way I dressed, but


    tonight, I wanted to look good for some reason.


    L was going to be there, and I wanted to act normal around him. No more talking about my silly


    feelings.


    ¡°Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll pick up some cool dates tonight,¡± Karina said, showing me a short ckcy


    dress.


    I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s for you, not me, remember? I don¡¯t do dresses.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to drop that silly rule and wear this one, with these amazing knee-length, high-


    heeled boots. It¡¯s a bad-ass look, trust me. Now go, and try it on,¡± she demanded, giving me a stern


    look. I was self-conscious about everything, and this was a big no-no, but she just put the dress in my


    hands and told me to go change.


    She wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer, and I knew this was going to be a long and exhausting night after


    all.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    ¡°You look hot, much better than I ever have wearing it,¡± Karina said as I finally emerged from the


    bathroom. I was a little apprehensive¡ªwell, hell, I didn¡¯t want to leave the room at all. Karina literally


    had to drag me out of our room, but not before I¡¯d slipped a stake in my boot, just in case. I wasn¡¯t


    taking any chances.


    The boys were waiting for our Uber ride. I didn¡¯t expect to see Dimitry amongst them. He always


    seemed so uptight, so I assumed he wouldn¡¯t want to join us. I had to admit, he looked very handsome


    wearing a navy jumper.


    ¡°I told you this dress is way too short, and I can barely walk in these heels,¡± I said, probably for the


    hundredth time now. Everyone was most likely going to stare at me, and I didn¡¯t like being the centre of


    attention. Sheughed and grabbed my hand, so I felt much steadier.


    Then someone whistled at me as we approached the group outside. Marco gave me a wink, staring at


    me and nodding with his charming smile; he obviously approved of my outfit. Dimitry nced


    indifferently, but quickly went back to his phone. Damn it. I didn¡¯t think about how the others would


    notice the change in me, and now I felt self-conscious again.


    L stood further away, and he only noticed me when Marco whistled. Judas smiled, scratching his


    chin, giving me the once-over. I locked eyes with L, and for a second, my heart danced inside


    my chest. Karina insisted I wear makeup, too. After that, I hardly recognised myself in the mirror. I just


    looked beautiful; my hair was shiny and styled in a nice way. Damn it. I had nice legs, too.


    L just stared with the same intensity as before, moving his eyes downwards, like he was trying to


    im me. This was getting out of hand as I was seeing images of us together again, remembering his


    lips on mine. I looked away, rubbing my arms and trying to think of something else.


    For the first time in my life since I¡¯d awoken on the streets, I felt sexy, desired by a man who was not


    good for me at all.


    ¡°Okay, the uber is here,¡± Judas said. ¡°Let¡¯s get in.¡± Secondster, the moment between us was


    interrupted, and in a way, I was happy about it. It was arge van, but, unfortunately, I ended up sitting


    opposite L who wouldn¡¯t stop giving me his heated look.


    He didn¡¯t seem to care about Ramona at all, but she was still a threat. Karina was chatting about all


    these cocktails she was going to try out, and Marco was speaking in Italian, most likely with some new


    woman he¡¯d arranged a date with. My mind felt so chaotic, but I truly needed to rx tonight. In the


    past several months, all I¡¯d ever thought of was how I was going to survive the next day.


    Right now, things were much different.


    L¡¯s cerulean eyes were making me wet again, so I looked down, smoothing my dress. He hadn¡¯t


    said a word to me the entire drive. Half an hourter, we were in the centre of Moscow. It was a good


    thing it wasn¡¯t raining tonight. A lot of humans and supernaturals were on the streets. Clubs, bars, and


    restaurants were buzzing with people.


    ¡°Lennox is five minutes from here,¡± Karina announced, pointing towards arge building where a lot of


    people were queuing. She seemed extremely excited.


    ¡°Are you ready for a wild night out, hen?¡± L asked, suddenly appearing next to me. His Scottish


    ent was doing something to my insides. I had butterflies in my stomach.


    ¡°Yes, as long as you stay away from me, then I¡¯ll try to have a good time,¡± I said, brushing my hair away


    from my face.


    He gave me a cheeky smile that said I shouldn¡¯t count on it. ¡°Stop denying what¡¯s inside your heart,


    hen,¡± he muttered, walking away from me and joining Judas.


    My jaw dropped, but I decided to just ignore him. He was winding me up again.


    We made it to the club a few minutester, and we were d when we didn¡¯t have to queue. Dimitry


    knew a few bouncers who stood outside. One of them was a werewolf and let us inside. The music was


    loud, and the lights were shing. This wasn¡¯t my ideal ce to have a good time, but I had to make


    the best of it for Karina. The group hadn¡¯t fully bonded yet, but we were getting there.


    Marco got us a table in the back where the music wasn¡¯t as loud so we could still talk.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do you want to drink?¡± Judas asked, licking his lips. I suspected he was hungry, but for more


    than just human interaction. I always felt that warm, fuzzy energy from him. He was an enigma; I didn¡¯t


    know much about him.


    ¡°Not sure, maybe a beer. I¡¯ll have whatever you¡¯re having,¡± I said, knowing I had to be careful. The lust


    for blood was still tickling my throat. Alcohol just made me act a little crazy. I never drank after I¡¯d nearly


    died one night while I¡¯d been out with Melody.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it, you two just rx,¡± L said, interrupting our conversation. In the end, he and Judas


    headed to the bar.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this exciting? I see a lot of supernaturals in here.¡± Karina nudged me, giggling like a schoolgirl.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll both get lucky tonight.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I muttered, seeing as she was already eyeing a tall shifter who hadn¡¯t noticed her yet. Marco


    approached a group of American fae, and he started chatting them up. His charm and skill with women


    amazed me. He could always get a date no matter how he looked.


    ¡°Here you go, something special for youdies,¡± a familiar voice sang behind me. The pretty boy was


    back with drinks, and he brought fancy cocktails with sparkling sticks. Karina¡¯s was blue with a bit of


    pineapple and a small umbre, whereas mine was pink. It was over-the-top ridiculous.


    ¡°Fabulous,¡± Karina eximed.


    ¡°Thank you, but this isn¡¯t what I asked for,¡± I told him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fab, Jay, just enjoy it while I go and introduce myself to that cute shifter to your right,¡± Karina said.


    ¡°L, keep this girlpany until I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Your wish is mymand,¡± Pretty Boy said.


    Dimitry had vanished somewhere, and Judas was looking around, probably for a donor. It was


    unfortunate that I ended up sitting next to the only vampire I wanted to stay away from tonight. His


    shoulder rubbed against mine, and a fresh dose of desire jolted right through my core.


    Karina vanished soon enough. She wasn¡¯t shy at all, and a momentter, she was already flirting with


    the tall and very handsome shifter.


    ¡°Please, give me some space,¡± I told L, feeling overwhelmed with my energy and the magic that


    drifted around us. It was intense, and maybe I felt it because there was so many different supernaturals


    inside the club. I should have known we¡¯d end up stuck together tonight.


    ¡°What are you so afraid of? Now it¡¯s going to be difficult for me to stay away from you, because you


    taste like silky smooth chocte,¡± he said, and his lips touched my ear, and I shuddered with desire. I


    took a drink of my cocktail, trying to repress the need to kiss him. We couldn¡¯t do this within the group. I


    wasn¡¯t really sure what the policy was in school when it came to dating, but I just wasn¡¯t ready. Well,


    he¡¯d dated Ramona¡­ and that was just another of my excuses. But still, he was bad for me, at least


    the tiny voice inside my head kept saying so. This time. Other times¡­ not so much.


    ¡°You only want me for my blood. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I hadn¡¯t found you in that tomb,¡± I said,


    stirring my drink and avoiding eye contact. I could still feel heat boiling in my veins.


    He frowned and then that cute dimple appeared in his cheek. Why the hell did I have to notice it?


    ¡°You can be annoying, hen, but it¡¯s more than that. Tell me¡ªwhat are you so afraid of?¡± he asked. It


    was time for me to disappear, to get away from him. The vibes around him were making me dizzy, and


    the damn heat was too much to handle. On top of that, I could feel my magic rippling through me and


    pulling me in different directions. This had never happened to me before. ¡°And you look good tonight,


    sexy as fuck.¡±


    ¡°I need to get some air,¡± I said, standing from my seat. L said something else, but I didn¡¯t hear


    him as I walked through the crowd, passing people and trying to breathe.


    He was going to follow me; I just knew it. The crowd was thick, so it took me a while to find the exit. I


    took several long pulls of air once I was finally outside the club. I was a little surprised the weather had


    taken a turn for the worse; it had started drizzling. A few vampires smiled at me, but I ignored them. I


    nced behind, seeing that L had, indeed,e out to look for me.


    I had to get away from here for a bit, so I went to the left, entering a back street. I was confused about


    my own emotions, about everything that happened between us. On top of everything, my heart was


    jackhammering inside my chest. He was searching for me, so I backed further into the alley until I


    found myself on another street. The music was slowly fading.


    I could think straight in silence, away from people, and L. I knew he wasn¡¯t going to give up so


    easily. He seemed determined to pursue me, forgetting about the fact he¡¯d never trusted me until after


    I¡¯d rescued him. I had trust issues, and although I knew he trusted me now, I always held niggling


    doubts in the back of my mind. This was another reason I was so confused about my feelings towards


    him. I couldn¡¯t run hot one minute and then cold the next. I needed time. And space. I needed to


    process all that I¡¯d learned about my true nature and my past. And to do that, I had to be alone. Even if


    it didn¡¯t seem fair.


    I kept walking, feeling like I was in a maze, and on the one hand, I had this handsome vampire ready to


    sweep me off my feet, and in the other, missing memories, arge hole in my mind. The streets were


    narrow. I must have walked a fair bit because I couldn¡¯t hear the music anymore.


    My head was still spinning as I moved to another area, passing one or two people who were trying to


    get out of the rain. The sky was filling with heavy clouds, and I didn¡¯t want to end up soaked. The high-


    heeled boots weren¡¯t thatfortable, and soon enough, it really started pouring down.


    At least the energy faded, and my other symptoms weren¡¯t bothering me anymore. I must have lost


    L outside, but knowing him, I suspected he was still trying to track me down. Damn it. I wasn¡¯t


    ready for a rtionship of any sort, or even a fling. I had no clue how a rtionship worked. Besides, I


    kept thinking that Ramona could reappear at any time.


    Ten minutester, after walking and feeling pretty cold, I was ready to head back to the club, when I


    heard a scream in the distance. Then I felt an incredible source of magic hitting me from all different


    directions, taking my breath away. Someone was suffering badly. I bit my bottom lip, considering going


    back to the group, but the urge of finding out what was going on was stronger.


    I ran to the corner of the alley that opened to a small square between the buildings. Split secondster,


    I stopped in my tracks, seeing the ancient, Leonidas, the one who¡¯d taken Dorothy as I¡¯d escaped that


    old factory. There were more vampires there, too¡ªmembers of the n, but I didn¡¯t even have a


    chance to count them, as someone hit me from behind. I caught a strong smell of burning flesh and


    passed out a secondter, crashing to the ground.


    Sometimeter, the pain inside my head was mounting. I starteding around, not sure how long I


    had been out. I nced up, my heart banging against my chest, as I realised I didn¡¯t have any of my


    knives on me, and I was still lying on the wet ground. This was supposed to be a rxing night out¡ªso


    much for that. I crawled on my forearms, pushing against the pain and gathering up my energy as


    someone approached me. I must have still been in the same alley I¡¯d gone into earlier on. There were


    so many vampires out there, and that mage from the supermarket¡ªthe same mage from the first


    meeting that nearly killed me. Crap, crap, crap, it looked like Dimitry¡¯s intelligence was way off this time.


    No one from the group knew what was going on.


    Further down, I saw Dorothy, she was damn unconscious, and another mage was holding her. The


    councillor, her father, stood off further in the distance. What the hell was he doing here?


    ¡°Well, well, well, see Leonidas, our star of the show is awake. What do you want me to do with her?¡±


    asked a voice I recognised. Why was my head pounding with so much pain? Fucking Ramona, she


    was the one who¡¯d approached me, wearing simr boots to mine. That was damn annoying.


    A few heads turned towards me. I counted five ancient vampires in the alley. I was so incredibly


    screwed, because I realised I had no way of reaching out to my team. No one knew about this meeting,


    and I found myself in the centre of the biggest shit I could ever haveprehended.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    I tried to move, but excruciating pain shot through my limbs. That bitch grabbed me by my hair and


    lifted me back to my feet. More painnced through my chest. I needed to gather myself, but someone


    struck me with an attack of magic. There was one streemp out here, but I could see everyone¡¯s faces


    pretty clearly. The mage narrowed his eyes at me, he probably recognised me after all. The councillor


    appeared confused.


    ¡°What is she doing here, Councillor?¡± Leonidas asked. ¡°I thought no one from the inside knew we were


    meeting here tonight?¡± I was far outnumbered and weakened by protective wards. Truly, all I cared


    about right then was how I wanted to stab that bitch right in the gut and then twist the de a few


    times, too.


    ¡°Traitor,¡± I spat, trying to break free from her grasp, but she pushed me towards the ground, then kicked


    me, taking full advantage of the fact I wasn¡¯t in my usual form. Someone¡¯s magic was affecting my


    nervous system. Damn it! I wanted my knives.


    ¡°I have no idea why this girl is here, but we should make a deal, anyway. No one else needs to die,¡± the


    councillor said calmly. ¡°This one is special, she¡¯s a half-vampire breed with strong magic. Take her and


    let my daughter go. She¡¯s important to the school.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right; she survived my injection of power, and no one ever does,¡± the mage said, the same one


    who¡¯d sted me with energy before I¡¯d joined Moonlight Academy, fuelling me with anger. I¡¯d bet he


    was not expecting to see me here.


    Leonidas smiled, and then smoothed his chin, and his energy kept tempting me once again. I needed


    to taste him, touch him.


    Was he hypnotising me again? I had to close my mind, so he couldn¡¯t get to my memories. He still


    obviously had no idea who I was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to make a deal with you. The half-blood is already mine,¡± the ancient said, approaching


    him. ¡°Ramona caught her, and I know all her secrets. Let¡¯s talk about the real reason you showed up


    here.¡± The councillor flinched as Leonidas ced his hands behind him and then began circling around


    the official. ¡°Richard needs to have a free hand. We have a few excellent candidates who should be


    admitted to the Elite. You only have to change the voting system, and your daughter will be free.¡±


    My energy was growing very slowly as I tried to pick myself up off the ground, but each time, Ramona


    pushed me back down with her heel. My ribs were hurting, too.


    L was probably in the area, but I had no way to reach out and pass him a message. We¡¯d never


    bonded that way, but I¡¯d heard it was possible between lovers. Ramona still had her damn foot on my


    back, and she was pressing the heel of her boot into my spine. I was taking long deep breaths, trying to


    think about my options. The deal was going ahead whether I liked it or not. There was no way I could


    stop it now.


    The councillor appeared troubled but prepared to agree to anything. The ancient had his daughter, but


    this wasn¡¯t why he was scared. I found it odd that such a powerful supernatural from the High Council


    was submitting himself to a vampire.


    Leonidas had something on him, because his daughter didn¡¯t seem important to him at all.


    ¡°Very well, then. I can convince others and charm the newest members, but this isn¡¯t a long-term


    solution. Sooner orter, the High Council will figure out what is going on,¡± the councillor mumbled.


    ¡°There are five talented vampires who must pass the admission process,¡± Leonidas responded


    automatically. ¡°Your daughter is going to die tonight if we do not agree. Her energy is diminishing.¡±


    I felt tingling inside my body that began in my toes and then moved upwards. I was gaining power, but


    from where, I had no idea. I couldn¡¯t let them win just yet. Half of my genes were from my fae family,


    and I suddenly remembered Oldman¡¯s words. My magic was stronger than I realised. I was a ticking


    time bomb that could explode at any moment.


    ¡°Have you fucked him yet?¡± Ramona asked, leaning over me. ¡°I bet he jumped into your bed the


    moment he found out I betrayed him.¡± She was obviously still jealous.


    My strength was returning, and I just needed to wait for the right moment. The pain was fading as


    quickly as it appeared. Her long blond hair was hanging next to my left side. Suddenly I had an idea.


    ¡°Let her go, and I guarantee you¡¯ll get what you want,¡± the councillor repeated. ¡°Three of the elder


    board members are now dead. They have been making everyone¡¯s life difficult. I assure you that I can


    make this happen.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait, I just pulled her hair, as a switch flipped inside me. That incredible power shocked even


    me, as I felt light rushing through my veins. It exploded through my palms. Ramona screamed,nding


    on her side and I shot to my feet, breathing hard. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw four other


    vampires making their move towards me.


    I kicked the bitch several times, hearing her bones breaking, and then removed the wooden stake from


    my boot and stabbed her in the back. I was d I¡¯d thought to bring it with me, just in case. Now was


    my ¡°just in case¡± moment. My intuition had yet to let me down, and tonight was no exception.


    Foreign, dark, twisted magic embraced my body as two other vampires advanced on me. There was


    nothing stopping me now.


    I sank my fangs into one¡¯s neck as he tried to grab me, and I ripped his throat out, kicking the other one


    in the stomach. There was an animal inside me that was repulsive, but I was fighting for my survival.


    The vampire roared with pain, falling to the ground before death could im him. Another pair of hands


    grabbed me from behind. For a second, I couldn¡¯t move as my arms were being stretched. I spat bits of


    flesh and blood on the ground. My breathing was whizzed.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°You¡¯re causing way too much trouble for me, my dear half-breed.¡± Leonidas was saying, approaching


    me. ¡°Rodrick, sign the contract with the councillor. The board is ours, and it will be a new beginning. A


    new transition, the old times based on purity are finally over.¡±


    One of his vampires was holding me as I tried to free myself. I could feel the blood dripping from my


    face.


    His incredible blue eyes pierced through me. I craved him, desired his blood, as my fae side fought with


    my maker¡¯s instinct.


    He touched my hair and moved it aside, smiling. Despite his age, he was still attractive. I wanted to


    taste him so badly now, even if my heart screamed no.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it. The board will never allow dark magic to pass through the Elite Academy walls,¡± I


    whispered, not recognising my own voice. This was what Oldman had once said to me, and I


    remembered it. There was no ce for dark magic in the Elite. Every single student who wanted in


    needed to pass the trials. This deal wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    ¡°You¡¯re special, so very special, and I want you to submit to me. We have been waiting for you for a


    very long time. Ramona disappointed me. She was loyal, but I think you can do better than her, isn¡¯t


    that right?¡± Leonidas asked, caressing my cheek with his hand.


    I had to close my eyes as his energy gave me strength. He was right; I was loyal, and he was my


    master.


    ¡°For a drop of your blood, I can do a lot of things,¡± I said, licking my lips. I didn¡¯t want this, and I didn¡¯t


    want him, but, suddenly I couldn¡¯t remember why I was here.


    He smiled again, and my entire body tingled. Part of me, my fae side was still fighting, but the other


    voice was muffled. I couldn¡¯t submit to him, not now, not ever. No, this wasn¡¯t what I wanted.


    Then his fangs extended, and a jolt of electricity rushed through my core. He grabbed the back of my


    neck, yanking my head to the side, and bit me, drinking in, and I moaned. In a matter of seconds, I was


    lost in the essence of ecstasy and pleasure. It felt incredible as he began to drink my blood, my entire


    body started to shut down. The voice of the fae was long gone. Nothing else mattered, only the fact


    that I was pleasing him¡ªthe master.


    He was taking too much, part of my soul¡ªpart of me that didn¡¯t want to give up yet. I was falling,


    drowning in the darkness and slowly suffocating in pain.


    He was taking more than he wanted, addicted to the taste of me. There was fae blood in my veins, and


    he wasn¡¯t expecting it to taste so good. I could sense everything, feel everything he was feeling.


    I was going to die here, and I couldn¡¯t stop him. He was ancient, and I was going to be another


    victim. The clock was ticking, the seconds were passing ¡­ until it all stopped.


    The pain and pleasure. It all ceased, and I began to feel energy spreading warmth through my cells. It


    was shutting down the gloom, injecting me with strength like a virus. I was waking up, roaring with


    power I¡¯d never felt before.


    He pulled away, and, suddenly began coughing up my blood. I felt light-headed, and I could barely


    stand on my feet, but at least I was lucid.


    He backed away, still spitting blood and stumbling. My blood was dripping down his face, and for a


    second, I thought he would fall to the ground. I thought I was going to pass out, too, but this energy


    inside me was helping. I felt it in my bloodstream, my bones, and nervous system, spreading faster


    than a wildfire. A few vampires appeared confused, while others nced at each other.


    The ancient pointed at me, and his hand was trembling. He opened his mouth to say something, but no


    sound came out. I nced at my hands, and my fingers were electrified, fire burned through my soul


    like an invisible me. It was the fae voice, it found its way through.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that, Leonidas.¡± I said, smiling at him. ¡°My fae genes are much stronger than


    my vampire genes.¡± No one was going to stop me now, not even Ramona.


    Then, in that one moment, I did the one thing I thought felt right: I released the volcano inside me. The


    wind blew from the south, and it was like an explosion¡ªmy energy engulfed the entire space. The


    ancient copsed to the ground, and a white froth-like substance spilled from his mouth.


    The other vampires rushed at me, but they couldn¡¯t get to me. I started sting white energy from the


    source, and they were thrown backwards.


    Then the mage who¡¯d attacked me in the basement must have only just realised what happened. He


    attacked with everything he had, but it was toote. For a long moment, we were wrestling with each


    other¡¯s power, but my magic spread everywhere. No one could conquer it. He looked terrified, and I


    It almost felt as though Leonidas had awakened the other part of me¡ªthe silent fae that was always


    too afraid to be one with my soul. The whole ce was radiating with magic; every creature


    around me copsed to the ground. No one could survive this.


    The mage was thrown across the alley as I tried to gain control of this unexpected power. The


    councillor was gone, but his daughter was still lying unconscious¡ªhe¡¯d left her behind.


    I felt like I was rising above the ground, enveloped in fire, like some sort of ancient god. I started


    walking towards the mage, knowing I had to end this once and for all. He was trying to get up slowly,


    but he was injured. Blood was gushing from his left hip. He was wearing the same coat he¡¯d worn in the


    basement of the pub in Lviv.


    He nced at me, and his lips started twitching. ¡°It worked; I can¡¯t believe it. The lord has been waiting


    for this moment, and it has finallye. He thought you had no magic, that you were his failure,¡± he


    started mumbling and I stopped, staring at him. He knew, he must have known this entire time.


    ¡°Who was the vampire that decided to take my life?¡± I asked, but, honestly, it wasn¡¯t that important to


    me any longer. I was so tired of everyone trying to manipte me.


    ¡°He¡¯s the creator of all creatures, and you just passed the test. You¡¯re his true daughter, and you could


    stand by him!¡±


    ¡°There is no test, and I¡¯ll never turn to the dark side. That deal is off the table,¡± I whispered, sensing


    death approaching. It was waving at him. He had to die.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of us now, made to serve him. If you kill me, he will never take you in,¡± the mage


    screamed, attempting to use his magic against me, but darkness was already taking over. I tried to


    cease the magical fire burning him, but I wasn¡¯t controlling it any longer. He screamed as the mes


    consumed his body.


    I started backing away, wanting to turn around, but my energy had taken on a life of its own. It struck,


    pounded, and prated through me, burning him alive.


    I forced myself to turn and walk away, his terrifying screams were going to stay with me for the rest of


    my life. The streemps stopped shing, and thenplete silence filled the space. The mage finally


    stopped screaming¡ªit didn¡¯t take long. He was dead, and so were all the other vampires who¡¯d arrived


    here with Leonidas. I didn¡¯t even know how it was possible, but their corpses started burning. I


    searched for him, but he must have recovered somehow and escaped while I was killing the mage.


    Momentster, I copsed to the ground as the energy left me, draining away thest bits of my


    strength. My body was shaking uncontrobly. Dorothyid on the ground, several meters away from


    me. My head was buzzing, dull pain spreading along the back of my skull. I nced around at the


    devastation I¡¯d caused, thinking that this couldn¡¯t have been me. I was just a half-breed without any


    magical skills. But I knew it wasn¡¯t true. I had magic¡­ Magic unlike anything I¡¯d ever witnessed.


    I managed to crawl back to Dorothy, she was very pale, but alive. Then in the distance, I saw them, my


    team¡ªthe members of Moonlight Academy. I was seeing their stone-cold faces, staring at all the


    corpses around me, and I realised ¡­ I was death.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but more and more people began appearing, walking and


    talking around me. For a long while, I just sat next to Dorothy, hoping she woulde around. I


    nced at my dirty hands; I was still shaking badly. Karina and Marco were talking to me, but I ced


    my hands over my ears, rocking from side to side. All I could remember was the fire and the mage¡¯s


    screams.


    ¡°Jaymin, is that you?¡± a voice asked, grabbing my arm. Dorothy was conscious, and she was ncing


    around, probably more disoriented than me.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, and you¡¯re safe now,¡± I told her, still feeling the effects of that dark, dirty energy from the


    mage. I thought that after using my fae abilities, I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it, but the mage¡¯s darkness


    had sunk its ws into me. This happened every time I killed someone, but this time, it felt a hundred


    times worse. My team was now surrounding me, and the smell of blood was making me nauseous. It


    was everywhere¡ªthe corpses were turning to ash as some members of the council tried to preserve


    them.


    ¡°What the hell happened here, Jaymin?¡±


    It was Dimitry. He asked the question and I nced at him, wondering how to answer that. I needed to


    pull myself together and tell them everything. I didn¡¯t want to be taken by the members of the High


    Council for questioning. Momentster, a witch approached and covered Dorothy with a nket; she


    was talking to her in anothernguage. I epted Dimitry¡¯s hand and stood, my knees felt like they


    couldn¡¯t hold my upper body. I was so weak, but I had to walk.


    ¡°I identally walked up on them, the councillor was here, and he was just about to make a deal with


    the ancient vampire, Leonidas.¡± I started saying when Marco squeezed my arm. His warming energy


    felt like bliss.


    ¡°I think you should stop asking her questions,¡± Karina said to Dimitry. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the best time. Jaymin


    is still shaken up. We need to get her back to headquarters.¡± I was light-headed and tired.


    ¡°It was me. I think I killed them all with my fae magic. The ancient started drinking from me, and I


    thought I was going to die,¡± I whispered to them, and her eyes went wide. Everything wasing back


    to me, and I looked around, horrified. I¡¯d killed them all¡ªit was me, and soon enough, I was probably


    going to be arrested.


    Marco dragged his hand through his hair, and Dimitry seemed at a loss for words.


    ¡°Hen, shut up, and let the High Council deal with it,¡± L said, who suddenly appeared next to me.


    ¡°The girl is safe now, so our job here is done. You shouldn¡¯t have run away.¡± He must have arrived with


    the others. He looked at the body of his ex-girlfriend and shook his head. I¡¯d forgotten about Ramona. I


    didn¡¯t think she was dead, but she wasn¡¯t moving. I¡¯d only staked her earlier, but maybe it was my


    energy that killed her.


    Leonidas escaped. I didn¡¯t know how, but his corpse wasn¡¯t here. We were now connected through his


    blood.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Did you really do this?¡± Karina whispered as we started walking back. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. I thought you


    were only half-vampire, Jaymin.¡±


    Marco and Judas must have stayed behind. The Russian human police were there, too, I was seeing


    yellow crime-scene tape around the area. A lot of humans gathered around, trying to figure out what


    had happened here. The High Council was probably working with the human side of thew. Sooner or


    me, it wasn¡¯t her job, but I hadn¡¯t nned this. I didn¡¯t want to kill them all.


    ¡°I got us an uber, and right now, all these questions are unnecessary,¡± L said to Karina, sounding


    angry. ¡°We need to get her out of sight, out of here.¡±


    My magic was still all over the ce as they helped me inside the uber. I felt dizzy and nauseous from


    all the darkness that I had consumed earlier on. I was half-fae, now everything was clear.


    The rest of the night was a bit hazy. I realised Karina and L had taken me back to headquarters,


    then Karina helped me to bathe myself¡ªshe scrubbed all the blood from the shower. Images from the


    past kept shing through my mind until I went to bed. Sleep came as soon as my head touched the


    pillow. There were no dreams and I was thankful, because I was truly resting, at least until I had to face


    the real world again.


    * * *


    When I awoke, it was night-time. For a long moment, I had no idea where I was. Karina was snoring in


    the bed next to me, and when I nced at her, I suddenly remembered everything. The pain was finally


    gone. I felt good, better than ever before¡ªrested. The clock on the wall was showing around two a.m. I


    had no idea how long I¡¯d slept. All I knew was, I was in huge trouble.


    Memories from the night before floated in my mind. Ramona was dead, the ancient escaped, but what


    happened to the councillor?


    I put on a pair of pants and a T-shirt and then headed to the kitchen for a ss of water. Was I truly


    able to create such powerful energy?


    ¡°Finally, I thought you might be in aa.¡± A voice startled me out of nowhere. When I turned around, I


    saw L in his pyjamas, looking cute.


    I rubbed my eyes and took several generous sips of water. ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± I asked him,


    feeling the familiar sensations in the pit of my stomach as he stared at me with the same intensity in his


    azure gaze.


    ¡°Around twenty-four hours or so. Oldman told us to leave you alone, that you needed to regenerate


    your strength,¡± he said, and then yawned loudly. Vampires didn¡¯t get tired, so I didn¡¯t know what that


    was about.


    I was baffled, worried and curious to know what might happen to me now.


    ¡°So, what now?¡± I asked him, although I realised that this wasn¡¯t the question that I was supposed to


    direct to him. On top of that, I was hungry, and this time, not for blood, but food.


    ¡°A few council members showed up here,¡± he said, taking a step towards me. ¡°They wanted to question


    you, but Oldman sent them away. She has been very protective of you, hen.¡±


    ¡°Why? Were they going to arrest me?¡± I asked in a whisper. I wasn¡¯t even sure why I was whispering.


    We were alone, and it seemed everyone else was fast asleep.


    ¡°Tell me what the hell happened out there. Everyone is confused as to how you ended up in the middle


    of everything and survived. For now, the council only wanted to question you. The main thing is, our job


    here is done. Dorothy¡¯s free, the enemy was eliminated, so we¡¯re going back to the academy soon


    enough.¡±


    I bit my bottom lip, trying to figure out what to tell him. Things wereplicated enough, and I still had


    no idea if I could really trust him, not with everything I now knew about myself, anyway.


    ¡°I need to speak to Oldman first, and you should go back to bed. It¡¯s nothing we need to talk about right


    now, L. I¡¯m sorry about Ramo¡ª¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not dead.¡± He cut me off. ¡°Unfortunately, she survived, but she¡¯s going to be arrested soon.¡± My


    jaw dropped; I couldn¡¯t believe my energy spared her. It was a miracle, and in a way, I was d she¡¯d


    survived. At least I didn¡¯t have to stress over another dead supernatural.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± I muttered, and awkward silence stretched between us. There were a lot of things I wanted


    to say to him, but it was neither the time nor the ce. He wanted me, but I still needed time to process


    everything that had happened. My future was still uncertain. I had no idea what was going to happen to


    me¡­


    ¡°Jaymin, I was wrong about you from the start,¡± he began, but I ced my finger on his lips. He was


    warm, and that made me desire him even more, but I couldn¡¯t be with him¡ªnot now at least. I didn¡¯t


    know why I¡¯d built up this wall inside me, but it was there, nheless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not do this now. I need some time to digest everything. I¡¯m not really sure what¡¯s going to happen


    once I get back to the academy,¡± I said, wanting to press my lips against his. It was like a push and pull


    maism¡­ I wanted him. I didn¡¯t want him, and yet I couldn¡¯t stay away from him. ¡°The council is


    after me and I¡¯m notpletely innocent.¡±


    ¡°Oldman has connections, you don¡¯t have to worry, hen,¡± he assured me, but he couldn¡¯t have known


    that. Besides, I was an experiment: half-fae and half-vampire. The council was going to find out about


    me sooner orter. Oldman wouldn¡¯t be able to protect me forever.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to sleep, and I suggest you do the same, L,¡± I told him, knowing well enough that


    I hadn¡¯t given him any concrete information about us or about my past. There was a reason why I kept


    getting snippets from my past when we were intimate. In this life as a vampire, I was a virgin, but


    maybe in my other life, I hadn¡¯t been.


    For me, it was far too dangerous to get involved with a man, especially in my situation, but thinking


    about it, I probably wasn¡¯tpletely clueless. My libido had been going slightly berserk ever since


    L turned up in my life, and that had to mean something.


    ¡°Whatever, hen, but just remember, you can¡¯t get rid of me so easily,¡± he said as I turned around and


    started heading towards the bedroom. I couldn¡¯t stay up right now, because that meant I¡¯d have to


    really get into the gritty and gruesome stuff with L. And I didn¡¯t want to talk about it. I also didn¡¯t


    trust myself to be alone with him. My thoughts were dirty even now after everything we¡¯d been through.


    Karina was still snoring when I returned to our room, and for a while, I just stared at the ceiling, trying to


    remember every detail from my previous memories. Fae, there was fae magic inside me, so powerful


    that I couldn¡¯t evenprehend it. It was hard to fall asleep for fear that, tomorrow, I may not be a free


    supernatural any longer. The council was getting close, and I wasn¡¯t anonymous anymore.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Karina was a bit shocked seeing me awake and ready for action around seven o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Apparently, everyone was done with Moscow and wanted to leave as soon as possible.


    She jumped on me, hugged me, and asked millions of questions before she allowed me to exin


    anything at all. She had no idea I¡¯d woken up in the middle of the night and bumped into L in the


    kitchen. Everyone else was a little shocked, too, when they saw me at breakfast looking lucid and not a


    giant mess.


    ¡°I mean, you can all stop staring at me. I¡¯m fine, well, and I ain¡¯t nning to kill anyone today.¡± I tried to


    joke, but it just added a bit more fuel to the fire.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke,¡± Dimitry said in his thick Russian ent, and I thought he should audition for films, he


    would have been a great actor.


    I started eating, realising my stomach was growling with hunger, while everyone else was staring at


    me. Roxanna made excellent coffee and eggs. I was going to miss her.


    ¡°Okay, I mean, we¡¯re heading back to Kiev soon enough,¡± I said, thinking I owed the group an


    exnation, but first, I needed to speak to Oldman about everything that had happened that night.


    Apparently, she¡¯d already returned to Kiev for an urgent matter, and I hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk to her


    yet. Our flight was leaving this afternoon. In a way, I was looking forward to getting back to a normal


    routine. I was so done with being in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Judas asked me, and I was a little surprised that he¡¯d asked the question first. I


    ced arge pancake on my te and sshed some syrup on top. I was bloody starving.


    ¡°Good, the dark energy has almost diminished, and I managed to sleep for a while,¡± I said and started


    eating.


    L was watching me as usual, sitting opposite me. That seemed to satisfy Judas and everyone


    else, at least for now, because for a long moment, no one was saying anything. We were all trying to


    enjoy our breakfast.


    It wasn¡¯t going to be easy to reveal the real truth, but we were all partners and they needed to trust me.


    This nightmare was behind me, but the horrific memories remained. I could still hear the mage¡¯s


    terrifying screams, but I just had to breathe.


    After breakfast, Dimitry had given a little speech, praising us all for the job we¡¯dpleted, wishing us


    good luck in the future. It was possible that, at some point, we would return to Moscow, but for now,


    everyone seemed to be done with Russia.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Karina askedter as we were packing in our room. The ne was leaving


    in about three hours, and our ride was going to arrive at any moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred percent, but I¡¯ll get there. The whole thing isplicated,¡± I told her, trying to fit


    everything into a small suitcase. ¡°Once I talk to Oldman, I¡¯ll exin everything, but please, bear with


    me. I just don¡¯t want to scare you.¡± She seemed to ept my answer, because she nodded and didn¡¯t


    press any further on the subject.


    An hourter, we were sitting outside our gate ready for departure. The airport was busy, and I felt a


    little sick. Nerves about flying were slowly getting to me, but once onboard the ne, I ended up sitting


    next to L. He even held my hand during take-off.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, beautiful, so chill out and just enjoy the ride,¡± he said once our seatbelts were buckled,


    and everyone else was settled. My heart was thumping loudly inside my chest during the entire flight. I


    was scared, but L kept talking to me, trying to distract me from my nerves and the fact we were


    several thousand feet in the air.


    I was overjoyed when wended and managed to go through security quickly. A van with the Moonlight


    logo was waiting for us at the airport. It was extremely humid once again in Ukraine, and I kind of


    preferred it that way. Russia¡¯s summer seemed disappointing.


    ¡°I hope we won¡¯t have to leave for another mission anytime soon. I¡¯m kind of exhausted,¡± Karina said,


    once we returned to our dorm. Nothing had changed there, it was basic, and it stunk of mould a bit, but


    it was our little home. I was so relieved being here again.


    ¡°I hear that,¡± I said, jumping on the bed. It was going to be a rxing day today, but first, I needed to


    head to Oldman¡¯s office, so I could get this conversation over and done with. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit; I think


    the principal is in her office, and we¡¯re overdue for a chat. Don¡¯t start any parties without me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± she said. ¡°I think the boys want to have drinks at the bar down the streetter, that¡¯s


    all. We aren¡¯t nning anything else.¡±


    I took a deep breath and told myself she was probably expecting me. The council hadn¡¯t arrested me


    yet, so I had nothing to worry about¡ªat least for now. However, I didn¡¯t want to celebrate too soon.


    Several minutester I stood outside her office, still a little hesitant, suddenly filled with anxiety that


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    soon I would have to leave Moonlight. Oldman must have sensed me outside, because she opened the


    door as I was just about to walk back to my room. This was absurd. I told myself that she was on my


    side.


    ¡°I was just about to send for you,¡± she said, giving me a smile. ¡°Come on in.¡±


    She was diffusing some essential oils and the smell calmed me instantly. I wasn¡¯t nning to hide


    anything, I needed to be open and honest about what happened out in the field; otherwise there was no


    point staying at Moonlight. Catherine Oldman was fae, and maybe she had simr experiences with her


    magic.


    We sat down and silence filled the space for a little while.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s just get straight to the point, shall we?¡± she said. ¡°The High Council has been pressing me to


    question you, but I have managed to steer them away for now. Tell me everything you remember from


    that night.¡±


    I was slowly calming down, and I had a feeling she had something to do with it. I took another deep


    breath and started talking. She didn¡¯t need to know I had a little disagreement with L or the fact


    we¡¯d been intimate. It wasn¡¯t relevant, but everything else was.


    It wasn¡¯t easy going through the events of that night once again, but Oldman was listening, taking


    everything in. I went over how I¡¯d felt when we¡¯d arrived at the club, when I started to feel the magic


    there, then colourised my fight with L a bit, and then my lonely walk around the streets when I


    needed some time away. When I got to the part where Leonidas started drinking from me, the principal


    appeared horrified, but I kept talking. I remembered that moment very clearly, then paused, preparing


    to tell the worst. My stomach tightened, but it was time to be honest with myself, honest with her.


    ¡°And then I just exploded, I mean, it was like my energy became a ticking time bomb, exactly the way


    you described it before,¡± I said, rubbing my forehead. ¡°All the vampires were killed instantly, and then I


    burnt that mage alive. The fire came out of nowhere, the mes consumed him in a matter of seconds.


    He was dead before I knew it.¡±


    Catherine Oldman¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she tried to process this information. I was expecting


    that kind of reaction from her, but that wasn¡¯t all I needed to say. There was more to it.


    ¡°So, it was you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, it was my magic that killed all those vampires, but I couldn¡¯t control it. Even the mes, I didn¡¯t


    want him to die, but it just happened. The mage said something to me before he died. He said that his


    master thought I had no abilities, that the experiment was sessful, and if I killed him, I couldn¡¯t stand


    by him,¡± I exined, trying to remember everything he¡¯d told me.


    That was it¡ªmy confession. I was expecting the worst, because I¡¯dmitted heinous crimes against


    supernaturals, even if some of it had been in self-defence. Oldman was probably thinking about


    reporting me to the council now, and they were going to arrest me. I was ready for it. I was a monster,


    something that shouldn¡¯t exist. I was too dangerous to be walking free¡ªlike a ticking bomb that could


    go off at any moment. Silence stretched for some time as Oldman was thinking. It was hard to read her


    emotions or aura. She was much more experienced than me, so she knew how to keep her mind


    closed off.


    Then she stood from her seat, paced around her office for a bit before saying:


    ¡°You¡¯re fae¡ªa very powerful one, and a half-vampire. A unique half-breed ¡­ this is incredible.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? I killed all those vampires. I was the cause of that massacre. I¡¯m a freak,¡± I


    said, raising my voice, thinking that maybe she didn¡¯t really understand what happened out there.


    ¡°Sit, Jaymin, and calm down. You¡¯re not a freak,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re an extraordinary creature who hasn¡¯t


    been trained. Those vampires were working against the council, so no one is going to miss them. And


    the mage, well, apparently, he has been on the council¡¯s radar for quite some time.¡± I did what she said,


    although I wasn¡¯t sure if this was really happening.


    ¡°Right, so what¡¯s going to happen now?¡± I asked. I was certain I didn¡¯t want to return to the streets.


    That part of my life was over for good.


    ¡°Your future is here in this school, and we will help you unleash your potential. We will train you, so this


    sort of outburst won¡¯t happen again. Fae magic is extremelyplicated, andbined with your


    vampire abilities, could be lethal. I¡¯ll find a way to direct the council¡¯s attention away from you,¡± Oldman


    stated. ¡°Things with the Elite Academy are stillplicated, as well, from what you¡¯ve said, I


    understand that the councillor was working against them, so that issue needs to be addressed. In a few


    months, you and possibly L, will go undercover as students of the Elite. We need some inside


    information, and going forward, someone from the council believes this is a reasonable solution.¡±


    At that point, my jaw was on the floor. Oldman couldn¡¯t be serious. She was going to keep me in the


    school, and then send me out on another mission? This sounded unbelievable.


    ¡°But what if someone finds out what I¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about that for now. Just study and train hard. I will assign a personal advisor to


    you for your curriculum. Let me worry about the council from now on. You¡¯re special, Jaymin, more than


    you realise, but that energy of yours¡ªit must be tamed, and that will take a bit of work.¡±


    Her words echoed inside my head. I¡¯d wanted to learn who I was for so long, and now it was finally


    happening. Oldman kept staring at me with amazement. I thought this was really the end, that she was


    going to expel me.


    ¡°Thank you, Principal Oldman. I mean, I have no idea what to say,¡± I said, standing from my chair and


    reaching out for her hand. She shook mine, smiling.


    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± she added. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. You couldn¡¯t control yourself. Now, go and


    enjoy the rest of your day. sses resume tomorrow, and everything will follow through. You have


    done well, so has the rest of the team. The school has beenpensated, and you will be paid as well.


    This is good news, Jaymin.¡±


    That was the end of the conversation. I nodded, and then left her office, feeling like I was walking on


    clouds. A huge weight dropped from my chest. Someone had finally given me a chance, even after


    what I¡¯d done.


    ¡°See, hen, I told you that you couldn¡¯t get rid of me so easily.¡± A thick Scottish ent startled me


    outside the door. I turned around, seeing L. He was leaning against the wall as if he¡¯d been


    waiting for me the entire time. He looked good wearing a grey T-shirt and slightly unshaven.


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± I said, walking up to him. The bloodlust returned. I wanted him again.


    ¡°I think this next task will be awesome. Me and you working closely together,¡± he said, sounding


    mischievous. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to keep my hands off you.¡± There was that sparkle in his eye. I bit my


    bottom lip and then did something I thought I¡¯d never do under any other circumstances. I brought him


    closer and then kissed him hard. It was unexpected, I didn¡¯t n it, but in that moment, my feelings


    were so overwhelming, and my instincts took over.


    He groaned as I caressed his mouth against my own, nipping at his lip between my teeth teasingly


    before darting my tongue inside his mouth. He seemed shocked at first, but then he responded. His


    tongue grazed my fangs. Then heat began consuming me again. L grabbed the back of my


    neck, turning my head to allow more ess, and I knew it was time to stop this.


    ¡°What? What was that about?¡± he rasped, staring at me with his fangs descended as I yfully backed


    away.


    ¡°Nothing, I was just testing my theory.¡± I giggled, turned around, and ran back to my dorm, thinking I


    was going to regret thatter. He seemed too shocked to follow me.


    He was right; we were stuck together, but this time, the future seemed much brighter than before.


    The End of Book 1


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!