Page 44 of Slayer

I just nodded. “Don’t mention it.”

She released me, and Luna and Harper gathered on either side of me, pressing in close.

“We have some news about how last night was allowed to happen.” Celia looked nervous, like she didn’t want to say what she was about to say.

“Mom, just out with it,” Harper said.

“One of our arcanists, a powerful master arcanist, was…turned a few nights ago in a raid,” Celia stated.

Harper and Luna gasped. “Turned? A master arcanist?”

“Turned into a vamp?” I asked.

“Yes,” Celia replied.

“What’s an arcanist?”

There was too much to learn about this world.

“Hunting units are made up of four to five people. You’re lucky if you have an arcanist in your unit,” Celia told me. “They’re rare.”

Professor Walters stepped forward, clearing his throat as if lovingly telling Celia this was his expertise.

She waved him over.

“An arcanist is someone who has an affinity for rune work and the Veil Stone. They can read them, draw them, and even create them. It’s a special power they are born with,” he said.

Cool.

“Like the girl last night who drew the blue light rune on the ceiling?” I asked.

Everyone nodded.

“But as you can imagine, if an arcanist is turned into a vampire, then their magic can be used for bad. That’s how the runes protecting the school were broken last night, allowing the bloodsuckers to come in,” Celia said.

“So it could happen again?” Harper’s voice squeaked.

Celia placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “We are doing everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen again, including adding confusion runes specifically tailored to Annette in case she tries to come back.”

Annette.

The arcanist who was now a vampire had a name.

I cleared my throat, and everyone looked at me. “Sorry, one question. Just because you suddenly turn into a vamp and drink blood wouldn’t make me want to turn on my old friends and help kill them. Why would Annette do that?”

Celia and Derek shared a look.

“When you’re turned, it’s not by venom like in the movies. It’s a virus that only sires carry, and it changes your mind. You become blood hungry, murderous, out for revenge. Whatever your sire wants is what you want. You’re connected in a way, like a wolf pack. We think Annette was being compelled by her sire.”

“Like zombies?” I asked.

Everyone in the room nodded. “Pretty much. You aren’t you anymore. Or you are, but a more feral version.”

I lingered on something else she’d said. Wolf pack.

“Wait, are werewolves real?” I asked suddenly, bracing for impact.

“No.” Celia tried to hide her smile, and I nearly fainted in relief. I could only handle one scary monster.