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She was a good friend. Possibly the best I'd ever had, which didn't say much for my life prior to this place.
"Thank god you're back," a female voice called.
I turned away from my eggs to see Violet walking toward me, another female vampire behind her. Both were dressed in matching black skirts and white shirts, their ties hanging loosely around their necks.
Violet's nearly white hair was pulled into a ponytail high on her head. She'd lined her eyes with dark eyeliner and wore bright red lipstick. It made her pale skin look almost translucent. She had an ethereal kind of beauty I imagined was only possible for a vampire to achieve.
The woman behind her had tan skin and wide, deep brown eyes. Her short black hair was in a perfect bob that looked like it belonged in a rendition ofThe Great Gatsby. Just like Violet, she was equally stunning.
Everyone here was gorgeous. Was that another thing that magic did? I thought back to my own teenage years. I'd literally never had a single pimple. Had to be the magic. And, honestly, as superficial as it was, it was another good reason to get it back.
"Gym class has been the absolute worst without you," Violet said.
I groaned. I forgot that I had to go to gym today. I'd been so fixated on not having any magic and wondering what everyone else was doing while I was stuck in the hospital that I didn't think about it. I guess it was better that way. All my time was focused on other things besides the new ways Coach Miller would try to kill me.
How was he going to react to me returning after he's the one who sent me to confinement in the first place? Was that going to make it even worse?
"I really don't want to go back to that class," I said.
"Eh, I don't even think he noticed you we're missing. He's had us running laps every day since then while he lifts in the corner. I think he's bulking up for some Mr. Universe or something."
"They have that here?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, you should see some of the shifters and other creatures bulked up," Violet said. "It's bizarre and hard to look away."
"And incredibly unattractive," Scarlett added. "Can we not discuss this before we've had our blood?"
"Fine," Violet said. "Bae gets cranky when she's hungry."
"Ugh," Scarlett rolled her eyes, "I hate it when you call me that."
"You're cute when you're mad, though," Violet said.
"Alright, the rest of us are trying to eat without having a healthy relationship thrown in our faces," Makayla said.
"See you later, Raven," Violet said.
I waved as the two vampires wandered away. "They're adorable in a terrifying way."
"Yes, they are," Makayla agreed. "You going to eat your bacon?"
"Hell yes, I am," I said, grabbing it off my plate. "Do you know what they fed me in the hospital? Oatmeal. Three days of oatmeal for breakfast and broth for dinner."
Makayla laughed. "I remember that. I was in there once when I broke my arm. Doesn't seem to matter why you're in there, it's all treated the same. Do some magic to heal you, give you oatmeal for breakfast."
"Hopefully, I'll stay out of there from now on," I said.
"Don't count on it," Makayla said. "Come finals at the end of the semester, most of us will spend at least one night there."
"How come?" I knew it was generally dangerous at this school, but what exactly did I have to look forward to for finals?
"Mock trials," she said. "Every year before the Yule Ball they set up a practice trial and we all test it out. If you fail, you're probably not ready for the real deal. If you pass, they expect you to sign up for the trial in the spring. When you fail, usually it's because something is broken. That's how I snapped my arm last year."
My stomach flipped as a wave of queasiness rolled through my gut.Snapped. That wasn't a word one used lightly. "What happened tosnapyour arm?"
"Climbing over a pit full of jagged rocks. You'd think the rocks were the real issue, but I made it over those. Got a little cocky and took the downhill too fast. Tumbled and fell all the way to the soft grass on the other side." She shook her head. "I basically celebrated that I finished too early and got cocky. Not going to happen this year, though. I should pass it. And when I do, I'm signing up for the spring trials. I'll be out of here by June if I play my cards right."
"Then what? Where will you go next?" I realized I didn't know anything about what life for a supernatural was like beyond these walls. Dr. Green had mentioned that my file would help me find jobs but what the hell did that mean?
"My parents own a gem supplier. We own some mines and import and sell diamonds and precious stones to some of the most prestigious jewelers in the world. It's not the most exciting, but I'll probably step in line and join the family business." She shrugged.
"Diamonds?" My jaw dropped. I knew the students here were loaded but if her family owned mines and sold gems, they were probably the wealthiest people I had ever met. I'd never even touched an actual diamond aside from my mom's engagement ring. Of course, it never made it to me. My aunt hawked it at a pawn shop within a few years of me moving in with her.
I shook my head, not wanting to think about my past. My parents were gone, my aunt was gone. I didn't have to deal with that part of my life anymore.
"It sounds glamorous, but I promise you, it's not," she said. "Hey, if you need a job after school, I'm sure I can hook you up. We employ several mages. They help us know which land to buy and where to dig."
"Wow," I said, a flicker of hope filling my chest. It was dashed quickly, and I frowned. "Though, I have to get my magic back first."
"It'll come back," Makayla said. "Have faith."
