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The walk through the woods is a quiet one, until my screams break through the tranquil night sky when something scares me.I don’t think I have ever screamed this much before.The grounds of the Academy are definitely one place I never want to find myself alone at night, that’s for sure. We’ve passed a Wendigo, who slinked back into the shadows with its beady eyes glued to the teacher in front of me. A band of Fae warriors crossed our path and said their hellos to Mr. Haim. When they all turned to me, a lump formed in my throat from the sheer beauty of them, but their lips curled up in disgust as they continued on their way as if we hadn’t disturbed them. Redwood’s surround me as we continue on our trek, the wall that looked enormous when I first looked at it is now becoming absolutely terrifying, what the hell are they keeping out of there with the walls built so high? The scent of wet moss fills my nose as we walk, and I inhale trying to capture it. It must have been raining at some point before I got here because it still smells like all forests do after a rainstorm, it’s heavenly—even though I can’t see my hand in front of my face and with each step I’m praying I don’t go splat.
I push my numb legs faster, so I am just behind the dragon and making sure I won’t lose him. My whole body trembles violently and the cold has my teeth chattering.
“What is wrong with you?” he growls over his shoulder.
“I-I…” Another shiver racks through my body with enough force to make my legs give way, forcing me into the mud on my knees, the cold battering against me. This is how it’s going to end.Death by freezingwill be on my gravestone. I close my eyes as I lay on my side on the floor, praying to the gods for a little warmth to help me make it to the Academy. Something moves beneath my legs and a scream builds in my throat, but I’m so cold that I can’t even open my mouth to release it. Out of nowhere, the feeling of floating overtakes me; I’m light as a feather and my head rolls as a hot entity presses into my right side.
Slowly, I open my eyes and see a shadow staring down at me, but I am unable to make anything out. My vision blurs again, blocking out whoever has a hold of me. I’m just hoping it’s a friend rather than a foe. Another shiver passes through me then, causing me to shake violently and making my eyes roll back into my head as darkness consumes me.
CHAPTERTWO
The sound of something crackling and hissing pulls me out of my trance. Volcanoes surround me and bursts out what looks to be lava, hissing and spitting from the cracks in the ground. Sweat covers my brow and neck, the steady stream of it running between my shoulder blades. Where am I? I turn in a slow circle, trying to take everything in, how did I get here? My heart stops when I see black smoke weaving and twisting its way a foot off the ground, suspending there like it’s being held up by an invisible piece of string.
“Help me!”
The words flutter through my head as one of the clumps of smoke lifts higher off the ground until it’s eye level with me. The urge to pass my fingers through it is strong and as I lift my hand, the voice in my head becomes louder, encouraging me to touch it over and over as a thin strand of it extends towards my outstretched palm.
“Don’t touch it!” a voice screams.
My head snaps to the right to find a cloaked figure running towards me.
“Get away from it, now!” the voice calls with more urgency.
I open my mouth in a silent scream and it feels like an electrical current passes through me, then the world is plunged into darkness.
* * *
“She should wake soon, Mr Skullmyer,” a voice whispers.
My head feels fuzzy as my mind starts to try and piece everything together, whoever is talking must have broken through the darkness. I try to move my toes, but I can’t seem to make them do what I want them to. I have to force my eyes to open and the world comes into view like I’m looking at it through the bottom of a glass. Something, or someone, is leaning over me.
A sharp pain shooting through my head has me groaning from the ferocity of it. The room comes into focus as I roll over and I see bookcases lining the walls and the furs covering my body.
“Easy, sweetie,” a sweet, calming voice says. An older looking woman with grey hair and round glasses comes into view, her features lined with concern. “You’re in the infirmary at the Academy.”
I try to speak, but the only thing that comes out is a strange croaking noise. I attempt wetting my lips to see if that will help, before I realise how dry my throat is. The woman smiles softly and brings a tumbler over with water in and I give her my best attempt at a smile, hoping she sees it for what it is. A thank you. Ever so gently she presses the straw to my lips, and I eagerly gulp down the contents, my body rejoicing at having some fluid inside it.
“How did I get here?” I croak, still weak, but I manage to slide myself up the hospital bed on shaky arms. “Mr. Haims brought you here,” she says.
“Miss Draken, do you know what happened to make you pass out?” a weird, creepy voice says from somewhere in the room.
I look at every corner, trying to find the owner of the voice, but my pounding headache is making my vision blur in and out, making my task impossible.
“Who are you?” I ask, hoping if they speak again, I’ll be able to figure out where they’re standing.
“I’m the Headmaster of this institute,” the voice replies.
A figure steps into view with their words hanging in the air. As soon as I get my first look at them, I am rendered immobile from the terror that passes through my veins. A lump forms in my throat as the headmaster steps into the light. I gasp, scrambling further up the bed quickly to try and put as much distance between us as possible. Blood-red eyes connect with mine and his smile widens, giving me a perfect view of his fangs.
“P-please. D-don’t.” The plea passes my lips with a stammer as I shake violently at the supernatural being in front of me. I’ve heard stories growing up, but I never truly believed that Vampires were real, until now. We don’t have any in the clans I’ve met, so it’s fair to think they were just a fairytale.
The legend says that they originated from the void when it wreaked havoc on this plane nearly a thousand years ago. But that is all that is ever said. Speaking of the void in the supernatural world is like talking about the bogey man to humans. Parents tell their children stories of the void to make them behave themselves.
“Miss Draken. I will not hurt you, but I need to understand what happened out in the woods.” His voice is soothing and I’m not quite sure what to make of him yet.
I bury my head in my hands and curl into a ball on the top of the hospital bed, throwing up a prayer to the gods that I’m not eaten by this supernatural because if I have to die… I would much rather I died swiftly than feeling someone suck the blood from my veins.
“You’re okay, sweetie. Mr. Skullmyer is a good man,” a voice coos at the side of me.
