Crossroads (Crossroads Academy #1)

by J.J. Bonds

  **********

  “Good evening, Katia. Please come in and make yourself comfortable,” Anya calls out.

  I’m still in the hall beyond her line of sight, the partially cracked office door providing cover. She must’ve heard me approach. There’s not much activity in this part of the school at this time of night. I venture into the office and close the door behind me. Might as well get this over with.

  Anya is sitting at her desk, a large wooden behemoth which only further serves to reinforce her diminutive size. The room is dark, and she works by the light of a small lamp on her desk. It casts deep shadows across the room but doesn’t keep me from seeing that the walls are lined with cherry bookcases, which flank a large fireplace. Where there are no bookshelves, the walls are plastered with diplomas and certificates, emphasizing the fact that she is an overachiever. What a surprise, I think sarcastically.

  The office is comfortable and has enough of Anya’s personal touch to keep it from feeling cold and academic. She’s placed two brown leather chairs in front of the desk for visitors. I take the one on the left and flop into it unceremoniously.

  “So, how’re things going?” she asks, switching off the PC monitor so that I can’t see what she’s been working on.

  “Okay.”

  “Just okay? These sessions are going to be less than productive if you’re going to make me do all the work,” she points out. “Let’s start simple. Are you enjoying your classes?”

  “Yes.”

  “Making friends?”

  “Not really.”

  “Why do you think that is?” she prods, full well knowing the answer.

  “Probably it has something to do with my lack of interest,” I respond frankly, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Katia,” she chides. “It’s going to be a long year if you decide to go it alone. Aldo did not send you here as means of punishment. You are here because you have incredible potential. Reaching out to your peers and becoming involved at Crossroads is the only way you are going to flourish.”

  I remain silent. I’ve heard all this before.

  “I heard you were top of the class in MMA.”

  “You heard right then.” The pained look that flashes across her face causes me to reconsider my approach. I know I’m making this more difficult than it has to be. She’s just trying to do her job and fulfill a commitment she made to Aldo. It can’t hurt to give her a little something, even if it’s just fluff.

  “I had a good teacher in Romania.” I shrug and lean back in the chair. The soft leather molds to my body like a lovers embrace and I feel myself relaxing against my better judgment. “Aldo arranged for a member of the Linkuri to train me in hand-to-hand combat. Viktor and I spent many hours working on my Jujutsu technique. I suspect Aldo chose Jujutsu because it’s more of a defensive martial art. Less attack, more defend.”

  “Jujutsu uses the enemy’s own power and momentum against him, correct?” she asks, seemingly interested.

  “Yeah. It’s a very effective means of neutralizing an opponent. Viktor and I also spent some time on small arms and weaponry. Not as much as I might have liked, but Crossroads will fill in the gaps. I like being able to handle myself in any situation.”

  “What is it you want to do when you leave Crossroads, Katia?” she asks, changing the subject abruptly.

  “I don’t know. Return to Romania. Maybe join the Linkuri,” I respond noncommittally. I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about my future lately. Maybe because I’ve got an eternity to figure it out.

  “You want to be a punisher? One of the hunters?” she questions, her surprise evident.

  “Why not? I haven’t got much family to speak of, and we both know that I can’t exactly follow in Aldo’s footsteps.”

  “I don’t know any such thing,” she returns, meeting my eyes. “Crossroads will prepare you for whatever future you choose. You’ve got plenty of time left to figure it out anyway. Lots of students change their minds over the years. Actually it’s rare for a student not to change his or her mind.”

  Joining the Linkuri is dangerous work. I’m sure this is why Anya’s put off by my answer. The Linkuri are a brotherhood of assassins employed by the Elder’s Council. If you cross the Council, it’s the Linkuri who will come find you. From what I’ve heard, death would be a blessing compared to the wrath of the Linkuri. They instill fear in even the strongest vampires.

  Honestly, I have no idea what I want to do. Maybe I’d enjoy the Linkuri. I think I’d be good at it. But who knows? It seems as good a way as any to repay my debt to Aldo, and I’m not afraid of the danger. I have nothing to lose and therefore nothing to fear.

  Before I can respond, there’s a knock at the door, and we’re interrupted. Anya checks her watch and jumps up from the desk. I don’t imagine she’s expecting anyone else for our session, and I’m curious to see who has come knocking so late.

  Anya cracks the door doing her best to protect my privacy, but her guest towers over her, and I can easily see it’s Nikolai in the hall. They whisper briefly about dinner and she sends him away. Curious. What’s he doing here? Maybe I’m not the only one with a special schedule. Then again, the apparent familiarity between them is not typical of a student-teacher relationship.

  “Sorry about that,” Anya apologizes, returning to her desk. “My brother. He didn’t realize I had a session this evening. We often dine together,” she offers by way of explanation. “There shouldn’t be any more interruptions though. Now where were we?”

  “Nikolai is your brother?” It’s difficult to keep the shock out of my voice. I didn’t see that coming. But, maybe I should have. Petrov. Petrova. Masculine. Feminine. Plus, they both have the same Russian accent and enchanting blue eyes.

  “You’ve met?”

  “Briefly. He’s the teaching assistant in my MMA class,” I tell her, omitting the truth of our actual first meeting. No need to borrow trouble.

  “Then I’ll tell you what I tell Nikolai. The sky is the limit for you. You can be and do anything in this world that you choose. Our kind has risen to amazing heights within our own society and among the humans. Doctors, lawyers, music producers, actors, architects. Find something you love, something you’re passionate about. That’s what Crossroads is about.”

  Her message sounds like a bad Family Channel special, but I know she’s right. While vampires excel in careers that permit a nocturnal schedule, I’ve heard stories of vampires permeating all walks of life on the outside.

  I tune out for the remainder of our session giving Anya pat answers that are vague at best. I’m distracted by thoughts of Nikolai and Anya’s relationship. Talk about a small world. At least now I know how she heard about my performance in the MMA class so quickly.

  This revelation reminds me what a tangled and incestuous species we truly are. Sure we’ve grown in number, but our fates are tightly bound, especially those of us in close proximity to power. I must remain vigilant. My secrets are my own, and by their very nature I know that exposing them will bring great penalty. There are some things even Aldo can’t protect me from.