Academy of Vampires (Fireblood Academy Book 1)

by Nexus Jones

  And it's the worst possible timing as well.

  Exams are today, and I didn't get much sleep last night. My mind feels like it could use a good rest, but I couldn't bother to fall back asleep after that nightmare.

  Izzy is worried for me, like a good friend should be. But there's not much that I can really do about this situation, and I can't cancel my exams.

  The bell rings, and I walk to my class. Shadow Physics.

  I've been doing much better in this class since the beginning of the year where I was nearly failing. My study sessions with Paul were paying off in many ways, but I think that my hidden powers are helping me.

  I'm not sure what these powers even technically are yet. But they are doing something to me.

  I recieve the test, and there are a bunch of equations that are incredibly complex and make my mind twist in a thousand different directions.

  But suddenly, everything snaps into focus. The equations, which only a few seconds ago looked like a foreign language, make far more sense. I work through the problems, figuring them out without a lot of issue.

  "It wasn't that bad." I think to myself.

  Handing the paper back to the instructor, he looks at me and gives me a slight grin.

  "You've come quite a ways, Miss Parker." He said, giving me a nod.

  He was right. At the beginning of this class, I was quite certain that I was probably going to fail it. I mean, the other kids were way smarter than I was, and I was pretty much at the bottom of the class. I felt like a total moron.

  Was it that thing Paul gave me, or was it my powers? One of the two hyped up my mental abilities to the next level, but I am not completely sure, which.

  Anyways, after class, Paul catches up with me as I walk down the hall to my next one.

  "How'd the exam go?" he asked

  "Well, you know, I think I did fine."

  "Good." He said, smiling.

  I feigned a smile. It wasn't that I was unhappy to see him. I'm always glad to see him. But there were other things on my mind at the time.

  "I'm excited for Winter Ball. Have you started preparing for it yet."

  "Oh yeah...that's in like a few weeks, right?" I asked

  "It's next week."

  "Oh."

  Damn it. I haven't been thinking about it. My mind has been so distracted with the lack of sleep and stress that I have been neglecting almost all of my duties, both academically and to my friends.

  "If you don't want to go then-"

  "No! Wait. I do want to. It's not even you. I've just been busy lately...."

  "Anything the matter?" he said raising an eyebrow.

  I stopped at the top of the stairs at third floor, where my physical botany class was, and looked right in his eys.

  "No." I said, lying, "It's just that my family back home has some things going on...it's not really important. Just dumb human stuff."

  I gave a fake laugh.

  He gave me a fake smile. I could tell that he wasn't buying what I had said. He saw right through the bullshit I was spewing.

  "Whatever you say." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

  "Anyways, I have to get going to my class. I'll see you later."

  I walked into my class to begin my botany exams. I wasn't feeling the best, to be completely honest.

  I still got through my exams, somehow. I assume that most of the questions were right.

  The rest of the day was going pretty much the same.

  But things changed when Headmaster Volkov walked in.

  "I'd like to see Ms. Parker for a moment, please."

  A chill went down my spine.

  Uh oh. This can't be good.

  I climbed down the stairs of the hallway down the spiral staircase with my shoes making loud clacking noises against the stone floor. I could feel the tension and ominousness raise as I followed him down the stairs.

  I walked right into his office. It was rather large and the walls were made of grey stone. There was a large bookcase filled with books lining the wall behind his black desk. I sat in the comfortable, large green chair in front of it.

  "I know that you wanted me to stay out of trouble Headmaster Volkov. I'm sorry if I did anything wrong." I said.

  I was racking my brain for possible explanations for why I could possibly still be sitting in this room right now. I couldn't think of any. I have done my best to stay under the radar with the exception of the fights I got into with Melinda.

  "I'm going to try and make this quick."

  I gulped, preparing for the worse.

  Is he going to expel me? Send me to the underworld? Rip out my soul?

  "Give it to me straight. I'm getting a huge punishment, aren't I?" I said

  "I heard that you were going to the Winter Ball with George. Is this correct."

  "Uh...yeah." I said, wondering why he'd care about who I attended the winter dance with.

  "I recieved a message from his family. They've said that it is unacceptable and they do not want you going with him because you're....a turned vampire. I am sorry to tell you that." He said, "Not everyone is open-minded, unfortunately."

  I was in total shock. I mean, I'm not surprised that an old, stuffy vampire family has bigots in it, but how did they find out? Unless...

  "Melinda told them, didn't she?" I said with an upset look on my face.

  He looked at me, and didn't say a word. He didn't have to verbally confirm it, but I already knew.

  "You don't have to tell me." I said, shaking my head in disillusionment, "Is that all."

  "That is all. You can go back to your class." He said.

  I got up from the seat and left the office. My face was totally red.

  Oh....Melinda....You have no idea the beast that you've unleashed upon yourself. There's no way that I'm going to let her get away with this.

  After school ended, I devised a plan. Another curse. But this time, I was going to make it hurt even worse. I was going to take something from her that she couldn't replace: an experience.

  I walked up to McKenzie's room. We lived in the same dorm, but on different floors. She swung open the door, surprised to see me.

  "Mira, how's it going? Congrats on bagging the hotties!"

  "Thanks McKenzie, but I need your help again." I said

  I felt kind of bad that I was going to try and use her skills. But she hated Melinda as much as me, so I figured that this was a win-win situation for us both.

  "What's the matter?" she said

  "We need to make another curse. This time, we need to really hit her so she doesn't mess with me again."

  She lifted an eyebrow.

  "Wait, Melinda's still bullying you? I thought she learned her lesson from last time."

  I held up my index finger, shaking my head.

  "She told George's parents that I'm going to Winter Ball with him, so they stepped in and said he can't go with me because I'm a turned vampire." I was teething with fury right now, "Girls like that never learn unless they are finally beaten down to the point of submission."

  My face was red with rage. I could feel a drop of sweat drip down my temple. I was mad as hell, and Melinda was going to face my full wrath.

  "I'm sorry. It's a shame there's still so much bigotry in vampire society. What do you have in mind?"

  I grinned. Thanks McKenzie. You're my MVP.

  "She tried to ruin my Winter Ball. So let's ruin hers."

  "Oh...that's so diabolical. But if it's going to hurt Melinda, then I'm all for it."

  We gave each other wicked grins. We were about to wreck this girl's entire year. And we were going to love it.

  Chapter Twelve.

  Chapter Twelve

  "So for this potion, you need to get her to drink it." She said, handing the bottle over to me.

  Hmm...This will be harder than just splashing it in her face like the last time.

  McKenzie, the brilliant mind she is, concocted a potion that will cause Melinda to fall asleep through the entire Win
ter Ball. The potion is designed to take effect within the next 48 hours, right when the ball starts.

  I rub my hands in excitement.

  "The best time to get it done will be right now." She said.

  We were sitting in the lunch room. A few days had passed since we had the meeting in her room to plot revenge against this evil person. Concocting the sleeping potion took her a while . She needed to gather the ingredients. The potion will only work for a narrow window of time.

  I have to get it in her drink during the meal. I need to distract her.

  "Okay, how do we do it?" I wondered aloud.

  "I can distract her." He said

  I nodded. She got up from our table, we were sitting alone, and then walked over the Melinda's table. She was met with harsh looks and some giggles.

  "What are you doing here?" Melinda asked in her routinely snobbish tone.

  "Melinda, I needed to talk to you and the girls. I just have something I really need to get off my chest."

  "Do you think I'm really going to speak to you?" she said in her snobbish and condescending tone.

  I could tell that McKenzie was fighting with all her might to not snap at her.

  "Please. I beg you." She said in the most pitiful way she could.

  Melinda liked her submission, as anyone with a brain could predict, so she agreed to the meeting.

  "Fine. We’ll give you five minutes. Nothing more than that. We don't want to be seen with you." She said

  She gestured to her posse at the table to get up, and they predictably followed her like the gophers that they are.

  All of those skinny harpies left the table and walked to the lobby that separated the dining room from the academic building, so McKenzie could distract them.

  As soon as they left, I went into action. I got up from my table and slid over there sneakily. I made sure to look around first. Pretty much everyone was talking with their friends and eating at their tables, so the coast was clear.

  I pulled out the tiny bottle of potion from under my sleeve and poured it right in her cup of blood. The silvery potion disolved almost instantly, leaving absolutely no trace.

  I made sure to quickly get back to my table as to not arouse suspicion.

  After a few moments, Melinda and her crew returned to the table. They were laughing like hyenas. McKenzie looked totally devastated.

  As McKenzie got closer to my table, I saw tears coming down her face.

  "McKenzie, what did they say to you?" I asked

  "Well, I pretty much told them that I wanted back in the group. You know, like old times. They laughed at me in my face and told me that I was a loser and that it would never happen. Melinda even told me that she made out with my ex-boyfriend. All of the girls in the group knew, and I was the only one who didn't know." She was crying pretty heavily.

  I gave her some napkins from the table, and tried to shield her body from everyone else at the dining hall looking.

  "I'm sorry... I really am."

  "Don't be sorry. Get your revenge." She said, "Get it for both of us."

  I looked over at the table. Melinda ate a piece of meat. It was a big chunk. Too big for a girl like her. She struggling. She coughs a bit and then grabs the glass. She takes a sip. And then, she takes half of the blood down her throat.

  Bingo.

  I smile, looking right at McKenzie.

  Things are gonna be alright. I hug her closely, giving her some comfort as she lets out her sadness.

  ****************

  I stepped in front of the mirror in my room. I could barely recognize myself in this sweeping baby blue gown. The dress was sleeveless and there were various shades of blue mixed in. It flecked with white that seemed to give it an ephemeral feel. The skirt had ruffled tiers that had various layers. I could tell that whoever made this dress definitely spent quite a bit of time on it.

  Typically, I don't like wearing frilly things. I thought that I would hate it. But I look like a whole new woman. I actually like it.

  I turn to Isadora, standing in her light blue dress, not as long as mine, but with a sexier neckline cut, and thank her.

  "No problem." She said.

  She bought this dress for me. I didn't have a winter ball dress and I couldn't afford to buy one, so she had her family's seemstress make one out for me.

  I guess these are the perks of having a well-off friend. She's not rich the same way some of the other students are, but she's still pretty financially set.

  "I never thought that I could be pretty." I said.

  My hair was extended down past my shoulders. I felt beautiful for the first time in a long time.

  I heard a knock on the door. I went to open it.

  All three of the trio were standing there in their tuxes, looking sexy as hell. Their jaws dropped on the ground as soon as they saw me.

  "You look absolutely stunning." Paul said

  "Thanks for still doing this. I know that your parents-"

  "Don't even worry about my parents. This isn't about them. It's about us." He said, looking at me.

  I gave him the biggest hug. His strong chest felt so warm up against my face. I could smell his cologne. It was strong and crisp.

  "Do I get any love?" George said.

  "Of course."

  I gave him a hug. He's the jealous type and can't go too long without getting attention for himself.

  "You look beautiful Mira, just like Persephone the Greek goddess herself." Austin said.

  I always found it cute when he rambled on about the books he read and all the intellectual quirks he had just shined through.

  "I have no idea who that is, but thanks anyways." I said.

  I felt really excited. This was my first time going to any actual dance or formal event at the school. For so long I had spent my weekends inside my room, hiding away from the world.

  This is the first time in what feels like forever that I'm actually going out and enjoying the world.

  It feels good. It feels like I'm...normal.

  Leaving the dorm and stepping out onto campus, we are surrounded by a swarm of students dressed in tuxes and light blue dresses. The whole thing looks like a fabulous fashion show. Whoever thought that a bunch of vampires could look so graceful?

  The outside of the Great Hall looked phenomenal.

  There were white and blue banners handing on the front, wedged in between the pillars of the massive, churchlike building. Light blue flowers graced the outside of the building in the hedges.

  Paul and George were holding me by each arm with Austin trailing right behind me.

  I got jealous stares from the other girls and confused looks from the guys. Their jealous eyes lit my soul up.

  That's right girls, I go the hottest guys in school and there's nothing that you can do about it.

  I felt victorious, like I had finally won.

  Entering the Hall, we were met with blaring music so loud that it almost ruptured my eardrums. The smell of fresh blood was in the air. Fresh blood is typically served at formal events in vampire society. But I'm sure to stay away from too much of that, because I'm not interested in getting drunk tonight.

  I want to remember this night for the wonderful beauty that it is. I want for it to be a night of amazement and wonder.

  The great hall had a massive interior. But I could barely see through the crowds of people. There was a DJ propped up on a stand playing hip hop music that I recognized from somewhere but didn't know the lyrics. Strobe lights danced around the rooms and a thin layer of fog snaked between our legs.

  The whole thing had a pretty creepy vibe. But us vampires like creepy.

  There were so many people at the ball that I could feel the floor begin to rumble. I could barely hear my own thoughts over the massive amount of chatter in the room.

  I feel my armed being pulled and look up to see Austin leading me to the center of the floor. The spotlight is on us, and I squint my eyes to see Austin through the glare. He places his hand on my
shoulder and pulls me in close.

  I shudder when my body touches his, the heat of him totally on me. I can hear his heartbeat and feel his breath against my neck. His hand slides down my back and I feel a tingling inside.

  "I'm so happy to be here with you." He said.

  "Me too." I said, rolling my eyes.

  He was so incredibly kind. Definitely the nicest of the three. The smartest, too. I felt like I could spend a lifetime with him and continue to pick his brain for more knowledge.

  After a few minutes of swaying with him, I feel myself being pulled in another direction. I look up to see Paul holding my hand. He was so strong. He knew how to take what he wants. I was totally blushing right now, but good thing the strobe lights affected both our vision.

  He slid his hand down even further grabbing the outside of my ass. Normally, this is where I'd smack a guy. But I didn't. I really liked it. My heart started to flutter, and my skin tingled on the outside. I could feel every hair on my body start to stand up.

  He smelled so good. His body smelled like the fresh ocean. I could stand here with him all day long, him holding me and pulling me into his body.

  "Me next." I heard George's voice, as he pulled my left arm away from Paul and towards him.

  I felt myself tight against his body. He was really squeezing me. He lifted his eyebrow and had the most cocky grin on his face. He was looking at me like he was proud of himself. Like I was a prize that he had won.

  He slid his hand down to my butt and squeezed as hard as he could, making me gasp unvoluntarily. I started to look around to see who was watching.

  Oh shit, there were a lot of people, mainly girls, staring at us and gossiping.

  "Don’t worry about them." He said, as he pulled his lips to lock onto mine.

  My heart started to flutter. It felt so good to have his tongue flicking the inside of my mouth. My girlhood began to rumble and my nipples hardened. He glided his hands along my back and down to my hips. I could feel his dick start to grow hard in his pants.

  I wonder how big it is? I heard rumors that it was very impressive.

  Stop it. Stop thinking about this.

  "I always knew that you were into me." He said.