“This is my favorite place!” Rowan said, gesturing her arms wide, eyes shut. “Because I get to eat here. And eating is my favorite thing.”
I laughed - I couldn’t help it. This Rowan person was pretty comical.
“Well well well, looks like you can crack a smile after all!” Rowan smirked.
Ah yes, there it is. The reminder that I’m not normally smiling. Before I could think of something half decent to say, Rowan’s attention thankfully left me.
“Ah man. Don’t look now, I think the vamps have spotted you,” Rowan said, scrunching up her face as she gazed behind me.
“Excuse me?” Vamps? Is this another weird Rowan-isim that I’ll have to learn, if I stay here?
“The vampires. Sometimes those creeps like to scope out the newbies.”
It was at this point that the sound of my heartbeat became audible. I’m sure everyone in a six foot radius must have heard it, but Rowan just kept on talking. About vampires. Like that was a normal thing.
“I didn’t think they’d notice you mid-semester to be honest, I thought we could sort of just slip you in.”
“Vampires. Like, actual blood sucking vampires?” I had to ask. I mean come on, vampires at a school for magic? Isn’t that a little cliché?
Rowan laughed. “Good one! I love a ‘vampires can’t be real’ joke.” Her eyes squinted as she smiled. “It really bothers them.”
I felt what little color my face had drain completely, finally Rowan caught on.
“Oh my god, you’re serious.”
Rowan looked around to see if anyone had overheard us, and pulled me down to one of the wooden tables in the corner. I let her drag me, I was in too much shock to mind the pulling.
“You’re telling me you don’t know vampires are real?” She asked me in a way which sounded an awful lot like ‘you don’t believe in kangaroos?’
“Look, Rowan.” I cleared my throat before whispering, “I just discovered that magic is real about two hours ago, and that apparently I can use it or whatever. That is the extent of my knowledge so far.” Probably too much information to share with someone I just met. I’ll give myself a break though, on the account of sleep deprivation.
Rowan was speechless for a moment, something told me that doesn’t happen very often. “That is messed up,” she finally managed to say.
“Yep.” I half-laughed.
Rowan’s eyes widened and a ridiculous smile spread across her face. Did I miss some sort of joke?
“This is actually excellent!” Rowan whispered.
“Pardon me?”
“Yeah, no, really hear me out, it’s like sharing Star Wars with an adult who’s never seen it before!” Rowan clapped her hands together “I get to be the one to introduce you to everything awesome!”
“I’ve never seen Star Wars.” I replied.
“Holy crap. Ok, one thing at a time. First vampires, and then we’ll get to the nirvana that is the Star Wars franchise.” Rowan rolled her eyes “Although personally I’d rather start with Star Wars.”
I chuckled and rubbed my eyes. This is absolutely ridiculous! Rowan smiled wide, showing off her pearly white teeth, and leaned back in her seat giggling hysterically. After a moment she seemed to calm down, and ran a hand through her dark hair, eyes sparkling.
“Okay, Nym, I’ll give you a crash course in vampires. You’ll want to remain seated.”
I cracked a smile, and settled in.
“Most of what you’ve probably heard about vampires in your life as a normie is fairly true, they’re immortal, they drink blood, yadda yadda. What you wouldn’t know is that they are also the ruling class of the magical world. The eldest vamps have a council, and are sort of in-charge of all of us magic-kind and supernatural types.”
I guess I’m a magic-kind now? Still weird. That will always be weird.
“Like humans, some vampires have the ability to use certain kinds of magic. Although it’s usually blood magic.” Rowan screwed up her face before whispering, “which is ew.”
“So, what kind of magic do you use Rowan?” There must be different types because apparently blood magic is a thing. I was keen to know what Rowan used, probably food-magic. Or the magic of adorability.
Rowan made a funny face, like she was trying to hold back a belly laugh.
“What?” I asked.
“Man this is just too good, I’m sorry, you really don’t know anything about the supernatural world?”
“No, nothing at all.” I got the distinct feeling of being on the outside of an inside joke. I hate that.
“Well, I don’t use any type of magic,” continued Rowan.
“So, you’re a vampire?” I asked as my eyebrows reached for my hairline.
“No! No no no gross no. I’m a werewolf.”
She said it with such a straight face, I couldn’t tell if she was kidding. I waited for her to wink or laugh or something. She didn’t. Ok, magic is real. So are vampires and werewolves. Snap. The second I spot a love triangle I’ll take that as I sign that I actually am in hell.
“You still with me, Nym?” Rowan waved her hand in my face.
“Why do you keep calling me Nym?” I asked without thinking. It’s the sleep deprivation and shock, tomorrow I’ll be in better control of my mouth.
“Well, it’s a nickname, duh.”
I did grasp the concept that it was a short version of my name, I was more so trying to figure out why she felt like she needed to assign me one.
“Haven’t you been called Nym before? It seems like a pretty obvious choice.”
I shook my head no. The truth was I’d never had a friend close enough to bother shortening my name. Rowan does talk a lot though. She probably shortens everyone’s name in an effort to say as much as humanly, or wolfley, possible. Rowan, who was looking intently at me, thankfully shifted her gaze to something in the background.
“We should head out of here,” Rowan said, standing. “Timothy’s group of baby fangers is way too interested in you for my liking.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but I was certainly not prepared to find out on my own. I followed along behind Rowan, walking out onto the brilliantly lit quad.
“Ah, a little fresh air!” Rowan said. “You know they light up this space to simulate the sun?” She was obviously trying to change the subject.
“Would you mind explaining the–” I grimaced “–baby fangers?”
Rowan huffed and crossed her arms.
“Timothy is a vampire. Good old Tim.” She rolled her eyes. “He was turned four years ago, some sort of deal his Mom made to save his life. And I use the term life loosely here. The guy spends all his time being a jerk.”
I listened intently, but it was like hearing the Twilight Zone on the radio. This sounds completely mad.
“All of the vamps on campus are just babies by vampire standards, no one is older than Tim.” Rowan’s eyes lit up. “Except for the Library vamp.”
“Library vampire? That sounds like a bad kid’s show.”
“I know.” Rowan laughed. “Hey, vamp is kind of a bad word too, so don’t tell him I called him that.” She winked.
Right, because the second I meet a real life vampire, the first thing I’m going to say to him is that my roommate called him a bad name. Meet a real, life, vampire. I let that sink in for a moment.
“Anyway, Timothy is the eldest student vampire on campus, and the library vamp isn’t super approachable, so the youngins sort of just follow Tim around.” Rowan shrugged. “ There’s some sort of natural hierarchy instinct in the babies I guess. They think it’s funny to spook new students, it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
So, we’re talking about vampires like it’s a completely normal subject. That’s my life now. And this chick is a werewolf!
“Why did we leave then if it’s nothing strange?” I asked.
Rowan shifted her weight and twisted a strand of her hair, which had come loose from it’s messy bun. “This time it was a
little strange. They seemed like, weirdly into you.”
Great, that’s just what I need. Here I am, all I want to do is make it out of here without anyone deciding I’m a magical hostage– and the freaking vampires are weirdly into me.
“Literally not a single one of them blinked the entire time we were in there.” Rowan squinted as she looked into the lights. “I don’t want to freak you out or anything, I just thought it was best if we gave them some space.”
Sure, Rowan, that doesn’t freak me out at all.
A blonde blur appeared and slid to a stop beside Rowan, flashing a toothy grin. The guy seemed like a wannabe, his hair was perfectly styled and his leather jacket looked too expensive.
“Rowan, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” The stranger spoke without taking his eyes off me. My mind screamed weirdo.
“Not if you’re going to be a total creep, Tim,” she replied.
Timothy rounded on Rowan, all warmth leaving his eyes.
“Wolf, I’m a vampire. You don’t get to call me a creep. Or Tim for that matter.”
I felt a momentary pang of protectiveness, but Rowan simply crossed her arms, unaffected by the display of vampiric testosterone.
“Anyway–” he turned back to me “–what’s your name gorgeous?”
I held my tongue. Not only is this situation absurd, but I have a rule about sharing my name with suspected jerk-bags. Timothy crossed his arms, and stuck out his bottom lip in a bad imitation of a pout.
“Playing hard to get eh?” he asked, smiling.
I opened my mouth without first thinking of a witty retort– but luckily Rowan saved me.
“Just leave her alone Timothy, she’s had a crazy enough day,” Rowan said, moving her hands to her hips.
She held eye contact with me, and I felt like she understood how thankful I was to have a friend in this situation.
“I’m sorry ladies, I can’t leave without a name.” Timothy’s face tried to smile, but it looked more like a snarl.
“I thought you already had one, didn’t you say it was Tim?” Good dad joke Nyminia, that’ll get rid of him for sure.
Timothy chucked. “You’re cute, I like that.”
“Don’t you have a blood bag to suck on or something, Tim?” Rowan said. Timothy whirled around to face Rowan, flashing his fangs.
“That’s enough from you, wolfie.”
Rowan held his gaze without flinching, and yawned. After a brief stare down, Timothy retracted his fangs and turned smoothly back to my unsmiling face.
“My lumina, until we meet again.” He winked and strode off towards a pack of what must have been the aforementioned ‘baby fangers’.
“What an ass.” Rowan brushed off the sleeves of her flannel. “If any of the professors caught him flashing his stupid teeth like that…” She huffed. “Let’s head back to the room, Nym, I think that’s enough adventure for now.”
Finally.
We walked back to the dorm, and I looked up at the stars. I could just make out the Milky Way now that we were away from the brightness of the quad. Rowan recounted stories of her previous run ins with the young vamps, while I walked in silence. Finally we arrived at our room and Rowan flopped down on her bed.
“Look.” She said, propping herself up on her elbows while I hovered near the empty bed, ready to dive in. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, and I’m sure everything must feel crazy right now.”
Understatement of the year. I laughed inwardly.
“You don’t have to explain what’s going on, I just want you to know it’s been really nice to meet you.” She nodded. “You seem like a good egg.”
Wow, she sounds like she means it.
“What’s wrong, Nym?”
Blushing because I’m an idiot, I just looked around before I could think of something to say. “Well.. I, um, thank you.”
By the time I glanced up at Rowan, she was already wrapping her unnaturally strong arms around me. Sure I can’t breathe, but in a nice way. I patted Rowan on her back, mainly because I hadn’t read the manual for how to accept bear-hugs yet. Or wolf-hugs, for that matter.
Pulling away, Rowan looked me square in the eye. “I mean it Nym, I have instincts for this kind of thing. We’re friends now.” She winked. “So don’t you worry, I’ve got your back.”
This person, this werewolf person, was dead-serious. I have my own instincts about this sort of thing too. Am I actually feeling happy right now? I smiled, this situation was too ridiculous, and the day had been so long. Rowan smiled in return and ruffled my stark white hair.
“Thanks… Ro.”
“Getting that nickname thing down I see!” Rowan’s eyes twinkled as she laughed.
“I’m going to head back to my place and grab the last of my things.” Rowan turned to look at her mounds of clothing as she spoke. “And then, I’m skipping my Legacies class and getting some sleep.” She picked up her bag, waved goodbye, and skipped out the door.
Alone in the deafening silence, it occurred to me that maybe everything was going to be all right. Turning to face my new love, the bed, I was rudely interrupted by a knock on the door. Seriously? Before I had the chance to fully turn around, it was opening itself. In rushed the blonde blur from the quad, coming to a stop uncomfortably close to my personal space.
“Jeeze! Don’t you vampire people have to be invited in or something?”
Timothy gave me a lopsided smile. “Another funny joke.” He took a step towards me. “Forgive me, my lumina, I just could not resist.”
I froze. I know to play dead when faced with a bear, but I must have missed ‘vampire encounter’ day at school.
“I really am, truly sorry to barge in. I had to see you, lumina.” Timothy continued.
“Ok, what’s with lumina?” I asked. It was the only thing I could think of besides ‘don’t eat me.’
“Lumina means light” Timothy smiled widely, his eyes flashing.
“Alright, but why are you calling me that?”
“Well– you wouldn’t give me a name. And plus… it’s the reason I can’t leave you alone.”
What?
Timothy chuckled and took another step towards me. My fight or flight kicked in, but I was certain, though, either would end badly.
“It’s unlike anything I have ever seen. You literally glow.”
Great, so I’m some sort of glowing vampire magnet. This is utterly fantastic.
“It’s like you are on fire from the inside out.” His dark eyes fluttered from my toes to the top of my head.
Fire. The word hit me in the gut. Can’t everyone just leave me alone?
“It’s so bright, I can’t look away.” Timothy’s unblinking eyes fixed on me, and he licked his lips. “You remind me of the daylight.”
I shuffled backwards as far as I could. Just keep him talking. How did I do that teleport thing again?
“Is it true that vampires can’t stand the sun?” My mouth made the words, but my mind raced trying to imagine myself outside on the grass. No earth shattering crack though, so far, I was stuck.
Timothy huffed in reply, and made that ridiculous pouty face again.
“Well, it’s true for young vampires. The older ones can be outdoors during the day.” He glanced sideways, down to the floor. “It will be nearly a hundred years before I’m old enough to see the sun again.” Timothy’s eyes misted over as he turned to look out the window.
Ugh, curse my soft heart, I’ve always had a thing for the broken ones. Don’t fall for it Nyminia...
“So, lumina, you will have to forgive me. But you are the most beautiful being I have ever seen.”
Beautiful? I quickly buried the thought. Just keep him talking.
“You mean… I glow? Visibly?”
Timothy turned back to me, exposing all of his teeth in a wide grin.
“Yes, all my friends and I can see it. It must be your magic.”
My magic glows? Is that even a thing? I silently cursed mysel
f for not insisting the headmistress stay and explain everything in detail to me straight away.
“That young doctor fellow glows too, but not as brightly as you.” Timothy flicked imaginary dirt off the shoulder of his jacket as he spoke.
My eyes snapped up to meet Timothy’s, he had my full attention now. So, Doctor Farsky is more like me than the others are? Timothy continued to hold my gaze while I rolled this thought around.
“So what do you want, Timothy?” I finally asked.
“I want to ask you out on a date,” he replied, his voice high and chipper.
A date, seriously? I glared at him.
“I know I can come on a bit strong.” Timothy cast his eyes down. “But I’m new to this vampire thing. Sometimes I let it get to my head, and I shouldn’t.” He looked up into my eyes. “I don’t feel like a vampire. But I don’t feel human either.”
Something about that sentence felt real to me. He wasn’t lying, I felt like I could tell. Did I want to go on a date with him? No. Did I want to get him out of my room as quickly and peacefully as possible? Yes. He looked at me with round eyes, and I took a breath.
“Fine. But somewhere public, and only for thirty minutes.”
Timothy’s face lit up, and a wide smile spread across his features.
“It’s a date! See you tomorrow, lumina, just after sundown.” Timothy zoomed out the door before I could reply.
What the actual heck? I looked around, up, down, and out the window– shaken. Have I seriously just picked up a crazy vampire stalker? This is insane. Trembling slightly, I traded my Rowan-designed outfit for a long baggy t-shirt, and crawled into bed. Any other boogeymen want to pick a fight? I lay silent for a moment. No? Alright then. After tossing and turning for what felt like forever, I finally drifted off into a restless sleep.
CHAPTER 4
ANCIENT POLITICS
My eyes shot open, flicking across the unfamiliar walls. Where the heck am I? After a few seconds of struggling to crank my half-asleep brain into operation, the sound of a girl singing from the bathroom registered in my mind. Rowan! I let my head drop heavily back onto the pillow, and allowed yesterday’s blur to come into focus. I guess it wasn’t a dream. Rowan burst out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around her head and her body enveloped in an oversized pink robe. Its terrifyingly cheerful cupcake-pattern threatened to burn my retinas.
Of Flesh and Fire - Book I: Everything Will Burn Page 3
