by S R Watson
“I’m Madison,” she replies.
“So you’re the one hosting the party tonight?” Elysian smiles.
“Oh, you’ve heard about it? Great! I hope that means you’re coming.”
“I’m Genesis,” I interrupt.
I’m certain she couldn’t care less. Her focus is on the stud I’m entangled with, and I can’t say that I blame her. Girls like me never get guys like him, so I don’t even try. I’d rather see Loren end up with him, though. Hell, he may not even be single. He’s probably a player back home, or he has somebody. I’m sure he has his pick of women.
“Yes. Genesis and I are new here. We’ll both be there tonight. Looking forward to meeting some people.”
“For sure,” she says as she peruses me. “Are you two together? As in a couple?”
“Uh, no. We just met. I’m on a break with someone back home,” he clarifies.
“What did you do?” Madison winks.
“That’s kind of personal, Madison. Give the guy a break,” Loren warns.
“Why do people always assume it’s the guy?” Elysian asks. “Shelby and I have been together since our freshman year. She decided we needed to see other people to make sure we were not just settling because we were comfortable with one another. I disagreed, but what could I do?”
That bit of information surprises me. That definitely sounds like something a guy would suggest and not the other way around. Doesn’t seem like he is in a hurry to move on. But you wouldn’t get that from the gleam in Madison’s eyes. She smiles up at him like it’s the best thing she’s heard.
“Well, you’re technically single, and it’s her loss,” Madison replies, insensitively. “I look forward to seeing you tonight. Nice meeting you, Janet,” she says as an afterthought. None of us bother to correct her.
She walks away, and I’m sure the sway to her hips is for added effect. This is the second time today that I nearly roll my eyes out of my head. She couldn’t even get my name right.
“Now you see what I was talking about,” Loren says.
“I’m going to grab a salad,” I announce. I don’t want to give her another thought.
“Okay. Can you grab us a table since you’ll probably have your food first?”
“Sure.” We nod and agree to meet after we get our food.
I don’t know why I’m so disturbed by Madison. I’ve met my share of Madisons in my lifetime—the popular attention hogs who always get the guy. I need to just keep my head down, find a way to get through this supernatural crap, and graduate. The last time I looked up from my studies and tried to date, Cooper happened. He was an artistic, creative type and caught my attention. The moment he tried to fit in with the jocks and push for us to do more things with that crowd, we begin to drift apart. That wasn’t my world. I didn’t judge them, but it didn’t stop them from judging me. I have no plans to make that mistake again. Loren seems cool enough, but I can’t lose focus on my goals. This school is just a pit stop in my journey.
I assemble my salad in no time. I grab a water and head for the register. Surprisingly, Elysian is already in line.
“That was quick,” I say.
“Yeah. The main station had a salmon and veggies option if you didn’t want the stroganoff. It was a short line since most opted for the grill.”
“Lucky you,” I joke.
We pay for our food with our smart phones and find a table.
“So tell me more about you,” Elysian says, catching me off guard.
“Oh, good. You guys found a table. I wasn’t sure there’d be any left,” Loren surmises as she sits down with her burger and fries. She begins to discuss the party tonight, so for now, Elysian’s question is tabled. I’m grateful for the reprieve.
Chapter Eight
Elysian
Alternative rock music thumps beneath my feet as a crowd of people swarm around me. Loren introduced Genesis and me to numerous people whose names I’ve already forgotten before they disappeared to the ladies’ room. That was at least twenty minutes ago. I continue to mingle and sip on the alcoholic concoctions being served on the down low. This party is unregulated, but I’m sure open consumption of alcohol on campus isn’t allowed.
“There you are. You came,” Madison says, appearing out of nowhere.
“Hi. Yeah. Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Meeting all the classes, I’m assuming?”
“Classes?”
She inches closer, pressing her breast against my arm. Her spandex dress leaves little to the imagination. I know her type well. Underneath all the makeup and sexual attire, she may actually be a great girl, but that’s not what she puts forward. Instead, you see someone who is temporary fun.
“Classification,” she explains. “I’m a vampire, so that’s my class. Most of us are open to other classes, but there are definitely some who are skeptical of anyone outside their own class.”
“How can you tell what anyone is. Everyone looks … you know, normal.”
“Because we are normal. Just our own twisted version of it,” she jokes. “You’ll learn the distinctions. The werewolves are normally warmer to the touch and have a distinctive smell. They don’t stink, but it’s different. Vampires, witches, and warlocks are little harder to distinguish. When they use their abilities, you can tell them apart.”
“And what are your abilities?”
“I’m still learning. We all are. We share some common abilities such as speed and strength, but vampires can also compel humans to do just about anything.”
“Hmmm.”
“So you never answered my question. What are you? I can feel that your body is warmer than average, but you’re missing the smell.”
“They’re still trying to figure it out,” I reply, remembering our discussion earlier today with Professor Winters and Mr. Blakey. I’m not ready to share what I’m still processing myself.
“I’m sure they’ll figure it out soon. The faculty here is so much more advanced with their abilities. At least you’ve already made one friend—me. Well, besides Loren and Janet.”
“Genesis,” I correct.
“Whatever. I think she secretly likes you, and that doesn’t work for me.”
This gets my attention. “Why not?”
She loops an arm through mine. “Let’s get another drink. I’ve said too much already.”
I begrudgingly let her off the hook. We grab another drink before she leads me away from the party.
“Where are you taking me?” I question.
“It was getting a little stuffy in there. Just thought I’d show you around. You don’t have to be scared.”
“Scared isn’t the word I’d use. Suspicious, maybe?”
Her mouth gapes open in mock awe. “What are you suspicious about?”
“Your intentions. I think you just wanted to get me alone.” I chuckle.
“Guilty. You got me,” she admits. “I find you interesting, and I wanted you all to myself. You know … before all the other women try to get their hooks in you.”
“You’re honest and direct—I’ll give you that—but I’m not looking for anything. I just had my heart shitted on not that long ago. I’m treading with caution.”
“I get that. I’ve only ever given my heart to a guy once. Once he knew how much I cared, he used me and then dump me. Now I’m all about fun. If you don’t invest your heart, you can’t get hurt.”
It’s brief, but I see it. The moment she lets her guard down. The slip in her persona. If I had to guess, I’d say the provocative clothing and the “fun” approach with guys was all an act to guard her heart.
“You can’t be afraid to put yourself out there over one asshole. The person meant for you will find you, and when they do, you have to be willing to open your heart again.”
We walk side by side under the moonlight. She bumps her shoulder just below mine.
“You’re pretty cool, you know that? I wouldn’t have taken you for such a sensitive guy.”
“I w
ouldn’t say sensitive per se but more of a realist. I think we know what the right thing to do is or what’s real, but our instinct is to create a more palatable version of the truth. I’m guilty of this as well, but I try to always be as realistic as I can.”
“Want to see something cool?” she asks, changing the subject.
“Sure.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before a gust of wind whips around me, a blur of her red dress barely visible. Suddenly, Madison is touching my shoulder from behind.
“What the hell was that?” I ask, amazed.
“Me. I made a lap around the school.”
“Holy shit. That was fast. I didn’t see you leave or come back, but I felt you. I know I have speed too, but I don’t know how to activate it.”
“Come on. I’ll show you. Hold my hand.”
“I don’t think I can run that fast,” I admit.
“It’s called dashing and don’t worry. Just don’t think about it. Clear your mind and just start running. I’ll keep pace with you with little boosts if I think you can go faster.”
I can’t help but grin at her. This is a challenge I’m willing to accept. It’s nice not to have to hide the weird shit happening with me. I start off in a sprint. It doesn’t feel like I’m going any faster than usual, but the debris I’m kicking up indicates otherwise. I look over at Madison, and she is still holding my hand. She digs in with a short burst of speed, pulling me along with her. I watch the buildings pass us in a blur. I’m doing it. I’m really fucking doing it. I dig in to see if I have a little more to give. The moving buildings are the only indication of our actual speed. I watch as the colors blur even further. I wish I would have thought to time us. This is so freeing. We come to a sudden stop, but my feet don’t get the memo. I tumble several times … the ground not so forgiving.
“Are you okay?” Madison asks as she kneels on the ground over me.
I lie spread out on the ground, needing a moment to digest the rush. “Surprisingly, yeah! That was fucking awesome.”
“You did it. Now we just have to work on your stopping.” She giggles. She’s actually really cute when she’s not trying so hard to be a sex kitten.
“No shit,” I agree. “I can’t believe I was able to move that fast. It felt like I was running fast, but not superhuman like. The blur of the buildings around us was the only reason I could tell.”
“You’re definitely not a wolf,” she informs. “You’re not a warlock, and you’re not a vampire. I’m more curious than ever on what you could be.”
“How can you be so sure I’m not any of the things you just named?” Did I just give myself away with this little impromptu run?
“Because none of the supernaturals I named are as fast as a vampire, yet you we’re able to keep up with me. You’re not a vampire because your core body temp is too high.”
“Was all of this a test? Just a way for you to guess what I am?” Dammit. I messed up. All it took was a pretty face and banging body for me to let my guard down. Of course she had ulterior motives.
“No. Of course not. You have to know that wasn’t my intent. I was truthful when I admitted that I wanted time alone with you. You asked what my abilities were, and I saw a chance to try to impress you.”
The sincerity in her eyes is coupled with what? Fear? Suddenly, I feel like an ass for making her feel defensive.
“Sorry. I’m still processing the fact I have abilities at all. Didn’t mean to imply that you brought me out here just to test me. We were having a good time. And for the record, I am impressed. Thank you for showing me I can do that.”
She takes a seat on the grass next to me. I didn’t expect that either. She is so put together, but she is getting her dress dirty to hang with me. A glimpse of the real her, I’m sure.
“I’m glad I could show you. I can teach you all sorts of stuff if you let me. All the rules, the work-arounds, who to watch out for, etcetera. I can be your best bud.”
“I doubt the bud part,” I say as I sit up. I could never look at her as one of the guys. Not with that body. “Don’t you have friends that already hold that title?”
“Nah. Most of the girls are intimidated by me or shun me because their men are attracted to me. The guys mostly just want to bang me, not be my friend.”
I call tell her it’s the package she’s presenting, but she’s a smart girl. She knows how she’s coming across. It’s her shield, and only she can want to let that go.
“So tell me more about vampires. All I know is what I’ve watched on TV. Are you really dead?”
She snickers. “That’s debatable. We’re immortal and will never age. We’re stuck at the age we get turned.”
“Turned? So you weren’t born a vampire?”
“No. Vampires can’t reproduce. I think there are a couple of rare cases where a vampire mated with a human. One was able to carry the baby to an expedited term and the other woman died. There are rules against vampires mating with a human now, though, because of it. I was turned five years ago.”
I’m so intrigued and need to know more. “How did it happen?”
“I was dating this guy at my university in Colorado. When he first revealed that he was a vampire, I didn’t believe him. We dated for almost a year, and I fell hard for him. Once he starts showing me glimpses of his abilities, I knew he wasn’t lying. I begged him to turn me, and he didn’t hesitate. Only I had no idea what I was truly asking for. The thirst for blood was so powerful. I hurt a few people before the council caught me. I was facing supernatural prison or attend here under probation. I chose the academy, and now my probation period is up. Now that I’ve adjusted to what I am, I’m just working on developing and controlling my abilities.”
“That’s wild. So you’ll never age? You’ll always look this way.” I don’t dwell on the fact that she just admitted that she’s hurt someone before. That couldn’t have been easy to share so I don’t want to pry further.
“Yes. I’ll always be this hot,” she teases. “It’s one of the perks.”
“Do you have a heartbeat?”
“Yes. Unlike the TV nonsense, we do have a heartbeat. We pump blood to our organs, and that’s why our skin is not cold to the touch and why we aren’t pale. It’s called perfusion. Let’s see what other TV myths I can debunk. We eat and drink like humans. Although we don’t really sleep, we do rest. The one thing that is consistent with TV is that we can’t go out in sunlight unless we have a spell-infused protective piece on our person. It can be a necklace or any piece of jewelry really … as long as we’re wearing it. The academy is veiled so it blocks out the harmful UV rays. We only need the protective piece when we leave campus.”
Learning about vampires has been interesting, but I’ve been gone for a bit. Loren and Genesis may be looking for me.
“It’s been fun hanging with you a bit, but I need to get back. I’m sure Loren and Genesis are wondering where I ran off to. Thank you for educating me about vampires and the whole dashing thing.”
“Okay. Sure,” she says solemnly.
“Come with me. Maybe we can grab a drink and hang a bit more after the party.”
I grab her hand and pull her up. She smiles and agrees to help me find the girls. Maybe I can help her make more girlfriends, and I can will my dick not to go there. She needs friends more than she needs one night in the sheets.
As soon as we arrive back at the party, we run into my roommate, Brody. “Hey, man. Two chicks were looking for you about ten minutes ago. I know Loren, but the other girl must be new.”
“Did you see which way they headed?”
“No, but the one chick looked pretty messed up. She couldn’t even stand straight. Loren may have taken her back to her dorm.”
So the book nerd couldn’t handle her liquor. I’m not surprised. She said she wasn’t much of a partier to begin with. “I’m going to go check on her,” I tell Madison.
“Want me to go with you?”
“Nah. I’ll catch up with you
later. Thank you again for tonight.”
She doesn’t look too pleased, but I have to go. I kind of feel guilty for ditching the girls I came with. Using my newfound speed, it takes me no time at all to arrive at their dorm. After a few brisk knocks, the door swings open.
“What are you doing here?” Loren asks. “It’s after curfew. If Gertrude catches you, we’ll all be in deep shit.”
“I ran into my roommate, Brody, and he told me Genesis was drunk off her ass. I came to check on her.”
Loren cross her arm across her chest and stares at me like I’ve grown two heads. “She’s not drunk …”
“Well, he said she looked pretty messed up and that she couldn’t stand straight.”
“I’ve got it all under control, so you can go back to hanging out with Madison.”
She tries to push the door closed, but I’m too fast. I enter the room only to find Genesis doubled over on the bed. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know. We were walking around the party when she just crumpled to the ground like a rag doll. She screamed out in pain, but it was brief. She hasn’t said much since with the exception of shaking her head when I offered to get my uncle. I brought her back here to be away from speculation.”
“Something is wrong, and you don’t have this under control. She may not have a choice about getting help.”
I flip the lights on so I can get a better look at her. The light from the current lamps are useless. The first thing I see when I turn her to face me are the bruises on her face and arms. Her eyes glazed are over. “Get someone in here now,” I boom.
“No.” She’s too weak to even protest.
