Crap on toast.
She slides a skeleton key across the counter. “You’re in apartment 46B. Keepers training orientation starts in fifteen minutes. Hanson doesn’t tolerate tardiness, so you’d better head to that first before you settle in.”
“Huh? Keepers training? I didn’t sign up for that.”
The female gives me a droll stare. “If you didn’t sign up for that, then you have no business being here. Scribers training is officially closed until further notice.”
Don’t know what that is either. I’m way over my head, so I should really keep my mouth shut and go with the flow.
“Did I say I didn’t sign up for Keepers training?” I laugh nervously. “I meant, Scribers training.”
Before she can call me on my bullshit, I take the key and walk out of the office. Cassie is waiting for me, which strangely makes me glad. I never thought the day would come when I’d be happy to be in the company of a vampire.
“Which room did you get?” she asks.
“I’m in apartment 46B.”
“Wait, you got an apartment?” Her eyebrows shoot to the heavens. “I thought only Bluebloods stayed in those.”
I shrug. “It was a mistake. They’ll sort it out once registration is closed.”
Unlikely. I’m in the Blueblood wing by design. I just hope I’m not sharing the apartment with someone awful like that Boone vampire.
Cassie and I head to the auditorium for orientation, and I begin to relax. But of course, I don’t get to stay in the comfort zone for long. There’s a sudden change in the air. Conversations drop to murmurs, and everyone seems to freeze and stare at the end of the hallway. I follow their gazes and then understand the commotion. Lucca is coming over, followed by his entourage. Goose bumps spread down my arms while my stomach twists into knots. I take a step back, trying to blend with the background. I should drop my eyes to the floor too, but I can’t look away. I’m drawn to Lucca’s dark allure like a moth to a flame.
He doesn’t seem to care about all the stares as he moves like he owns the place. That is, until he passes by where I stand and turns to me. Our gazes lock for a second, and in that fleeting moment, I catch the hint of crimson in his brown eyes.
Did I imagine that, or even as a vampire, am I still prey to him?
9
Lucca
Relief. That’s what I feel as I stride down the hallway of Bloodstone Institute. I was away for a long time, and there have been drastic changes in our society. I didn’t know what kind of reception I’d get. It was easy for worry to take hold. But vampires—regulars and Bluebloods alike—still stare at me in awe and fear. I haven’t lost my touch.
I don’t make eye contact with anyone until a strange force makes me glance to my right. And there I find her, the idiotic regular who ran in front of my car earlier. I had already forgotten about the incident but seeing her properly now stirs something in my memory.
Have I met her before tonight?
She’s a regular, pretty but ordinary. I’d fuck her once and move on without a second thought. Why is she beguiling me like this?
I force my eyes away from her face. I can’t get distracted by fresh meat. Exerting dominance has to be my main focus. No one can suspect that my days are numbered. My uncle’s words return to aggravate me. He’s wrong. I’m not a coward. I’m hopeless.
When I veer toward the auditorium, Saxon asks, “Why are we here? This is Keepers training orientation.”
“I want to see what this nonsense is all about.”
I head straight to the front row. I don’t want the moron in charge to miss my presence. Ronan briefly explained to me what’s in the curriculum, and it’s appalling. When these new recruits graduate, they won’t stand a chance fighting in a real war.
Slowly, the place begins to fill. I don’t think the majority of the audience cares about Keepers training, but I’m here, so the flock follows. The division between classes is clear though. Bluebloods and regulars don’t usually mingle. It’s an elitist custom that goes back generations. It’s not something I support, but I don’t care to change it either.
From the corner of my eye, I catch the approach of Therese Schutz, a second-generation vampire like us. Tall and slender and with striking facial features, she could be a supermodel nowadays. She wears her long ebony hair straight now, parted down the middle, and her clothes reveal much more skin than they used to. Not that I haven’t seen what she has to offer many times before. I think the new term for what we had is fuck buddy.
Manu groans next to me. “Please, don’t start this again. I can’t stand that bitch.”
I’m ready to tell my sister to suck it, but watching Therese sashay in my direction, oozing sex appeal, is doing nothing for me today.
“Lucca,” she purrs when she stops in front of me. “It’s good to see you.”
“Likewise,” I lie, not wanting to deal with the drama of turning Therese down on my first day back.
“I’ve missed you.” She bites her lower lip while puffing out her chest.
My eyes drop to her cleavage and remain there for a moment. I’m a male after all, and I have a lot of catching up to do in the sack, but hell, there isn’t even a stir in my pants.
Hanson, the male responsible for training the new Keepers, jumps onto the stage and grabs the mic.
“Stop throwing yourself at my brother and sit down, Therese. Lucca is not going to bang you right this second,” Manu chimes in.
She narrows her eyes to slits. “At least I have males forming a line for the chance to fuck me. Who is going after you, darling?”
Manu makes a motion to stand, but Ronan grabs her wrist and keeps her in place. She breaks free from his hold with a brusque movement and then glowers at Therese’s back as she walks away.
“I take it you still don’t like her.” I chuckle.
“What’s to like? She has the personality of a blow-up doll.”
“You would think differently if you had a dick.” Saxon laughs.
“Gross. Save your crass comments for your blood whores.”
Hanson begins to speak, interrupting Manu and Saxon’s banter. He first welcomes the new students, and then, as if it were an afterthought, he acknowledges my presence. Fucker. He’s a Blueblood but third-generation. It’s easy to understand why he got the job. He never picked a side in the war, preferring to remain neutral. The thing is, there isn’t such a thing in our world. Neutral truly means I’ll pick the winning side when this is over. It’s cowardly and revolting.
The sneer that unfurls on my lips stays there for the duration of his speech.
“Now, I’d like to ask the newcomers to join me on the stage,” he says.
I look over my shoulder to locate the regular who caught my eye earlier. She looks paler than before as she follows a petite brunette to the stage. I zero in on her, stretching my predatorial instincts to the max. Her heartbeat is accelerated, which matches the panicked expression she has now. It can be challenging for newbies to stand in front of an audience made out of Bluebloods, but her fear seems to go beyond stage fright. It’s also familiar as hell.
“Oh, this should be fun,” Manu says under her breath.
“Hell, the blonde one is shaking like a leaf. What kind of parameters are they using to recruit those noobs?” Saxon scoffs.
Hanson proceeds to bore the crowd with endless talking of how important the job of the Keepers is. They’re supposed to protect our kind from external threats, such as vampire hunters and other supernaturals. What a load of crap. We haven’t had an issue with hunters since the last Van Helsing descendant died, taking his obsession and hatred to the grave.
“Let’s see how skilled you already are with the blade.” Hanson hands over a small dagger to each of the five recruits.
To regular vampires, becoming a Keeper is an honor and a way to have a more meaningful life. They all take the weapon with eagerness and even awe. The blonde girl doesn’t. She hesitates, and when she finally accepts the dagg
er, she doesn’t seem to know what to do with it.
Suddenly, she winces and brings her thumb to her mouth.
My nostrils flare, and my fangs descend fully. In a head rush, everything comes back to me, and I know who she is. A single drop of her spilled blood broke the spell concealing her true nature. She’s the thief from Havoc.
A growl escapes my lips as my vision becomes tinged in red. I grip the arms of the chair, digging my nails in the leather.
“Lucca, are you okay?” Manu asks.
“Can’t you see who that is?”
“No. Should I know her?”
It’s a struggle to peel my eyes off the human and stare at my sister. “You don’t recognize her?”
“Never seen her before in my life.”
“Holy shit, Luc. Your eyes are glowing red.” Saxon stares with concern.
I’m beginning to lose the grip on my free will. The bloodlust is taking over, and if I don’t leave now, I’m going to bleed that girl dry. She more than deserves it, but I can’t kill a human like that in front of everyone.
“I … need … to go,” I grit out.
“No. If you run off like that, people will talk.” Manu glances at the stage again. “If the blonde regular is the problem, I’ll deal with her.”
“And how do you plan to whisk her off the stage without a commotion?” Ronan asks.
Manu stretches her neck and looks over the crowd. “Aha! I got it.”
She pulls her cell phone out and begins texting with supernatural speed. A second later, there’s a reply.
“Stupid witch. Can’t she just do something without asking a thousand questions?” she mutters as she types again.
“Whatever you plan to do, you’d better do it fast. Lucca is turning purple,” Saxon pipes up.
Only because I’m fighting with everything that I have to control the urge to feed.
“Who are you texting?” Ronan tries to look over her shoulder, but Manu pushes him off.
“Aurora.”
A second later, the lights in the auditorium begin to flicker until they go out completely. A gust of wind brushes my arm. That was Manu rushing off from her seat. I hear a clear gasp up on the stage. She’s got the human. Vampires can see in the dark, but it takes a few seconds for our eyes to adjust. However, the lights turn back on a moment later. Manu and the human are gone.
My bloodlust begins to dissipate but not my rage. If the human came here disguised as a vampire, it means she’s still after my necklace. I gave her a free pass once. This time, I won’t let her escape without retribution.
10
Vivienne
One moment, I make the stupid mistake of cutting my thumb with the dagger, and in the next, the lights are out, and a hand is covering my mouth. I’m being whisked away without having any chance of calling for help. My kidnapper only stops moving at breakneck speed when we’re in a different part of the institute, a place I haven’t been before.
They release me with a hard shove, and I end up sprawled on the floor.
“Who the fuck are you?” the white-haired Blueblood asks.
I scramble back to my feet as fast as I can and then shuffle back until my spine meets the wall. “I’m a nobody. Just a regular vampire.”
“Bullshit.” She takes a step forward, trembling with barely contained rage. “You did something to my brother. He almost went berserk a moment ago thanks to you.”
She doesn’t remember me, so my best option is to keep lying.
“I didn’t do anything to your brother. I’ve never met him until today.”
“What’s going on here?” another female voice asks.
The deranged Blueblood turns around and hisses at the newcomer. “This doesn’t concern you, Aurora.”
Calmly, the brunette meets the vampire’s demented gaze without flinching. “You asked for my help. Now, I’m involved. Just spill the beans already. I don’t have time for Blueblood theatrics.”
I look closely at her, trying to pinpoint what’s different about her demeanor. She has tanned skin, straight light-brown hair, and almond-shaped whiskey-colored eyes. She’s beautiful but not in an otherworldly way. Then, it finally hits me. She’s not a vampire. She’s human. How come she can go head-to-head with a Blueblood without fear? And the vampire girl doesn’t seem inclined to attack her either.
Suddenly, my blood runs cold, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. A new tightness forms in my chest, and it has nothing to do with this current standoff. I feel his presence nearby, watching me. Slowly, I look to the right. There he is, standing at the end of the hallway with eyes glowing red. Even in the distance, I can see the white tips of his fangs peeking from his partially open lips. I swallow hard. As scary as his predatorial stance is, I can’t look away.
“Hey. Are you okay?” Aurora steps in front of me, blocking my view of Lucca.
“Yes.”
I notice then that the white-haired Blueblood is gone. The sense of doom recedes slowly, and I’m not surprised to realize Lucca has also disappeared.
I brush a rogue strand of hair off my face. “I don’t know what just happened.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
She grabs my left hand and runs her finger over the cut on my thumb. “You need to be more careful with blades. Blood has power. It can break the strongest spells.”
My eyes widen of their own accord. I pull my hand free and step away from her. “You know what I am?”
She grins. “I didn’t at first. But you had to go and cut yourself in a room filled with bloodsuckers.”
I glance at the spot where Lucca was standing a minute ago. “Does that mean my cover is blown?”
“No. Manu had no idea you weren’t a vampire. I know you’re human because I’m a witch.”
I cover my face with my hands. “I knew this was a terrible idea. I can’t do it.”
“Can’t do what?”
Fuck. I’ve said too much already. “Never mind. I need to find my apartment and get my thoughts in order.”
“Apartment? Where are you staying?”
“In the Bluebloods wing. Apartment 46B.”
Aurora stares at me without blinking for a moment before she bursts out laughing. “Oh my God. I don’t know why you’re here, pretending to be a vampire, but whoever set you up, they didn’t have the best intentions.”
“What do you mean? Do you know who my roommate is?”
“Oh, yeah. You just met her.”
“Fuck. That deranged Blueblood is my roommate?”
“Yep. I’d sleep with one eye open if I were you. Manu can be savage, especially if she perceives someone as a threat to her family.”
I close my eyes for a moment, fighting the urge to simply forget the deal and get out. But I can’t give up on Rikkon even if I say I won’t put up with his shit anymore. He’s my brother, and I love him.
“I don’t want to harm anyone,” I reply in a small voice.
“You’d better make sure she knows that. Anyway, I hope to see you tomorrow. Take care, new girl.”
I want to grill the witch further, but we’re no longer alone. The orientation must be over, and the hallway is slowly filling up with vamps. She vanishes in the crowd before I have the chance to get her phone number. I don’t know yet how I feel about Aurora knowing my secret. She didn’t rat me out to Manu now, but it doesn’t mean she won’t.
Still rattled by the witch’s revelation, I return to the auditorium to collect my stuff, finding Cassie waiting for me at the door. She has my duffel bag. Thank goodness.
“There you are. I was beginning to worry.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where did you go?”
“I had to use the restroom.”
She doesn’t watch me with suspicion, which is something I expected her to do. I’m a bad liar, and I know it. One more reason to add to the list of why I’m going to fail this mission. No way I can pretend I’m a vampire while
sharing an apartment with that crazy Blueblood. And she has to be Lucca’s sister to boot.
Maybe my mysterious friend did it on purpose, thinking that it would help me get closer to my target. He obviously doesn’t know how disaster prone I am. I almost blew the entire thing in less than an hour.
Cassie is talking about something as we walk together to our quarters, but I’m barely listening. My internal monologue is louder. She stops suddenly in front of a set of stairs, bringing me back down to earth.
“Well, this is where we part. My dorm room is that way.” She points with her head to the left.
I finally pay attention to my surroundings and see the sign with directions. The apartments are up the stairs.
“Okay. See you later,” I say.
“Wait, what’s your phone number? I’ll text you once I’m settled.”
I recite my digits to her, and then she texts me, so I can save her info.
I’m a ball of dread by the time I stop in front of my new home for the next three or four weeks. Taking a steadying breath, I unlock the door and walk in slowly. A surprisingly cozy living room greets me. It’s lively and modern, featuring a comfortable-looking sectional couch covered by colorful pillows and a couple blankets. Abstract art hangs from the light-gray walls, and the metal shutters on the windows are semi-hidden by thick white curtains.
“Hello?” I call out.
Complete silence. Phew. Manu is not back yet. Maybe I won’t have to see her at all tonight. I check out the open kitchen, which looks like something out of a home decor magazine with its brand-new stainless steel appliances and white granite countertops. I bet that the regular dorms are not this nice.
I open the fridge, cringing at the sight of several blood bags and nothing else. Shit. Why would there be food here when vampires don’t eat anything but blood? That’s going to be a major problem. I can’t eat human food without giving away my identity. I could maybe store dry snacks in my room, but that would be risky. I wouldn’t put it past Manu to raid my bedroom.
Maybe you can go three weeks without eating, Vivi.
Dark Prince: A Vampire Paranormal Romance (Blueblood Vampires Book 1) Page 5
