Transylvania
They gathered below them. Shadow vampires craned their necks to get a better look at their next ruler. Above them was their princess, Veronica Tepes. Her hair black and free-flowing, eyes red and staring, skin like porcelain with a simple red kimono draped over her, and a katana strapped to her hip.
"They are weak. Their minds are nothing more than blank parchments that await orders to be written on. Non of them are truly fit for battle." She assessed. Her red eyes glared at the troops below. Her eyes gleamed with disapproval. Next to her was her king, her father, Dracula. "Your input?"
"They do not question my orders. They will not question yours as well. These shadow vampires do as told and are easy to dispose of when they do not complete orders as needed." He answered. The corners of Veronica's lips turned upward to reveal sharpened canines. "What do you think?"
"Doable. They will make excellent sparing subjects." She answered. Dracula nodded in approval. He waved off the shadow vampires while leading Veronica inside the castle. She followed close behind her father. They said nothing to each other, but orders were given. Veronica nodded and left the castle. "Time to get to work."
Her hair changed from black to brown, her eyes went from bloody to chocolate, cheeks turned rosy, and fangs hid themselves amongst her teeth. The kimono shorten while the folds melded together to form a red dress, the katana thickened and morphed into a shoulder bag, and small stops of the shadows wound around her legs to form boots.
She walked out of the nearest shadow and into the daylight. Veronica welcomed the sunlight like it was a gift. Her life predetermined by birthright to be in darkness. Every bit of sunlight was special to her. Even if it was clouded under the New York sky and shrouded by trees in the school courtyard.
Veronica's POV
"Excuse me, I'm new and I was wondering if you could give me my schedule. My uncle dropped me off and took off." I explained while walking into the attendance office. The lady behind the desk looked up from her computer and then back down. She punched in a few keys before looking back at me. I walked over to the desk while adjusting the shoulder strap on my bag. "He said that he was late for a meeting and couldn't help me sign in."
"No problem. Just head right on in, miss…" She trailed off. I pulled out a student ID from St. Vladimir's Academy over in Montana. My photo could have been better, but it was the best I had. Uniform was a bit snug because they didn't have anymore uniforms in my size. Stinking Moroi and their small bodies. "Veronica Tepes. The principal is expecting you. He greets the new students personally."
"Thanks." I replied while heading into the principal's office. It was plain and a bit simple. Didn't seem that much different from Headmistress Kirova's office. He was looking out the window when I walked in. His hands were folded nearly behind his back. I bit back a laugh and sat down in one of the chairs. "Excuse..."
"Veronica Tepes. Straight A student, completed your physical education requirements early, captain of your last school's material arts team, and you taught the class. I'm impressed." He started. I folded my hands on my lap an stared at him. "Welcome to Midtown High."
"A pleasure to be here. I apologize that my uncle could not be here, but I hope that it isn't a problem." I greeted. He turned to me and studied me. A quick once over and then he went to sit behind his computer. I stared at it for a bit before pretending to look nervous. A strange feeling the humans have, nervousness. "Will it?"
"Not at all. I was actually wondering what your uncle does for a living. If you don't mind my asking." He asked. I nodded and shifted in my seat. If I stayed at St. Vladimir's, I wouldn't have to pretend to be this damn fidgety.
"He is a neurologist. A good one at that, quite generous as well." I leafed through some of the papers in my bag. One held a photo of my "uncle" from my mom's side. "Dr. Stephen Strange, my mom's brother."
Reality check: Dr. Strange went to the same medical school as my mom before she met my dad. They didn't like each other, but they cared for each other like brother and sister. After she died, he helped out with me by secretly enrolling me at St. Vladimir's. When my dad found out, he took advantage of it and sent me here to Midtown High. Joy.
"Yet you are enrolled as Tepes. Why?" His voice held a small warning. There is something about him that I hate.
"Tepes is my paternal surname. A proud one at that. Mind it be of an impaler, I simply take pride of my royal lineage." I retorted. Venom dripped from my tone as I watched the principal take whatever notes he had on his computer and print them.
"I'll be contacting your uncle later today to finish up your portfolio. In the meantime," He handed me my schedule with a smile on his face. "Head on to class."
I took the paper and then took off. All the hallways were empty, except the janitor. Though even he failed to see the small tendrils of shadows following me. Each of them were swirling around me. With each step I took, the circle of shadows expanded.
"What are those things?" I whipped around and came face to face with a blonde boy. His hair was to his shoulders and his eyes like emeralds. He wore a regular T-shirt, khakis, sandals, and had a sweater tied around his waist. Around his neck was a metallic necklace with a small engraving on it.
"What are you talking about?" I feigned ignorance while keeping my eyes away from the tendrils. They began to disperse as I walked closer to the boy. He looked at my feet and then met my eyes. They sparkled in a way, like the full moon's reflection in the pond in the palace courtyard. "I doubt the boots will fit you."
"Do you know what those things were?" He asked. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down. My boots looked designer, but my money would be on the shadows. "Didn't you see them?"
"I just see my boots and your sandals. That's it." I kept my voice leveled and free of any knowledge of the tendrils. The last thing I needed was a student questioning me in a place where the principal might as well be a spy. "Maybe you should go see the nurse."
"No. I'm fine." He answered. I gave him a once-over and waited until he really dropped the topic. "Are you new here?"
"Just moved from Montana." I moved to the side and began to walk down the hall while looking at the lockers. The luck I would get to have the devil's number as my locker. "My dad went on a business trip so I'm living with my uncle right now."
"Who's your uncle?" He walked beside me and looked at the hallway in front of us. I scrunched my nose and looked back at the papers the principal gave me. This was going to be impossible.
"Stephen Strange, he's a neurologist. He isn't really my uncle, but he's the closest thing I have to one." I shook my head seeing as I finally give up on searching for the demonic locker.
"Having trouble finding your locker?" He tilted his head to the side while I restrained myself from ripping up the paper. I handed him the paper and followed him towards the end of the hallway. Smack center of the alcove was a locker with the plate ripped out, my locker. "One of the other students took it out."
"Superstitious much?" I asked as I opened the locker. The guy stayed next to me, like some kind of creeper.
"Superstition is the poetry of life." He replied. I shook my head and jammed some of my stuff into the locker. It all fit easily, but it lacked that small sense of me so I decided to hang some old photos. One of my friends from St. Vlad's, a couple of the castle, another of my uncle with me at the Coney Island boardwalk, a few more from the other countries where I've been, and one of my mom. "Woah."
"I get around a bit too much. My dad travels, I follow when I can. My uncle pulled me out of his system and put me in the school's." I pulled out a notebook and a pen before kicked the locker shut. The guy handed me my papers back and stared at me. "Need something?"
"We have next period together, I'll show you the way." He shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to the bell. I bit the inside of my lip with my fang and waited until the blood began to pool in my mouth. Quickly, I swallowed it and lightly licked the bite.
"Thanks. That's very kind of you."
"Don't mention it."
The bell rang without warning and now I regret standing right below it. I cringed as it rang and waited for it to stop. Once it did, the ringing continued in my ears. The guy lifted himself from the lockers and started to walk towards our next period.
"Name's Danny, Danny Rand."
"Veronica Tepes." He didn't look at me, but I looked at his back. In the dark corners of the hall, shadows sharpened and followed my steely gaze. What a perfect target for my next meal…