Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Silas University where aside from getting a top notch post-secondary education in whatever major you have selected, you also graduate into a member of the Society of Hunters. As per any university, you are expected to attend all classes regularly, and gain as much knowledge as you can acquire over the next four years regarding your respective fields. As you all know, each and every one of you have been selected based on the fact that you are legacies from previous members of the Society before you, whether it is a parent or grandparent. I am sure you are all well aware of the different categories of this program; however I will review them in case anyone has not heard.
First off we have our alchemy route which consists of potions, charms/weaponry, herbology, study of ancient runes, and defensive strategizing. As our alchemists are generally our more level headed students, they generally become the unspoken leaders of your designated covert ops team post-graduation, however I will expand upon that at a later time.
Next we have our medics and researchers. These students are the brightest of the bright. They generally come from long lines of geniuses and serve as the medic while out in the field, and researchers when in the lab.
Our hunters have been groomed from the time they were small children to become lethal warriors. They are strong, fast, and have an aptitude for field work like no other member on the team They eventually develop an innate ability to sense the enemy, almost feel a pull towards them however this skill is not developed until decades after having graduated from Silas. This being said, they are often impulsive and have a tendency to become overly passionate about hunting the enemy, hence the reason for the alchemists being our designated team leaders except for in extraordinary circumstances.
Finally we have the Pack Program. These students have genetic mutations that have been passed down from their ancestors causing them to shift into wolves initially every full moon, however by the time you all have graduated; you will be able to control this ability. Your freshmen year will be the most challenging for you, but have faith in your instructors and mentors and you will be fine young wolves.
Upon graduation each of you will be assigned to a covert ops team that will be asked to assemble only when there is an outbreak of the vampire virus, or some other state of emergency. Each team is assigned two hunters, two wolves, one medic and one alchemist. When you are not on duty and working in your respective teams you are expected to live just like any other human, developing good careers and becoming respectable members of society. Silas students go on to become very successful in their fields, we expect you to become the best and will help as much as we can to get you there. We need members of the Society of Hunters to become leaders within their communities to help hide things of a more supernatural nature from the general public to prevent any sort of mass panic, or even worse war.
I wish you all the best of luck in both your studies and training. This week will consist mostly of orientation, physical training, and baseline testing. Regular university classes commence next week. Remember that we also encourage participation in extracurricular activities here at Silas so stop by the meal hall today at noon to sign up for any teams, groups, or clubs you wish to take part in. You will all have a meeting on your respective floors this evening with your floor dawns. Remember to have fun, and be safe.
"Party at the Zeta's tonight!" a male voice quickly added, causing the crowd of students to erupt in laughter and cheers.
"Welcome to university Hollis… Time to girl the hell up…" Laura thought to herself before making her way through the crowd to try and find her room number.
Carmilla sipped her coffee as she sat cross legged on the balcony of her apartment in Greece, a copy of Anthem rested on her lap as she alternated between reading and gazing out at the Aegean Sea wondering which one of her apartments in which city she wanted to visit next. A light breeze blew causing her black maxi dress to blow in the wind. Running her hand through her hair, she leaned her head back against the headrest of her seat for a moment, closing her eyes and feeling the sun beat down against her face.
"You know darling, vampires don't generally enjoy the sun like this."
She left her eyes closed unfazed by the sound of the familiar woman's voice behind her, anticipating that she was coming for her sooner or later.
"Ahh, but cats certainly delight in sunbathing, what took you so long Mother?"
"Well you didn't exactly make it easy to find you dear. I had actually lost track of your whereabouts up until a week ago. Fortunately Maddie had mentioned to Will in passing that you were planning on stopping by your place in Greece for a few weeks after your little girls trip to Saigon. I must admit," she paused, taking in the view, "you have finally figured out how to enjoy the finer things in life."
"Yes, well after three centuries you begin to develop a more refined taste."
"Talk to me after eight centuries Kitty. I am happy to see that you are finally fully embracing the perks of being a vampire. Unfortunately I am here on business not pleasure."
Carmilla scoffs at this, fully aware of why she made this impromptu visit.
"Is it that time already?" Carmilla retorts sarcastically, sighing. "Amazing how quickly a century flies; do we have any prospects?"
"A list has been emailed to you. We have managed to mask Will's scent well enough that he will be joining you to grant you easier access to the males at Silas since you refuse to use your unique skill set on them."
This gets Carmilla's attention; she agilely shoots out of her chair and is now facing her mother. The tall woman is dressed in a grey, knee-length skirt suit that she can only assume is Channel. She notes that her mother has cut her hair since the last time she had encountered her decades ago so the dark strands fall just above her shoulders and flip out, but as always her lips are painted in a deep red lipstick.
"Mamman, do I strike you as the type of person that plays well with others. If you send me in there with a newbie like him I am going to end up caught or worse."
Mother laughs, and it is almost comical how much she sounds like a villain. "You were new to this to once Carmilla, and if I recall Maddie took you under her wing the first time I sent you into Silas."
"Just tell the lackwitt to stay away from me and only associate with the Zetas. They are so useless that he could probably bite one of them and they still wouldn't put it together."
"As you wish Kitty, he is only there as a resource if you need him."
Carmilla rolls her eyes, "are my accommodations already prepared?"
"We have been scouting this group for three years now. We anticipate the mark being one of the upper classmen. This being said, we have placed you in a dorm room with a frosh who we don't expect will develop into much of a threat based on her size," she pauses and rolls her eyes, "and quite frankly her demeanor for that matter. She seems rather docile. However she does regularly associate with the three students we anticipate becoming a threat. Once they develop to their full potential, you know what to do."
"So you are sticking me with the runt of the litter… perfect." Carmilla pauses, "when do I leave?"
Her mother reaches into her breast pocket and pulls out a ticket, "She is not a wolf. She is training to be a hunter. I haven't been able to trace her lineage yet, but all the same be careful. You're set to catch the red-eye tonight. Safe travels darling."
Carmilla snatches the ticket from her mother's hand and storms into the massive apartment to pack a bag of essentials (a.k.a blood bags). She knew she would be able to buy what she needed once she landed in Austria.
"Here we go again," Carmilla murmurs to no one in particular.
THUD
Laura falls from her bed startled from the loud alarm currently ringing through the halls to wake up the entire campus, just like she had every other day this week. She groans, climbing to her feet and quickly changing into her shorts and jogging pants she had set out the night before.
She could hear the sound of her floor dawn Perry's voice screaming through the megaphone for all students to wake up.
"Come on ladies, get up and get going! We are racing the boys this morning! First team to finish their 10 kilometer run gets to go first in the line at the meal hall!"
Laura picked up her pace, throwing on her sneakers and opening the door to the hall just in time to find LaFontaine jogging by.
"Hey LaF, wait up!" Laura shouted after her, but the redhead clearly had no intention of slowing her pace.
"Hurry up froshie! You heard Perry. First team to finish gets to the front of the line, and I am not losing to a group of boys!"
Laura quickly caught up, and they burst through the door and headed towards the running trail through the woods.
LaFontaine looked down at Laura who was desperately trying to keep up with her. It was times like this that Laura's short legs placed her at a definite disadvantage. "Chocolate chip pancakes Laura. Just remember the pancakes."
"I thought you didn't even have to do all of this stupid Hell Week stuff!" Laura huffed, trying desperately not to trip over any of the tree roots below her feet.
"Perry talked me into it," LaFontaine admitted, rolling her eyes. "Just because you spend all of your time in the lab doesn't mean you have an excuse to neglect your cardiovascular health." She mimicked her tone perfectly, a skill she had mastered over the years from all of the incessant mockery between the two gingers.
Laura laughed, "You're so whipped…"
"Shut up!" LaFontaine grumbled, picking up her speed as payback. "Don't fall behind froshie!"
Laura felt a quick rush of wind fly past her, followed by another seconds after. "Danny and Kirsch must be racing again."
"Always competing for top dog those two," LaFontaine sighs. "I don't know why Kirsch hasn't given up on beating her in a foot race; she kicks his ass every time."
"You have to admire his determination though," Laura chuckles, desperately wishing she could be half as fast as Danny, or as strong as Kirsch.
She thought back to the day she told her father that she wanted to go to Silas like her mother did; she did have a birthright to attend if she dared embark upon that path. After all, this life is what ultimately resulted in her mother's untimely death.
"But don't you see! That is exactly why I have to do it dad!" Laura remembered explaining.
It was the first real fight she and her father ever had. It finally resolved a week later when her father agreed to let her go. He understood, it was in her blood, but he was still scared. He insisted on sending her away with an entire bag of bear spray. Personally she hated the stuff, she felt like with her coordination she would be more likely to accidentally use it on herself, but it made him feel safer so she kept it tucked safely under her bed.
"So Perry mentioned that you're roommate Betty had called it quits after day 3, huh?" LaFontaine asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Uh, yeah… I didn't get much of an explanation, only a text from her saying that this was all just too much for her."
"I heard she got bit," LaFontaine said abruptly.
"YOU WHAT?" Laura shouted, nearly tripping over a rock.
"Yeah," LaF nodded nonchalantly. "She was out in these woods with some frosh kid; I think his name was Will."
"I hate that kid," Laura growled through gritted teeth.
"Anyways, he carried her out of the woods after the Frosh party that the Summer Society threw and brought her to the lab for first-aid. JP was there and he said that the vamp caught her right in the jugular."
Laura stared up at her listening intently, eyes wide.
"She was totally fine," LaFontaine added quickly. "Nobody gets through this program without getting nipped at some point. I mean it is what they train you guys for after all."
"You guys?" Laura said, "You aren't being trained as a hunter."
"Are you crazy?! They saw my aptitude for science back in high school and started training me as a pack medic and researcher. So I am basically a glorified veterinarian. You couldn't pay me enough to be a hunter; the crazy shit you guys do."
Laura laughed at this. She was lucky to have made a group of good friends this quickly upon coming to school.
It all started on the very first day of freshmen orientation to Silas. They had scored all of the new recruits who wanted to become part of the pack or hunters depending on their bloodlines. Following the ungodly obstacle courses and strength competitions Laura had placed embarrassingly low on the totem pole. The only thing that had saved her from completely humiliating herself was the surprisingly high mark that she had received on the aptitude testing.
This Will kid came up to her and teased her about her lack of strength, calling her the 'runt' of the litter when suddenly a tall dark shadow towered over him.
"This 'runt' as you put it actually kicked your ass on the score board today, so who the hell are you to pass judgment. Why don't you pick on someone your own size," the tall girl had said, stepping closer to him in an impressively intimidating manner.
"How in the—I placed first in the skills AND strength competitions. This is bullshit."
"Brains before brawn dumbass. She finished at the top of all recruits on the aptitude testing. I guess some people just don't have the mind for this kind of thing Mr. 53%. Embarrassing."
Just as Will was about to open his mouth and most likely make some snide remark, the tall girl cut him off.
"Hey Kirsch, come and get this mini pop collar douche and take him back to the Zeta house before I kick his wannabe puppy ass across campus."
Will didn't seem overly intimidated, but he backed down heading towards Kirsch who was now patting him on the back, however still leading him away from the situation. "First fight and you think you want to take on Summer Psycho over there. Ballsy move bro."
Laura turned around to see Danny Lawrence was the one who had come to her rescue and her jaw had dropped a little bit. She had heard about Danny before even coming to Silas. She was a top recruit, top of her class, obvious choice to become the new Summer Society president, and most likely going to become an Alpha after graduation. Laura couldn't quite decipher whether she wanted her, or wanted to be her.
"Thanks," Laura had said in a shy voice, fangirling a little bit. "I could have taken him though," she added, trying her best to sound tough.
"Don't worry about it, any chance to tell off a Zeta. Besides, you'll have lots of time to show that prick up. You are both in the hunter program." The redhead laughed, "I'm Danny."
Laura had met LaFontaine at an elaborate floor meeting hosted by Perry and they became fast friends. By the end of this first week there were already no boundaries between the four of them, no longer feeling the need to knock. Laura's room had become the unofficial hangout spot where Betty had left and there was more room there now. She didn't mind, it meant that she always had access to her limitless supply of packaged cookies and grape soda.
LaFontaine and Laura finally made it to the meal hall and were pleased to see that the girls had finished first. The Zetas had thrown a party the night before, so half of them were still puking on the side of the trail from being so hungover.
"Four chocolate chip pancakes with a side of sausage please!" Laura shouted up, almost needing to get on her toes to see Elsie who was taking meal orders.
"Four—" LaFontaine looked at her, "Jesus Laura, where do you pack it all."
"What? I'm a growing girl," Laura giggled.
LaFontaine laughed, "I'll have the same please!"
The girls grabbed their meals and went to sit beside Perry and Danny who were already half was through their meals.
"Nice of you guys to finally join us," Danny smirked at them, shovelling forkful of egg into her mouth.
"Not all of us are 6'2" Danny," Laura rolled her eyes dumping an ungodly amount of maple syrup onto her plate.
Danny scrunched her nose at the sight, "God, you are such a stereotypical Canadian sometimes."
"Thank you!" Laura laughed.
Laura was in her dorm room doing push ups in the middle of the floor facing away from her bedroom door, while watching Orphan Black on her laptop. Dressed in nothing but her shorts and sport bra, she could feel the sweat dripping down her chest and her arms were burning, but the thought of that Will kid beating her again caused her skin to crawl, so she thought a little extra physical training couldn't hurt. 'Hell Week' as the students so lovingly referred to the first week of school had provided Laura with both incredibly sore… well… everything, but had also provided some nice ab definition which was an added bonus.
"99—100" Laura counted aloud, mentally patting herself on the back.
She could feel her presence in the room before she actually heard her clear her throat, an inexplicable chill running down her spine. Laura quickly jumped to her feet before turning to see a dark haired girl standing behind her dressed in leather jeans and a loose fitting black t-shirt that showed off her midriff.
After scanning up and down Laura's body, lingering a few moments longer than necessary at her chest (which Laura couldn't complain about because she had unintentionally done the exact same thing to her, because well… wow) she turned to walk to the empty bed that was once Betty's before dropping her knapsack on top of it, discarding its contents across the length of the bed and desk apparently now ignoring Laura's existence.
"Umm excuse me but…" Laura paused, unsure of what was happening (but if it involved this girl staying longer to give her something to look at then she wasn't exactly complaining), "who the hell are you?"
"Carmilla," she paused before reaching down and picking up one of your cookies from off of the packet on the shared desk. "I'm your new roommate sweetheart."