So...This is my first published story (yay!) If there are any spelling mistakes or I spell someones name wrong (sometimes I write 'Jace" instead of "Jase")
The gardens are overflowing with flowers, there delicate scents wafting through the cool dusk air. The moon's pale glow leads the petals toward the sky and I hope I will like it here.
The huge wrought-iron gates tower above me, opening suddenly as my horse trots toward them.
My heart beats faster and I am suddenly overcome with fear and nervousness. The others here are different from me, and I'm sure if they're anything like some girls I know, that will make all the difference.
I slip off my horse at the front entrance. This calms me considering I have barley any experience riding. I brush off my faded jeans, though I know they are spotless, and wait for Jason to catch up. Because the school is so deep in the woods we have to ride from the road where the limo dropped us off two miles into the woods on barely visible trails. I hate riding.
He is a bit behind me, and I notice he has stopped and picked me some of the deliciously colorful flowers.
I blush when he hands them to me before he jumps off his horse next to me. He smirks, his left corner pulling up more than his right in a crooked smile.
He walks ahead of me purposefully, and pushes open the carved oak doors.
"Headmaster Austin, you're back so soon?" says a small female voice from behind a large desk to my left. The woman appears to sniff the air and says: "Oh, I knew you couldn't be finished vampire hunting so soon. Half's are much easier to find." She turns her thoughtful and kind expression to me. "My, my, my. What a pretty one! What is you name, sweet?"
I am dumbstruck for a moment, until I say loud and clear, full of confidence, "My name is Caralye Lisabeth Apollo, and thank you." I smile lightly, showing my teeth.
Jason chuckles at my formality and I give him a look. "She is a human, Lia. Flattery will get you nowhere." He smiles at me again, and Lia has turned into a hard statue when I look back at her, biting her lip.
"What are you thinking? You have to take her to the other school!" she yells at Jase.
"I don't think Half Moon Prep is the place for her, don't you think?"
She is furious now. "You may have started these schools, Jason James Austin, but you can NOT change the rules you signed yourself!"
His face remains smooth and composed, but pure hatred flows in his words, and I want to shrink into the inky shadows surrounding the single silver lamp on the Lia's desk. "I never said humans could not attend this school. I said it was for the knowledge and history of vampires."
"Precisely! She is not a vampire!"
"That does not mean she can be turned aside. She knows, and she wishes to learn about us." He growls, his jaw tense. I take a step back, ready to bolt, holding the flowers close to me.
Then, she does something very odd and unexpected. Her face relaxes, and she laughs quietly. "You always find away around, don't you? I'm sorry for frightening you, dear, but mood swings are popular around here," she pauses, "especially with certain…people."
Jase sighs. "I'll need the papers, Miss Morrow."
I look at him quizzically. "You'll see," he smiles crookedly. I can't help but smile back.
Lia - or, Miss Morrow, or whoever - passes him a thick booklet of papers. I know what it is now. It must be entry forms and class schedules. Huh.
"Take her to her dorm, dear. Stay quiet in the main halls – classes are still in." She smiles sweetly, her periwinkle eyes glowing. I take a moment to wonder about that. It's past midnight.
Jase takes his cool hand in mine, as if the most natural thing in the world. A shiver runs down my spine.
He leads me down a wide hallway full of doors labeled with the subject, room number, and teacher.
Forty-five doors later, Jase pushes a key into a lock on a door, marked "Caralye Apollo, Year 1, 17" I wonder how they know my age and my name when I only just arrived. Jace sees the look. "They were notified about your arrival yesterday, when Catherine arrived."
A chill ran through me at the thought of the nasty young woman who had disliked me so much when we met. She was not part of the academy, but a lone vampire unwanting to be part of it. Jase had tried to recruit her while on search of new students but could not win her over. I was openly glad about this fact. She must have come back to decline the invitation—and gossip about me.
The door did not creak when he opened it, all though it looked over a hundred years old, which it probably was.
"Your room," he breathed delightedly. I took in a sharp breath. If every student got a room like this, no wonder the place was so big and ominous.
A four-poster bed stood directly across from us, against a large tinted window. A soft midnight blue canopy fell lightly over it, the same color as the luscious carpet. The bedclothes were the same blue, with folded over black sheets. A low, pale-gray love seat lay at the end of the bed, also filled with the same fluffy sky-blue pillows as the bed. The walls were gray with a floral pattern, with a large oil painting of the ocean at night on one wall, the bright crescent moon glowing above it. A large wardrobe sat on the opposite wall, a dark umber shade, just as the bed frame and other various wooden objects. Beside it was a vanity with many little drawers and jewelry cases on it.
As he led me into the room, there was another door on the wall with the painting. It led to a bathroom. In it was a shower and double sinks with a large silver mirror. Bottles of perfume and moisturizer were organized over the spacious counter tops.
"There's a closet in there," He says, gesturing to another door next to the sinks. "You can fill it with everyday clothes, or whatever you like. The wardrobe is for formal wear, but it's mostly just a space-filler, considering how large the room's are—catalogs will be sent to you for things like furniture and clothes, electronics or anything else you may desire."
Somewhere in my mind I wondered how old he was, but did not speak my thoughts. Instead I said, "Midnight blue is my favorite color." I'm not really sure why I said it out loud, but it was true.
"I know," He said, surprising me. He saw my face and laughed. "Remember, you said I didn't know anything about you, and then I asked what your favorite color was? You told me it was blue,"
"Midnight blue," I corrected. He smiled and continued.
"So you agreed to come with me, for some unfathomable reason. Where's your memory today?"
"Asleep," I complained, sniffing a bottle of perfume. It smelled like cherries and cinnamon. Spicy Sweet, the label said. I liked it. It was sweet, but not too sweet.
He laughed again, and I took comfort in the sound. "Well, you better get used to it; your days and nights will be switched from now on. You can go to bed after we fill in these papers." He pulled the thickly bound papers out of his coat pocket. I can only imagine how he got them all to fit in there—they were at least two and a half inches thick.
I groaned and realized it wasn't just one booklet, but a series of files and surveys, all neatly done up. I set the flowers on the counter. He handed me the first one.
In large, bold handwriting it said 'Welcome, dear student,' and was signed by Jase. 'May your time here be remembered as your home and may you find inner peace in that. Here at the Vampiric Crescent Academy, we train you to use your powers for good, and satisfy your needs without violence. Take care, and, be warned, there are rules and regulations considering dress code, blood supply, behavior…' and went on to explain. But a few things had caught my eye.
"A dress code? Are you serious?" I stared at him, my eyes hungry to determine his emotions.
"We have rules, Caralye, and though you are an exception to many—though I'll never admit it to Lia—you must follow the same procedures as the other students" When I just kept staring, he added, "Including the dress code."
"Please don't tell me you have a uniform," I groaned. I could already see the ugly plaid and blouses.
"Not exactly. Girls wear black bottoms, whether it be skirts or jeans, and white tops. Guys are the opposite; white bottoms and back shirts. Each Class has a different crest that has to be on your top or jacket. Limitation on what you wear is regulated and enforced. I'm sure you understand that?"
I just nodded. He was so serious.
I opened the file, sitting on my bed. I looked at him in shock when I sank about a foot into the fabric. He laughed again. "Comfy, isn't it? Most vampires don't need sleep at all, though we can sleep, but it's really just like being unconscious. No dreams. Only very new vampires need actually rest." He explained, sitting next to me.
"This is just the registry forms, where you agree to abide by the rules and sign your name and such. You fill in your birthday there," he said, pointing to a small line I noticed just before turning to the next page.
"A pen?" I asked.
"Check your desk,"
"My desk?" I hadn't seen a desk.
"It's right behind you," he said pointing behind me, his dark eyes shining with amusement.
A dark wood desk sat just beside the bed, which is why I probably missed it; because I was ogling the bed. A small, silver laptop sat in the middle of it, along with a pencil holder, a stack of file folders, a printer, and a black granite vase filled with violets and onyx tulips. I mumbled and pulled a pencil out of the holder and started working, Jase helping me and making sarcastic comments while I answered the long and ridiculously personal questions.
A couple hours later...
"Favorite breakfast?" I asked, staring into Jason's dark red eyes. Looking now, I noticed an amber color filtering through the deep burgundy. I shivered internally at the vampire's eyes. "Do vampires eat?"
"No," He says, that brilliant smile lighting his face. "It means what the half vampires eat. They can eat food or drink blood, and some do like food better." He grimaces. "I can honestly say I have no idea why."
"Half vampires come here too?" I ask, looking away and filling in the lines.
"Some." He sighs, lying back against the pillows. "No more after this year. Half's are rare, and humans and vampires rarely get involved together anymore. Humans aren't supposed to know, and seducing is a thing of the past for most vampires. And, since it takes a human female and a vampire male to make a half, they don't happen much. Half's are more like real children and grow old. Most vampire-human couples change so they can have vampire children." The last part is growled through his teeth.
"Vampires can have kids together?"
"Yes."
"Then how is it bad?"
"I don't mean that."
"Huh?" This was so confusing.
"Vampires can reproduce. But some vampires change children into vampires and 'keep' them forever. It's so wrong and unfair." The emotion in his voice is moving.
"Yeah," Is all I could say, because I was staring far away, into a place where people (vampires) change little children into ageless monsters (vampires).
"You think I'm a monster?" He asks suddenly.
"What? No." I flustered, my cheeks burning how did he know?
He laughs a bit and says "Caralye, I can read your face like a book." He smiles again, and I know I'm still blushing.
"I wasn't thinking about you."
"You think vampires are monsters."
"Right." I sigh, biting my lip.
"It's okay. I get it." He sighs too and looks away, pushing his long, pale fingers through his curly, jet-black hair.
"No!" I say, grabbing his arm. He turns to me, his eyes blazing and his smile mocking. I flush and he laughs.
"I know you don't really think that. Are you almost finished with that thing?" He gestures to the booklet.
"Yup, I've just got to—"
I look up and realize he is still staring at me. He breaks the silence before I can say anything or look away.
"Good night, Caralye." He says, and brushes his lips against my cheek. I remember our last two weeks together…The laughing, the playfulness, the bonding… and it all rushes to meet me.
"Carrie," I breathe, moving closer to him. "Call me Carrie."
He sits up on his elbow—we're laying side by side—and uses his free hand to cup my cheek. His cool fingers send shivers through me. I close my eyes.
I could have sworn he would've kissed me if there had not been a knock on my door.
He sighs and sits up, moving away. I follow suit.
"Jase? Are you in there? Lia says you came to this room. Who's Caralye? A new student? Let me in!" The musical voice is female.
"Come in, Kyla." Jase calls. I pick up my booklet and close it.
The girl who walks in is my exact opposite. I study her for the same length of time she does me.
Her hair is straight and almost white blond, scarily contrasting to my black copper ringlets. Her eyes are like sunlight, and are very bright next to mine, being dark gold with hints of brown . Her skin, the only thing comparable between us, is pale and smooth. She is tall and thin, and I'm of normal height and much more filled out (not fat, just not super skinny).
She is wearing a milky white turtleneck, with an black stone cut into a star on the left side of her chest, and black dress pants. A vine-like headband keeps her wispy, shoulder-length hair out of her eyes.
She smiles, her glossy lips parting to show her teeth. My eyes dance to the two prominent canines that sparkle a bit in the light.
"Hello, you must be Caralye?" She asks kindly, gazing at the two of us.
"Yes," I say, smiling back. "You can call me Carrie."
"I'm Kyla. I see you've chosen a favorite, Jase? About time." She laughs, like the tinkling of bells.
Jase chuckles, and says, "You guys will have fun together." He chuckles again.
"I have the room next to yours," Kyla says, turning to leave. "Come see me in the morning, Carrie." She steps out, still facing us. "Have fun." She laughs again before closing the door.
Jase sighs and rolls his eyes at me. "Kyla is such a flirt. She thinks we're up to no good." He laughs again, toying with a strand of my hair.
I blush again but before I can tell him I finished the booklet, I let out a long yawn.
He laughs again. I note that he laughs more when we're together. "Good night," He says again. "Here, I'll take the booklet back to Lia on the way to my room. Sleep tight," He says, and strokes my cheeks briefly with the back of his hand. He vanishes and I hear the door click softly.
My heart is pounding from seeing him move with his incredible speed, his closeness, his smell…
I inhale again, the smell of some unnameable fragrance wafting off where he had just been, moments ago.
I change quickly, grabbing a pair of pajama pants and a tank top from the closet, and crawl into the huge bed. Before I drift into sleep, I wonder if Jase is taking any classes. If he founded the school, does he still learn? Or does he teach? Before we got here he told me that there are seven Classes: Onyx, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Quartz, Opal, and Diamond. He also told me his mother named them. I was guessing I would be in Onyx, the first Class. He never told me how long you were in each Class.
I remembered a part in the booklet that told about the founder.
Jason Xander Austin Founded the first Vampiric school in 1831, named New Moon Sanctuary, created for new vampires to teach them about vampirism.
Jason's son, Jason James Austin, founded the Crescent Academy, Half Moon Prep, and Full Moon University.
The purpose of these schools vary, though the most important may be The Crescent Academy, made for controlling and amplifying the abilities of vampires and educating them on stealth and precision. Crescent Academy is the way to shape your future without exposing our kind or losing control. Next to the Crescent Academy, Half Moon Prep is for half Vampires rather than full—teaching you about how you came and how to survive your conditions and aging .Half Moon Prep is also for humans to learn about vampirism before they become one. Few humans attend Half Moon prep, because most move on to New Moon Sanctuary Quickly. Full Moon University is to educate Vampires in medicine, sciences, politics, art and more to ensure life is endurable. Learn life skills and lessons with your own kind.
Complete all three schools (not including Half Moon Prep) and you'll live a long life doing whatever you like. A vampire has two things humans only think they have—freedom and time.. A vampire's power and speed, along with gifts and charm, make us the perfect predator and the ultimate species.
I was a little smug—I'd skipped the first two schools, no charge. I knew I would probably become a vampire before the school year (however long it is) ends. I was surprised this didn't make me nervous or even scared. I think I was even...anticipating it.
I decided I would learn what I could before the vampire part. I thought I should be worried about fitting in when everyone is a super hot vampire, but I wasn't.
Not now, anyway, before I'd met any real vampires.
I should've guessed being with Jase would cause problems.
I don't know if I'll continue it, but I bet you guys can't wait for the vamp drama, huh?
Well, I'll tell you this: There is going to be MAJOR conflicts and jealousy!
R&R Please!