Chapter Eleven

"We are going, no matter what you say, Dark," North said. She folded her arms over her chest.

Dark frowned as North said this. "Why do I have to come?" he asked her. "I'm not really needed."

"You're going to set a good example for your pupils."

"Who are...?"

"The rest of them," East said, "They need to know how to Concentrate, and you're the best Concentration tutor ever!"

"I'm a teacher, not a miracle worker. They barely have control over their magic power, and-"

"You're scared," North said, "Scared that the power might corrupt them."

"Well..."

"Come on! What's the worst that could happen?"

"Uhh..."

"I'll give you a choice. You can teach them how to Concentrate, or you'll have to come with us."

"Done!" he shouted. "Well girls, you're going to learn how to Concentrate!"

"What did you do to him to get him to teach us?" Irma asked North, after hearing what Dark had said.

"Well," she chuckled, "If he hadn't taught you guys how to Concentrate, he'd be on his way to church right now."

"What's wrong with church?"

"Don't worry about it," Dark said, walking up behind them, "Worry about yourself. It's time to start your training."

RRRRRRRRRRR!

There was a sound behind one of the doors. A familiar door to the girls. It had a brown, cresent-shaped seal on it.

"What does she want?" Will pondered aloud.

"Who's 'She'?" Dark asked, tilting his head.

"There's a mermaid in there," Hay Lin told him, "that told us where we could find you."

"What did you give her in return for her information?"

"What do you mean?"

"To get something from a mermaid, you have to give them something in return."

And it's time to pay up!

The voice came from the mermaid that was on the opposite side of the door. She sounded angry.

"What do you want from us?" Taranee asked.

Nothing from you girls. But the male that's with you can pay for your debt.

"What do you want from me?" Dark asked her.

"She wants your blood," Irma said.

"If she wants it, she can have it." He walked up to the door. Moving his hand across the door, he broke the seal. As he opened the door, a strong breeze blew out of the room, chilling the girls to the bone.

"Be careful, Dark!" North called out to him.

Dark walked into the room, closing the door and recreating the seal on it. The girls walked up to the door, pressing their ears to it, so they could listen to what was being said.

"Well," they heard the mermaid say, "Dark Flyer. We meet again."

"Just get it over with," Dark said.

"Very well." There was a silence. Then they heard a strange sound. The mermaid was...purring? Dark gave a small, painful moan.

"She's drinking his blood!" Irma whispered loudly.

"Gross!" Hay Lin hissed. She walked away from the door.

"What's wrong with her?" Cornelia said quietly.

She's worried about Dark, East said in their minds, reaching out to Dark's mind as she said it, Hay Lin really cares about him. She wonders if he feels the same.

After a few moments the purring stopped. They could hear the mermaid give a small sigh of joy. "Thank you," she said. Even though the girls couldn't see her, they could picture a smile on her face. "Your blood is always so delicious."

"Yeah," Dark said, "I know. But you should know that if we do this again, you will lose your ability to speak human languages."

"Why?"

"Because..." His voice lowered to a whisper. "...I've been drinking female blood."

"You're not a vampire!"

"Actually I am. I'm one of the 'goody two-shoes' vampires. I believe that us and humans should be able to live together in harmony."

"That will never happen! You know that!"

"You may be right, but there's always hope."

"There's no hope! Listen to me! I tried to be good, but-"

"It's hard to do. That's why I've got help from my friends."

"They're NOT-" The girls could hear her uncontrollable sobs. "They're not your friends. When you're one of us, no one is your friend."

"Well you're wrong about that." He began to walk toward the door, but stopped. "Before I leave, I want to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Would you like to come out of this room with me?"

They could hear her sigh. Then she quietly said, "Yes."

"Then take my hand."

They could hear water sloshing around as she came towards him.

Beep. Beep.

Dark's watch beeped only twice and stopped. Then there was a Zztt! and They heard the mermaid gasp.

"Now then, Desire," Dark said, opening the door, "let's go meet our friends." The door opened once more. First only Dark walked out. Then a girl walked out of the room. She wore a red blouse and a black skirt. Her hair was a deep black, and her eyes were a piercing yellow. Will knew she'd seen someone that looked just like that. Suddenly she remembered where she'd seen the girl. She looked just like the girl in...

"My dream!" Will shouted. "You were the girl in my dream!"