Chapter 2
The first thing that I noticed was the rumbling noise in the background that reminded me of a plane. The second was the hushed whispers around me. The third was the really uncomfortable restraints around my wrists. I searched my mind for what had happened and everything came rushing back. The Moroi at the club, the fight in the changing rooms and someone hitting the back of my neck. Dread filled me as I realised, I was on a plane and I was being escorted back to the Academy that I'd left all those years ago.
Slowly I peeled my eyes open and readjusted to the light. Looking up I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. I was staring right at Joe. Somehow I was lying on his lap and I immediate sat up back into my own seat. I found the way that he stared at me unnerving, it was like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. "You're awake," he said unnecessarily at last.
"Yeah…" I trailed off. "You play dirty, you knocked me out."
"It's not called playing dirty. It's was a necessity considering how much you were fighting back."
"I don't know who any of you are. If I had a phone I'd be calling for the police."
"Why?"
"It's a kidnapping!"
"It is not a kidnapping. It's a recruitment."
"Of what?"
"I'll explain that later. Firstly, how did you manage to fight so well against those vampires? You took down three."
"I staked them." I stated simply.
"Someone must've taught you?"
"Nope. To be honest, it's not that hard if you think about it. I mean, once you see a vampire you know it's real. I've been learning how to fight since I was a kid and I did some research after the first sighting. The next time I got attacked, I was ready." I shrugged.
"You took down three vampires and you've never been trained."
"I've just told you, I've been fighting since a young child."
"Vampires are different."
"Not really, sure they're faster and stronger but they know pretty much the same stuff. All I had to do was develop faster reactions."
"How many have you fought?"
I thought back for a moment before shrugging. I'd lost count after the tenth. "Can you get these off now? Since I'm already on the plane, there's no way I can fight back for now."
"For now?" he asked, his lips curling in amusement.
"Well when we land I might think about rebelling again." I shrugged. "Come on. No matter what you say, this is a kidnapping so it's only natural for me to fight back."
"Alright but only for now," he finally agreed.
When he removed the restraints, I stepped over his legs, stomped over to Jackson, Quinn and Dan and punched all three of them. Joe was out of his chair in a second and he was glaring at me. "Have you got no self control?" he demanded as he held me back.
"Don't worry; I was only going to hit them once." I scoffed.
"There'll be no more hitting them when you get to the Academy."
"Academy?" I asked faking confusion.
"Yeah, that's where you'll be staying."
"I will not!"
"You will."
"Says who?"
"Says the vampire law and as a dhampir, you have to obey. Don't even try to deny it, we know you're a dhampir. You have to be considering how well you fought. So humour me, why did you hit them?"
"They nearly raped my friends."
"It was not rape!" the trio defended.
"They never gave consent!"
"We weren't going to rape them."
"Fine, drink their blood without consent, either way I wasn't going to allow you to do that to them!" I snarled. "You used compulsion to get what you wanted. If you wanted blood, you should've gone to a whore house!"
Their faces contorted in disgust at the thought. "You're no better than those Moroi who simply take and leave." I glared.
"That's enough." Joe hushed.
I took deep breaths and tore out of his grip to sit back down in my chair. There was no turning back now; I had to go back since there was no way I'd be able to escape again. At least this time it should be different. No one would recognise me and I was no longer the shy girl who couldn't stand up for herself. These guys had no idea what they were getting themselves into by forcing me back to that school.
I didn't talk for the rest of the journey and the drive to the academy in the van was long and tedious. I couldn't help but stare in awe as we approached the academy though. It was absolutely huge after all and nothing could ever compare to that, except for a palace or something. Joe stood nearby at all times as the three guardians escorted us through the hall to the Headmaster's office. The Moroi punks left as soon as they got through the gates but they all stared at me curiously as they walked back towards the Moroi dorms.
Same as ten years ago, the Headmaster was a dhampir called Martin Hunt. He was one of the sweetest guys on the planet but also one of the strictest. I wasn't surprised to see that he almost looked the same as he did six years ago. I felt my breath catch as those dark eyes of his stared at me intently.
"You can all go except for the young lady and Guardian Maxwell." Martin commanded. The other two guardians bowed before leaving and closing the door behind them.
"You know, if all vampires are like those punks, you guys won't have a very good reputation." I scoffed. All of a sudden, Joe wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace and he nuzzled my hair.
"Stop pretending little sky," he whispered and I froze in his arms. I shoved him away spinning to face him at the same time and stared at him with stunned eyes. He held up my bag which also had my mother's stake in it. "Come here little Kai."
I stood rooted to the spot for a moment longer before emotion took over and I launched myself into his arms. I clung to him taking in his scent. It was so familiar to me, I felt so safe in those arms. His hand stroked my hair and he drew soothing circles on my back. I leaned into his touch remembering all the times these arms have comforted me. Eventually we broke apart and I grinned up at him.
"I see you couldn't quite get rid of the hair colour." Joe teased.
"How could I? Red's my favourite colour after all." I smiled. "I have a request to make Guardian Hunt."
"You know you can call me Martin so long as it's not in public little sky," he scolded and a moment later his arms wrapped around me lifting me up. He swung me around once before letting me go.
"You two are going to have to stop calling me that." I told them.
"What?"
"Calling me 'little sky'. I don't want anyone knowing who I really am."
"So you want to keep your name as 'Kylie Valentine'?"
"You went through my stuff didn't you?" I glared at Joe.
"Well I had to find out who you were and check to see if you decided to hide any more stakes." Joe held his arms out in defence.
I sighed. It was completely logical after all; I would've done the same if I were in his place. "Anyway, yeah, I want to keep the name Kylie Valentine. I don't think I'd be able to handle it if every one knew I was the kid who ran away all those years ago. I don't even want to know how much chaos that would cause. I mean, think about it. I barely look the same and I definitely don't cower behind people any more."
"You never cowered." Joe frowned.
"Fine, hidden in the shadows so people didn't notice me. However you want to call it. Even I know that I used to be a total anti-social." I rolled my eyes.
"I see that you've developed one hell of an attitude." Joe smirked. "You know how much trouble that tongue of your could get you into."
"You don't even want to know Joe." I grinned giving him one of my man-eater smiles.
He stared at me stunned for a moment before both men laughed. "I wondered when the Ivashkov blood was going to kick in. You were always an odd kid." Martin ruffled my hair affectionately.
"Yeah, seriously, if you tell them the only heir to the Ivashkov line is back and she's a creepy dhampir girl, the whole school will freak."
"You are a royal nonetheless Kalani." Martin warned. "Dhampir or not, you need to be careful."
"I know. I've been fighting for the past six years out there, I ain't gonna let anything take me down especially not the douche bags in this school." I scoffed.
"Douche bags?" Martin arched his brows.
"Yeah, douche bags. Never heard of that before?" The blank looks on their faces made me laugh. "Trust me, within a week you'll be hearing a lot from me."
"I hope you're not going to be in detention any time soon."
"I can't guarantee that. Since when can any teenager guarantee it? Not unless I went to a human school." I rolled my eyes. "Speaking of, what time is it?"
"Around 5 in the morning."
"I'm going to have to call them during human time."
"Call who?"
"Everyone. I do have friends out there you know. I'm going to have to make up some excuse to say why I won't be able to go to work and why I'm not going to that school anymore and why no one's going to be able to see me ever again either." I sighed.
"You have a job?"
"I have two." I stated proudly.
"Two?"
"I'm a singer and I work at the club the Strigoi attacked tonight."
"Singer?"
"Lead singer of Vampire Guardians." I grinned.
"How appropriate." Martin scoffed. "I think I've heard of that."
"Really?"
"They play it a lot around the Academy."
"Wow… good thing I wear a wig."
"Yeah, now that would probably cause even more mayhem with the girls around here."
"Argh, fans can definitely be scary." I shuddered remembering one time when a fan tackled me to the ground. That was not fun. "I just realised, I'm going to have to start over aren't I? As in vampire 101 all over again…"
"I'm afraid so, especially if you plan on graduating."
"What if I don't want to?" I asked bluntly. The two stared at me in shock.
"What'd you mean?"
"Like I said. What if I don't want to?"
"You don't have a choice."
"Like hell I don't." I demanded angrily. "I've left once; I'll be able to do it again. Since you guys are forcing me back into this school, once I turn 18, none of you have any hold on me. I'll be able to leave before graduation."
"You don't know what you're saying Kalani."
"Don't I?" I glared at them. "I'm old enough to know what I'm talking about Martin. I'm not the same kid as I was six years ago."
"How many?"
"What?" I stared at him incredulously as he tried to change the subject.
"How many have you killed?"
"Too many to count." I grunted.
"You're born to do this Kalani. You have such strength. And you won't be able to keep any of those silver stakes with you apart from your mother's. You remember the rules right? No trainees are allowed them until graduation."
"I paid for them!"
"And we'll pay you back." Martin shook his head. "Look, I just don't want you to make any rash decisions. You might feel differently when the time comes. You might want to graduate. In any case, you'll be getting a tattoo soon for the unknown number of Strigoi you've killed."
"I'm not getting that tattoo. I refuse to have such an insignia on my body for eternity." I growled. "Don't you get it? I don't want to be stuck here. I don't want this life and you can't force me to choose it." With that said I stormed out of the room slamming the door behind me and ran down the corridor. As I dashed through the halls I ignored the curious stares and headed straight for the training rooms. Every second I spent here caused memories to flood back. I remembered my mother making me run down these corridors and timed me each time. I remembered her teaching me early in the morning out on the lawns.
I recalled my father teaching me the little magic he knew. Since he'd been a Spirit user with my mother as his Shadow Kissed guardian, he wasn't able to teach me much. I remembered my father throwing me up in the air with a cheerful smile on his face. When I passed the secluded area where I last saw my parents alive, I stopped running. Pain and anguish coursed through me as the memory of my parents' death ran through my mind. I bit my lip and continued running as tears pricked my eyes.
When I arrived in the training room, the only people there were two pairs practicing their combat. I had no idea what year they were but they were out of the door before I could say go when they saw the murderous expression I had. I striped off the jacket Joe must've placed on me when he knocked me out and ran for the first punch bag in sight. I'd broken around three and was on my fourth when I finally broke down. Tears poured out of my eyes and sobs raked through my body as I collapsed clinging to the punch bag.
My body shook from the force of the sobs and my fingers dug into the punch bag as regret filled me. I couldn't remember the amount of times I'd wished I could've been stronger all those years ago so that I could've been more of a help to my parents. I could still see them practicing with me in the training room, my mother throwing me to the ground countless times. She'd been a legend. She was an amazing guardian and I'd looked up to her. If only I'd been stronger that day…
"Kai." Joe whispered tugging me softly from the punch bag and wrapped his arms around me as I cried. This was exactly the same as all those years ago when my parents died. He had been the one to take me away from the corpses; he'd been the one to comfort me. He let me cry for as long as I needed and eventually I stopped. I sniffed and rubbed my eyes as he patted my head. Then I shouted in surprise when I felt him hit me.
"Ow what the fuck was that for?" I demanded glaring at him only to see that he was glaring too.
"Do you have any idea how worried I'd been when you suddenly disappeared all those years ago? You worried Martin and I so much and many others too! True, there were those who only gave you pity and wanted to suck up to you for your title but there were others who genuinely cared for you. Then you just disappeared without a word. No one knew where you were, we began to fear that you'd been taken by Strigoi or something. We sent out a search party but it was no use." Joe glared.
"That Ozera kid saw me leave." I hiccupped.
"If he did he never said anything. Although he was the one to tell us about the fault but he said he'd been mucking around when he found it. Seriously though, you have no idea how worried we were."
"Sorry Joey." I smiled apologetically as guilt filled me when I thought about the people who would've gotten genuinely worried about me. "I'm so sorry. I guess I never really thought about that in depth."
"You should've sent some letters or given us a phone call."
I gave him an incredulous look. "You know I couldn't have Joey. If I'd sent letters you guys would've traced it. If I called you guys would've traced that too. I wouldn't have been able to have that chance of freedom if I'd contacted you guys in any way. I needed that break Joey. And besides, somehow I know that if I hadn't gotten out, I wouldn't have been able to grow up like this and although I am sorry for causing so much worry, I'm not sorry for how I've turned out thanks to my freedom from this life."
"You're probably right about that…" Joe agreed reluctantly. "You never stopped mourning have you? That's why you were so against being back. You were scared."
"I'd have to be a moron not to be terrified to come back." I rolled my eyes. "But yeah, you saw my break down just now. I didn't want to be swamped by those memories again. All the time I think to myself: 'If only I'd been stronger.' If I'd been stronger I could've protected them. They might not have died."
"I'm sure that they're watching over you Kai."
"So am I." I smiled. "There are times when I feel so down, but I always cheer up some how. I'm sorry about how I acted in the office just now."
"It's alright; Martin had over reacted as well. He was just worried about you that's all."
"You know that I can't promise I'll stay here and become a guardian right? You have to know right now that in two years time; I just might run away again once I turn 18."
"Well at least we'll get some warning this time. Besides you never know, you might become attached to people here."
"Pfft, considering the Moroi that I've met so far from here, I somehow doubt that."
"Don't be so stereotypical," he laughed.
"I know. Most of them are probably worse snobs." I grinned and laughed at the look he gave me. I sobered up a little and continued. "To be honest, I probably only caught them at their worst. What teenage boy, Moroi or not, don't want to muck around? But that doesn't mean I have to like it, especially when they hit on my friends and used compulsion. Damn shame they're Moroi."
"You know that those four take combat classes right?"
I felt mischief build at this new piece of information. "They are? I figured out Drew might have since he was more muscular than a Moroi should be."
"How did you know he was muscular?" he asked narrowing his eyes.
"We shared a dance." I grinned. "He wouldn't be able to compel me and you know it."
"I know, sorry, I should've guessed."
"Brotherly instincts kicking in or what?" I teased. "Anyway, if the other three take training as well… maybe I will get to kick their asses."
"Just be careful Kai, they're better fighters than they look."
"And you ain't seen half of what I can do yet."
"I will, starting Monday."
"Huh?"
"I'll be your mentor to help you catch up on all your studies. I will also be training you outside of lesson times to see what you've got. You get the rest of the day off up until six thirty p.m. then you'll go to breakfast just like everyone else."
"Wow it's going to be interesting getting used to this time table again."
"Damn right. Let me take you up to your room."
"In the dhampir dorms right?"
"Yep. Your room is on my floor along with ten other your age."
"Okay. Do you think I can get some of my stuff sent here?"
"Martin's already on that, we took your keys already and he's personally going to pick up your stuff."
"Okay, do you know how cringe that is?" I shuddered.
"What'd you mean?"
"Martin was practically like a second dad to me, he's going to be picking out through my clothes as well." I stared at him expectantly.
"Your… oh right yeah I get what you're trying to say." Joe grimaced. "Well I'm sure he thought about that when he offered."
"I suppose so. He does have a phone right?"
"Yeah."
"Give me his number." Joe looked at me for a moment. "I promise I won't prank call him in the middle of my lessons no matter how much they bore me." Reluctantly he gave it to me and I typed it into my phone. "Has he left?"
"Not yet."
"When's he leaving?"
"A little later."
"Tell him to aim to get there for around seven in the evening. I'll get friends of mine to go and help him pack my stuff. They'll know what I want." I checked the time on my phone and smiled sadly. Everyone would probably be up by now, it was already nearly seven. I called Juan first to tell him that my uncle had finally come to pick me up and I was now all the way on the other side of America. Juan was sad to let me go but he was happy that I was with family again. Then I called my other manager, my music manager. She was screaming at me for ten minutes then finally quietened down. It was a difficult conversation but she finally accepted it. After all, there was nothing either of us could do. There was no way that could be a singer if I was stuck in the Academy for the next two years. I did tell her that I may be back in two years time, but that decision was indefinite.
Finally I called Ana and Louise, my two best friends. I called them both and joined the lines to make a three way conversation. "Hey Kai, what're you calling so early for? You're not normally awake until like, two in the afternoon on a Sunday." Louise teased.
"Did something happen last night? Oh my god, don't tell me that you got cornered by those guys from last night? You did kick their asses right."
"I didn't bump into them." I lied smoothly. "Listen, um… I won't be able to see you guys for a long time."
"Define a long time." Louise asked and I could practically see her narrowing her eyes.
"As in maybe forever…"
"WHAT?!" the pair screamed so loudly I had to hold the phone away from my ear and Joe gave my shoulder an encouraging squeeze. "WHY?!" they demanded.
"My uncle appeared."
"You've had no contact from him for six years and he suddenly shows up? How do you know he's not some crazy stalker?"
"I just do guys."
"So where are you?"
"The other side of America, I'm near Spokane." I told them feeling emotion grip my throat.
"That's such a bummer. The schools going to miss their little star so much. We're going to miss you so much. This is so sudden, why did you leave so suddenly? Did you uncle not even let you say goodbye to your friends?"
"Afraid not guys."
"Damn it."
"I know." I could hear the tears and silent sobs from both the other ends and I was sure that they'd be able to hear mine. "Listen, I'm sure I'll be able to weasel a few visits though. After all, it's not like I don't have the money to travel."
"Have you told the others?"
"I've told Juan and Ms Manager." I nodded even thought they couldn't see it. It was a habit.
"What did they say?"
"Juan said he was sad to see me go and Ms Manager threw a fit." I laughed.
"That's so like her."
"Listen, I want you guys to do me a favour. An old friend of my family is going to go to my apartment to pick some stuff up for me. Could you guys help him out later today? He'll be there around seven to eight. Here's his number." I read it out and both of them repeated it to make sure they got it right.
We continued talking for another hour before we finally hung up. I gave a huge sigh as I leaned into Joe's soothing hug. "Ready to see your room?"
"Please tell me I won't have to share."
"No, you have a room to yourself."
"Thank god for that." I grinned. He led me to the dhampir dorms and we climbed to the top floor which was also the seventh floor and he seemed pleased that I wasn't out of breath at all. I told him that I would run five miles each morning just to get milk then run back for exercise. He simply laughed. A few dhampirs were still wandering around talking to one another and they all stopped as we passed. I simply gave them a confident smile and friendly wave. I noticed the boys do a double take and some of the girls smiled back. Some of them even offered to take me to breakfast which I accepted gratefully.
"Here ya go."
I stepped inside and it was an ordinary room with an ensuit bathroom. Luckily the room was painted in dark colours rather than bright ones and the covers were a dark mauve colour. "Did you call ahead telling Martin who I was so that you made sure the stuff in my room was colours I liked?" I whispered with a low voice so that the others lingering in the corridor wouldn't hear.
"You caught me." Joe grinned. "I wanted to make it as welcoming as I could."
"Thanks Joey." I smiled then added with a louder voice. "Thank you Guardian Maxwell."
"You're welcome. Oi, all of you it's already past curfew, get back to your own rooms," he commanded and I grinned at his tone of authority as I shut the door behind me. I dumped my sports bag on the floor and collapsed to bed suddenly feeling exhausted.
"It's been such a long day. Who would've thought that I would one day be dragged back to this place?" I murmured staring out of the window. I closed the thick curtains to block out the light as the sun began to rise. Rummaging through my bag I took out my sports kit and slept in that after taking a quick steamy shower. I smiled at how much they prepared the room. They even gave me my favourite toiletries, berry scented shampoo and cranberry body scrub. It had been my favourite as a kid and it stuck with me. After brushing my teeth, I finally fell asleep setting my alarm for five p.m. it was definitely going to take a while to get used to the new routine…