Anna sat in an unfamiliar chair, in an unfamiliar hall. The Schola Prima. That's what the strange men had called it. But Anna didn't take the time to notice her new surroundings. Coming home from school and finding out that her mother was dead- no, murdered- had made it eventful enough already. She didn't need to be whisked off to this strange place and hear the news that she wasn't human. That she was part vampire. Svetocha, that is what they called her. And her mother had been one too. And that wasn't all because apparently a real vampire, a sucker, had killed her mother and would stop at nothing to kill her too.
This was just like the stories her mother used to tell her. But Anna had always believed they were just that, stories. Not real life. But now it looked like she was wrong.
She was 14 now and her red hair fell in long locks past her shoulders. She had just finished talking with the Council and was sitting outside, waiting for someone to come and bring her to her rooms.
The tears flowed freely down her face as she sat hunched over on the seat. Dead, my mom is dead, she thought. The shock was fading and in its place came a pain like she had never known. Her tears grew to sobs and her body shook uncontrollably. Anna felt empty, empty and cold.
"You must be Anna," a boy's voice said as Anna felt someone take a seat in the chair next to her. She looked up and into the warm blue eyes of a handsome boy with dirty blond hair. She felt herself blush, filled with embarrassment at him seeing her like this when a moment before she had thought there was nothing she would ever feel but pain. "Here," he said, holding out a handkerchief to her. Anna hesitated. Although he seemed younger, she noticed he possessed the same odd grace as the men in the Council had. It made her uncomfortable to be around people she had previously did not believe existed.
He must have seen her hesitation because he took her hand and placed the handkerchief in it himself. "I'm Christophe," he continued.
Anna nodded, not trusting herself to speak and knowing he already knew her name anyway. She wiped at her face, but more tears just replaced the old ones. She tried to hold them back, but that only caused her to make little choking sounds in the back of her throat.
Surprisingly, his arm came around her shoulders and she found herself leaning in to him, grateful for the comfort.
"I'm sorry about your mother, but I know that it's going to get better. It's safe here and you'll be able to learn and train too," Christophe said.
While listening to him talk, Anna found it easier to take control of herself again. She pulled herself off him, not without reluctance, and looked into his face. "Train?" she asked, "Like, learn how to fight?"
"Yep," he said, smiling at her eagerness. "It is extremely important that you learn to protect yourself. In fact, I'll be the one to train you. That is, if you can think you can handle it." He said this with a challenge in his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine," she teased. And just like that, something miraculous happened. Anna smiled, her loss momentarily forgotten. Christophe smiled back. He had a truly beautiful smile and Anna felt something open in her chest that moments before she had not known existed. It is hard to explain, but it seems it can simply be described as hope.
"Here, have this," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a delicately wrapped candy. "I was just at the cafeteria. They're delicious."
"Oh, thanks," Anna replied, popping it into her mouth. As soon as it passed her lips, flavor exploded into her mouth. "Ewww, bitter," she said, scrunching up her nose and making a face.
"Just wait," Christophe said, holding up a hand.
"Ohhhh," she whimpered as the candy changed into incredible sweetness. He laughed and she smiled too. "You're right. It is delicious," Anna said. She was sad when the candy finally dissolved leaving behind a faint trail of sweetness.
"I'm always right," Christophe stated with another flash of that gorgeous smile and Anna jokingly gave his arm a punch.
"Why would they do that?" Anna questioned, "Hide something so sweet inside something so bitter?"
Christophe shrugged. "I guess they just wanted to protect it."
"Anna Glavato," a voice rang out from the hall. Anna turned and saw another djamphir, this one older with broad shoulders and dark brown hair cut short to his head. "My name is Bruce. I will be the head of your guard and I am here to lead you to your rooms," He said stiffly with little friendliness.
Guard? Anna thought, Well, this will be interesting.
She stood to follow Bruce, but not before she turned back to Christophe and smiled. "Thank you," she said. He nodded. "I mean it. You've really helped me."
"Honestly, it was my pleasure," Christophe said.
Anna left, but she couldn't resist stopping before she turned the corner to catch one last glance at Christophe's figure. She smiled, thinking that things might not be as bad as she feared.