Two

Raven

The thought of lusting after a vampire made me sick to my stomach. This was trouble in every sense of the word. 

 I made my way back to the secretary's office to sort out my schedule, but on my way, I felt a presence walking behind me.

Turning around slowly, my breath stilled at the sight of the beautiful vampire boy. 

He looked well-groomed from head to toe. Judging from his well-ironed black pants, platinum white shirt, polished leather shoes, and the silver Rolex wristwatch resting on his left hand, his parents were wealthy. 

No surprise there, considering the huge chunks of money we paid for tuition.

My breathing became erratic and I quickly looked away, trying to increase my pace, knowing that this encounter was bound to bring trouble.

He chuckled behind me, wanting to close the space between us.

"You know, for someone with short legs, you sure have a fast pace."

I ignored his comment, quickening my steps even more, wondering why this hallway seemed never-ending.

He caught up with me and stood right in front of me. Gazing stupidly at him, I froze on the spot. 

"Come on, you shouldn't have to run away from me," he placed a hand on my shoulder, turning me around. "I was expecting a thank you for saving you from that idiot back there."

"Take your hands off me," I snapped out of my trance with widened eyes as a jolt of electricity ran through my body."I didn't ask for your help."

His brows furrowed but it didn't take long for his smile to return.

Gosh, he was so handsome.

Aside from being a vampire, he simply had an air of elegance about him. The way the light contrasted across his pale skin made him stand out even more, and his hair had to be the most beautiful I'd ever seen.

But I didn't want anything from him. He was a vampire. He stood so close, his scent intoxicating me.

 His gaze burned into mine, and it felt like I was being hypnotized by his gorgeous eyes. 

My body became paralyzed, unable to move, incapable of thinking. For a fleeting second, I imagined his lips pressed against mine... it made my knees buckle. 

His voice rumbled deep within his chest. "Easy there, Tiger. If you had responded to Troy in that manner and stood up for yourself, I wouldn't have intervened. But you just stood there, letting him insult you."

He was right. I had been overreacting and, dare I admit, somewhat infatuated with him. He was only trying to help.

 "In that case, thank you for what you did," I said reluctantly, trying to end the conversation. "Now, may I please go?"

"No, you may not," he chuckled, blocking my way. "Judging from what happened with Troy, it's clear that you're not just a new student. So, what's your story? And what's your name?"

"That's a lot of questions," I replied, pretending to be annoyed. "Unfortunately, I'm too busy to answer them right now. So, please excuse me."

I tried to move past him, but there was something dangerously intoxicating about him that drew me in and made me powerless. 

I turned away quickly, trying to stay away from him. Blood surged from my fingertips to my toes and a hot ache grew in my throat. The coolness from his hand on my arm seared into my skin, paralyzing me.

With all the force I could gather, I wrenched my hand away, stepping back and curling my lips with disgust.

"Run!" My brain yelled at me but my legs refused to cooperate. This beautiful boy standing right in front of me was unclean and my dad would kill me if he saw me alone with a vampire. 

"You shouldn't be talking to me. You're a bloodsucker," I managed to say, frowning as his eyes raked boldly over me.

"Bloodsucker…" His lips quirked slightly upwards. "That's an insulting term for us. We prefer the more refined term "Vampires." 

 I took another step backward until I stood next to the wall looking down at the ground so I wouldn't have to look directly into those devilishly gorgeous eyes.

As much as I would've liked nothing more than to run a finger along his sensuous lips, I didn't dare touch him. 

I'd rather die.

"Why don't you give yourself a little shake and introduce yourself to me," he asked smoothly and winked with sparkling eyes as though he caught me staring at his mouth moments earlier.

"I'd rather not say," I snapped, attempting to move but he blocked me swiftly. 

Last year, I'd probably have fallen for him, but I knew better now.

 This one right here was a classic playboy who probably wants to use me as an experiment or suck my blood. Thankfully, Lycan blood was poisonous to vampires.

He closed the distance between us and my heart thumped like rumba drums, disturbed that he was so close and didn't bother moving an inch, I tried to move but couldn't. Something intense flashed in his eyes, and it stirred a gently growing fire in me.

His gaze led down to the creamy area of my neck, and I had an overwhelming urge to run away.

"Come on, I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Read my lips," I mustered enough courage to meet his gaze. "I don't need your 'friendly' advances. Your presence is unsettling."

"Ah! Feisty, aren't you? We both know that's not true. You surely need company." 

With the smooth confidence of a professional seducer, he put his hand on my wrist and pulled me against him. 

"Take your hands off me!" I shrieked, pushing myself away from him. "I don't see the point in being friendly with someone who is supposed to be my enemy. 

"You're cute. It's like I'm watching you eat an entire ice cream cone with your cheeks puffed up and your tongue sticking out."

Oh God, he was so aggravating. 

 "My offer stands. Let me be your friend. I don't bite… well I do, but not Lycans. "

"Thanks for the offer but I'll pass. Remind me to carry around some garlic and a wooden stake."

He laughed, towering over me. I felt like a tiny ant in comparison. His pure sex appeal and manliness wafted through my nose and I looked away, trying not to drool.

"What do you want?" I snapped, trying to hide my frustration.

"Your name, for a start," he moistened his lips and a slow smile spread across his face as if he could tell the effect he had on me. 

"Vlad! Why the hell aren't you in class?" Principal John's loud voice boomed across the hallway and I fled.

Vlad...

That name was familiar. My stomach knotted in recognition. He was Vladislav, the vampire king's son and my dad's greatest threat.

Damn it!

I rushed out and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. Vlad was trouble and I had to avoid him like the plague.

Without realizing that I'd arrived at the matron's office for my dorm clearance. I took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy wooden doors to check in.

The matron, a heavyset woman who loved smoking or taking snuff, looked up and her thick eyebrow arched up. 

"Look who flew in here," she mocked with a thick accent, her voice dripping with disgust. "Our dear little birdie."

She snorted contemptuously and laughed, the sound echoing through the room. No wonder the students nicknamed her an ogre. It suited her ugly look and matching personality.

"Remember the girl I told you about? The one who gave dear Mr. Aiden a blowjob and…"

My teeth clamped my lower lip, biting hard so that I tasted blood. The younger woman rolled her eyes, listening to the matron's acidic comments about me.

"Open your luggage for clearance," the matron snapped with annoyance and took a drag of her cheap cigarette. Trying to stay as calm as possible, I obeyed her as she searched through my belongings for any contraband.

She found nothing, but her sour expression kept me on edge. Her sausage fingers punched the dial pad of her flip phone as she called the guidance counselor and told her she was sending a "problematic student" to her office.

Glad to be leaving the Spawn of Satan's presence, I headed to the G and C unit where I met a woman in her late twenties with a sleek haircut of contrasting colors of bottled grey in front and her natural butterscotch behind. 

She seemed like a new teacher and looked so cool. She probably styled her hair that way to make students feel at ease.

 When she smiled at me, I looked away at her name tag which read "Alicia Hutchins"

Her smile didn't fool me. After all, the sweetest ones were often the sneaky devils in disguise.

"Have a seat," she said, studying me with a look of pity in her kind eyes. 

Ms. Alicia struggled to find the right words as she looked over my transcript. She tapped her pen against the table, asking how I aced my math.

"It's my favorite subject," I said in a monotone, the thickness of my throat making it difficult to speak.

She let out a wide grin and a throaty laugh."I like you already. I teach math and AP calculus. We also have a math club and are preparing for an inter-school competition. Join us."

For the first time in days, I felt a smile spread across my face.

When I finally returned to my former dorm, Luna's Den, my roommates curled their lips and wrinkled their noses in disgust.

"All the beds are occupied. You should check the moonstone hall," Ivy, Nova's maternal cousin said, and from my side vision, Nova scurried away to the bathroom.

Not surprised by their reaction, especially my sister's, I dragged my box to the noisier and less attractive dorm occupied mostly by sophomores, and juniors, found an empty bunk at the end of the hall, near the bathroom, and sighed as I sat on the bed, resolving to spend the rest of the year in isolation and most especially to stay away from Vlad.