FOURTEEN: HISTORY LESSON

I followed Daphne out of the dining room and she sighed.

“You have some dangerous guys on your tail” she stated as we walked.

“What do you mean?” I was confused.

“Cillian, he's royalty among vampires, a pureblood at that” she explained but I still stare confused.

“He's strong and deadly, students have gone missing because of him” she narrated and I swallowed.

“Raphael?” I asked and she paused.

“So you do know him” she stated more than asked.

“We're not friends, he sits behind me in class” I admit.

“He's one creature we don't fully understand afterall, he's the only one of his kind” she replied.

“He's different” I stated and she nodded.

“I want to show you something” she said walking towards a side of the school I had never been to before. 

It's an entirely different building, situated at a hidden place. 

We walk to a large door and there's a guard standing in front, he has a pale complexion and there's a stoic look on his face. 

“Students aren't allowed here” he states, glaring down at us.

“We just want to see the hierarchy,” Daphne explained.

“You'll need a signed letter from an authority” he replied and Daphne sighed.

“We won't take long, just a few minutes” she added and I noticed the guard clench his fist.

“Leave, now” his stoic expression becomes even harder and I can't help but notice the hostility coming from the guard.

Daphne stared at him hard and she began singing.

“Leave or I'll use force” he warned, coming closer 

“Daphne let's leave” I grabbed her hand to pull her but she suddenly sang louder. Her voice was piercing and sounded ethereal. She raised her hands to my ears and continued singing.

I notice the guard stagger back like he was in pain,

Daphne released my ears and I found the guard on the floor trembling and rolling as blood dripped from his nose.

“Let's go” she said but I stared at her in fear, and her ice blue eyes looked even sharper and I noticed the slits in them.She was a creature I would have not expected to see. She was a siren. 

I seemed to have forgotten that she was also a monster. Then what was Phoebe?.

“Avery” Daphne called out,I stared for a while still spaced out.

“You don't have to be scared, I won't hurt you” she sighed and began walking forward. I walk past the convulsing guard and follow after her.

We walk through the door and we're immediately met with darkness. The lights of the room came on one by one, in an odd way. Portraits of different people rested on each side of the walls, arranged in a certain manner.

Daphne moved forward and I walked behind her noticing the portraits of different people I believe. We came across one very large tree that seemed to be a form of family tree.

“The dragons are the oldest” Daphne began, raising her hand to point at the picture of a dragon head which stood above the rest. 

“They were the first creatures and the only ones naturally created, the rest of us were born out of something” 

She moved her hand to the second picture of a creature with red eyes and long fangs.

“Next comes the vampires, they've been alive for centuries, if not a millenia.” she explained scanning the images.

“Then come the werewolves, although most believe them to be on equal footing with the vampires, but not the purebloods” she narrated and I listened in awe.

“What of Dhampirs?” I asked curious about my fake identity.

Daphne stifled a laugh and lowered her hands to the bottom of the chart like portraits. “Second to the last on the hierarchy, the last are humans” 

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, as I realised why people always laughed when I said what I was.

Daphne walked past the tree,  moving deeper into the halls, skipping many pictures and portraits I wanted to ask her about. I'm staring at the oddly human faces as I walk by and I swear one of them turns to look at me. I squeal and rush to Daphne's back.

“Hush, some of their ghosts are locked up here” she announces and colour drains from my face.

“What do you mean?” I drowned in fear. They were ghosts in this room?

“Don't think about it, they won't come for you if you haven't done anything wrong” Daphne waved off like she had just said the most normal thing.

We came in front of a larger frame picture. 

“The Royal family” Daphne declared and I'm about to admire but I noticed her eyes narrow and there seemed to be an emotion written on her face that I couldn't Identify.

“They rule and head over all the monsters, the King and Queen and their two children” Daphne narrates and I turn to the picture, observing with a shocked look as I stare at the figures in it.

Ember…… I had known she was the daughter of the dragon King but the other person had caught me off guard.

Lucian.

Lucian was Ember's brother, he was royalty. 

I thought back to the non-chalant bad boy and envisioned him as a prince.

I turned to Daphne about to speak but the look in her eyes made me step back. She glares down at Ember who has her creepy smile in the portrait as she stands next to her father.

Daphne's eyes hold one emotion—hate.

“D….Daphne” I called and she shut her eyes and slowly turned back to me taking a deep breath.

“What's wrong?” I asked, the look on her face a moment ago, looked like she was capable of murder. 

“Nothing, let's go” She replied and walked further down. I still stare at the picture as I pass and observe Lucian in it. He's dressed in classic gold and red royal clothing, his warm Amber eyes match the rest of his family's and he's wearing his usual bored look like he doesn't want to be there.

I suddenly remember Ember telling me about her younger brother also being here and a class ahead of her. I had wanted to ask her more before Daphne had dragged me away. So they were siblings. 

Daphne stopped before another set of pictures but these people were not together, they were arranged in a different order, they all had one thing in common, their red eyes. I noticed only one familiar face there, it was Cillian. He was dressed in an attire that didn't seem like our time, his hairdo was also different. I began to wonder if it was him or his great grandfather.

“Cillian is an old vampire, he has been alive for some centuries” Daphne said casually and I raise my eyes to meet hers

“He’s in the 5th generation of vampires” Daphne informed me and I tried to wrap my mind around the handsome young guy being centuries old.

“Why are you showing me all these?” I asked Daphne and she turned to me, she looked at me for a few seconds and I swear I noticed her pupils change to slits before reversing back completely.

“Someone is coming”