The Selection I

Graduation was in two weeks and I was nowhere near done with my project and thesis that would give me a spot during the selection. I was doomed and I knew it. My project was to develop a programmed tracker for the newly turned, to help the sires get a grip on their blood lusting tendencies and curb the effect of them going on a killing spree, whenever they liked. I had everything carefully formulated, everything but the time. With classes and work taking up my entire day and most of my nights, I was left to staring at my laptop in utter limbo during the little time between work end and dawn, the codes dancing at the edge of my brain, teasing me as I tried to grasp them.

The shrill sound of my alarm clock jolted me out of said limbo and I got up to untangle my joints, another fucking day, another fucking cycle. 

Dressed and ready, I make my way downstairs to the kitchen to find my dad sipping coffee over the kitchen, his eyes glued to the newspaper.

"Morning", I announce, throwing open the cupboard to get my cheerios cereal.

"Hey cupcake, sleep well?", he responded, his eyes still glued to the newspaper. From his still shaggy hair and sleep swollen eyes, I could tell he had just rolled out of bed and had come down for his usual coffee fix. The house still seemed very empty with just the two of us. My mum had died three years ago, during an uprising by the vampires in the city. She had been staked to our backyard tree and left to burn when the sun rose, because she had married my dad, a human. My mum was a vampire, a made, not a pure blood, and she had been brutally killed by a sadistic bunch of fuckers who believed that humans were lower than the scum of the earth and shouldn't exist. I miss her everyday.

"I did", I replied, as I joined him on the counter with my miniature breakfast. Ungluing his eyes from the morning's papers, my dad surveyed me with a sad, reminiscent smile on his face and I knew he was seeing mum. My feline-like hazel eyes, freckle studded cheeks and ebony hair, all handed down to me by her. 

"You look just like her", my dad said fondly, his eyes glinting and I looked away from him to avoid my own waterworks. I hated seeing him like this, vulnerable and sad.

"What's going on in the city?", I nodded to the discarded newspaper on the counter, hoping to divert his mind. It worked. 

"The usual, the push against another revolution, newly made killings", He said, the glint gone from his eyes. "And, surprisingly, the selection", he added, his eyebrows lifting in silent question to me and I groaned internally.

"That's odd". "News on the selection has never been on the papers before", I responded.

The selection takes place every year during graduation at the Fangs Academy for half vamps. The process where each graduand from each arm presented their skill or a mind turning project that won them a one year internship by the scouters that were invited. 

"Well that's because Jacob St. Laurent will be attending this one", he proffered, causing all the blood to drain out my face.

"What?", I choked out, letting go of my spoon. Jacob St. Laurent was the only descendant of one of the pure blood families. The Royal pure blood family to be exact. Jacob St. Laurent without question, was the King of Vampires. And he was going to be at the selection. The selection I wasn't even remotely prepared for.

Hurtling out of the house after a quick goodbye, I got my bicycle out of the garage and paddled down to school with my ass on fire, figuratively. 

The Fangs Academy was a school, a training center more of, for half vamps like me, to hone our recessive vampire abilities, becoming quicker, deadlier and smarter than the average human. ' Grow fangs' according to our motto transcripted on the front door of the school. Chaining my bike to the school park railing, I observe as I walk into the hall , everyone seemed on edge, their eyes dim and sullen, mouths set in grim lines and noses scrunched up with anxiety or I was just projecting. definitely projecting'. 

Dumping some books into my locker in the hallway, I trudge up to my floor, the geek floor. The Fangs Academy offered training in two levels, guns and ammo, and computers in addition, each level had necessary subs it offered to it's students, agility-endurance, hand-to-hand combats and the likes. So even a geek like me was trained in hand-to-hand if they wished. I didn't wish though, opting for agility-endurance training, that taught how to survive any situation with quick thinking, majorly.

The junior class was already in session, I noted, silently making my way to my class, running programs and figures in my head to pour out once I sat down. I still couldn't believe the 'King of Vampires' will be gracing us with his presence this selection. It felt surreal and I couldn't afford a slip up. My class was sparsely empty, just two or three people scattered around the vast computer room, their heads to their computers in utter concentration. I slipped into my seat, powered up my computer and began writing my program.

People started trooping in to the class, pulling me out of my reverie with their chatter, I groaned into my hands and got up to stretch a little, the code I had written staring back at me from the screen. Now that, that was complete, it was remaining to test run it and for that I needed a newly made's blood. 

A high pitched noise sounded to my right from the entrance door and I glanced to see my best friend barreling towards me, her pixie cut red hair flying in excitement. Sacha was referred to as small bean, for obvious reasons, at five foot and a supple caucasian body, Sacha wore her physique quite well with piercings in all the places piercings could be, making her appear tough even though she was shorter than everybody.

"Did you hear the news?", She spluttered excitedly on reaching me, her silver nose ring glinting in the light. Guessing the news she was referring to was the one my dad had relayed this morning, I answered in the affirmative.

Sacha squealed, then noticing my somber expression, "Why am I the only one excited?". I gave her a look, a 'beats me' look and she stuck her nose up in the air before sliding into her seat, mumbling, "Bet Kane will be excited".

Kane was our other best friend, blond, tall, firmly built and girlier than Sacha and I combined. Kane's dad was a vampire council member, an elder from all definitions. Kane's family was all sorts of complicated, with him being born out of desperation and a vow to keep the family line. His dad had married his human mother when the first vampire revolution had erupted, to take a stand with the humans and present a unified front from the council members, thereby aiding in stopping the war. It wasn't a marriage of love. 

Our division head walked into the hall an hour later and everybody straightened up in their seat. For the last two weeks, he had been coming in to address us each morning on the importance of the selection and the dire straits we would be in if we didn't make the cut and get reputedly selected. As computer geeks, our chances were already spread thin, based on the fact that most people preferred to employ a weapon and mercenary than a typist. Even if said typist could program a virus into every gadget known to man. Garbed in all black, as per usual, his white hair slick against his head, his gait as strong, Jean-Marc paced the center podium, set out for lectures, and lashed out what had already been imprinted in our minds since the past two weeks.

Kane strode in, while Jean-Marc was babbling on, his clothes dishevelled and his eyes weary. He looked frayed and completely disoriented, which was a first. I eyed him as he quickly slid into his seat by my side, unnoticed by the instructor, and ignoring me. I looked over to Sacha to find her also staring at him, perturbed. Poking him in the side proved fruitless, so also did kicking his seat and every other method I tried, about to give up and mind my business, a paper landed on my lap. 'Later', it read.

After gruelling hours of programming language and codes laughing in my face and giving me the finger, the bell rang loudly signaling close of school. Packing up my bag and switching off my computer, I turned around to face Kane, "what's up with you?"

Kane grumbled frustratingly, "family issues"

Sacha rolled her eyes, joining us, "When has it never? Pops or Mum?"

"He thinks I shouldn't join the selection, because I'll inevitably still come work for him in the council", Kane explained, answering Sacha's question unintentionally, his eyes glazing.

I sighed, already knowing the real reason for the fight. Kane's dad resented the fact that Kane was half vampire and was deeply ashamed of it. That's why he didn't want Kane in the selection. He didn't want the reminder of what Kane was.

"What did your mum say?", I asked, keeping my fingers crossed.

"Opposing him is her favorite pastime, so take a guess", Kane retorted, then sighed, adding after a while, "she wants me in the selection".

"Fucked up family", Sacha muttered, and I gave a not so subtle kick to her foot.

Kane laughed, more like a huff, "I know and I'm in it". 

"Better than being a Kardashian, though", Sacha added, and we all laughed.

"Let's go munch on fries and enough calories to take us to heaven", I said, lightheartedly, trying to clear the gloom, earning glares for my bland joke

"Ain't nobody want to die", Kane quipped, as we made our way down to the locker room.

"Whatever", I jibed.

The PALAD bar was packed full as I arrived right on time for my evening shift. Located right in the heart of Moon City, the bar catered to people from all walks of life, the old, the young, the rich and the fishermen. It was strictly a non-vampire zone, the sign a beacon on its front door. Going in through the back, I donned my work shirt and apron, stuffed my bag in my locker and headed out front to man the bar. Night time was always the bar's busiest period; the owner sometimes came down to help out with taking orders and serving. Pouring tequila shots for the group of ladies seated at the back, with 'Loyalty' by Kendrick Lamar pounding out the speakers as I walked to drop off the order to the giggling bunch. I smiled brightly at the tip they had collectively paid, going back behind the bar with three more orders. The clock struck nine and the crowd wasn't thinning out, orders streaming in over the bar, my head about to burst when Connor slid in behind the bar, relieving me a little bit. I chided him for showing late and he gave me the puppy eyes, which could halt the annoyance of a Wall Street Bloke. Connor with the amazing blue eyes was my partner behind the bar during the late evening and sometimes night shift. He wasn't a big talker, I had worked with him for two months and I didn't know anything about him. I was cool with it, I wasn't too big on volunteering information either. They didn't need to know I was half vampire. 

My neck pricked with awareness as the front door of the bar opened and someone walked in. My senses clouded with thick lust as I felt my nerves stand at attention and interest. The stranger surveyed the bar before locking eyes on me, I gulped, as he started coming towards the bar, his focus solely on me. My nerves ran haywire and I could feel the sweat slowly sliding down my back as I licked my lips. He reached the bar and I stared into the night sky that was his eyes, the hairs on my body ramrod straight, my brain ordering my mute mouth to move. The stranger reached out and brushed his fingers to my cheeks and I exploded, my sex clenching as his scent reached my nose. Not knowing how I wasn't humping him already, the stranger smiled and spoke but no words were coming out, his lips moving but no sound. My brows scrunched up in confusion as I ordered my brain to focus and make sense of what he was saying. 

"Dalia", someone called and the stranger disappeared.

Connor was in my face shouting, 'why was Connor shouting?'

"Dalia", he called again, this time shaking me roughly and I blinked up at him, looking around to find all eyes on me, the stranger nowhere in sight.

"What happened?", I asked Connor groggily, sounding drugged.

"You zoned out", he responded, guiding me to the staff-only room to seat, others manning the bar.

"How?", I asked, unconvinced and utterly confused, my head feeling like the size of a giant boulder.

"One minute you were shaking up the drink mixer, the next you were staring at the door like you were seeing a ghost", Connor explained, continuing, "It was when you dropped the shaker that I was alerted".

I had been tranced, I caught my head in my hands and groaned at the gnawing ache, my mind still reeling from what had just happened. Connor left to resume his shift, my breathing calmer now. After a while, Paul, the owner, walked in and ordered me to go home, promising that the occurrence wouldn't happen again and I should get some rest. He was probably thinking a lurer, a class of vampire that entices people with their deepest, darkest desires, had been the cause. But that's not what I thought. I nodded mumbly, getting up to grab my things before leaving.

The walk home was hazy as I tried to put one leg in front of the other, forcing my muscles to endure and do their job. Cars sped down the street in a rush to get to their destination, lights from houses got turned off as the occupants prepared for bed. 'Just one more corner', I muttered to myself as I passed the first alleyway, the street lights flickering in protest. The second alleyway before I turn the corner to my street and two more blocks from home, my ears caught on to footsteps aligning with mine. My heart skipped a beat and then two, I pumped energy into my legs and began to speed walk, my mind already calculating how I was going to run. The sidewalk was empty, save for me and my stalker, people retiring early due to the rampant killings by newly made. I rounded the second building to turn the corner and run when a heavy hand closed over my mouth and a knife came to rest on the base of my throat. 'How had he moved that fast?'

I was dragged back to the second alley, the dim street light highlighting my kidnapper's features, the glowing red eyes confirming the information my gut had already processed. Newly made.

Struggling to breath out my panic and recall my training, I relaxed my nerves to appear compliant, my muscles coiled ready for action. Secured by the darkness and the fact that nobody would hear me if I screamed, the newly made removed the knife from my throat and threw me into the wall, his hand replacing the knife as he held me to the wall, sniffing me like the crazed lunatic he was, his fangs elongating and glinting in the night light. At the sight, I began to struggle, forgetting all my training and causing the newly made to smile sardonically, he obviously loved when people struggled, as he lisped words I barely understood, his claws beginning to tear into the skin at my nape as he watched my futile attempts in entertainment. Growing tired of playing with me, he opened his mouth, showcasing his newly gotten dentition and closed in on my neck, and I brought up my knee in sudden determination and fear and kicked his jewels hard, earning me a reprieve as my attacker howled, letting me go. With a bleeding neck and numb legs, I made to run, when all too quickly, he was in front of me again, this time livid as hell, grasping the collar of my shirt, he flung me on the wall. My head colliding with brick and concrete created a sudden impact, causing me to pass out and my last thought was that my father was going to see me in the morning newspaper.