Blood Haven: Year One: A Mayhem of Magic World Story

by Nicole Zoltack

  Once I drink my last swallow, the werewolves all cheer, and then there’s cake. The image is that of a blood moon, and I grin, loving it.

  “It’s to show how strong us werewolves are,” Mercy says. She lifts my hand. “Your claws?”

  I manage to change just my fingers into claws, and she has me slash the moon. Three slashes through it.

  “The baker was supposed to do that,” she grumbles. Her eyes narrow. “It’s not the red moon for that stupid party.” Her voice is low and dark.

  I just shrug. Mercy can believe what she wants.

  We devour the cake, and then the werewolves leave. For the most part, we don't do presents. We have all we need, and whatever else we might wish for, we can borrow from someone else. It's the nature of the pack to provide for the needs of one and all.

  Eventually, it's only Bermon, Mercy, and I. My friends sit on the couch in the living quarters, and I lounge on the love seat. It would be nice to have Romelia here, to be able to have my friends get to know her and accept her for the wonderful person that she is. Because that's just it. She's a person. She's more than just a vampire. All they see, though, is her fangs.

  Mercy leans forward. “Where were you earlier today? You weren’t in one of your classes.”

  “I decided not to attend today, given what today is.” I grin broadly.

  “Hmm. And you didn’t bother to tell us what you were doing? We could have skipped classes to have joined you. Where did you go?”

  Bermon leans forward. “Can’t you leave him be? He doesn’t need to be interrogated.”

  “I’m just curious,” she says, pouting.

  I shrug. “I was off having fun. Isn’t that all that matters? I’ve had one of the best birthdays a guy could ask for.”

  Mercy narrows her eyes. “Were you even on campus?” she presses.

  “When did you guys plan the cake and everything? They couldn’t have served steaks for dinner tonight.”

  “Classic move. He’s changing the subject,” Mercy says to Bermon as she flings her arm toward me.

  "Who cares?" Bermon snaps his fingers. "I can't remember the name of the bakery. What was it, Mercy?"

  “Some human bakery. They actually have some decent bakers.” She shrugs. “Who knew?”

  “Hmm. Seems humans aren’t as terrible as people think they are.”

  Mercy again narrows her eyes.

  She’s suspicious. There’s no doubting that.

  She leans forward, and the steel fang hanging on a chain around her neck falls forward. Before she can say anything, I point to it.

  “Where did you get that?” I ask. “I noticed it before, but I never got around to asking you.”

  “This? I’ve had it for a bit now.”

  “Now who’s being evasive?” I ask, tilting my head to the side.

  Bermon laughs. "Julian's got you there. If you want him to answer your questions, maybe you should answer his."

  “I know.” Mercy claps her hands onto her knees. “Why don’t we just table this. All of it. Your disappearance, the necklace… any attacks… the growing hatred between werewolves and vampires… Let’s ignore all of it and just be friends again.”

  “We shouldn’t have to ignore all of that to be friends,” Bermon protests. “We should be able to talk about the issues—”

  “Tabling it for how long?” I interrupt.

  “A week.”

  “And then we’ll talk about how that fang is from a vampire statue at Blood Haven Academy?”

  Mercy bristles. “The vampires need to know that we can and will be willing to do whatever it takes if they come to attack us. No vampires were harmed. Their guards weren’t touched. We were in and out.”

  “Wait. What happened?” Bermon asks.

  “Mercy led some werewolves over, and they desecrated a statue.”

  "Vandalized. We vandalized it. The vampires didn't hold the statue in that high of esteem. It's not sacred to them."

  “How do you know that?” I demand. “Do you know everything about vampires?”

  “I know enough.”

  “Not enough. You do realize that some vampires attend Magical Hunters Academy?”

  “Yeah, right.”

  "There is more than one, but here…" I yank out my phone. It doesn't take me long to scroll through to the name I found before when I was curious and unable to sleep one night, lonely and missing Romelia who had already fallen asleep. "Her name is Callidora Cruorem. She's a first year, just like us."

  “Give me that.” Mercy accepts my phone and blinks a few times. “She doesn’t even look like a vampire!”

  “Not all of them are goths. Come on.”

  “Yes, but she looks even more human than I do. Her makeup game is on point. She could pass as a preppy cheerleader at any human high school. Are you sure… Yeah, it says she’s a vampire. So what? What does this prove?”

  “She’s going to become a paranormal hunter or slayer or executioner one day. That means she’s not one of the vampires that you should hate. She can control herself.”

  “Just because one vampire can doesn’t mean—”

  “It doesn’t mean that all vampires can. I get that, but it does suggest that others can too. Think about that. There have been werewolves who go out and slaughter families, who eat flesh. It’s maybe one percent, but it’s not a huge percentage of vampires who are as cruel as you think all of them are.” I take my phone and lean back. “But we’re going to table all of this for one week, right?”

  Mercy glances at Bermon, who shrugs.

  I rub my hands together. “Mercy, you have been busy outside of all of that. I keep seeing you with Laurent a lot lately. That, ah, that isn’t verging back onto team vampire hate territory, is it? Because I’m pretty sure—Yes, there it is.”

  Mercy’s cheeks are bright red. She blinks her blue eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Bermon laughs and laughs.

  “You told him!” Mercy slaps Bermon’s thigh.

  “I did not!” He leans forward to talk around her. “She thought you were too distracted to notice.”

  “Is that right?” I shake my head.

  “What? You don’t like Laurent?” Mercy asks defensively. “What’s wrong with him?”

  "I don't know. If Laurent likes you, then he might be a bit touched…" I tap two fingers against my temples.

  “You!” Mercy throws a pillow at me.

  I throw it back at her, but she ducks, and it hits Bermon square in the face.

  “That’s it!” he roars, and a massive pillow fight is how the best birthday of my life comes to an end.

  Chapter 28

  Romelia

  The morning after Julian’s birthday, I am so very happy. Not happy to be here at Blood Haven Academy, and dreading a possible encounter with Constantine, but that doesn’t stop me from smiling and whistling.

  A knock at my door has me whirling around. I’m just brushing my hair, having changed into my uniform already.

  “Tyra? You look shaken up. What’s wrong?” I put my hairbrush on my vanity and cross over to my cousin. She has never looked paler.

  It’s even more troubling to realize she’s trembling, and I guide her over to my bed to sit. I kneel in front of her, holding her hands.

  “Tyra, tell me what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know.”

  Even her voice seems a bit off. She’s never this hesitant.

  “Tyra, what happened?” I ask, trying to keep my voice soft. It doesn’t matter. A sense of urgency and worry leaks into my words.

  “I… You were gone all day.” She meets my gaze for the first time, her eyes finally coming into focus as if some of the fog is lifting slightly. “Yes, I noticed. I was trying to find you, and I thought… I thought you might have gone to see… him.”

  I say nothing, do not move, even slow my heartbeat some all in an effort to not give anything away, but her gaze has shifted to my door, he
r eyes unfocused once more.

  “I went to the woods. You know the forest. I thought… I wasn’t thinking, but, Romelia, I wasn’t alone. Someone was there, and I panicked.”

  “You attacked someone?” I ask and rush to add, “In self-defense.”

  “No. I ran. For once in my life, I didn’t stand my ground and fight. I took flight, only…”

  “Only what?”

  "I think I was followed. The guards weren't there. I don't know why or where they were, but I kept running, and I swear, Romelia, I swear whatever it was, it came through. It followed me, and I… I came straight here."

  “You were out all night looking for me?” I ask, trying to keep her focused on me while also straining to listen to hear anything unusual inside the castle. All I can hear is the normal hustle and bustle of the other ladies preparing for a day full of classes.

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “My phone died. I tried, but…” She shakes her head. “I almost lost my phone trying to snap a picture of it, but it would’ve been pointless anyhow. I was moving too fast.”

  “It kept pace with your vampiric speed?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you think it was?”

  “A werewolf,” she says automatically.

  I take a deep breath and blow it out of my mouth. “Tyra, werewolves even in their wolf forms aren’t as fast as we are.”

  “They’re much faster as their wolves.”

  "Faster, yes, but not vampire fast."

  “I’m telling you. It was a werewolf!”

  “Could it have been another vampire? Another student? Maybe they saw you leave and wanted to see where you were going.”

  "No. No, I heard a growl, a howl. I know I did. Romelia, you believe me, don't you?" She grabs my hands and squeezes them so tightly.

  Her face and words are so very earnest. It’s hard to believable Tyra to be knowingly and willfully deceitful, but it’s so very hard to believe her claim. Werewolves just aren’t as fast.

  “You stay here,” I tell her. “I’ll go.”

  “Go where?” She springs to her feet.

  I force her to sit back down again. “I’ll check the castle. You close the door behind me, and don’t answer unless it’s me, okay?”

  “No. You shouldn’t go.”

  “The other vampires are going to be heading to breakfast soon. If someone dangerous is out there, he or she needs to be found before someone gets hurt, okay?”

  She just stares at the open door.

  “Okay?” I prompt.

  “Okay,” she more mouths than says.

  In a flash, I close the door behind me, and I race to the front door. I sniff, but I smell nothing out of the ordinary. Outside, I don’t see anything either, and I zip my way toward the perimeter that leads to Silver Ironwoods. I don’t leave, of course, and the demonic guards eye me.

  “Have you seen anything or anyone come by this way?” I ask.

  “Not at all, they assure me, but I am anything but assured. The air here feels thick, heavy. I can sometimes smell emotions, and what I smell now is fear.

  Werewolf or not, something did chase Tyra.

  In no less than five seconds, I’m back with Tyra. “I didn’t see anyone, but I believe that something did chase you.”

  “A werewolf!”

  “They aren’t that fast. It’s impossible—”

  “No, it’s not. They have a drink, a potion, maybe a drug. I don’t know. It’s called Mystic Twilight. It gives them great power, strength, endurance, all of that. I bet you anything that a werewolf had a birthday yesterday, and he or she drank that, and they were hopped up on power, and they were this close to killing me. This close!” She holds her pointer finger just above her thumb, the two digits almost touching.

  I gape at her. “Mystic Twilight? What about a birthday? What connection—”

  “For being with… him… you sure don’t know a lot about werewolves, do you? I’ve been studying. I want to know what they’re capable of.”

  “Why? In case there’s war? Come on, Tyra.”

  “Yes, in case there’s war. I’m not the naïve one. I’m going to be the one to survive.” She jabs her chest with her thumb. “On their birthday, they drink it. Too often, and it’ll kill them, make their heart explode. It’s more drug than potion. I swear it is! If we go to war, they’re all going to drink it, and they’re going to become the apex predator, and they’re going to hunt us down and slaughter us.”

  “That won’t happen,” I try to assure her, pushing down my own mounting horror. If what she’s saying is true, then werewolves are even more of a threat against us physically than I thought.

  “Don’t be so sure. Who is going to stop them?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe Magical Hunters Academy?”

  She snorts, sounding and looking more and more like herself with every passing second. “You really think they’re going to involve themselves in a feud between vampires and werewolves? No, no, they won’t. We’ll be left to fight them off, claw and fang.”

  I swallow hard. “Tyra…”

  "I know you don't think it's possible for your darling werewolf to be involved in a war, but there are so many more who could be. Their academy has double the number of students as ours. Did you know that? Even if they don't ask outside packs to come and help, they already have the numbers. Vampires, we can form covens if we want, and there have even been mobs in some of the major human cities, but we don't have major packs like they do. Your mother, mine, they tried to stop one of their packs from growing to be so large that it could control the entire state. Their efforts have been in vain. In another generation or two, that pack will be as big if not bigger than it was when our mothers attacked."

  “Moonblaze,” I murmur. Then I shake my head. “There’s no reason to think that it has to be the work of that pack.”

  “Maybe, maybe not, but someone followed me. I’m certain of it.” She holds out her hands. They were shaking. “Look at this. Look at me! I don’t scare easily, Romelia. I don’t make mountains out of molehills. I stomp on mountains and turn them into molehills, but this… Something wicked this way comes. I’m sure of it.”

  I hug her tight and then take her by the hand. “Come on. The guards haven’t been enough to stop all of this. I don’t know if it’ll help matters or make them worse, but let’s go and see the headmaster. Okay? We’ll tell him, and the guards can take over the search. If anyone got through, they should be able to find them.”

  Tyra grimaces. “Aren’t you worried?”

  “Worried? About what? About you? Yes, of course. I’ve never seen you like this before.”

  “Not about me. About… him.”

  “No. Why should I be?”

  “If they find out that he’s betrayed them, don’t you think they’ll turn on him?”

  “His own pack? Never. They wouldn’t do that to him.”

  “How can you be so sure?” she insists. “Have you met them?”

  “No, but—”

  She wags a finger at me. “If he’s so sure that you’re the one for him, then shouldn’t the first thing he’d done been to introduce you around? Why is he hiding you away as if you’re a dark secret?”

  “Maybe because—”

  “Maybe he’s ashamed of you, but I know you have more self-respect than that than to be with a boy who would hide you away from the rest of the world when you should shine as bright as the sun.”

  “As the moon,” I correct.

  Tyra ignores me. “So if he’s not ashamed of you, then he’s worried about how his pack will react to his dating a vampire, which means he thinks they won’t approve. They could attack him.”

  "That won't happen," I protest. "Now, hush and come along."

  We make our way to the headmaster's office, but the secretary tells us that he has appointments all morning and won't be able to see us until after lunch at the earliest, so we leave and head over to the head
of security. The head guard isn't impressed by the story and claims it's impossible for anyone to get past the guards.

  “All if would take is a blink of an eye for a vampire to get through,” I say.

  "Ah, but she's talking about a werewolf. They're too slow. They would be seen."

  Tyra draws herself up to her full height. “Do you know who I am?” she asks coldly.

  “No. Should I?”

  “I am Tyra Bloodsworth. Do you know who my mother is? Who my father is?”

  “I, ah…”

  "If they were to find out that the security measures here are possibly too lax… well, let's just say that I wouldn't be surprised if they try to find holes in your security, and if they do find holes, they might make more." Tyra smiles broadly, revealing her fangs.

  “Vampires shouldn’t threaten other vampires with bites,” the head guard grumbles.

  “Maybe you should make sure that none of the vampire students here feel threatened,” she says sweetly.

  The head guard starts to sing a different tune, but when we leave the office, Tyra shakes her head.

  “Nothing is going to change,” she says with a sigh.

  “It will. We’ll have peace.”

  “When?”

  “Soon.”

  “So utterly naïve,” she murmurs as we finally make our way toward our classes despite being so very late. “So utterly naïve.”

  Chapter 29

  Julian

  March twenty-first was my birthday. April twenty-second was Romelia’s birthday, and I asked her what she wanted. She just asked for us to spend the day together. I nearly had to pull her fangs out to get anything else out of her. For the most part, it’s a repeat of my birthday, spending the day together at the cave, swimming, diving. Add in some food, chocolate, blood, and kisses, and that sums it up. Oh, and I gave her the heart-shaped garnet locket I bought for her that time I saw Constantine. I can’t risk her carrying a picture of my face inside. Instead, there’s a picture of our hands, our fingers interlocked.