I regarded him with curiosity.
“Verity Snow. Twenty years old and from New York. I think she’ll rise through the ranks of vampires quickly.”
“She’s not even one yet.” I set my glass down.
“I see promise in her. As a human, she’s already hunting down lowbloods. That’s a job that not even new normals carry out.”
“How is she still alive?”
“Interesting, isn’t it? She might prove to be a useful servant.”
I was bored of this conversation. I cared little for this girl. Sure, she knew how to kill, but to me, she was just as insignificant as everybody else.
Miles’s eyes flicked to the exposed photo of Janella. “Hm.”
“What are you thinking?” I asked, studying the frown on his face.
“It’s…” Miles shook his head. “The resemblance is troubling.”
“Resemblance to what?”
“Verity and, uh, your mistress, sir.”
Janella was no mistress. She was a thief. The only woman who dared steal my affections before crushing them mercilessly. Miles’s observation angered me, but I kept my grievances to myself. “It’s only a coincidence.” I narrowed my eyes. “Janella isn’t important, anyway.”
Miles dipped his head. “Yes. Of course, sir.” He placed his hand over his chest. “There’s nothing else for me to report. Just that the new students are gathered and awaiting your address, sir. At your convenience.”
“Thanks for the update,” I said. I finished the last of the vodka then waved Miles away. “I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Of course.” Miles took a step back, then saw himself out of my study.
Verity, huh?
She probably didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
I screwed the cap on my bottle of vodka and flipped Janella’s photo over. I turned my attention to the papers on my table, preferring to drown myself in work instead of thoughts of troubling women.
Five
Verity
I’d been transported to a scary, unknown place.
The car ride took me to a pier, where a boat awaited us. Miles had ordered me to get onto it, and since he looked like he could snap me in two, I did as he said. The driver took the motorboat across the ocean, speeding toward the horizon until fog surrounded us.
“Why all of this?” I asked Miles, gesturing circles around me.
Miles gave me a sideways glance. He was sitting next to the driver, while I sat at the back. “We had witches spell the area. The route to the Sanctum is hidden. Don’t want the hunters to find us too easily.”
“Witches? Hunters? Hunters like Jonas?”
“I’ve heard of Jonas. We considered recruiting him into the Sanctum, but he’s too old and bloodthirsty for our liking. He’s no hunter. I’m talking about the real killers. The murderers who use runes and steel to hunt us down.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Pay attention at the school, then. You’ll learn all you need to there.”
The boat continued onward, going deeper into the thickening fog.
I was taken to an academy of sorts, its entrance imposing and tall and blocked by an iron gate. Thunder sounded when I arrived, but it didn’t rain.
Miles dropped me off in front of the school, and the servants there, all dressed in uniforms that were sharp and sleek, led me to a room.
This was not where I should be.
I glanced up at the gothic curtains and maroon walls. I sat on a single bed, with the comfiest sheets I’d ever felt. The sheets were black. The owners of this place enjoyed decorating every inch with the colors of gloom and death. There was a desk across from me. Books had been stacked on it, each of them with weathered spines and hardcovers. The room smelled like a strange mixture of iron and mint.
There was another bed situated across from mine, tucked against the wall. Was I going to have to face another roommate? I didn’t like sharing my space. I guessed that since I’d been taken captive and was a prisoner, my preferences weren’t going to be accounted for.
Why was I wasting my time in this foreign place? I should be back home, next to Hannah, finding ways to save her.
She cannot be saved.
Miles had told me that before he’d dragged me away. I’d begged for him to save her, but he’d kidnapped me anyway.
He’d allowed me to call 911, at least. He told me my efforts would be futile, but I had to do everything I could to protect her.
Why did my efforts seem so minuscule? I was failing Hannah just like I had Gran. Self-hatred thundered through my chest, the emotion impossible to ignore.
I stood then paced back and forth. The stress of this all sent my pulse racing. I picked up a glass and threw it against a wall. It shattered, just like how my grip on myself was breaking into pieces.
My door clicked open.
“Um…” A woman with a ponytail entered. She couldn’t be older than twenty. What was she doing working in a place like this? She wore a blazer lined with gold at its seams, a pair of long pants, and black, polished boots. The girl fiddled with her hands as she glanced at me, a wide-eyed look on her pale face. “Madam?”
I’d never been called that before. I slowed my breathing and turned toward her. “Are you looking for me?”
She nodded. “I’m one of the servants assigned to care for the students.”
“We have servants?”
“There’s a team assigned to each hallway, ma’am.”
“You can call me Verity.”
The servant waved her hand in front of her face. “No, no. I have to address you formally. The vampires are strict about that.”
“Are you human?”
“Me?” A nervous smile cracked her face. “Well, yes.”
“But there are vampires around here? A lot of them?”
“They do run the place.”
“Don’t you want to get out of here? They’re monsters.”
“My family has served them for many years, and we’re all healthy. Alive. A roof over our heads. That’s good enough.”
“Aren’t you afraid of them?”
She laughed. “Afraid? Nonsense. They’ve been nothing but kind.” She shook her head. “Anyway, Lord Cassius has called for an address. You have to be at the assembly in twenty minutes.”
“Who is Lord Cassius?” An address at this time of the night? My watch was telling me that it was two in the morning. We should all be asleep. Still, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get any shuteye even if I tried. I’d spend all night twisting and turning in my bed, thinking about Hannah.
“He’s the lord who rules over the Sanctum. His word is law around here.”
“I won’t answer to him.”
She winced at my rudeness. “He’s very important.” She shifted her eyes to her right, then back to me. “You should watch your words around Cassius. You don’t want to upset him. He has the ability to make your life hell.”
“So you are afraid,” I said.
“I was taught respect. Just don’t be too reckless. You seem like the type.”
“Duly noted,” I said, not really caring. My life was already hell. My sister was somewhere in New York, half dead because of me, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I really couldn’t give two shits about Lord What’s-his-face.
“Please don’t be late. The Sanctum doesn’t treat latecomers well.”
I nodded.
The servant stared at me with a frown before seeing her way out.
I was exhausted. It was two hours past midnight and I couldn’t catch a break.
Maybe I’d learn something from this address.
When I stepped out of my room, I saw that all the students were headed in the same direction. I followed them, assuming they were headed to the address I’d been ordered to attend.
A man slowed next to me. He was slightly tan and had the sides of his hair shaved. “New here?” he asked. He was dressed in a tank top that revealed some tattoos, and a pair o
f jeans.
I raised a brow at him.
He chuckled. “Everyone’s new here. I’m just messing with you.”
“Uh huh.” I quickened my pace. I wanted to lose the guy. I didn’t really enjoy making conversation.
“Hopefully we can get back soon,” he said, muttering to himself. “Half of the kids here are scared shitless. Did you get in here through the fog like the rest?”
I nodded.
“Things here just don’t feel right.” The man shook his head. “The guys that took us in. Lots of people say they have red eyes. Red. Eyes. It’s scary as hell, don’t you think?”
I ignored him and continued walking.
“You don’t say much, do you?”
“If you’re looking at me for answers, you’re not going to get any. I’m just as clueless as the rest of you.”
He harrumphed. “We can talk about it anyway.”
“I’m tired. Worried. I’m not really in the mood to talk.”
“Unfriendly, much?”
When the tattooed man realized that I wasn’t going to entertain him any further, he got bored and sauntered away, looking to find someone else to start mindless chitchat with. He seemed to warm people up easily. He moved from one student to another, making connections.
I was paying so much attention to him that I didn’t focus on my steps, and I accidentally bumped into someone.
“Hey, watch it,” the girl I’d bumped into said, scowling at me. I steadied myself before looking at her. The girl tossed her hair over her shoulders. She was pretty in a conventional way. Small face and slender features, with straight blond hair covering her cheeks. Her eyes were huge, and she wore a long-sleeved shirt that exposed her flat belly. She didn’t seem to be gracious, however, not with her accusation-filled expression. “Are you blind?”
“Um, sorry,” I said. I looked away, not wanting any trouble. I had enough of my own. The people who’d been dragged to the Sanctum seemed to be around my age, ranging from sixteen to their early twenties. All of them looked confused.
All except the girl I’d bumped into. She was just pissed.
The girl grabbed my shoulder. “You need to get your eyes fixed. Are you listening to me?”
“I said I was sorry,” I said, frowning as I looked over my shoulder at her. “I’m having a bad day, as I’m sure you are, too. Try to understand.”
The rage on her face grew hotter. She placed her hands on her hips and stood with her legs shoulder-width apart. “I didn’t know such rude people existed.”
“What’s your name?” I asked.
She cocked her head. “Vixie.”
“Hm, Vixie,” I said, not liking the way her name rolled off my tongue. It sounded sharp and venomous. “Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours. I hope we don’t see each other around.” I probably should have spoken with a nicer tone, but I had zero patience to spare today. I’d gone through enough and should be allowed to be grumpy.
She huffed.
I strode faster, avoiding her.
“I hate you too!” she shouted as I sped down the corridor.
People like her weren’t worth my time. Insecurity was written all over her.
I rounded the corner and entered the assembly hall. It was like an amphitheater, with massive pillars that surrounded us from all sides. A crowd of kidnapped kids (at least, I assumed that they’d all been kidnapped) had gathered. There had to be around five hundred people in this amphitheater. They faced a tall stage that loomed over them. It looked like it was made of rocks, and sharp features jutted out from its sides. Gargoyles lined the interior of the assembly hall, their mouths hanging open to reveal jagged granite teeth. Baroque patterns curved around each other on the ceiling. The architecture here was so archaic and out-of-this-world that I thought I might’ve just been thrust into the Renaissance era.
I waited for the assembly to start, and when it did, the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen stepped to the microphone. She was dressed casually, in a sharp outfit typical of an office worker, but her radiance shone like a goddess’s would.
“Attention, attention,” the woman said. She cleared her throat. “Please make yourself comfortable.” She tapped on the microphone to ensure it was working. “Attention, please.”
It took about a minute before the students quieted and turned their gazes toward her.
“Are we all ready? Good.” She nodded. “My name is Serena Varkov, and as the secondary overseer of the Sanctum, I am to see that you all are properly taken care of during this term.” She looked out of this world, even from so far away. There was not a blemish in her appearance, and despite her big, dirty-blond hair, she looked like a kept-together person. “I’m sure many of you must be disoriented, but fret not, it is a privilege to enter the Sanctum. Few humans ever get the opportunity to be turned into vampires.”
My insides ran cold.
I didn’t want to become one of them.
Immediately, the gathering broke into a chorus of chatter. “Vampires?” many of the kids said as they shared puzzled glances.
“There, there,” Serena continued, waving her hands. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but you will understand soon enough. The process is simple. You will undergo a series of lessons and tests over the course of the next six months. Those deemed worthy of becoming one of us will be transformed into a normal vampire by Lord Cassius himself. Those who fail will have their memory wiped, and will return to their lives as if nothing ever happened.”
It sounded innocent enough—except that the students who failed would lose six months of their lives.
I didn’t have that to lose.
What of my sister? She’d be dead by then.
I had to get back. Stat. But before then, I needed to find her cure, and where better to find it than amongst the enemy themselves?
“Let us greet our Lord Cassius,” Serena said. “The ruler of the Sanctum and one of the last fullbloods.”
I straightened while hearing that.
A fullblood.
Hadn’t Miles mentioned about that? I needed the heart of a fullblood to heal my sister. I fixed my gaze on the podium as Serena switched positions with a man. He was a looming individual. He hadn’t said anything, but with the way he carried himself, it looked like he demanded to be seen.
I lost my breath when I looked at him.
Did this man rule the vampires?
That didn’t seem right. He was too perfect… too surreal… too gorgeous to belong to such a terrible group of creatures.
He didn’t look like a vampire at all. Definitely not the kind I was used to. Why was looking at him getting me this riled up? He was tall, a head taller than Serena. His hair was long and white and sensual, falling loosely around his shoulders. He wore an unbuttoned white dress shirt, completely unbefitting this occasion. The casual way he dressed made him seem even more intimidating. He stood tiredly, seemingly having given up on life. Why did he appear to be so bored, disappointed, miserable?
Cassius grabbed the microphone and adjusted it closer to his mouth. “Good luck. Work hard. The Sanctum isn’t a place for the weak.” He sighed. “You’re all dismissed.” With a casual flick of his hand, he ended the gathering.
I held my breath.
That was it?
All this anticipation, and that was all he had to say?
We were kidnapped, for God’s sake!
We needed more of an explanation. An apology, perhaps. We didn’t deserve to be treated like flies.
Cassius dragged his hands over his sleeves, straightening them. He turned away from the crowd and made his way off the stage.
An incessant urge to run after him, grab him by the collar, and pry explanations out from him zipped through me. He obviously thought highly of himself, and somebody had to put him in his place.
I calmed myself by taking in deep, controlled breaths.
That man…
That beautiful, terrible man was a fullblood.
He was my a
nswer, even though his perfect, flawless exterior angered me.
I needed him to save Hannah.
That meant I had to kill him.
Six
Verity
The cafeteria, despite its dark interior, seemed normal enough. Dim orange light lit the walls. The seats here were made of wood, just like the floors. I thought it looked fancier than the cafeterias in high school.
I held a metal tray in my hand as I waited for my turn. The boy who had been queueing in front of me walked off, and I stepped forward.
The cafeteria lady was a middle-aged woman who wore a black apron and a hair net. “Next,” she said, gesturing for me to come forward. She absolutely hated her job. Didn’t take a genius to tell. Her face was wrinkled from all that frowning.
I halted in front of her. She dumped a huge pile of slush on my tray. It made an icky noise, and I scrunched my nose up, disgusted. “That’s not food,” I said. It was too green. Too mushy. Did I smell potatoes? I’d never seen green mashed potatoes.
The woman narrowed an eye at me. “It is. Move along. Don’t hold up the queue. There’s a lot more students to serve and not much time left in this shift.”
“Have a good day,” I said.
“Yeah? Whatever. Nothing’s really that great for the humans around here. Just got a pay cut. Those stinking vamps.”
“You get paid?”
“Well, of course. What are we, slaves? We’re workers.”
I raised my brow. “Sorry, I just thought…”
“I don’t really care what you think. Move along.” She waved me aside with her ladle.
I picked up a bottle of water, a fork, and a spoon and walked off, away from the grumpy cafeteria lady. She exuded too much negative energy, just like the rest of this dreadful place. There was no point arguing with that woman. I guessed that she had no control over what went onto my plate. I’d be sour too if my job consisted of scooping green mush all day.
I found myself a seat in the corner of a cafeteria, far from everyone else, and sat down.
Fullblood Academy: A Vampire Academy Mild Bully Romance (Vampires of the Sanctum Book 1) Page 4