Elysium

by Sylah Sloan

  I ate in silence, but when it came to actually drinking the blood, I grew self-conscious. I was tempted to save it for later, but my stomach was starting to cramp again. One of the guys at our table, Landon, I think his name was, pulled out a bag of blood and popped a straw in it. I hadn’t even noticed he was a vampire, but as he was about to drink from the straw, he smiled at me, showcasing some wicked, long fangs.

  After that, I didn’t feel so embarrassed and popped a straw in the hole at the top. It reminded me of the little milk boxes that I used to get at school. I felt a laugh bubble up inside of me, and when it came out several people glanced at me in confusion. I muttered an apology and drank it like a milkshake, a disgusting, cold, iron tasting milkshake, but it made the cramps go away, nonetheless.

  “You could have warmed that up.” I looked up when Landon spoke to me, tossing his empty pink tinged bag on his tray.

  I had a feeling he was a big flirt at school, and I was sure his good looks helped him out in that department. I shrugged, finishing up the last of mine and placing it on my tray. “I know, but I prefer it cold.” I really did too. It tasted bad hot or cold, but it was more tolerable cold. He gave me a strange look before smiling, starting a conversation with a guy sitting next to him.

  I looked around the room, everyone talking and laughing with each other. Violet sat next to me, and I noticed her eyes were constantly going to one guy at the end of the table. I remembered him from my transitions class, a course geared to helping new students make the appropriate shift into their new role at Arcane Manor.

  My eyes stayed on the guy holding Violet’s attention. He was telling some story about his lacrosse championship which he won single handedly. I rolled my eyes as he started to go into great detail about how he broke another student’s nose. I could see why Violet would find him attractive, what with his sandy blond hair and deep brown eyes. He was boy next door cute, but cocky.

  I glanced around the lunchroom, every table having a different group of students. I guess every high school was the same, when it came to cliques sticking together. I was either blatantly staring, or Violet was just very astute, because her next words answered my unspoken question.

  “That table over there,” she pointed to a rectangular table pressed against the wall, “is all of the werewolves, and the table by the stage is where the shifters usually hang out.”

  “There’s a difference between werewolves and shifters?” Violet looked at me like I had grown a second head, and I knew I said something wrong. No one knew I was a brand new vampire, and of course everyone would think I was already accustomed to the world of the Arcane. I thought of something to rectify the situation. “I just meant I always thought of werewolves as shifters also.” This seemed to placate her, and I felt my heart rate returning to normal.

  “Some would agree with you, although don’t let either of them hear you say that, because it tends to piss them off. They kind of have a silent hatred for each other.”

  I nodded like I understood, but I really didn’t.

  “The shifters like to think of themselves as above the werewolves, but really, they can shift into other animals,” her voice grew soft, “I think they are the same as well.” She sat up straighter, and her voice returned to normal. “Then you have the witches and warlocks on the other side, and then of course the demons, vampires, sirens, and a whole slew of other creatures which kind of mingle with the rest of the population.”

  I looked at all of the different creatures she pointed out, not really seeing anything strange or unusual about them. There were some here and there that looked a bit out of the ordinary, but for the most part they looked like any other students at my last high school.

  “And then you have our table, a mixture of everything.” Violet spoke with a mouth full of Panini as she scanned the table we sat at.

  ****

  I finished my lemonade, as the bell rang, and everyone headed out. I could still hear the guy talking about his victories and hoped we didn’t have the same class next.

  I walked out with Violet, his name right on the tip of my tongue. “What was his name again?”

  “Xander Nicholls.”

  I nodded, the name now ringing a bell. My instincts were right about Violet finding him attractive. I hadn’t had to tell her which guy I was talking about. “He seems pretty full of himself.”

  “You should see him on the field. He’s a beast.”

  I snorted at that mental image, since every guy here was “a beast”. “You like him?”

  “What? Of course not. He’s really nice and all, but guys like that don’t go for girls like me.”

  I scoffed at her statement, looking at her and not knowing what she meant. “What in the world are you talking about? You’re beautiful. He’s blind if he doesn’t see that.” She snorted as she made her way into our next class. I didn’t know which one this was and was irked that no one had even bothered giving me some kind of schedule. I probably wouldn’t have been able to find my way around anyway, but still, that wasn’t the point. I felt lost in this place, blindly going through each class and relying on Violet.

  The routine was the same in each class: stand up in front of everyone, introduce yourself, and have a seat.

  “Hey, I forgot to ask what elective you had chosen.” Violet was leaning over the side of her desk as she asked the question. That had been at least one thing they had let me choose.

  “Swimming. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any kind of music class.”

  “Yeah, they tried that last year, but they didn’t really have any takers. I have no idea why. I used to play the flute when I was like ten. It was pretty fun.”

  “Why don’t you play anymore?”

  She crinkled her nose. “I don’t know. I guess I kind of outgrew it.”

  The class went by pretty fast, but I guess, if you knew nothing about the Arcane, all your attention was on the information. After class, Violet and I parted ways, despite me thinking we had all the same ones together, and I headed to my next class, thanks to Violet and her great map making skills. I glanced around, trying to decipher which hall she had written on the paper, and saw my next class ahead. The class was Vampyre History, and I was glad I had at least read through the book before today. As I walked in the classroom and saw everyone, I almost felt comfortable. I knew all of these students were like me, and because of that one element, I felt more at ease. That class also passed quickly and by the time it was over, I had made a few more friends.

  “Hey, Meadow!”

  I stopped and turned around and smiled as Nik jogged up to me.

  “Violet told me your elective is swimming?”

  I nodded, and we started walking again. “Yeah, why?”

  “Nothing, we’re just in it together. It’s cool, that’s all.”

  I was getting this weird vibe from Nik, but I pushed the thought away, thinking it was just me being weird. I followed him into the natatorium, where all the girls and guys branched off into their respectable locker rooms. I was starting to really doubt my decision about taking this class, given the fact I didn’t even own a bathing suit.

  Chapter Thirteen

  As soon as I walked through the small, tiled hallway leading into the main portion of the locker room, there was a small shop on the right. Bathing suits hung from wire racks, as well as warm-up outfits in the standard white or navy. A young girl sat behind the high counter, a recent tabloid magazine in hand. I guessed supernatural creatures liked to read trash too.

  The locker room was loud, the female voices bouncing off the walls. I stopped in front of the counter, staring at the girl, who didn’t bother looking up, even though I knew she was aware I was standing there. I cleared my throat, and she dropped the magazine, rolling her eyes as she stared at me.

  “Need a suit?”

  Her tone was mocking and sarcastic, and I was a little taken aback by her attitude. She must really hate dishing out the swimwear. “Uh, yeah.” She looked me up
and down, well, as much as she could given the fact that the counter was in the way. She turned and grabbed a navy suit with a large white dragon pasted across the side.

  “What’s your name and ID number?”

  “Meadow Caldwell, but I don’t know my number.”

  “New student?” She looked at me with an almost exasperated expression.

  “Yeah.” She typed in her computer, obviously making sure I was legit, before handing me the bathing suit and a small duffle bag. She wrote down my ID number on a slip of paper and handed it to me. I thanked her and headed back towards where the other voices were coming from.

  I rounded a corner and stopped as I saw several girls, including Porscha, wrap towels around their swimsuit clad bodies. Being inconspicuous wasn’t a talent I had, but I attempted to do just that. I thought I had gone unnoticed, as they made their way out of the locker room, but Porscha trailed behind, stopping before she rounded the corner and stared at me.

  She smirked, the smile anything but friendly, as she turned around and came towards me. Her towel was hanging over her arm, her body like something out of a swimsuit magazine.

  “So how do you like Arcane Manor?”

  Her voice was sickly sweet, and I wasn’t fooled into thinking she actually cared. “Okay, I guess.” I took a step back, as she continued to advance on me. I should have held my ground, but I was still getting used to this new “me”, and I knew nothing about Porscha or the powers she wielded.

  My back was now pressed against the lockers, and I gripped my bag. I wasn’t fooled by the way she was acting. I could tell from the look in her eyes she loathed me.

  “You like Dorian?”

  “Excuse me?” I squeaked in surprise as she slammed my shoulder forcefully into the lockers. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Anger slammed inside of me like a tidal wave.

  “If I ever see you flirting with my boyfriend again, you’ll regret it.” His voice was smooth and laced with menace.

  I stared open mouthed at her, so flabbergasted with what she had just said I couldn’t think of a retort. I wanted to say something witty and sarcastic, tell her that her boyfriend was the one pursuing me. No retort came, and I cursed internally as I watched the smug smile spread across her face.

  She sauntered out of the locker room, without even a backward glance in my direction. Soon, I was left by myself, and the only sound I could hear was my own rapid beating heart. I set the duffle bag on one of the wood benches and unzipped it. What Porscha had said to me still had me reeling. I pushed it aside though, knowing I couldn’t let her get under my skin.

  I pulled apart the side of my duffle bag and looked in. Inside was a plush white towel, a pair of flip flops, a pair of sweats, a white tee-shirt, and a swim cap. I hurried and got dressed, slipping my feet into the flip flops and grabbing the swim cap. I didn’t know if I would need it today, but it was in there for a reason, so I grabbed it just in case.

  My hair was already in a ponytail, so I just tightened it before grabbing my towel and heading in the direction the other girls had. I wasn’t the best swimmer, but I had been on a swim team when I was younger and hadn’t done too bad. Of course, that was so many years ago. I hope I don’t make an ass out of myself. I walked down a long narrow hallway, my flip flops hitting the tile in a loudly irritating way. I stopped at the door in front of me, taking a deep breath and pushing it open.

  The smell of chlorine and the humidity hit me first, as the door swung open. I took a few steps forward, just enough so the door could shut behind me. I tightened my hold on the towel and looked around. There was a regulation size pool in front of me, and I wondered exactly how they had managed to build something like this underground. Guys and girls were scattered throughout the room, their voices loud and excited.

  There were no windows, of course, but as I looked at the ceiling, I realized they didn’t need any. Painted in perfect realistic detail were the mountains, the sun and clouds, even little birds soaring over the horizon. “Wow.”

  “Like it, do you?”

  I dropped my gaze and was startled to see Nik right in front of me. I hadn’t heard his approach, and I wondered if stealthy silence was once of his specialties. I nodded and couldn’t help as I looked at his body. He wore spandex swim pants, the kind I’d seen Michael Phelps wear one time while watching the Olympics. I remembered I had thought how he was probably the only one who would look good in them. I was wrong.

  Nik was hot, like really, really hot. He must have worked out a lot, because his body was ripped. He definitely had the body of a swimmer. I was vaguely aware I hadn’t answered him, and he hadn’t said anything else. I snapped my eyes back up. I had been caught checking him out. He wore a telltale smile, and I knew my examination of him hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  “I’m sorry,” I stammered out, the heat in my face not dissipating. He hadn’t said anything, just kept smiling at me, which didn’t help my humiliation.

  “You a good swimmer?”

  I was so thankful he changed the subject, no doubt seeing the bright red hue of my face and hopefully feeling sympathy for me. I cleared my throat. “I used to swim, but I’m probably not half as good as any of you guys.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Come on, coach always gives his ‘encouragement’ speeches before we start. Really they’re just lectures on what we need to improve.” He looked at where I was clasping the towel and gestured towards a rack on the wall. “You can hang your towel there. You have your cap?”

  I took off the towel and hung it on the rack, slipping off my flip flops, turning back around and holding up my swim cap. The floor was cold and damp under my feet, sending chills through me and making me shiver. Nik was looking at me with that strange expression on his face again, something I didn’t know if I should look too deeply into. “Should I put it on now?”

  He shook his head, before clearing his throat, and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “You know you’re pretty lucky they had a spot open. Usually this class is filled before registration even begins. It must have been your beauty that pulled some strings.”

  I blushed again, a bad habit I was forming while here. An older man shouted something over to us, and Nik looked over his shoulder.

  “We better go. When the coach starts to yell, it usually means he’s in a foul mood.” He smiled and turned, walking towards where all of the other students had started to congregate.

  I followed, my eyes immediately going to his back and my mouth opening in shock. Covering Nik’s entire back in bright blue and black ink were the most intricately detailed wings. I hadn’t pictured Nik as the type of person to get a tattoo, although what did I know? As if he saw me staring at his back, he looked behind his shoulder.

  “Everything okay?”

  I snapped my eyes to his face, nodding briskly and picking up my pace to keep up with his long strides. We reached the semi-circle of swimmers, Porscha smirking at me a second before her attention went back to the coach.

  “We have a new team mate, Meadow Caldwell. I want everyone to welcome her and show her the ropes.” The coach’s face was serious, and everyone went toward me.

  They all smiled and said hi, introducing themselves before the coach started spouting off what we would be doing today. He clapped his hands together, and everyone branched off. It was when several of the guys turned around I noticed they too had huge wing tattoos covering their backs. The tattoos were all different in design and color, but the arches all started at the top of their shoulders, and the tips curved and reached their lower backs. Not all the guys had them, but I made the connection that the ones that did have the tattoos were probably demons. Hence they all had the same tattoo, because they were of the same species.

  I was starting to get dizzy from all the new things being revealed. I needed to make sure I remembered to ask Nik about it later. Nik gestured for me to follow him to the edge of the pool, where we would do some warm-up laps. I set my cap down and twisted my hair in a bu
n before grabbing the cap and snapping it on. It was tight and uncomfortable on my head.

  Nik’s hair was short, but he put his cap on anyway. The coach yelled out some names, Nik being one of them, and told them to get in the water and do five laps. I stepped back as Nik and the other swimmers took their places on the starting blocks. The coach shouted something unintelligibly, and they all dove into the water. I watched in apt awe as Nik took off, his body moving through the water with such precision and speed, he far surpassed everyone else.

  Nik was a full lap ahead of everyone else, and as they were starting their fifth lap, Nik was getting out of the pool, the water dripping off of his body as he snapped off his cap. He grabbed his towel and started drying off, as he walked up next to me. I couldn’t help but stare at him. “You were freakin’ awesome.” I watched his cheeks become pink, surprised I had embarrassed him. “You completely smoked everyone else.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not too bad.”

  “You’re being modest.” I could tell he must not get many compliments by the way he was handling mine, and I thought it was cute. The coach shouted the next set of names, mine included, and I took my place. My heart was beating hard. I was so nervous. I was out of shape and knew I would most likely be the last person to finish my five laps.

  ****

  I limped back to my room, so sore after swim practice. I continually asked myself why I had decided to take that elective. I had been right—I was the slowest one, everyone already out of the pool and staring down at me, as I finished my last lap. I thought maybe the coach would have seen how horrible I was and would have shown me some mercy, but I had been wrong. We had done more laps afterwards, and then raced each other. I hadn’t realized how out of shape I was, until I left the natatorium. I had my arm wrapped around my side, the pain pulsating with each step I took. I thought I might have pulled a muscle.

  Violet walked beside me, her full attention on the conversation she was having on her cell phone. I didn’t know what it was, but the idea that fey, demons, and all sorts of other mystical creatures had cell phones and led relatively “normal” lives kind of shocked me. Knowing that the girl walking beside me was a creature out of a fairy tale, yet here she was arguing with her mother over the “C” she got on her Biology exam was a little surreal. I don’t know what I thought. Maybe I couldn’t let go of the belief that they led extraordinary lives, that they didn’t go through the same problems every teenager did, or that they didn’t face the same academic repercussion for getting low grades. It was weird, to say the least.