• 1. First Day

    Blood. How it surges through her veins, she is sure he will hear. No he doesn’t hear, to distracted by the bloodlust. Disgusting, he’s sucking her dry. Her mother’s blood. She can’t do anything, he’ll kill her to. Clutching her mouth tight silent tears stream down her face. Watching her mother’s very life being stolen from the rivers that are her veins. Red, staining the pale skin of his lips. Filling him up, giving him life.

    When he’s finished he tosses her mother away like nothing, as if he could live without the life he stole from her. The young girl wants to cry for the life ripped away cruelly. No. She couldn’t, wouldn’t cry out

    Silence.

    ********

    Walking through vast crowds of people waiting in customs. The man that was checking her bags grumbled and growled clearly believing he had better things to be doing. “Nothing but stupid snotty kids going back to their expensive boarding schools” he muttered darkly under his breath. Laurel almost groaned, just what she needed, to be reminded of where she was going. The next time she saw John she’d kill him, yes or maybe stuff him into a boarding school filled with the very creatures that left her with nothing but pain. The creatures that took her voice and life away. Stepping out into the crowded taxi stand in front of the airport she immediately spotted her ride; the sign was a bright pink with her name scrawled messily across it in huge letters. It took all her will for Laurel to stop herself from bolting right then and there. The car that John had got her was not as bad as she had expected, knowing her guardian as she did Laurel had expected a big old white limo. Maybe the car company didn’t have any. Good.
    “Good morning to you miss” the driver offered, politely opening the door for her.
    He seemed nice so Laurel gave him a smile and a nod. That was more that most people got, normally it was Laurel’s antagonistic, patronizing I hate my life stare.

    The seats were comfortable and smelled like leather cleaner and peppermints. Sitting back she let her mind wander, thinking of how her school back home would be starting now, everyone would be talking about their holidays. Nobody would even notice that silent girl with the crosses wasn’t sitting in her accustomed corner. Shame for the teachers though, she was about the only un-disruptive person in the whole institution, well not counting that creepy year 12 who sat at her table at lunchtime.

    Tears threatened when the dome that covered Crimson Sun High School came into view. It was quite an ironic name considering the special built dome that cut out all of the suns potency. See Crimson Sun High was a boarding school for vampires thus the necessity of the special dome, it wouldn’t do for all the good little vampire boys and girls to faint and die all over the place or have to take classes only at night thought Laurel sarcastically. No, since vampirism had been recognised as a disease like HIV this society protected vampires more than humans.
    Stepping out of the car and onto the pristine almost fake looking grass Laurel took one last glance at the sun-covered world of outside. Sure it was pretty here. Ok it was downright beautiful with gentle rolling hills and a huge sparkling lake, but it wasn’t right. No wind stirred the incredible cherry blossoms that dotted the lawn. No sun lighted on the water like a bird on the wing. Nothing. This was a nothing place, the only light was artificial and lay no warmth onto Laurels pale skin. The dorms where she would be held prisoner seemed like they were worlds away, father than the stars. Still Laurel picked up her bags and started her way across the sprawling lawns, suddenly a bell rang from somewhere in the school. Because of the fact that she didn’t talk Laurel had developed an acute sense of hearing so that the bell clanged around in her head, a metallic voice shouting DOOM.

    She wanted to become invisible, but no life was cruel and within seconds of the bell students started to pour out of the school and towards the dorms, steeling herself Laurel followed along being consumed by the crowd, a merciless beast swallowing her whole. She was swathed in the potent energy that vampires exuded, most people couldn’t feel it but Laurel was particularly perceptive when it came to these fanged demons. Suddenly out of nowhere she felt the bag she was carrying being yanked out of her hand by superior strength.

    “Here darling let me help you with that”. Purred a silken voice.

    She turned a doe caught in a headlights beam her eye’s widened as she stared into the green eyes and alabaster features of one of the creatures she hated most in the world. Gone. As suddenly as he had come he was gone, her bag to, Laurels hands flew to her throat and the cross that rested there. She wanted to run but her legs were like lead weights keeping her grounded on the sweeping hills of this alien prison.

    Almost painfully Laurel forced her feet to move trying not to make contact with any of the ‘students’ as she was bustled through the crowd, it wasn’t a crowd really more like a writhing mass of different energies clashing and making Laurels head split. She didn’t know or care where the hell her bag was all Laurel wanted, nay needed was to be alone. Finally with a sigh of relief Laurel made it to her dorm room, a bubble of relief popped somewhere inside her and she let the waves sweep her towards the window. When she was little Laurel had loved to stare out the window at the incredible view of the ocean that only her room got, but now looking out onto the greens of Crimson Sun High she couldn’t help but to feel devastated. As pretty no gorgeous as it was outside, it wasn’t real, like a flickering hologram Laurel could see the ugly landscape that was the true Crimson Sun High.

    The dull ache that had always existed where Laurels heart should have been intensified in that second, as a voice shocked her out of her suicidal thoughts “Why so sad?” it was the green eyed boy from before.
    Was it correct to call a vampire boy, Laurel thought but then she remembered that while the disease could be passed on and children could carry it didn’t fully set in till that child reached maturity which for most was the age of eighteen, because of that a child vampire aged naturally but still was allergic to sun. Blood, blood was also a necessity for any vampire even the oldest and most powerful vampire was forced to drink once a cycle (month). Laurel was finding it hard to move, trapped by the vast oceans of green of the vampire’s eyes; if she chose to talk she wouldn’t have been able to. It was incredible, the sheer force that this child vampire could exert with only a brief look, no more than a glance held her completely captivated.
    “Hnnn”, “so it is true then, a human in a vamps world” moving with predator grace he loped over to her, raising his hand he ran his fingers slowly down her cheek and the side of her neck.

    “You can call me Wolf by the way” he stated, as if he was flattering her, caught by the unmovable chains that his stare ensnared her with Laurel stood.

    He probably could have killed her right then and there but by some freak of nature miracle he simply turned on heel and left giving her a jaunty salute as he stepped out the door.

    Flopping down onto her new bed Laurel curled up into a ball, feeling safer this way, she looked at her room, or was it her prison. Her own waking nightmare. Despite where she was Laurel found sleep easily letting it claim her as if to enjoy a better world that her dreams may send her to.

    ***********
    Laurel was floating in vast oceans of green, the water swirled around her lazily; her body was completely relaxed as she let the green guide her. Surveying the territory with an uncaring eye Laurel spotted an island close by, with long effortless strokes she swam over to it. The island seemed to be welcoming her as a warm sunlight kissed her tan skin. Wait tan, no Laurel had never been tan in her life not even when she lived by the beach in Australia, something wasn’t right. Looking up with more caution this time she saw a figure walking down the pristine surreal white sand toward her. There he stood, a perfect god carved from the finest alabaster and there stood Laurel trapped once again in his incredible, undefinably beautiful green eyes. Laurel couldn’t even see the other features of his face only the complete magnetism of the green. Suddenly the ocean rose up snatching Laurel and dragging her down to its green depths.

    ***********

    Laurel bolted up strait but didn’t scream as is the natural reaction to a nightmare. Was it a nightmare? Laurel didn’t know or care all she wanted was to rid herself of the thoughts in her head, getting up she walked towards the bathroom in the mind to have a hot shower. Stopping dead Laurel realised that every time she had looked into the vampires, no Wolf’s eye’s she hadn’t been scared. No she recalled the exact feeling that was surging through her veins as she looked into green eye’s it was a thrilling exhilarating feeling, it was the way your first kiss should feel. That wasn’t right Laurel had always been afraid when a vamp was nearby, actually it was quite ridiculous, Laurel always avoided being out at night because of them. Was this just another of the powers a vampire could posses? Was that why her mother hadn’t run? Had her mother felt that same thrill even as fangs were plunged into her neck? Laurel shivered at the thought of that much power being wielded by even a young vampire.

    Deciding to skip the shower Laurel returned not to her bed but to the window, looking outside Laurel wished. She wished for something that she knew would never be but still, what was her wish you ask, it was that the dome trapping her inside would be broken and she might be free to fly away. Sighing she watched as the sun started to rise, from where she sat it looked so beautiful, she watched it hungrily, her mother had always loved watching the sun rise. With a drawn out sigh Laurel rose and readied herself for the arduous day that was sure to be ahead of her, the best that she could wish for she supposed was that the incarnated god Wolf wasn’t in any of her classes. Laurel tried to draw out everything that she did even going so far as to take a half hour to brush her hair, mentally slapping herself she adjusted her tie once more before stepping out to face the world.

    Looking down at her uniform Laurel almost smiled, it was of a gothic type style thank the lord which not only sat quite well on the loveliness of the vampires but actually complemented Laurels pale skin. Also Laurel had found it easy to add her favourite accessory to the black dress, what is her favourite accessory you may ask, well a cross of coarse. Along with the cross that always resided at her neck, close to the pulse point Laurel now had a silver gothic cross brooch on her tie, tiny crosses at the points of her collar and matching bracelets with mini crosses hanging off them. Oh and who could forget the dainty charm anklet that went over her black thigh-highs, yes as far as crosses went Laurel was set, to bad vampires didn’t fear crosses. Sometimes Laurel would look at her crosses and get angry, why couldn’t that superstition have been true, still crosses made Laurel feel somehow better. Walking across the hideously beautiful grounds towards the main school building, Laurel wondered how she was going to do this. The bell rang loud and metallic but it wasn’t quite as intimidating as before, Laurel couldn’t help thinking that she’d at least know one person in the school. No she silently berated herself she wasn’t supposed to be thinking of Wolf.

    As she walked into the classroom she knew immediately that fate hated her, there he was standing oh so casually leaned against a window talking to three other vampires. His head flicked up as if he could hear her thoughts calling out, those green eyes immediately locked Laurel in place, as if bored he looked away. Looking down Laurel walked to the back of the room, the far extreme and sat down not that it would help most everyone was already staring at her.
    Laurel could feel all of the students eye’s on her, it was disconcerting, suddenly a chill swept the room, Laurel looked up. The chill was the teacher. Most of the student visibly shuddered; his voice rang out sharp and crisp like the ice on a pond breaking.

    “Will Laurel join me at the front of the class” demanded the teacher; cringing Laurel stood slowly walking towards the front of the classroom.
    Standing next to the teacher all the students stared at her; she stared back taking in the incredible good looks that every person seemed to possess.
    Ice broke in a cold wave “are you going to introduce yourself or stand there like a mental incompetent?” he might as well have yelled.
    Laurel looked up dazed, the teacher glared at her, Laurels eye’s widened in panic.

    “Sir I believe that the new girl is a mute”. The voice that saved her was as beautiful as cherry blossoms and felt like silk sheets against bare skin.
    Laurel didn’t need to look up to guess who the voice had come from, she took her leave walking back to her seat careful to avoid coming too close to anyone, the energy in the room was beginning to hurt her head.

    The lesson went very slowly even for maths, it was also incredibly boring, Laurel had been in an extension class at her old school and had studied this topic in expanded detail already. Packing up slowly when the bell rang Laurel reached for the painkillers in her bag swallowing two quickly before leaving the deserted classroom. Laurels next class wasn’t any better, it was P.E something that Laurel had actually enjoyed at her old school, but being the human that she was Laurel wasn’t allowed to participate. True she could see the sense in it; it wasn’t exactly her dream to be squashed flatter than a pancake. So instead of P.E Laurel was subjected to eighty five minuets of watching the boy’s class play basketball and the uniforms weren’t helping. Loose black track pants and a tight red t-shirt outlined every perfect muscle of the body’s of these ridiculously gorgeous boys. They were all just so good looking, only small differences between them, one more bulky or taller, but they all had the same eye’s. Black. All but Wolf, his green eyes stood out of the crowd and somehow he seemed more attractive than the others it scared Laurel a little to think about it.

    So relieved to hear the bell ring; Laurel jumped up with no hesitation and made her way outside. Laurel had never deluded herself into thinking that she would be able to eat in the cafeteria but still it was strange to her to be outside. At her old school Laurel had loved to listen to the conversations that flew around her without heed. Strolling easily over the lawns Laurel found a tree that seemed to appeal more than the others and sat under it, looking up she wished that she could climb it and hide amongst the blossoms in her own little world.

    “I think it was smart to avoid the cafeteria”. Oh that voice, looking up Laurel stared into green eyes once more; they didn’t have the same pull as before, still there but just less.

    “Hnnn” her brow furrowed slightly, what was that this guys catchphrase?

    Wolf sat on the ground just a metre away from Laurel, no sat wasn’t the right word there wasn’t a word out there to describe the motion, Laurel supposed that it was just another thing that vampirism graced its sufferers with. Well all things considered it wasn’t really a bad disease to have the way that diseases went these days. In fact there was a new cult emerging of vampire worshippers/wannabee’s they were affectionately called Vemo’s because of their emo vampire tendencies. Some Vemo’s would do anything to get a chance at becoming a vampire.

    Wolf was staring at her with is incredible green eyes, focussing on him for the first time Laurel was able to take in his entire appearance, his face she decided was enough to make anyone want to die for. High cheekbones, a perfect strait nose and full lips with only a hint of fang poking out, alabaster perfection. She knew that he was scrutinizing her as well, there wasn’t much to scrutinize Laurel knew that she was plain, with her pale skin she could almost be mistaken for a vampire except for the fact that Laurel didn’t have the extreme beauty, she was like a blank white canvas.

    That wasn’t what Wolf saw when he looked at her he saw intelligent eyes alive with colour, like somebody had taken ever eye colour and speckled them together to create a glorious display. Her clear skin looked so soft, she had an open face with a set of oh so kissable lips, in his mind this girl was a paragon of beauty. Laurel looked down nervously toying with the crosses on her right wrist; it was a very natural reaction for her, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by Wolf.

    Leaning back comfortably Wolf commented “you know there are lots of rumours flying around about you”.
    Laurel just sighed softly.

    “So you really don’t talk”, “are you mute or you just don’t” he questioned her.
    Again Laurel said nothing; maybe if she ignored him he’d go away, everyone did eventually.

    Laurel started to play with her crosses again this time going for her favourite one, it was her constant companion, that was actually pretty funny and extremely sad. Checking his watch Wolf stood easily offering her a hand “the bells going to ring” looking again into his green eyes Laurel stood all by herself preferring not to touch the young vampire, no matter how nice he seemed. To Laurel only very slight annoyance Wolf was in her next class to, he sat casually next to her. Laurel turned her head looking at the board as if it was of interest to her, the board was blank.

    It was like torture, she smelled so good, it made Wolfs other sense tingle, her beauty continued to astound him but her scent. She smelled just mouth watering, he knew it was the scent of her blood and that deep down his greatest desire was to drink her dry. Still he didn’t think that he would, as much as that other side desired her, his curiosity was stronger. Curiosity killed the cat, that’s what they say isn’t it?, but just who was the cat?

    Wondering just how soft her skin was Wolf slyly reached over the gap between their desks taking hold of Laurels hand. Her skin was lusciously soft; perversely he wondered how it would feel against his lips. Slightly scared Laurel risked a glance at Wolfs face; his eyes were filled with tenderness and another undefinable emotion, it looked similar to hunger, but no not hunger. Undefinable. His skin had a strange feel it wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold like a vampires skin was supposed to be, it felt almost nice. As the teacher walked into the room Wolf gave Laurels hand a squeeze and reluctantly withdrew his own. Looking up towards the front Laurel noticed that the teacher was female; all of her teacher thus far had been male.

    “Ok settle down class it time to begin” the teacher voice seemed to penetrate Laurels mind and make her want nay need to obey, “my name is Miss Claude and this is where you will learn control of your more basic instincts”.

    This wasn’t good Laurel thought as images of bloodthirsty red eye’s clouded her mind and made her eyes sting with tears.

    Suddenly the energy level in the room tripled in intensity and Laurels tears were forgotten as her head started to split, whimpering ever so softly she bought her hand to her head as if to keep it held together. Wolf looked at Laurel she was clutching her head with a look of great pain on her face; it was an almost instant reaction to want to protect her. Scooping her up easily into his arms he walked swiftly towards the front of the room. Somebody was carrying her she felt safe in those strong arms, whoever it was exuded the most calming energy. Laurels eye’s fluttered open just long enough for her to catch a glimpse of concerned green eyes.

    ***********

    Wolf watched her with concern, she hadn’t woken up yet, humans were so fragile. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek, unconsciously Laurel turned into the touch waking slightly, her eyes opened. Opening her eyes Laurel felt strange, that calming energy was still hanging in the air. Suddenly Laurel froze; Wolf froze too his fingers still lightly touching her cheek.

    Sighing Wolf whispered in a gentle voice “thank god you’re ok”.

    Laurel looked at Wolf, light illuminated his form making him look like an angel, was she really ok Laurel wondered to herself. As she sat up the world came into focus, neatly made beds lay dormant in rows along the sides of the room. Laurel supposed that vampires rarely got ill but it was kind of comforting that there were facilities, not that she planned a repeat of today.

    Laurels legs felt a little shaky but she stood up intent on going to her next class, as if reading her mind Wolf grabbed her hand he prevented her going any farther.

    “Oh no you don’t” he said, Laurel gasped as her feet left the ground. She struggled against his strong hold “You just fainted I’m not letting you back near anybody else today” he said his tone angry.

    Laurel automatically stiffened in his arms scared by the harsh edge that his voice had contained. Sensing her fear Wolf gently lowered her so that she could stand but didn’t let go holding her close to his body. He smelled nice like a mild autumn day; letting the tension in his voice fade away he ran his fingers through her silken hair whispering so softly that Laurel couldn’t make out what he was saying.

    “Just let me keep you safe ok” he said his voice almost pleading almost as if she was important to him, his precious one. Oh that voice how could you ever deny it anything?

    She leaned against his chest letting his energy consume her and calm her frazzled nerves. Smiling softly Wolf started to lead her towards the dorms in the mind to make her rest. The door to her room swung open before them Laurel walked inside going to the window almost on reflex. Wolf sat on her bed observing her, she sat on the window seat knees pulled to her chest her face illuminated by the dying rays of the sun.

    “It must be hard for you” he said as if expecting to start a conversation “not being amongst your own people”. Standing up he walked over to stand at her shoulder “does it scare you...” he whispered his voice almost nervous “...to be close to vampires” his voice turned bitter “to be around monsters like me?”.

    Laurel looked up into his unfathomable green eyes, seeing the self loathing there she suddenly wondered who this boy was and had an almost uncontrollable desire to get to know him better.