Shadow School Ch. 04

Gavin gritted his teeth. "You do not choose yet, my dear, we have to make an introduction of our House so that you can choose with the knowledge of what you will get."

Cameron's mouth was open slightly and she made a hasty apology. "I'm sorry," she said, embarrassed, "please... continue." She'd simply wait until the presentation was over with then say the same thing.

Elias grinned. "In this case I think we can skip the duel for affection; she clearly chose Arinson."

Gavin rolled his eyes and returned to staring out the window with a wave of his hand. "Take her then. I have three more girls to interview before tonight and this meeting has gone on long enough."

Elias smirked. "Don't be such a sore loser Gavin, you know who you want already so don't bother making a show of courting another potential student... you'll be wasting her time."

"I have made no such decision." Gavin turned to face Elias. "It would be against school policy to have done so before the gala."

Elias returned Gavin's stare for only a moment before looking at the President. Julian Arinson nodded in acknowledgment before Elias turned to Cameron and held out his hand. She looked up into his face, her eyes wide from the tension in the room. "Arinson House wishes to formally welcome you to campus Miss Ellis, and requests an interview. Do you accept?"

Cameron didn't take her eyes from Elias' as she reached out and took his hand. She thought he meant to shake it but instead he helped her stand. She grabbed her bag from the floor and followed Elias to the same door Catherine had used as an exit. He opened if for her, gesturing for her to go through.

The hallway was darker than the President's office, and Cameron's eyes had to adjust to the dim light. The light from the door was fading as it closed and Elias began to lead her down a short hallway. She looked down a stairwell that seemed to descend several stories down. If she were on the second floor of the house, that meant it went far underground.

She was about to ask Elias where they were going when light flooded the hallway. Gavin had stepped through the door and was walking toward them.

The goth smirked at them as he passed. "I have time before my next observance. I think refreshment is in order."

Elias didn't smile. He simply nodded warily and nodded his head in the direction of the stairs indicating that Gavin should go first. Cameron wondered why until she realized she wouldn't exactly want Gavin behind her either, especially with the tension between the two.

They all began their way down the stairs in an awkward silence.

***

Kristie looked at herself in the bathroom mirror as she washed her hands. It had taken her a few minutes to even get off the bench where Daman had left her, let alone make it to the bathroom to clean up. Her brain was still trying to catch up with the last half hour and it was hard to come to terms with what had just happened.

It had been a long time since a man had sparked her interest and this one had set her on fire. She was pretty sure something else was going on, and whatever had taken place between them wasn't all natural... but whatever he was, he defiantly was not human.

The image of him sticking his finger in his mouth to suck off the remaining juices was burned into her memory. She had smelled herself on him, and it wasn't just arousal.

There had been blood on his finger.

Normally she would have been grossed out, but the act itself had been so shocking, she had done nothing but stare open-mouthed. His actions dumbfounded her.

He had fucking tasted her blood.

Twisted.

The trip to the bathroom had confirmed her mortification as she tried to salvage what was left of her sanity. Daman was either clueless or was one sick fuck. That was kinkier shit than she was into.

Doing the best she could to clean herself up, she couldn't think of what to do next. Did she find her parents and bolt? Did she warn the other girls to run away as fast as they could?

Perverted as it was, it had been the single hottest thing of Kristie's teenage life. Never in her eighteen years had anything blown her mind like Daman's clever dexterity. How did he know to touch her there? It was like he entered some sort of hacker code into her nervous system and pressed enter. She had even seen stars for crying out loud.

Kristie ran through the events leading up to the hot action in the doorway and tried to look at thing objectively. Daman had tried to take her mind off the walls, and succeeded. If she followed her gut reaction she'd seen an Egyptian interpretation of a man making love to a woman while sucking at her neck. Something told Kris that it wasn't an Egyptian hickey in the making. She'd also seen men turning into wolves and fighting... then a man BITING a wolf. Okay... lots of biting led to two things... vampires or zombies. As Daman didn't look dead, he must be undead.

Was Daman really a vampire? The blood she'd tasted in her mouth was his... he'd apologized for putting it there, and acted as if he knew she would soon get so turned on she'd actually beg him for some kind of touch or release. He'd clearly played with her despite the presence of blood which, she admitted, was always a question she had when watching a vampire movie: What happens when the young woman the vampire is interested in gets her period? Does that make him thirsty or is it taboo?

Daman had been cool the entire time. He'd also been hot... which went against vampire lore. He didn't bust out fangs or show any sign that he could smell her blood, which he must have. Her cheeks heated at the memory of him telling her that he could smell her. Fucking Hell.

Still, Daman hadn't done anything she didn't want him too, in fact, it was just the opposite. He'd been a little aggressive, yeah, but he also said he wasn't going to do anything unless she asked him... and he stayed true to that. And the entire time he never tried to find his own release.

Kris had told him she liked girls. Maybe this was his way of trying to not scare her off? It wasn't like she was scared of a penis... she just had a thing for breasts... and female connection. But the reaction her body had to Daman... He said she wouldn't have behaved that way if she didn't at least feel a little something...

A knock at the bathroom door made Kristie jump. She'd been staring at nothing while she thought.

"Kristie?" Becky's voice sounded curious. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'll be out in a minute." Kristie checked herself in the mirror again and took a deep breath before turning and opening the door.

"Hey," Becky said. "Daman said you were down here..."

"Yeah, he left... I guess he has to sit in on more interviews?"

"Yes... but only the ones where a girl is considered for his House." Becky turned for the stairs leading up into what Kristie guessed was Sokar House.

Kristie followed the girl up the steps and wondered if she should mention the encounter... probably not... but was that something that happened often? Did Becky know the Head of her House was probably a vampire? And if she did...

A different thought suddenly hit Kristie.

Why the Hell was she getting so worked up over something like this? Effing vampires, man! She might have just encountered a real one.

Holy shit.

Her whole life she'd been looking to do something wild... something out of the ordinary... and really, she was looking forward to a few party years at campus before settling down with a partner and raising a family... or maybe not settling down and just living it up until she died. Yet here she stood in a real life vampire academy (maybe) and she could have an experience only few people had.

She knew it was a twisted thought, but Hell... Kristie had the sudden urge to be twisted.

***

Melanie was starting to get bored. The third batch of girls were apparently the unlucky ones who had to wait for two hours before their interview. If she were last, it'd be more like three. She wondered what would happen if she got up and went for a walk. There didn't seem to be anyone but the girls in the theatre, so no one was really around to stop her. And if the last waiting period was any indication, she had a good half hour before the girls in cloaks lined up on stage. Bor. Ing.

Standing, she started to scoot out of the aisle. Only a few girls looked up from whatever they brought to occupy their time. She made her way to the doors that her parents had exited through, thinking maybe she could use the excuse of going to the bathroom. Surely they wouldn't expect the girls to hold it that long.

The lobby of the theatre was empty of people so she looked around the room. Spotting the ladies' restroom she figured she might as well go ahead and go since she didn't know what the rest of the day would entail. She passed by a darkened hallway, a few message boards, and some artwork, including a bust of a guy with leaves on his head like a Caesar. Pausing she looked down at the young man's face then read the plaque beneath a swath of marble cloth: Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.

Wow... okay maybe he WAS Caesar. She looked at the face more closely... he was kinda cute... sll this time she'd thought he was some middle-aged soldier with a thing for Cleopatra.... Or was that Antony?

Melanie went to the bathroom to kill more time and came out wondering if she should stay in the theatre. She could have used some fresh air; there wasn't much light coming through the lobby doors as it was and the darkness of the theatre was starting to get to her with nothing going on.

Strolling around the room she decided to busy herself with message boards and displays. There were pictures posted in a glass casing of a campus outreach program... some students working with pet adoption societies and others reading books to preschoolers. Some Halloween photos were still up showing toddlers in cute costumes and kids with their mouths smothered in candy. She saw Louis standing next to a girl, both dressed as chickens. She was holding a baby in an egg costume. Silly, but cute.

Melanie started to wonder... was that Louis' baby? Who was the girl? The mother? His wife? She never really thought to look for a ring on his hand but then, she was a little uncomfortable as it was and had avoided looking at him as much as possible. He looked too much like Gavin.

"Melanie?"

She turned. Speak of the devil. Her name sounded so elegant in that light French accent of his. She was used to a more southern pronunciation.

Louis came striding up to her, the front door shutting behind him. She wondered if she was in trouble.

"Hey... sorry... after two hours of sitting in there I had to get out for some air," she said sheepishly. She turned back to the photos. "I was just looking at these pictures."

Louis smiled as he approached her. "My brother... he turned two in March."

Melanie looked back at the baby, then at the girl. "So is she..." the mother?

"That is my fiancée, Sophie."

"Oh."

"She lives in Paris but she visits during the fall. She never misses a Halloween... it's such a commercial holiday here and she loves dressing up in ridiculous costumes."

"So it wasn't your idea to dress as a chicken?" Melanie couldn't help but notice how close Louis was to her. Granted, he was leaning over her shoulder to look at the picture, but with all the Gavin business, she was a bit uncomfortable having an Ovidan next to her neck.

Louis chuckled and straightened, taking a step back. "I'm a rooster. She's the chicken. And little Philippe is adorable in the egg costume, is he not?"

Melanie turned back to the photo and giggled. The baby did look absolutely ridiculous, but he was definitely adorable. "Did his mother not want to take him trick-or-treating?"

"Ah," Louis said, sighing. "Sadly Bethanie is no longer with us. With both parents out of the picture, Sophie and I will adopt Philippe when we marry."

Melanie suddenly felt guilty for judging Louis so harshly. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Louis said, trying to brighten the mood. "Life goes on, and little Philippe will have everything he wants. I plan to spoil him to pieces."

Melanie smiled. "Well congratulations then."

"And now for you... the girls will arrive in about 20 minutes if you can stand it... then you will have all the fresh air you want as you walk to the President's House. Your parents are already in a meeting with the Board, and as soon as you are finished, you'll have a banquet waiting for you. Think you can hold up for another hour?" Louis had walked to the theatre door and opened it for her.

"Sure." Melanie said, walking back into the gloomy theatre.

***

Cameron learned after only a few steps into the underground passage that the Heads of Ovidan and Arinson didn't really get along. First, it had been silence. Then, when she had wished someone would say something, Gavin obliged. She thought she preferred silence.

"I do wish you had chosen differently, Cameron," Gavin's voice had called back mockingly. "My family comes from a long line of knights. Elias is a descendant of barbarians."

Elias scoffed. "While your lot were off fighting silly religious battles my people were already discovering the existence of new continents."

"Yes, well my lot effectively converted your lot to our silly religion didn't we? Last I checked there were millions of us and... oh wait your people died out. So sorry about that."

Cameron glanced at Elias only to see him glance at her as well. He raised his eyebrows in a what-can-you-do? expression and looked back at the dark figure cutting his way down the passage. "I think the term is assimilation, not absolute death." He smiled over at Cameron. "Christianity came to the north and they frowned on raiders taking slaves... that was pretty much the end of the Viking Age." He looked back at Gavin, taunting him further. "Of course the difference between a slave and a serf is that you hand over the money it costs you to keep them. They think they're free, they just have to do their own accounting now along with all their other chores."

Gavin chuckled. "And the system is still in place more or less, wouldn't you say? Every few hundred years you change the rules to make the people think you're giving them what they want, but in reality all you're doing is changing some minor details and renaming positions."

Cameron couldn't help herself. "America doesn't have a feudal system."

Gavin glanced back over his shoulder for a moment, a grin on his face. "Of course you don't, Miss Ellis... you get to choose between only two men then place him and his family in a colonial castle that's guarded by soldiers... what was it called when the Kennedy's were there... Camelot?"

Cameron opened her mouth to retort but closed it again. She wasn't into politics and whatever needed to be said just then was beyond her. Never talk politics or religion, her mother always said.

Coming to a sudden stop, Cameron tried to think of something fast. She dropped to the ground and quickly untied her shoelace, looking up to see that Elias had stopped as well. She hoped Gavin would keep walking. When he stopped too, she looked back at her shoe and mentally cursed.

"You go ahead, Gavin, I think we can handle an untied shoelace." Elias said. His tone made her smile a little. When she glanced up again, Gavin had continued down the passage.

Standing, she straightened her bag and grinned at Elias. "Thanks."

"Well that's one way to get rid of him," he said in a lowered voice. "Unfortunately there's only a short way to go before we hit the Crossroads where he'll no doubt be waiting."

Cameron shrugged with a small sigh. "Did I thank you for saving me from him and his House? 'Cause... thanks."

Elias grinned. "There are girls out there who would love to be in his House."

"Yeah well lots of people love rocky road but I'd take homemade vanilla any day." Cameron said, starting back down the hall.

"Did you just refer to me as ice cream?" Elias sounded as if he was holding back laughter.

Cameron froze, realizing that yes... she'd just called Elias Arinson, potential Head of her House, a flavor of ice cream.

Before she could answer, Elias said, "What flavor would that make you?"

Cameron laughed and started walking again, her elbow brushing his arm as they made their way down the passage. "Rainbow sherbet. Melt in your mouth sweetness with half the calories."

It was his turn to stop.

She giggled, turning to see the reaction on his face. "You asked. It's been my favorite flavor for years and for just that reason."

Elias shook his head, his face thoughtful. "Just be glad you didn't give that answer to Gavin. You might not have made it out of the hallway."

Was it just her or had their conversation turned to flirting?

Within the next two minutes they were at the Crossroads, a place Cameron thought looked like storage for historical movie sets. It was a hodgepodge of different time periods and in the center of it all, Gavin was sipping a glass of red wine while looking through some of the other bottles on display.

"Bit early for that, isn't it?" Elias asked, crossing the room

"Never too early to start drinking this vintage... sixteen years... tasty." Gavin swished the liquid around in the glass.

Cameron suddenly wondered if it was really wine. She decided to ignore the Goth, focusing more on the bizarre room as she walked beside Elias. There were eight or nine different hallways connected to the room -- not counting the one they had just left -- and Elias was steering her toward one in the middle. She couldn't help but notice that they all looked completely different beyond the matching arched entrances... the one she was passing now actually had hieroglyphics etched into the walls. The next had wallpaper that looked hundreds of years old. What a strange way to decorate.

Cameron followed Elias to the fifth corridor. She saw row upon row of circular disks linking the walls and torches casting light on the hallway beyond. The walls themselves were artfully constructed out of wood, the rich colors warm and inviting.

Elias stopped at the arch of this particular hallway and held out his arm, gesturing for her to go first. Cameron didn't even slow her steps, wanting to get as far away from Gavin as possible. He had put his glass down and watched her as she entered the hallway.

Or rather, tried to enter.

Cameron slammed against some invisible barrier, her mouth stinging from the contact. It was like she'd walked right into an invisible barrier.

Before she could even react she heard a gasp, then a growl, and she was suddenly being thrown back against the wall to the side of the archway. Dazed, she opened her eyes to see that Elias had placed himself in front of her, his stance protective. What the...?

She could only peek at Gavin from one side but what she saw made her stomach turn a summersault. Gavin hadn't moved, but was staring at Elias with such fierceness she was suddenly afraid for the man in front of her. Gavin's eyes, already a dark color, were the deepest black she'd ever seen... like the pupils had dilated to the largest possible size.

"What did you do?" Elias growled, not moving. He was so still... "You offered the scholarship to a virgin?"

Woah... what did her virginity have anything to do with the two guys in the room suddenly going feral?

Gavin's body looked ready to spring into action. "Why would I do that? You know it's against school policy."

"You know what this means... did you have this planned all along? Is that why you invited her? Despite having already selected your applicant prematurely?" Elias' voice was soaked with derision.

"It was a gamble, sure, but I thought she was already experienced," Gavin said. "She was thinking about sex the whole night and her date was as well."