I was probably the first Hunter, who had lunch while two vampires stared at them hungrily. I wouldn't recommend the experience.
J ordered himself some ice cream – probably made of blood or something – and I thought the brothers would do the same, or at least get a cup of the red stuff, but no luck. I felt their gazes on me as I quickly cleaned my plate. My whole body was on alert, but I knew that if I wanted to keep using my flames I had to first restock on calories to burn.
"Are you still up for the lesson with Elessa?" Lizzie asked me between bites of her salad. I nodded.
"You want to train with the Empress?" J's eyes went wide. "That's surprising."
"Lizzie convinced me." I said.
"You know, mom's not going to go easy on you just because you're pure. Maybe you should try training with…"
"I am pretty sure she knows." Sin cut his brother off. "And don't underestimate her. I learned that the hard way." Sin showed me a smile that was fake and overly sweet. Back to playing the game, huh? His constant mood changes were getting pretty old. I wanted to tell him to go and fuck himself, but I resisted the urge. Barely.
"Don't worry Dam, I can look after myself." I smiled at him, ignoring the younger brother. Lizzie finished her meal in the meantime, so I got up to leave the room as soon as possible.
"Thank you for the meal." I said, but before I could reach the exit, Sin jumped before me, with that blinding vampire speed I hate so much. I tensed up.
"You didn't really think we would let you go so simply, did you?" Sin asked with a sinister tone.
"Let her go." Damian ordered.
"No." He refused. "She enjoyed the food we provided, so let us enjoy something she provides."
"Don't make this difficult for her, Sin." Damian said, slowly approaching behind me. Their cold auras pushed into mine, creating small vortexes. I felt trapped.
"Don't be such a fucking hypocrite, you are just as curious how she tastes as I am. I saw you eyeing her when she ate."
Sin was staring at his brother, but his body still covered the exit, so I couldn't just slip out and run.
"Stop arguing like I'm not here." I snapped at Sin. "I am grateful for the food, but nobody told me anything about providing something, or whatever. I came here as a guest, and I'm going to leave as such."
Sin looked back at me and tried to conjure up his signature fake smile.
"Stop that. It's creepy."
I felt Damian slowly getting closer and closer. Was he planning on jumping on Sin if he didn't let me out? Or was he planning on attacking me? My heart was racing.
Sin closely followed his brother's movements for a couple moment, but then he slightly stepped aside. I couldn't escape without touching him, but I still had to do it.
He was clearly counting on this, since as I moved past him, he grabbed my arm.
"You know that you can't run from me forever?" He whispered.
"It's a good thing that I won't be here forever then." I answered, and stepped out to the corridor as he released my arm. I felt the neutral aura of the free air surround me, and I calmed down a little.
I felt the vampires staying in the room as Lizzie followed me outside. She looked sorry for some reason.
"I didn't know Sin would be such a pain, I'm so sorry."
"It's fine, the food was good, everyone got out of there alive, and I'm never eating there again." I said jokingly, but Lizzie didn't get it.
"Don't say that." She said, as she quickly led us towards Elessa, at least that's what I assumed. "You know; you could just give them a little taste. They could cut you with a small knife, so you'd stay pure…"
"Yeah, no."
"Why?" She was seriously puzzled by my resistance. Feeding vampires was so engraved in the society she grew up in, it was weird not to do it. Still, I had my reasons.
"They stared at me like I was a damned slab of beefsteak, Lizzie." I said. "Plus I'm pretty sure Sin's a psychopath."
"He isn't. They are just curious."
"Yeah, too bad they aren't cats." My attempt at sarcasm clearly flew over her head.
"Just think about it, okay?" She said. I sighed internally. She won't give up, will she?
"Sure, I'll think about it. Are you happy?" I gave in, just to put an end to this type of discussion. I will not feed a bloody leech, period.
"Yes" She smiled.
We arrived at an unassuming door in the first floor. It led to a normal classroom.
Inside, Elessa was sitting at the teacher's desk, flipping through a magazine. Her long, blood red hair fell on her shoulders in big, graceful curls. Now I knew why she was called the Empress. She had a regal aura around her. Commanding and powerful. I shuddered.
She looked up, like she felt the sudden movement. She noticed me immediately, like a predator.
"Lisanne, who's our guest?" I found it strange that she didn't recognize me. Maybe sis didn't include my photo with the documents?
"She's my new classmate. She's a pyromancer. I told her you might train her as well."
Elessa's perfect eyebrows curved in interest.
"Hmm… I remember now. The pureblooded pyromancer from Greenland. A curious girl indeed." She spoke in a sweet, soothing voice, but she clearly had a hidden agenda. It made my skin crawl.
Lizzie walked up to her, and I followed, despite my instincts.
"What's your name, fiery one?" Elessa asked.
"Avalynn Thorn." I had to stop myself from blurting out my real name.
"Welcome to the greatest kingdom in the world, Avalynn."
She offered a handshake. I accepted, only realizing how bad of an idea it was after our skins touched.
Her strong magic aura swept over me, like an ocean tide. I quickly raised a shield around most of my magic. If she found out what I can truly do, I could throw the covert mission out the window.
I felt her examine my powers, and I had to let it happen. I forced a smile on my face, and tried counting to ten to calm myself. I'm not sure that it worked.
After moments that seemed like years, she released my hand. I felt relieved, like washing off all the irritating sand after a day on the beach.
"Very well, Avalynn. I will impart you the mysterious ways of magic."
She looked intrigued. I'm not sure how much of my magic she found, but I really hoped I didn't mess it up on my first day.
She smiled at me, reassuringly. It was the grown-up version of Sin's syrupy one; real looking, and therefore horrifying. I wonder how many have been trapped by this false promise of a smile.
I was guessing a nation or two.
She walked towards the door, the long skirt of her dress fluttering after her, with a web of white gems reflecting the soft light from the ceiling.
"Come, my dear pupils, let's find somewhere more… fireproof."
I looked at Liz as we followed her. She had a wide grin on her face.
"Why are you so happy?" I asked quietly, even though I knew that Elessa could hear us no matter what.
"I'm just happy to have someone to train with." She chirped back.
I couldn't do anything more than to smile back and hope that my good intentions haven't paved a road to somewhere definitely not fireproof.