Night had fallen over Elysium, wrapping the campus in an inky veil. In Aiden and Ethan's room, however, the darkness was pierced by the flickering glow of a candle, illuminating the grave faces of the two friends.
They sat facing each other, a palpable tension between them. It wasn't the kind of tension that precedes an argument, no. It was the tension of conspirators, of accomplices about to cross a line.
"We can't let this pass anymore," Aiden declared, breaking the silence. "You saw like me this guy, the same guy as last time, threatening that poor guy after the test. It's exactly the kind of behavior I can't stand."
Ethan nodded, his face dark. The scene they had witnessed earlier in the evening stuck in his throat. The brute, fists clenched, eyes bloodshot, threatening his defenseless prey...
"Yes, we need to take action," Ethan replied with a slight smile that sent shivers down the spine.
"I know," sighed Aiden. "But are we really ready for this? I mean, going from theory to practice?"
Ethan leaned forward, his electric blue gaze drilling into Aiden's.
"We'll never really be ready," he stated. "We have to take the plunge at some point. And besides, we're not talking about killing him, just giving him a good lesson and... taking a little of his blood to help you manage your condition."
Aiden bit his lip, hesitating. A part of him, the darkest part, trembled with anticipation at the idea of sinking his fangs into the flesh of this tyrant, of making him pay for his actions. But another part, the one that desperately clung to his humanity, hesitated at this prospect.
"What if he turns us in?" he objected, trying to convince Ethan as much as himself. "If we get caught, we'll be expelled, or worse..."
Ethan waved his objections away with an impatient gesture.
"We won't get caught," he assured with confidence. "We'll be careful, we'll cover our tracks. And frankly, do you really think this guy would whine to the teachers? It would tarnish his precious reputation as a tough guy."
He had a point, Aiden had to admit. Their target wasn't the type to admit weakness, much less defeat at the hands of juniors.
"Alright," he finally conceded. "But we do things my way. Neat and efficient."
Ethan raised his hands in acquiescence, a smirk on his lips.
"Whatever you say, boss. I'm with you."
They spent the next hour concocting their plan, weighing every detail, every eventuality. They knew the key was to take their prey by surprise, to leave him no chance to retaliate or call for help.
"We could lure him into a trap," Ethan suggested, sketching a rough diagram on a piece of parchment. "Make him believe that one of his usual punching bags wants to meet him in an isolated spot to settle the score."
Aiden nodded thoughtfully.
"His ego won't allow him to refuse such a challenge," he agreed. "And once he's there, we'll take him in a pincer movement, in case he tries to escape, and I'll take care of the rest."
He didn't need to specify what that "rest" entailed. Ethan and he knew perfectly well that it meant letting the dhampir in Aiden take over, if only for a moment.
"We'll have to be quick," Ethan pointed out. "Before anyone notices his absence or ours."
Aiden nodded, his heart pounding at the prospect of what they were about to do.
"We'll act tomorrow night," he decided. "That will give us time to refine the details and make sure everything is in place."
He extended his hand across the table, palm open. After a moment's hesitation, Ethan slapped his own palm against it, sealing their pact.
"By the way, the next target, it will be my turn to take care of it, I also want to participate in all this," he added, an amused glint in his eye.
They parted on those words, each returning to his bed for what promised to be a restless night. Aiden, in particular, had a hard time finding sleep.
His mind kept replaying the plan, over and over again, anticipating every move, every breath. But beyond the excitement of the impending action, it was a maelstrom of emotions that kept him awake.
There was guilt, of course. Fear too, of crossing a line, of losing a part of his humanity. But there was also, lurking in the darkest recesses of his being, a feverish impatience. The impatience of the predator that slumbered within him, hungry and thirsty.
For he could no longer lie to himself: a part of him, increasingly voracious, longed to sink his fangs into warm, pulsating flesh, to feel life flow down his throat in a scarlet stream.
The next morning, Aiden slowly emerged from a restless sleep. The images of the night, a confused mixture of Machiavellian plans and unspeakable urges, still clung to his foggy mind.
He sat up in bed, running a weary hand over his face. The gray light of dawn filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in an unreal atmosphere.
He walked to the window, slightly parting the curtain to contemplate the campus slowly awakening. Everything seemed so peaceful, so normal.
It was time to get ready for this day. A day like any other in appearance, but one that would mark a decisive turning point. Come evening, he and Ethan would take action.
But for now, he had to attend classes, because he remained a student, and he didn't know much about this world, or these powers.